Early Release at NativeDSD Music – 1 Month Before Stereo CD!
5 Quintetti (5 Quintets) featuring the music of Fiesta Boccherini performed by The Northern Consort is the newest release from Aliud Records. The album is available in a variety of DSD formats and bit rates at NativeDSD Music including Stereo, 5.1 Channel Surround Sound and Binaural DSD.
Members of The Northern Consort tell us “It was clear that the cello would play a more dominant role than we’re used to in The Northern Consort. Luigi Boccherini occupies a special place in cellists’ hearts. He must have been a phenomenal player, and, happily, he was also a composer. His exceptional knowledge of the technical possibilities of the cello helped him create a completely new sound-palette.
This is particularly evident in his chamber music. With its splendid vocalic lines, often revealing an undertone of melancholy, combined with impressive virtuosity, and with a wink or a smile appearing now and then from under the surface. In this way he constantly explores new sound-areas. Crazy sections, or unplayable runs, often in the region of ‘eternal snow’– extremely high up on the string. Rendering these passages playable is still an enormous puzzle for every cellist. It often feels a bit like a Sudoku: with enough perseverance, everything suddenly falls into place.
Our choice of Boccherini also takes us back to a seminal moment for The Northern Consort. In 2002, Hanneke, Lidewij and Barbara came together for the first time to enjoy his Italian/ Spanish sound-world. In an Amsterdam lounge-room, and under the expert guidance of Boccherini connoisseur Wim ten Have, we played through parts of his impressive string-quintet oevre. For this album we’ve chosen two of these works – both of exceptional value in ten Have’s opinion, and almost never performed.
It’s notable that no composer, either before Boccherini or since, wrote so many quintets. The settings are very varied. Not only calling for two celli, but also for two violas, and for a wide variety of solo instruments with string quartet – flute, oboe, guitar, piano.
According to Gerard, compiler of the Boccherini catalogue, they comprise 188 works! What is it that so fascinated him about this five-part setting? Although we can’t ask him, one practical reason, in any case, is the fact that a string quartet was in permanent service of his Spanish employer. Boccherini himself also wanted to play. Which explains the choice of a second cello. It’s also clear that the broader scope for orchestration within a quintet, compared with a quartet or trio, inspired him and suited his vision of sound, form and structure.”
The Northern Consort
Barbara Kernig – Cello
Lidewij Scheifes – Cello
Hanneke Wierenga – Violin
Femke Huizinga – Violin
Esther van der Eijk – Viola
Tracklist
Please note that the below previews are loaded as 44.1 kHz / 16 bit.Total time: 01:16:38
Additional information
| Label | |
|---|---|
| SKU | ACDOB1162 |
| Qualities | DSD 512 fs, DSD 256 fs, DSD 128 fs, DSD 64 fs, DXD 24 Bit, FLAC 192 kHz, FLAC 96 kHz |
| Channels | 2ch Stereo, 2ch Binaural, 5.1 Channel Surround Sound, 2ch Stereo & 2ch Binaural, 2ch Stereo & 5.1ch Surround |
| Artists | |
| Composers | |
| Genres | |
| Album Production | Jos Boerland, Aliud Records |
| Analog to Digital Converters | Horus & Anubis, Merging Technologies |
| Instruments | |
| Original Recording Format | |
| Producers | Barbara Kernig & Stichting The Northern Consort |
| Recording Engineer | Peter Arts, Arts Music Recordings |
| Recording Location | Recorded in September 2020 at Zuidervermaning, Westzaan |
| Recording Software | Pyramix, Merging Technologies |
| Release Date | July 2, 2021 |
3 reviews for Fiesta Boccherini: 5 Quintetti (5 Quintets)
Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.
Boccherini was no Beethoven. But from time to time, his music can be enjoyable to listen to. Especially when he sometimes throws in the occasional harmonic surprise that keeps you guessing.
Having just bought this download, I have to say, in my opinion the playing is truly substandard. To my ears it is out of tune by all the players. If you’re tone deaf, it won’t bother you! On the other hand, if you don’t have a tin ear, this will drive you nuts!
Gil Sullivan (verified owner) –
I bought this album for several reasons:
– I love quintets with 2 cellos
– Buying music albums is one of the only ways to support musicians in a sad music streaming world
– The previous review by Gill Sullivan is unfair, unethical, and more important, wrong
The musicians play on period instruments with a A pitch at 430 Hz, not the current 440 Hz. When you add some chromaticism, you can “feel” some kind of sound “acidity, but players do not play out of tune. When you can listen before buying, I wonder why buying a bad album.
The performance is very good from a music point of view, with a nice equilibrium, good dialogs, and a general coherent approach.
Recording has a good natural reverb, timbres are very good. On a high level audio system, scene is quite precise, with a sufficient width, localized instruments. You can sometimes hear fingers on the oboe, as in real life.
Thierry Nkaoua (verified owner) –
These are delightfully fresh and engaging performances. All on period instruments and with appropriate tuning, each quintet brings its own special pleasures with the changing complement of all strings and two cellos, alternate with an oboe for another work, alternate with guitar for yet another. Nicely performed by all involved.
The recording sets the instruments nicely within the sound field and the overall sound is transparent and nicely resolving. Altogether a very enjoyable recital that maintained variety and interest.
Rush Paul (verified owner) –