Search - George Frederick Handel, Jean-François Paillard Chamber Orchestra, Anne-Marie Beckensteiner :: Handel: The Organ Concertos, Vol. 2

Paillard and Handel - A great combination!

Hal Owen | Burbank, California USA | 05/01/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For years I lamented selling my classical LP collection partly because of the loss of the wonderful Jean-Francois Paillard/Marie-Claire Alain recordings of Handel's Op. 4 and 7, also known as the Organ Concertos. Vinyl availability here in the states of this complete set was at best limited and I assumed Erato would quickly offer these splendid performances on CD but for me, that was not the case. For years, I had to make do with the single disc offering containing Organ Concerto Nos. 4&6 from Op.4 and Nos.4,1&13 from Op.7. And then came word of this splendid two volume beginning set from Boston Skyline and I knew my search was coming to an end. For years, Boston Skyline has been in the business of returning to music listeners - classic recordings and performances, (rightfully "acclaimed as milestones,") from the 1950s through the 1970s with their "From The Vault" series. Titles as varied as "Dance Music From The High Rennasiance" to Transcribed J.S.Bach Concerti have been the label's mainstay and finally we can add one of the great performances of Handel's splendid Organ Concerti to the Boston Skyline line up. As to these very special performances, Maestro Paillard has always treated Handel's best loved compositions with great spirit, elan and flair; never, (IMO,)overdone but just right. And here he doesn't disappoint. The recorded effect is simply stunning partly because Marie-Claire Alain's always expressive playing, (here on the Organ of the Kern de la Collegiale de Saint-Donat,) is as close to perfect as I can image. And partly because of the warm and very airy acoustic balance between soloist and orchestra. Recorded in the early 1960s, the Paillard/Alain/Handel Organ Concerti collaboration was and is one of the triumphs of the analog era and should go to the head of the class for warm and sensitive playing in an equally warm acoustic setting I can only describe as ideal for this music. Remember, the first half of Handel's Op.4&7 are available as a two CD set so don't forget Volume One and request Volumes Three and four soon. I hope you enjoy these performances as much as I do and many thanks to Boston Skyline for remembering them. Best regards and happy listening, Hal Owen."

Handel: The Organ Concertos, Vol. 1 + 2

Anna-Margarete | Denmark | 05/07/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Handel Organ Concertos played by Marie-Claire Alain have been my favourite vinyl for many years. I have played them so much that they were totally scratched and couldn't be played any more. It was a wonderful discovery to find these wonderful concertos on cd. Marie-Claire Alains interpretation is the best of all. She plays with a wonderful freshness and lightness which fits perfect to these baroque masterpieces. You can hear them again and again without getting tired of them and they are suitable for every kind of humour."