My top 40 analogue recordings of baroque solo, chamber and orchestral works played on period instruments

[dcc]

Some members on this board, Flyer and Bonzo among others, know that I have a keen interest in early/baroque music played on period instruments and more specifically solo, chamber and small orchestral works. I’ve compiled a my top 40 picks (organ and vocal music excluded) and will start my top 10. The list is sorted by chronological order i.e. the year of birth of the composer. This list is solely based on my personal tastes where the primary selection criterion is the interpretation. This is not an audiophile list!

• Denis Gaultier – La Réthorique des Dieux – Suites for Lute – Hopkinson Smith – Astrée AS6. If I had to select just one album from the American lute player, it would be that one.
• Arcangello Corelli - The Concertos Grossi Opus 6 - La Petite Bande / Sigiswald Kuijken - Deutsche Harmonia Mundi HM 20305-7. Corelli only composed six opus and all of them are gems. The Belgian orchestral ensemble made a wonderful recording of these beautiful concertos that are on par with Bach’s Brandenburg and Händel’s Opus 6 concertos. We know from the archives of Cardinal Ottoboni and the payment lists of all musicians employed by him that Corelli had a rather large-scale orchestra with some 60 players. La Petite Bande is not that large but is still capable to give a sense of sheer power. Should you want to find a version with an orchestra of the same size of Corelli’s, you will need to go on digital and acquire the version by Chiara Bianchini and Jasper Christensen.
• Marin Marais – Pièces de violes du Quatrième Livre - Suitte d’un goût étanger – Jordi Savall, Ton Koopman and Hopkinson Smith – Astrée AS13. Suites for viol from the Fourth Book. My favourite out of the three records. Note that Jordi Savall also recorded some pieces from the 3rd and 5th Books but these are only available on digital. Jordi Savall got all the rights of these recordings and they are now available in digital format from Alia Vox, Savall’s label.
• Johan Pachelbel – Hexacordium Appolinis – Suites for Harpsichord – Huguette Grémy-Chauliax – FY 074. Known for his canon, Pachelbel was mainly a composer for keyboard instruments (organ and harpsichord). The interpretation by Hugette Grémy-Chauliac (Scott Ross’ teacher BTW) is superb as well as the sound of the instrument, a William Dowd manufactured in 1976 and inspired by a Flemish harpsichord designed by Ruckers. One of the best harpsichord recordings available.
• Johann Sebastian Bach – The Well Tempered Keyboard (Book 1 and Book 2) – Gustav Leonhardt – BASF Harmonia Mundi 59 29173-1. The ultimate box set. Composed by a genius and played by a master.
• Johann Sebastian Bach - Variations Goldberg – Michel Kiener – Cercle Kallistos CK 1004. One of the best recordings of harpsichord if not the best. This solar interpretation is played on a superb Dowd based on the design of a Flemish harpsichord by Ruckers. Unfortunately, this double LP was only released in 1000 copies so the chances to find one are slim. Should you put your hands on it, just jump and you won’t regret it but it won’t be cheap. An excellent alternative is the version that Gustav Leonhardt recorded with Telefunken ref. SAWT 9474-A. I personally prefer this version to the one that Leonhardt recorded later with DHM but it is a matter of personal taste. Another great one is the version by Blandine Verlet with Philips ref. 6768 074.
• Johan Sebastian Bach – Six Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin – Sigiswald Kuijken – Deutsche Harmonia Mundi DHL 20401.03. A fantastic desert island box set which commands a premium on Discogs but it is worth it.
• Johann Sebastian Bach- Suites for cello - Anner Bylsma – SEON RCA RL 30369. Though I have many different versions of the suites, it is one of my all time favourites. The Dutch master recorded another version on digital for Sony with a very powerful Stradivarius (The Servais from the Smithsonian Institute) but I much prefer the rather rough sound of his personal Matteo Gofriller. Avoid the American pressing.
• Johann Sebastian Bach – The Keyboard Concertos – Leonhardt Consorts, Concentus Musicus / Gustav Leonhardt - Telefunken Das Alte Werk SCA 25 022-T/1-5. A must have.
• Johann Sebastian Bach- Brandenburg Concertos – Gustav Leonhardt – SEON RL 30400. A beautiful but rather austere interpretation. I also need to mention the first recording by Nikolaus Harnoncourt and the Concentus Musicus with Telefunken ref. SAWT 9459/60-A.

I will post the remaining top 30 in the thread.

 

[dcc]

The remaining Top 30:

• Ciarmella Dances – On Movable Grounds – 45 RPM Yarlung Records YAR09261-819V.
• Barthali – Farina – Rossi and other composers, Virtuose Italienische Violinmusik des 17. Jh. (Virtuoso Violin Music from the 17th Century) – Alarius Ensemble – Teldec Das Alte Werk SAWT 9542-B..
• Concerts à deux violes égales du Sieur de Sainte Colombe – Wieland Kuijken and Jordi Savall – Astrée AS10. Quite austere pieces for two viols by two of the best players of this instrument.
• Robert de Visée – Pièces de Théorbe (Lute pieces) – Hopkinson Smith – Astrée AS38.
• Arcangello Corelli – Sonatas Op. 5 Nr 7-12 – Franz Brüggen, Gustav Leonhardt & Anner Bylsma - SEON RCA RL 30393.
• Georg Muffat – Concerti & Suiten – La Petite Bande / Sigiswal Kuijken – BASF Harmonia Mundi 64817.
• Marin Marais – Pièces à deux violes du Premier Livre – Jordi Savall, Christophe Coin, Ton Koopman and Hopkinson Smith – Astrée AS39.
• Marin Marais – Pièces de violes du Second Livre – Jordi Savall, Anne Gallet and Hopkinson Smith – Astrée AS39.
• François Couperin - Les nouveaux concerts - Kuykens, Haynes, etc. – SEON Philips 6747 174 (6 LPs box set).
• François Couperin – Les Nations – Hesperion XX / Jordi Savall. Astrée 991. Small Orchestra (9 instruments) pieces representing four nations (France, Spain, the German Empire and Piedmont). A great alternative is the version by the Quadro Amsterdam – Telefunken 6.48009 with fewer instruments (six) but fantastic players (Brüggen, Leonhardt, Bylsma, Schröder).
• Antonio Vivaldi – Concerti Vol. 2 – Jaap Schröder - Telefunken Das Alte Werk 6.42355. Just for the concerto Grosso Mogul that is one of the most famous pieces of Vivaldi contrary to what JV Serinus from Stereophile is claiming in his review of the Four Seasons by Rachel Podger. Johann Sebastian Bach knew better than JVS and made a transcription for organ (Concerto in C major BWV 594).
• Antonio Vivaldi - L’Estro Armonico Op. 3 – The Academy of Ancient Music – L’Oiseau Lyre BA-324. The best interpretation on LP unless you fancy digital and get the version by Rachel Podger which is even better. Johann Sebastian Bach loved some of these concertos so much that made a transcription of the concerto for 4 violins into a concerto for 4 harpsichords.
• Antonio Vivaldi – Le Quattro Stagioni – La Petite Bande / Sigiswal Kuijken – SEON RCA RL 30397. One of the few versions with period instruments available on pure analogue LPs. The recent digital recording by Rachel Podger with Channel Classics is also available on vinyl. I bought it but quite frankly you better stick to the digital format.
• Antonio Vivaldi – Le Quattro Stagioni – Giuliano Carmignola and the Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca – Audio Nautes Recordings. This double LP 45 RPM is superb. Stan Ricker mastered the recording from the original master tapes at half speed.
• Boccherini, Geminiani, Vivaldi – Italian Virtuoso Music for the Violincello – Anner Bylsma – Das Alte Werk SAWT 9548-B.
• Georg Philipp Telemann (Pieces for Oboe) – Paul Dombrecht, Wieland Kuijken & Robert Kohnen – Accent ACC 8013.
• Oboe Sonatas between 1700-1750 – Paul Dombrecht, Wieland Kuijken & Robert Kohnen - Accent ACC 7804
• Georg Philipp Telemann – Paris Quartets 1-6 – Quadro Amsterdam – Telefunken 6.35065.
• Domenico Scarlatti – 14 Sonate per Clavicembalo (14 Sonatas for Harpsichord) – Gustav Leonhardt – SEON RCA RL 30334. This is fair representation of some of the 555 sonatas for harpsichord composed by the Italian master.
• Johann Sebastian Bach – Complete Sonatas & Partitas for Transverse Flute – Frans Brüggen, Gustav Leonhardt & Anner Bylsma – SEON RCA RL 30426
• Johann Sebastian Bach – Pièces pour le lut (Pieces for Lute) I and II – Hopkinson Smith – Astrée 61 and Astrée 62.
• Johann Sebastian Bach - Six Sonatas for Violin and Harpsichord – Sigiswald Kuijken and Gustav Leonhardt – Deutsche Harmonia Mundi HM 2.901. Fantastic double LP, which can be found at a very affordable price contrary to the solo sonatas and partitas by Kuijken.
• Johann Sebastian Bach – Concertos for Violin BWM 1041, 1042 and 1043 – La Petite Bande / Sigiswal Kuijken – Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 1C 067-99 743. This is a digital recording but you won’t find a better interpretation. Another excellent LP but still a digital recording is the version by Jaap Schröder and Christopher Irons under the leading of Christopher Hogwood (L’Oiseau Lyre 595802)
• Johann Sebastian Bach – Orchestral Suites – Concentus Musicus Wien / Nikolaus Harnoncourt – Telefunken Das Alte Werk SAWT 9509/10 A. Good alternatives to this historic recording are the Suites by La Petite Bande (Deutsche Harmonia Mundi) or by the Linde-Consort (EMI Reflex) but both are digital recordings
• Johann Sebastian Bach – The Concertos for 2, 3 & 4 Harpsichords – Ton Koopman / Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra – Philips 6769 075. If you don’t want to invest in the above-mentioned complete box, this double LP is an excellent alternative. The rhythm and pace are less austere compared to Leonhardt and the sound is magnificent.
• Johann Sebastian Bach / Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach – Concerto BWV 1052 (JS Bach) and Concerto We 23 (CPE Bach) – Gustav Leonhardt - SEON RCA RL 30816.
• Georg Friedrich Händel – The Eight Grand Harpsichord Solo Suites – Blandine Verlet – Das Alte Werk SAWT 9623/34.
• Georg Friedrich Händel – Twelve Grand Concertos Opus 6 – The Academy of Saint Martin-in-the-Fields / Neville Marriner – Decca SXL 6369, 6370 & 6371. My only recommendation for a version not played on period instruments.
• Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach – Sonates – Rondos – Fantaisies – Gustav Leonhardt – SEON Philips 6775 007. CPE Bach’s keyboard production is extraordinary as he makes the junction between the Baroque and the Classical styles.
• Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach – Hamburg Harpsichord Concertos – Bob Van Asperen / Melante ’81 - EMI Reflexe 1C 2LP 157. This double LP is a DMM recording but is worth every penny.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Hi dcc,

I too share your love for this genre and also the Kuijken brothers - I noticed you had quite a few of their recordings on your list.

I own quite a few of the ones on Accent. I like particularly Late French Viol Music. Easy to find and cheap.

Best.

 

[Steve Williams]

Thank you for sharing this

 

[astrotoy]

Your list is much appreciated. We get to hear Jordi Savall every year when he comes to Berkeley to give a concert. Always interesting takes on new old music. Interesting to see the Marriner ASMF Handel Op6 recordings on your list. I've always enjoyed those recordings.
On the Hogwood Vivaldi Op3 L'Estro Armonico, my copy is a 2 record box L'Oiseau Lyre D245D2, one of the later analogue recordings.

Larry

 

[dcc]

Hi dcc,

I too share your love for this genre and also the Kuijken brothers - I noticed you had quite a few of their recordings on your list.

I own quite a few of the ones on Accent. I like particularly Late French Viol Music. Easy to find and cheap.

Best.

Hi Bill

Indeed. Great records don't need to be expensive and this is the case with Baroque music on period instruments. Out of my entire selection, there are only 3 items above the 100 euros mark with one almost impossible to find, respectively: Sigiswald Kuijken's sonatas and partitas, Anner Bylsma's cello suites and Michel Kiener's Goldberg Variations.

Your list is much appreciated. We get to hear Jordi Savall every year when he comes to Berkeley to give a concert. Always interesting takes on new old music. Interesting to see the Marriner ASMF Handel Op6 recordings on your list. I've always enjoyed those recordings.
On the Hogwood Vivaldi Op3 L'Estro Armonico, my copy is a 2 record box L'Oiseau Lyre D245D2, one of the later analogue recordings.

Larry

Thanks Larry,

To my knowledge, there is no pure analogue recording of Händel's Opus 6 on period instruments as the Trevor Pinnock's version with Archiv Produktion is a digital recording. Händel's Opus 6 is a seminal piece in the Baroque repertoire. Marriner was therefore the obvious choice.

The harder was to stick to a selection of 40 top picks.

 

[tima]

Deutsche Harmonia Mundi ?– DHL 20401.03 3-LPs. Definitely worth looking for. I found a mint copy for ~$125 and see similar today on Discogs. Imo, this rivals Grumiaux's famous editions on Philips.


Deutsche Harmonia Mundi ?– 1C 065-99 613 Q (Quadraphonic) (Imo, preferred over the McGegan/McGrath effort - Concerti Grossi Op.6 1–6 though it too is nice.)


Deutsche Harmonia Mundi ?– 1C 065-99 728


Deutsche Harmonia Mundi ?– 1C 065-99 803 (confusingly, the above mentioned McGegan effort uses this same cover with overly saturated color - don't get them mixed up.)

I appreciate and atest to dcc's list containing excellent music and recordings. Adding to my collection from his recommendations (on a different venue), each acquisition has been a delight.

Thank you dcc !

 

[Tango]

The General gave me this.



It also sounds fantastic with Harpsichord. 2-LPs. 1C 151-99820/21. Dont know how much it cost.

Tang

 

[Tango]

Some members on this board, Flyer and Bonzo among others, know that I have a keen interest in early/baroque music played on period instruments and more specifically solo, chamber and small orchestral works. I’ve compiled a my top 40 picks (organ and vocal music excluded) and will start my top 10. The list is sorted by chronological order i.e. the year of birth of the composer. This list is solely based on my personal tastes where the primary selection criterion is the interpretation. This is not an audiophile list!

• Denis Gaultier – La Réthorique des Dieux – Suites for Lute – Hopkinson Smith – Astrée AS6. If I had to select just one album from the American lute player, it would be that one.
• Arcangello Corelli - The Concertos Grossi Opus 6 - La Petite Bande / Sigiswald Kuijken - Deutsche Harmonia Mundi HM 20305-7. Corelli only composed six opus and all of them are gems. The Belgian orchestral ensemble made a wonderful recording of these beautiful concertos that are on par with Bach’s Brandenburg and Händel’s Opus 6 concertos. We know from the archives of Cardinal Ottoboni and the payment lists of all musicians employed by him that Corelli had a rather large-scale orchestra with some 60 players. La Petite Bande is not that large but is still capable to give a sense of sheer power. Should you want to find a version with an orchestra of the same size of Corelli’s, you will need to go on digital and acquire the version by Chiara Bianchini and Jasper Christensen.
• Marin Marais – Pièces de violes du Quatrième Livre - Suitte d’un goût étanger – Jordi Savall, Ton Koopman and Hopkinson Smith – Astrée AS13. Suites for viol from the Fourth Book. My favourite out of the three records. Note that Jordi Savall also recorded some pieces from the 3rd and 5th Books but these are only available on digital. Jordi Savall got all the rights of these recordings and they are now available in digital format from Alia Vox, Savall’s label.
• Johan Pachelbel – Hexacordium Appolinis – Suites for Harpsichord – Huguette Grémy-Chauliax – FY 074. Known for his canon, Pachelbel was mainly a composer for keyboard instruments (organ and harpsichord). The interpretation by Hugette Grémy-Chauliac (Scott Ross’ teacher BTW) is superb as well as the sound of the instrument, a William Dowd manufactured in 1976 and inspired by a Flemish harpsichord designed by Ruckers. One of the best harpsichord recordings available.
• Johann Sebastian Bach – The Well Tempered Keyboard (Book 1 and Book 2) – Gustav Leonhardt – BASF Harmonia Mundi 59 29173-1. The ultimate box set. Composed by a genius and played by a master.
• Johann Sebastian Bach - Variations Goldberg – Michel Kiener – Cercle Kallistos CK 1004. One of the best recordings of harpsichord if not the best. This solar interpretation is played on a superb Dowd based on the design of a Flemish harpsichord by Ruckers. Unfortunately, this double LP was only released in 1000 copies so the chances to find one are slim. Should you put your hands on it, just jump and you won’t regret it but it won’t be cheap. An excellent alternative is the version that Gustav Leonhardt recorded with Telefunken ref. SAWT 9474-A. I personally prefer this version to the one that Leonhardt recorded later with DHM but it is a matter of personal taste. Another great one is the version by Blandine Verlet with Philips ref. 6768 074.
• Johan Sebastian Bach – Six Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin – Sigiswald Kuijken – Deutsche Harmonia Mundi DHL 20401.03. A fantastic desert island box set which commands a premium on Discogs but it is worth it.
• Johann Sebastian Bach- Suites for cello - Anner Bylsma – SEON RCA RL 30369. Though I have many different versions of the suites, it is one of my all time favourites. The Dutch master recorded another version on digital for Sony with a very powerful Stradivarius (The Servais from the Smithsonian Institute) but I much prefer the rather rough sound of his personal Matteo Gofriller. Avoid the American pressing.
• Johann Sebastian Bach – The Keyboard Concertos – Leonhardt Consorts, Concentus Musicus / Gustav Leonhardt - Telefunken Das Alte Werk SCA 25 022-T/1-5. A must have.
• Johann Sebastian Bach- Brandenburg Concertos – Gustav Leonhardt – SEON RL 30400. A beautiful but rather austere interpretation. I also need to mention the first recording by Nikolaus Harnoncourt and the Concentus Musicus with Telefunken ref. SAWT 9459/60-A.

I will post the remaining top 30 in the thread.

Thank you very much for sharing.

Tang

 

[astrotoy]

I bought both the Kuijken Solo Sonatas and Partitas and the Bylsma Cello Suites when they first came out around 1980 or so. Got the Kuijken in the Deutsche Harmonia Mundi issue as shown above, but the Bylsma is on a Pro Arte pressing licensed from SEON. That might be cheaper on the used market. The cover shows Bylsmas playing his Goffriller cello, holding between his knees in the baroque style. This is probably the American pressing to avoid!

Larry

 

[astrotoy]

The Philharmonia Baroque is our local orchestra in the East Bay (across the Bay from San Francisco). Nick McGegan announced his retirement after the 2019-20 season after 35 years. I have a few of his recordings from the '70s when he played with Hogwood and the then pretty new AAM. Of course we are also losing Michael Tilson Thomas from the SF Symphony at the same time after 25 years as MD. (Esa-Pekka Salonen has just been named as his replacement).

 

[bazelio]

Thanks for the list. I have many Koopman CDs. I'm going to branch out and work my way through your recommendations in 2019.

 

[miniguy]

Hi Bill

Indeed. Great records don't need to be expensive and this is the case with Baroque music on period instruments. Out of my entire selection, there are only 3 items above the 100 euros mark with one almost impossible to find, respectively: Sigiswald Kuijken's sonatas and partitas, Anner Bylsma's cello suites and Michel Kiener's Goldberg Variations.



Thanks Larry,

To my knowledge, there is no pure analogue recording of Händel's Opus 6 on period instruments as the Trevor Pinnock's version with Archiv Produktion is a digital recording. Händel's Opus 6 is a seminal piece in the Baroque repertoire. Marriner was therefore the obvious choice.

The harder was to stick to a selection of 40 top picks.

As an alternative to the Marriner, one cannot easily dismiss the excellent Leppard performance in detailed and expansive sound on Philips S.C 71 AX 302.

 

[bonzo75]

The General gave me this.

View attachment 46629

This is by Sigiwald Kuijken. For the Bach sonatas and partitas (the piece that Tima posted), he gave you the Hans Olof iirc.

 

[XCop5089]

This album (which I have owned since it's release in 1978) is one of my favourites of the genre.

The content is Hungarian-Slovak and features the cimbalom (a relative of the dulcimer) and the bagpipe!

fullsizeoutput_1440 by Steve Coward, on Flickr

 

[XCop5089]

Sleeve notes on rear.

fullsizeoutput_143e by Steve Coward, on Flickr

 

[Tango]

This is by Sigiwald Kuijken. For the Bach sonatas and partitas (the piece that Tima posted), he gave you the Hans Olof iirc.

Yes Bonzo. This 3 vinyls album from Classic Record is superb. Very quiet vinyls too.



Tang