Bach: 6 Sonatas

1. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 1 in B minor, BWV 1014
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Robert Hill , Dmitry Sitkovetsky

2. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 2 in A major, BWV 1015
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Robert Hill , Dmitry Sitkovetsky

3. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 3 in E major, BWV 1016
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Robert Hill , Dmitry Sitkovetsky

4. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 4 in C minor, BWV 1017
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Robert Hill , Dmitry Sitkovetsky

5. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 5 in F minor, BWV 1018
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Robert Hill , Dmitry Sitkovetsky

6. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major, BWV 1019
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Robert Hill , Dmitry Sitkovetsky

Tracks:

1. Adagio - Christian Tetzlaff
2. Fuga (Allegro) - Christian Tetzlaff
3. Siciliana - Christian Tetzlaff
4. Presto - Christian Tetzlaff
1. Allemanda - Christian Tetzlaff
Double - Christian Tetzlaff
2. Corrente - Christian Tetzlaff
Double (Presto) - Christian Tetzlaff
3. Sarabande - Christian Tetzlaff
Double - Christian Tetzlaff
4. Bourree - Christian Tetzlaff
Double - Christian Tetzlaff
1. Grave - Christian Tetzlaff
2. Fuga - Christian Tetzlaff
3. Andante - Christian Tetzlaff
4. Allegro - Christian Tetzlaff

Tracks:

1. Allemanda - Christian Tetzlaff
2. Corrente - Christian Tetzlaff
3. Sarabanda - Christian Tetzlaff
4. Giga - Christian Tetzlaff
5. Ciaccona - Christian Tetzlaff
1. Adagio - Christian Tetzlaff
2. Fuga - Christian Tetzlaff
3. Largo - Christian Tetzlaff
4. Allegro Assai - Christian Tetzlaff
1. Preludio - Christian Tetzlaff
2. Loure - Christian Tetzlaff
3. Gavotte En Rondo - Christian Tetzlaff
4. Menuet 1/Menuet 2 - Christian Tetzlaff
5. Bourree - Christian Tetzlaff
6. Gigue - Christian Tetzlaff

Tracks:

1. Prelude - Ralph Kirshbaum
2. Allemande - Ralph Kirshbaum
3. Courante - Ralph Kirshbaum
4. Sarabande - Ralph Kirshbaum
5. Menuet 1 & 2 - Ralph Kirshbaum
6. Gigue - Ralph Kirshbaum
1. Prelude - Ralph Kirshbaum
2. Allemande - Ralph Kirshbaum
3. Courante - Ralph Kirshbaum
4. Sarabande - Ralph Kirshbaum
5. Bourree 1 & 2 - Ralph Kirshbaum
6. Gigue - Ralph Kirshbaum
1. Prelude - Ralph Kirshbaum
2. Allemande - Ralph Kirshbaum
3. Courante - Ralph Kirshbaum
4. Sarabande - Ralph Kirshbaum
5. Gavotte 1 & 2 - Ralph Kirshbaum
6. Gigue - Ralph Kirshbaum

Tracks:

1. Prelude - Ralph Kirshbaum
2. Allemande - Ralph Kirshbaum
3. Courante - Ralph Kirshbaum
4. Sarabande - Ralph Kirshbaum
5. Menuet 1 & 2 - Ralph Kirshbaum
6. Gigue - Ralph Kirshbaum
1. Prelude - Ralph Kirshbaum
2. Allemande - Ralph Kirshbaum
3. Courante - Ralph Kirshbaum
4. Sarabande - Ralph Kirshbaum
5. Bourree 1 & 2 - Ralph Kirshbaum
6. Gigue - Ralph Kirshbaum
1. Prelude - Ralph Kirshbaum
2. Allemande - Ralph Kirshbaum
3. Courante - Ralph Kirshbaum
4. Sarabande - Ralph Kirshbaum
5. Gavotte 1 & 2 - Ralph Kirshbaum
6. Gigue - Ralph Kirshbaum

Customer Reviews:

Excellent overall.......2006-03-28

The two works presented in this bargain set represent Johann Sebastian Bach's greatest contribution to the solo string reportoire.

Although usually marginalized, the Cello Suites are hidden diamonds in the solo literature, requiring a depth of humanity and musicality that few performers actually achieve, so concerned as they are with simply hacking away at this seemingly simple music. Kirshbaum's reading is full of warmth and power, and his instrument (from Bach's time period) sings almost of its own accord. Tempi are just right; the sense of pacing in the G Major Prelude is magnificent, giving the piece a gently rocking feel. Kirshbaum's double stopping (as called for by many of the Allemanda movements) is impeccable and very clean; the harsh, biting sound such double-stopping requires from other performers is not present here.

The focal point of the set is, of course, Christian Tetzlaff's reading of the Six Solos. In comparison with the "big names," such as Perlman, Milstein, and Grumiaux, Tetzlaff cannot quite compete. His tempi are exceedingly swift, and he lacks much of the humanity present in Milstein and Menuhin. As a result, the quicker movements, such as the E Major Preludio and the B minor Doubles, sound less like the masterpieces they are and more like simple etudes to be sawed away on.

Tetzlaff's traversal of the Chaconne, however, is a breathless, exciting journey, and he is in top form during the massive fugues in each sonata. The recording location, while resonant, allows the violin's sound to sing without losing it in a sea of reverb. Although he suffers from tempi issues, Tetzlaff's technique is never in doubt, and he is solid and secure (perhaps even a bit too secure) during this recording.

Overall, despite issues with tempi in the Six Solos, this set is a great bargain, and hopefully Tetzlaff will decide to record these pieces again later in life.

Wonderful.......2006-01-10

I've been listening to and studying Bach's solo cello and violin works for over 30 years. Although I love this music dearly, it's rare that I'm surprized by it anymore. However, listening to Tetzlaff and Kirshbaum, I felt as if I were hearing them for the first time all over again. Both musicians are such masters of their instruments that their "technique" never intrudes on the music. These are really breathtaking performances.

Unbelievable!.......2005-10-19

Both these artists are exceptional. I have always had trouble listening to "anybody else's interpretation" of the bach cello suites, being a cellist myself. This one is truly outstanding. The excellent Bach solo violin interpretation by Christian Tetzlaff is just an added plus -- I was most impressed that my father listened through all the way and just made one or two comments about how the music was "alive". He was rapt. My father doesn't do that easily.

Average customer rating:

really like it

Cello Adagios

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Violin Adagios
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Romantic Adagios

ASIN: B0001WU1QK
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Tracks:

Carnival Of The Animals - Bruno Canino
Vocalise, Op.34 No.14 - Lynn Harrell
Thais - Julian Lloyd Webber
Adagio - Janos Starker
Apres Un Reve - Bruno Canino
Adagio - Julian Lloyd Webber
Ave Maria - Julian Lloyd Webber
Adagio - Julian Lloyd Webber
Traumerei (Dreaming) - Bruno Canino
Notturno: Andante - Julian Lloyd Webber
Sicilienne - Bruno Canino
An Die Musik, D547 - Bruno Canino
Reverie - Julian Lloyd Webber
Prayer - Bruno Canino
Ebben? Ne Andro Lontana - Bruno Canino
Salut D'amour, Op.12 - Bruno Canino
Valse Sentimentale, Op.15 No.6 - Samuel Sanders
Kol Nidrei, Op.47 - Julian Lloyd Webber

Tracks:

Air (Air On A G String) - Julian Lloyd Webber
Clair De Lune - Julian Lloyd Webber
Elegie, Op.24 - Jullian Lloyd Webber
Andante - Heinrich Schiff
Romance In D Minor, Op.62 - Julian Lloyd Webber
Beau Soir - Bruno Canino
Sicilienne, Op.78 - Bruno Canino
Panis Angelicus - Julian Lloyd Webber
Nocturne In E Flat Major, Op.9 No.2 - Julian Lloyd Webber
Cantabile - Samuel Sanders
Liebesleid - Samuel Sanders
Adagio Ma Non Troppo - Janos Starker
Bereuse - Julian Lloyd Webber
Cantilena - Julian Lloyd Webber
Melodie, Op.20 No.1 - Julian Lloyd Webber

Customer Reviews:

really like it.......2007-03-05

This is the first classical cd I have ever bought. The two-disc album was a great price. I really love the performance of Lynn Harrell. I like the collection of Adagios because they are perfect to fall asleep to or study to.

Average customer rating:

Mostly good
Look at the List of Performers First
this "masterworks" series is available much more cheaply from Amazon France
You heard guy below: Beethoven needs the royality checks!
Buy my box Set!

Beethoven: The Masterworks (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Vivaldi: The Masterworks (Box Set)
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Brahms: The Masterworks (Box Set)

ASIN: B00062FLHE
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Customer Reviews:

Mostly good.......2007-05-26

A bit of a mixed bag. The symphonies are superb. This is one of the great symphony cycles. The piano sonatas are good, very good (analog) sound. The quartets are well recorded indeed, but there are better cycles out there. The rest is OK, and the sound is genrally good.

Look at the List of Performers First.......2006-11-17

If you want most of Beethoven sitting on one bookshelf, this is a great bargain (especially if you shop for it on amazon.de). But few if any of the performances represent the pinnacles of interpretation that most listeners demand when Beethoven is the composer. The symphonies for instance: can Blomstedt be compared to Furtwangler or (if you lean toward historically informed instrumentation) Gardiner? Most amazingly, the artists who perform the quartets -- the heart of Beethoven's music -- are not even named in the listing.
On the other hand: Vivaldi: The Masterworks is a collection including the very best interpreters, such as Fabio Biondi! Bach Edition (complete Bach) is a fabulous selection of recordings made over 20 years, and almost the same praise can be given the Complete Mozart.

this "masterworks" series is available much more cheaply from Amazon France.......2006-05-28

there are several sets in this series and it's much cheaper to buy these from Amazon France.

included are bach, beethoven, vivaldi, brahms, dvorak, schubert, handel, hayden, and mendelssohn.

they're even cheaper than the list price once u go through the checkout (VAT is removed for overseas (out-of-france) purchases).

**also, the 'complete works of mozart' set is much cheaper there (or at Amazon Germany), too. the 'complete works of bach' is due out later this year.

You heard guy below: Beethoven needs the royality checks! .......2006-04-07

There is quality beyond the Austrian green cardboard (which is lovely to look at, to say the least). In fact, the performance of the symphonies (Dresden Staatskapelle and Herbert Blomstedt) is alone worth the price. The Staatskapelle is a solid group, and Blomstedt, although less wellknown, holds his own. It should be mentioned that Blomstedt recorded many of the most celebrated 20th composition CDs on the market, and definitely knows his stuff. Peter Wohlert recorded mostly for compiliation lables, but to be selected by the Berlin Phil shows that he is a formdiable conductor in rank as well.

Should you buy this collection then? Given the fact that each CD cost $1.75, there is definitely the bargin factor. However, Beethoven's music desveres the top interpreters and musicians of our time - and this applies for all of his music, not just the symphonic. If you are into bargins, then proceed to buy this collection. However, if you save up a bit more, you can buy Karajan's 1963 Beethovens symphonies along with Kempff's 1956 sonata cycles for just a bit more than 70 bucks. Shop around for the string quartets, and the complete overtures should range anywhere from 15 to 30 bucks depending on the conductor/ensemble.

Overall, this is certainly an exceptional bargin. However, quality matter more than money. Besides, chicks dig people with sophisticated tastes.

Buy my box Set!.......2006-03-21

Awesome deal, 40 CD box set of me, Beethoven! There are 3 principle reasons you should buy this box set:

This box is QUALITY my friend, made of the finest, Austrian cardboard with a lovely green finish, it is made to last! You can just set it on your dresser and whenever you need a Beethoven fix you can just pull a CD out. But don't you hate getting your CDs out of order so you can't find what the hell you're looking for?! Not with this set! They are well organized into symphonies, concerti, sonatas and such, so you can find EXACTLY what your looking for, and they have big numbers on them so you can put them right back where they belong.

And the music! Need we go into this, composed through the inspiration of God himself and penned by the greatest composer who ever walked the streets of Vienna, me, Beethoven! Top notch, all done by top performers and recorded at high, clear, digital quality, stick one in your stereo and rock out man! All of my great and mighty works are here, absolutely sublime!

Lastly, you'll be supporting me, I need those royalty checks to keep rolling in!

Buy it if you love me or just buy it if you want people to think that you're sophisticated (the chicks also dig it, I should know: Antonie Brentano, giggity!), you can't go wrong!

Average customer rating:

Absolutely Exquisite!
Technique isn't everything
Superb Starker

Italian Cello Sonatas

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Janos Starker
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The Road To Cello Playing

ASIN: B0000057MG
Release Date: 1994-09-20

Tracks:

Sonata In A Major: 1. Adagio
Sonata In A Major: 2. Allegro
Sonata In E Minor: 1. Largo
Sonata In E Minor: 2. Allegro
Sonata In E Minor: 3. Largo
Sonata In E Minor: 4. Allegro
Sonata In D minor: 1. Preludio
Sonata In D minor: 2. Allemanda
Sonata In D minor: 3. Sarabanda
Sonata In D minor: 4. Giga
Sonata In D Major: 1. Allegro - Locatelli Sonata in D Major
Sonata In D Major: 2. Adagio - Locatelli Sonata in D Major
Sonata In D Major: 3. Minuetto
Sonata In E Major: 1. Grave
Sonata In E Major: 2. Allegro
Sonata In E Major: 3. Allegro (tempo di gavotta)
Sonata In E Major: 4. Largo
Sonata In E Major: 5. Allegro
Sonata In G Minor, BWV 1029: 1. Vivace
Sonata In G Minor, BWV 1029: 2. Adagio
Sonata In G Minor, BWV 1029: 3. Allegro

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely Exquisite!.......2006-10-06

This is a fabulous recording! The music and musicianship are superb. The Vivaldi is soulful and the Locatelli and Valentini sonatas are virtuoso pieces wonderfully played. The third Bach sonata was placed on this CD because it did not fit on the Mercury set with the Bach suites. It is a bit of a change of pace (certainly not an Italian cello sonata!). But Sebok is perhaps the best of Starker's collaborators. Their lifelong friendship and shared musical tastes make this one of the best recordings of this Bach sonata. You have to own this CD if you already own the Mercury edition of the Bach solo suites with the other two Bach sonatas.

I am not sure what the "one star" reviewer was thinking. Perhaps he was expecting Baroque a la Jacqueline DuPre...

Technique isn't everything.......2005-11-27

In this recording, Janos Starker proves what true musicians around the globe already know: technique is definitely not everything. These performances are so bland and dry, but you'll never hear him make a mistake. I'd really rather listen to someone who plays with expression but who makes little errors anyday over Janos. I know he's really highly esteemed in the cello world, but he really oughtta stay away from Baroque. These performances are about as gripping as a Slip-`N-Slide. Add to it that he plays all the music like it's Ravel or Brahms (i like both of them, but way different style); the vibrato machine is constantly on - TURN IT OFF! ARE YOU TRYING TO SOUND LIKE A BEL CANTO OPERA SINGER?, tuning is A440, clanky bright PIANO for accompaniment, no one playing continuo - the guy OBVIOUSLY doesn't give a flying fig about authenticity, or the composer's intentions. To sum it up, if you want a recording that sounds like the Suzuki Cello School tapes with way less expression and an even hokier sounding piano, buy this recording. Everyone else, beware.

Superb Starker.......2001-04-28

This collection of Italian Cello Sonatas by the great Janos Starker is one of the most delightful chamber albums I own. The world renowned cellist was joined on this 1966 recording by pianist Stephen Swedish on five of the selections, and by his frequent collaborator Gyorgy Sebok on the Bach Sonata in G minor, which was recorded in 1963 and added to this collection to increase its length (it is a welcome addition musically too). The selections here range from famous composers like Bach, Boccherini and Vivaldi, to the lesser known Corelli, Locatelli and Valentini. For me, the common thread of this recording is the passionate performances of Starker. Whether it is the happy bounce of the Vivaldi Allegro, the sublime rendering of the Boccherini Adagio, or the precise interplay with Sebok on the Bach Sonata, Starker plays masterfully and his cello is captured in rich, full sound by the Mercury Living Presence recording technique. This is an excellent purchase for all cello enthusiasts.

Bach: Complete Sonatas for Violin and Obbligato Harpsichord / Pinnock, Podger

Average customer rating:

An unexpected delight
Wonderful and Stirring
Exceptional Sonata Recording
Words should fail me
Podger gets better and better

Bach: Complete Sonatas for Violin and Obbligato Harpsichord / Pinnock, Podger
Rachel Podger , and Trevor Pinnock
Manufacturer: Channel Classics Nl
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005056Z
Release Date: 2001-01-09

Tracks:

Son No.6 in G, BWV1019: Allegro - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.6 in G, BWV1019: Largo - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.6 in G, BWV1019: Allegro (Cembalo Solo) - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.6 in G, BWV1019: Adagio - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.6 in G, BWV1019: Allegro - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.1 in b, BWV1014: Adagio - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.1 in b, BWV1014: Allegro - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.1 in b, BWV1014: Andante - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.1 in b, BWV1014: Allegro - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.2 in A, BWV1015: Dolce - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.2 in A, BWV1015: Allegro - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.2 in A, BWV1015: Andante Un Poco - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.2 in A, BWV1015: Presto - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.3 in E, BWV1016: Adagio - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.3 in E, BWV1016: Allegro - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.3 in E, BWV1016: Adagio Ma Non Tanto - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.3 in E, BWV1016: Allegro - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Continuo Son in e, BWV1023: (Allegro) - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger/Jonathan Manson
Continuo Son in e, BWV1023: Adagio Ma Non Tanto - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger/Jonathan Manson
Continuo Son in e, BWV1023: Allemanda - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger/Jonathan Manson
Continuo Son in e, BWV1023: Gigue - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger/Jonathan Manson

Tracks:

Continuo Son in G, BWV1021: Adagio - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger/Jonathan Manson
Continuo Son in G, BWV1021: Vivace - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger/Jonathan Manson
Continuo Son in G, BWV1021: Largo - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger/Jonathan Manson
Continuo Son in G, BWV1021: Presto - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger/Jonathan Manson
Son No.4 in c, BWV1017: Largo - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.4 in c, BWV1017: Allegro - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.4 in c, BWV1017: Adagio - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.4 in c, BWV1017: Allegro - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.5 in f, BWV1018: (Largo) - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.5 in f, BWV1018: Allegro - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.5 in f, BWV1018: Adagio - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.5 in f, BWV1018: Vivace - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger
Son No.6 in G, BWV1019a: Vivace - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger/Jonathan Manson
Son No.6 in G, BWV1019a: Largo - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger/Jonathan Manson
Son No.6 in G, BWV1019a: Cembalo Solo - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger/Jonathan Manson
Son No.6 in G, BWV1019a: Adagio - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger/Jonathan Manson
Son No.6 in G, BWV1019a: Vn Solo E Basso L'accompagnato - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger/Jonathan Manson
Son No.6 in G, BWV1019a: Presto Ab Initio Repetatur Et Claudatur - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger/Jonathan Manson
Son No.6 Version 2, BWV1019a: Cantabile Ma Un Poco Adagio - Trevor Pinnock/Rachel Podger

Amazon.com

Rachel Podger's growing reputation among early-music enthusiasts is buttressed by this set of Bach's sonatas for violin and continuo. Her intonation is always on target, her tone sweet but not cloying. While she shares the understated interpretive stance of so many historically informed performers, she allows the emotions to shine through in, for example, the opening Largo of Sonata No. 5. And where the dancelike elements are to the fore, as in the Allegro of No. 6, she shows she can swing with the best. She's aided immeasurably by harpsichordist Trevor Pinnock, whose alert playing is enjoyable throughout. When Bach gives the continuo player his moment in the sun, as in the solo third movement of No. 6, he cuts loose with shapely playing that almost steals the show. So fans of current styles in early-music performance will enjoy this set, though they'll find more excitement in Andrew Manze's Harmonia Mundi set and in Fabio Bondi's on Opus 111. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

An unexpected delight.......2005-08-10

Within the first minute of listening to this CD, one is immediately captivated by Rachel Podger's gorgeous tone and intonation - a truly mellifluous sonority that ranks with the finest. Her subtle phrasings, gentle-but-sparing vibrato and deft bowing technique combine to produce a sound that is effortlessly cantabile, highly refreshing and never tiring to hear. She shapes her melody lines with great artistry and elegance - producing a sonorities of pure delight. Plus, her intonation sounds superbly "in tune" - which sometimes cannot be said about some violin music (especially that with a period violin). You hear all of these fine artistic qualities too in her Bach solo violin partitas/sonatas recordings (Channel) - complex pieces of music that are not only very difficult to play but even more difficult to make sound beautiful. Rachel Podger makes all this music of Bach sound not only easy but unusually beautiful - where you can listen to the entire CD without feeling it is too much.

Equally adept at this music is the ever-competent Baroque master, Mr. Trevor Pinnock, who not only provides interesting accompanyment to Podger but especially shines in the spotlit keyboard runs and solos. In these he maintains a spirited progression and crisp articulations throughout that keeps one in rapt attention. His cembalo solo in the #6 allegro (track 3) is downright sexy and can make one want to jump up and dance. His harpsichord sound is exceptionally warm and inviting (as harpsichords go) and not "clancky" as some can be. I surprisingly loved it. This is important for listening to an entire CD featuring that instrument! If you normally do not warm to the sound of the harpsichord, you may be pleasantly surprized that you like Pinnock's harpsichord here. Both musicians maintain an ideal balance between them with a delightfull interaction throughout the music that never seems labored or monotonous. Not an easy task for such music featuring only two instuments over two CD's.

Sometimes it is hard to define what exactly makes a fine performance but you know it when you hear it - and this is one of those. This duo's playing is completely in synch and makes the music come alive in a very natural and enjoyable way. Together, they bring out more of a carefree exuberance and lyrical depth in this music that others might not plumb. Also, the sound quality is sparkling and realistic - really superb. This CD was highly rated by Gramophone and Penguin Guide who give high marks for this duo's marvelous performance. The other performance that gets high marks from many guides is the lively version by Biondi & Allessandrini on Op. 111 done with Biondi's characteristic Italian expressivity and panache ... but it is a hard CD to find. In short, this beautiful recording - one of Podger's finest - is a gem not to be missed by the Baroque lover.

Wonderful and Stirring.......2004-06-13

Pinnock and Podger play wonderfully together. I never tire of this CD. Many joyful moments and many lovely, expressive moments. How does Podger do it? I could listen to her playing all day.

Exceptional Sonata Recording.......2001-05-08

Two CD collection of Bach's Sonatas for violin and harpsichord. I have always been a great fan of the harpsichord, and here Pinnock is outstanding in is chamber music capability.

The resonance of Podger's instrument is wonderful, so full and throaty and lyrical. I especially like the spirited Allegro to Sonata No. 6, and Pinnock's harpsichord solo on the Allegro of that opening Sonata.

The complexities of Bach's composition are here richly interpretated with good tempo and balance. The Cantabile is wonderfully charming.

A great Bach collection.

Words should fail me.......2001-03-02

but here they are. I bought my first copy of Bach's Violin and Harpsichord Sonatas after seeing the movie Tom Jones in about 1964. The sound track of the film features some lively harpsichord playing and I wanted to hear more. Unfortunately (I thought) the only lp of harpsichord music available had violin in addition, as well as viola da gamba. The version of the Bach sonatas by Menuhim, Malcolm and Gauntlett has been out of print for years, but it was a hum-dinger. It seduced me. I have bought other versions since then and always been disappointed until now. Podger, Pinnock and Jonathan Manson have done an amazing job.

Caution: if you buy this, close the curtains before playing. Otherwise your neighbors might get to see you dancing around in ecstacy. This stuff is refined rock and roll.

Podger gets better and better.......2001-01-13

Rachel Podger, concertmaster of Trevor Pinnock's The English Concert, is a fresh and winning violinist. Her sound is warm and accurate, and this recording can be recommended. She is more straightforward and natural in these marvelous sonatas than Andrew Manze, who was not at his best in his recent HM version. But my numero uno choice still is Fabio Biondi and Rinaldo Alessandrini in OPUS111. The Italian dream team play like gods, and the superior OPUS111 sound make their version the most desirable of all.

J.S. Bach: 6 Sonatas & Partitas for Violin Solo

Average customer rating:

Excelllent

J.S. Bach: 6 Sonatas & Partitas for Violin Solo

Manufacturer: Vanguard Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin
Bach: Partitas
Bach: Sonatas & Partitas for Solo Violin
Bach: Sonatas for Unaccompanied Violin
A Sonata Recital by Joseph Szigeti & Béla Bartók

ASIN: B0000CABBG
Release Date: 2003-10-21

Tracks:

Adagio
Fuga
Siciliana
Presto
Allemande
Double
Courante
Double
Sarabande
Double
Tempo Di Bouree
Double
Grave
Fuga
Andante
Allegro

Tracks:

Allemande
Courante
Sarabande
Gigue
Chaconne
Adagio
Fuga
Largo
Allegro Assai
Preludio
Loure
Gavotte En Rondeau
Menuett I & II
Bouree
Gigue

Customer Reviews:

Excelllent.......2007-02-07

This edition of Bachs Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin are of a very high standard, and also has a very good tone, although the recording is not recently.

Average customer rating:

The Art of Ruggiero Ricci

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0001NPTX4
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Average customer rating:

Masters of the Bow: Cello

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Masters of the Bow
Masters of the Keyboard
Masters of the Guitar
Masters of the Voice: Tenor
Masters of the Trumpet

ASIN: B000095J86
Release Date: 2003-05-13

Tracks:

The Swan - Maurice Gendron
Sarabande - Janos Starker
Pezzo - Maurice Gendron
Vocalise - Nina Kotova
Gigue - Pierre Fournier
Allegro Con Brio - Pablo Casals
III. Rondo (Allegro) - Christine Walevska
III. Largo - Ton Koopman
Intermezzo - Bruno Canino
Silent Woods - Mischa Maisky
Introduction & Polonaise Brillante For Cello And Piano In C Major, Op. 3 - Maurice Gendron
The Flight Of Bumble Bee - Julian Lloyd Webber
II. Andante - Scherzo - Lynn Harrell

Tracks:

Ave Maria - Mischa Maisky
Langsam, Mit Innigem Ausdruck - Gerhard Oppitz
Rasch Und Feurig - Heinrich Schiff
Nocturne - Julian Lloyd Webber
Allegretto - Mstislav Rostropovich
Kol Nidrei - Lynn Harrell
Scherzo Tarantelle - Heinrich Schiff
Abendlied - Tibor De Machula
Guitarre - Maurice Gendron
Elegie - Lynn Harrell
Irish Tune - Julian Lloyd Webber
Ritual Fire Dance - Nina Kotova
Elite Syncopations - Heinrich Schiff
Apres Un Reve No. 1 Op. 7 - Lynn Harrell
Eulogy To The Eternity Of Jesus - Maurice Gendron

Bach: Sonatas for Violin & Harpsichord, BWV 1014-1019; Sonatas for Viola da Gamba & Harpsichord, BWV 1027-1029

Average customer rating:

Another emblematic homage in Bach ` s memory!
The dynamic duo
Don't forget the cello.
quirky but satisfying

Bach: Sonatas for Violin & Harpsichord, BWV 1014-1019; Sonatas for Viola da Gamba & Harpsichord, BWV 1027-1029

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

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Partitas 4 5 & 6 - 70th Anniversary Edition
Bach: English Suites, BWV 806-811
Mozart: The Complete Sonatas; Fantasias, K397 & K475
Glenn Gould Edition: Schumann & Brahms

ASIN: B0000028NN
Release Date: 1995-02-07

Tracks:

Sonata No. 1 In B Minor, BWV 1014: I. Adagio
Sonata No. 1 In B Minor, BWV 1014: II. Allegro
Sonata No. 1 In B Minor, BWV 1014: III. Andante
Sonata No. 1 In B Minor, BWV 1014: IV. Allegro
Sonata No. 2 In A Major, BWV 1015: I. Without Tempo Indication
Sonata No. 2 In A Major, BWV 1015: II. Allegro assai
Sonata No. 2 In A Major, BWV 1015: III. Andante un poco
Sonata No. 2 In A Major, BWV 1015: IV. Presto
Sonata No. 3 In E Major, BWV 1016: I. Adagio
Sonata No. 3 In E Major, BWV 1016: II. Allegro
Sonata No. 3 In E Major, BWV 1016: III. Adagio ma non tanto
Sonata No. 3 In E Major, BWV 1016: IV. Allegro
Sonata No. 4 In C Minor, BWV 1017: I. Siciliano. Largo
Sonata No. 4 In C Minor, BWV 1017: II. Allegro
Sonata No. 4 In C Minor, BWV 1017: III. Adagio
Sonata No. 4 In C Minor, BWV 1017: IV. Allegro

Tracks:

Sonata No. 5 In F Minor, BWV 1018: I. Largo
Sonata No. 5 In F Minor, BWV 1018: II. Allegro
Sonata No. 5 In F Minor, BWV 1018: III. Adagio
Sonata No. 5 In F Minor, BWV 1018: IV. Vivace
Sonata No. 6 In G Major, BWV 1019: I. Allegro
Sonata No. 6 In G Major, BWV 1019: II. Largo
Sonata No. 6 In G Major, BWV 1019: III. Allegro
Sonata No. 6 In G Major, BWV 1019: IV. Adagio
Sonata No. 6 In G Major, BWV 1019: V. Allegro
Sonata No. 1 In G Major, BWV 1027: I. Adagio
Sonata No. 1 In G Major, BWV 1027: II. Allegro ma non tanto
Sonata No. 1 In G Major, BWV 1027: III. Andante
Sonata No. 1 In G Major, BWV 1027: IV. Allegro moderato
Sonata No. 2 In D Major, BWV 1028: I. Adagio
Sonata No. 2 In D Major, BWV 1028: II. Allegro
Sonata No. 2 In D Major, BWV 1028: III. Andante
Sonata No. 2 In D Major, BWV 1028: IV. Allegro
Sonata No. 3 In G Minor, BWV 1029: I. Vivace
Sonata No. 3 In G Minor, BWV 1029: II. Adagio
Sonata No. 3 In G Minor, BWV 1029: III. Allegro

Customer Reviews:

Another emblematic homage in Bach ` s memory!.......2006-03-01

Glenn Gould in mutual collaboration with Jaime Laredo and Leonard Rose, made a brilliant account of these well known Bach 's arrangements. Impeccable musicality, superb phrasing, flawless sonority, egregious intonation, unerring lyricism and superb expressiveness make of this album a must-reference.

Acquire it without blinking.

The dynamic duo.......2005-07-12

Most of the recordings I have heard of the sonatas for Harpsicord and Violin use a Harpsicord not a piano. One of the things that happens is that the harpsicord tends to get "lost" as the violin is such a more powerfull instrument. Here the roles of both are equall and the pianist (Glen Gould) is a strong personality that makes himself felt in the music.

The interaction between Gould and Laredo is electric. Both formidable artist together they create fireworks. The 1014 allegro for example which sounds quite layed back in Biondi's disk here really rocks - you can't help humming along to it (by the way I can't here Gould humming along to anything).

I prefer this version to the Penguin Rosetted Grumiaux version (Harpsicord gets lost) and the highly regarded Biondii version (boring). I guess it is not that authentic but Gould brings out the beauty, liveliness and complexity of Bach better then any other Pianist I know of and Laredo is an exellent Violinist.

I havn't had time to listen to the concertos with Rose yet that end the offering.

This may not be the "reference" but if you are going to buy one recording of these works then buy this one!

Don't forget the cello........2003-10-10

Notice that this contains the marvelous Gould - Rose collaboration on the three cello sonatas, still a perennial favorite of mine. This item may be the only way to come by this recording anymore.

quirky but satisfying.......2001-04-02

Gould's Bach is so iconoclastic that it's sometimes difficult to imagine him playing chamber music, especially the sonatas for obbligato klavier and melody instrument, where the close parity between the solo player and the keyboard player's right hand calls for a sensitivity and flexibility that might have been beyond, or beneath, Gould's reach. So one should be primed for suprises in Gould's collaboration with Laredo-- and indeed, there is no lack of them. While this issue is a questionable choice for a "reference" version of the six sonatas, it is splendid and unusual, making a an excellent alternative to the many excellent performances (particularly on harpsichord) in the catalogue. Particular highlights are Laredo's playing in the final movement of the fourth sonata, and Gould's solo in the third movement of the sixth, for keyboard alone, as well as Gould's creative realizations of the ground bass in sections where the keyboard part is not fully written. Note: while Gould did make some recordings on the harpsichord, this disc (despite the title) gives us Gould on the piano.

Average customer rating:

Perplexed I am...
Dryly professional
Less is often more
Amazing interpretations -- Bach rocks!

Bach: Violin Sonatas
Andrew Manze , Richard Egarr , and Jaap ter Linden
Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bach: Solo & Double Violin Concertos /Manze * Podger * AAM * Manze
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Concert for the Prince of Poland

ASIN: B00003Z9UY
Release Date: 2000-02-08

Tracks:

Sonata In B Minor, BWV 1014: Adagio
Sonata In B Minor, BWV 1014: Allegro
Sonata In B Minor, BWV 1014: Andante
Sonata In B Minor, BWV 1014: Allegro
Sonata In A Major, BWV 1015: Dolce
Sonata In A Major, BWV 1015: Allegro
Sonata In A Major, BWV 1015: Andante un poco
Sonata In A Major, BWV 1015: Presto
Sonata In E Major, BWV 1016: Adagio
Sonata In E Major, BWV 1016: Allegro
Sonata In E Major, BWV 1016: Adagio ma non tanto
Sonata In E Major, BWV 1016: Allegro
Sonata In C Minor, BWV 1017: Largo
Sonata In C Minor, BWV 1017: Allegro
Sonata In C Minor, BWV 1017: Adagio
Sonata In C Minor, BWV 1017: Allegro
Sonata In F Minor, BWV 1018: Lamento
Sonata In F Minor, BWV 1018: Allegro
Sonata In F Minor, BWV 1018: Adagio
Sonata In F Minor, BWV 1018: Vivace

Tracks:

Toccata And Fugue In D Minor, BWV 565
Sonata In G Major, BWV 1019: Allegro
Sonata In G Major, BWV 1019: Largo
Sonata In G Major, BWV 1019: Allegro
Sonata In G Major, BWV 1019: Adagio
Sonata In G Major, BWV 1019: Allegro
Sonata In G Major, BWV 1019: Cembalo Solo
Sonata In G Major, BWV 1019: Adagio
Sonata In G Major, BWV 1019: Violino Solo E Basso L'accompagnato
Sonata In G Major, BWV 1019: Cantabile Ma Un Poco Adagio
Sonata In G Major, BWV 1021: Adagio
Sonata In G Major, BWV 1021: Vivace
Sonata In G Major, BWV 1021: Largo
Sonata In G Major, BWV 1021: Presto
Sonata In E Minor, BWV1023: [Preludio]
Sonata In E Minor, BWV1023: Adagio Ma Non Tanto
Sonata In E Minor, BWV1023: Allemanda
Sonata In E Minor, BWV1023: Gigue
Sonata In C Minor, BWV 1024: Adagio
Sonata In C Minor, BWV 1024: Presto
Sonata In C Minor, BWV 1024: Affetuoso
Sonata In C Minor, BWV 1024: Vivace

Amazon.com essential recording

Andrew Manze has been called "the Grappelli of the Baroque violin" because of the improvisatory liveliness of his approach; however, he can just as easily change personalities. Sometimes he pads along with sinewy grace like a panther ready to spring (the Preludio to BWV 1023, for example), sometimes he goes for a much more relaxed cantabile line, and sometimes he plays with a sparkling and infectious sense of fun (Presto, BWV 1021). Add into the mix his varied styles of vibrato, and the result is positively Shakespearean in its sense of teeming life and characterful drama. He is accompanied with an almost telepathic sense of partnership by Richard Egarr and, in four of the nine sonatas, by Jaap ter Linden. As an extra treat, Manze includes his own arrangement (which he calls a reconstruction) of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor for organ. You'll never hear the original the same way again! --Warwick Thompson

Customer Reviews:

Perplexed I am..........2006-09-07

I have a challenge for you, loyal listeners of Andrew MANZE : Try to listen to these two CDS in one shot ! If you can't, like me, it is, perhaps, for the following reasons :

First, the recording. We have to put the volume so loud that we
have, of course, a background sound. So the BIG gamba of LINDEN sound like a hammer. First moment of a great irritability. And its only the beginning of a long and painful period of frustations.

What's the problem with the violin of Manze ? Or what is the problem with MANZE himself ? Has he listened to his work after this recording ? HIS VIOLIN is creaking, acid, strident; it becomes rapidly unbearable; and four about two hours ! A pure moment of torture for my ears !

The curious idea to join a gamba to sonatas 1014 and 1015 could have been interesting. But, unfortunately, Manze is so slow, so lazy, so boring with is strident instrument that we want to go elsewere immediately ! For instance , the FAMOUS 1019, first allegro: a complete failure ! Deadly dull! No ZEST, AN INAUDIBLE violin whithout any energy; no excitement there ! And what about the famous preludo of the 1023 ? Manze delivers a dramatic and interminable performance which is, again, extremely boring. Remember its' BAROQUE music. Why this romanticism ?

The rare good moments ? The 1021 is successfully done. The short presto is thrilling. And the 1024 is well executed. That's all...

Where is the exuberance of Goebel/Hill on the Archiv label ? Or the excitement of Valetti/Frisch on the Alpha label ?

Dryly professional.......2006-01-23

I don't take so vitriolic a view of Manze's CDs as some other reviewers of other discs. I like much of his recorded output: his speculative unaccompanied performances of Tartini are fun-even wholly appropriate for the didactic "l'arte del arco"-and his rather academic approach does work very nicely for Telemann's decidedly un-Italian music.

I very much appreciate the effort to reconstruct earlier versions of BWV 1019. I'm not aware of all the alternative movements being available elsewhere and believe this is this recording's biggest selling point.

The performances of Bach's accompanied violin sonatas are solid and professional, as should be expected of musicians at this level. Personally, I find them to sound a bit more like a profound act of scholarship than enjoyably listenable music. For example, Manze's relatively straight phrasing and somber tempo in the opening movement of BWV 1023 is nicely played, but conveys precious little of the potential musicality. Even though the movement is made up of rather straightforward arpeggios, compare the approach of Reinhard Goebel, e.g (1985. Archiv, 427 152-2). Goebel's impassioned playing and phrasing of the arpeggio figures is musical and expressive...and exciting...in a way that transcends skilled execution of simple arpeggios from the printed page.

Peter Williams' (1981) speculation that the Toccata & Fugue, BWV 565, may have been conceived as a violin solo has received a great deal of recent attention. Citing Jaap Schroeder (1985) as inspiration, the speculative reconstruction of BWV 565 is where this recording really lost me. Both the Toccata and coda material are very effective, very enjoyable, and cleverly transcribed in using rapid arpeggios and double stops to outline the huge chords from the semi-dubious organ scores that have come down to us. Unfortunately, I found the whole stretch of the fugue between to be dry and monotonous. Ironically, where double stops would be most useful in sketching polyphony is the very place where double stops are wholly absent. As Manze clearly states, the texture in his transcription of the body of the fugue is very strictly monophonic:

"...the Fugue indulges in the conceit of sounding polyphonic, literally `many voiced,' without once employing any double stopping. Instead, the impression of polyphony is given by a careful handling of voice leading and tessitura, rather than a bewildering succession of unidiomatically virtuosic, cat's-cradle chords."

As hard as I tried, I could not find much feeling of implied polyphony in the body of the fugue. In spite of occasional modulation, it comes off as a tediously endless repetition of the pedal-point-rich fugue theme.

The most cursory listen to the fugues Bach did write for unaccompanied violin (of course, from BWV 1001, 1003, and 1005: see Milstein on Deutsche Grammophon, e.g.) reveals that this strict monophonic approach to implied polyphony was not Bach's typical approach to fugal writing for violin. Obviously, these fugues can't feature 6-note chords extending below the bass clef, but they still are remarkably successful at implying polyphony through frequent double stops and chords that are slightly arpeggiated to conclude on the lead voice. Even pedal passages in the violin fugues often contrast the pedal-point to passages in double stops. In spite of all the well-intended scholarship striving to reconstruct a viable violin version of BWV 565, I think I'll stick to listening to it on the organ.

Less is often more.......2000-03-13

I am a big fan of Andrew Manze, but I think this is not his best recording nor the best there is of these marvelous sonatas. For a more consistent and musical view go for Fabio Biondi's otstanding reading in OPUS111. He and Rinaldo Alessandrini are warmer and more engaging.

Amazing interpretations -- Bach rocks!.......2000-02-22

This is the closest you can get in classical music to a feeling like jazz -- these three top-flight musicians create a free-flowing, improvisational feel to this timeless music. Manze's dramatic violin playing is of course the star of the show, but Egarr and ter Linden ain't exactly session hacks. Beautifully recorded, with lots of warmth and space around the instruments without losing an intimate feel. The best recording of these sonatas I've ever heard. Go for it!

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

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