Murray Perahia's Partitas
Tue, Jun 14 2011, 2:38PM
I've been listening a lot to Perahia's recent recording of theSix Partitas and finding them ever more wonderful.
They were recorded in the Berlin Rundfunk, and if I have understood this correctly this is the former Soviet-era 'Broadcasting House' which I think has been closed since about 2004 and may be scheduled for demolition...
There's a nice video here -- but sadly in German (apart from Perahia, of course, who speaks in English): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZpfBF26QoM
Does anyone know anything further about this building? I think MP says he chose it for its seclusion and acoustics, but somehow choosing (if I'm correct) a derelict broadcasting studio/theatre seems somewhat perverse. Shades of Glenn Gould's studio of choice, Eaton's Department Store, even when derelict and falling apart and heated only with portable space heaters?
Or have I misunderstood? Is the Berlin Rundfunk Perahia recorded in *not* derelict?
Wed, Aug 3 2011, 9:41AM
#2
RE: Murray Perahia's Partitas
Kev, The booklet photos in the Perahia Partitas show a smart (perhaps more accurately monolithic) but obviously empty building...
As regards other versions of the Partitas, yes: Gould's; the recent Schiff set (live) on ECM (which I think I like somewhat less than I thought I did), and now Angela Hewitt's. Oh, and the half-set by Piotr Anderszewski.
Both the Hewitt and the Perahia are close-run, in my view, but there is a fleetness and lightness to the Perahia which I think may even out do Hewitt. I sort of alternate listens to see if I can get to the bottom of it...
It's good to have a Bach obsession. The Partitas are mine (at the moment).
Thu, Aug 4 2011, 8:10AM
#3
RE: Murray Perahia's Partitas
Alternate listens: I'm doing a similar thing with the Goldberg Variations - Murray and Glenn (the 1981 analogue version - the 1955 is too manic for me - at present). I'm currently preferring Murray but as you point out, it's difficult to explain why and your perceptions seem to alter as you grow older.
The Partitas: at first listen, they seem prettier and less demanding compared with the Goldberg but nevertheless, complex enough to make a hobby of them.
Are you a scholar Alun? I had a few piano lessons when I was young so know a about the 7 white notes and the 5 black ones but that's about it. I am constantly in a state of wonder when a pianist does complex but different things with boths hands simultaneously. Bach must be the top man for this - is there anyone else in his league I wonder?
Fri, Aug 5 2011, 5:52PM
#4
RE: Murray Perahia's Partitas
No, absolutely not a scholar of any description! My preoccupation at the moment is comparing Gould and Hewitt. Bach on the piano has been a solely Gould affair for me for probaby nearly thirty years. It's only in the past year that I have begun to explore other performers -- and Hewitt largely as a consequence of the regard she is held in by all Gramophone critics.
My feeling at the moment is that GG lays Bach's music bare. His playing has an almost X-ray quality to it -- the separate voices are almost ruthlesly revealed. But increasingly I find myself wondering (as other much better qualified critics have said) whether this is sometimes at the expense of the 'pulse' and flow of the music. Hewitt achieves both -- great clarity while also realising the pulse (and dare one say lyricism?) of the music.
As for others in the same baroque league, I also listen to Handel, Rameau, Scarlatti and a little Couperin. The Handel keyboard suites in the two disc set by Gavrilov (EMI) are simply wonderful. I don't know enough about baroque music to make any meaningful comparison of Handel's and Bach's approach to contrapuntal writing -- but it's glorious music!
The huge Naxos complete Scarlatti keyboard sonatas currently in progress are good enough and cheap enough to dive into almost anywhere (I think there's 12 or 13 volumes out so far), and Hewitt of course has done wonderful surveys of Rameau, some Couperin, and a little Handel.
I also like the French pianist Alexandre Tharaud's recent-ish recordings of both Rameau and Couperin.
Perahia has also recorded some Handel and Scarlatti, but for Handel suites my money is on the Gavrilov set.
There's plenty around to enjoy if your addiction is baroque keyboard music.
Sat, Aug 6 2011, 11:52AM
#5
RE: Murray Perahia's Partitas
Thanks for that Alun - plenty there for me to think about. Rhythm, harmony, metre (and maybe lyricism!) is something I'm hoping to unravel later this year at music listening course. (It requires enough paying customers to happen).
Do you have room for the harpsichord? I discovered Trevor Pinnock and Bach's keyboard concertos recently while digging around. I read somewhere that Bach finally accepted the, then, new piano about 5 years before his death I think. In his radio interview, I remember Glenn Gould saying that he thought that Bach would not have cared about harpsichord works being played on the piano.
Mon, Aug 8 2011, 9:48AM
#6
RE: Murray Perahia's Partitas
Funny you should ask about the harpsichord. I didn't think it did appeal but on Saturday, after reading endless reviews and listening to samples, I ordered Pinnock's two recordings of Rameau -- The Complete Solo Works for Harpsichord, and the more recent Les Cyclopes.
I look forward to exploring them very much.
BUt strangely, I'm less sure about Bach on harpsichord -- possibly because I have hitherto only ever listened to piano versions, whereas Rameau is relatively new to me and so when I heard Pinnock's wonderfully sonorous recordings theyimmediately sounded 'right'...
I'll see what prolonged exposure brings.
Tue, Aug 9 2011, 9:10AM
#7
RE: Murray Perahia's Partitas
Rameau wrote an important book about harmony according to my music dictionary. Do you have any anecdotes about him Alun?
I've never a listened to a whole cd of solo works for harpsichord before but seeing as the above works are on Spotify (to which I subscribe) I'll give it a go.
Wed, Aug 10 2011, 2:07PM
#8
RE: Murray Perahia's Partitas
You're right, he did -- but I know remarkably little about Rameau or indeed the other key figures of the French baroque and should know more...
Sat, Aug 13 2011, 5:28AM
#9
RE: Murray Perahia's Partitas
Sorry for my intrusion in your exchanges, but I felt compelled to say a couple of things, since your conversation went somehow to other interesting paths than the very narrow matter of Perahia's Partitas.
Between the very interesting recordings of modern piano and the original harpsichord scores, ther is a very interesting field of recordings of the Pianoforte which truly honours not only composers of late Baroque but even those of the Schubert and Mendelssohn times. You should try to indulge in the work of C.P.E. Bach, who, according to Beethoven, was the great Bach! There is also a good variety of CDs on Scarlatti and of course Haydn ( a true master of the keyboard).
As for the recordings on modern piano, it's a little bit futile to try to compare, since the kind of piano used in the recording alone can change a lot your perception of the interpretation. Hewitt is exclusively used the Fazioli, which is a totally different "animal" than the Steinway, normally used by Perahia and quite a few of the ...others. Some, who opt for Yamaha,...you may imagine the result. If you also consider the venue and the other production values of the actual product, which is the final CD you purchase, you may fancy how subjective is to try to figure out if M.P.' s Partitas are worty enough or not or whether they are a definitive performance. The fact of the matter is that M.P. has a spirit and musiacinship that should urge us to listen to his perception of such great works, whether we may like it or not.
Good listening to new discoveries (try C.P.E. Bach : it's a revelation of both pianistic and musical nature).
Parla
Mon, Aug 15 2011, 2:36PM
#10
RE: Murray Perahia's Partitas
Parla, I agree that there are many other variables besides instrument and performance -- including recording techniques and ambience -- that affect one's response to a performance. Pianoforte is something I haven't really sampled, although I am a little familiar with CPE bach from Danny Driver's version of the Sonatas on Hyperion (I think it is). There is so much to explore....
Right now I should be working but couldn't resist a try of the Pinnock Rameau harpsichord works I mentioned further back. For the first time to my ears the harpsichord sounds natural and 'right'...
Tue, Aug 16 2011, 11:22AM
#11
RE: Murray Perahia's Partitas
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Hello Parla - thanks for a valuable contribution. At your suggestion I
searched for CPE Bach on Spotify and discovered Collegium Aureum. The
Double Concerto for Harpsichord, Piano and Orchestra Wq47 H479 (Wotquenne is in
my music dictionary but what does the 'H' stand for?) has a rather honky-tonky
sounding piano which must be the period instrument you're talking about.
I'll be exploring further.
I can see your point about the futility of comparisons but talking about it can
lead to interesting developments as this exchange illustrates.
Tue, Aug 16 2011, 12:02PM
#12
RE: Murray Perahia's Partitas
Hello Kev. It's pity to call the Fortepiano a period instrument and not the Harpsichord, or even certain very old Steinways.
If you really wish some exceptional discs with fortepiano, check the catalogue of Bis, channel classics, carus, Accent, Athene and many more. An exceptional disc, at least for me, (to start with) is the Haydn sonatas with Gary Cooper on Channel, followed by the sonatas of Mozart with Violin and Fortepiano with Rachel Podger and Gary Cooper too. In Athene, you may find exceptional CDs of the late J. Leach (Scarlatti, Haydn, etc.). In Carus, you may find works of practically all the great sons of J.S. Bach and in Accent plenty enough of various composers. In truly good recordings, you will find the amazing colours of this wonderful instrument and you may admit that, even its limitations are fascinating, if not appealing. In any case, like Harpsichord, the Fortepiano, the Clavichord, the Tangent piano, etc are the actual instruments, for which the works of all those composers had been composed. As an underrated but great pianist (Demidenko) had once said (playing Bach, Scarlatti and Mozart): To play these works of those composers on modern piano is like transcription, since the modern piano does not have the limitations of the period instruments. So, the player has to make enough changes in performing them, while avoiding unnecessary efforts that a period instrument player has to make, faced with the limitations of each instrument of that kind.
I hope you may indulge in these instruments (not only the more famous Harpsichord). Good listening.
Parla
Fri, Aug 19 2011, 10:53AM
#13
RE: Murray Perahia's Partitas
Thanks for that Parla - I've found examples on Spotify of recordings by Gary, Rachel, Joanna and Nikolai, so I'll have a listen before committing to buying any CDs.
I didn't know that the Pianoforte was being manufactured today until I looked it up on Wikipedia after reading your comments here. Are you in the business Parla?
Fri, Aug 19 2011, 2:41PM
#14
RE: Murray Perahia's Partitas
Not at all! I just listen extensively to the music for more than 30 years, I have a vast collection of CDs and SACDs, I love to get together with musicians (and their likes), I produce sometimes small scale concerts of chamber music at local level and, finally and most importantly, I take music very seriously, so that I may be entitled to be...in the business.
All the best,
Parla
An intriguing question Alun - I can't answer it but the youtube clip seems to show Murray recording the Partitas in a rather smart building. The Partitas are new to me - I'll give them a try. Do you listen to any other version(s)?
My recent obsession has been the Goldbergs since finding Murray's year 2000 version whilst clearing out a cupboard. It was one of Gramophone's Recording of the Month and curiously, not mentioned in BBC Music Magazine's current Glenn Gould 'special'.
'After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music'.
Aldous Huxley brainyquote.com