Modern compositions of century+ old works and your recommendations

[PaperTiger]

My brother and I were talking a few weeks ago about classical music and mostly that it seems to be hard to find performances on CD that are true to the original work. Though we haven't dug real deep into it either.

For example he went looking for a CD of Bach's and found on Amazon "The very best of Bach" with good reviews he bought it only to be extremely disappointed. At first I thought that her just didn't like Bach who was my recommendation to him when he said he wanted to listen to more classical music.

He had me listen to the CD and sure enough the composer left out and changed instruments. It sounded completely foreign to me. So after this I went searching a little and most CDs have a review saying similar things. And that is with many different composers.

I then looked and found a CD of Dvorak and liked it just fine, but a review I read was very critical and compared the composition to that of attending and execution.

I know part of it is finding something you enjoy but even though I enjoyed that composition, what if that person was right and it wasn't true to the original work. I want to hear what it was meant to sound like or at least how its original writer wanted it to as well.

The record label the produced the Bach CD was NAXOS, I have read review that they should be avoided. and the Dvorak CD was composed by Sir Georg Soltiwho seems to have a good standing.

Really my question stems from the fact that reviews like to complain about the product and rarely ever propose an alternative. So what would be some good recommendations my personal Favorites obviously being Bach and Dvorak, of what I have currently heard.

Or if one would direct me to a thread that might help.

Thanks

 

[Nikam]

Interesting post PaperTiger, and I too will be hoping to read some replies to it.

 

[wljmrbill]

for Bach I still prefer any performances with/using edited or critco by Charles-Marie Widor and Albert Schweiter. ALso to me it depends on the performer as well as the composition seems to make a difference as to the interpretation of said composition... thus said that leads back to the professor doing the instruction of said performer as that is where much of ones feelings/interpretation derives. Generally I find German trained/background organ education to be less disturbing and tse that perform on tracker instruments of old days ( to me more realistic for timing as well as phrasing then the electro-neumatic etc systems ).. Oh well as few thoughts from an old organist

 

[JHC]

I take it that you are relatively new to classical music and I applaud the fact that you have discovered it there is an awful lot to assimilate about Classical music and a life time is not enough.


Bach’s music is transcribed for many instruments also the musicians have their own interpretation not just for Bach but for all composers and there is nothing wrong with Naxos recordings they produced good recordings for NZ$15 each when other labels were NZ$35 - $40. They use good artists but not the top elite, they have received many awards.

Reviewers are a funny lot and have their own agenda, years ago I used the Penguin guide to classical CDs which became my Bible I do not know if it is still in production it would pay you to search one out if you can.
If you really want performances true to the original you will need to search for HIP recordings (Historically informed performances) which are on period instruments or copies of. Best of luck.

 

[JHC]

The silence is deafening ..........................

 

[PaperTiger]

Thanks for the replies, gives me a few routes to look down.

It looks like the penguin guides is still in print, it should help. I have been brought up with classical music and just recently getting into it again. In my teenage years I got away from it and into rock and now progressive rock. My brother and I both listen to progressive rock but I tend to listen to groups with a classical influence where he likes the jazz influence. It is interesting to listen to how similar the music can be at times. Even without the orchestral parts that share obvious similarities.

From my experience with CDs it is like listening to a Beatles cover. Without John and Paul its just not the Beatles, so my hope is performances closer to the original might feel more authentic to me. Who knows? It about the journey right?

I hope to hear more recommendations and I will post my findings as well.

 

[JHC]

La Petite Band is a good place to start the Kuijken family are really involved in these performances. their web page with loads of info
http://www.lapetitebande.be/lpb.php


A recomentation well The Brandenburg Concertos would be a good starting CD Essential classics Vol #1 = SBK 61814