By MauriceGerald
01-Jul-2010

What a Bargain!  

Yes, I confess, it was the trifling price for so much music that first caught my eye. Thanks to Naxos-ClassicsOnline, this album speaks up for all those overlooked but many first-class, highly skilled composers who worked in the shade of the great names - the unfortunates to be born in the same era as such a long-lived giant as Haydn; some - Wesley for example - lived on into the mighty shade of Beethoven. So gratefully seize the chance of this huge album to learn a little of some of them at such little cost.

I have another confession: I had never heard of Carlos Baguer; and Wenzel Pichl's name only rang the faintest of bells. I still know no more of the former than his symphony in this album. For this reason alone - the lack of any much-needed notes on these composers and their work - have I witheld the deserved fifth star; for the performances are first-class, vivid and stylish.

Wikipedia can answer a few questions of provenance (even dates for Baguer; nothing more); but is no substitute for a JPG download of the sort of notes you would expect in a CD leaflet. I would willingly pay as much again for such information. Perhaps not all these works are of equal merit; the Hoffmeister is outstanding - confident and masterly - at first hearing (and the unknown Mr/Herr/Signor Baguer keeps his end up like a seasoned player). For me perhaps Wesley is the least exciting; but I need to play through this cornucopia many times more before a final verdict. Meanwhile there is much to excite and interest, many felicities, many surprises. Go for it, it's a gift.
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By NoudBles
19-Dec-2009

Rare Classical Symphonies, rare pleasure  

Rare classical symphonies brings you to unexpected composers such as Baguer, Pichl and Wesley. But they are accompanied by Johan Christian Bach and Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf. A pleasant way to hear unknown music and often an invitation to further exploration.

Try this collection.

- Noud Bles
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By harrisonwdavid
27-Jun-2009

Rare symphonies and a rare bargain too  

I am sure that symphonies written during this period are not by any means rare so I suppose unfamiliar symphonies might be a better though perhaps less enticing title.

But with the best part of two hours of unfamiliar but by no means negligible eighteenth & early nineteenth century music that is never less then well played and often excellently recorded for £2.39 you cannot go wrong. Only J C Bach's "Grand Overture" (Academy of Ancient Music - Simon Standage) was familiar but I enjoyed the whole programme.

I am not in position to tell whether it is all great music, whatever great music is but it is all enjoyable. The Baguer, Clementi, Hoffmeister, Pichl and Wesley items are stylishly played and superbly recorded by the London Mozart Players under Matthias Bamert. Adrian Shepherd and Cantilena do the very attractive Dittersdorf novelty "The Four Ages of the World". If you enjoy Mozart and Haydn and want to explore their contemporaries or just fancy a change then this album should fit the bill and you might well be tempted to explore the complete albums from the Chandos label which they mostly derive.

What are you waiting for?
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