Album

Five discs—five conductors—four orchestras—nine composers—28 works: Decca's collection Ultimate Baroque is as one might imagine a mixed bag. The best of the set is I Musici's sweet and fresh 1996 recording of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, with Mariana Sirbu as the lighter-than-air and younger-than-springtime soloist and Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields' stately yet sprightly 1971 recording of Bach's four Suites for orchestra, and Raymond Leppard and the English Chamber Orchestra's robust and rambunctious 1970 and 1972 recordings of Handel's Water Music suites and Music for the Royal Fireworks. Less successful are Karl Münchinger and the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester's 1967 and 1978 recordings of a variety of eighteenth century hits. Too often, the Stuttgart's strings are weak; the long lines of the Pachelbel Canon and Bach's Air on the G string sag and the winds waver; the pair of flutes in Bach's Sheep May Safely Graze are simpering; and more often than not, Münchinger's interpretations tend toward the sentimental. The tone of his Boccherini Minuet and his Hoffstetter (née, Haydn) Serenade is close to saccharine. More successful is Eduardo Fernández's 1985 and 1987 recordings of guitar concertos by Vivaldi and Giuliani plus a guitar sonata by Paganini. Accompanied by the alert George Malcolm leading a perhaps too comfortable English Chamber, Fernández is a brilliant player whose performances are compromised by the bright but shallow early digital sound. In short, Ultimate Baroque is a good but not great way to become familiar with a wide swathe of Baroque music.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 5
Antonio Vivaldi Composer La primavera (Spring) in E, RV269, Op.8, No.1 Work 10:35 Shizuko Nori Lute, Francesco Buccarella Harpsichord, Mariana Sirbu Violin, I Musici String Ensemble
1	1.Allegro	3:26			$0.99
2	2.Largo e pianissimo sempre	3:05			$0.99
3	3.Allegro ('Danza pastorale')	4:04			$0.99
Antonio Vivaldi Composer L'estate (Summer) in G-, RV315, Op.8, No.2 Work 10:53 Shizuko Nori Lute, Francesco Buccarella Harpsichord, Mariana Sirbu Violin, I Musici String Ensemble
4	1.Allegro non molto. Allegro	5:35			$0.99
5	2.Adagio	2:40			$0.99
6	3.Presto	2:38			$0.99
Antonio Vivaldi Composer L'autunno (Autumn) in F, RV293, Op.8, No.3 Work 11:31 Shizuko Nori Lute, Francesco Buccarella Harpsichord, Mariana Sirbu Violin, I Musici String Ensemble
7	1.Allegro non molto ('Ballo, e canto de'villanelli')	5:14			$0.99
8	2.Adagio molto ('Ubriachi dormienti')	2:51			$0.99
9	3.Allegro ('La caccia')	3:26			$0.99
Antonio Vivaldi Composer L'inverno (Winter) in F-, RV297, Op.8, No.4 Work 8:41 Shizuko Nori Lute, Francesco Buccarella Harpsichord, Mariana Sirbu Violin, I Musici String Ensemble
10	1.Allegro non molto	3:22			$0.99
11	2.Largo	2:13			$0.99
12	3.Allegro	3:06			$0.99
Antonio Vivaldi Composer Il cimento dell'Armonia e dell'Invenzione, concertos for Violin, Strings, and Continuo, Op.8, Nos.5-12...No.5 in Eb, RV253 ('Sea Storm') Work 8:55 Shizuko Nori Lute, Francesco Buccarella Harpsichord, Mariana Sirbu Violin, I Musici String Ensemble
13	1.Presto	2:47			$0.99
14	2.Largo	2:53			$0.99
15	3.Presto	3:15			$0.99
Antonio Vivaldi Composer Il cimento dell'Armonia e dell'Invenzione, concertos for Violin, Strings, and Continuo, Op.8, Nos.5-12...No.6 in C, RV180 ('Pleasure') Work 8:32 Shizuko Nori Lute, Francesco Buccarella Harpsichord, Mariana Sirbu Violin, I Musici String Ensemble
16	1.Allegro	2:58			$0.99
17	2.Largo e cantabile	2:40			$0.99
18	3.Allegro	2:54			$0.99
CD 2 of 5
Johann Pachelbel Composer Canon and Gigue in D, for 3 violins and continuo ('Pachelbel's Canon'), T.337 Work 6:21 Karl Munchinger Conductor, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester Orchestra
1	1.Canon	4:29			$0.99
2	2.Gigue	1:52			$0.49
Remo Giazotto Composer Adagio in G- for Violin, Strings, and Organ (previously attributed to Albinoni) Work Karl Munchinger Conductor, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester Orchestra
3	Adagio in G- for Violin, Strings, and Organ (previously attributed to Albinoni)	7:15			$1.49
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Cantata No.147: Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben (Visitation), BWV147 (includes 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring')...Part 2 Work Karl Munchinger Conductor, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester Orchestra
4	10.Chorale: Jesus bleibt meine Freude (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring)	2:59			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Cantata 208: Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd! (includes 'Sheep May Safely Graze'), BWV208...9.Aria (Soprano): Schafe können sicher weiden (Sheep May Safely Graze) Work Karl Munchinger Conductor, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester Orchestra
5	9.Aria (Soprano): Schafe können sicher weiden (Sheep May Safely Graze; various arrangements)	4:26			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Orchestral Suite No.3 in D, BWV1068 (includes 'Air on the G String') Work Karl Munchinger Conductor, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester Orchestra
6	2.Air ('On the G String')	3:45			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Fantasia and Fugue in G-, BWV542 Work Karl Munchinger Conductor, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester Orchestra
7	2.Fugue	4:55			$0.99
Luigi Boccherini Composer 2 Minuets, for 2 oboes, 2 horns and strings, G.502 (doubtful) Work Karl Munchinger Conductor, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester Orchestra
8	Minuet in E	2:47			$0.99
Roman Hoffstetter Composer Work(s) Work Karl Munchinger Conductor, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester Orchestra
9	Serenade	3:54			$0.99
George Frideric Handel Composer Concerto Grosso in G-, Op.6, No.6, HWV324 Work Karl Munchinger Conductor, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester Orchestra
10	3.Musette	6:47			$0.99
George Frideric Handel Composer Solomon, HWV67 Work Karl Munchinger Conductor, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester Orchestra
11	Solomon, HWV67	3:06			$0.99
George Frideric Handel Composer Organ Concerto in F, Op.4, No.5, HWV293 Work Ulrich Bremsteller Organ, Karl Munchinger Conductor, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester Orchestra
12	2.Allegro	4:39			$0.99
George Frideric Handel Composer Organ Concerto in F, Op.4, No.4, HWV292 Work 10:36 Ulrich Bremsteller Organ, Karl Munchinger Conductor, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester Orchestra
13	2.Andante	5:58			$0.99
14	3.Adagio; 4.Allegro	4:38			$0.99
George Frideric Handel Composer Berenice, regina d'Egitto, HWV38 (opera) Work Ulrich Bremsteller Organ, Karl Munchinger Conductor, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester Orchestra
15	Overture	7:07			$1.49
CD 3 of 5
George Frideric Handel Composer Music for the Royal Fireworks in D, HWV351 Work 21:45 English Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Leslie Pearson Harpsichord, Jeremy Tilston Descant, Raymond Leppard Conductor
1	1.Overture: Adagio. Allegro. Lentement	8:24			$1.49
2	2.Bourrée	1:28			$0.49
3	3.La paix: Largo alla Siciliana	3:46			$0.99
4	4.La Réjouissance: Allegro	3:41			$0.99
5	5.Menuets 1 and 2	4:26			$0.99
George Frideric Handel Composer Water Music Suite No.1 in F, HWV348 Work 28:51 various artists
6	1.Ouverture; 2.Adagio e staccato	6:01			$0.99
7	3a.Allegro. 3b.Andante. 3c.Allegro (da capo)	7:25			$1.49
8	4.Menuet (Passepied)	3:33			$0.99
9	5.Air	2:59			$0.99
10	7.Bourrée	1:08			$0.49
11	9.Andante	3:28			$0.99
12	8.Hornpipe	1:18			$0.49
13	6.Menuet	2:59			$0.99
George Frideric Handel Composer Water Music Suite No.3 in G, HWV350 Work 10:33 various artists
14	1.Sarabande	3:07			$0.99
15	3.Rigaudons 1 and 2	2:46			$0.99
16	2.Menuets 1 and 2	3:09			$0.99
17	5.Gigue 1 and 2	1:31			$0.49
George Frideric Handel Composer Water Music Suite No.2 in D, HWV349 Work 9:00 various artists
18	1.Overture: Allegro. Adagio	2:02			$0.99
19	2a.Alla Hornpipe	3:03			$0.99
20	4.Lentement	1:18			$0.49
21	2b.Menuett	0:42			$0.49
22	5.Bourrée	1:55			$0.49
CD 4 of 5
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Orchestral Suite No.1 in C, BWV1066 Work 19:59 Sir Neville Marriner Conductor, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra, Thurston Dart Continuo
1	1.Overture	5:55			$0.99
2	2.Courante	2:08			$0.99
3	3.Gavotte 1 and 2	2:56			$0.99
4	4.Forlane	1:38			$0.49
5	5.Menuet 1 and 2	2:20			$0.99
6	6.Bourrée 1 and 2	2:39			$0.99
7	7.Passepied 1 and 2	2:23			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Orchestral Suite No.2 in B-, BWV1067 Work 19:35 William Bennett Flute, Sir Neville Marriner Conductor, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra, Thurston Dart Continuo
8	1.Overture	7:25			$1.49
9	2.Rondeau	1:39			$0.49
10	3.Sarabande	3:02			$0.99
11	4.Bourrée 1 and 2	1:53			$0.49
12	5.Polonaise. Double	2:58			$0.99
13	6.Menuet; 7.Badinerie	2:38			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Orchestral Suite No.3 in D, BWV1068 (includes 'Air on the G String') Work 19:44 Karl Munchinger Conductor, Sir Neville Marriner Conductor, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra, Thurston Dart Continuo
14	1.Overture	6:35			$0.99
15	2.Air ('On the G String')	5:11			$0.99
16	3.Gavotte 1 and 2	3:45			$0.99
17	4.Bourrée 1 and 2; 5.Gigue	4:13			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Orchestral Suite No.4 in D, BWV1069 Work 17:56 Sir Neville Marriner Conductor, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra, Thurston Dart Continuo
18	1.Overture	7:25			$1.49
19	2.Bourrée 1 and 2	2:47			$0.99
20	3.Gavotte 1 and 2	2:00			$0.99
21	4.Menuet 1 and 2	2:58			$0.99
22	5.Réjouissance	2:46			$0.99
CD 5 of 5
Mauro Giuliani Composer Guitar Concerto No.1 in A, Op.30 Work 22:28 English Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Eduardo Fernandez Guitar, George Malcolm Conductor
1	1.Allegro maestoso	8:58			$1.49
2	2.Andantino: Siciliano	6:21			$0.99
3	3.Polonaise: Allegretto	7:09			$1.49
Antonio Vivaldi Composer Chamber Concerto in D, for lute, 2 violins, and continuo, RV93...Chamber Concerto in D, RV93 (arr. guitar and orchestra) Work 11:01 English Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Eduardo Fernandez Guitar, George Malcolm Conductor
4	1.Allegro giusto	3:46			$0.99
5	2.Largo	5:08			$0.99
6	3.Allegro	2:07			$0.99
Antonio Vivaldi Composer Viola d'Amore Concerto in D-, RV395 Work 13:30 English Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Eduardo Fernandez Guitar, Norbert Blume Viola d'amore, George Malcolm Conductor
7	1.Allegro	5:41			$0.99
8	2.Largo	4:37			$0.99
9	3.Allegro	3:12			$0.99
Antonio Vivaldi Composer Trio Sonata in C, RV82 Work 9:59 English Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Eduardo Fernandez Guitar, George Malcolm Conductor
10	1.Allegro non molto	3:51			$0.99
11	2.Larghetto	4:04			$0.99
12	3.Allegro	2:04			$0.99
Niccolò Paganini Composer Guitar Sonata in A...Guitar Sonata in A (arr. guitar and orchestra) Work 15:41 English Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Eduardo Fernandez Guitar, George Malcolm Conductor
13	1.Allegro risoluto	6:26			$0.99
14	2.Romanza	5:14			$0.99
15	3.Andantino variato	4:01			$0.99