Customer Reviews

Couperin: 4 Livres de Pièces de Clavecin / Complete Harpsichord Music

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4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
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I was never able to buy the complete Couperin keyboard recordings by Christophe Rousset before that set was deleted from the catalog. This 11 CD set by Michael Borgstede was the only set I could find when I ordered it in 2007. I am glad I found it. Borgstede performs this large repertoire without a hint of boredom. He achieves consistency of style without sameness. Generally using a light, filigree and rhythymically lively style that allows the listener to hear distinctly the separate voices in the music (compare his Les Baricades Misterieuses on disc 4 to Blandine Verlet Astree Naive E 3003- also very well done, but denser), he can be weightier; for example disc 6, Les Triomphante, a battle depiction, the relentless advance of the victorious army portrayed by the uncharacteristic instruction for the French: "croches egales" (equal quarter notes).

His instrument, a Ruckers replica, is never "jangly" or overly loud and tiring to the ear. Great set and fabulous value.

Couperin's keyboard works are really excellent. I find them every bit as exciting as Bach. They have a flavor of their own. I think that the recording quality is excellent. This set has real competition, but that competition is either unavailable, hard to get, or considerably more expensive. I have heard the Kenneth Gilbert, but it is out of print and could cost upwards of $400.00-800.00 used. One copy of the complete Verlet set is currently available used for 600 pound sterling. It is almost unheard of to find one available. Davitt Moroney's set is not complete and practically impossible to find. The incomparable Pierre Hantai has never recorded more than a small number of pieces by anyone other than Bach. His Goldberg Variations on Opus-111 are an incomparable joy to hear. Olivier Baumont's set on Warner is more expensive than the Brilliant Classics, but can be purchased much cheaper in England by email. Try Amazon.UK. Nicole Speith's complete set is quite good, but is very hard to find--almost impossible in the U.S., but can be purchased directly from the manufacturer in France for an attractive price. The always interesting Rousset is also very hard to get and a little eccentric sounding. It is also very expensive. I have seen on set available for around $700.00 or so in used condition.

In essence, the Borgstede set on Brilliant Classics is the last set standing in the US with the exception of the Warner set. I like the faster tempos on this set. I agree with the previous reviewer about luxuriating in French baroque harpsichord, but it can get boring after awhile. Borgstede plays this music at a nice pace with a great sense of rhythm. After all, this music can be kind of limited and can get a little dull.

This set is really worth getting. Give it a shot.

I purchased this because I was not able/willing to play through all several hundred pages of Couperin's harpsichord pieces to find pieces I like. It's a lot easier if someone else does this for you. And the price is right.

In general, I found the tempo way too fast in many pieces. This is music from the 17th/18th century born in the lap of royal luxury and wealthy patronage -- it needs to be luxuriated in. It should be played slowly enough so that the delicate nuances that the harpsichord can express are capable of being heard. There is not enough breath in the pieces, it's like a runaway train. Does he have a plane to catch? This often happens with Type-A pros, who forget that ordinary people actually listen to the music and would like to hear the notes. I have had several friends make similar comments.

That said, I was able to enjoy this not so much as a player but as a curious listener, and found many pieces I liked and was capable of playing -- in my own way and style of course. That is what is so wonderful about this historical chamber music -- it is so open to interpretation.

The harpsichord itself is a classic, but the pickup mike was perhaps too close and left me and the music with a too-bright jangly feeling. The bass seemed weak. I have a Franco-Flemish single manual, 2x8, 8 feet long, and the long strings hum and murmur deeply. A friend said my bass sounded like an idling motor or a cat purring. Yes, certain of the pieces should be played brightly and loudly, with the 4' choir -- if necessary -- but overall I find the registration too heavy.

While I don't always like the artist's playing style and some of his interpretation, I think this set of recordings is a classic and well worth the money, and time spent listening. Congratulation to anyone who has mastered all these pieces.

For every lover of Francois Couperin, it is a real pity that the best complete recordings of his harpsichord music are no longer available: Scott Ross, Christophe Rousset, Blandine Verlet, Noelle Spieth, Kenneth Gilbert are all indeed unavailable or at least extremely hard to find at reasonable price. I feel anyway very lucky to have all of them including this version and the one of olivier baumont which is available as well.
The funny thing with interpretations of Couperin's harpsichord works is that it is very hard to rank them by order of preference as they all are very good in their own style and it basically depends on your mood/taste of the moment which one you would prefer. In general, i prefer christophe rousset's varied style and rich sound when hearing the whole set in a row but the touch and sensitivity of scott ross is really unique as well. The feminine and rebel subjectivity of Blandine Verlet is poetic and fascinating but might irritate some ears as well. Noelle Spieth is the best at expressing each piece in a specific and varied way though her harpsichord may sound sometimes rough. Only Kenneth Gilbert's version is a bit behind in my view as the harpsichord and the tone sounds too scholar and the style not varied enough.
Out of the both version available (Olivier Baumont and Michael Borgstede) it is also very hard for me to choose.
Olivier Baumont has an excellent mastery for the french style. He plays appropriately sometimes with humour and fantasy and at other times really with very dark tones and feelings. In general the sound of harpsichord is frank and clear in the style of Blanchet harpsichord which fits quite well to couperin's music. However he can also sound nervous and scholar (probably he knows too much how it shall be played...). His fourth book is outstanding.
Michael Borgstede brings a real vitality and vivid flow to couperin's music without trying to overplay the rubatos, silence and irregular notes, only bringing to small touch of irregularity needed to keep the music going. Among all the different versions, this is maybe the only one representing the german way of playing couperin (very subjective assessment) which is not a drawback thinking that german keyboard players such as Johann Sebastian Bach played Couperin.
When overall trying to compare Baumont and Borgstede, i found Borgstede maybe better in first 2 books and Baumont better in last 2 books.
In any case, this set is highly recommended for the price and for the consistent quality of the performance, especially when considering the lack of availability of many other versions.

I found this a bit gonzo: harsh and loud, and aggressive. I much prefer Olivier Baumont's set on WCJ, available for about the same price, but more varied and eloquent.Couperin: Complete Works for Harpsichord

Couperin's harpsichord pieces are one of the summits of the French and European baroque. They draw us into a different world from our own noisy, democratic and commercialized universe. Instead of exaggeration and showmanship, they call for perfect taste, emotion that never lapses into sentimentality but is always controlled and articulated. They also call for an instrument that is pleasant to the ear, mature and unspectacular. As a lover of this music, I have collected several versions of them, although Borgstede's is the only one I have complete. One of the things that is immediately apparent when you compare a particular piece played by different artists like Beaumont, Gilbert, Rousset, Verlet and others is the sheer beauty of Borgstede's instrument which makes it a treasure to the ear. By contrast, many of the instruments played by other artists (if you hear them in quick succession, for instance using the iTunes facility) sound tinny and clamorous. Of course, the ear adjusts to different soundscapes, but I still return to Borgstede when I want to listen to a few hours of divine keyboard busic played with taste and precision. This does not mean that he is bland - he can characterize different pieces as they should be (and many of them carry thought-provoking names) as they should without ever becoming exaggerated or precious (as Rousset can, on occasions). At the price, I think that this is the perfect version to have.

If you like the Frecnh baroque, you likely have several collections of pieces taken from the Livres de clavecin, but often wonder what the rest can be concealing in the way of special gems. Here is a chance to explore with authentic instruments (two of them) set in the preferred lower, untempered pitch and played very credibly by M.Borgstede. Yes, some pieces will not draw you back again and again, but just the sheer pleasure of hours of Couperin listening is the real advantage here, and enjoy you will.

Highly recommended for classical fans who want something off the beaten track musically. The playing & performance is high quality and with great sensitivity