It's superb. (All of his Bach is. If you only have the money to acquire one set of cantatas, for example: get Suzuki's.)
Just my personal view, of course, and our tastes may be wildly different.
Bach Mass in B Minor BWV 232 - recommendation?
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Just my personal view, of course, and our tastes may be wildly different.
Bach, Brahms, Schubert, Sibelius, Mahler, Messiaen
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Some accuse Suzuki of being slick and detached, but I don't hear it (but that's exactly how I hear Herreweghe!) Amazing sound quality, virtuosic playing and singing, and soloists with fresh, pure voices. Next to Hengelbrock it's my favorite HIP version.
I have Gardiner's complete on the sacred and Suzuki's on the secular.
Oh well. In my view, that's at least the wrong way round: but you do you! It's not that Gardiner is ghastly or anything
When one is starting from a relatively blank slate, it doesn't matter what you listen to, so long as you listen.
There's all the time in the world to sort it out afterwards.
That's exactly right. I had actually looked for Suzuki's complete scared but it was way too expensive and I've had good experiences with Gardiner elsewhere.Oh well. In my view, that's at least the wrong way round: but you do you! It's not that Gardiner is ghastly or anything
When one is starting from a relatively blank slate, it doesn't matter what you listen to, so long as you listen.
There's all the time in the world to sort it out afterwards.
When I first started getting into opera and classical music, there were two names I knew: Pavarotti and Solti. So if the box had either on it, I bought it, then through those experiences I learned more orchestras, conductors and singers. I like the cantatas that I've heard, but Bach is a rarity for me. I much prefer the Classical period (and even the Romantic) to the Baroque. So aside from Bach, Handel and Vivaldi I don't listen to too much Baroque and I don't listen to it very frequently.
I've been sidelined from this with Brahms Ein deustches Requiem which is stunning.
I've thought that Gardiner's approach for this, which is essentially to my hearing a more virtuoso piece, a demonstration of his credentials for a big mass, as opposed to the Lutheran passions-- anyway, the Gardiner is very bright and really spits it out in a way that's exciting, good singing.
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My new acquisition, just listened for the first time yesterday, absolutely wonderful. The acoustic has a bit of extra resonance but the performance is great. Apparently there's some region thing for the dvd and my all-region Blu-ray player was misbehaving, so I have to figure out and fix that before I'd comment on the film. Usual luxury presentation from this source and the music performance is as good as any I've heard. Will repeat soon.
I have and kept the Suzuki recordings and the big Gardiner box (gave away the Koopman set), but I find Suzuki bland in all, having heard his Matthew Passion in performance. The cantatas are ok as are the passions and the Mass, but not my top choice at all. In everything except the B minor mass I have tended to favor Herreweghe for everything he does, the most consistent Bach I know and of everything he does, almost always the keeper.
but this Savall is wonderful.
My new acquisition, just listened for the first time yesterday, absolutely wonderful. The acoustic has a bit of extra resonance but the performance is great. Apparently there's some region thing for the dvd and my all-region Blu-ray player was misbehaving, so I have to figure out and fix that before I'd comment on the film. Usual luxury presentation from this source and the music performance is as good as any I've heard. Will repeat soon.
I have and kept the Suzuki recordings and the big Gardiner box (gave away the Koopman set), but I find Suzuki bland in all, having heard his Matthew Passion in performance. The cantatas are ok as are the passions and the Mass, but not my top choice at all. In everything except the B minor mass I have tended to favor Herreweghe for everything he does, the most consistent Bach I know and of everything he does, almost always the keeper.
but this Savall is wonderful.
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Today, I have been listening to two recordings at the opposite ends of the spectrum: Jochum's EMI recording with the Bavaria RSO and chorus: Gorgeous, moving, full of sprituality and at a great pace, I agree with Allegro con brio on this one. And Marc Minkowski with just ten voices, but what warmth he brings to this music, nothing of the asceticism of Parrot in his equally minimalistic rendering, although I enjoy the latter for the sheer transparency of every line.
In short: I enjoy all performances that strive to serve the music rather than the ego of the conductor, and especially Bach's universal musical language allows many different tongues of interpretation.
In short: I enjoy all performances that strive to serve the music rather than the ego of the conductor, and especially Bach's universal musical language allows many different tongues of interpretation.
at only 1.5 full hearings but...
They are really spectacular in many aspects. Virtuosic singing, a bass that's amazing and a tenor that's really remarkable in fitting into the voices as instruments mentality. The orchestra playing equally fine, especially the winds, wow, some wonderful unisons and gorgeous reed playing.
But the minimal choral representation, I guess one to a part, lacks grandeur when needed. Gloria needs to sound like the heavens are opening, not something out of a mummer's parade. The "resurrexit" sounds like Jesus bolts out of the tomb and onto a high speed motorbike. Yikes, too fast, shouldn't just do it fast because you can!
But much is quite extraordinarily beautiful. So I'd say high marks for what's good, and even what's not doesn't preclude enjoyment, so it will get another go around. But sometimes tradition does what it does because the tempo and the style of tradition are really what is in the music, not just schlamperei.
I think this approach might work better with the passions. I'm thinking that's next. The Amazon price for this is one of those goofy $900 fake things (surely nobody does that), but they're easily obtainable on the Channel Classics sight, quick delivery.
More music that is better than it can be performed, overall very impressed but with caveats.
dull recordings and dull in performance, Matthew Passion at Carnegie Hall a few years ago just forgettable. How can that be?
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Listening to a version of this right now. It's so good.
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Aftpraid the castrated voices in Parrotf's recordings tend to be one step too far for me. Agree concerning Gardiner an£ Herreweghe
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Parrot tends to encourage a very thin sound. A matter of taste. I prefer a fuller sound from the voices.
NB you do realise I was not using the word 'castrated' literally!
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