More Telemann from Banchetto Musicale

There's a good reason why Boston is probably at the center of the period performance movement in the United States. With pioneering ensembles like Banchetto Musicale (now Boston Baroque) and the Boston Camerata performing, and crafting their approach for decades, we have a fine tradition in place and a receptive audience to boot.

A while ago, I posted Banchetto Musicale's Passion According to St Luke by Telemann. Here is it's "companion" record of strictly orchestral works, a nice introduction to the multifaceted Telemann, what with concerto and overtures of the bill.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, it positively amazes me just how far musicians have progressed in their knowledge and expertise of playing on period instruments. We have some mighty spirited music making here but allowances do need to be made for the instrumentalists. There are some squeaks and squawks but nothing approaching some of the travesties that the old Telemann Society unleashed on the public during their Vox heyday!

The concertmaster here is the ever redoubtable Daniel Stepner. What a great institution, mentor, and visionary this man has been over his distinguished 40+ year career!


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Mozart and Telemann on American Decca

The contents of two American Decca LP's, both devoted, somewhat oddly, to the pairing of Mozart and Telemann. The Zimbler Sinfonietta is featured in the ensemble works while Harold Gomberg performs his magic in a smaller, chamber like setting.

Both lps were recorded during a time when musicians were beginning to get a better handle on a more authentic period performance style. The Telemann, for instance, with flautist James Pappoutsakis doing the honors in the Suite for Flute and Strings, has moments of stylistic grace but also has some of the lumpiness characteristic of another time and place. This is best illustrated in the opening ouverture. On the Gomberg record, there are places where the phrasing in the Telemann pieces sounds a bit bloated and overdone. However, I cannot criticize the musicians because, for the most part, they performed in a manner that was accepted, known and regarded as proper. Still, performance practices have come a long way in the last 50 years! Gomberg's tone is, rather hypnotic.

Both of these lps will fit conveniently onto one cd.

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DOWNLOAD GOMBERG - DECCA DL9618

Coronation and Banquet Music with the Boston Baroque Ensemble

I love picking up forgotten lps featuring Boston based musicians and here's a neat little one featuring the Boston Baroque Ensemble of Daniel Pinkham. No, this is NOT the Boston Baroque of Telarc recordings fame but rather a chamber group of associates of Pinkham's, most of them teachers from NEC and Harvard. If I were to guess, I'd place this mono Cambridge recording about 1967 or so.

Daniel Pinkham is little known beyond Boston but for those in early music, he was one of the big time pioneers. He was a performer (a terrific organist and harpsichordist), editor, musicologist and composer, in fact his own compositions were heavily influenced by the music of the baroque era. Everything that I have heard by Pinkham is tasteful, well thought out and crafted. This lp of music by Telemann, Zelenka and Boismortier is no exception. My only wish is that Cambridge had thought better to have included another composition to bring this over the 40 minute mark.

Well worth your listening...

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The Baroque Oboe with Harold Gomberg

While I'm thinking New England Patriots at the moment, I suppose I can take a few minutes and concentrate on the classics!? With the recent shutdown of Megaupload, who knows how long any of us will be around doing our thing? As Otter says in Animal House, "What a shame that a few bad apples have to spoil a good time for everyone."

so....Harold Gomberg performing baroque works for the oboe accompanied by continuo and small chamber ensemble. Interestingly, this must be one of the very first conducting efforts on record by the much maligned Seiji Ozawa, probably made while he was Leonard Bernstein's assistant in NY and right before he headed north to Toronto. Gomberg, of course, is the consumate artist, with a mousselike tone and elegance in phrasing. Though a somewhat controversial figure (many fault him for being in the ring that led to the great Mitropoulos' demise in NY), he was nonetheless an oboist on par with Tabuteau as having the greatest influence on a school of players that now hold important chairs in many orchestras throughout the USA. This record is a pleasing document of his artistry. And, the music is wonderful too!

With that, Go Patriots! It all comes down to Tom Brady, a superb artist in his own right!

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Telemann's St Luke Passion performed by Banchetto Musicale

Boston Baroque in concert at Jordan Hall in Boston

Just in time for the holidays! From an earlier post, I had lamented the fact that Stereo Jack's in Cambridge is slated to close. Jack is still there as the People's Republic is moving slowly on issuing building permits for the pizzeria which will take the spot and, the building's owner is more then happy to keep collecting rent from Jack. Anyway, I pop in every few weeks and stuff keeps coming in; I was fortunate to come across this splendid recording from Titanic Records with Martin Pearlman and Banchetto Musicale a k a Boston Baroque. I'll always know this wonderful ensemble by the former name, not the name given to them when they signed on with Telarc some 20 odd years ago. The marketing mavens saw more $$$ in a Boston Baroque brand, of course.

Pearlman and Banchetto Musicale were the American pioneers of period performance. Long before anyone else was trying to be HIP, Pearlman, noted violinist Daniel Stepner, harpsichordist John Gibbons, oboist Peggy Pearson were removing the cobwebs off of many chestnuts from the baroque and, introducing audiences to nearly forgotten masters from the baroque. Telemann, believe it or not, was on the fringes when these records were cut in 1980 and its hard to imagine this since today, he has since undergone a reappraisal as one of the greatest and most innovative masters of the 18th century. There are literally hundreds of cds cut within the last 25 years of this incredibly prolific and cosmopolitan genius.

Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)

Though Telemann is best known for his instrumental gems, he did write extensively for the church though his works are admittedly not as contemplative as those by his good friend Johann Sebastian Bach. Whereas Bach's passions are deeply emotional and pious, Telemann speaks on the emotional level with a lighter touch and the music does not plumb the depths of meaning and understanding of the text to the level of the great JS. Possibly this could be due to the nature of the cisties where they lived, Telemann in liberal, forward looking Hamburg and Bach in conservative, staunchly Lutheran Leipzig. Perhaps too it has something to do with Telemann's cosmopolitan outlook and Bach's insular, deeply religious upbringing. Whatever the reasons, we are presented with an effective works that is melodically quite pleasing, never outstaying its welcome over 79 minutes. Not to be disrespectful to Telemann, whom I adore, but this is definitely Passion Lite.

This recording features the noted baritone James Maddelena along with Boston stalwart Karl Dan Sorensen and Ray deVoll. The last artist was the featured soloist in the Berlioz Requiem I offered a few posts back. I want to remind you all that this recording is 30 years old and mastering period instruments has come a long way since then. This is a beautifully rendered recording but you will hear, from time to time, the occasional sour sound that most of these earlier period performance records would have on them. As a historical document this is vital and, as a musical document, kudos to Martin Pearlman and Banchetto Musicale for bringing style and good taste to the music of the incredible Telemann.

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James Stagliano and Arthur Berv - Baroque Style

Some fun listening here from two of the 20th century's greatest orchestral horn players, James Stagliano and Arthur Berv. These two giants of the horn play works from the baroque period and have a hell of a good time doing so!

Both of these soloists had long and prestigious careers. Arthur Berv, at the time of this recording, was well into his fifth decade of performing. Elevated to the principal horn chair at age 19 by none other than Toscanini, he never looked back and preceded to set a standard of excellence that successive hornists have aspired towards. For the most part, Berv's career centered around New York as he performed with every New York ensemble of consequence.

One of Berv's younger and most talented colleagues was James Stagliano, longtime principal of the Boston Symphony. Stagliano had horn playing in his genes as his uncle was recognized as a great orchestral player and teacher. Prior to becoming a member of the BSO, Stagliano played in Los Angeles and Cleveland where he developed a reputation of being able to play at an exceptionally high register. While in Boston, Stagliano recorded a number of recordings of which one of the best features the four horn concertos of Mozart with the Zimbler Sinfonietta. I have this recording and can transfer it if there is sufficient interest in the art of James Stagliano.

Stagliano and Berv play wonderfully together and I note that Berv plays the second parts. This is a compliment of the high regard which the older musician held the younger one. The orchestra is the "Kapp Sinfonietta" probably a New York pickup group and they are ably led by Richard Dunn of whom I know nothing. With a program of Telemann and Handel you can't go wrong you know.

So, enjoy some really great horn playing. I wish that I had the stereo lp instead of the mono edition but beggars cannot be choosers!

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Chamber Music by Brahms and Telemann



Couple early Westminster issues today.

First up is Brahms' posthumous Trio in A Major performed by the "Huebner"Trio. I admit to not knowing this piece but found it a rather pleasant discovery. From what I have read, there is some disagreement about authorship however, it is Brahmsian in structure and sound, at least to my ears! An interesting work though it strangely does not stay with me like the "opused" three trios.

I have included music from Telemann's Tafelmusik as a fill since it features the fine flute playing of Milton Wittgenstein with Sylvia Marlowe on harpsichord, Marcel Hubert - cello, and Engelbert Brenner - oboe.  I do not believe the Telemann to be an odd discmate for the Brahms since the latter would have known Telemann's music and drawn a level of inspiration from it. Of all his contemporaries, Brahms looked to the past quite often for knowledge and ideas.

These are early 50's recordings and soundwise not too bad.

 

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Heroic Music for Organ and Brass with E Power Biggs and members of the BSO

 As I mentioned before, I'm a long time trumpeter and, when the mood strikes me,  I love to hear good brass and organ music. So, here are the contents of a Columbia Masterworks 2 LP set  featuring E Power Biggs with the New England Brass Ensemble (members of the BSO). Music featured is by Giovanni Gabrieli, Frescobaldi, Telemann, Handel, Clarke and Purcell. 

E Power Biggs kind of gets short changed nowadays. I've known a couple organists that considered him rather wooden in style with technique that they labeled hardly exceptional. However, in spite of any inadequacies that he might have had, as we all do, Biggs played an extremely important, and serious, role in disseminating much organ based literature to the general public. In addition, Biggs worked with first class musicians throughout his career and that is exemplified by the presence here of the BSO brass, conductor Richard Burgin, and the fine scholar/harpsichordist Daniel Pinkham.

The contents of these lps are festive and joyous. This is music to lift one's spirits and the musicians do just that. I want to point out that the great Armando Ghitalla is contributing his very best trumpet work here; Ghitalla's influence on a whole generation of orchestral trumpeters cannot be understated, his ability to phrase and project great warmth is captured here at the height of his powers. The second trumpet is Andre Come, long the BSO second chair, a down to earth man who absolutely never moved a muscle (outside of his diaphragm and lips) when he played. Stiffness aside, Come was a durable and consistent player and, quite versatile at that! Come really could swing when playing in the "Pops."

Biggs plays on the Arp Schnitger organ at Harvard's Busch Reisinger Museum and I presume everything was recorded there. This edition was released in 1973 but I think that the earliest of the recordings date from the late 60's.

Savor away heroic brass and organ! More Boston based music will be on the way...
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