01. - 03.Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Piano Quartet No.1 in G minor, K.478 [26'30] 04. - 07.Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Piano Quartet No.2 in E-flat major, K.493 [34'11]
Malcolm Bilson- fortepiano, Elizabeth Wilcock- violin, Jan Schlapp- viola, Timothy Mason- cello
DG Archiv 423 404-2 (recorded March 1987; CD issued 1988)
(flac and scans) Recording venue: Abbey Road Studios, London Recording engineer: Gregor Zielinsky and Karl-August Naegler Producer: Dr Andreas Holschneider
This recording doesn't seem to be easily available for download nowadays so I thought it worth adding here on MIMIC to go with the other Malcolm Bilson recordings from Duckjammy. It was one of the first HIP recordings of the Piano Quartets (I believe it was only preceded by Richard Burnett and the Salomon Quartet) and it remains my favourite recording of these two major works of Mozart since obtaining this CD back in 1988.
The sound of Bilson's fortepianos (by Philip Belt and Derek Adlam) should makes these Mozart recordings acceptable to those who generally dislike fortepianos just as much as to those who do. The detail and textures from the quartet (American pianist Bilson with the string players drawn from the English Baroque Soloists) make both performances musically most satisfactory.
Appendix For lovers of old British TV programmes, here's a recent cartoon from Private Eye (apologies to our Spanish readers).
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Serenade No. 6 in D major, K239 "Serenata notturna" Serenade No. 13 in G major, K525 "Eine kleine Nachtmusik" Ballet K299b "Les Petits Reins"[Only HIP recording] Basset Horn Trio K439b No. 1 Jean-Claude Malgoire La Grande Ecurie et La Chambre du Roy (Period Instruments) Columbia COL46716 (1991)
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) Praeludium und Fuge BWV 566, BWV 534 Choralvorspiele BWV 696-704, 714-717, 730-737 Canzona BWV 588, Pastorella BWV 590 Partita BWV 767 and others
Bram Beekman - organist Hinsz Organs Kampen, Wassenaar, Peize Label: Lindenberg LBCD36/37 (2CD) Recorded March 1992
Sigfrid Karg-Elert (1877-1933) Choralimprovisationen Opus 65 Max Reger (1873-1916) Praeludium in d minor, Opus 65 and other works Joseph Rheinberger (1839-1901) Sonate No 16, Opus 175 Jan Jongepier - organist Walcker organ (1916), IV/P/64 Label VLS Records VLC 0292 Recorded in 1991
Rondo für Violine und Klaver in h-Moll Rondo ('Rondo brillant') in B Minor, D. 895 (Op. 70) [Oktober 1826]
5. Andante - Allegro 15'30
Fantasie für Violine und Klavier in C-Dur Fantasy in C Major, D. 934 (Op. 159) [November 1827, Wien]
6. Andante molto - Allegretto - Andantino - Tempo primo - Allegro vivace 26'05
Total time: 65'57
Jaime Laredo, violin Stephanie Brown, piano
Recording: September 1989, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall in Troy, NY Producer: André Gauthier Engineer: Craig D. Dory Release under the non-exclusive licence of the Dorian Music Group Ltd.
10. Larghetto 2'25 11. Tema (andante) 1'22 12. Var. I 1'25 13. Var. II (vivo) 1'10 14. Var. III (poco piu lento) 2'02 15. Var. IV (tempo primo) 2'19 16. Var. V (comodo) 1'39 17. Var. VI (molto allegro- presto scherzando) 3'36
TOTAL TIME 62'48
Haydn Philharmonia Soloists, Ezio Rojatti Simone Baroncini, horn Massimo Belli, violin Victoria Terekiev, piano
Recording: Chiesa di S. Maria della Fratta, San Daniele del Friuli, Italy, August 26-September 2 1991 Producer: Alessandro Nava & Danilo Prefumo Engineer: Michael Seberich Licensed from Nuova Era Records, Italy
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) Stabat Mater Nusi Dominus Concerto in G minor James Bowman, Countertenor Christopher Hogwood, The Academy of Ancient Music (Period Instruments) Decca L'Oiseau Lyre 414 329-2 (1976/1985)
From around 1988 to 1993, the PDO plant in the UK produced compact discs that that were improperly lacquered. This caused a reaction between the aluminum in the disc and the sulpher in the booklet that caused a condition called "bronzing." Over a period of time, sufficiently bronzed discs will become unplayable. I stress that this condition only occurs with discs produced at this specific plant during this specific time frame. Most of the affected discs are from the Hyperion label but there were discs from numerous other companies that were also effected. For a complete list of effected discs by label and catalog number click here and here. (Big thanks to members Saoshya & Carbozie for providing the links.) I have one disc from Decca "L'Oiseau Lyre" and numerous Hyperion discs that are on the list. I will be ripping and sharing these discs here at MIMIC and I will post these discs regardless if I or anyone else has already posted them here. This is too important a project to worry about duplicate postings. I will label all my new posts with "Bronze Series" at the end of the description in parenthesis: (Bronze Series.) The first in this series will be Vivaldi's Stabat mater - Nisi Dominus on the L'Oiseau Lyre. The following discs in the series will all be from Hyperion in sequential order. For further reading on bronzed discs, go here and here.
Douglas Moore (1893-1969) THE BALLAD OF BABY DOE (1956)
Central City Opera, dir : John Moriarty Grissom, Steele, Kreuger Newport Classic NPD 85593/2 Recorded August 1996 FLAC, cuesheets, scans of covers and booklet
Jake Heggie (1961- )
DEAD MAN WALKING (2000)
San Francisco Opera; dir : Patrick Summers
Graham, Packard, von Stade
Erato 86238-2
Recorded October 2000
FLAC, cuesheets, scans of covers and booklet
Robert Ward (1917-2013)
THE CRUCIBLE (1961)
New York City Opera, dir : Emerson Buckley
Brooks, Alberts, Malas, McCurdy, Ludgin, Bible
Albany Records TROY025-26-2
Recorded 1962
FLAC, cuesheets, scans of covers and booklet
Marc Blitzstein (1905-1964)
REGINA (1949)
Scottish Opera, dir : John Mauceri
Ciesinski, Ramey, Réaux, Greenawald
London 433 812-2
Recorded May 1991
FLAC, cuesheets, scans of covers and booklet
Vittorio Giannini (1903-1966)
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW (1950)
Kansas City Lyric Theater, dir : Russell Patterson
01. - 04. Marcel Dupre - Symphony in G minor for Organ and Orchestra, op.25 [27'52] 05. - 07. Josef Rheinberger - Organ Concerto No.1 in F major, op.137 [22'32] 08. Interview with Michael Murray and curator, Kenneth James about the organ [7'34]
Michael Murray- organ in the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Jahja Ling
Telarc CD-80136 (recorded May 1986; CD issued 1986) (flac and scans) Recording venue: Royal Albert Hall, London Recording engineer: Jack Renner Producer: Robert Woods
Here's a typically outstanding recording from Telarc to give your hi-fi system a work out. The mighty (pre latest renovation) Father Willis organ in the Royal Albert Hall is in its element in the Dupre symphony where it blends seamlessly with the orchestra. The work was given its premiere at a Promenade Concert in this hall in the 1920s and Michael Murray was a pupil of Dupre. Anybody who enjoys the Saint-Saens Symphony No.3 will probably also enjoy this symphony as excellently performed here by organist, orchestra and conductor.
Although more of a showpiece, the noble Rheinberger concerto makes an excellent discmate although this would surely be considered short measure nowadays. But at least the Telarc team have the echo well under control. Organ aficionados will be pleased to have a full specification in the booklet.
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) Welsh Folksong Arrangements Alison Pearce, Soprano Susan Drake, Harp Hyperion CDA66104 (1984) This is my first posting of about twenty "bronzed" discs I have from Hyperion. I have ripped about ten of them and only two have given me trouble. When I post the "troubled" discs, I will let you know what the issues and solutions are.
Having dedicated my last post to the summit of musical theatre of all times (the Ring des Nibelungen), it may be now interesting and insightful to alight on a few operas I love dearly, by looking at them from a Wagnerian perspective.
Fundamental masterpieces for the stage like the greatest Classical opera (Fidelio) or the greatest Romantic one (Der Freischütz) must always be kept in mind when approaching Wagner, as they provided critical inspiration, both in musical and theatrical terms, to the great Master's aesthetics moulding; down to the singing technique, whereby - for instance - the great Don Ferrando or Kaspar scenes are clearly anticipating of some of Wagner's most powerful villains' characterization.
Next to these German milestones, four intense operatic diamonds by Wagner's French contemporaries, who managed to use Wagnerian technique whilst often maintaining structures evolved from the Grand Opéra genre, combined with a supremely French flair and elegance, suave melodic élan and rich harmonic textures.
A handful of true favourites of mine follows: Purcell's sublime Baroque masterpiece, Gluck's (not so)early Classical dramatic genius, Humperdinck's compelling fairy tale, whose masterful score, orchestration quality and melodic invention are an always welcome reminder of how this composer has been a lot more than a Wagner disciple and imitator. Finally, a powerful contrast between Janáček's dark-toned early masterpiece and Lehár's quintessentially Viennese decadence...
Georges Bizet Carmen
Jennifer Larmore, Thomas Moser, Angela Gheorghiu, Samuel Ramey, Nathalie Boissy, Natascha Petrinsky, Maurizio Muraro, Jean-Luc Chaignaud, Jan Zinkler, Ulrich Reß.
Chor der Bayerischen Staatsoper & Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Giuseppe Sinopoli
Teldec 0630-12672-2 (1995)
Georges Bizet Carmen
Marilyn Horne, James McCracken, Adriana Maliponte, Tom Krause, Colette Boky, Marcia Baldwin, Donald Gramm, Raymond Gibbs, Russell Christopher, Andrea Velis.
Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra
Leonard Bernstein
DGG 427 440-2 (1973)
Jules Massenet
Werther
Ramón Vargas, Vesselina Kasarova, Christopher Schaldenbrand, Dawn Kotoski, Umberto Chiummo, Christoph Genz, Roman Trekel, Arndis Halla, Frank Bauer.
Rundfunkchor Berlin & Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
Vladimir Jurowski
RCA 74321 58224-2 (1998)
Jules Massenet
Werther
Jerry Hadley, Anne Sofie von Otter, Gérard Théruel, Dawn Upshaw, Jean-Marie Frémeau, Gilles Ragon, Frédéric Caton, Geneviève Marchand.
Maîtrise et Orchestre de l'Opéra National de Lyon
Kent Nagano
Erato 0630-17790-2 (1995)
Jacques Offenbach Les Contes d'Hoffmann
Neil Shicoff, Ann Murray, Luciana Serra, Rosalind Plowright, Jessye Norman, José van Dam, Robert Tear, Jocelyne Taillon, Alexander Oliver, Marcel Vanaud, Dale Duesing, Thierry Dran, Kurt Rydl.
Orchestre et Choeurs du Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie Sylvain Cambreling EMI 7 49641 2 (1986)
Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann
Francisco Araiza, Anne Sofie von Otter, Eva Lind, Jessye Norman, Samuel Ramey, Georges Gautier, Felicity Palmer, Riccardo Cassinelli, Jürgen Hartfiel, Jean-Luc Chaignaud, Peter Menzel, Rolf Tomaszewski, Boris Martinovitch.
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Hans Sotin, René Kollo, Gundula Janowitz, Manfred Jungwirth, Lucia Popp, Adolf Dallapozza, Karl Terkal, Alfred Šramek.
Wiener Staatsopernchor & Wiener Philharmoniker Leonard Bernstein DGG 419 436-2 (1978)
Ludwig van Beethoven Fidelio
Bo Skovhus, Sergej Leiferkus, Peter Seiffert, Charlotte Margiono, László Polgár, Barbara Bonney, Deon van der Walt, Reinaldo Macias, Robert Florianschütz.
Arnold Schoenberg Chor & Chamber Orchestra of Europe Nikolaus Harnoncourt Teldec 4509-94560-2 (1994)
Carl Maria von Weber Der Freischütz
Siegfried Lorenz, Thomas Thomaschke, Karita Mattila, Eva Lind, Ekkehard Wlaschiha, Francisco Araiza, Kurt Moll, Andreas Schneibner, Will Quadflieg.
Rundfunkchor Leipzig & Staatskapelle Dresden Colin Davis Philips 426 319-2 (1990)
Carl Maria von Weber
Der Freischütz
Wolfgang Holzmair, Gilles Cachemaille, Luba Orgonasova, Christine Schäfer, Matti Salminen, Endrik Wottrich, Kurt Moll, Ekkehard Schall.
Rundfunkchor Berlin & Berliner Philharmoniker
Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Teldec 4509-97758-2 (1995)
Leoš Janáček Jenůfa
Marie Mrázová, Wieslaw Ochman, Peter Dvorský, Eva Randová, Elisabeth Söderström, Václav Zítek, Dalibor Jedlička, Ivana Mixová, Lucia Popp, Vera Soukopová, Jindra Pokorná, Jana Jonasová.
Wiener Staatsopernchor & Wiener Philharmoniker
Charles Mackerras
Decca 414 483-2 (1982)
Henry Purcell Dido and Aeneas
Jessye Norman, Thomas Allen, Marie McLaughlin, Patricia Kern, Helen Walker, Della Jones, Elizabeth Gale, Patrick Power, Derek Ragin.
Chorus & English Chamber Orchestra Raymond Leppard Philips 416 299-2 (1985)
Henry Purcell Dido and Aeneas
Catherine Bott, John Mark Ainsley, Emma Kirkby, David Thomas, Elisabeth Priday, Sara Stowe, Julianne Baird, Daniel Lochmann, Michael Chance.
Chorus and Orchestra of the Academy of Ancient Music Christopher Hogwood Decca L'Oiseau-Lyre 436 992-2 (1992)
Christoph Willibald Gluck Iphigénie en Tauride
Carol Vaness, Giorgio Surian, Thomas Allen, Gösta Winbergh, Anna Zoroberto, Michela Remor, Sylvie Brunet, Angelo Veccia, Enrico Turco, Svetla Krasteva.
Coro and Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala Riccardo Muti Sony S2K 52 492 (1992)
Christoph Willibald Gluck Armide
Mireille Delunsch, Charles Workman, Laurent Naouri, Ewa Podleś, Françoise Masset, Nicole Heaston, Yann Beuron, Brett Polegato, Vincent Le Texier, Magdalena Kožená, Valérie Gabail.
Choeur and Orchestre Les Musiciens du Louvre Marc Minkowski Archiv 459 616-2 (1996)
Italian Baroque Trumpet Music Alessandro Stradella, Vincenzo Albrici, Giralomo Fantini, Carolo Pallavacino, Nicola Matteis, Francesco Mancini, Petronio Francescini, Mauricio Cazatti, Giovanni Buonaventura Viviani, Arcangelo Corelli & Giovanni Bunoncini Stephen Keavey, Crispian Steele-Perkins, Trumpets The Parlay of Instruments - Period Instruments Hyperion CDA66255 (1988)
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) Piano Trio No. 38 in D major Piano Trio No. 39 in G major (Gypsy Rondo) Piano Trio No. 40 in F# minor The London Fortepiano Trio Hyperion CDA66297 (1989)
Warning: The beginning of track one is clipped. This has nothing to do with my rip but is a defect in the original pressing of the disc.
This time the focus on the harpsichord. The first CD of this post was published by the Dutch builders Gerrit Klop. The top of Dutch players were involved and played on 3 different harpsichords and 3 organs. Special attention to the last track, where Bob van Asperen plays a contemporary piece of Louis Andriessen, on a meantone voiced harpsichord.
The concertos for 2, 3 and 4 harpsichords of Johann Sebastian Bach are in a way 'ímpossible pieces' to record properly. Koopman on Erato was less lucky; I prefer Hogwood's version on L'Oiseau Lyre, where the engineers did a wonderful job. You can clearly follow the musical lines of the different harpsichords. Not on period instruments, but still HIP is the Naxos recording; very pleasant and joyfull playing!
I'm waiting for a revival of the harpsichord under contemporary composers; the harpsichord deserves it. The compositions of Glass, Rutter and Francaix are just a start I hope.
Klop Keyboard Instruments Works of Frescobaldi, Scheidt, Scarlatti, Bach, Haydn and Louis Andriessen
Played by Gustav Leonhardt, Ton Koopman, Bob van Asperen, Leo van Doeselaar, Reitze Smits, Hans van Nieuwkoop and Wout van Andel Label: STH-CD 19342 Recorded in 1990 & 1992
Johann Sebastian Bach Concertos for Harpsichords BWV 1060, BWV 1061, BWV 1062, BWV 1064 and BWV 1065 Robert Hill, Michael Behringer, Chris Noll, Gerald Hambitzer, Roderick Shaw - harpsichord Cologne Chamber Orchestra Helmut Muller-Brühl - direction Label: Naxos 8.554217 Recorded October 1996
The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, Volume 3 Peter Philips (1560-1628) Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1621) Pavanes, Galliards, Fantasias and other keyboard works
Pieter-Jan Belder - harpsichords (instruments of Gerhard Boogaard & Cornelis Bom) Label: Brilliant 94449 (2CD) Recorded June & October 2013
(flac and scans) Recording venue: Victoria Hall, Geneva Recording engineer and Producer: Night Ride and Pohjola's Daughter - James Lock and John Mordler (June 1971); The Swan - Colin Moorfoot and Tom Mowrey (January 1980); Others - it's a secret.
Here's another in Decca' minimalist Weekend budget series. Unfortunately their documentation didn't match the high standard of performances and recordings.
The underrated German conductor Horst Stein was chief conductor of the Suisse Romande Orchestra for the first half of the 1980s but most of these recordings (apart from The Swan) were made in the early 1970s. He made recordings of a number of Sibelius' orchestral works but only the second of the seven symphonies. The complete Decca recordings have now been gathered together in a 3 CD set by Universal Music Australia (4823922) and that is due for release in Europe in January 2016.
Pohjola's Daughter and Night Ride and Sunrise are particularly fine on this Weekend disc and the rest of the Lemminkainen Suite are also worth seeking out. (They have appeared in a Double Decca set with a number of Ashkenazy's Sibelius recordings. I hope that the new complete set from Eloquence will have been remastered as the Swan transfer for Weekend seems much more dynamic than the later Double Decca transfer.) Vintage sound as usual from the Victoria Hall in Geneva.
Amadis : Cyril Auvity Oriane : Judith van Wanroij Arcabonne : Ingrid Perruche Arcalaüs : Edwin Crossley-Mercer Florestan : Benoît Arnould Urgande : Bénédicte Tauran Corisande : Hasnaa Bennani Alquif, Ardan Canile, un geôlier, un berger : Pierrick Boisseau Un captif, un berger, un héros : Reinoud Van Mechelen Une suivante d’Urgande, une héroïne, une captive, une bergère : Caroline Weynants Une bergère, une suivante d’Urgande : Virginie Thomas
Chœur de Chambre de Namur Christophe Rousset, dir.
STAMITZ QUARTET: Bohuslav Matousek, violin I Josef Kekula, violin II Jan Peruska, viola Vladimir Peixner, cello
Recorded 1987-1993 Brilliant Classics
TRACKLIST
Antonín Dvorák: String Quartets (Complete)
STAMITZ QUARTET: Bohuslav Matousek, violin I Josef Kekula, violin II Jan Peruska, viola Vladimir Peixner, cello
Producer: Rudolf Bayer Sound Engineer: Stanislav Sykora (CD 1-2), Christian Schulz (CD 3-10)
CD 1 72'21 (Recording: Prague, 23/24 April 1993)
String Quartet in D major (without opus numbers) (1869?) (1) Allegro con brio 26'20 (2) Andantino 17'25 (3) Allegro energico 14'42 (4) Finale, allegretto 13'37
CD 2 56'06 (Recording: Prague, 21/22 May 1993)
String Quartet in B flat major (without opus numbers) (1869?) (1) Allegro non troppo 11'21 (2) Largo 15'23 (3) Allegro con brio 6'51 (4) Finale: Andante - Allegro giusto - Allegro con fuoco 15'08
Quartet piece (originally from the a minor quartet op. 12, 1873) (5) Andante appassionato 6'59
CD 3 67'14 (Recording: Prague, January 1993)
String Quartet in E major Op. 80 (1876) (01) Allegro 9'13 (02) Andante con moto 7'38 (03) Allegretto scherzando 5'12 (04) Finale: Allegro con brio 8'04
Zypressen (Liebeslieder) for String Quartet (1865) (05) I 4'03 (06) II 2'14 (07) III 2'34 (08) IV 5'57 (09) V 3'21 (10) VI 2'32 (11) VII 2'02 (12) VIII 3'02 (13) IX 2'49 (14) X 2'10 (15) XI 2'30 (16) XII 2'44
CD 4 44'49 (Recording: Prague, February 1992)
String Quartet in E minor (without opus numbers) (1870?) (1) Assai con moto ed energico 14'55 (2) Andante religioso 8'44 (3) Allegro con brio 11'34
Beginning movement of quartet in F major (1880) (4) 9'27
CD 5 72'53 (Recording: Prague, May 1991)
String Quartet in F minor Op. 9 (1873) (1) Moderato 15'53 (2) Andante con moto quasi allegretto 9'56 (3) Tempo di valse 3'45 (4) Finale: Allegro molto 7'40
String Quartet in A minor Op. 12 (1873) (5) Allegro ma non troppo 9'50 (6) Poco allegro 7'29 (7) Poco adagio 8'29 (8) Finale: Allegro molto 9'13
CD 6 60'16 (Recording: Prague, December 1990)
String Quartet in A major Op. 2 (1862) (1) Andante - Allegro 13'09 (2) Andante affetuoso ed appassionato 10'29 (3) Allegro scherzando 5'46 (4) Finale: Allegro animato 10'27
Terzet in C major for 2 violins and viola, Op. 74 (1887) (5) Introduzione: Allegro ma non troppo 4'13 (6) Larghetto 5'52 (7) Scherzo: Vivace 4'25 (8) Thema con variazioni, poco adagio 5'24
CD 7 45'28 (Recording: Prague, 1990)
String Quartet in C major Op. 61 (1881) (1) Allegro 14'18 (2) Poco adagio e molto cantabile 7'29 (3) Scherzo 8'35 (4) Finale: Vivace 7'52
Two Waltzes for string quartet after Op. 54 (1879/80) (5) No 1, moderato 3'59 (6) No 2, allegro vivace 2'44
CD 8 62'45 (Recording: Prague, 1989)
String Quartet in D minor Op. 34 (1877) (1) Allegro 12'29 (2) Alla Polka 6'44 (3) Adagio 7'09 (4) Finale: Poco allegro 6'55
String Quartet in A minor Op. 16 (1874) (5) Allegro ma non troppo 9'09 (6) Andante cantabile 7'45 (7) Allegro scherzando 4'25 (8) Finale: Allegro ma non troppo 7'28
CD 9 70'17 (Recording: Prague, 1990)
String Quartet in E flat major Op. 51 "Slavonic" (1878/79) (1) Allegro ma non troppo 11'06 (2) Dumka (Elegia): Andante con moto - Vivace 8'32 (3) Romanza: Andante con moto 7'31 (4) Finale: Allegro assai 7'24
String Quartet in A flat major Op. 105 (1895) (5) Adagio ma non troppo - Allegro appassionato 8'19 (6) Molto vivace 6'11 (7) Lento e molto cantabile 8'56 (8) Allegro non tanto 12'35
CD 10 65'17 (Recording: Prague, 1987)
String Quartet in F major Op. 96 "American" (1893) (1) Allegro ma non troppo 7'24 (2) Lento 8'31 (3) Molto vivace 3'55 (4) Finale: Vivace ma non troppo 5'38
String Quartet in G major Op. 106 (1895) (5) Allegro moderato 10'10 (6) Adagio ma non troppo 10'29 (7) Molto vivace 7'16 (8) Finale: Andante sostenuto - Allegro con fuoco 11'17
hindemith-haas,dean-rso_frankfurt - hindemith-organ concertos
