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| Music for Writers
(and everyone else) |
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Vivaldi, The Four
Seasons: The English Concert, Simon Standage, violin,
Trevor Pinnock, conductor and harpsichord. (This is not
the same recording as an earlier release on record, which
used chamber organ in several movements.) Alas, my favorite
recording by The Harp Consort and the Freiburger Barockorchester;
however, before that, this was my favorite. It is great
for both an early music performance and simply as darn good
music. |
Wilhelm Friedemann
Bach, Sinfonias: Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.
In 1967, when I first met Fred Sommer, he said he would
play the greatest piece of music written (years later, Pachelbel's
Cannon in D was often billed as the greatest).
I was 18 and I thought I knew bs when I heard it, but Fred
persisted and put an old recording of Friedemann's Sinfonia
in d-moll on his record player. One might argue whether
it is the greatest or not, but at the least it is a strong
contender. |
Johann Sebastian Bach:
The Sonatas for Flute and Fortepiano, Susan Rotholz
and Kenneth Cooper. Some have found fault with using a fortepiano
(by Jacob Kaeser after Anton Walter, 1785) to accompany
a modern flute and not a Baroque flute—would they
have faulted Robert Veyron-Lacroix's harpsichord with Rampal's
flute?— the performances are stunning! The flute may
be modern, but the performance is very much what one would
expect along the lines of J.J. Quantz. |
Johann
Sebastian Bach: A State of Wonder: The Goldberg Variations.
Glenn Gould, 1955, 1981. Could any performer span
such differences and yet remain true to himself—or
true to Bach? Breathtaking. |
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Johann Sebastian
Bach: The Goldberg Variations, Murray Perahia. If
your preference is more romantic, then Perahia's performance
sets the bar. With both Parahia and Gould, I forget to miss
the harpsichord. |
Heinrich
Ignaz Frantz von Biber: Violin Sonatas, Romanesca
with Andrew Manze. I am biased, but I can't image
that even Biber played these better than Manze. Stunning.
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Heinrich
Ignaz Frantz von Biber: Harmonia artificiosa, Musica
Antiqua Köln. Well, stunning. |
New American
Soloists, Cleveland Chamber Symphony. A very good collection
of contemporary chamber music. For me, the piece that is worth
the CD—and more—is Jeffrey Jacob's Persistence
of Memory, Jeffrey Jacob, piano. |
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Yo Yo
Ma, Soul of the Tango: The Music of Astor Piazzolla.
Yo Yo Ma has ventured into a repertoire that is far from
standard. Some of his adventures work, some not. This is truly
a success. |
Philip Glass:
The Photographer. It's not just that this is about
the interesting and curious Eadweard Muybridge, but it's exciting
and inventive. |
Daniel Lanois:
Acadie. Aside from being a remarkable producer, this
self-produced debut album is an evocative blend that flirts
with his Québécois heritage and his adopted
Arcadian/Cajun home in New Orleans. |
The Siena
Pianoforte, Charles Rosen and Kathryn Dequire performers.
Billed as the missing link between the harpsichord and
the piano, the Siena Pianoforte is remarkable instrument.
Music by Scarlatti and Mozart. From the 1955 and 1956 recordings. |
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