# Best of Jordi Savall



## Bayreuth (Jan 20, 2015)

I've been told today that Jordi Savall will be conducting a concert in the Auditorio Nacional de Madrid, where I live, and I recall reading somewhere here about some recordings of his that were absolutely unmissable. What are the best recordings of Jordi Savall that one can find??


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Wow, that's a tough assignment. If you restrict yourself to music of the Iberian peninsula, there may be zero rejects for you. I am not a fan of his wife's singing, but that is a personal (and unpopular) opinion.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

Buy them all. The only one I didn't care for was Hesperion XX Plays The Best Of Black Sabbath.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

SweetJesus said:


> I've been told today that Jordi Savall will be conducting a concert in the Auditorio Nacional de Madrid, where I live, and I recall reading somewhere here about some recordings of his that were absolutely unmissable. What are the best recordings of Jordi Savall that one can find??


Let me start with a negative point. Where you can find alternative recordings of the music, I nearly always prefer them to what Savall does. Especially in viol music. His music making is impeccable, refined, poised and genteel, and very beautiful on the surface, often rather solemn, very "worked" - never spontaneous or intuitive sounding - and emotionally samey. The latter is a deal breaker for me in big sets of fantasias like those from Dowland or Lawes or Purcell.

Having said that, here are some I've enjoyed.

Alfons V el magnanim (this and the Libre vermell are my favourite recordings by him)
El cant de la sibill la 
Libre vermell de montserrat

Monteverdi orfeo (there's a video)

musical Offering 
Art of fugue (maybe)
Brandenburg concertos (especially brandenburg 6)

Marais Goût etranger
Forqueray 
F couperin viol/keyboard duos
Ortiz
Caurroy 
(I don't like the way he plays British viol music, and in fact none of the above are top for me)

Guerre et paix - if you can enjoy Lully.

I have a general theory about him, especially in viol music. I'm not sure so I'll just say it expecting to be refuted. He tends to make the music sound backward looking towards the Renaissance rather than forward looking towards the baroque. This is a trait he shares with Richard Egarr.

But it's not Egarr who Savall reminds me of most, it's Quarteto Italiano. Reverential, refined and every detail thought through and perfectly executed, beautiful blended singing sound. I think anyone who likes the QI style and is curious about early music will enjoy what Savall does.


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## Ariasexta (Jul 3, 2010)

Jordi Savall and his wife performing "Le Nouve Musiche" from DHM is a bit disappointment but still enjoyable overall, the monody is intended to be sung with instrumental accompaniments, but the sounds of accompaniment are too weak to be heard. And some of the tonos humanos can be better with male voices in "Intermedio Del Barroco Hispanico" from Auvidis. She does have a beautiful voice, somehow the solo vocal music recordings from Savalls ensemble lacks variety.

I would say, his best are viol ensemble and solo music, also counting in sacred choir music.


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## Guest (Oct 25, 2015)

I have numerous Savall recordings, and enjoy them all, but some aren't necessarily my go to recordings for a work, such as:
Mozart: Requiem - decent, but not the best
Bach: Mass in B Minor - same as Mozart Requiem
Those two I don't think I would miss terribly.

But then he has some terrific recordings. I generally really like his Bach recordings, and have the Brandenburg Concertos, the Orchestral Suites, the Musical Offering, and the Art of Fugue. I highly recommend them all.

His Biber recordings are also top quality - the Missa Bruxellensis, and the Battalia a 10/Requiem a 15 in concerto.

One that I really love is his Le Concert Spirituel au temps de Louis XV, which features works from Corelli, Telemann, and Rameau.

Perhaps my favorite recording by him, though, is his recording of Haydn's 7 Last Words of Christ on the Cross. Very moving work.

In addition to his classical recordings, his historical traversals of music from other portions of the world - particularly the Near East - are great. I have really enjoyed his Jerusalem, Istanbul, and Mare Nostrum albums, as well as the Borgia Dynasty album.


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## Guest (Oct 25, 2015)

Oh, and I can't believe I forgot this one:
Handel: Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks
This one gets a lot of praise.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

My favorite is La Folia


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## Ilarion (May 22, 2015)

Ariasexta said:


> Jordi Savall and his wife performing "Le Nouve Musiche" from DHM is a bit disappointment but still enjoyable overall, the monody is intended to be sung with instrumental accompaniments, but the sounds of accompaniment are too weak to be heard. And some of the tonos humanos can be better with male voices in "Intermedio Del Barroco Hispanico" from Auvidis. She does have a beautiful voice, somehow the solo vocal music recordings from Savalls ensemble lacks variety.
> 
> I would say, his best are viol ensemble and solo music, also counting in sacred choir music.


Just a note:

I recall that Jordi Savall's wife died in 2011 - Montserrat Figueras was her name - Jordi and Montserrat made beautiful music together. I miss her artistry very much


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## Picander (May 8, 2013)

I have this CD, and I love it:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QR3ENC?keywords=jordi%20savall%20boccherini&qid=1445807322&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1


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## Ariasexta (Jul 3, 2010)

Ilarion said:


> Just a note:
> 
> I recall that Jordi Savall's wife died in 2011 - Montserrat Figueras was her name - Jordi and Montserrat made beautiful music together. I miss her artistry very much


Her performances were near perfect, but Jordi Savall failed as an instrumentalist in accompaniment, he could not elevate the whole music sung by her late wife.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

"Canto Sibilia I" is very attractive too, but more medievalism-like.

The "Carlos V" cd contains some really great pieces too, but the programme of it is too mixed, IMO.

Another vote for the Biber mass. I´m a fan of Savall, but have only heard a fraction of the many CDs.


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## Ilarion (May 22, 2015)

joen_cph said:


> "Canto Sibilia I" is very attractive too, but more medievalism-like.
> 
> The "Carlos V" cd contains some really great pieces too, but the programme of it is too mixed, IMO.
> 
> Another vote for the Biber mass. I´m a fan of Savall, but have only heard a fraction of the many CDs.


YES!!! joen_cph has it right about Biber mass by Savall :tiphat:


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

Boccherini
Ostinato
Carlos V - Mille Regretz
Estampies & Danses Royales
Francisco Javier - La Ruta de Oriente
Handel - Water Music
Le royaume oublié
Tous les Matins du Monde soundtrack

are my favourites, but I've heard plenty others and like them all.


By the way, for those who miss Montserrat Figueras's voice, their daughter Arianna Savall carries on the tradition.


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## Überstürzter Neumann (Jan 1, 2014)

Another vote for Boccherini, Biber and Carlos V.
There is also the one with excerpts from Ludi Musici (Scheidt), which is painstakingly beautiful: http://www.amazon.com/Scheidt-Ludi-Musici-Hamburg-1621/dp/B000003IHY
As is Officium Defunctorum & Missa Pro Defunctis (Morales):http://www.amazon.com/Morales-Offic...qid=1446042313&sr=1-1&keywords=savall+morales


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## chuckster (Oct 28, 2015)

Jean Baptiste Lully: L'Orchestre du Roi Soleil. Symphonies, Ouvertures & Airs à jouer.
Savall leading Le Concert des Nations.





Fabulous.


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## Moriarty (Feb 8, 2019)




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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Bach's Musical Offering. So good. I'm a fan of his and of his group. Their Handel Water Music is good too.


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