3 comments about Original Jacket Collection: Vladimir Horowitz.

1. Vladimir Horowitz is, perhaps, the last example of the true last romantic russian virtuoso. His execution is always interesting by a musical point of wiev. The composers are many and of varied historic periods, but the execution is always very appropriated in style and musical analisys. Specially the works by Scriabine and Rachmaninov have here an equilibrated treatment that shows the musical qualities over the technical power. An indispensable for all piano lovers and piano players.



2. Despite having died over twelve years ago, Vladimir Horowitz remains a potent force in the ever-shrinking Classical music market. Since his death in 1989, Horowitz' complete recordings have been remastered and reissued, and a number of previously unreleased recordings have also surfaced.

   The marketing gimmick behind the Original Jacket Collection is a simple one: ten CDs, with the music duplicating the original LP release, with the original liner notes and bearing the original LP covers (albeit in miniaturized form).

   Horowitz was in his late prime during his Columbia (now Sony) years, 1962-1973. The performances in this box are rightfully legendary. Highlights include: loads of Chopin including the Sonata, Op. 35 (1962), a brooding Poloniase-Fantasie, Op. 61 (recorded live in 1966), an electrifying performance of the neglected Introduction & Rondo, Op. 16 (1971); Horowitz' own transcription of Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 19; and the all Scarlatti, Rachmaninoff, Schumann, and Scriabin LPs. It is worth noting that most of these recordings were Grammy winners and have never been out of the catalogue since they were initially released.

   That's part of the problem. Horowitz fans with sharp ears will detect that these are not new remasterings, they are straight transfers from Sony's 1993 Complete Masterworks Recordings reissue. In a number of cases here, such as in Schumann's Kreisleriana, alternate takes were used, which differ from the original LP issues. While the performances don't suffer from the alterations, should not Sony have done their homework and checked the CD remasterings against the original LPs?

   Given that most of these CDs clock in at about 40 minutes, and that the potential CD playing time is twice that long, shoppers are advised to spend a few extra dollars and buy the 13-CD box of the Complete Masterworks Recordings, as they offer much greater value for the money. The 5-star rating is for performance quality only.




3. Vladimir Horowitz remains a potent force in the ever-shrinking Classical music market. Since his death in 1989, Horowitz' complete recordings have been remastered and reissued, and a number of previously unreleased recordings have also surfaced.

   The marketing gimmick behind the Original Jacket Collection is a simple one: ten CDs, with the music duplicating the original LP release, with the original liner notes and bearing the original LP covers (albeit in miniaturized form).

   Horowitz was in his late prime during his Columbia (now Sony) years, 1962-1973. The performances in this box are rightfully legendary. Highlights include loads of Chopin including the Sonata, Op. 35 (1962), a brooding Poloniase-Fantasie, Op. 61 (recorded live in 1966), an electrifying performance of the neglected Introduction & Rondo, Op. 16 (1971); Horowitz' own transcription of Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 19; and the all Scarlatti, Rachmaninoff, Schumann, and Scriabin LPs. It is worth noting that most of these recordings were Grammy winners and have never been out of the catalogue since they were initially released.

   That's part of the problem. Horowitz fans with sharp ears will detect that these are not new remasterings, they are straight transfers from Sony's 1993 Complete Masterworks Recordings reissue. In a number of cases here, such as in Schumann's Kreisleriana, alternate takes were used, which differ from the original LP issues. While the performances don't suffer from the alterations, should not Sony have done their homework and checked the CD remasterings against the original LPs?

   Given that most of these CDs clock in at about 40 minutes, and that the potential CD playing time is twice that long, shoppers are advised to spend a few extra dollars and buy the 13-CD box of the Complete Masterworks Recordings, as they offer much greater value for the money. The 5-star rating is for performance quality only.

5 comments about Alexander Scriabin: The Complete Piano Sonatas.

1. Over the years I have heard live or have procured various pianistic performances of Scriabin's music played by the likes of Hamelin, Ashkenaszy, Horowitz, Richter; yet I have always preferred Ruth Laredo's sensuous, broad,subtle approach to Scriabin's masterpieces. I still believe her "Vers la Flamme" performance is the best for its unique passionate,even erotic persuasions. To be frank, I'm primarily interested in Scriabin's "late" period and have absorbed the beauty and "sensuosity" of sonatas 6 through 10. Listeners and critics vary in their recommendations, their approval or otherwise of the increasing performances of the sonatas now available to the interested listener. Almost all the masters have dominated the bravura format,as Scriabin's works are developed within extraordinary technical demands and exigencies. Hamlin probably reigns supreme, at least,according to most of the reviewers I've read. Opinions will vary, to be sure; reviews may be tendered by professional, musical critics; or, they may simply be reflections, opinions, and reactions of individual listeners intensely focused on Scriabin's inordinately complex music. A problem with the Laredo recording unfortunately, is that it's a"carry over' from an earlier performance recorded in the 1970's. Despite the audio problems, I still love the Laredo dedication to the inordinate, complex virtuosic demands. Her playing remains faithful, to a large extent, to the ever mysterious, subtle, if not lascivious, voluptuous, qualities which all too often haunt those demonic Scriabinesque harmonies. The performances are smooth and not overly percussive,as I have noted in later recorded performances.



2. This set is mostly valuable for being comprehensive as the performances are somewhat wan. Laredo also experiences technical difficulties here and there. Finally, the sound quality of the performance is below average. That said, I'm glad to own it because it includes some unusual pieces and brings all of these wonderful sonatas together.
   
   Not to throw stones, but I really have to wonder whether any of the reviewers giving this set 5 stars are familiar with Scriabin and the many excellent performances of his piano works that have been made. This is a fallback CD set.



3. I have the following complete sets: Laredo, Taub, Ashkenazy, Hamelin, Mikhailov, Szidon, Ponti, and Ogdon. I have two discs of Glemser and Horowitz, and one disc of: Sofronitsky, Pletnev, Kocyan, Bogdonov, Florentino, Coombs, Trpceski, and Richter.
   
   Here is my list of suggested performances of the sonatas, taken from those I've heard. They are ranked from left to right:
   
   G#m posthumous: Hamelin.
   
   Ebm posthumous: Glemser.
   
   No. 1: Kocyan, then Ashkenazy, then Taub. Kocyan tells a story. Ashkenazy is passionate. Taub is darker.
   
   No. 2: Kocyan, then Glemser or Sofronitsky, then Ashkenazy. Kocyan's fluidity takes it, but Sofronitsky is artistic. Glemser's first movement is beautiful.
   
   No. 3: Laredo or Horowitz. Then Glemser or Taub. Then Ashkenazy or Sofronitsky.
   
   No. 4: Taub or Sofronitsky. The latter has more artistry, the former a more coherent and appropriate tone.
   
   No. 5: Horowitz or Taub. The former has electric genius, the latter has wonderful refinement. Hamelin's is excellent (definitely his best Scriabin performance). I've heard that Richter's is great, but I don't have it.
   
   No. 6: Richter (genius but bad sound quality), then Taub. Hamelin's is athletic and precise, although not mysterious.
   
   No. 7: Glemser, then Laredo. The former brings out all the complexity with precision, the latter is sharp and clear. I have not heard Richter's.
   
   No. 8: Ashkenazy. Then Szidon or Laredo. I've read that Sofronitsky's is good, but I don't have it.
   
   No. 9: Sofronitsky, then Horowitz (all versions), then Glemser, then Szidon and Taub.
   
   No. 10: Horowitz or Taub. Same contrast of styles between the pianists as the fifth sonata. Like the fifth, this is Taub's other brilliant performance.
   
   Other pieces:
   
   Fantasy in B minor: Glemser
   Vers la flamme: Sofronitsky or Horowitz, then Laredo.
   Piano concerto: Ugorski/Boulez, then Ashkenazy/Maazel. Both are excellent, but I give the edge to Ugorski.
   Poem of Ecstasy: Maazel
   Prometheus: Ashkenazy/Maazel
   
   Regrettably, the posthumous sonatas are not included and not every performance is outstanding, but it does offer a top-notch third sonata, a great seventh, and solid performances of the first, sixth, eighth, op. 42 etudes, and Vers La Flamme. The 5th sonata is not well-performed here. The 4th has a bouncy feel in the second movement, and the 9th begins with no mystery. The tight (not spacious) analog sound should be braved by Scriabin aficianados, but those new to his music should stick with Taub's complete set (also missing the posthumous sonatas, regrettably), at least at first.



4. I have recently discovered the music of Scriabin. Rather, shall I say re-discovered, as I have up until recently been only familiar with his orchestral music and not his works for piano. This is a splendid recording of some of the most interesting piano music ever written.
   
   The first four sonatas are very much Romantic era music, with the 1st sonata being my favorite. The last six sonatas are extremely complex, yet moving and embody a great sense of mystery within them. It is clear to see how Scriabin was truly light years ahead of his time. These compositions beautifully illustrate the power of music to transfix the listener into experiencing nothing less than blissful paradise.



5. Alexander Scriabin was one of the last of the great Russian Romantic school who became a leader of the modern vanguard. This recording traces that musical evolution brilliantly. Many have associated Laredo with the Baroque or Classical genre but with this CD she proves that there are apparently no areas in which she is not proficient.

   The sounds produced here are nothing short of stupendous - from the loudest fortissimo to the quietest pppppp (that is a true marking). The technique is so completely masterful that one almost takes the devilish fingering, concorted chortds and fluttering dynamics for granted. The other outstanding feature of Scriabin's music is the continual "lift" as the music is in a constant state of key changes and transforming "rises".

   This is an important CD in that it traces the development of an enormously talented yet ultimately irrational artist. One item of note is that his son, who was remarkably gifted, drowned as a young lad. Otherwise we might have had a father-son musical continuum, the maturation of which we can only surmise. Liked other commentators, I enjoyed the dark, stark cover.

   To understand Scriabin one must understand the Sonatas and his reaction to them. One way to understand the Sonatas is by listening to this recording.

1 comments about Historic Broadcasts 1923-1987.

1. I have often thought that symphony orchestras with a long history, i.e. Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Cincinnati etc., should put out albums of historic broadcasts, but so far only the N.Y. Philharmonic has done so. The quality of the transfers, booklet, musician quotes and packaging are first-rate. The performances are something else again.

   As anyone who has worked with, for or around the NY Phil can tell you, this is and has always been one arrogant orchestra. By this I mean, the musicians think they know everything, they act in a high-handed manner with outsiders, and they have always given conductors a hard time. If NY musicians don't like you or your approach to music, they will "sabotage" your performances--in fact, they did so to John Barbirolli, Artur Rodzinski and Dmitri Mitropoulos--and even if they like you (as in the case of Leonard Bernstein) they won't produce a really fine tone or ensemble blend, but rather a kind of rag-rag sound with rough-sounding strings and blowsy brass. If you don't believe me, just listen to the performances herein by Barbirolli, Rodzinski and Igor Stravinsky, whom one NY Phil musician describes as "a funny little man" but not a good conductor. (Gee, that's odd, I heard the transcript of Stravinsky conducting the world premiere of "The Rake's Progress" and it was a very adequate performance.)

   Only seven conductors on this set draw a really fine sound from the orchestra: Mengelberg, Toscanini, Walter, Cantelli, Monteux, Reiner and Kubelik, and they were among the greatest conductors who ever lived. Everyone else gets so-so sound or worse, clumsily-phrased performances, and sometimes mismatched styles (worst of them being the Mozart Concerto No. 7 for 2 Pianos, where the prissy conducting of Barbirolli is overpowered by Josef and Rosina Lhevinne poundin' away on the ivories like they were having a break-your-eardrums contest).

   Artistically, there is about four and a half hours' worth of great music AND great performances out of the 12 1/2 hours presented. Best of the lot are Beethoven's "Coriolanus" overture (somewhat abridged) by Willem van Hoogstraten (a fine testament to a completely forgotten conductor), all of the Toscanini material (including the best Brahms Violin Concerto I've ever heard and an arrangement of Bach's Toccata and Fugue by Sir Henry Wood that actually simulates the timbral sounds of an organ), the Chopin Concerto No. 1 by Rubinstein and Walter, the Shostakovich Violin Concerto No. 1 by Oistrakh and Mitropoulos (the orchestra didn't have much to do, and behaved itself out of respect for Oistrakh), the Faure Requiem conducted by Nadia Boulanger (with a sublime-sounding Donald Gramm), the Three Orchestral Pieces of Berg conducted by Bernstein, and Bartok's opera "Duke Bluebeard's Castle" with Tatiana Troyanos, Siegmund Nimsgern and Kubelik.

   In retrospect, and out of respect to the work they did, I feel that more Bernstein performances should have been included and something by Michael Tilson Thomas should have made it in. Granted, Lennie often flew by the seat of his pants in live performance, but certainly they could have found SOMETHING in their vaults better than, say, the atrocious Schoenberg "Ode to Napoleon," Poulenc's thoroughly dry and uninteresting "Concert champetre," the afore-mentioned Mozart Concerto for 2 Pianos, Roberta Peters in poor voice caterwauling her way through the "Fledermaus" arias, or John Corigliano's derivative and poorly-constructed Clarinet Concerto? Alas, we'll never know.

   One final note: $220 strikes me as prohibitively expensive for a 10-CD set. Since when are CDs worth $22 apiece? Trust me, they are NOT made of gold. In any case, your decision to purchase should weigh the relative merits and importance of the good performances, and decide whether or not they are worth that much to you. Certainly, this is the best "Bluebeard's Castle" I have ever heard, Bruno Walter's muscular reading of the Chopin Concerto must be heard to be believed, and the Toscanini performances have the advantage of giving us his sound in "real space" rather than a cramped studio. These are also advantages to consider. The choice is yours. I have simply given it my own personal rating.

5 comments about Verdi: Aida.

1. Not to sound like a detractor, but the best Aida studio recording and stage performance was that of Leontyne Price in the title role. The 1970 RCA Red Seal recording is the all-time greatest recording of Aida. Still, this is the finest studio recording of Aida for its time in the 1950's, at a time when Maria Callas was the reigning prima donna assoluta. Callas, however, never made Aida her signature role as say her Normas, Toscas and Medeas and sang it too little times to be noticed. There is a studio recording of it dating to a time when she was still a young star. However, Zinka Milanov possessed the right vocal equipment for Aida, with stunning pianissimi that perhaps even influenced Montserrat Caballe. Her voice is colorful enough so that in more dramatic scenes she can make it rougher and more intense in pitch. She is lucky to have the renowned and much loved Swedish tenor Bjussi Bjorling as Radames. Bjorling makes the role of Radames a lyrically resplendent one, with few dramatic outbursts and suffusing the arias with elegant Italian diction. Fedora Barbieri sings a terrific Amneris, singing the role with a mighty voice that cuts through the orchestra. But even with this great cast, I still prefer the 1970 recording with Leontyne Price as the definative Aida of all time, Placido Domingo as the most glorious Radames, Grace Bumbry as a noble Amneris and Sherill Milnes as Amonasro. But still fans of Milanov will want to own this one.



2. This was the recording that introduced me to the beauties of the opera "Aida." I was honored to be able to borrow it from a friend's mother. I listened to it in awe. However, I was not able to buy it, as at that time, I simply could not find it. Later, I bought one with Leontyne Price, and of course, I fell madly in love with that recording. I now have many recordings, including a live on with Maria Callas. The opera has become a staple in my record collection. Finally, decades later, I was able to buy this recording and really listen to it, and compare it to all those others I have. Is it the best of the best? Well, I don't know, but it is pretty near there if it is not there. I love Price's sound more than Milanov's, but both bring something special to the role. Now everyone speaks of Caballe's wonderful pianissimo in the Patria Mia aria. It is wonderful, but if one follows the score, that famous and treachrous high C in not sung all piano through that passage. Verdi writes a crescendo leading to that high C, and then it is sung piano and is to melt away, or fade away, never rushed till the phrase is over. What Caballe sings is wonderful, breath taking actually, but what Milanov sings is what Verdi asked for. Her high C, and the high A that is sung after it, is not just a wonderfully poised pianissimo, she sings what Verdi wrote. She begins the phrase delicately and sings a crescendo, and on the high C she sings a pianissimo and fades it away ever so delicately and descends. There is more to AIDA than this one aria, and more to this aria than this one phrase, but here we hear it as Verdi wrote it. It sends shivers up one's spine. I think this is the only recording ever recorded where the singer actually sings what Verdi wrote. This is the recording that converted me to the Milanov sound. The duet with Bjoerling simple gives one goose bumps all because of how their voices blend and the drama they bring to that beautiful singing.
   With all my recordings of this opera, I still say this one is at the very top, maybe tying with Price (the recording with Jon Vickers). Great as Callas was in her portrayals, AIDA was not her role, and I really can't see her removing the foundation from under this recording. Aida is opera, dramatic opera, but it is opera that requires the best in vocal technique and beauty. This is truly a "gold standard" by which many recordings of Aida will have to be judged.



3. There have been many complete recordings of "Aida" made between 1928 and the present, not even counting the numerous "live" performances circulating as pirates. Yet, of all of them, this set continues to outsell most others in spite of its sound and a few performance flaws.

   The mono sound is actually quite good for its age. This set, made in 1955, had fuller body to the orchestral sound, not being quite as thin and boxy-sounding as the 1950-53 RCA opera recordings led by Renato Cellini with basically a pick-up band. The Rome Opera forces perform well under Perlea, an experienced theatre conductor with a good sense of musical pacing and shaping, but one who occasionally opted for slower-than-written tempi. This is his one flaw as a conductor here, but when you compare his reading to the much quirkier ones of Solti, Leinsdorf, Karajan or Levine, Perlea comes out pretty good. For some strange reason, however, the mono sound is drier and boxier on CD than it was on LP: obviously this transfer was made long before 20-bit remastering and clearer sound! However, boosting the treble restores a more natural balance.

   Going down the cast list: Milanov, whose voice could float beautifully on top but sound somewhat base and hollow further down her range, is a surprisingly good Aida, curbing her tendency to elongate notes beyond their written length except for a couple of instances. She also sings dramatically, something one is not used to hearing from her, especially at this late stage of her career.

   Barbieri, on the other hand, usually over-dramatized things, but here as in the Serafin "Ballo in Maschera" she sings with both a glorious tone and attention to musical detail. An excellent Amneris, surpassed only by Rita Gorr on the Solti set and equalled by no other.

   Bjorling is usually not a favorite of mine in opera; his beautiful, silvery voice usually just soars through the music without any sense of what he is singing about. Here, however, he is remarkably sensitive to both text and dramatic situations. I'm guessing that either Christoff or Perlea (or both) gave him a good talking-to prior to the sessions. He sounds passionate in the Nile Scene duet, anxious and frightened in the Nile Scene finale. Good job!

   Having not listened to him in some time, I had forgotten what a dramatic AND musically sensitive singer Leonard Warren was. His only drawback was his gruffy timbre, which just seemed to get gruffier and woolier as time went on. But the voice could also "bite," and it does so here. He is the second-best Amonasro on records, after the underrated Giuseppe Valdengo.

   Christoff is his usual snarly self, but here both voice and character click. He was an excellent Ramfis because he, like Ramfis, was pompous, arrogant and overbearing. It was perfect typecasting.

   My favorite "Aida" still remains the Toscanini, despite the cold singing of Tucker as Rhadames (in the first two acts - he warms up well for the last 2) and the tremulous, unfocused Amneris of Gustavson, but this makes a superb second choice. Now, if only RCA would remaster it with 20-bit sound and change it from 3 to 2 CDs...but don't hold your breath!




4. When the opera is Verdi's "Aida", your night at the opera will be time well spent. When you add this recording of it to your shopping cart, your money will be well spent.

   Perlea's "Aida" easily compensates for several apparent drawbacks. Most of the principals are non-Italians. It is a mono recording. It was recorded as long ago as 1955.

   I think the quality will become apparent as soon as the "curtain rises". Instead of prompting the tenor to engage in a few bars of dialogue before beginning "Celeste Aida", the High Priest (Boris Christoff) instantly commands attention. Jussi Bjorling, whose 1936 recording of "Celeste Aida" helped launch him on the international opera circuit, delivers here a noble, tender and thrilling account of it - not at all Italianate but highly musical. When these two singers share the second half of the next scene, the Temple Scene, the vocal richness is overwhelming. Fedora Barbieri, as Amneris, riveting, ripe and regal, provides more vocal richness in the scene that follows, and the act ends with Zinka Milanov, in glorious voice, conveying the distress of the supposed slave girl whose loyalties are impossible to reconcile.

   The Triumphal March features a chorus that actually sounds like a rejoicing crowd and the ballet sequences are richly evocative. Jonel Perlea directs these sterling forces, equally successful in structuring the huge ensembles and in handling the intimate scenes of this masterpiece.

   The locale for the recording is the Rome Opera House, a venue for many of my favorite recordings. As with most "Aida" recordings, this could be a 2 CD set, but it disposes itself much better onto 3 CDs.




5. From the time I first bought this on LP in the '50s until the present Cd format, this has also been a special Aida and will always be difficult to surpass never mind equal. As a teenager I heard Milanov in this role several times at the Met [standing for $1.25 in the rear of the orchestra floor] and listeners be reassured, what you hear on the CDs is the real voice! [Klinks and triumph all}.Her power was astonishing, riding the top of the chorus in the triumphant scene to the pianissimos of the Nile and Tomb scenes. The rest of the singing is equally distinguished: Warren and the often "take for granted, underappreciated syndome" Barbieri - she is equally thrilling in the Bjorling-Mlanov-Warren Trovatore. Several reviewers have referred to the beauty of the" tomb scene" and have they got it right.
   For a mono recording the sound is amazing and never distorted. For sheer beauty of voice, especially the floating soft notes, Milanov's only rival is Caballe on the EMI recording. Personally I think Cossotto has the edge on Barbieri in the EMI recording. The Verdi casts at the Met in the 50's have no equal and we must be grateful that some of them made it to disc. For Leotyne Price fans she was another in the great line of Aidas. Only personal choice and taste can choose the winner in this sublime company of sopranos. This recording should be on every one of your shelves!

No comments about Dream Melodies, Vols. 6-10 (Box Set).

3 comments about Steve Reich 1965-1995.

1. Steve Reich, unlike most classical composers, is well-known in the popular music world owing to his influence on many musicians of the "post rock" period.
   
   After having heard and been impressed by his Six Pianos and Four Organs, I was eager to hear a full collection of his material since he began composing in the 1960s. However, there is really little of note in the ten discs of "Steve Reich 1965-1995".
   
   Even the two pieces whose first two performances I initially liked are not performed as well here - and with hindsight they are nothing compared to, say, Messiaen's organ works in terms of emotion and depth. The rest of the work here is no better, for instance the acclamied "Music for 18 Musicians" certainly lacks the passion of the post-rock it is often claimed to have been a major influence on. It also is very boring because the many instruments are unable to show the subtle variations of texture that are often possible with a single instrument, especially one liek an organ. Some of Reich's works, even if prelude to the sampling era, are just annoying noise created by tape loops that seem out of place in a work devoted to classical music.
   
   His later work, though easier to listen to, approaches blandness and the orchestras seem to be playing something that has been played before.
   
   It's really good to be able to notice the mediocre music in the classical, as well as the popular field, and this is amongst them. you will not gain much by hearing this lengthy set. There is much better music amongst modern classical composers.



2. While a multi CD collection spanning 30 years does sound very promsing, Nonesuch cannot offer all of the best recordings of some of Reich's masterpieces (Music for 18 Musicians or Drumming), and some have been missed out completely (Music for a Large Ensemble), presumably because the piece was not recorded under the Nonesuch label. While the collection is formidable, a listener wanting to hear the best recordings of all the pieces might do better seeking out the older (or longer!) recordings of the pieces.



3. The term "essential" gets thrown about too much. And heck, the claim that certain words get thrown about too much gets thrown about too much. But here is a collection that really *is* essential to understanding the nature of a whole shift not just in classical music, but in popular music and indeed in popular culture. So many of Reich's ideas and concepts have become so deeply embedded in current classical music, film scoring (any number of examples, but think about Tangerine Dream's score for "Risky Business" and Hans Zimmer's score for "Thin Red Line," for starters), electronic music and even the visual arts.

   This box set gives the listener all of Reich's major works. I can't even attempt to describe them individually, but every one of these 10 CDs is compelling. For the totally uninitiated, take out "Music for 18 Musicians" (presented here in a crystalline new recording) to get an idea of what the core of this guy is all about. From there, you might want to listen to "Different Trains," "Electric Counterpoint" and "Six Marimbas" to get an idea of the pointillistic pulse minimalism that Reich contributed to the world. The earlier material is the more challenging, exploring the subtleties of rythym, phase relationships between sounds and shifting timings. Among these, the new recording of "Four Organs" is just outstanding.

   Reich's works, along with the early works of Terry Riley and Philip Glass, form the foundation of an enormous edifice that has grown of music that attempts to return to its essential and hypnotic roots. With this box set, one of those pylons becomes clear.

5 comments about Bach: Matthäus-Passion.

1. This is certainly a milestone in the history of Bach on record. While there are many, new HIP (Historically Informed) recordings now (Gardiner, Koopman, Herreweghe, and even Harnoncourt's newest recording of the St. Matthew Passion) this present recording seems to be the most innovative, using an all male cast, whereas other HIP conductors use female sopranos and altos, a practice which was unheard of in Bach's day (in the Leipzig main churches anyway). After all, this could be considered the first Historically Informed Perfomance.
   
   This is the kind of recording that forces you to truly reminisce about Bach's Leipzig and his choir, the Thomanerchor, the all-boys' chorus of St. Thomas Church. The boys were aged 6-19. It is known that women were forbidden to sing in church. Even more so, castrati. The soprano and alto soloists that Bach would have utilized were actually prepubescent boy trebles and countertenors. These are the soloists that Harnoncourt used in this recording, an attempt that is found nowhere else, not even in the newest HIP recordings.
   
   Now, Philippe Herreweghe mentions that the boys' choir of today probably did not have the adquate training to meet the standards of Bach's choir. This in part because the boys of the day were more disciplined and took the learning of musical technique very seriously. Most importantly, the boys of the day pubesced at a later age, meaning their voices broke at a later age, around 15 or 16 or even 17, therefore the treble soloists and choristers would have had to been more powerful than those we hear today.
   
   While Philippe Herreweghe is most definitely right with his rebuttal, Harnoncourt's recording is still a delight to hear, and probably no other recording, in my humble opinion, comes as close to replicating the sound of St. Thomas's Boys' Choir (with the exception of Herrweghe's record which actually attempts to replicate the stereophonics of the interior of St. Thomas' Church; and very successfuly). There is something very magical and unique about this recording, thanks to the boys' choir and innovative period instrument performers. Hearing "Sind Blitze, Sind Donner" sung with boy altos and sopranos in no way takes away from the drama of the number. It rather, adds to the beauty which has been hidden for years.
   
   Not to mention that the soprano is a treble and the altos are actually countertenors. The countertenors are Paul Esswood and James Bowman, who is a pioneer in reviving the countertenor voice (someone that even Andreas Scholl admires). What a treat to hear James Bowman on the first HIP St. Matthew Passion! I was astounded to hear the soprano aria, "Aus Liebe" sung by a boy treble. As you'll hear, "Aus Liebe" is a challenging piece both technically and interpretively. And this young man's virtuosity is beyond belief. He should be applauded for his efforts which are beyond words.
   
   Kurt Equiluz is a classic Evangelist and has superb storytelling abilites.
   
   I would prefer much more relaxed tempos and instrumental playing, more to the liking of Herreweghe's second recording of the work. But it was nonetheless very good here.
   
   Bach would have been proud. This is an old recording, but please don't let this deter you. The sound quality is excellent. This set of the St. Matthew Passion is definitely an Essential one. Don't hesitate.



2. This was the very first Harnoncourt recording I heard-and how exciting that was! I recently heard bits of his more recent recording and I think that although impressive the later recording tends towards caricature in its striving towards theatricality. The earlier recording on the other hand has marvellous warmth and a naturalness that is heart rending. I have to say that no tenor that I have heard does a better job of the Evangelist part as does Kurt Equiliuz. His voice reminds me of a cello with gut strings and he never tries to grab attention away from the essential dramatic movement of the piece. He is emotional without being sentimental. The other soloists are marvellous aswell. Karl Ridderbusch as Christus has an amazing profundo voice with a sweetness that is beguiling. Paul Esswood is fantastic-his 'Erbarme dich' is a model of contained poignancy. One of the boy soloists has a maturity beyond belief in 'Aus liebe will mein Heiland sterben'. The Kings College men with the Regensburg Domchor are wonderfully mellow. Occasionally speeds are a little plodding in some of the arias although generally I prefer more relaxed tempos (often sorely missed in modern performances). So all in all-a performance to savour, and you really do get the impression in this pioneering recording of the excitement of removing layers of grime from a masterwork. My favourite St. Matthew!



3. This is the first Historical Informed Practice performance of the work, with an all male team of chorus and soloists and with one of the smallest orchestras (although the size of the choir is rather larger than the necessary to bring enough clarity). I confess, I have a mixed reaction when I listen to it. It was a revolution when it was recorded. listen, for example, to the first and last choruses, where for the first time in history the rithm (almost like a dance)is wonderfully brought alive by Harnoncourt. And if you compare it with the modern instruments recordings of the time, it succeds triumphally (I haven't listened to Klemperer yet), with the exception of Richter 58'. Since the beggining of the HIP movement, you can admire the attack of the instruments, so uneven in the melodic line 8that's why the dance spirit is refreshed in the historicist recordings), so springly executed. But ... this artists have a great problem: they were the first pioneers, and so I would say that every performer is in much bfiner form to play and sing: At that time there was still very much of the older style to play Baroque. I would put 3 stars ; I decided to reduce them to one because an Amazon customer repeted his review



4. There is no single definitive performance of the St. MatthewPassion because it is such a universal work, subject to wonderfulinterpretations in large scale romantic and small original instrument modes. Most everyone would pick Klemperer's rendition as the classic "big" version, with an unbeatable set of soloists (a five star account for sure), massive in scale and emotion, and very slow-paced. The Harnoncourt is pretty much the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of scale, timing and texture. Of smaller scale "authentic" versions I have heard (Gardiner, Koopman, Herrewegge), Harnoncourt's has the sweetest, mellowest sound, particularly because of the beautiful wind instruments. The choruses (with boy singers) are also very beautiful, and Paul Esswood is great. His "Erbarme Dich" is the best sung, most moving male performance I've heard (although no one beats Schwarzkopf on the Klemperer set). The Harnoncourt is also a better price than the other original instrument versions (but older sound). If you like Harnoncourt's cantatas, this Passion has all the same virtues. Some may be put off by all the male voices and light texture. Here and there the rhythms are a little plodding, but generally the timings are about right. Personally I would want at least two St. Matthew Passions in my collection -- the Klemperer and the Harnoncourt. If I were to choose a single "compromise" set with the best of both worlds I might opt for the Gardiner -- authentic with larger forces. The Naxos set by Oberfrank is a good bargain with modern instruments and brisk rhythms, although not up to the very highest standard. (The recent Teldec Bach 2000 sampler has the final chorus by Harnoncourt, which convinced me to get the complete work. For comparison, you can hear Herreweghe's first version of the same chorus on the HM Bach sampler that recently came out.) END



5. I have to admit the advances in Baroque music seem to make this recording seem less clear and shaped, but that is not necessarily the way the orchestra was heard back then. It was only with Beethoven that we heard the orchestra arranged as we know it, and he did it to give better clarity as he couldn't hear it. If we were to sit an orchestra as they were seated in Bach's day, the clarity we are accustomed to would disappear.

   I still find this the best of the recordings for a few reasons. The countertenor of Paul Esswood is far better than all the new hot shots of today, and it has the proper depth to give an emotional depth to the reading. He is really a countertenor who is totally forgotten, yet so many of Bach's cantatas would never have come to light were it not for his singing.

   I am suspect of the pitch in the more modern recordings. It seems the instruments are very shrill and lack colour. This recording was wise to put the pitch down to the level it was in Bach's day. The standard pitch of today ( A 440, which more often than not is now raised nearly to A 450 ) distorts the sound of old instruments which were not made to withstand the greater tension. No recording of this music is authentic, even if played on authentic instruments, if the pitch is too high to let the natural mellowness of these instruments come through. The loudness and brilliance of todays instruments were not possible on these older ones ( I have 2 violins and a viola di gamba from the early 1700's and have pitched them at the pitch of their day, and of our day -- todays pitch robs them of warmth, even if it gives the *clarity* were are used to ).

   This said, for those who wish to hear Bach as he probably heard his music ( though we can never say for sure we are exactly correct ), this is the recording to buy. It brings one things so lacking in all the academically perfect recordings -- soul to the music of a man who dedicated all he did to God, and who tried to express his profound love of God in the works he wrote. I have never found that in any other recording of this work.

5 comments about Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1-7.

1. To state Sibelius was the last epic composer perhaps may be sound exaggerate, but listening carefully his odd Symphonies, one may feel such steeled conviction fevered lyricism that sharply contrasts with the enraptured introspection of his even symphonies (specially the Fourth and Sixth).
   
   Keeping all these factors in mind, we should re-examine over and over his Pastoral musicality, filled of sustained and restrained lyricism absolutely improper of the artistic tendencies. He was one of the few composers who was always listening to his inner voices without halting just a bit from his bliss.
   
   John Barbirolli' s approach is a warm and honest homage to his artistic grandness.



2. Sir John Barbirolli (1899-1970) established the greatness of Mancester's Halle' Orchestra during his 28 years as their principal conductor from his 1943 appointment to his 1970 death. An London of Cockney birth, Barbirolli was linked to relatively few composers in his long career with Sibelius being one of those he most loved. His style was to personalize music, not merely to condcut it. While not as wayward in style as the likes of Leopold Stokowski or Nikolaus Harnoncourt, who could (and do) infuriate listeners with their personalizations, Barbirolli was more akin to Leonard Bernstein.
   
   As he showed in his highly personal recordings of the Beethoven "Eroica" symphony and Elgar's Symphony No. 2, Barbirolli conducted with relatively slow tempi and asked his orchestra to voice the music differently than others. Both those characteristics are apparent in these recordings of the seven Sibelius symphonies and extracts from his other orchestral works.
   
   I bought this set especially to hear what Barbirolli would do with the Symponies 3, 4 and 6 -- especially the latter of the trio. I am pleased to say Barbirolli is as good an exponent of the symphonies as the other reviewers here would lead you to believe. He focused on the woodwind voicing more so than the strings or brass, giving these often quiet and introspective scores a slightly different sound world than other conductors. He is just as good in the bigger and more romantic Symphonies 1, 2 and 5, as well, with his rendering of Symphony 2 being a special triumph.
   
   I can't say I was as impressed by all the other music in this box as some around here. In particular the first disk of the set that includes the warhorses Finlandia, Karelia suite, Swan of Tuonela and Lemminkainen's Return, were not as propulsive or effective as recordings I've heard from other conductors incluidng Ormandy. Still, they add a lot to your understanding of both the way Barbirolli views this composer and your appreciation of the Halle' Orchestra, whose members play exceptionally throughtout.
   
   For me, this was my first exposure to some of the other music recorded here including the Scenes Historiques and Rakastava selections. With early opus numbers (25 and 14, respectively) these come from the composer's earlier romantic days before the Russian takeover and his own drinking turned him -- and his later music -- somber and moody. While Sibelius represent an icier Scandanavian landscape in later opi, these represent the romantic Fin at his best.
   
   The symphonies are the main course on this menu and they are universally pleasing to the ear, head and heart in this recordings made in London's Kingsway Hall. This collection lets you know what a splendid conductor Barbirolli was, what a splendid orchestra he developed in the Halle', and what a wonderful recording venue was Kingsway Hall. All things considered, aside from a few disappointments, this is a cherishable collection.



3. Until late in his career, Barbirolli was overshadowed by Beecham, the greatest champion of Sibelius in Britain (perhaps the world). Their performances are very different, Beecham being more confident, extroverted, and showy in his approach, Barbirolli more moody, tender and personal. He was in general a personal musician, taking a long time to gather his thoughts about each score. Certain symphonies here, such as the 4th and 7th, come across with total conviciton--you feel and think along with the conductor.
   
   For many listeners, Barbirolli's Sibelius may now have risen above Beecham's for that reason--it's highly ocmmunicative. His pace is usually measured, and he emphasizes the atmospheric wind solos that flavor this music. Beecham had a superior orchestra in the Royal Phil., but the Halle was sensitive to Barbirolli's nuances of phrasing (we hear a lot of that in the mystical Fourth). The bigger, more popular works, such as the Second and Fifth Sym., can't hold their own for execution against versions from powerful, world-famous ensembles like the Berlin and NY Phil. led by powerhouse conductors like Bernstein and Karajan. But Barbriolli wasn't aiming for the grand effect, even in these works, so there's a special niche for his versions, too.
   
   Relegated to Pye, a secondary British label, these recordings now find a rightful place on EMI. I'm giving five stars even though I am not enamored of Barbirolli's somewhat stodgy Third and underpowered Sixth, nor do I have a fondness for some of the routine incidental music that fills out the set. But it's impossible to over-praise the best of these readings, and the sonics are generally fine.



4. (THIS IS A REVIEW OF DISC I ONLY) Believe it or not, I had this as an album (does that give away my age or what?). I played it so much the records became worn so when someone offered to let me borrow the first CD of this set, I jumped at the chance.
   
   There is just the right amount of wintry chill and evocative melodies that personified the the great late-Romantic artist. This was an Angel (EMI) recording that still shines with lots of class. I loved the Karelia-Suite as well as the many short pieces that accompanied the major works.
   
   The Halle Orchestra seems almost perfect in this outing.



5. I have this set of splendid Sibelius Symphonies for over a year now.I consider myself lucky to have stumbled upon choosing this set ahead of other more "Reputed"performances by TOP Orchestras under Great Conductors.I have been listening to this set for over a year and the least i can say is that it is nothing short of a Revelation.No other conductor or orchestra matches Sir John Barbirolli's understanding and Passionate intensity(sorry Eugene Ormandy,Leonard Bernstein,Mariss Janson)in these performances with the Halle Orchestra.The Halle Orchestra perform splendidly individually as well as collectively,The strings have an intensity ,the woodwinds have an ethereal character and the Brass are quite simply Majestic.Barbirolli brings out the Heroics,the passionate intensity,the poignance,the Mystical quality,the gay abandon and folklike singing quality in these marvellous orchestral works of Sibelius.The pacing is just right ,lingering in passages of great beauty like in the slow movement of the Fifth Symphony,moving with urgency when required.The music is ever flowing in a seamless way and not just pieced together with studied musicianship.The orchestra breathes a free air with an element of spontaneous music making.
   Remember how Bruno Walter turned out splendid performances of Beethoven and Brahms Symphonies with a handpicked Columbia sympony Orchestra!Quite the same here.I am yet to listen to Sir Colin Davis Boston Symphony Orchestra's Performances of these works.I am not sure whether they will measure upto this splendid performance by Sir John.It is not about efficiency or discipline.It is all about BEING INSPIRED!!!Sir John Barbirolli and his splendid Halle Orchestra Musicians are on a different plane,the rarefied realms of the spirit!Noble and Sublime.

4 comments about Vespro della Beta Vergine (Second Vespers for the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin).

1. I will resist my inveterate wordiness, and cut to the chase: On the evidence of these splendid performances, Maria Chiara Cozzolani must rank as one of the greatest composers of the early Baroque. I would not hesitate to second the opinion (see review above) that this selection of vesper psalms and sacred concerti is fully the equal--in creativity and euphoric splendor--of Monteverdi's celebrated "Vespers of 1610." Cozzolani is a real find. If you enjoy the Venetian polychoral idiom, do not hesitate to obtain this set, which features singing of amazing virtuosity from an all-female vocal ensemble plus (engagingly realized) continuo. First-rate recording, excellent notes, and generous bonus track on second CD containing a fine scholarly presentation on Cozzolani and her context by the ensemble's director.
   
   This is one of the most extraordinary recordings of early baroque music that I have heard. It is sheer joy from beginning to end. Though ordinarily a reserved Anglican, I enjoy something of a Pentecostal experience whenever I listen to this music! You will, too, when you hear Cozzolani--whatever your religious background. Urgently recommended. Give copies away to your friends and neighbors; go out into the highways and byways. . . .



2. Have you ever wished that Claudio Monteverdi had written TWO Vespers of the Blessed Virgin in the year 1620? Well, of course he didn't; he had other projects. Chiara Margarita Cozzolani's Vespers, as reconstructed here from two publications of her motets, seem nonetheless to be the the next best thing. Cozzolani can be imagined as Monteverdi's musical daughter. She may well have been the most outstanding woman composer of the Baroque.
   
   Cozzolani spent all of her long adult life in the convent of Santa Radegonda, across the way from the Cathedral of Milan. The musical skills of her sister nuns were acclaimed throughour Europe; crowds gathered in the open portion of their church, the chiesa esteriore, to listen to the musical services through the choir grate without ever beholding the singers. As abbess, Cozzolani guided her 'house' successfully through an attack by the fanatic Archbishop Alfonso Lita, who wanted to suspend the nuns' artistic musical activities.
   
   This performance of the Vespers, on two CDs, includes both the plainchant and Cozzolani's polyphonic motets, as would have been the case in the 1640s and as is the artistic standard of such performances today. The third CD is a seventeen minute 'lecture' by director Warren Stewart concerning Cozzolani and her musical world. Stewart has a splendid speaking voice; if he ever abandons music, he might wisely consider a career as a radio commentator. This short lecture will be of great interest to listeners who have begun to enjoy early Baroque music without "knowing" much about it.
   
   The ensemble Magnificat is cellist Warren Stewart's creation entirely, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, employing the finest singers and instrumentalists of that community, drawing from the faculty and students of Stanford and UC Berkeley. Magnificant has thrilled Bay Area music lovers with three or four concert programs each year since 1989. I've been lucky enough to catch some of their performances live. This Vespers is surely the best CD Magnificat has issued, well sung by two choirs of women's voices and superbly conducted. I wouldn't hesitate to compare it to better-known full-time European ensembles in its musical impact.



3. This set of CD's offers the listener an experience of joy and beauty. The composition and the performance are both wonderful. This music reminds me of Mozart; it is dense with harmonies and counterpoints.

   I don't usually write reviews but I love this music. I heard it first on pubic radio and thought if I could encourage anyone to try it, I would. It's a little treasure in a busy world.




4. Jennifer Ellis's voice is sublime. All the voices are delightful. This is my favorite CD and I listen to it every day. It's refreshing and inspiring to me. Especially fabulous are Track 7 on the 1st CD and Track 6 on the 2nd CD. Thank you, Warren Stewart, for making this CD.

2 comments about Bach: St. Matthew Passion.

1. I've listened to lots of Matthew Passions and this recording is by far my favorite. Considering you can get it for about 10 bucks, this is a no-brainer for Bach fans.
   
   Max's original-instrument orchestra sounds wonderful, and his pacing is just right. Christoph Pregardien is the best evangelist I've ever heard. I find him totally 'believable' and, most importantly, his diction is impeccable (a serious flaw in many a would-be excellent evangelist). The women soloists are surprisingly top-notch. I say suprisingly, because I am partial to minimal vibrato, and counter tenors are usually better at cutting back the vibrato than mezzos. The mezzo on this recording is one of the finest Bach soloists I've ever heard! She'll make you weep.
   
   The only flaw of this recording is the tenor soloist. Unfortunately, he's unlistenable. You'll have to make a compilation CD with your favorite tenor soloist from another recording. I wouldn't take away a star for this tenor, however, since the rest of the recording is so close to perfect, which is way more than can be said for a dozen other recordings out there.



2. This is a very professionally performed HIP matthew passion. Hermann Max conducts and his tempos almost exactly mimic the likes of Herreweghe. He uses woman sopranos and a 50/50 mix for the altos. Forces are rather small; 3-5 to a part. He is dynamic and does not conduct too wooden like. There is the exception of the chorales. They are way too fast. Same fault as Herreweghe. The audience should be meditating on them; instead they are left trying to keep up with the frenetic pace just to comprehend the words.

   Soloists range from good to superb, with the woman alto soloist (Lena Susanne Norin) being the superb (as good if not better than Scholl) and the rest being good. Pregardien is excellent as an evangelist; however, his same fault as Bostridge lies in his inability to be believable. Equiluz (Harnoncourt 1972?) and Cuenod (Scherchen 1953) remain the only two I've ever heard which were believable. And even Equiluz not totally so. Very beautiful and dramatic was Pregardien, but you could almost see him staring at the score as you listened. Of course, most singers these days seem to have this "impersonal" problem.

   Virtuosity of all singers involved is almost unparalleled. The choir was very precise and had some feeling. Everyone and everything blended very well. Which is why I say this was very professional. I really wonder why not many people seem to know about it. It is a wonderful recording at a lower price. It also fits on 2 cds which makes it easier to listen to. Liner notes are very good (very thick!) and the case comes in a carboard cover to protect it from being scratched. My 4 star rating means that I recommend it as being one of the fifteen best recordings out there at this piece.