Search - George Frederick Handel, Johann Philipp Krieger, Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow :: The Secret Handel: Works for Clavichord

George Frederick Handel, Johann Philipp Krieger, Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow
The Secret Handel: Works for Clavichord
Genre: Classical

Track Listings (12) - Disc #1
1. Suite for keyboard (Suite de piece), Vol.1, No.3 in D minor, HWV 428: Pélude (Presto)
2. Suite for keyboard (Suite de piece), Vol.1, No.3 in D minor, HWV 428: Allegro
3. Suite for keyboard (Suite de piece), Vol.1, No.3 in D minor, HWV 428: Allemande
4. Suite for keyboard (Suite de piece), Vol.1, No.3 in D minor, HWV 428: Courante
5. Suite for keyboard (Suite de piece), Vol.1, No.3 in D minor, HWV 428: Aria (with variations)
6. Suite for keyboard (Suite de piece), Vol.1, No.3 in D minor, HWV 428: Presto
7. Aria (Chaconne) and variations for keyboard in G major, HWV 430/4a
8. Fugue for keyboard in C minor, HWV 610
9. Suite for 2 harpsichords in C minor, HWV 446 (fragment): Allemande
10. Suite for 2 harpsichords in C minor, HWV 446 (fragment): Courante
11. Suite for 2 harpsichords in C minor, HWV 446 (fragment): Sarabande
12. Suite for 2 harpsichords in C minor, HWV 446 (fragment): Chaconne
Track Listings (16) - Disc #2
1. Minuet for keyboard in A major, HWV 545
2. Minuet for keyboard in A major, HWV 547
3. Minuet for keyboard in A major, HWV 546
4. Air for keyboard in F major, HWV 464
5. Water Music Suite No.1 for orchestra in F major, HWV 348: Bourrée and Hornpipe
6. Aria and variations for clavichord in B flat major
7. Air for keyboard in B flat major, HWV 469
8. Concerto for keyboard (2 movements) in G major, HWV 487: Concerto in G, HWV 487
9. Air Lentement for keyboard in G minor, HWV 467
10. Concerto for keyboard (2 movements) in G major, HWV 487: Andante in G, HWV 487
11. Allemande for keyboard in B minor, HWV 479
12. Courante for keyboard in B minor, HWV 489
13. Sarabande for clavichord in B minor
14. Gigue for clavichord in B minor
15. Jesu meine Freude, chorale for keyboard in G minor, HWV 480
16. Chaconne for harpsichord in G major (Suite No 2 of the 2nd set of Harpsichord suites), HWV 435

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CD Details

All Artists: George Frederick Handel, Johann Philipp Krieger, Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow, Christopher Hogwood
Title: The Secret Handel: Works for Clavichord
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Metronome
Original Release Date: 1/1/2006
Re-Release Date: 3/14/2006
Album Type: Import
Genre: Classical
Styles: Ballets & Dances, Baroque Dance Suites, Chamber Music, Forms & Genres, Concertos, Suites, Historical Periods, Baroque (c.1600-1750), Classical (c.1770-1830)
Number of Discs: 2
SwapaCD Credits: 2

Synopsis

Album Description

"Christopher Hogwood?s incisive mind regularly leads to strong and imaginative concepts and this, the first of a series of clavichord discs dedicated to Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, is a perfect example. The clavichord has a history of domestic usage, the intimate nature of its utterances seeming both exquisite and slightly enigmatic. Its main mechanical feature of stretching strings gives the player the ?touch? to grade dynamics, alter pitch through vibrating and other idiomatic colouring. These are delicate nuances with an instrument of such softness, offered as fleeting gestures, usually for the player?s ears alone." - GRAMOPHONE A continuation of the series so successfully begun with The Secret Bach [MET 1056], The Secret Handel brings to light a treasury of keyboard music by Handel played on the most intimate of instruments, the clavichord. The Secret Bach was a Gramophone "Editor?s Choice" in the May 2004 issue, and one of "This Month?s Top 5 CDs" in BBC Music magazine the same month. The Secret Handel is expected to meet with similar acclaim. The Secret Handel includes a reconstruction by Hogwood and clavichord expert Derek Adlam of a suite for two clavichords by Handel of which only one part survives. The program is divided over two CDs in part because there is too much music for one, but also because Christopher Hogwood believes that listening at the appropriate level to a full 70 minutes of clavichord is unnaturally tiring; the clavichord is a very quiet instrument. Clavichords by Hass, Bodechtel and Gräbner, with full specifications in the notes.

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CD Reviews

Hogwood's Greatest Secret

Chad P. Mcanally | 10/15/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It is a great shame that for so long the clavichord has been relegated to the dark corners of the recording industry. It is a mystery to those of us who know the clavichord why this is the case. For centuries in Europe the most common domestic keyboard instrument wasn't the piano or the harpsichord but the humble clavichord. Her quiet splendor was favored by many of the great composers of the past for their best music.

Why then was it ignored? The clavichord's quiet tone surely is to blame, as the author of the previous review mentioned, and this makes it notoriously difficult instrument to record well. The instrument is one of the hardest to play well too, as any early keyboardist can attest to. Or maybe that this instrument forces you to listen carefully that makes it unpopular in a culture enamored with sheer volume and ugly noise.

That being said, I've been waiting a long time for a great artist to put out a series of recordings like this and show off what musicians like Bach, Mozart and Handel saw in this instrument. Longtime champion of the clavichord, Sir Christopher Hogwood is the perfect artist for the task.

Hogwood's artistry and understanding of this instrument are immediately apparent. (Sir Christopher's book on Handel is also highly recommended.) His choice of music on this CD is wonderful and I think Handel himself would have been rather pleased with the results. The whole series is a real triumph and have become some of my favorite recordings.

I'll cut to the chase. This is an excellent recording over all. Don't obsess about the sound quality, the audio quality is quite faith to good clavichord tone...bearing in mind that these are antique instruments and two and half centuries old! Listen with a relaxed and open mind in a quiet environment and you'll be amply rewarded!

"