Tag: Classical

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ith all the fabulous recordings in the harmonia mundi archives, it is hardly surprising that – while continuing to release even more delights – they fairly regularly re-visit some gems from the past. The last round of re-releases belong to two series: there are four HIP issues branded as Musique d’abord (with the CDs taking on the appearance of mini LPs) and six from the hmGold set (which come in sturdy cardboard cases).

The earliest of the first batch is Alfred Deller: “O Ravishing Delight” (HMA 190216, 66:10), featuring airs by Dowland to Blow, Croft and Humfrey, but not Henry Purcell. As well as lute and harpsichord, some tracks feature recorders (one played by David Munrow). Dating from 1969, this is an important historical recording. René Jacobs directed the RIAS Kammerchor in Bach’s motets (HMA 1901589, 72:35) in 1997. Since then, performance practice may have shifted in favour of smaller groups (even one-to-a-part), but these are excellent chamber choir performances with a distinguished line-up of soloists, strings and winds. Handel: Ombra cara (HMA1902077, 71:46) is the youngest of the batch. Countertenor Bejun Mehta sings arias from Agrippina, Amadigi, Orlando, Radamiso, Riccardo primo, Rodrigo, Sosarme  and Tolomeo, accompanied by the Freiburger Barockorchester, directed by René Jacobs. He is joined on three tracks by Rosemary Joshua. The last of the quartet features Georg Kallweit and Midori Seiler in a programme of concertos by Vivaldi (HMA 1901975, 56:23). Recorded in 2006, there are three double concertos (RV522, 531 & 535), as well as two concerti grossi (RV156 and 574) plus the E major concerto, op. 3 no. 12.

The earliest of the hmGold releases is a broad survey of Sweelinck’s choral output (Psaumes français & Canciones Sacrae, HMG 502033, 61:39) by Capella Amsterdam under Daniel Reuss. It ends with a monumental setting (over 15 minutes!) of the Te Deum. A 2-CD set of selections from two volumes of Jacob Van Eyck’s Der Fluyten Lust-Hof  by Marion Verbruggen (HMG 507350.351, 138:19) shows a different side to this repertoire that I saw at last year’s festival in Utrecht – how things have changed since these recordings were made in 1993 & 1996. Philippe Herreweghe directs Collegium Vocale Gent and Concerto Palatino in Schütz’s Opus ultimum  (HMG 501895.896, 88:49); the nine chunks of Psalm 119 in this 2007 recording are followed by Psalm 100 and Schütz’s German Magnificat. Davitt Moroney’s 1985 recording of Bach’s Die Kunst der Fuge  (HMG501169.70, 98:41) divides this amazing work before the mirror fugues and includes with Moroney’s own completion of the last piece in the collection. Handel’s Concerti Grossi  op. 6 are considered by most experts to be his outstanding instrumental music and here the twelve concertos for strings are given electrifying performances under the leadership of Andrew Manze (HMG 507228.229, 156:27). They are re-ordered for the recording, but no. 12 in B minor still concludes the set. The final recital sees Andreas Staier and Christine Schornsheim playing music by Mozart on the vis-à-vis, an instrument combining harpsichord at one end and fortepiano at the other (HMG 501941, 63:20); if the sounds of the instrument are themselves worth the cost of the disk, the performances are outstanding!

Brian Clark

Zürcher Kammerorchester, Sebastian Knauer
69:50
Berlin Classics 0300764BC
BWV1044, 1055, 1056, J. C. Bach: Concerto in f; C. P. E. Bach: Concerto in G

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his is a second CD produced by the pianist, Sebastian Knauer, of keyboard concertos by Johann Sebastian coupled with two by his sons to link the ‘old’ Bach to the coming age.

You may think it curious, but it isn’t the modern Steinway grand that I have any problems with: this is beautifully and lightly played by Knauer, who quotes Roger Norrington’s dictum ‘Period performance is in the mind, and not in the hardware’, and provides a powerful advocacy of that in these performances. It is more with the overall style including the tuning of the string band, and in particular the way they shape and play through their lines especially in the violins. I did not imagine that the effect in one of my favourite Klavier concertos, the A major BWV1055, would be so striking. It is partly that 21st-century approaches to phrasing, to long lines, to sustaining or even growing phrases that are in themselves less significant is such a contrast to the shorter bow strokes and floating lines we are used to in period instrument ensembles.

Their approach seems to me to pay off splendidly, especially in the Johann Christian F minor concerto with its pre-Sturm und Drang drive, and in the C. P. E. Bach G major concerto with its lyrical, classical lines, but to be essentially at odds with the different sort of partnership between strings and keyboard (and the flute and violin in BWV 1044) demanded in the concertos by J. S. B., where a more interlocked partnership is surely required.

So while I enjoyed Knauer’s musicianship, it was Bach’s sons whose music fares best in this collection.

David Stancliffe

[Anke Herrmann Maddalena, Debora Beronesi Giovanni, Jeffrey Francis Pietro, Maurizio Picconi Giuseppe d’Arimatea SmSTB, Ensemble Vocale Sigismondo d’India, Ensemble Vocale Eufonia,] Berliner Barock Akademie, Alessandro De Marchi
125:00 (2 CDs in a wallet)
Pan Classics PC 10376 (1996)

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his recording of Jommelli’s 1749 Passion is not new, having originally been issued on K617 in 1996. It was composed during the period the composer was nominally based in Rome, but the oratorio may have been written for Vienna, where Jommelli spent much of 1749. The work is divided into two parts, in the first of which the events of the Crucifixion are retrospectively recounted to Peter (who had of course fled the scene) by Mary Magdalene (sop), John (mez) and Joseph of Arimathea, the last named poetic licence, the man responsible for Jesus’ burial not named in the Gospels as having been present at the Crucifixion. In the briefer second part, the mood turns to looking forward both to the vengeance that will be wreaked on Jerusalem, but also the conflict between doubt and hope that followed in the aftermath of Christ’s death. Metastasio’s libretto is colourful and graphic, employing many of the devices – so-called ‘simile’ arias are an example – familiar from his opera librettos.

Anyone approaching this Passion setting from the standpoint of those of the Baroque in general and Bach in particular may initially be disappointed in La Passione di Gesù Cristo. This is a fully-fledged early Classical work and the Classical era was not very comfortable with tragedy, especially religious tragedy. Arias are long and often demanding, while many will feel a number miss the deeper thoughts expressed by the character. Thus when Mary Magdalene sings ‘Vorrei dirti il mio dolore’ (I wish to express my sorrow), she does so in triple time and Lombardy rhythms that appear to belie any such wish. For this reason I think Part 2 is arguably the stronger musically. There are at least two outstanding arias in this section of the work, one being ‘All’idea de tuoi perigli’, Joseph’s horrified reaction to John’s prediction that Jesus will come again to Jerusalem to avenge the profanation of the temple. Set to a descending fugal figure and exhibiting strong vocal rhetoric, it illustrates Jommelli’s writing at its dramatic best. Conversely, John’s ‘Dovunque il guardo’ is a piece of deeply affecting lyricism set to an especially lovely text. Throughout the work Jommelli’s orchestral writing looks forward to the richness of texture that became such a hallmark of his Stuttgart years (from 1753).

The orchestral playing on the present recording is highly accomplished, a major component of a performance that is in most respects excellent and rather less mannered than some of Alessandro De Marchi’s more recent work. He is proved generally fortunate in his choice of soloists, too. The most demanding role is that of Peter, here sung with great dramatic conviction by the American tenor Jeffrey Francis, who is especially outstanding in Jommelli’s splendid accompanied recitatives. Only in the more challenging tessitura of an aria like ‘Giacché mi tremi does he occasionally sound a little strained. Soprano Anke Herrmann is a touching Mary Magdalene who is an almost unqualified success. She has a decent trill, too, though she might have been encouraged to use it a little more often. Debora Beronesi (John) and Maurizio Picconi (Joseph) do nothing seriously wrong, but neither has a very distinctive vocal personality. There are only three choruses, De Marchi’s decision – for which he seeks justification in his booklet on interpretation – to go for a large body not at all convincing for music whose character clearly suggests to me that they were intended to be sung by the solo quartet.

Brian Robins