Bach: Sonatas Nos. 3-5

On this CD:

1. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major, BWV 1019
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Genevieve Soly

2. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major, BWV 1019
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Genevieve Soly

3. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major (variant), BWV 1019a Cantabile, ma un poco Adagio in G major
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Genevieve Soly

4. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 4 in C minor, BWV 1017
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Genevieve Soly

5. Sonata for viola da gamba & keyboard No. 3 in G minor, BWV 1029
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Jay Bernfeld, Genevieve Soly

Tracks:

Hooked On Baroque 2
Hooked On Adagio
Hooked On Gigue
Hooked On Fugue
Hooked On Handel
Hooked On Vivaldi
Hooked On Scarlatti
Hooked On Baroque 2 (Reprise)

Customer Reviews:

Pretty Damn Good.......2004-07-06

I received as a gift the box set of all four Hooked On Classics CD's. As an avid fan of classical music, I was quite shocked to hear DRUMS in the background! I didn't really know what the Hooked On Classics series was, so I didn't know what to expect. As such, I eventually got used to the percussion, and found that I liked the fourth CD the best of all of them. The drums are more tolerable, and the recording quality is much improved over the other volumes. The playing is superb; on par with any legitimate recording made by any professional orchestra. The selections are diverse, and the arrangements are refreshing. HOC 4 was my link to many of the full-length versions of the excerpts featured, and I especially like the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 7th, and 8th tracks (the 8th track is simply an extended version of the 1st, which makes it a much better rendition). The harpsichord playing in the 7th track is outstanding, as are the arrangements for this track. The climax will give you chills. All in all, an excellent album. I give it four stars only because as a die-hard purist, I don't suppose Bach and Vivaldi and Scarlatti would be too happy if they were to hear percussion along with their music. It would be interesting to see what the tracks would sound like without this.

Great CD, specially the adagio........2004-01-28

I love this CD in particular, because it introduced me to various greatest hits of baroque. I used it to practice my music as a teenager. I recommed this to you, specially if you have kids, because the drum sounds, make it easier to listen to the new generations. I loved the Pachelbel, and the adagio part is Super Excellent.

It's No Louis Clark & the Royal Philharmonic... But it's ok.......2003-12-07

Back in 81 when I got the original Hooked on Classics record as a gift (which I still have), I discovered the beauty and power of classical music in a different way. Now, classical music makes up 1/3 of my music library because of that compilation of classics (thanks to Louis Clark and the Royal Philharmonic).

So would I say this volume 4 has the same effect? I'd answer no, but I did like tracks 2 & 7.

No So Great.......2003-10-29

Once again another pathetic attempt at recreating what Louis Clark did with the original Hooked on the Classics. He succeeded by getting many of us hooked to the classics...something this album probably can't and won't do.

Average customer rating:

Invitation To Baroque Music

Manufacturer: Denon Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000034NT
Release Date: 1993-08-27

Tracks:

Adagio in g for Orch and Organ
Air from Ouverture No.3 in D, BWV 1068
Chaconne in g for 4 voices
Menuetto for orch from Oratorio 'Herakles'
Aria from Con Grosso in b, Op.6 No.12
Andante Amoroso from Son in a, Op.1 No.4
Adagio from Con in c for oboe & orch
Largo from Con in f for clavier & orch, BWV 1056
Canon and Gigue for three parts and continuo

Average customer rating:

Historic Organs of Baltimore

Manufacturer: Organ Hist. Society
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Canons | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Rondos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000004AHR
Release Date: 1995-09-26

Average customer rating:

Bach: Sonatas Nos. 3-5

Manufacturer: Analekta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000009CXB
Release Date: 2006-10-20

Tracks:

Son V in G, BWV 1090: Allegro
Son V in G, BWV 1090: Largo
Son V in G, BWV 1090: Allegro
Son V in G, BWV 1090: Adagio
Son V in G, BWV 1090: Allegro
Son V in b, BWV 1090b: Adagio
Son V in G, BWV 1090a: Cantabile, Ma Un Poco Adagio
Son IV in c, BWV 1017: Largo
Son IV in c, BWV 1017: Allegro
Son IV in c, BWV 1017: Adagio
Son IV in c, BWV 1017: Allegro
Son III in g, BWV 1029: Allegro - Genevieve Soly/Jay Bernfeld
Son III in g, BWV 1029: Adagio - Genevieve Soly/Jay Bernfeld
Son III in g, BWV 1029: Allegro - Genevieve Soly/Jay Bernfeld

J.C. Bach: Harpsichord Sonatas - Op. 5 Nos. 5 & 6 / Op. 17 Nos. 2, 3 & 5 - Virginia Black

Average customer rating:

J.C. Bach: Harpsichord Sonatas - Op. 5 Nos. 5 & 6 / Op. 17 Nos. 2, 3 & 5 - Virginia Black
Johann Christian Bach (Composer) , and Virginia Black (Harpsichord)
Manufacturer: Crd
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00008EV6Y
Release Date: 1994-04-05

J.S. Bach: Suites For Cello Solo Nos. 1-3, 5 & 6; Sonatas for Violin Solo [Germany]

Average customer rating:

J.S. Bach: Suites For Cello Solo Nos. 1-3, 5 & 6; Sonatas for Violin Solo [Germany]
Yoran , and Von Der Goltz
Manufacturer: Quadromania
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00023GO8C
Release Date: 2006-05-03

Average customer rating:

Nothing else in the galaxy compares.

The Clavichord

Manufacturer: Focus
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Rondos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Bach: Masterworks for Clavichord
The Clavichord (Cambridge Musical Texts and Monographs)

ASIN: B000004A7C
Release Date: 1996-01-01

Customer Reviews:

Nothing else in the galaxy compares........2006-08-12

I can't believe that I am the first person to write a "review" of this cd. Granted, it is quite hard to find "in-person" these days, not to mention it clocks in just under 30 minutes -- but those are not excuses. I'm always trying to learn that having too little of something beauitful is better than having too much. So, don't let the duration of this recording effect your decision to buy or not.

I'm not going to write a huge review like I often see, and very often appreciate, but I do want to say a few things. Joan Benson is one of the earliest people to dedicate herself entirely to the clavichord. You will not see a disc anywhere where she is playing the harpsichord, a virginal, or anything else. Only clavichords. I personally think Colin Tilney does a very good job on the clavichord while still holding down his reputation on a variety of keyboard instruments (mainly the Harpsichord, but his virginal work is wonderful as well). In the 90's a few people started dedicating themselves entirely to the clavichord. Richard Troeger and Miklos Spanyi come to mind right now. They are both busily putting out very good recordings. I am personally not a great Troeger fan, but that is way outside the scope of this review. The date on the amazon page says 1996, but I'm not so sure of that. I just dug out a very old and scarce copy of Joan playing Cabezon, CPE Bach, Grotthus and she looks like she is in her twenties. That LP (Repetoire Recordings) was put out in 1962. So, lets just say (for the fact of arguing it) she has been playing the clavichord faithfully for 46 years!

Okay, this has gone on too long already! She plays only (and sadly) Johann Kuhnau (from the Biblical sonatas), and two CPE pieces (a Rondo and a Fantasy). I won't comment on her interpretation of CPE, since I don't know his work and generally don't find it to be very engaging. Kuhnau's piece must have been written for the clavichord or have other special qualities that make it possible to be played on a clavichord. Joan uses a double-fretted clavichord here, and I suppose that Kuhnau must have been writing knowing full well that his work would be played on a very typical double-fretted clavichord. Sorry if this is a bit technical, but I mention it because you will find an astonishing number of Biblical Sonatas recorded on the clavichord (John Butt, and many others from Europe who I can't remember off the top of my head). Joan plays three or four passages from the set. Her interpretation is as convincing as anything else I hve heard. She keeps the flourishes to a minimum (as this isn't French!) and uses all of the expressive qualities of the instrument only as a pro can do. If you really like the material or the clavichord - seek out someone else playing it. I think you'll find her playing to be emotionally rich (at times deeply melancholy) - with all the conviction in the world, and nothing to pretend about.

And so.. jeez, what am I getting at here? This disc will dazzle you, make you fall in love with the instrument, the soul playing it, and music as a whole. It is THAT GOOD. The clavichord is the only keyboard instrument with vibrato. You can spot a "keyboardist" playing a clavichord in nothing flat. They will push the dynamics too far, use vibrato either too little, too much, and always badly. The instrument allows for so much more interpretation that it screams out to be used. When the instrument is in the hands of someone like Joan Benson, you have the chance of hearing something as delicious as anything you could ever eat. If you are unfamiliar with the instrument, the sound will amaze you first. If you are a fan of solo harpsichord music, you will find the use of dynamics and vibrato to be stunning (and you can only imagine how stunningly difficult it must be to play). And if you are just someone looking for some soothing music before bed, this is it. What I am getting at is obvious, it offers something for anyone.

One more funny piece of info. A friend of mine who builds harpsichords told me that the entire recording was done in a tiled BATHROOM. Recording a clavichord is probably about as difficult a job as you could find - but though it would seem like a fully tiled box wouldn't be the ideal place to record the instrument, the proof is in the pudding. Each note has air around it, the harmonies stay aloft and fade away with the utmost invisibility.

Buy this album now. Just add it RIGHT NOW. Amazon will let you return it if you hate it (but please post a comment why you hated it). For fans of early keyboard music, it is a must have. For fans of clavichords, it sets the bar. For fans of classical music, it is top-shelf.

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