[Philidor]

Still living in 2022. Final notes.

Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra op. 30

Berliner Philharmoniker
Herbert von Karajan
Recording 1973

Johann Sebastian Bach: "Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen" BWV 51

Monika Frimmer, Sopran
Ludwig Güttler, Corno da Caccia
Neues Bachiches Collegium Musicum Leipzig
Max Pommer

I wouldn't hesitate to say that the 1973 Zarathustra is one of the major discographic achievements of Herbert von Karajan. Top 10 in Philidor's HvK list.

 

[Philidor]

Top 10 in Philidor's HvK list.

And this one is also among the top 10:

Richard Wagner
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg,
Herbert von Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker

 

[Philidor]

A new musical year begins. One motet, two cantatas.

Johann Sebaastian Bach

Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied BWV 225
Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele BWV 143
Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied BWV 190

Ruth Holton, James Gilchrist, Peter Harvey (BWV 143)
Daniel Taylor, James Gilchrist, Peter Harvey (BWV 190)
The Monteverdi Choir
The English Baroque Soloists
John Eliot Gardiner

In these "Bach Pilgrimage" recordings, imho Gardiner is less hard-driven than with some earlier recording for DG.

 

[Philidor]

Day by day.

J. S. Bach: "Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben"
Christmas Oratorio BWV 248 Part the Fourth

Johannette Zomer, Annette Markert, Gerd Türk, Peter Harvey
The Netherlands Bach Society
Jos van Veldhoven

 

[Philidor]

The 1973 recording is absolutely powerful and impressive, I love it too; but my favourite for Also sprach Zarathustra is the overwhelming 1959 recording with the Wiener Philharmoniker.

My sincere apologies, however, I can't agree ...

Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra op. 30

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Herbert von Karajan

(The pic on the right side stands for the 2021 remastering which I was listening to.)

I am sorry to say that imho the 1973 recording with the Berlin Philharmonic is not only more to the point in terms of orchestral precision, but also shows more coherence and flow. So Berlin recording is my favorite together with Reiner's recording from 1962 (not the well-known 1954).

Sinopoli is, as often, the version of the "something else, but really good" kind.

Karajan/VPO and Reiner/1954 are close on the heels, but for me there is a gap to the point of excellence. There are many fine recordings, Kempe, Järvi, Nelsons, Zinman, Urbanski, Jansons, but Karajan/1973 and Reiner/1962 are my benchmarks for this exceptional piece. (Francois-Xavier Roth is still on my list.)

Everything imho, of course.

 

[Philidor]

Regarding string quartets, 2023 started in an excellent way with the Quartet of the Week:

Anna Thorvaldsdottir: Enigma

Spektral Quartet

Caught in the very first seconds and staying inside until the end. Amazing. What a discovery. A very good invest of 29 mins of well-filled lifetime.

 

[Philidor]

Should old acquaintance be forgot ...

Johann Sebastian Bach

Brandenburgisches Konzert Nr. 1 F major
Brandenburgisches Konzert Nr. 2 F major

Concentus musicus Wien
Nikolaus Harnoncourt
(Recording 1981/82)

 

[Philidor]

Organ music for Christmas (I).

Charles-Marie Widor: Symphonie gothique op. 70

Joseph Nolan

 

[Philidor]

Organ music for Christmas (II).

Marcel Dupré: Variations sur un Noel op. 20

Ben van Oosten

 

[Philidor]

Organ music for Christmas (III).

Charles Ives: "Adeste fideles" in an Organ Prelude

Hans-Ola Ericsson

 

[Philidor]

Second try with the Quartet of the Week, still great:

Anna Thorvaldsdottir: Enigma

Spektral Quartet

The dark side of the Force.

 

[Philidor]

This year there is no "Sunday after New Year", as Epiphany is tomorrow ... so I listen today to that stuff:

Johann Sebastian Bach: "Schau, lieber Gott, wie meine Feind" BWV 153

Sally Bruce-Payne, James Gilchrist, Peter Harvey
The Monteverdi Choir
The English Baroque Soloists
John Eliot Gardiner

 

[Philidor]

Written for the Sunday after New Year.

J. S. Bach: "Ehr sei dir, Gott, gesungen"
Christmas Oratorio BWV 248 Part the Fifth

Johannette Zomer, Annette Markert, Gerd Türk, Peter Harvey
The Netherlands Bach Society
Jos van Veldhoven

 

[Philidor]

Today we are celebrating the feast of Epiphany.

Johann Sebastian Bach: "Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen" BWV 65

James Gilchrist, Peter Harvey
The Monteverdi Choir
The English Baroque Soloists
John Eliot Gardiner

I am not in position to write a meaningful commentary on this recording with 20.000+ words.

But I would like to share with you that I liked this recording. There is a reason: Gardiner used horns that played in the high octave ("clarin"). This is a special light sound which is different to all other recordings of this cantata that I know.

 

[Philidor]

Finis.

J. S. Bach: "Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde schnauben"
Christmas Oratorio BWV 248 Part the Sixth

Johannette Zomer, Annette Markert, Gerd Türk, Peter Harvey
The Netherlands Bach Society
Jos van Veldhoven

I wouldn't hesitate to call this recording a primary recommendation for BWV 248. Imho.

 

[Philidor]

Relistening some stuff for New Year's Day.

Johann Sebastian Bach: "Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele" BWV 143

Sandrine Piau, Jörg Dürmüller, Klaus Mertens
The Amsterdam Baroque Choir and Orchestra
Ton Koopman

I like Koopman's approach for the early cantatas. He comes along with some freshness which makes this music shine.

 

[Philidor]

Next New Year's stuff.

Johann Sebastian Bach: "Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied" BWV 190

Alto: Elisabeth von Magnus; Tenor: Paul Agnew; Bass: Klaus Mertens
The Amsterdam Baroque Choir & Orchestra
Ton Koopman

Although I have about two thirds of Koopman's complete recordings of these cantatas, I often neglected them in view of the (as a whole) preferred Suzuki or special recordings like Kuijken's or Pierlot's, using OVPP. However, there are real gems among Koopman's renditions, and this is one of them, imho.

 

[Philidor]

A new recording of Franck's music for organ - well, the 12 "big pieces".

César Franck

Trois Chorals

• • No. 1 Mi majeur
  • No. 2 Si mineur
  • No. 3 La mineur

Grande Pièce Symphonique op. 17

Michel Bouvard
Organ by Cavaillé-Coll in Saint-Sermin, Toulouse (F)

"L'Oeuvre d'orgue" is misleading as the collection "L'organiste" is missing as well as earlier versions of some pieces and other smaller works. However, I found these renditions appealing. Bouvard does not try to make everything different than others. Quite the contrary, he is rather modest in taking back his own commentary, leaving the stage to the music itself. Recordings by Guillou and others might be more spectacular, but this seems to be a frank presentation of Franck. Imho.

 

[Philidor]

New year, new cycle.

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 1 C major op. 21

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Herbert von Karajan
1961/62

 

[Philidor]

Good morning. - Today is the First Sunday after Epiphany. Two of Bach's cantatas for this day:

Johann Sebastian Bach

"Mein liebster Jesus ist verloren" BWV 154
"Meinen Jesum lass ich nicht" BWV 124

Soprano: Claron McFadden; Counter-tenor: Michael Chance; Tenor: James Gilchrist; Bass: Peter Harvey
The Monteverdi Choir
The English Baroque Soloists
John Eliot Gardiner