CPE Bach Edition - Box Set 30CDs

Label : Brilliant
Format : Flac track
Cover : Box (front + back)

As is its custom, Brilliant Classics continues to assemble—and divide, and reassemble—combinations of original and licensed recordings to produce mega-box sets and spin-offs from the same. Sometimes, as with the Telemann mega-box set I review elsewhere in this issue, Brilliant issues single CDs and smaller sets first, and subsequently assembles those into mega-box editions. In other instances, however, such as here, it does the opposite—it first issues a mega-box set, and then releases single items from that individually. With respect to mega-box sets of uneven quality, the temptation to wait and buy only the desired portions of those as individual releases is tempered by two limiting factors: the significantly higher price of the separate individual releases, and the aggravating fact that Brilliant does not always release all the contents of the mega-box sets as separate items. More frustratingly, Brilliant also sometimes issues a mega-box set, and then comes back a couple of years later to issue an even bigger mega-box set (a prime instance here being the label’s Shostakovich Edition, which suddenly expanded from 27 to 51 CDs). To complicate matters further, because the licensing rights for some recordings expire after a fairly short period of time, the contents of a given mega-box set may partially alter after a few years (the newly reissued complete Beethoven set had almost half of its original contents replaced, whereas the Bach, Brahms, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky sets endured only minor alterations).

Consequently, buying any mega-box set from Brilliant is something of a gamble. Do you wait to see if an even bigger, or else better, edition comes out, and risk the current set going out of print? Or, do you buy now (at the admittedly mouth-watering super-budget price) but risk having to pay again and duplicating what you already have in order to get some additional items? Also, do you buy a mega-box set with a goodly share of items you don’t really want in order to get the ones you really do want? Or, do you wait and see if the latter come out separately? Most fortunately, in this case, and also in that of the aforementioned Telemann edition, the contents of the set are of such uniformly high quality that there is no need to hesitate: If you enjoy this repertoire, grab these sets now.

C. P. E. Bach has had to wait a very long time to come into his own again, after first going out of fashion by the end of the 18th century and then being overshadowed by the staggering genius of his father; but with the revival of interest over the last generation or so in the transitional era between the late Baroque and the Classical eras his music has undergone a major revival and he is once again being recognized as a truly major composer. Recordings of his works are pouring out in an increasing flood, and this 30-CD set marking the tricentenary of his birth is part of that musical riptide. Unlike the label’s compilations of works by composers from the 19th and 20th centuries, which consist almost entirely of licensed reissues, 19 of the 30 CDs here are original Brilliant Classics recordings, something which ensures greater stability to the contents of any subsequent edition. Of the remaining 11, CDs 2 and 26 (originally recorded by Edel) and CDs 3, 6, 7, and 27–30 (originally recorded by Capriccio) were previously issued by Capriccio in a 14-CD collection of C. P. E. Bach’s music. CD 5 is relicensed from Challenge, and CD 14 from Tactus. Of these 30 discs, 24 (all but discs 5, 9–11, 15, and 24) have previously been reviewed in these pages; a parenthetical reference to the corresponding review follows each disc. Here, then, are the contents:

CD 1: “Hamburg” Symphonies, Wq183 (H663–666) + Harpsichord Concerto, Wq43 No. 4 (H474) [Marek Toporowski (hpd), Didier Talpain, Solamente Naturali] (Jerry Dubins, 34:4)

CD 2: “Berlin” Symphonies, Wq174, 175, 178, 179, 181 (H649, 650, 653, 654, 656) [Hartmut Haenchen, C. P. E. Bach Chamber Orchestra] (William Youngren, 11:1, 18:1)

CD 3: Symphonies, Wq182 (H657–662) [Hartmut Haenchen, C. P. E. Bach Chamber Orchestra] (William Youngren, 11:2)

CD 4: Oboe Concertos, Wq135, 164, 165 (H549, 466, 468) [Anna Starr (ob), Jörn Boysen, Musica Poetica] + Pastorale in a for bassoon, Wq.deest [Joaquin Guerra Codina (bsn)] (Jerry Dubins, 36:2)

CD 5: Flute Concertos, Wq22, 164, 165 (H425, 466, 468) [Machiko Takahashi (fl), Roland Kieft, Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra]

CD 6: Flute Concertos, Wq167–169 (H435, 438, 445) [Eckart Haupt (fl), Hartmut Haenchen, C. P. E. Bach Chamber Orchestra] (William Youngren, 11:2)

CD 7: Organ Concertos, Wq34 and 35 (H444 and 446); Prelude in D, Wq970 (H107); Fantasia and Fugue in c, Wq119 No. 7 (H103) [Roland Münch, Hartmut Haenchen, C. P. E. Bach Chamber Orchestra] (William Youngren, 11:2)

CD 8: Cello Concertos, Wq 170–172 (H432, 436, 439) [Raphael Wallfisch (vc), Jonathan Morton, Scottish Ensemble] (Jerry Dubins, 33:5)

CD 9: Harpsichord Concertos, Wq3, 6, 14 (H405, 409, 417) [Pieter-Jan Belder, Musica Amphion]

CD 10: Concerto in d for recorder and strings, Wq22 (H425); Concerto (Sonatina) in E??for harpsichord, two recorders and strings, Wq108 (H462); Quartet in a for harpsichord, recorder (or flute), violin, and cello, Wq93 (H537); Trio in F for bass recorder, viola and basso continuo, Wq159 (H588) [Collegium Pro Musica]

CD 11: Trios for traverso, viola, and harpsichord, Wq 93–95 (H537–539); Sonata in A for traverso, violin, cello, and harpsichord, Wq146 (H570/542); Duet in e for traverso and violin, Wq140 (H598) [Helianthus Ensemble]

CD 12: Sonatas for flute and basso continuo I, Wq123–127 + 130 (H550–554 + 560) [Jed Wentz (fl), Job ter Haar (cello), Michael Borgstede (hpd), Musica ad Rhenum] (Lynn René Bayley, 37:5)

CD 13: Sonatas for flute and basso continuo II, Wq128, 129, 131, 133, 134 (H555, 556, 561, 564, 548) [Jed Wentz (fl), Job ter Haar (cello), Michael Borgstede (hpd), Musica ad Rhenum] (Lynn René Bayley, 37:5)

CD 14: Sonatas for viola da gamba in C and D, Wq136–137 (H558–559) + Trio for viola da gamba and harpsichord, Wq88 (H510) [Paolo Pandolfo (vdg), Rinaldo Alessandrini (hpd)] (William Youngren, 15:1)

CD 15: Sonatas for harpsichord and violin, Wq71–73 + 76 (H502–504 + 512) + Sonata (H542.5) [formerly BWV1020 of J. S. Bach; note that Brilliant misprints the catalog number as H524.5] + Sinfonia, Wq74 (H507) [Federico Guglielmo (vln), Roberto Loreggian (hpd)]

CD 16: Prussian Sonatas, Wq48 (H24–29) [Pieter-Jan Belder (hpd)] (James A. Altena, 36: 3)

CD 17: Württemberg Sonatas I, Wq49 (H30, 31, 33) [Pieter-Jan Belder (hpd)] (James A. Altena, 36:3)

CD 18: Württemberg Sonatas II, Wq49 (H32, 34, 36) [Pieter-Jan Belder (hpd)] (James A. Altena, 36:3)

CD 19: Keyboard Sonatas “für Kenner und Liebhaber,” Wq55 Nos. 1–5 (H244, 130, 245, 186, 243) [Pieter-Jan Belder (hpd)] (Lynn René Bayley, 37: 5)

CD 20: Keyboard Sonatas and Rondos “für Kenner und Liebhaber,” Wq55 No. 6 (H187), Wq56 (H246, 260–262, 269, 270) [Pieter-Jan Belder (hpd)] (Lynn René Bayley, 37:5)

CD 21: Keyboard Sonatas and Rondos “für Kenner und Liebhaber,” Wq57 (H173, 247, 265, 266, 268, 271), Wq58 (H273, 276) [Pieter-Jan Belder (hpd)] (Lynn René Bayley, 37:5)

CD 22: Keyboard Sonatas and Rondos “für Kenner und Liebhaber,” Wq58 (H267, 274, 277, 278, 288), Wq59 (H281, 268) [Pieter-Jan Belder (hpd)] (Lynn René Bayley, 37:5)

CD 23: Keyboard Sonatas, Rondos, and Fantasies “für Kenner und Liebhaber,” Wq59 (H279, 282–284), Wq61 (H286–291) [Pieter-Jan Belder (hpd)] (Lynn René Bayley, 37:5)

CD 24: Keyboard Symphonies, Wq122 Nos. 1–3 (H45, 104, 653) + arr. Wq176 [Andrea Chezzi (hpd)]

CD 25: Sacred Songs, Wq194 Nos. 7, 10, 18, and 26; Wq195 No. 6; Wq196 Nos. 4, 8, 18, and 19; Wq197 Nos. 13, 14, and 21; Wq198 No. 12; H693 and H709 + Secular Songs, H673 and 695 [Julian Redlin (bs), Jörn Boysen (hpd)] (Lynn René Bayley, 36:1)

CD 26: Symphonies in G, Wq173 and 180 (H648 and 655); Magnificat in D, Wq215 (H772) [Venceslava Hruba-Freiberger (sop), Barbara Bornemann (alt), Peter Schreier (ten), Olaf Bär (bs), Hartmut Haenchen, Berlin Radio Choir, C. P. E. Bach Chamber Orchestra] (William Youngren, 18:1)

CD 27: Cantatas: Morgengesang am Schöpfungsfeste , Wq 239 (H779); Auf, schicke dich recht feierlich , Wq249 (H815); Anbetung dem Erbarmer , Wq243 (H807); Heilig , Wq217 (H778) [Johanna Koslowsky (sop, Wq239 only), Barbara Schlick (sop), Hilke Helling (alt; only soloist in Wq217), Wilfried Jochens (ten), Gotthold Schwarz (bs), Hermann Max, Rheinische Kantorei, Das Kleine Konzert] (William Youngren, 11:2)

CD 28: Cantatas: Gnädig und barmherzig ist der Herr , Wq250 (H281); Wer ist so würdig als du , Wq222 (H831); Der Herr lebet , Wq251 (H821g) [Barbara Schlick (sop), Hilke Helling (alt), Wilfried Jochens (ten), Gotthold Schwarz (bs) Hermann Max, Rheinische Kantorei, Das Kleine Konzert] (William Youngren, 11:6)

CD 29: Oratorio: Die Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu , Wq240 (H777) [Barbara Schlick (sop), Christoph Prégardien (ten), Stephen Varcoe (bs), Hermann Max, Rheinische Kantorei, Das Kleine Konzert] (William Youngren, 11:2)

CD 30: Oratorio: Die Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu , Wq240 (H777); Cantata: Gott hat den Herrn auferwecket , Wq244 (H803) [Martina Lins (sop), Paul Elliott (ten), Gotthold Schwarz (bs), Hermann Max, Rheinische Kantorei, Das Kleine Konzert] (William Youngren, 11:2)