Sonatas for Flute & Harpsichord / Basso Continuo BWV 1030-1035; Partita for solo flute BWV 1013
General Discusssions - Part 2

Continue from Part 1

Flute sonatas recommendations?

Juozas Rimas wrote (January 30, 2004):
I'd be grateful for recommendations on a, preferably, modern flute "whistle-less" recording with moderate vibrato, or a Baroque flute recording you felt had the richest sound. Thanks! I just want to have a version that I'd be listening from beginning to end for many years.

P.S. I've read online Kuijken's Baroque flute recording is one of the best, and it turned out to be skilled and soft, but after two modern flute versions, the Baroque flute sounded plainer, with too little vibrato, sort of not pulsating. Don't you think the modern flute allows a good performer to shape the sound more variedly?

P.P.S. Any piano versions? That would be at least interesting and would allow to listen to the clavier part in a new away. BTW, were any of the flute works written as late as the Musical Offering to justify the use of piano (in the king Frederick's court)?

Stephen Benson wrote (January 30, 2004):
[To Juozas Rimas] My favorite flute recording is that of Wilbert Hazelzet, who plays the Partita for Flute BWV 1013 and his own transcriptions of the first three cello suites on Glossa 920804. Any reservations about the expressiveness of the baroque flute will vanish once you've heard this.

Robert Sherman wrote (January 30, 2004):
Without reservation I recommend the Jean-Pierre Rampal recording with Robert Veyron-Lacroix on harpsichord. This is much better than his later recording with Pinnock (harpsichord playing metallic and insensitive), and also IMO miles ahead of every other recording of these sonatas I've ever heard -- although I admit I have yet to hear the Hazeltet recording recommended by Steve.

Rampal in his prime had a phenomenally round and full sound, totally free of hiss or whistle. He also had a warm, medium-sized vibrato very different from the quivery stuff that many of his colleagues used. He also had superhuman technique and sensitivity to baroque style.

Generally, the modern flute has a much larger dynamic range than the baroque flute. You can do more with it, if you think that's appropriate.

Flute vibrato, in my experience, is a function of the player rather than of the instrument.

Pierce Drew wrote (January 30, 2004):
[To Juozas Rimas] All the complete recordings (of the flute sonatas) I have are on period instruments. I quite like the new recording by Hazelzet (Glossa), which, along with Jaap ten Linden on the cello, features Jacques Ogg playing a Silbermann fortepiano (for BWV 1031, 1035, 1079). Ogg plays the harpsichord for the other sonatas.

But I'm not sure how you categorize "rich" sound, and wouldn't know if Hazelzet's playing would suite your tastes. Perhaps you could find sound samples somewhere (?).

Still, if you don't have to have the complete sonatas and prefer the sonorities of the modern flute, there is an excellent recording of the 4th Brandenburg Concerto, the Second Orchestral Suite, the solo partita for flute, and a trio sonata all featuring Emmanuel Pahud (on EMI). It is a beautiful recital and, although not played on period instruments per se, is played with a baroque sensibility.

BTW, if you like Pahud, you MUST check out his Telemann Flute Concerto recording (also EMI) -- among my favorite Telemann discs. It is superb in every sense!

Philip Peters wrote (January 31, 2004):
Robert Sherman wrote:
< Without reservation I recommend the Jean-Pierre Rampal recording with Robert Veyron-Lacroix on harpsichord. This is much better than his later recording with Pinnock (harpsichord playing metallic and insensitive), and also IMO miles ahead of every other recording of these sonatas I've ever heard -- although I admit I have yet to hear the Hazeltet recording recommended by Steve. >
I imprinted on the Rampal (and indeed, how strange that the second version is so much worse) and still play it. There are beautiful HIP versions though: Janet See's, Hazelhet's of course, Preston's and not least Jed Wentz's. There are of course Brueggen and Linde to consider too. But I must admit that if I were forced to choose the desert island one it would still be the Rampal.

David Glenn Lebut Jr. wrote (January 31, 2004):
[To Juozas Rimas] I would highly recommend the Philips Duo recording featuring all the Sonaten BWV 1020 and 1030-1035 and the Gambasonaten BWV 1027-1029.

Robert Sherman wrote (January 31, 2004):
[To Philip Peters] Philip, I think I understated. It's not just the harpsichord that makes the difference between the first and second Rampal Bach flute sonatas. With the first, there's something about his playing that immediately draws me into total immersion in the music. With the second, the magic just isn't there. But I can't state in words what makes the difference. Your thoughts?

Philip Peters wrote (January 31, 2004):
[To Robert Sherman] I haven't played the Rampal/Pinnock for ages. I seem to remember it lacked the beautiful *clarity* and *swing* (if I may be so irrereverent) of the earlier effort but I should listen to it again to be more articulate about it. I am fond of Jed Wentz's recording. Johan, if you happen to be reading, what do you think?

Johan van Veen wrote (February 2, 2004):
[To Philip Peters] Wentz is excellent in my opinion. By far the most interesting recording available, different from every other recording I know, in particular in regard to tempo.

The other recording at the top of my list is the first one by Frans Brüggen et al., on Seon.

Juozas Rimas wrote (February 2, 2004):
Does Wentz play on a modern flute or a Baroque one? I've listened for various clips online and now am convinced the Baroque flute is obviously a less advanced instrument. Sometimes it almost toots, even in very skilled hands.

Johan van Veen wrote (February 2, 2004):
[To Juozas Rimas] Baroque flute.

Bradley Lehman wrote (February 2, 2004):
Flute sonatas recommendations? & 18th century melodic rubato

[To Johan van Veen] After a week away, a few comments on this flute-sonatas thread:

The several members here who are advocating Rampal/Veyron-Lacroix so strongly might be talking past one another, without realizing it: there were at least *two* sets with V-R, before the one with Pinnock.

The one from the 1960s was recorded by Erato and then widely reissued (at least over here in the US) on Columbia and Odyssey...it's ubiquitous. That's the one with Jean Huchot playing cello in the continuo sonatas. Then there was a remake c1975 also on Erato, this time with a youngish Jordi Savall playing viola da gamba. That's the one on CD in the "Rampal Edition". Then there was the Pinnock.

Comparing the two Erato performances that had V-R: the later one (Erato CD) is considerably faster in almost every movement. Of these two, I personally prefer the first one...it sounds more relaxed and elegant, to me. I'm not terribly fond of either one, really, anymore; but I grew up with that first one (the Odyssey 2-LP set)...as somebody else mentioned here, "imprinting" with that one as one's first exposure to the pieces.

=====

Back in 2002 I listed the recordings I have:
See message above

Since then, through the kind help of a member of this list, I've obtained the Wentz set. I agree with Johan's remarks below, about it being very interesting. And the booklet explains Wentz's approach well, where he cites the historical information that has guided his choices as to tempo (generally fast) and his very free rubato.

All well and good...except for one thing. Fatally to the performance (IMO of course) Wentz has not required his harpsichordist also to read those 18th century sources! Such a melodic rubato in a solo only works properly if the accompanist(s) remain much more steady than Christiane Wuyts does here. Quantz wrote that point in his chapter "Of the Duties of Those Who Accompany a Concertante Part": the soloist is only free to bend things tastefully (bringing out the expressive features) if the ensemble stays sunder him, not following him into the momentary bits where he's playing behind or ahead of the beat. [That's not to say the bass line should be absolutely metronomic, which would be too extreme; but only that its own life should ignore the soloist and just go about its natural business. The soloist can't have any room to play/sing ahead of or behind the beat if there isn't a clear enough beat, with its own integrity!]

W.A. Mozart had similar remarks in a letter home to his father, about the necessity of keeping the bass steady while the right hand is free (in that letter he complained about players whose left hand always comes along); there are also some Chopin references to the same effect, where the left hand lays down the structure so the right hand can be flexible.... And both Quantz and Francesco Geminiani cited this Italianate freedom of melody, over steady accompaniment, as a stylistic norm at least as far back as Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713).

There's the tradition.

So, Wuyts here is guilty of accompanying "too well" (following every nuance of Wentz') in a 20th century manner rather than 17th/18th century! It undercuts Wentz' delivery to follow him that closely. It's too bad, because the performance is lovely and imaginative all around. As a listener I'd certainly rather hear this (half an adventure) than none (everybody steady all the time). Anybody with reasonable technique and music-reading skills can deliver steadynotes as it all looks on the page; only an artist can make it much more meaningful and engaging than that. [Not to be individualistic oneself, to draw attention to one's own skill; but to find out what each *piece* needs, and each phrase within that piece, to make its full effect...and then to do that, confidently, absolutely in service of the music.]

To get this melodic rubato right, in an 18th century manner where *only* the soloist bends the tempo, is really not that difficult: with a sufficient amount of ear training, and a willingness to throw away the restraining 20th century preconceptions of Baroque music. I've mentioned it here before, a few years ago. Just listen to a big pile of records by Bing Crosby, Barbra Streisand, and Willie Nelson focusing on the way the singer tastefully bends the tempo, ahead of and behind the beat, while the beat remains pretty much oblivious to the singer. They also bend the dynamic intensity of "good" and "bad" notes within a phrase, and hurry or delay small groups of melodic notes, marvelously. A melody is a liquid poured *across* a structure: not having a same amount falling into every little compartment of the structure, even if it looks that way on the page. Listen hard, get that free sound into the ear, get the internal permissions figured out, and then practice for years (with colleagues who also know what they're doing) to get it to be free enough.

Sure, a 20th century pop song is a different genre of music: but the technique of melodic rubato itself is illustrated so well, this is a great place to learn how it works and learn how gorgeous it can be, how natural and free it can sound. The soloist drapes the melody across the beats in a way that sounds casual and spontaneous, thoroughly focused on meaning and character rather than on any type of counting. It's ravishing when the notes don't line up, in large part *because* they don't line up, creating a tension in the listener's mind where it all might get back together and it might not.

Bach performance, by and large, hasn't caught up with this technique yet. There are some of us out there, myself included, "working like the dickens" against opposition to get this technique to be taken as seriously as it should be. It is incomprehensible to purists that it's a *good* thing in Baroque music to have two tempos going on simultaneously: a steady one and a loose one!

But think about it: *why* did Crosby and these others have such huge success with their music, before such a wide public? *Because* their musicianship is so expressive, and moves people at the direct level of emotions, and is so engaging to listen to: always something unpredictable yet natural and lovely happening, moment to moment. That's the point. And that rhythmic freedom of melody, over a steady bass, is a large part of it, the basic technique of being that expressive. One simply has to recognize that the Italianate style c1700 was successful for the same reasons, and recognize it in notated music (including Bach's), and allow that freedom back into the music (despite the cries of horror from literalists and other self-appointed purists); and there we have it, music allowed to be as beautiful as it can be, freed of its straitjackets.

A simple illustration of this same idea, outside music: yesterday I went for a walk with my father. Our walk was pretty steady. My dog (a Border Collie) was along, not on leash; she frolicked ahead of us and behind us and all around us, being the melody to our basso continuo walk. Who can restrain a healthy dog to stay stiffly in pace with the humans, not responding to any of the scenery or dangers or whatnot that she sees come up, moment to moment? Why can't a good expressive melody be like my dog?

Robert Sherman wrote (February 3, 2004):
Juozas Rimas wrote:
< Does Wentz play on a modern flute or a Baroque one? I've listened for various clips online and now am convinced the Baroque flute is obviously a less advanced instrument. Sometimes it almost toots, even in very skilled hands. >
Juosaz, as you point out, musical Darwinism does serve a constructive function. IMO the evolution is a good deal larger in trumpets than in flutes, although if there are any flutists on the list I'd be interested in a contrary opinion.

Juozas Rimas wrote (February 3, 2004):
[To Bradley Lehman] The rule Bradley described is strictly adhered to in all pop music. I think, though, it's so obvious in pop music because of its absolutely steady beat: anything sung against it becomes at least a bit rubato (-:

As I was listening to hip-hop music as a teenager, I can now retrospectively remember even a sort of "hip hop rubato", as ridiculous as it might sound. The beat is rock steady but rapping comes faster (more words said in the same amount of time) then slower rapping etc. If the beat would start swaying at the same time, the result would be disastrous. It's hard to understand why this basic rule is understood and applied in something as primitive as hip hop or more advanced, as jazz singing, but not observed duly in classical music...function. IMO the evolution is a good deal larger in trumpets than influtes, although if there are any flutists on the list I'd be interested ina contrary opinion.

Bradley Lehman wrote (February 4, 2004):
the Wentz flute set, and BWV 1031

Donald Satz wrote:
< Character assassinations usually lead to heated arguments, particularly when they are dressed as research based conclusions. A simple solution is to assassinate only the interpretation, not the person delivering it. >
I agree! And, to be clear about one of my postings from a few days ago, about Jed Wentz' set of the Bach flute sonatas: See message above

IMO that set is *essential* listening and reading, for historical insight into that style, and for some extraordinarily good musicianship all around.At the same time, I believe the performance (already very good) could have been even better--both in historical accuracy and in direct musical effect--if the harpsichordist had played more steadily, letting Wentz' nuances have their proprietary space *apart* from the beat, instead of muscling the beat around to fit the nuances. That's what I was trying to say, with the reasons I presented. No denigration of the performers themselves, intended.

Reminds me a little of Sonny Bono's 1967 hit (Don, you get us into this mood, man). "The grocery store does super mart, uh huh, Little girls still break their hearts, uh huh, And men still keep on marching off to war, Electrically they keep their baseball score. And the Beat Goes On."

Similarly, IMO that book by Quantz is essential reading, Amazon.com and I'm glad to see Wentz taking that and the related treatises so seriously, absolutely in respect of the music.

A bibliography of the other sources is in this terrific reference book by John Solum: Amazon.com
As Solum points out in this history of the instrument's evolution, Quantz himself *invented* some of the flute's features shortly before Bach wrote those new capabilities into pieces...really avant-garde stuff Bach was involved in, there.

=====

Solum also mentions the scholarly disagreement about the E-flat sonata BWV 1031: the NBA (1963) kicked it out of the Bach canon of authenticity, [and it's still out according to the 1998 edition of BWV,] but Robert Marshall's 1979 article argues that it should be brought back in. Solum remarks: "The arguments put forth in print by modern Bach scholars regarding authenticity of certain works should not intimidate traverso-players. Regardless of who wrote them, these are fine eighteenth-century solo works for flute, and scarcely a note has been changed in them through all of the musicological discourse."

The Marshall article is available in this 1989 book: Amazon.com
In the postscript to this article, Marshall responds to Hans Eppstein's 1981 article (the one cited in BWV's appendix for BWV 1031, while excluding Marshall's own...), "a direct rejoinder to the preceding essay." Marshall charges that Eppstein is merely repeating himself on stylistic criteria, with no new evidence, etc etc. "Why should Johann Sebastian Bach, any more than Mozart or Beethoven, have been 'incapable' of composing, on occasion, in a lighter, less rigorous vein? (...) In the postscript to 'Bach the Progressive' I have already had to return to these issues in connection with Frederick Neumann's attempt to deny Bach's authorship of the theme of the 'Goldberg' Variations. I referred to the undeniably authentic 'Peasant' and 'Coffee' Cantatas. It is surely inconceivable that these slight and silly works would ever have been accepted as authentic works by J S Bach under the earlier dispensation, if they did not happen to survive in autograph composing scores. And yet Bach did compose them--and rather late in his life at that. The moral should be clear."

In the BWV, explaining its treatment of dubious works: "A work does not first become 'dubious' when it has been ascribed to another composer; it is already dubious when its authorship has not been ascertained. We feel that there is no other way to justify a distinction between 'genuine' (main section) and 'dubious' (Appendix II) works. We have thus endeavored to leave in the main section only the works whose presumed authenticity is generally accepted by scholars, and to assign to Appendix II the works whose authenticity is either improbable or must still be cleared up--irrespective of the possibility that a work might later be relocated to the main section after further clarification of its authorship. This is the only way to signalize to scholars a task that remains to be fulfilled. (...) The previous investigations into questions of authenticity carried out by a number of different editors varied considerably in intensity; (...) the breakdown of the present catalogue must also be viewed as temporary; just as, moreover, the findings on what is 'authentic' and 'spurious' will vary as long as there are Bach scholars." [Preface, XII-XIII]

Of course that's true; what else could they say for summary, as every individual dubious piece has its own reasons for being dubious? Still, they cite only Eppstein and not Marshall; they've made their choice, until the next edition. "The basis for this volume is the second edition (1990) of the BWV. This means that we have consciously refrained from thoroughly revising all findings reported there. This will be the task of a third edition of the unabridged work catalogue."

And the Beat Goes On.

If people like to play the piece, and to listen to it, what's the problem?!

I, for one, am very glad that Wentz includes this marvelous BWV 1031 in his recording; so many flautists don't anymore, but it's such a joy to listen to! Wentz in his booklet notes mentions the difference in style, but he doesn't step into the scholarly crossfire on this piece; he just plays it, without further comment. Better to say nothing, and play this beautifully, than to take a stand in print and get slammed from one side or the other. A wise approach. Whether Bach wrote this piece or not, I enjoy it and I don't feel that its value is affected either way; delightful piece.

I think Don Satz and I should meet someday and have a good round of chuckles over a pizza. Maybe at some emporium where they're playing some Duke Ellington.

Thomas Braatz wrote (February 4, 2004):
BWV 1031

From Nicholas Anderson's notes to the Complete Flute Sonatas on Hyperion:
>> Like the sonatas in E flat (BWV1031) and C major (BWV1033) the G minor Sonata (BWV1020) is unlikely to be a product solely, if at all, of Bach’s pen. The equal partnership of flute and obbligato harpsichord and the galant gestures, especially of the fast movements, call to mind not only the E flat Sonata (BWV1031), which may well have served as the model, but also the flute sonatas of Quantz and of other Berlin composers. Stylistically, it is the least ‘Bach-like’ of the three ‘doubtful’ sonatas and the present consensus of opinion inclines towards C P E Bach as its composer. One of the three surviving manuscripts is in his hand, while the other two simply carry the name ‘Bach’ at their head. Further doubt arises over the intended instrumentation for the G minor Sonata. The sources call for violin and harpsichord, yet the absence of any double-stopping has led musicians to believe it to have been a work for flute. Equally, though, an oboe qualifies for consideration on grounds of key, compass and apparent similarities between this piece and C P E Bach’s authentic oboe sonata in G minor (H566/Wq135).

and

The extent, if any, to which the Sonata in E flat for flute and obbligato harpsichord (BWV1031) can be attributed to Bach remains in dispute. Probably dating from the early to mid-1730s this immediately appealing music may well be a joint venture of Bach himself and one or other of his two elder sons, perhaps Carl Philipp Emanuel. What is indisputable, however, is the high quality of its craftsmanship and its expressive charm. The opening ‘Allegro moderato’ is introduced by a delightful eight-bar melody played by the harpsichord, after which the flute enters with the main theme. The ‘Siciliano’ is rewardingly written for the flute, its musical substance recalling the first movement of Bach’s C minor violin sonata (BWV1017). In the spirited binary ‘Allegro’, with its repeated sections, there is effective interplay between the two upper parts, bringing this pleasing sonata to a lively conclusion.<<

Nicholas Anderson (c 2002) liner notes to Hyperion CDA67264/5 with Lisa Beznosiuk flute Richard Tunnicliffe cello Paul Nicholson harpsichord.

It seems that the 'galant' style which is typically associated with the transverse flute is a deciding factor here and that WFB and CPEB who are of the 'newer' generation of composers are much more likely to have played an important role in the composition of BWV 1031 and the other flute sonatas mentioned as very likely not by JSB.

Petri (& Laurin) playing Bach on recorders

Bradley Lehman wrote (February 11, 2004):
I don't remember seeing discussions of two discs that have been around for a while: Michala Petri playing the sonatas 1030-1035 with Keith Jarrett on harpsichord (most transposed to easier keys for the recorder), and the solo partita 1013 (transposed to C minor).

1992 release: Amazon.com
(Not the same harpsichord Jarrett used for his Goldbergs)

1994 release of the partita: Amazon.com

Anybody have impressions of these? I confess not listening to these very often, as her performance style seems so lightweight and straightforward; I'd like to hear more nuance along the way, not just these slickly prepared burns through the notes.... But they do have a peppy/cheery side that is attractive.

And the second one has my nomination for "most startling piece on a CD immediately following a Bach piece": the next thing on the disc sounds sort of like Jimi Hendrix' "Foxy Lady", rhythmically. An interesting disc all-around but an odd juxtaposition. My copy has a sticker saying I got it somewhere used for $1.00, and it's certainly been worth that and more. I like the 20th century pieces on this disc more than the Telemann, Bach, and Vivaldi (the way she plays them).

Another recorder player giving us 1013 was Dan Laurin, on BIS 675. That last note of the Allemande, so piercing! But all-around I enjoy the way he's involved in the music, and the way he projects the melancholy side of this piece so well. The rest of that album has the 12 Telemann fantasias and a CPE Bach solo sonata. Amazon.com

And then, Marion Verbruggen playing the cello suites on recorder....

Anne Smith wrote (February 11, 2004):
[To Bradley Lehman] Thank you for this post Bradley.

I listened to the samples. I liked the Keith Jarrett and Michala Petri samples better than the Dan Laurin ones. This was because I appreciated the accompaniment. Laurin certainly plays well enough, but to me the accompanied recorder sounds better.

I will put this CD on my wish list. I used to play the recorder and lead a small recorder consort many years ago. I have been thinking of taking it up again.

Bradley Lehman wrote (February 11, 2004):
[To Anne Smith] My favorite pieces at the moment, from those Petri albums, are the last few on that second disc...with Hannibal playing guitar. In those, Petri has to hum another independent part into the recorder while playing, creating multiphonics.

Laurin has recorded some even more adventurous stuff: taking bold chances in his interpretations, with excellent intensity and commitment. And his albums sometimes include improvisations of entire pieces, and a similarly improvisatory approach to composed pieces.

In the opening track of this one: Amazon.com
he has to do a Samurai yell and clobber a tam-tam while playing two recorders at once. And he plays another piece there on a transparent acrylic recorder.

And his set of the Telemann duets, with Clas Pehrsson: mmmm.

And of course, any Marion Verbruggen album, and Walter van Hauwe, and the classic Telefunken/Teldec discs of Frans Bruggen.

A friend lent me a copy of a CD by Bruggen's old group "Sour Cream" (recorder trio with Boeke and van Hauwe): among many other good things old and new, they have the canon from the Musical Offering going to infinity. A good sense of humor. There were also some good Telefunken albums by those guys as a trio before they called themselves Sour Cream.

I used to play in a recorder ensemble we called "Cappella Recorders" since we practiced every week in a church, for the acoustics. Good news is, two of those friends are moving here this summer, and maybe we can get it back together! We all composed duets, trios, and quartets for ourselves along with playing older music from the Moeck editions (etc)...even gave a try at the Amsterdam Loeki Stardust Qt's arrangement of Contrapunctus 1, but that was beyond our playing abilities at the time. One of them has published his duets: very nice music for Christmas gigs: http://www.jeclemens.com/instrumental.html

Johan van Veen wrote (February 11, 2004):
recorder playing & rubato

Bradley Lehman wrote:
< My favorite pieces at the moment, from those Petri albums, are the last few on that second disc...with Hannibal playing guitar. In those, Petri has to hum another independent part into the recorder while playing, creating multiphonics.
Laurin has recorded some even more adventurous stuff: taking bold chances in his interpretations, with excellent intensity and commitment. And his albums sometimes include improvisations of entire pieces, and a similarly improvisatory approach to composed pieces. >
<rest snipped>
Talking about recorder playing - not Bach - I would recommend two recordings by Christoph Ehrsam, as part of the ensemble Arcadia (Christoph Ehrsam, recorder; Eunice Brandao, viola da gamba; Attilio Cremonesi, harpsichord). The two I have (both on the Italian label Symphonia, which has many great recordings in its catalogue) are devoted to Handel and Barsanti respectively.

The booklets contain an essay on the performance practice. Regarding the performance of the basso continuo they stress the preference (in Italian music) for full chords, "rich in acciaccature, mordents, broken chords, rhythmic and free arpeggios, imitation, diminution and ornamented bass".

Other aspects underlined are the frequent use of ornaments and rubato.
Regarding rubato they mention two kinds of rubato which is interesting in regard to what Brad wrote last week about the performance of Bach's flute sonatas by Jed Wentz.
"Rubato, considered to be the most poetic, beautiful and indispensable form of expression was used in two ways. The first consisted of a rhythmically stable continuo and the soloist or soloists rhythmically independent from the accompaniment, or rather, the notes were played before or after the corresponding notes in the bass. The second permitted a general variation in the tempo, or rather, the entire ensemble of musicians slowed down towards the adagio from a faster movement, or they accelerated towards the presto from a slower movement. These changes in tempo were made even when the written indications in the music were 'subito adagio' or 'subito allegro'.

The essay goes on by saying: "Italian performances were renowned for their extreme contrasts: in a slow and soft movement, waiting for the next chord became almost unbearable and the music practically imperceptible, and in a fast and loud movement, one feared that the instruments would break into pieces."

I can't resist quoting a remark by Veracini at the end of the essay:
"Don't fool yourselves, because he who studies little learns nothing and presumes to know a great deal. He who studies knows he knows very little; one must study and toil ..."

It would be interesting to hear Brad's comments in regard to the rubato issue.

Bradley Lehman wrote (February 11, 2004):
Re: [BachRecordings] recorder playing & rubato & Symphonia

[To Johan van Veen] Thanks for mentioning these Ehrsam albums, Johan, along with the programme notes - those are players I have not heard yet, except for the harpsichordist. Are samples available on the web? Eager to hear them....

Agreed about Symphonia. Anything with Enrico Baiano playing harpsichord...yowsa. Here is my review of his Scarlatti: Amazon.com

I think I'll put on the Pasquini duo-sonatas right now: Cremonese and de Marchi. Delightful pieces to play: both players are given only a figured bass that also has the barest of imitative entries also written into it: basically a single staff where the clef keeps changing back and forth, for each player's part. (Sort of like the imitative clues in continuo parts of earlier Italians: just the first couple ofnotes in right-hand range, and then it reverts to figures when a lower voice comes in for the left hand, but the player's supposed to make up a fuller contrapuntal texture on this.) The challenge of these Pasquini sonatas, and the fun, is to accompany one another with a full palette of improvisation, throwing the ideas back and forth. I played a couple of these with a friend, some years ago; but very stupidly we scheduled the concert on a Sunday afternoon at the same time the Super Bowl was on television, and only about ten people showed up. These and some of the Soler double concertos. At least we and the few faithful did have fun.

These Pasquini sonatas, 250 years before the popular "Dueling Banjos" hit. "Dueling Keyboards."

Stastny in sonatas 1030, 1032, 1034, 1035, 1038, and 1039

Bradley Lehman wrote (March 18, 2004):
A treasured set of LPs: the above-mentioned works for flute, played by Leopold Stastny along with Brueggen, A & N Harnoncourt, and Tachezi.

The box also had scores, including Tachezi's handwritten completion of the 1032's first movement, and Peters edition of everything else. Stastny played a Grenser flute from 1750, Dresden. Recorded sometime between 1973 [new Skowroneck hpsi] and 1976 [publication date]. Booklet notes by Wolff and Harnoncourt.

Has this ever been available on CD, except for parts (all?) in the Teldec "Bach 2000" boxes? I'd like to pick this up as the LPs are wearing out....

Riccardo Nughes wrote (March 18, 2004):
Bradley Lehman wrote:
< Has this ever been available on CD, except for parts (all?) in the Teldec "Bach 2000" boxes? I'd like to pick this up as the LPs are wearing out.... >
Teldec also pressed the Bach 2000 Edition in single cds, not easily available outside Germany however.
Here is the one you're interested in: Amazon.de

Hazelzet playing flute partita & 3 cello suites

Bradley Lehman wrote (June 22, 2004):
This classic Glossa recording by Hazelzet has been out of print for a while, but is now back in print in a new edition:
http://www.glossamusic.com/catalogue/0804.htm
Amazon.de

Anybody here know of a US source to order this, other than a time-consuming and expensive European import? And, is it full price or midprice? My online searches so far have been unsuccessful, although it appears that Qualiton *might* have the old one still in stock.

This has been one of my favorite Bach albums for several years (I've reviewed it here several times, too). I need some additional copies of it: most immediately one to give to comfort a friend and favorite professor whose brother just died. (I think I liked the original cover art better: the photo of the candles burning down.) Hazelzet's playing is that haunting and beautiful, it's perfect for such an occasion.

Thanks in advance,

Jan Hanford wrote (June 22, 2004):
[To Bradley Lehman] http://www.hbdirect.com

I buy most of my classical cd's from them.

Donald Satz wrote (June 22, 2004):
[To Jan Hanford] I used to buy most of my cds from H&B Recordings, but the reliability of receiving what you order is not very good. When it reached the point that at least 1/3 of my orders never arrived, I switched to ArchivMusic and have been quite pleased. ArchivMusic tells you if a disc is in stock or not - H&B tells you nothing.

Jan Hanford wrote (June 22, 2004):
[To Donald Satz] Perhaps H&B has improved, they always tell me if there is a problem/delay with my order.

Donald Satz wrote (June 22, 2004):
[To Jan Hanford] They tell me also - many weeks after I make an order.

Bradley Lehman wrote (June 22, 2004):
Thanks, Jan and Don, for the info about H&B. I'd forgotten about them; it's been about 20 years since I used to order LPs from them....

For the Hazelzet disc I went ahead with an order through Qualiton this afternoon, since they're the direct distributor and a few $ cheaper than H&B's posted price on it. If that doesn't arrive I can fall back on H&B.

My other favorite sources for CDs are usually Allegro (and their bargain-basement side, Cyber Music Surplus) and the Berkshire Record Outlet (terrific for cutouts and some imports). And of course Amazon, and their various sublinks to Arkiv, Caiman, and others who often have used discs or discounted new ones. And "Marie's 1 Cent CDs" on eBay. I lament the folding of CDChoice (Philadelphia) earlier this year: that was another great place to get used discs by mail order.

I had a good experience a few months ago with direct order of Gwendolyn Toth's Goldbergs (on Lautenwerck) and Scheidemann organ disc (on a meantone organ in Europe): that was direct to Dr Toth through "Artek": http://www.artekearlymusic.org/thedirectorinfo.html
...good price and very fast service (less than a week), and beautiful performances too. Just a PayPal transaction on the web, and the discs were in the mail the next day!

Donald Satz wrote (June 22, 2004):
[To Bradley Lehman] I got both Toth discs from MusicWeb and agree that each is exceptional. The Goldberg Variations disc has that 'Papa Bach' glow to it, and I love the meantone/historical organ she uses for the Scheidemann.

Bradley Lehman wrote (June 24, 2004):
Bradley Lehman wrote:
< For the Hazelzet disc I went ahead with an order through Qualiton this afternoon, since they're the direct distributor and a few $ cheaper than H&B's posted price on it. If that doesn't arrive I can fall back on H&B. >
Well, this was quick. I ordered from www.qualiton.com less than 48 hours ago, and they already have the disc delivered into my hands. Bravo! $16 plus shipping. I also picked up Hazelzet's set with Ogg and ter Linden of the accompanied sonatas; listening to it now.

flute sonatas on recorder - a surprise

Jan Hanford wrote (October 11, 2004):
I am happy to be able to recommend the RCA recording of the Sonatas for Flute and Harpsichord (BWV 1030-1035) performed by Michala Petri on recorder, with Keith Jarrett on harpsichord.

My expectations for this recording were low. Although Petri is famous and world-class, I have trouble admiring any musician that has recorded Greensleeves. But, in this case, her performance of the flute sonatas on recorder is spectacular. Astonishing articulation and phrasing, every noted is perfect. The sometimes shrill high notes that can be troublesome in recorder are nicely controlled; her tone is sweet.

Keith Jarrett is not a favorite of mine. He groans too much on his solo recordings and his harpsichord performances seem merely adequate, at best. On this cd his performance is indeed adequate, approaching nicely done. His addition of distracting ornamentation, a la Koopman, is my only real complaint. However, he uses the buff stop on one movement which gains points in my view.

I think it might still be in print. I've seen it in stores, amazon and iTunes has it.

Linde/Tilney and Reger (?!)

Tom Dent wrote (July 6, 2005):
I recently found in Munich a nice LP of Bach flute sonatas played by Hans-Martin Linde with the distinguished accompaniment of Colin Tilney and Josef Ulsamer. It's very nicely produced with details of all the instruments (a real old flute, a 1750 Dulcken and a 1697 Karp viola da gamba) and even the temperament used for the keyboard, a detail usually missed even in the most lavish booklet. Kirnberger III, and it doesn't actually sound that bad, though this may be mainly due to the particular keys used in the music.

Reger is a name usually associated with long, thickly-textured, harmonically abstruse pieces. But he also wrote some concise Sonatas and Preludes and Fugues for solo violin, and a Chaconne in G minor, which are, I believe, seconly to Bach's.

Recordings of these are thin on the ground. I tried one by the German violinist Renate Eggebrecht and found it quite unlistenable because of her amazingly careless tuning. Just because there are no other instruments, it doesn't mean that you can play any damn pitch you like...

I also have a very old recording of Kulenkampff doing a single movement of a Reger sonata, which is spine-chilling for all the *right* musical reasons.

Anyone with experience of better Reger?

Continue on Part 3