Classical music reviews

The enormous Aeolian-Skinner organ in New York's Riveside Church was built over two decades under the direction of Virgil Fox who plays on this recording. Although it's not the largest organ in the world, or even in New York, it is the definitive American Symphonic Organ. There are dozens of different divisions surrounding the church sanctuary (not just one big box at one end of the church) and there are tens of thousands of pipes. Many stops beautifully imitate orchestral instruments. The organ is renown for its extensive "celeste" stops--stops where two ranks of pipes, one slightly out of tune, play together to provide a shimmering ethereal quality.

The organ's resources are so vast that many performers have difficulty in controling the sound. They play either whisper soft or deafeningly loud. But Fox was perfectly in control, and you'll hear the full range of the organ building to exciting climaxes and then gently pulling back.

There's an interesting story about the (analog) recording process. Since the pipes were closely miked, whenever Fox changed stops, the tape would pick up an ungodly crash of the pneumatic stop mechanism. During recordings, at each change, Fox would pause for 5 or 6 beats, and the stop change would later be cut out of the tape. This led to some interesting glitches in the rhythm of the finished pieces, but those of us who've loved this program for 20 years since it first came out on LP wouldn't have it any other way.

The program is interesting, with many relaxing familiar tunes. If you own one CD of this fabulous organ, this should be the one.

I first heard this collection in 1968 when I bought it on 8-track cartridge. Not one boring piece on it! The music on this CD and the organ used to make the recording, plus V. Fox himself are combined to make this CD indispensible to those who really like "classical" organ music. As far as I'm concerned, if you're in the market for only one classical organ CD, do not, I repeat, DO NOT buy and play this one 'cause you'll only wind up buying the rest of the Fox collection.

This collection is definitely the flagship in terms of piece selection, interpretation, and musicianship. Second only to the organ in the Atlantic City Convention Center, the Riverside Church Aeolian-Skinner as heard on this CD is guaranteed to pull out every emotion every single time you play it.

Includes the rare and beautiful Dvorak "Songs My Mother Taught Me", played with the full dynamic and tonal range by argueably the best organist to date (whatever happened to E. Power Biggs?)!

In classical circles, Virgil Fox has been the leading name for classical organ in the last several decades. He has done more to popularise classical organ than any other performer. The Art of Virgil Fox is only one example, but an excelent one. The clarity of the recording itself is unsurpassed. The organ is extremly hard to record and still have the depth of the insturment itself, as well as the artistry of the performer. It usually sounds like a big loud thing. However, between the recording technique and the artist himself, it is excelent. One gets a feeling of emence space and tends to drift with the music. Which is the most anyone can hope for. I had the privalage to meet Virgil Fox sometime before his death, and it was to date one of the most memorable times of my life. He was a great artist and human being. This recording only scratches the surface of his talent. It is definatly a must have item. After listening to this album, all preconcieved notions of "classical music" will blow out the window. I strongly recommend it.

Overall, this is another good album by the Loussier Trio. (I don't think this trio knows how to make a bad CD.) However, I think the original "Play Bach" CD is better.

The original "Play Bach" was good because it is jazzy, yet the mood of the various works matched the original work by J. S. Bach. However, in this recording, that's not the case. The Brandenburg, for example, in it's cool jazz style lacks the warmth and joy of the original, and is rather much more restrained, sounding more like "Bach's Brandenberg in the style of Eric Satie"

This was still a good listen, though I doubt that I'll reach for this CD as I do with "Play Bach" and "Take Bach".

If you have never come across Loussier and his jazz renditions of Bach before, you are in for a treat! The Frenchman's trio is in fine form, doing justice to the great master in a way that no-one else has in this idiom. If ever proof were needed that Baroque music is in essence the same 'genre' as jazz, this is it!

Although this may not be the best of Loussier's Bach albums (as has been alluded to in other reviews), it tackles one of his greatest works, the sprightly, passionate 5th Brandenburg concerto, with its stunning keyboard cadenza - the first of its kind when Bach wrote it. Loussier extemporises Bach's original harmonies with flair, and the result is a vibrant, sincere performance.

Also included are some of the other more well-known works, which the Loussier trio has garnered a reputation for performing over several decades.

Perhaps the most fulfilling aspect of this is that it displays Loussier's technical prowess, fashioned during his time as a serious concert piano student, where he developed a love for music by the great composers (check out his other recordings of the French composers Ravel, Debussy and Satie). However, it also enabled him to understand the style, and his superb authentic ornamentation gives the music extra colour and maintains the integrity of the works.

A wonderful addition to a CD collection!

The master of jazz and classical has a hit with this album. Jacques has a wonderful trio! The variation on the piece of Jesu Joy of Man's desiring is light and lively. a wonderful blend of the old and the new. Loussier has a touch and a feel for interpreting J.S. bach's style of music. This album has warmth. The Brandenburg concerto has never been played better. Just listen and feel the vibrations that come from this concerto with the trio at their best. The timing on the Gavotte is impecible!

The Empire Brass and Douglass Major do an excellent job in the performance of these works. There is nothing better than brass and organ, this ensemble shows it!

If you think of Bach as a dry-as-dust, longhair composer you should stay away from this album, for it will prove you wrong, time and time and time again. On the contrary, this is one of the most exciting recordings around, featuring matchless performances by the superlative Empire Brass (my favorite brass group) and the talented Douglas Major playing the great Aeolian-Skinner organ of the Washington Cathedral (in D.C.) in some of the best-loved works of the old master, Johann Sebastian Bach.

But unfortunately this disk seems not to be in EMI's (Angel's) current catalog, so if you want to enjoy it, you'll probably have to try to track down a used copy. If you like Bach and brass and organ as much as I, you'll find it worth the effort. And we may hope that it will be reissued again soon.

In general, the music here is lively, tuneful, and joyous in character, starting from the very first selection, a fully satisfying transcription of the well-known "Jauchzet, frohlocket" (Exult, rejoice) from the Christmas Oratorio. But there are a few more somber pieces, such as the chorales "Christ lag in Todesbanden," (Christ lay in the bonds of death) and "O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden," (O bloody and wounded head).

The music features basically three kind of excerpts from Bach's cantatas: choral preludes, chorales, and sinfonia. The choral preludes were written as organ introductions to the sung chorales (here "sung" by the brass quintet alone); the sinfonias were instrumental interludes in the cantatas. Most of the choral preludes here are played by the brass with the organ, though there are a few played by the organ alone. This combination of performances by the brass alone, the organ alone, and the two together offers delicious variety.

As a glance at the program will show, most of the big favorites in this genre are included, the best known being titled in English, as "Sleepers, Wake," "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," and "Sheep May Safely Graze." The others are titled in Latin ("In Dulci Jubilo") or, mostly, German ("Nun danket Alle Gott," [Now let all thank God], "Wie sch�n leuchtet der Morgenstern," [How beautifully the morning star shines], and "Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten" [We hasten with feeble, but eager footsteps].

It is the last-mentioned piece that suggested the title of this review, for in interpreting the text Bach and the performing artists give us such a rhythmic and lively bit of music that I find it hard to sit still while listening. This piece rocks!

The recording is excellent in all respects: the balance between organ and brass is right, the sound quality is all you could want, and the acoustics of the Washington Cathedral provide about the right amount of reverberation. (You will, by the way, hear the brass players taking breaths at several points, especially in the chorales.

The sound of the Empire Brass seems uniquely fine to me; though there are several other excellent brass groups around, this one I can usually recognize almost immediately because of the quality of their sound. And the 10,650-pipe cathedral organ presents under Douglas Major's fingers all you could wish for.

This is certainly one of the finest recordings produced by the Empire Brass. Unfortunately, it appears to be out of print. Anyone who enjoys JSB, goods organ works or outstanding brass works will enjoy this recording of some Of Bach's finest works. The artists seem to be able to show off their virtuosity without it being obvious and still remain true to what you would imagine that Bach himself would have written had he had these instruments available to him. The addition of the might Skinner organ of the National Cathedral is just icing on the cake. I heartily recommend this to anyone who can find a copy.

Have been fortunate to attend 2 Chris Brubeck concerts and have been a big fan ever since. Just need more CD's please.
This recording is simply thrilling. I highly recommend you add it to your collection and tell all your friends. Once you hear his music you are hooked and what a wonderful addiction.
Here's hoping we hear a lot from Chris and his friends.

I bought this CD after hearing it on my local NPR station. I relly like the arrangements of Bach's works--not predictable--and I was certain that I was listening to a Bach orchestration at the time.

A real added treat to this CD are the compositions of Chris Brubeck. This guy can really write for orchestra. His bass trombone concerto has the gusto of a Bernstein Overture. Also his arrangement of Dave Brubeck's "Blue Rondo" is incredible. Bach to Brubeck certainly makes the case for an enjoyable listening experience. I have turned 5 of my friends on to this CD already.

This CD shows that the musical talent of Dave Brubeck continues on to the next generation. This CD has a wonderful mix of classical Bach, beautifully played by the London Symphony Orchestra Bill Crofut, Joel Brown, & Chris Bruebeck, and an eclectic mix of modern American music.

The arrangements of the traditional Bach pieces by Chris Brubeck are wonderfully done. The beautiful guitar playing by Joel Brown brings a new element to this classic music.

Finally there is a Concerto for one of my favorite instruments! The Concerto for Bass Trombone is a unique and wonderfully new and differnt piece of classical music. The masterful playing by Chris Brubeck spotlights his talent not only as a composer but as a gifted musician.

This CD will take you from the glories of Bach to the new and exciting music being made by the 2nd generation of Brubecks.

I have been an enormous fan of Heinz Holliger since, well, since I can remember. I consider him THE premier oboist in the world, even to this day. Part of my interest in the oboe stems from Mr. (or more accurately Herr) Holliger.

This is a fantastic recording. If you appreciate the oboe, you will nearly weep with the steady control of his trills and fluidity of his notes. When I play it sounds like a load of distressed ducks trying not to get plunked by the huntsman's shotgun. That being said, Herr Holliger plays the oboe like a musical instrument and a beautiful one at that. What more can you say?

If you a) appreciate the artistry of Heinz Holliger, b) appreciate the mastery of musical composition genius of Johann Sebatian Bach or c) like the oboe, you CANNOT go wrong with this CD. J.S. Bach is in my top 5 composers along with Brahms, Dvorak, Beethoven and Schubert.

I repeat myself, you CANNOT go wrong with this CD!!!!! If I could give it 6 stars, I would. I was listening to it in the car on the way to work this morning!

I knew by the time the Siciliano from the Concert in F had begun that this was going to be one of those recordings that I would never grow tired of. This Philips release is that rare musical occurance where everything is ideal...Bach's oboe concertos, Academy of St. Martin with Iona Brown, and Heinz Holliger's heart filling phrases ...not to mention full warm emersive sound engineering. If for no other reason, purchase this CD just to own a deeply satisfying instance of superb musical and technical virtuosity.

While an afictionado of recordings by Baroque orchestras using period instruments, and a harpsichordist and gambist and recorder player myself, Holliger's recording with the Academy of SMF is truly wonderful. His tone is always steady and nuanced; the orchestra has a very warm and pleasing sound as well.

The recording of the oboe d'amore concerto was what led me to the disc, and it didn't disappoint me. It is such a lovely piece, and Holliger's phrasing and nuance is perfect in this as well as the other two concertos.

I wonder how he plays the third mvt. of the d minor concerto...he must be using circular breathing! It sounds impressive. I highly recommend this disc, one of my favorite Bach recordings and probably my favorite that uses modern instruments.

Like the other reviewers I must start off by thanking B. Johnson for bringing this recording to our attention.

Glenn Gould is a daunting figure to any professional or amateur pianist who endeavors bringing to life the works of Bach. I would guess the relatively few recordings of Bach played on the piano have much to do with Gould's total dominance in this domain.

Listening to Gould, one senses the divine, sometimes the demonic (eg. choices of tempo) but never the human touch. It's awe inspiring and very disheartening to piano players ( see another B. Johnson recommendation, Bernhard's "The Loser").

Carl Seeman is refreshingly human. His playing is refined and pure with much sensitivity. There are passages with a strong organ timbre, (like Gould, Seeman was an organist too). His partitas have a "correctness" about them. He is indeed the sane alternative to Gould.

Ultimately it's a question of temperament. Thrill, excitement and the conundrum posed as to "how does he do it" will most often override the alternative of sanity and refinement. Gould has left little room for others. Seeman has the honor of occupying part of that small space.

My thanks also to B. Johnson for his excellent review. He says with such clarity what I have felt about Seemann ever since I first heard his recordings back in the '60s. I thought I was the only one who felt that way, and it is gratifying to know that his genius is appreciated by others. Technique, clarity of tone, full understanding and consciousness of every note, phrase, and piece are how I would characterize his playing. And there is nothing of the eccentric or subjective about is interpretations. They come, one senses, from the music itself.

My first hearing of his playing was not Bach but a wonderful recording on American Decca of the Brahms Waltzes and a Haydn Sonata in E-flat and Variations in F Minor. The same qualities came through in these as I hear now in the Partitas (of which I had only heard the B-flat before). I have never heard anyone play those very non-simple waltzes without falling into at least a hint of frivolity. Seeman plays every one as if it were the greatest masterpiece, and yet with fluidity, clarity and a natural simplicity that only a master can elicit from them.

The Bach recording I heard from him was of six Little Preludes, the B-flat Partita, a glorious Chromatic Fantasy and a heavenly performance of the Tocatta in D. It all comes back now as I listen to all the Partitas. I hope the others will be forthcoming as well. I also am about to open the Brahms Violin Sonatas.

Thanks to B. Johnson for his compelling review of this superb artist. Seeman's flawless technique, beautiful tone, and unerring sense of dynamics and rhythm provide a view of Bach that is as clean and unaffected as you could wish for on the piano. The pulse of the dance is there, the long lyrical line, the drama and emotional power that reveal the inexhaustable spirit of Bach shining through. Seemann fully realizes the expressive potential of the piano without romantic anachronism. I enjoy these performances more each time I hear them. Based on this album, Carl Seemann not only belongs among the great pianists of the 20th century, he is near the top.

Jasha Horenstein is the only conductor that owns the great honor in being succesful performer of Bruckner and Mahler .
This brief introduction is the most powerful prrof that reveals the sense of noblesse and spiritualness which allowed him to play a Bach with a sound fresh and smooth textures without falling in sound effectisms .
I must confess my favorite Brandenburgo concerts are not these but Karl Haas from the fifties , but this is very worthable and exquisite recording .
My reduced list of the best Brandenburgo in the market are briefly : Haas , Casals Marlboro , Muchinger , Harnoncourt and Trevor Pinnock . Anyone of them are extraordinary .

The music of J.S. Bach is considered "eternally" great.

Mr. Horenstein, in this recording presents the modern listener with a chance to hear "eternity's past," through a recording of the past.

When it comes to the recordings of Bach, one never gets tired of, or upset by technological recording malfuctions.

Bach was able to face this fallen world (i.e. which now, also includes those "less than perfect sound quality recordings") in peace and joy through is love of music and his God. His music shows this.

Be it the scratchy needle from a priceless phonograph record or the sweet silence of Super Audio CD's, the Brandenburg Concertos is a work of art, that the truely dedicated lister will realize transcends time itself - and also the dictates of time (i.e, the recording etc.). Nothing could be more true of this recording.

Even the greatest recording, sound quality and conducting of any other composer's work, could never compare to the invaluable wealth and creativity found within - even the "worst" recording of Bach - this early and historically important rendition, with the late and dear Mr. Horenstein, is great because of the music behind it -- not because of the technology used to record it.

To understand this perticular recording is to understand that any recording of Bach, should not be judged by the recording quality of any perticular CD itself - but by the music itself. In the case of Bach, he has stood the test of time itself - and so has this CD.

I stick by my decision to give this CD five stars even though the recording quality (bright and clear mid-'50s mono) leaves something to be desired. But the music is the thing and it is nothing less than astonishing how vital and, yes, 'contemporary' these performances sound. When Jascha Horenstein recorded these "Brandenburgs" with members of the Vienna Symphony (including a very young Nikolaus Harnoncourt), most recordings of Bach were made with full symphony orchestras that made these endlessly fascinating concertos sound syrupy and just plain dull. Not here! Horenstein, like Fritz Reiner in another pioneering effort (CBS, nla), insists on using a chamber-sized orchestra that (unlike Reiner's otherwise estimable band) includes at least some original, Baroque-era instruments. The performers play with zest and a sense of real discovery and the results are musically very satisfying. Not a first choice, but don't let anyone be put off from buying this as a second or third set of this glorious music. At the Vox price you can afford to indulge in that kind of extravagance and your musical rewards will be many.

Previously, during my discussion of Raymond Leppard's modern readings, I mentioned I was evaluating a number of authentic instruments versions of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. I indicated also that I found the authentic style of presentation preferable to the modern. A good deal of listening to both styles has put things in more balanced perspective for me. While I do enjoy the authentic approach, I realize it is not necessarily more fulfilling than the modern. Clearly, what matters most is the quality of the performance that is given. It seems a good deal not only has to do with instrumental colors and textures but also tempos and nuances. I still stand by my favorite modern version of the Brandenburgs with Leppard and the English Chamber Orchestra, however choosing a favorite for the earlier instruments has not been a simple matter. I have managed to whittle things down to Koopman and Leonhardt. The level of play offered by both is excellent. In some individual instances, I prefer one over the other, however on balance I lean slightly toward Koopman. First, though the sound given by the recording crews is fine for both conductors, that given to Koopman and his Amsterdam players is more open and ambient, therefore helping to illuminate various nuances which Koopman seems a bit better at revealing. In general, I also find he and his group play with more flair than Leonhardt's ensemble. There seems to be a greater sense of liveliness, especially in most of the allegros, though Koopman could have offered more sparkle in the allegro assai of Brandenburg 2, and he seems outdone by Leonhardt in the third movement allegro of Brandenburg 5 when it comes to color and spirit. Additionally, I find Koopman usually more expressive in the adagios, though in Brandenburg 6 Leonhardt reveals more sentiment than Koopman, who tends to be a little "heavy" here....If you are searching for an authentic instruments version of the Brandenburgs to live with, I recommend you try listening at least to these two accounts by Koopman and Leonhardt, both which I consider to be top notch. Of course, which performance lands in your collection will depend on your own taste or aesthetic preferences. You may even not settle for less than owning both of these fine presentations.

Hector is right. It's hard to imagine improving on these recordings. The production is terrific, giving each instrument a vivid presence. Great performances too.

After listening to many recordings of the Brandenburg Concertos this is my favorite. It manages to combine the discipline and order required for performing Baroque music with the passion and beauty that is also vital to that period's music. The instruments used sound as if they are of the highest quality and authenticity. A fantastic recording, I cannot imagine that there is a better one.

If you can find this record you are hereby incited to obtain it by fair means or foul. Everything on it is good. The comparatively well-known Actus Tragicus, Cantata 106, is sombre, grief-laden and desolate, the tempi slow and the expression devotional and unworldly.

What is pre-emptive about this disc however is Cantata 78, or rather the second number in Cantata 78, the duet `Wir eilen...' for soprano and contralto. It seems that every now and again this comparatively obscure piece comes to someone's notice fortuitously and sets off the same sort of reaction. It apparently achieved fame over the airwaves in at least two widely separated parts of America, a friend of mine picked it instantly as his wedding voluntary, I myself was bowled over by it when I first heard it 35 years ago, gave my copy to my mother thinking I could easily replace it, failed totally to do that and have been searching forlornly for it ever since. Somehow the piece has never `established' itself in the way Jesu Joy and Wachet Auf have done. You might hardly recognise it as Bach at all, at least to start with. He can be exuberant indeed, but I can think of nothing by him quite like this. A superficial first hearing almost suggests something from a Mozart opera rather than a Bach Cantata. It is not an elaborate piece at all, just a canonic duet with a simple accompaniment on a small organ. The two singers set each other off beautifully and although Dagmar Hermann really outshines Teresa Stich-Randall that doesn't seem to matter. There is something about the way the voices complement each other, even their oddly different ways of taking breaths, that is simply pleasurable beyond words.

The recorded sound is not spectacular, but it doesn't have to be. What is spectacular, though in a very unshowy way, is the duet itself. Do not go to your final reckoning without getting to know it or you may be asked why not.

Cantata 78 is one of our household's favorite pieces of music...the soprano/alto duet can make you cry...or just merely transport you into the heaven that Bach composed for...

This contains the long-unavailable performance of the Cantata 78 duet much beloved by San Francisco Bay Area listeners to KPFA on Sunday mornings. For many years it was the 9 AM introductory theme for Bill Sokol's "Sleepers Awake!" show, and still precedes Larry Bensky's "Sunday Salon."

These pieces are excellent. They are also regularly featured on WKCR's (89.9 FM -- New York) annual Bach Festival. This year (2004) the Bach festival will take place from December 22nd-31st. I hope to hear this recording on air as well as in my CD player

I have every reason in the world to be grateful for having encountered this wonderful CD over 10 years ago now,when I was taking my first tentative steps into the vast ocean of classical music.First of all,this terrific triumvirate of cantatas revealed to me just what a feast of musical riches are to be found in this copious corpus of Bach's output,and secondly,they led me on to the glorious "sacred summits" of the master's settings of the St.Matthew and St.John passions.For me at least,this is one of the granite cornerstones of my collection,and a fondly remembered musical milestone in my ongoing journey through the repertoire.

The performances themselves date from the mid 1960's and positively revel in the lovely,well-balanced Decca sound of that period.Janet Baker excels herself in BWV 170,Vergnugte ruh,beliebte seelenlust ("Contented rest,beloved inner joy") and she makes a fantastic contribution to BWV 159,Sehet,wir gehn hinauf gen Jerusalem ("Behold,we go up to Jerusalem").But perhaps the most precious plum in this pudding from paradise is the stunning performance of BWV 82,Ich habe genug ("I have now enough").Based on the Song of Simeon by an anonymous poet,it is a fair contender for the title of Bach's loveliest Cantata of all.Certainly,all the evidence for the defence is superbly presented here,with a magical rendition of the opening aria by the baritone John Shirley-Quirk,with the oboist Roger Lord laying down a liquid line of pure instrumental gold at his feet.Then,when we come to the second aria,Schlummert ein,ihr matten augen ("Slumber now,ye eyes so weary") the prosecution is absolutely blown out of the water by what is one of the most gorgeous lullabies to have come from the pen of any composer.It is 11 minutes and 12 seconds of blissful beauty,and once you hear it for yourself,you will realise instantly why BWV 82 rates so highly in the affections of music lovers world-wide.

That perfect partnership of John Shirley-Quirk and Roger Lord also help to make that superb aria,Es ist vollbracht ("It is accomplished") from BWV 159 just as unforgettable.I should also say that the closing chorale ("Jesu,deine passion") of this cantata,and indeed the final track of the disc,is a quite lovely thing despite it's relative brevity (1'54"),and the choir squeeze every last drop of emotion out of it.Precious few discs end in such a gorgeous valedictory fashion as this,and it puts the ultimate seal of distinction upon the whole proceedings.

Of this excellent recording as a whole,I think from memory,the Penguin guide to Classical CD's recommended it as one of the few cantata recordings that belong in every personal collection.I couldn't agree more,given my own experience of it,and sincerely hope that this modest review of mine spreads it's fame a little further still,and that it will go on to enchant and beguile ears as lucky as mine were back in 1991 when I first inserted it into my CD player and pressed "play".

This is a MUST for anybody interested in Bach's cantatas! Recorded in the 1960-ties, this set remains one of the best Bach discs ever. Rarely cantatas singing has been done more convincingly and more movingly without sacrificing the beauty of the music. This is the problem of the admirable Harnoncourt/Leonhardt set, where playing and singing are not always as pleasant to the ear as they might be, although we have no doubts about the emotional involvement of the artists, what makes this recording such a treasure to me. As to Koopman, I never had enough patience to go through all CDs so far released - I found his cantatas and other recordings of Bach's works DULL (I had the same impression after hearing Koopman and his musicians presenting the B-minor Mass in New York). Suzuki gives me almost constant pleasure and his is the Cantatas Project I will stick with, but sometimes I need a little break from the ascetic sound of the "authentic instruments". And that's when I need Marriner (and Klemperer with his "St Matthew Passion" or Beecham with "Messiah")! Young music fans, especially those who came to cantatas through Koopman or Suzuki may not be familiar with Janet Baker, Robert Tear or John Shirley-Quirk and this recording may help them discover these legendary British artists. All three give unforgettable performances - try to listen to the words and see how wonderfully they are painted! And all that to the marvellous, rich sound of the Marriner's orchestra. This is Bach singing at its best and nobody who cares about this music should be without this CD. Never mind how many complete - or almost complete - editions of cantatas you have, this disc will be a treasure in any collection and a great introduction for newcomers.