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C.p.e. Bach: Hamburger Sinfonien / Christ, Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra
Haenssler Classic

C.p.e. Bach: Hamburger Sinfonien / Christ, Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra

$20.99

Details

Composer
BACH, C.P.E.
Artist
Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Christ
Format
CD
Label
Haenssler Classic
Released
Jan 28, 2014
Catalog #
98637
UPC
4010276024866

About


This is, hands down, the best version of these remarkable pieces yet recorded. Wolfram Christ, famous as a solo violist and principal in the Berlin Philharmonic, whips the strings of the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra into a frenzy in the quick movements, and wrings every drop of expressive angst from the more brooding slow movements. Consider, for example, the Adagio of Symphony No. 3, ostensibly in C major, with its tritonal shrieks and desolate, almost expressionist harmonies (sound clip). It’s an amazing work, and this recording does it full justice.

The performance style is what you might call “modified period practice.” Vibrato is used minimally–a mistake, of course, but not too serious a one in this context because all other aspects of the playing are so good. More importantly, the continuo part is finally played on C.P.E. Bach’s preferred instrument in lieu of the clavichord: the fortepiano. Truth be told, we have no evidence historically that these symphonies were ever performed with a fortepiano, but then, we have no evidence of how they were performed at all.

What these interpretations reveal, though, is what Tovey said nearly a century ago: that a fortepiano is even better than a harpsichord as an accompanying instrument for the same reason it’s better than a harpsichord at everything else. The variety of touch, articulation, and above all, dynamics makes it possible to accompany the strings without suddenly turning the music into a harpsichord concerto or, on the other hand, forcing the strings to restrict their own dynamics in order to accommodate the limitations of the continuo instrument.

These considerations are particularly valid today when, first, continuo players simply can’t resist embellishing their parts in a way which is wholly inauthentic and, as often as not, unstylish, and second, recording engineers invariably mike the continuo too loudly on the theory that everything the instrument does ought to be heard on the same plane as the folks who have the tune. At least with a fortepiano, sensitively played as here, the embellishments and balance issues never get in the way of the string ensemble. It blends harmoniously and mellifluously at all times. The result is simply wonderful, and surely closer to Bach’s intentions than more avowedly “authentic” versions if only because it’s so much more musical.

The opening of the B minor Symphony (No. 5 in the set) offers an excellent example of how attractive, how modern, the music sounds when performed in this fashion (sound clip). These symphonies were commissioned by Gottfried van Swieten (librettist of Haydn’s late oratorios) in 1773. He told Bach to write whatever he wanted, without regard for conventional stylistic or technical limitations. The result is an astounding series of passionate, spontaneous, and timeless pieces that finally sound that way. Surely you will want to own this gripping, even thrilling disc.

-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

Tracklist 18 tracks

  1. 1 I. Allegro di molto 03:26
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegro di molto
    Duration
    03:26
    Composer
    Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
    Ensemble
    Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
    Conductor
    Wolfram Christ
  2. 2 II. Poco adagio 03:27
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Poco adagio
    Duration
    03:27
    Composer
    Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
    Ensemble
    Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
    Conductor
    Wolfram Christ
  3. 3 III. Presto 03:48
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Presto
    Duration
    03:48
    Composer
    Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
    Ensemble
    Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
    Conductor
    Wolfram Christ
  4. 4 I. Allegro di molto 03:22
    Track
    4
    Title
    I. Allegro di molto
    Duration
    03:22
    Composer
    Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
    Ensemble
    Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
    Conductor
    Wolfram Christ
  5. 5 II. Poco adagio 02:24
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. Poco adagio
    Duration
    02:24
    Composer
    Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
    Ensemble
    Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
    Conductor
    Wolfram Christ
  6. 6 III. Presto 04:49
    Track
    6
    Title
    III. Presto
    Duration
    04:49
    Composer
    Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
    Ensemble
    Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
    Conductor
    Wolfram Christ
  7. 7 I. Allegro assai 02:45
    Track
    7
    Title
    I. Allegro assai
    Duration
    02:45
    Composer
    Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
    Ensemble
    Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
    Conductor
    Wolfram Christ
  8. 8 II. Adagio 03:17
    Track
    8
    Title
    II. Adagio
    Duration
    03:17
    Composer
    Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
    Ensemble
    Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
    Conductor
    Wolfram Christ
  9. 9 III. Allegretto 05:37
    Track
    9
    Title
    III. Allegretto
    Duration
    05:37
    Composer
    Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
    Ensemble
    Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
    Conductor
    Wolfram Christ
  10. 10 I. Allegro ma non troppo 04:23
    Track
    10
    Title
    I. Allegro ma non troppo
    Duration
    04:23
    Composer
    Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
    Ensemble
    Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
    Conductor
    Wolfram Christ
  11. 11 II. Largo ed innocentamente 03:51
    Track
    11
    Title
    II. Largo ed innocentamente
    Duration
    03:51
    Composer
    Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
    Ensemble
    Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
    Conductor
    Wolfram Christ
  12. 12 III. Allegro assai 04:11
    Track
    12
    Title
    III. Allegro assai
    Duration
    04:11
    Composer
    Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
    Ensemble
    Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
    Conductor
    Wolfram Christ
  13. 13 I. Allegretto 04:22
    Track
    13
    Title
    I. Allegretto
    Duration
    04:22
    Composer
    Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
    Ensemble
    Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
    Conductor
    Wolfram Christ
  14. 14 II. Larghetto 02:43
    Track
    14
    Title
    II. Larghetto
    Duration
    02:43
    Composer
    Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
    Ensemble
    Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
    Conductor
    Wolfram Christ
  15. 15 III. Presto 03:46
    Track
    15
    Title
    III. Presto
    Duration
    03:46
    Composer
    Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
    Ensemble
    Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
    Conductor
    Wolfram Christ
  16. 16 I. Allegro di molto 02:16
    Track
    16
    Title
    I. Allegro di molto
    Duration
    02:16
    Composer
    Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
    Ensemble
    Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
    Conductor
    Wolfram Christ
  17. 17 II. Poco andante 03:22
    Track
    17
    Title
    II. Poco andante
    Duration
    03:22
    Composer
    Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
    Ensemble
    Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
    Conductor
    Wolfram Christ
  18. 18 III. Allegro spirituoso 03:30
    Track
    18
    Title
    III. Allegro spirituoso
    Duration
    03:30
    Composer
    Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
    Ensemble
    Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
    Conductor
    Wolfram Christ