Olga Martynova - Harpsichord Gems, vol. 5. 2009. 2SACD-ISO + 2CD

J.S. Bach - English Suites

Sony PS3 SACD to ISO | DSD 1bit-2822,4kHz 2.0, 5.0 | 4.17GB, 4.22GB
EAC-RIP | FLAC-IMAGE, CUE, LOG | 481MB, 487MB

Classical | Label: CAROMITIS | Catalog Number: CM0032007-2

RAR 3% Rec. | FileServe.com, FileSonic.com, FileFactory.com, Wupload.com

At the XVIII century pianoforte was an expensive novelty whereas harpsichord was a common musical instrument; so musicians chose harpsichord to start learning how to play. Nowadays it is vice versa: cembalo is expensive and rare so that the majority of performers begin their career with the piano. It happened to Olga Martynova as well, though she is an honoured graduate of Moscow Conservatoire from both piano and harpsichord classes.

As she says, the final decision to focus on historical performances was taken after she was present at the concert of Hopkinson Smith (the well-known performer on historical plucking instruments) in France...  caromitis.com

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...I was surprised I had no other harpsichord recordings of the English Suites in my collection to compare, and the versions on grand piano are a different thing entirely.  However, this is the only SACD recording of the work, and Martynova turns in an exquisite performance with often rapid but not headlong tempi.  Her musicianship is extremely high, and she plays on a recently-constructed French harpsichord. The Polyhymnia recording team has achieved a rich and warm sonic for the instrument, in very natural surround on this Russian label.. - John Sunier audaud.com

Tracklisting:


disc 1:

01. English Suite No.1 in A major (BWV 806). - Praelude 01:45
02. English Suite No.1 in A major (BWV 806). - Allemande 06:01
03. English Suite No.1 in A major (BWV 806). - Courante I 02:04
04. English Suite No.1 in A major (BWV 806). - Courante II 02:32
05. English Suite No.1 in A major (BWV 806). - Double I 01:16
06. English Suite No.1 in A major (BWV 806). - Double II 01:05
07. English Suite No.1 in A major (BWV 806). - Sarabande 04:53
08. English Suite No.1 in A major (BWV 806). - Bourree I - Bourree II - Bourree I 04:24
09. English Suite No.1 in A major (BWV 806). - Gigue 03:06
10. English Suite No.2 in A minor (BWV 807). - Praelude 05:24
11. English Suite No.2 in A minor (BWV 807). - Allemande 04:10
12. English Suite No.2 in A minor (BWV 807). - Courante 01:55
13. English Suite No.2 in A minor (BWV 807). - Sarabande et les agraements de la même Sarabande 04:10
14. English Suite No.2 in A minor (BWV 807). - Bourree I - Bourree II - Bourree I 05:08
15. English Suite No.2 in A minor (BWV 807). - Gigue 03:47
16. English Suite No.3 in G minor (BWV 808). - Praelude 03:34
17. English Suite No.3 in G minor (BWV 808). - Allemande 04:04
18. English Suite No.3 in G minor (BWV 808). - Courante 02:30
19. English Suite No.3 in G minor (BWV 808). - Sarabande et les agraements de la meme Sarabande 03:16
20. English Suite No.3 in G minor (BWV 808). - Gavotte I - Gavotte II (ou la Musette) - Gavotte I 02:57
21. English Suite No.3 in G minor (BWV 808). - Gigue 03:16
22. Gigue in A major from "Pieces de clavessin" 02:46

disc 2:

01. English Suite No.4 in F major (BWV 809). - Praelude 04:39

02. English Suite No.4 in F major (BWV 809). - Allemande 03:51

03. English Suite No.4 in F major (BWV 809). - Courante 01:43

04. English Suite No.4 in F major (BWV 809). - Sarabande 03:38

05. English Suite No.4 in F major (BWV 809). - Menuet I - Menuet II - Menuet I 03:38

06. English Suite No.4 in F major (BWV 809). - Gigue 03:31

07. English Suite No.5 in E minor (BWV 810). - Praelude 05:07

08. English Suite No.5 in E minor (BWV 810). - Allemande 04:58

09. English Suite No.5 in E minor (BWV 810). - Courante 02:30

10. English Suite No.5 in E minor (BWV 810). - Sarabande 02:55

11. English Suite No.5 in E minor (BWV 810). - Passepied I (en Rondeau) - Passepied II - Passepied I 03:25

12. English Suite No.5 in E minor (BWV 810). - Gigue 03:22

13. English Suite No.6 in D minor (BWV 811). - Praelude 08:09

14. English Suite No.6 in D minor (BWV 811). - Allemande 04:50

15. English Suite No.6 in D minor (BWV 811). - Courante 02:35

16. English Suite No.6 in D minor (BWV 811). - Sarabande - Double 06:18

17. English Suite No.6 in D minor (BWV 811). - Gavotte I - Gavotte II - Gavotte I 03:33

18. English Suite No.6 in D minor (BWV 811). - Gigue 03:51

Take sublime music, have a profoundly musical performer record it, capture it in state-of-the art sound, and you have this new 2-disc set! I have several of her other SACDs, and this one certainly doesn't disappoint. What a wonderful musician! She has tremendous technique but puts it to the service of the music rather than showing how fast she can play. I compared a few movements to Christopher Rousset's RBCD on the Ambroisie label. He is frequently faster, but her slower tempos allow the *music* to come through more clearly. Her rhythmic energy gives plenty of forward motion. Also, his brittle and nasal audio doesn't compare to Caro Mitis' warm, full, and detailed sonics. Highly Recommended

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