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Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

Title:	Welcome to the CD Notes Conference
Notice:	Welcome to COOKIE
Moderator:	COOKIE::ROLLOW

Created:	Mon Feb 17 1986
Last Modified:	Fri Mar 03 1989
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	1517
Total number of notes:	13349

837.0. "Pachelbel's Kanon Revisited" by STAR::BIGELOW (Bruce Bigelow, DECnet-VAX) Fri Jul 31 1987 13:28

I have an old Musical Heritage Society recording of Pachelbel's Kanon, and
other works by Pachelbel and Fasch.  I have loved this recording for many years
and have sorely missed having it on CD.

I found a CD at Lechmere recently with an awful purple and red cover.  It was
Pachelbel's Kanon and other stuff on RCA Red Seal.  Well, the "other stuff"
turned out to be the same other stuff that's on my MHS record.  Aha!  The
performers are also the same.  Checking the timing on the tracks gave... Damn! 
No timings given.  Well, I took the chance. 

The RCA CD is exactly the same recording as my MHS record.  And both are made
under licence from Erato!  I'm thoroughly delighted!

Performers are the Paillard Chamber Orchestra, Jean-Jacques Paillard conducting,
with Maurice Andre, Pierre Pierlot, and Jacques Chambon in one piece.  Maurice
Andre puts in a particularly good performance.  To me, this disc sounds like a
combination of period instruments and modern; I'm not sure.  The hiss (and the
1960's recording date) say it's ADD or AAD, but RCA doesn't say.  I'd bet on
ADD.  I don't mind the hiss - it isn't that bad, and this is NOT a piece of
music to play loudly anyway.  The clarity of the recording is nothing short
of excellent.

Personally, I'd give the performances a B+ on the URS, and the sound quality
(including mixing) a B, but only because of the hiss.  But then, I'm biased,
already loving it before I heard the CD.

In case you haven't already guessed, I'd recommend this disc to anyone;
especially those who would cringe at yet another recording of "Pachelbel's
Greatest Hit!"  The performance is very sensitive and moving, even sensous.
It is done very slowly compared to most performances (in other words, the way
it was probably intended), timing in at 7:08 for the Kanon. 

What's on the disc is (direct quote):

Johann PACHELBEL

	Canon in D for Strings and Continuo

	Suite in B-Flat for Strings and Continuo (from Musicalische Ergotzung)

	Suite in G for Strings and Continuo

Johann Friedrich FASCH

	Concerto in D for Trumpet, 2 Oboes, Strings and Continuo
		Maurice Andre, Trumpet; Pierre Pierlot & Jacques Chambon, Oboes

	Sinfonia in G for Strings and Continuo

	Sinfonia in A for Strings and Continuo

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
837.1	The Original Recording	MAGES::BURR		`Fri Jul 31 1987 15:13`	5
	I believe this recording was the first recording of the work and the one responsible for bringing the Pachelbel Canon it's current popularity, and hence isn't just another recording of the piece. Rod Burr
837.2	Yes, probably the first	STAR::BIGELOW	Bruce Bigelow, DECnet-VAX	`Fri Jul 31 1987 16:46`	8
	re: .1 Yes, I think so, but I wasn't sure so I didn't say anything. By saying "yet another recording..." I was referring to the number of recordings that have been made, not trying to call this another "me too" recording. It's certainly the first I ever heard, and the best (in my opinion). What I don't understand is why every other version I've ever heard insists on using a tempo so much faster.
837.3	Brass Anyone?	NCADC1::PEREZ	The sensitivity of a dung beetle.	`Sun Aug 02 1987 08:09`	10
	I also have this recording and like it too. If anyone's interested, for something a bit different "Oh no, yet another recording of "Pachelbel's Greatest Hit" the Canadian Brass have a CD out of the Pachelbel Canon... I haven't heard it, but I saw it in one of the stores. I think they're music is normally well done and "different". D
837.4	Music History 101	DSSDEV::CHALTAS	No thanks, I'm trying to quit...	`Mon Aug 03 1987 09:26`	12
	Well, the infamous Kanon strikes again! Mr. P's Kanon in D is actually 1/2 a keyboard piece -- 'Kanon and Gigue'. The MHS recording (which is most likely the one that made it famous) is of an arangement for strings (3 violin parts and continuo?), and is considerably 'Romanticized' (for lack of a better word). The tempo is 'too slow' and the arangement bears no resemblance to the way Mr. P wrote the music. Nevertheless, it's wonderful stuff. I've NEVER seen a recording of the original, but there are a great many arangements that have been recorded. George
837.5	The Brass's version is very nice...	HPSCAD::WALL	I see the middle kingdom...	`Mon Aug 03 1987 10:30`	8
	The Canon can be found on the Canadian Brass's latest live album, Canadian Brass Live! They had some pretty funny remarks to make about the royalties on a piece recorded as often as the Canon... DFW
837.6		PSW::WINALSKI	Paul S. Winalski	`Mon Aug 03 1987 23:42`	8
	RE: .4, .5 I am bored to tears by both the string arrangement and the Brass's. Both sound like so much trite, schmaltzy claptrap. The original keyboard arrangement sounds interesting. Has anybody recorded the Canon and Gigue as the composer intended it to be played? --PSW
837.7	I think Stutgart (sp?)	AUTHOR::GREENMAN		`Tue Aug 04 1987 09:32`	13
	The history of this thing is sort of interesting. Toward the end of WWII, folks were going through this bombed-out church in Germany (I think Stutgart), found a box of P's music and brought it to Karl Munchinger. I don't know if he was heading the Stutgart Chamber Orch at that point, but anyway he arranged it (the Kanon and Gigue) and they were the first orch to perform (and I assume record) it. They are definitaly heavy on the strings - I don't know what actual performance practice was when/where ever P actually originally wrote/performed the pieces. [This is from a Karl Haas program from maybe 10 years ago, but I think I'm remembering it right.] Charlie
837.8	Tafelmusik	6397::STROUBLE		`Tue Aug 04 1987 14:22`	9
	I have a recording of the kanon and gigue on a CD called Tafelmusik by Reference Recordings. The liner notes say that the original instrumentation is used, being three solo violins and continuo. The timing for the whole piece is 5'43". It's very baroque sounding, my guess is that it's the original arrangement. I heard the same music on record used for demos at Goodwins in Cambridge. The recording is excellent, it's been recommended by others in this conference.
837.9	Another Version	SSGVAX::LUST	Reality is for those that can't handle drugs	`Thu Aug 13 1987 17:29`	19
	For another outstanding recording of the Kanon (correct spelling) in D, try the version recorded by the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra on TELDEC. It is a beautiful recording played by a group who really know their stuff. The disc has about 60 minutes of music on it - lots of old warhorses, but played so well. A partial list of the collection follows: Pachelbel: Kanon and Gigue in D Haydn: The Cuckoo Seranade in C Handel: Largo The CD is entitled "Modern Favorites" One of my favorite CD's. Dirk
837.10	Pachelbel ad naseum (a jazzy rendition??)	WCSM::ECTOR	Every little bit hurts - B.H. '64	`Tue Nov 03 1987 20:30`	12
	If anyone is bored being bored with the Kanon in D, there's yet another version by George Winston on Windham Hill. Coming fast upon the Xmas season again, it can be found as the flip to the 45 of Winston's December, which has found it's way into the "Christmas 45's", probably in your local store sooner than you can say "Santa Claus." Can you say "Santa," I knew that you could. The Cruiser