On period instruments ... spare me

I was reading a really annoying review about the wonderful Elliott Gardener Bach Cantata cycle. The reviewer mentioned how deliciously crafted and polished the performances are (and they are). And mentioned the detail to authenticity was just spot on.

That final ascertation is just plain crap. Unless the chamber organ being used was powered by the local blacksmith pumping the air into the reservoir it ain't authentic in my book. Electrical organ pumps and Bach are just mutually exclusive.

Never understood period instrument thing and grow an intense dislike after listening HIP Beethoven from Norrington and Gardner.

Period instruments differ subtly from modern concert instruments. E.G. gut-strung stringed instruments prevailed during Bach's life. Woodwinds differed also in dimension and construction. Bach knew the tromba da tirarsi and the sackbut, violone, violoncello piccolo and violina piccolo among others. Frankly, having sung JSBach's Cantatas with period instrument ensembles and modern ensembles my gut instinct informs me that period ensembles are just another way of interpreting JSBach imho.

Kromme - I agree with you about HIP Beethoven dished up a la Norrington and Gardner. The lastest in this incarnation is van Imerseel (Anima Eterna). His Beethoven (on period instruments) is noisy, rude, raw and totally wonderful (unlike Norrington which is like nail varnish).

In my (not so) humble opinion ...

Also, for those Latin Scholars ... Anima Eterna and Imerseel seem to point in the same direction, ;-)

CT64-I will try to find recordings of van Imerseel but i am not very hopeful because in Turkey you can not even find von Karajan's DG recordings.

Ach, that's sad, sad news Mister Kromme, if you private message me I might be able to offer a solution ...