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In Reply to: RE: Exquisite C.P.E. Bach Cello Concertos posted by Jay Buridan on May 03, 2017 at 12:53:54
Not really an answer to your post but I did see the OAE live last evening in a peformance of all 6 Brandenburgs in an appropriate 18th century setting (St.Johns Smith Square, London). A remarkable experience having the changing (small) size and combination of the concertino groups ( plus harpsichord continuo) for each concerto become so clear when it is often obscured on record, plus the level of virtuostic playing required.Well, that's the band on your ecording considered albeit in J.S's music. However C.P.E is really from the next musical era and I think that his importance is underappreciated, at least in the English speaking countries. The last year or two seem, however, to have shown an increasing awareness of him so, yes, we do listen to his music. Of course in his day and shortly after his death his compositions were regarded as superior to his, then out of date, father's music. His decline in general appreciation commenced with the early 19th century Romantic school. At least we can put it right now.
Edits: 05/03/17Follow Ups:
. . . CPE's music does seem to foreshadow some aspects of the Romantic movement (in his "empfindsamer Stil" - sensitive style). OTOH, he could write in his father's style when he felt so inclined. He's an interesting composer whose music has mostly been monopolized by HIP groups for the last few decades.
It sounds very sweet to me. If you hear it, please tell me if you think it's HIP.Thanks in advance.
Edits: 05/04/17
I hope Chris will forgive me for jumping in but of course this recording is HIP. The players are the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Their name should give the game away but if not I would explain that they are one of the world's foremost " original instrument" orchestras - please see the link. So you are hearing gut strings, wood flutes, low pitch (probably between A = 415 and 430 for these pieces). Also conducted by Gustav Leonhardt, one of the pioneers of performance on instruments appropriate to the work's era. The soloist , Anner Bylsma is also famed for his period instrument performances. It is on Erato Veritas ( Warners renaming of Virgin Veritas), a label devoted to HIP performances. So as far as HIP is concerned this disc scores 100%.Nothing to stop HIP performances sounding sweet, save that it will be in a different way to one using steel strings and constant vibrato.
Edits: 05/04/17 05/04/17
They even retain their HIP characteristics, such as the nearly complete exclusion of string vibrato, when conducted by the likes of Jurowski and other more mainstream (i.e., non-specialist) conductors. Their approach to vibrato continues even into the early Romantic period, as in their absurd Mendelssohn recording with Pouty Lips (Alina Ibragimova) wherein she (perhaps surprisingly) uses vibrato in the solo part, while they keep a lid on it in their parts. As I say, simply absurd!
Though for Romantic composers, it's intolerable.
Even for Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, etc., I dislike HIP. For example, I prefer Dorati's Haydn.
. . . just in case there's any further backsliding! ;-)
Just to be safe :)
" He's an interesting composer whose music has mostly been monopolized by HIP groups for the last few decades"
As is virtually all music prior to Haydn here in Northern Europe. Aside from the occasional Bach or Scarlatti on piano or a 4 Seasons or so, no concert promoter would programme such repertoire with a modern band.
Not so sure about C.P.E prefiguring the Romantic period so much as the Classical, he being commonly regarded as the link between his father and the late Baroque with Haydn and the first Viennese school. No doubt you are probably right though.
In one biography of Haydn I read, I'm sure I came across a quote where Haydn actually mentioned that he began his career by trying to write in the style of CPE Bach.
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