Customer Reviews

C.P.E. Bach - 8 Symphonies & 3 Quartets / AAM, Hogwood

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach - son of Johann Sebastian - is a composer about whom we hear little today, although in the 18th Century he was one of the most influential, successful and imitated musicians in Europe. Praised by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven as a head-figure, he is generally associated with the musical equivalent of literature's Sturm Und Drang current.

This CD of CPE Bach's music is made up of two main components: the orchestral syphonies and the intimate chamber music.

CPE Bach's biggest issue vis a vis today's listener is that he matured smack between the Baroque and the Classical era. This is typified by his symphonies. The symphonies are played with passion and dynamism by the Academy of Ancient Music, but modern listeners may compare them to more mature, chronologically adjacent styles - the orchestral music of his father (earlier) and Haydn's symphonies (later). Although CPE Bach's orchestral language for his time was cutting edge, the modern ear cannot quite place it - is he late-Baroque or early Classical? Although this comparison is unfairly anachronistic, listeners who are not 18th-Century music buffs may find themselves a little displaced.

The chamber music is a totally different proposition. In a sense, CPE Bach's style is perfect for this intimate genre, which he undoubtedly brought to a level of maturity in some regards unsurpassed. His style is extremely expressive - oftentimes, he places a dynamic mark (pianissimo, piano, forte, etc.) under every note in a line, while his phrasing is very crisp, with the instrumental "vowels" and the "consonants" clearly articulated by a very meticulous use of the legato and staccato. Phrases are often short and nervous, with pithy melodic cells that develop in unexpected ways; pauses and silence are equally important in this style as notes and sound.

The sound of the fortepiano is complemented by the other instruments that "sing" in an equally expressive way. The viola of the excellent Catherine McIntosh and the flute of McGegan flutter in a wonderful way - sometime in parallel thirds and sixths, sometimes alone, sometimes in "concert" over the whole range, supported by the cello.

A fine treat is the Fantasia in C Major, masterfully played by Hogwood. This piece is part of CPE Bach's monumental opus for solo keyboard, the collection of sonatas, rondos and fantasias "For professionals and amateurs." In many ways, this piece is a manifesto to CPE Bach's aesthetics, and Hogwood does it full justice.

Why did I give it only four stars? Because I think that the melange of orchestral pieces and chamber music smacks a little of a "compilation." I would have rather had two CDs or CD sets - one with orchestral music, the other with all chamber music. Still, I may be being a little too picky. This is a recording that I recommend for both the choice of music and how it is performed.

I became acquainted with the six wonderful, wayward "Hamburg" symphonies of H657-62, Wq182, on a CD (or more probably two CDs; but it's a long time ago) borrowed from the Auckland Public Library. The orchestra was the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra but I can't remember who the conductor was. However, when I came to buy the music I chose this recording and I was not disappointed. Hogwood by and large lets the music speak for itself. Its sometimes jerky waywardness doesn't need emphasising as is the case on the English Concert recording. One could almost imagine CPE being teleported to the 20th century and on return to his own times immediately sitting down to write using some of the features of modern music but rejecting anything ugly. These symphonies really are unlike anything composed in the eighteenth century. They are nothing like Mozart or Haydn. By the same token, they aren't anything like 19th century music either. Despite their weirdness they could come only from the eighteenth century. And they are just as enchanting in their own way as Mozart and Haydn. Every time I listen to this CD set I ask myself where did CPE get his inspiration?

The two symphonies that start the second CD are not quite as strange as those on the first disc, but they still couldn't be by anyone but CPE. Listening to the first movement of the first one, I wonder if CPE was actually the inspiration for some of Haydn's positively frenetic allegros.

The quartets for flute, fortepiano, viola and cello that complete the two CDs are charming works. I agree it's rather unusual for chamber music to share a CD with orchestral works but perhaps it will win more admirers for chamber music. I personally prefer chamber music to orchestral, but most people are the other way round and many positively dislike chamber music. I've never been able to understand their explanations, when pressed, of "thin sound". They might as well say they don't like the song of a single blackbird but only prefer birds singing in chorus because a single blackbird has a "thin sound"!

Track number one, CD 1, does end rather abruptly and I suspect the reviewer who points it out is correct in claiming that four seconds are missing. As for the glitch between the first movement of symphony No. 3 and its adagio, I think we may have the same problem here, but I do seem to recall that the end of the first movement plunged straight into the adagio. They are, I agree, unacceptable defects, but I'm not taking points off the performance because of this. It's not the musicians' fault. I doubt they were given a complete hearing of the final edited recording.

The symphonies here are great, flirting in that galant/rococco way between classical and baroque, but they really are something else entirely. The performances are very energetic and tight...not bad sounding at all for early AAM. I'm not sure about the glitches mentioned below, but my main difficulty with this set are the quartets. Something about the sound is too harsh, and despite the usual caliber of the performers (McGegan on flute!) there's something lacking. Koopman's version of these are much more soulful, but alas, no longer available. Hogwood does a pretty good job on the C major fantasy but I find the work itself annoying.

Worth it for the symphonies, which are exciting but underheard. Certainly a good value, and until Koopman gets reissued (don't hold your breath) the only period performance available.

The sound itself is just fine. A little treblely and loud but other than that the sound is pretty good for a ADD. I would very much recommend this cd if it were not for a couple of things. One of the movements ends with 4 seconds cut-off of it. Another movement has a glitch between the transition into the slow movement. Both on cd #1. Too bad because, I'm pretty convinced it was caused in the studio.