Bach: Violin Concertos - Grumiaux, Holliger, Krebbers

Johann Sebastian Bach
Violin Concertos 1041-1042, Double Concertos 1060-1043
Grumiaux, Holliger, Krebbers, Les Solistes Romands, Gerecz, New Philharmonic Orchestra, de Waart
Decca 420 700-2

This is a must for all Bach admirers. I first encountered these performances when I was about fifteen years old - my parents had the vinyl disc (which, incidentally, did not include the concerto for violin and oboe, added here as a bonus & featuring Heinz Holliger). At that time, baroque music did not appeal to me very much, but somehow the seeds were sown... and after a few years of more or less involuntary exposure, I found myself falling head over heels in love with this music.

As always, Grumiaux's playing is a perfect delight for the ear - he seemed to have an uncanny ability to find just the right balance between classical restraint and romantic expressiveness, which suits this music very well indeed. The slow movements (particularly that of the E minor concerto) emerge as some of the most beautiful music ever written, filled with a sense of nobility and wonder; whilst the allegros are spun off with tremendous verve. For the double concerto, Grumiaux is joined by Hermann Krebbers, and the interplay between the two could hardly have been more perfect, especially in the finale which gathers enough forward momentum to leave your mind reeling long after the last chords have faded.

The recording comes from the late seventies, and has a kind of warm, wooden sonority to it that brings to mind a mature, full-bodied wine - and, if I'm allowed to extend the analogy, these performances are of a quality vintage that only seems to get better and better with age. Plus that they are at their best when enjoyed in good company!

All in all, a desert island disc if ever there was one. Even if you have other versions, you should give Grumiaux a listen, as this is really exceptional.

Amazon customer

Fux: Il Fonte della Salute - Wiener Akademie, Haselböck

Johann Joseph Fux
Il Fonte della Salute
Wiener Akademie, Martin Haselböck
CPO 999 680-2

Sorry folks! No scans included for this one.
Worth downloading never the less of course.

This early German Baroque work is composed in what is known as the "sepolcro" tradition, which appears to be a cross between a Passion Play and an Oratorio. The characters are allegorical: Mercy, Justice, and Grace (who represent Christ), along with a Contrite Sinner, an Obstinate Sinner, and a Demon. The "dramatic tension", and I use the words as lightly as humanly possible, comes both from the Demon's attempts to seduce the stubborn sinner, who is still in the running for hell, and from the contrite sinner's support of the three allegorical ladies who are Christ's stand-ins. What we get is more than two hours of sparsely if beautifully accompanied recitative-aria-recitative-occasional duet or terzetto-recitative-aria.

I can't imagine a better sung performance of this work and it's still amazingly dull: The contrite sinner is gorgeously performed by countertenor Henning Voss; soprano Kumiko Koike's Grace is lovely and pure; Johannes Chum exhibits an agile, handsome tenor voice as the obstinate sinner; Wolfgang Bankl, in the difficult role of the Demon (he must tempt without seeming smarmy or evil) is excellent; and Linda Perillo's Mercy and Ann Monoyios' Justice are lovely traits. The orchestral playing is superb--graceful, crisp, and clean, with a nice pair of bassoons--and the recording is ideal.

The flaws therefore must lie with the music itself--which is dreary as only allegorical, liturgical, early German Baroque music can be--and, moreso, the dead-in-the-water leadership of Martin Haselbock, who probably could have enlivened the proceedings but opted to buy into its piety rather than its "theatricality", be that as it may. And so, an oddity, an historical footnote, mainly for historians and those sorrowful, devout folk who like deep, gloomy, thought-pieces. Sorry--sad, but true.

Robert Levine, Classics Today.com

Manfredini: 12 Concerti Op.3 - Les Amis de Philippe, Remy

Francesco Manfredini
12 Concerti Op.3
Les Amis de Philippe, Ludger Rémy
CPO 999 638-2

Remy präsentiert Manfredini als einen spätbarocken Komponisten voller Phantasie und Originalität. Einen besseren Dienst kann man Manfredini nicht erweisen." Der Standard Wien: "Virtuosität in den Soli, die mitunter wie irrwitzig über Harmonien huschen, dazu markante Themen, die einem Vivaldi alle Ehre machten und eine mediterrane Sinnlichkeit zeichnen Manfredini aus - alles Qualitäten, die Remy enthusiastisch aus diesen wieder entdeckten Raritäten zaubert. Exzellenter, feinsinniger Klang." FonoForum 5 / 2000: "Sinnlich und sehr temperamentvoll interpretiert." Concerto: "Werke, die auch heute noch zu begeistern vermögen." HC Robbins Landon: "Excellent performances.

Albinoni: Complete Concertos Op. 5 & 7 - I Musici, Carmirelli

Tomaso Albinoni
Complete Concertos Op. 5 & 7
I Musici, Carmirelli, Berlin Chamber Orchestra, Negri
Philips 464 052-2


For my music friend Alekhno. And everyone else...

Boyce: The Eight Symphonies - I Solisti di Zagreb, Janigro

William Boyce
The Eight Symphonies
I Solisti di Zagreb, Antonio Janigro
Vanguard Classics 08 2037 71

Same same... But different!

Boyce: The Eight Symphonies - English String Orchestra

William Boyce
The Eight Symphonies
English String Orchestra, William Boughton
Nimbus Records NI 5345

“... well crafted, tuneful and engaging” Billboard Magazine

Boyce: Eight Symphonies, Op.2 - Mallon, Aradia Ensemble

William Boyce
Eight Symphonies, Op.2
Kevin Mallon, Aradia Ensemble
Naxos 8.557278

William Boyce's eight Op. 2 symphonies have been fairly well treated on disc--versions by Pinnock (Archiv), Marriner (Capriccio), Boughton (Nimbus), and Ronald Thomas (CRD) have long satisfied both period- and modern-instrument fans--but it's been about 10 years since anyone's had a go at these very fine and enormously appealing exemplars of 18th-century English style, albeit in the manner of Handel's theatrical works. In fact, casual listeners would be forgiven for believing these relatively short, tuneful, rhythmically buoyant, skillfully scored pieces were from the pen of George Frederic himself. These so-called "symphonies", three-movement works most of which are cobbled from Boyce's stage compositions, are so ingratiating and melodically ear-catching that it's a wonder they aren't more common to concert programs. And certainly, if you're looking for a recording that shows these symphonies at their best, this one should be your first choice, as the vibrant sound, clean articulation, apt dynamic contrasts, and lively rhythms combine to make these performances both irresistible and worthy of many repeats. Kevin Mallon's Aradia Ensemble executes these pieces as well as we can imagine, and the sound places us in an ideal listening perspective. If you like Handel and you don't know these pieces, don't hesitate.

David Vernier, Classics Today.com