Tag: Baroque

Gillian Webster soprano, Laurence Kilsby treble, Jeremy Ovenden tenor, Peter Harvey baritone, Ashley Riches bass, William Whitehead organ, Gabrieli Consort, Gabrieli Players, Paul McCreesh
141:38 (2 CDs)
Signum Classics SIGCD392

An extremely interesting and important issue, which attempts to reconstruct the initial version of this lovely work. To those familiar with existing recordings, the changes are twofold- items added for the 1741 and subsequent revivals are omitted (so for example there is no ‘Bellman’s Drowsy Charm’, no ‘Daisies Pied’ or ‘Gorgeous Tragedy’ and no ‘Hairy Gown And Mossy Cell’) while ‘Concerto’s for Several Instruments’ are included (Op 6 nos 1 and 3 before Parts 1 and 2 respectively, and the organ concerto Op 7 no 1 before Part 3.)

McCreesh also follows Handel’s initial vocal distribution, with the L’Allegro airs being sung by three male voices (treble, tenor and bass) and Penseroso by a female soprano. The results are most persuasive- the work fresh from Handel’s imagination, before the practicalities of performance take over, has a fine conciseness and sense of overall shape. Despite the complete lack of a “story”, the contrasting moods set out in the opening accompagnatos with the protagonists subtly mimicking each other’s affects, and wondrously further explored throughout the work, are satisfyingly resolved in the glorious final duet.

The performance, as one would expect, is very fine. McCreesh is an experienced Handelian with a long and distinguished discography, and he does not disappoint here. The soloists are good – I especially enjoyed Laurence Kilsby’s astonishingly mature-sounding treble and Jeremy Ovenden’s intelligent tenor (though why the declamation in “There let Hymen oft appear”?) Allegro’s character is ably completed by Ashley Riches’ mellow bass. Gillian Webster provides a creamily passionate Penseroso (though sometimes clarity of diction is sacrificed to beauty of tone) and Peter Harvey is an eloquent Moderato.The choir and orchestra are as good as ever.

The sumptuously produced booklet has exemplary notes (in particular a fine and scholarly essay by Ruth Smith), though one might have liked mug shots of all the performers, rather than the several art-pics of only a couple of them!

This should be an essential addition to any serious Handel collection.

Alastair Harper

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Lucy Russell violin, John Butt harpsichord
85″ (2 CDs)
Linn Records CKD433

[dropcap]L[/dropcap]ucy Russell, best known as leader of the Fitzwilliam String Quartet, and John Butt, director of the Dunedin Consort, join forces to produce a uniquely personal interpretation of these six sonatas, or perhaps more correctly, trio sonatas, as many movements follow the pattern of the organ trio sonatas, giving two of the three contrapuntal lines to the harpsichord. This can often give rise to problems of balance, and I felt that the harpsichord could at times have been a touch more forward in this recording.

To compete with numerous other period instrument recordings – Comberti, Mackintosh, Manson, Manze, Podger, to mention just a few well-known names (in alphabetical order) – this recording needs to stand out, and a comparative review would here be impossible. Others may be better value, in that they include the G and E Minor sonatas (BWV 1021, 1023, both with continuo accompaniment), whereas the six trio sonatas alone are inevitably short measure on two discs. These works can often receive performances which can sound dry and a little academic, but here Lucy Russell puts her own stamp on the works, giving a spirited and emotional rendering, and for that this recording is worth investing in, even if you have another. Allegros are always spirited and the tempi never sag in the slow movements, whereas I have heard some players who like to wallow in the sound.

It is a test of a harpsichord player to make the right sort of sonority from the instrument in the passages where Bach’s writing imitates the texture of an accompanied string band (e.g. as in the first and third movements of the E Major sonata), and John Butt acquits himself well in such passages. I was pleased that I could detect no trace of a 4’ sound, Butt confining himself to the texture of just two 8’ stops. Although Lucy Russell gives details of the violin used in the recording, it would have been interesting to know the instrument that John Butt was playing. Otherwise the booklet notes, all in English, are excellent, with an extended essay on the sonatas from John Butt.

Ian Graham-Jones

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Portland Baroque Orchestra, Monica Huggett
75:06
Portland Baroque Media PB501
BWV1041-43, 1063, 1064R

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his CD is a fabulous showcase for the depth of talent among the Portland Baroque Orchestra’s violin sections – as well as the artistic director, Monica Huggett, no fewer than four of them take solo lines; Carla Moore plays the A minor concerto (as well as the second lines of BWV1603 and 1064R), Rob Diggins the E major concerto (and the third line in BWV 1064R), Jolianne Einem plays the top line of the D minor double and the third line of BWV1063, and Adam LaMotte plays the lower part of BWV1043. The three well-known pieces are nicely played and placed centrally in the programme. The less well-known of the “reclaimed” concertos, the D minor BWV1063, whose outer move-ments in particular are full of extremely virtuosic passages, opens the disc and proceedings are brought to a close by the other work for three violins, BWV1064R, which the Portlanders perform without ripieno violins.

Brian Clark

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Saint Thomas Choir of Men & Boys, Fifth Avenue, New York, John Scott
68:34
Resonus 10152
BWV [Anh.] 159, 225-230

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]hese performances were taped during sessions in May 2012, 2013 and 2014 with the same “men” (seven altos, ten tenors and eight basses) but a slightly different group of two dozen or so boys and three different organists, though the same cello and violone players. As a full-time church choir singing five services every week, and under the guidance of the former director of music at St Paul’s in London, they are a well-oiled machine which performs these masterpieces with self-assured gusto. The “chorale arias” are carefully shaped (one can almost hear the conductor’s hand waving in the air), much thought has gone into deciding which phrases should or should not be “sung through” (and ensuring that sufficient breath is reserved for the final long notes!) and the texts (and their meanings) come across clearly. There are very occasional technical imperfections – the devilish lines of some of the faster sections lack clarity, for example – but the overall impression is positive indeed. John Butt’s booklet essay is – of course – excellent.

Brian Clark

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Hana Blažíková, Joanne Lunn, Robin Blaze, Gerd Türk, Peter Kooij SScTTB, Bach Collegium Japan, Masaaki Suzuki
65:30
BIS-2081 SACD
BWV235-238, 240-242, Anh. 26

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he interest for me in this well produced CD which has all the quality we expect from Suzuki’s forces is not only in the two Lutheran Masses, of which there are already a number of recordings like the recent one by the Sixteen or the earlier and matchless OVPP version by the Purcell Quartet (1999), but in the additional movements which have rarely been recorded – four settings of the Sanctus BWV 240, 241 (after Kerll), 238 and 237 – and the Kyrie in C minor based on Durante with the Christe in G minor BWV 242. These are presented as part of Suzuki’s mopping up operation, and have an interesting blend of scoring. They show Bach exploring styles of writing – some very dense vocally – which illuminate the way he developed the clarity of his mature style from the models which he reworked. On many occasions Bach must have used other composers material either straight or adapted in some way in his regular presentation of Sunday music. Some of this material shows him at work, and I’m grateful for these typically illuminating performances.

David Stancliffe

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