Does the world need another blog? Probably not, but I'll start mine anyhow...

[Boris75]

Many thanks for your great blog and especially for your recent reviews of the Bach harpsichord concertos by Staier and the Schumann piano concerto by Melnikov. Before reading your post, I considered buying both; however, I did not want to spend too much in one go and was more leaning toward Bach/Staier. After reading your reviews, I'll probably skip Bach/Staier (though it is currently discounted at only $17 on eClassical) and get Schumann/Melnikov from Qobuz while it is discounted there (at €14). For the Bach harpsichord concertos, my preference is toward energetic, fast-paced versions, meaning that I currently have M. Halls-Retrospect top of my list, followed by Pischner-Sanderling. Your blog post makes me think that there may be pattern in Staier's recordings: he is usually very original, sometimes very energetic, in his solo recordings (a good example is his Goldbergs) but more subdued in his orchestral recordings (here my example would be the CPE Bach recordings - they are very good, but the harpsichord is in the background relative to the orchestra). Perhaps he is too modest when making orchestral recordings, suggesting that a more forceful affirmation as soloist would serve his orchestral recordings better.

[Musicophile]

Many thanks for your great blog and especially for your recent reviews of the Bach harpsichord concertos by Staier and the Schumann piano concerto by Melnikov. Before reading your post, I considered buying both; however, I did not want to spend too much in one go and was more leaning toward Bach/Staier. After reading your reviews, I'll probably skip Bach/Staier (though it is currently discounted at only $17 on eClassical) and get Schumann/Melnikov from Qobuz while it is discounted there (at €14). For the Bach harpsichord concertos, my preference is toward energetic, fast-paced versions, meaning that I currently have M. Halls-Retrospect top of my list, followed by Pischner-Sanderling. Your blog post makes me think that there may be pattern in Staier's recordings: he is usually very original, sometimes very energetic, in his solo recordings (a good example is his Goldbergs) but more subdued in his orchestral recordings (here my example would be the CPE Bach recordings - they are very good, but the harpsichord is in the background relative to the orchestra). Perhaps he is too modest when making orchestral recordings, suggesting that a more forceful affirmation as soloist would serve his orchestral recordings better.

Thanks Boris!

 

In any case, I'd be very interested in your opinion about both Staier and Melnikov. I'm just listening again to the Melnikov and really like it (with the exception of the slow 3rd movement).

 

I'd really appreciate if you could check out the Bach/Staier. I just opened the latest issue of Classica and they name it a "Choc". Maybe something is wrong with my ears, but I just don't get it.

[Boris75]

Thanks Boris!

 

In any case, I'd be very interested in your opinion about both Staier and Melnikov. I'm just listening again to the Melnikov and really like it (with the exception of the slow 3rd movement).

 

I'd really appreciate if you could check out the Bach/Staier. I just opened the latest issue of Classica and they name it a "Choc". Maybe something is wrong with my ears, but I just don't get it.

 

Thanks - you provided the nudge I needed to press the buy button

 

I just ordered it from eClassical, where another nudge is that it is discounted, which makes it much cheaper than on Qobuz, especially at the current €/$ exchange rate. Yet another nudge is that Diapason gives it 5 forks, just one notch below the top Diapason d'Or.

 

Downloading now - I'll write here about how I feel about what I hear when I get there.

[Musicophile]

Thanks - you provided the nudge I needed to press the buy button

 

I just ordered it from eClassical, where another nudge is that it is discounted, which makes it much cheaper than on Qobuz, especially at the current €/$ exchange rate. Yet another nudge is that Diapason gives it 5 forks, just one notch below the top Diapason d'Or.

 

Downloading now - I'll write here about how I feel about what I hear when I get there.

I'm really curious now. The Bach Staier is getting good reviews all over the place. I'm still sticking to my 3 stars, it's not a bad album, it's just that the other versions out there are better.

 

Have you had time to listen to it yet?

[Boris75]

Have you had time to listen to it yet?

 

Yes. I think your review and the favorable but not raving one in Diapason helped set my expectations not too high. Anyway, I liked the album very much. I very much like the terrific playing by the Freiburger Barockorchester: to me the sound of an orchestra is more enjoyable than having one player per part. I also like their playing more than Retrospect's. However, I have a slight preference for Matthew Halls' playing (or Linn's engineering that puts him very much in front) over Andreas Staier's (or HM's choice for blending the harpsichord more in the orchestra). Therefore, I find it very hard to choose between the two versions. Perhaps for the BWV1052 I would go for Matthew Hals and Retrospect, but for the other ones, I am not so sure. Also, Staier's set has the advantage of covering the ground extensively, whereas Retrospect offers fewer concertos on their album.

 

Curiously, comparing Staier-Freiburg with Halls-Retrospect in the BWV1052 made me go back to Pischner-Sanderling, and in the end it is Pischner-Sanderling that captivated me even more. The sound is surprisingly good, and to me the City of Berlin SO outperforms Retrospect and the Freiburger Barockorchester by a wide margin. To be sure, Pischner's harpsichord does not sound as nice as Staier's or Halls' because it is a much less fancy instrument and is captured with a much more natural balance, which gives more weight to the orchestra. But Pischner and Sanderling's musicality is captivating: together with the City of Berlin SO, they make this music sound important, not just entertaining as with Staier and Halls. So perhaps, in the end, this is my favorite one after all, even if it is less directly engaging. For me the telling part is that, when I did my comparison, the one version I ended up listening to in extenso after comparing sections against one another was Pischner-Sanderling. One small but important quality of this version is the long but natural reverberation of the hall where this was recorded. This gives a majestic tone to the sound of the orchestra. Also, Pischner has an incredible sense of drama: he starts fairly low-key (which is why his version does not do so well in direct comparisons section by section), but he gradually creates more and more tension, and Sanderling is 100% in tune with this approach.

 

All this writing makes me want to listen to Café Zimmerman's version of the BWV1052, which is sitting on my hard drive, but I don't have time for this tonight.

[Musicophile]

Yes. I think your review and the favorable but not raving one in Diapason helped set my expectations not too high. Anyway, I liked the album very much. I very much like the terrific playing by the Freiburger Barockorchester: to me the sound of an orchestra is more enjoyable than having one player per part. I also like their playing more than Retrospect's. However, I have a slight preference for Matthew Halls' playing (or Linn's engineering that puts him very much in front) over Andreas Staier's (or HM's choice for blending the harpsichord more in the orchestra). Therefore, I find it very hard to choose between the two versions. Perhaps for the BWV1052 I would go for Matthew Hals and Retrospect, but for the other ones, I am not so sure. Also, Staier's set has the advantage of covering the ground extensively, whereas Retrospect offers fewer concertos on their album.

 

Curiously, comparing Staier-Freiburg with Halls-Retrospect in the BWV1052 made me go back to Pischner-Sanderling, and in the end it is Pischner-Sanderling that captivated me even more. The sound is surprisingly good, and to me the City of Berlin SO outperforms Retrospect and the Freiburger Barockorchester by a wide margin. To be sure, Pischner's harpsichord does not sound as nice as Staier's or Halls' because it is a much less fancy instrument and is captured with a much more natural balance, which gives more weight to the orchestra. But Pischner and Sanderling's musicality is captivating: together with the City of Berlin SO, they make this music sound important, not just entertaining as with Staier and Halls. So perhaps, in the end, this is my favorite one after all, even if it is less directly engaging. For me the telling part is that, when I did my comparison, the one version I ended up listening to in extenso after comparing sections against one another was Pischner-Sanderling. One small but important quality of this version is the long but natural reverberation of the hall where this was recorded. This gives a majestic tone to the sound of the orchestra. Also, Pischner has an incredible sense of drama: he starts fairly low-key (which is why his version does not do so well in direct comparisons section by section), but he gradually creates more and more tension, and Sanderling is 100% in tune with this approach.

 

All this writing makes me want to listen to Café Zimmerman's version of the BWV1052, which is sitting on my hard drive, but I don't have time for this tonight.

 

Sounds like I should really get a new pair of ears.

 

On the Café Zimmermann I hope they'll eventually record all harpsichord concertos.

[Musicophile]

FYI, just reviewed two recent recordings I really didn't like, for a change:

 

Two Recent Releases I Really Don’t Like | musicophilesblog – From Keith Jarrett to Johannes Brahms

[EuroChamp]

After attending a Keith Jarrett live solo concert last night, I decided I finally start the blog I've been toying with for a while. I will just write about music I like and I want to share. Not sure if anybody will ever bother to read it, but in the end it is kind of a personal diary in any case, helping me to organize my thoughts. I appreciate any feedback you guys may have.

 

https://musicophilesblog.wordpress.com

 

I want to keep a long story short: Your reviews are well done and written. I hope you will not loose you enthusiasm. I would miss it.

[Boris75]

I want to keep a long story short: Your reviews are well done and written.

 

+1; and thanks for the negative reviews. These are very useful too. I might have considered the Barenboim/Dudamel Brahms piano concertos before reading them, but now I'll save my hard-earned cash for better uses.

[Musicophile]

Thanks Boris & Champ!

[Musicophile]

I've just reviewed another nice Christmas album on my blog:

 

 

In Tempore Nativitatis – Bach’s Christmas Cantatas by Philippe Pierrot | musicophilesblog – From Keith Jarrett to Johannes Brahms

[Musicophile]

FYI, I just posted about my favorite version of the Brandenburg concertos on my blog.

 

Happy reading: My favorite version of the Brandenburg Concertos | musicophilesblog – From Keith Jarrett to Johannes Brahms

 

And thanks again for all the great feedback I received so far!

[Boris75]

Thanks for your post and more generally for your great blog. In a style similar to Alessandrini, I much like Fasolis’ version, in excellent SACD sound. Also on SACD, Savall is very good too, in a quite different style characterized by slower tempi and more gravitas. Then I have a fondness for Karajan’s DG recordings in this repertoire, even though his take on Bach has become out of fashion in recent decades.

[Musicophile]

Wordpress just informed me that I've just published my post number 200.

 

Thinking it was this site and the great feedback I got here that encouraged me to start this blog in the first place.

 

A great thank you to all my readers for their continuous support, feedback and encouragement!

 

https://musicophilesblog.com/2017/07/16/200-posts-and-a-new-layout/

[jcn3]

@Musicophile - congrats on the milestone! I've had countless hours of listening pleasure thanks to your blog!

[Musicophile]

7 minutes ago, jcn3 said:

@Musicophile - congrats on the milestone! I've had countless hours of listening pleasure thanks to your blog!

Thanks so much for your kind words!

[AnotherSpin]

What I like in your blog - your well informed and well thought selection is quite different from my own in many cases. It gives me an opportunity to look beyond my regular choice and to get more critical view on my own listening habits.  What else one may want from a music blog?...)) Oh, yes! You are not posting pictures of kittens...(((

 

[Musicophile]

28 minutes ago, AnotherSpin said:

What I like in your blog - your well informed and well thought selection is quite different from my own in many cases. It gives me an opportunity to look beyond my regular choice and to get more critical view on my own listening habits.  What else one may want from a music blog?...)) Oh, yes! You are not posting pictures of kittens...(((

 

Sorry for the kittens. But if there is one thing the internet doesn't need it is more cat photos...

 

i always appreciate your input here on the forum. You clearly have a vast knowledge base, and informed discussions are always fruitful!

[Guidof]

4 hours ago, jcn3 said:

@Musicophile - congrats on the milestone! I've had countless hours of listening pleasure thanks to your blog!

 

+1! Musicophile's posts and blog have brought to my attention many great recordings that I would have missed otherwise. Many thanks to him.

 

[Musicophile]

11 minutes ago, Guidof said:

 

+1! Musicophile's posts and blog have brought to my attention many great recordings that I would have missed otherwise. Many thanks to him.

 

 

Thanks a lot!

[The Computer Audiophile]

Great stuff @Musicophile. Congratulations. 

[sphinxsix]

As for me - I'm not a big fan of your blog - your classical music recommendations have cost me quite lots of money (recently Wand's Bruckner)

Great job, congrats!

[Musicophile]

Just now, sphinxsix said:

As for me - I'm not a big fan of your blog - your classical music recommendations have cost me quite lots of money (recently Wand's Bruckner)

Great job, congrats!

For any financial liability, please contact my lawyer directly. 

 

Joke apart, thanks a lot!

[Musicophile]

My blog has just been listed among the Top 100 Independent Music Blogs Going into 2018 by an independent website:

 

https://musicaroo.com/top-100-music-blogs/

 

Very happy to receive this recognition.

[Melvin]

1 hour ago, Musicophile said:

My blog has just been listed among the Top 100 Independent Music Blogs Going into 2018 by an independent website:

 

https://musicaroo.com/top-100-music-blogs/

 

Very happy to receive this recognition.

 

The recognition is well-deserved. Congratulations!