# Review: Jordi Savall's artful Art of Fugue



## Earthling

This is just my brief review of *Jordi Savall's* recording of Bach's _Art of Fugue_:

I've still only done a couple of closer listens to this (in four separate sittings) but I have to say of the small handful of recordings I have heard it has to be one of my very favourite recordings of _The Art of Fugue_, and for a few good reasons.

_The Art of Fugue _is not the easiest thing to listen to (to say the least!), but this recording does a lot that helps guide the listener along I think. First of all, the engineering is impeccable, so no worries there-- with wonderful stereo separation which is really needed for something so strictly polyphonic as this (if there was any music _made _for headphones, this just might be it!).

Savall's arrangement for viols and wind instruments helps immensely as well. The viols work better than modern strings I think for the lack of vibrato (which muddies up the dense sound). The winds help add colour to the overall sound. Some of the fugues and canons are played by only winds or only viols, and sometimes by both together. This gives the fugues and canons a bit more variety from one to the next.

Another aspect I really like in Savall's recording is the slower tempos used. I don't _dislike _the *Emerson Quartet's recording*, but its not a personal top pick for me-- not only are the tempos are much faster (Emerson's recording fits it all on one CD) but it has a bit more of a dramatic character. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but its an added quality to the music that I sometimes feel is a distraction from "just the notes" and it gets a bit too dense for me to follow well.

Savall's recording has more space to let each of the lines breathe, making it easier to hear the individual lines. This is something it has in common with *Munchinger's *lush, modern, somewhat romantic recording for string orchestra, except Savall's certainly sounds much more _baroque_.

Something I have noticed in the past few years listening more closely to Bach is how organic his music is, recognising strands of "musical DNA" reproducing and evolving from one instrument to the next. In Savall's recording, this becomes much more apparent to me and its delightful hearing these vines of sound. Listening to dense counterpoint is not easy for me, but this recording certainly helps!

Something peculiar to this recording is that it does not end with the traditional "When in the hour of utmost need" chorale-- rather, the disc ends quite literally with the last few notes of Bach trailing off into silence, which was a bit of a shock my first time listening.

One more important thing: Whereas the Emerson Quartet infuses a sort of vigorous drama into _The Art of Fugue_, Savall's approach is far more _limpid_. This could potentially turn some listeners off, perhaps with a too hasty accusation of "sameness" from one fugue to the next. I think where Savall's recording lacks in this area, it more than makes up for it in terms of _clarity _of the line and how they all are bound together in an organic whole.

Overall, I'm _very _pleased with this purchase and I know it will bear many indefinite worthwhile listens. 

Thanks to *Conor71 *and *DrMike* for raising my interest in Jordi Savall (still haven't gotten Savall's _Musical Offering _in the mail). I'm not familiar with his work, and I'm very interested now to hear other recordings of his (DrMike has mentioned *Handel *and *Haydn*).


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## Ukko

The Art Of Fugue is never going to reach the 'charts'; I rather doubt that it was intended to be performed. Savall's recording works as well as any, though his chest of viols approach requires an 'educated ear'.

Savall's recordings of 'old music' from Spain are well worth investigating. You can burn CD-Rs that excise his wife's singing.

A few years ago he made an interesting recording of Beethoven's 3rd symphony; a 'period' approach with significant deviations from what 'period' amounts to nowadays.


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## Earthling

Hilltroll72 said:


> The Art Of Fugue is never going to reach the 'charts'


You might be a bit surprised, however.


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## hocket

*hilltroll72 wrote:*



> Savall's recordings of 'old music' from Spain are well worth investigating. You can burn CD-Rs that excise his wife's singing.


Just out of curiosity what is the reason for wishing to commit the heresy of removing Montserrat Figueras's voice?


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## Il Seraglio

I have had nothing but respect for Jordi Savall since I heard his recording of the Musical Offering. 

The Art of Fugue is something I haven't tackled yet. Definitely one for the seasoned Bach listener.


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## Ukko

hocket said:


> *hilltroll72 wrote:*
> 
> Just out of curiosity what is the reason for wishing to commit the heresy of removing Montserrat's Figueras's voice?


I find her singing voice unpleasant; what better reason?


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## hocket

*hilltroll72 wrote:*



> I find her singing voice unpleasant; what better reason?


I honestly can't think of a better one. I am surprised though as I've always thought she has one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard:






Is this the kind of thing you thought she was butchering btw?:


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## Ukko

hocket said:


> *hilltroll72 wrote:*
> 
> I honestly can't think of a better one. I am surprised though as I've always thought she has one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is this the kind of thing you thought she was butchering btw?:


Both samples; not 'butchering'. Her voice sounds to me like that of a characterless recorder. Much of the charm of Savall's Renaissance (and earlier) Spanish music is in the timbres of the instruments and their interplay. The vocals, nearly always multi-voiced unless she is involved, also manage characterful timbres. Her participation is a bane, not a benefit.


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## StlukesguildOhio

I must check into Savall's _Art of the Fugue_ (Why not? I only have 5 or 6 versions of the work.). I have been enamored of Savall and Montserrat Figueras' efforts with "early music" for some time now, and have repeatedly sought out their recordings... in spite of the costs. Personally, I have any number of recordings in which I find Figueras to be a marvelous singer. Certainly she is not without her flaws at this point... considering she's 62 years old... but still not bad:






This recent three disc box set (with book) received accolades in any number of critical publications... in spite of Montserrat Figueras' contributions.

http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Kingdom-Royaume-Oublie/dp/B002SKMGDY/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1278476954&sr=1-4


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## Guest

Thanks for this review - I'll have to check out this recording! I have a few recordings of Art of Fugue (Emersons, Davitt Moroney, Fretwork), but am a big fan of Savall, so I will definitely be looking into it.

As I said, his recordings of Handel's Water Music and Haydn's Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross are also wonderful. Not to be missed. I am really considering getting his recording of Bach's Musical Offering.


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## Earthling

DrMike said:


> Thanks for this review - I'll have to check out this recording! I have a few recordings of Art of Fugue (Emersons, Davitt Moroney, Fretwork), but am a big fan of Savall, so I will definitely be looking into it.
> 
> As I said, his recordings of Handel's Water Music and Haydn's Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross are also wonderful. Not to be missed. I am really considering getting his recording of Bach's Musical Offering.


*DrMike*, I'll let you know how the _Musical Offering_ sounds-- it should've arrived yesterday-- I guess I had my hopes up to high!


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