Customer Reviews

Thomas Arne: Six Favourite Concertos

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

 

 

Thomas Arne (1710-1778) was an English composer, largely of stage works, but did write a small volume of instrumental works, including the keyboard concertos on this disc - these were published in 1793 after his death, but composed likely in the mid-18th century; thus, he was part of the early vanguard of European composers writing in this 'new' genre which was primarily introduced by Handel (an influence obviously) and JS Bach.

Arne's keyboard concertos are in 3-4 movements unlike the older Baroque style of multiple dance-based groupings. Most interesting the various pieces are performed on different keyboard instruments, i.e. fortepiano, harpsichord, and organ which was likely the trend at the time due to the changing nature of keyboard instruments in that century. In addition, the Parley of Instruments is a period group which I've enjoyed in many previous recordings.

This recording is from 1991 and was engineered by the outstandingly experience Tony Faulkner, so one would expect the sound, mixing, and production to be up to his and Hyperion's high standards. Downgrading this wonderful performance to 1* based on the assumption of poor miking and mixing is utter nonsense; the harpsichord indeed does NOT sound like the full orchestra - it's not suppose to! And trying to up the miking on the instrument would produce a very unnatural balance - I hope that the reviewer w/ the poor rating was not trying to listen to this recording in a car or through earphones on a train or bus?

Bottom line - if you are interested in the development of keyboard music and its evolution in the 18th century, especially in the early and mid-portion of that fascinating musical period, this CD is worthy of consideration. Also, if you visit Berkshire Record Outlet, the disc is available there for just $5!

Arne was a major musical force in 18th century London. His GOD SAVE THE KING and RULE BRITTANIA sealed his reputation,and he was music director at Vauxhall for twenty years. His keyboard writing is full of surprises.and some of his themes are most memorable. Well worth owning!

I'm afraid I must concur with the other poor review here. I have a big collection of baroque concertos on CD & vinyl and this is the strangest piece of sound mixing that I have ever heard. I have played it on a Bose Wave CD player, a budget Pioneer separate amplifier and recently on my new Audiolab system and it does not sound any better on any of them. I have no expertise here but I have a pair of ears and without getting into the close miking or not technical arguments, the keyboard instruments all sound too quiet and are drowned out by the other instruments. The material is interesting. Arne is a talented disciple of Handel who in my humble opinion is better than all the other english born contemporaries except maybe Charles Avison. The playing sounds like it could be good but the material is rendered unlistenable by the sound mix. I read another review defending this piece by alluding to it being more natural. Yes harpsichord is not that loud but an organ being drowned out by a chamber orchestra is another proposition. While we are on the subject of the different keyboard instruments, if the original pianoforte sounded as weak as it does in the piano concertos here then it is difficult to believe that it could have ever superseded the harpsichord. This recording is unusually problematic in respect of its sound mix. I have a Chandos CD of Roy Goodman and the Brandenburg Consort which has a problem with the mix but it is nothing like as extreme as this. This issue does not effect any of the other concertos I have for example Trevor Pinnock & The English Concert on Archiv, Andrew Manze & AAM on Harmonia Mundi etc. Caveat emptor!

Because of poor placement of a microphone or careless mixing, the harpsichord is faint. Listen to the first cut on the sampler. I have bought hundreds of classical CDs from Amazon. This is the first I have returned. I am sorry for the musicians that a technician ruined their performance, and that helios released such a poor recording.