They're quite something, aren't they?

And yes, tinners, I too feel that that's a very elegant hoon indeed.

I only have about -5 minutes to write something because I'm already going to be late meeting a friend for Borough Market shopping, dinner + pumpkin carving (!), but here are some initial impressions:

They threw the toy box of continuo instruments at this one didn't they!  Not having liner notes to hand for some reason, I assume the bells were an organ stop?  But surely the harpsichord, guitar, lute (?) and harp weren't.  I really enjoyed that, and the variety it gave (particularly in the variations in the A major - the non-scordatura one - I haven't laughed outloud with joy at a recording in ages - when the harp came in with the cute violin staccato variation, it was a delight!).  It's a joy to have so many toys to play with.  But that's a big reason why I wouldn't trade my MAK recording - they use nothing but harpsichord+cello throughout.  A much more practical combination from the point of view of someone who wants to play these herself but doesn't have the keys to that toybox, and in some ways you have to be more creative to mix up the texture when you have fewer options to hand.

Also I'm not sure the two violins (the actual instruments) are particularly well matched on the Rare Fruits disc.  I don't mind different sounds, as long as they are of an equivalent quality, and the MAK disc has that - each player has different but balanced strengths, and the sounds of their instruments mesh well while being distinct.  I'll have to listen again, but I think one fiddle sounded a fair bit weaker (not in playing but in tone) on the Rare Fruits disc.

And I never thought I'd say this, but I think some of Reinhard Goebel's tempi are more reasonable.     I understand the desire for a moving bass line, especially in some of those variations, but flowing doesn't always have to be fast.  It's a quibble, it's not by very much that it bothers me, but it does just a hair.  Sometimes the movements in three seem to rock slightly, and I didn't like the tendency to overdot in the opening movement of the G minor.  (Although MAK tend to underdot the very opening, before the bass starts to move in crotchets, at which point it becomes delightfully strict and strong without losing forward momentum.)

But on the whole it's a tremendous disc, and I look forward to hearing the sonatae tam aris quam aulis servientes when I return home later tonight.

I must check out the Goebel version of HAA some time, he's always interesting to hear, even if occasionally a bit frustrating (more so in 18th century music than 17th, though, I would say). And the RFC are sometimes so fast you almost miss the music. That doesn't happen so much in the Sonatae. What we really need is a good recording of Biber's Fidicinium sacro-profanum. I haven't come across one yet.

On to Sciarrino - interesting, t_i_n, that you find I fuochi... relatively weak. I think I agree, though I found the opening very beautiful, and indeed everything goes well until the pistol shot (that was of course the moment when I realised I'd heard it before). I think I shall be listening to one piece at a time at first, otherwise they might just all blur into indistinguishability (maybe they just are all meandering around in the same general area, but I do find it an attractive one).

That HOON makes me wish I wasn't currently struggling with Sibelius. I mean it took me at least half an hour to get the time signatures in the font I wanted, as opposed to just writing them the way I like them. Oops, wrong thread.

Time for some more Sciarrino now, while working out how to get quartertone accidentals happening and looking wistfully at the pot of pens.

Luxury!

I thank you good sir. However, I forgot to mention that I first have to sort out which notes to put in the score, so Sciarrino and Sibelius will have to wait a while.

Alkan - The Op.39 studies - Jack Gibbons.  It's nice to hear music that I haven't listened to for a while!

Is that the ASV disc? I've had that on order from my local CD store for over a year now. Unfortunately, I don't think Hamelin has recorded the entire Op.39, yet, but there's a set by Australian pianist Stephanie McCallum that only barely falls short of miraculous.

The Rare Fruits Council recording of HAA is single-handedly responsible for my obsession with Biber, and, by extension, my enthusiasm for 17th Century German music of composers such as Muffat, Schmelzer, etc. As such, I always feel a certain sense of disappointment when I hear something performed at a more 'reasonable' tempo. The breathtaking courageousness of the RFC performances are simply... er... breathtaking.

Incidentally, my own copy of this recording is somewhat illegally purloined also - from my boss. I've just re-attempted to order it through JPC, having failed in the past from Amazon.fr. Why do these sort of 'reference' recordings fall out of print? It's a scandal!

Hi Robert,
Yes, it is the ASV disc and it is incredible.  I've not heard Stephanie McCallum's disc yet so cannot vouch for it although full marks for anyone who records this fantastically difficult music.
I don't think Marc-Andre intends to record any more Alkan at least for the moment - I have a friend who is friends with him so i can probably find out.  I for one, would like to hear what he makes of the Overture, Op.39 no.11 as i think it is a marvellous work.
You can probably get the Gibbons set from eBay or Archiv for a lot less than your record shop would charge you, my disc was a present from my grandparents years ago so i can't vouch for how much it would be now.
Hope this helps!