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Label:
  DHM
Serial:
  88697147182, BVCD-34048
Title:
  The Italian Connection - Vital Julian Frey
Description:
  Bach: 7 Concerto Transcriptions

Vital Julian Frey (harpsichord)
Track listing:
 
Genre:
  Classical
Content:
  Stereo/Multichannel
Media:
  Hybrid
Recording type:
 
Recording info:
 

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Reviews: 2

Review by miguelito54 February 1, 2008 (4 of 6 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:
This CD is the first of Swiss harpsichord virtuoso Vital Juan Frey, 28 years old at the time of recording.
Although his biography states that harpsichord was his first instrument at age 7, at first he sounded like a converted pianist to me: many of his methods of enlivening the music are associated with pianists playing this music - a rather free approach to time and meter, arpeggiating chords most of the time, a decidedly "speaking" approach ... The transcriptions the young Bach made at Weimar are an unusual choice for a recording debut, and not really the easiest and most rewarding pieces to play. Despite the brilliance of these concertos stripped down to their essence, some of it sounds somewhat barren without the instrumental colors of strings and woodwinds. There are not many recordings compared to Bach's other harpsichord works, and few of them are really convincing (Martin Derungs on an out of print Accord CD from 1985 being my personal favorite).
Frey does his best to bring these pieces to life. His dexterity leaves nothing left to be desired, the more surprising it is that he takes the presto or prestissimo movements at more of an allegro tempo: Prestissimo should be as fast as possible! I think a less rubato approach would have suited the music better. He clearly intends to enhance the "Klangrede" with this device, but it rathers leaves an impression of rhythmic inconistency. The typical baroque rhythmic drive of many passages comes across better at a steady tempo.
Nevertheless he delivers many passages with conviction and beauty and has a great sounding instrument at his disposal: a copy of a double manual Mietke harpsichord made by Christoph Kern, a favourite choice of many players for Bach as he ordered and personally delivered one for the Köthen court. It has a strong, powerful sound with the emphasis on the middle range and has more warmth than other Mietke copies I have heard.
Since my SACD player is only stereo I cannot say anything about the surround sound - maybe it is better than the stereo layer, which is marred by low frequency room noise; obviously the sound technicians forgot to push the high pass filter (Trittschallfilter) button, or the room chosen (the Martinskirche at Müllheim, Baden) causes this - there also seems some low murmur from distant traffic noise at times. Isolating the instrument's feet from the floor probably would have helped, too. Anyway: I strongly advise to switch off any subwoofers during playback! The red book stereo layer places the instrument a little closer to the listener, but still has the annoying low frequency noise. Both overemphasize the mid-frequency range of the harpsichord a little bit, and I wish there would be more of the brilliant overtones of the metal strings - using the treble controls betters this to some degree, but not completely. A more direct recording in a smaller, drier sounding room would have reproduced the harpsichord colors better (I never understood the use of reverberating churches for these instruments.)
Still, a very promising debut - with more economic use of the expressive means at his hands, he might grow to become one of the better harpsichordists on the scene.

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Review by Beethovenfan September 14, 2009 (1 of 1 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:  
Many years ago I walked in Antwerpen, Belgium and I wanted to visit the Vleeshuismuseum where is this beautiful Conrad Graf pianoforte. It was 16h30 and the conservator did not let me in at first, I was to late. But I heard the delicate sound of the piano and I begged and begged just to let me in to hear the piano. He let me in (even for free), and I heard Jos van Immerseel practising Schubert on the Graf. I did keep a few meters, respecting this unique moment and since than I have this delicate, reverbering sound in my head.
This is my experience at home on my surround when hearing this SACD. I closed my eyes and found myself in a baroque church where just at that moment somebody was playing Bach somewhere on a harpsichord. A marvelous pure sound with a clear depth.
And the playing is superb. Yes, one can discuss speeds and accents... But I loved this Bach from the first moment, great phrasing, and the harpsichord sings under his fingers.
We are now far from the dry harpsichord readings from the earlyer HIP recordings, this is still HIP, but much hipper.
I love it !

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Works: 7  

Johann Sebastian Bach - Organ Concerto in B minor, BWV 979 (after Torelli)
Johann Sebastian Bach - Organ Concerto in C minor, BWV 981 (after B Marcello Op. 1 No. 2)
Johann Sebastian Bach - Organ Concerto in D major, BWV 972 (after Vivaldi RV 230)
Johann Sebastian Bach - Organ Concerto in D minor, BWV 974 (after A Marcello)
Johann Sebastian Bach - Organ Concerto in F major, BWV 978 (after Vivaldi RV 310)
Johann Sebastian Bach - Organ Concerto in G major, BWV 973 (after Vivaldi RV 299)
Johann Sebastian Bach - Organ Concerto in G minor, BWV 975 (after Vivaldi RV 316)