Gustav Leonhardt: a farewell to one of the greatest.
Mon, Jul 2 2012, 3:30PM
Despite he passed away in mid-January, I decided to initiate this new topic as a tribute to the honour of one of the greatest musician of the past and current century (he was born in 1928), the first harpsichordist par excellence, a pioneer of the "revolution in Baroque", a man of an immense career without any gloss but also without any compromise. His recordings have been icons of the vast period of early to the very late Baroque. His concerts unique, in every way. And yet, how many of us will really remember him with fondness and will cherish the memory of his recordings and achievements?
His dedication to his Art was so strong that it is interesting to state some of his credo in his own verbatim:
- No clapping in the church! If we clap after "Donna nobis pacem" of the great Mass in b minor by Bach (along with the necessary bows and flowers...), it means we have not understood anything of what we have just listened to.
- A good harpsichordist is the one who can make the listener to forget the harpsichord.
- I became a musician, so that I may not resort to speak. By playing, I express all I can say with the music I perform. If it works, all the words cannot do anything. If it doesn't, all the words cannot serve any purpose.
- I do not like the word "interpretation". I simply serve the music; I don't interpret!
- When I play, I don't think. I have already done that before the actual playing.
In the course of possible exchanges, I'll be more than happy to present some of his most memorable recordings along with further information on his life, work and career. To start with, he and his long-standing friend and co-artist, more celebrated Nikolaus Harnoncourt, have created the first and arguably the most important and greatest achievement in the recording history, the complete Cantatas by Bach, on Teldec. The LP release was the most valuable and significant one, since it included the scores of each Cantata!
Parla
Mon, Jul 2 2012, 11:09PM
#2
RE: Gustav Leonhardt: a farewell to one of the greatest.
Well spotted all you mentioned, Chris.
To add the "historic" and legendary recording of the Brandemburg Concertos, on Sony-Seon in 1976-1977, with soloists of the first order anywhere: Apart from himself, the three brothers Kuijken, Frans Bruggen, Anner Bylsma, Paul Dombrecht...
A reference musician for the period in question.
Parla
Tue, Jul 3 2012, 8:19PM
#3
RE: Gustav Leonhardt: a farewell to one of the greatest.
For once we can all agree! I too have huge admiration for Leonhardt's contribution to music and I have many of his recordings and the dvd of his (sort of) acting role in 'Anna Magdalena Bach'. Have either of you listened to the 5CD set on Alpha called 'A tribute to Gustav Leonhart, The Last Recordings'? I wonder if it is worth acquiring?
Tue, Jul 3 2012, 8:40PM
#4
RE: Gustav Leonhardt: a farewell to one of the greatest.
'A tribute to Gustav Leonhart, The Last Recordings'
Could well be interesting. I've not heard it. One reason is that it is not yet released! 23 July in the UK, in the USA on 10th July. We'll have to be patient!
Tue, Jul 3 2012, 11:51PM
#5
RE: Gustav Leonhardt: a farewell to one of the greatest.
It's a collection of some recordings Leonhardt did for Alpha the last years of his life. I have most of them, so I'm not sure whether I have to purchase it. However, if you haven't bought any of these recordings for Alpha, then go for it. It is worthwhile.
Parla
Wed, Jul 11 2012, 1:08PM
#6
RE: Gustav Leonhardt: a farewell to one of the greatest.
For those few (or very few, I'm afraid) interested, Sony has released from his Vivarte series, two great boxes at very low prices:
- J.S. Bach: Keyboard works, including the French Suites, the wonderful and not easily found (by Leohnardt) Inventions and Sinfonias, the Cello Suite no. 4 and the Lute Suite No.3 (arr. by Leonhardt for harpsichord) and some more not easily traceable pieces by the greatest of the composers.
- The Organ in the Renaissance and the Baroque, including an amazing array of rare but beautiful and quite interesting composers (about 36 in total) and works for the Organ (from Ammerbach to Erbach, to Fux, to Krebs, to Muffat, to Speth till we reach Zachow).
For those who may dare, enjoy!
Parla
Parla: A worthy tribute to a great man.
I was just looking at the musicians who were members of his 'Leonhardt Consort'. The names speak for themselves. On the first LP of Bach cantatas with Alfred Deller (1954), the instrumentalists included Eduard Melkus, Marie Leonhardt, Kurt Theiner, Alice Hoffelner (Harnoncourt) and Nikolaus Harnoncourt.
In the first volumes of the complete cantatas (mentioned above by Parla), we find the names of Sigiswald Kuijken, Anner Bylsma, Frans Bruggen, Barthold Kuijken,Ton Koopman, Glen Wilson, and the chorus master for many of them was Philippe Herrewege. Jordi Savall was also one of his pupils.
His contribution to the Teldec set included many memorable performances, none finer than the wonderful Actus Tragicus (No.106), which can serve as the perfect obituary work for him.
Superb too were his performances of many of Bach's keyboard works (idiosyncratically, he never played any repeats in his recordings), and the Mass in B minor and St. Matthew Passion, both of course (like the cantatas) recorded in churches.
A wonderful musician.
Chris
Chris A.Gnostic