Category: Recording

Weser-Renaissance, Manfred Cordes
63:35
cpo 777 935-2

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t is only 18 months since another recording with this title appeared. Fortunately, where Ensemble Polyphonique chose works from both of the composer’s sets (1634 for five voices and continuo, and 1637 for different combinations of voices with and without instruments), Weser-Renaissance’s survey focuses on the earlier set, and, of the 17 pieces on the disk (of a total of 30), only eight are duplicated. They have chosen 10 of 12 settings of psalm texts, and no fewer than four from Isaiah. Where the earlier recording had gamba and theorbo with organ continuo, Cordes has opted for harp and chitarrone. As regular readers know, I am highly sceptical of harp continuo, and I cannot help but wonder if cash-strapped musicians during the 30 Years War could afford to string such an instrument. That said, the absence of stringed instrument on the bass line does mean that the singer’s words in the depths are much clearer than they might be. Where EP interspersed the five-voice madrigals with smaller-scale solos and duets, there is no relief from the soundscape here; even though three sopranos are listed for only two vocal lines, the voices are similar enough for me not to be able to distinguish who is singing (very fine though most of the singing is!), and I cried out for some variety. That is certainly not to suggest that Michael’s music lacks quality – quite the reverse. On several machines, the recorded sound lacks the roundness and warmth of the Raumklang disk, which may have drawn me into the intimacy of those performances. The good news is that there are four more pieces from the first set and 43 (!) from the second set (which features printed ornamented alternatives) that remain for another recording.

Brian Clark

Szabolcs Illés violin, Dalibor Pimek cello, Ondřej Macek harpsichord & organ
61:35
Hungaroton HCD 32765

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his enterprising CD places music by Corelli next to works by several of his pupils Visconti, Somis, Mossi and Castrucci and the only one I had come across before, Geminiani. As such it is an interesting exploration of the initial influence of the great master, although of course his highly original shadow falls far and wide on the music of the whole Baroque era. Apart from Corelli’s opus 5 no 3 Sonata, all the works here are receiving their premiere recordings, and this alone makes the CD thoroughly worthwhile. The playing is sensitive and the music elegantly and appropriately ornamented, so I found myself slightly puzzled by what was lacking. Szabolcs Illés’s Baroque violin tone is slightly shallow and scratchy, either due to the acoustic or the recording, and his intonation very occasionally is a little slap-dash, but perhaps ultimately the musicians sadly don’t sound entirely ‘on top of’ this distinctive repertoire, and the music just sounds rather joyless. On the subject of pupils, Illes is a pupil of Sigiswald Kuijken, which is why I am surprised that the playing is not more passionate and idiomatic, but having returned to the CD several times I’m afraid it just isn’t. There are those who will want to own this CD simply because of the wealth of unfamiliar material here, but I couldn’t help wishing that it could have been more appetisingly presented.

D. James Ross

Simon Borutzki & Ensemble
68:48
klanglogo (Rondeau) KL1517
BWV593, 971, 973-6, 978, 986

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his is a project after J. S. Bach’s own heart, as the arch-arranger’s keyboard arrangements (of Vivaldi, Marcello and anon) are further re-arranged for recorder and continuo! Much of this music inhabits a twilit zone in the composer’s oeuvre, by him and yet not by him, so much of it was unfamiliar to me, and it strikes me that these adaptations for recorder and BC work rather well, bringing some rather fine music into the spotlight. There are occasional passages which don’t sound entirely idiomatic for the recorder, but Borutzki’s stunning virtuosity carries the day, while his musicality and that of his continuo team mean that the performances are extremely engaging. We hear him play a selection of different recorder sizes all with a persuasive mastery, seven different instruments of four different sizes, which gives the CD a fascinating dimension as an introduction to the Baroque recorder in its many guises. Particularly delightful is an account of Bach’s own Italian Concerto  on a charming original anonymous Baroque descant instrument, alternating with a tenor recorder (with lute accompaniment) for the Andante. This refreshing CD is a thorough delight, usefully bringing music which clearly appealed to J. S. Bach to a deservedly wider audience in imaginative and musically thrilling performances.

D. James Ross