|  | | | Customer Reviews: | | | Average Customer Review:
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
 Recorder and Flute "Superstar" Frans Brüggen Mar 22, 2009
Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741): Six Concertos for Flute, Strings and Basso continuo, op. 10 [Nos. 1,2, 5 and 6 are played in the original Venetian version for recorder rather than transverse flute); Alessandro Marcello (1684 - 1750): Concerto in D minor for Oboe, Strings and Basso continuo. Giovanni Platti (c. 1690 - 1763): Concerto in G major for Oboe, Strings and Basso continuo. Performed by: Frans Brüggen, solo recorder and baroque transverse flute; Bruce Haynes, baroque oboe; Members of the Orchestra of the 18th Century (Lucy van Dael, Francois Fernandez, Staas Swierstra, Anner Bylsma, Danny Bond, Nicholas Pap, Bob van Asperen) (Vivaldi); Baroque Orchestra (Lucy van Dael; Francois Fernandez; Chiara Banchini; Mihoko Kimura; Keiko Watanabe; Thomas Albert; Staas Swierstra; Lidewij Scheifes; Danny Bond; Nicholas Pap; Bob van Asperen) (Marcello and Platti); directed by Frans Brüggen. Recorded in January 1979 at the Lutheran Church in Haarlem, the Netherlands. First published in 1979 and 1980 on LP. This compilation published in 1997 as Sony Seon SBK 62945. Total playing time: 78'02".
The greater part of this disc (the Vivaldi concertos) are obviously meant to showcase the recorder and flute virtuosity of the amazing Frans Brüggen, whom the booklet describes, perhaps with a degree of hyperbole, as a "superstar". Brüggen's agility on both instruments is sheer magic, and when one considers that he was also conducting, this was a fantastic achievement. I suspect, however, that his decision to play the Venetian originals of four of the six opus 10 works was made to enable him to play his beautiful-sounding 18th century recorder by Jan Steenbergen; Vivaldi's re-orchestrated later versions for transverse flute are, in my opinion, slightly better, more mature works. With the exception of the gorgeous bassoon playing of Danny Bond, the rest of the ensemble here retreats somewhat into the background - this is the only "Seon" recording where I felt that the engineering could have been a tad better. The two oboe concertos which seem to have been added from another LP as an "encore" are much fuller in their sound, the orchestra being slightly larger - personally, I think Vivaldi, too, could have used a few more string players. The recording was made at a time when Frans Brüggen was attempting two careers at once, that of soloist and that of conductor. As most readers will no doubt know, he soon after gave up the struggle and decided to concentrate on conducting - a decision which may have robbed us of some incredible feats of flute and recorder playing, but which yielded some magisterial orchestral playing in Brüggen's recordings for Philips with the Orchestra of the 18th Century. Let us hope that Brüggen's recordings in both his capacities are kept alive and not allowed to disappear completely from the market.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Exceptional Jun 09, 2008
This truly is a wonderful version of the Vivaldi op.10 concertos. Bruggen plays the recorder and transverse flute with such verve, variety of articulation, and sensitive shading and nuance of sound.
Special mention should go also to bassoonist, Danny Bond, whose funky, garrulous bass lines are a real stand-out feature.
This is by no means a dull period performance; rather, it's full of life and bustle. The way the whole orchestra digs into the final movement of the second concerto, for example, should be heard to be believed.
The recording quality is excellent, too. There is nothing to suggest it was recorded so long ago.
Personally, I'm not so fond of the two oboe offerings on the disc, but this is by no means any reason to not purchase this recording that, in a perfect world, would be given legendary status.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Evergreen Vivaldi beautifully played Oct 07, 2007
The Seon record label specialized in historically informed performances from many of the ascending stars of that movement. It's ten year run of 1970-1980 represents the first popular flowering of the use of "authentic performance" methods. Budget priced with splendid music often beautifully recorded, Sony brought back the series in the late 90's. Now that the major labels have decided that Classical Music is uncommercial, the Seon series has been allowed to wither and die. Most, if not all, are out of print. When you see any still available, grab them. This one is an especially valuable recording.
Vivaldi assembled the Op.10 Flute Concertos in 1725 from his vast supply of scores going back to 1703. He selected five concertos, some for recorder, others for flute. Adding a new concerto, he rescored the five with the solos assigned to the transverse flute and the accompaniments redesigned for contemporary string orchestra. They were published in Amsterdam in 1728 as his Op.10 Flute Concertos. Frans Bruggen chooses to use the original, extremely colorful, Venetian versions of these scores. He even uses the recorder for the first two concertos. They are an earthy, joyful pair of concertos: effervescent and suffused with Italian sunshine, they bounce along merrily led by Bruggen's splendid playing. The final four concertos, played on transverse flute, are equally as good. Two Baroque oboe concertos by Marcello and Platti, beautifully played by oboist Bruce Haynes, round out the splendid collection. Bruggen conducts the Orchestra of the 18th Century. They are lithe and lean, playing with restraint, allowing the soloists to shine. Yet they sound as joyful and impressively alive as the two soloists. This is wonderful music. The sound is stunningly immediate for a recording made in 1979. Nearly 80 minutes of music at a bargain price. Take advantage of this opportunity before it vanishes into the mist along with those first, heady days of the period performance era.
Mike Birman
|
| |
|
![Firefly: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51734pRq2%2BL._SL75_.jpg "Firefly: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]")
![Gattaca [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51VfE5rU9OL._SL75_.jpg "Gattaca [Blu-ray]")
![Resident Evil [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51m8P3lO%2BnL._SL75_.jpg "Resident Evil [Blu-ray]")
![Run Lola Run [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51gTXpHYF7L._SL75_.jpg "Run Lola Run [Blu-ray]")
