An 'Authentic' Performance
Yesterday I attended a concert by the Aulos Ensemble, one of America's best known authentic intruments groups, augmented by additional well-known early music intrumentalists to about 18 pieces. The program was a lovely water music suite by Telemann followed by the better known Water Musick of Handel, the latter arranged authentically in three complete suites. Baroque intruments were used throughout, except for the double bass. Horns and trumpets were 'natural' and valveless.
Though the sound was quite nice and the concert was beautiful, I found a few drawbacks. Most glaring were the problems that the valveless horns had playing proper pitch. The first horn player was male and the second female. Each was out of pitch with some regularity, though the man's playing was worse, perhaps because his parts were more difficult. One could see by the expressions on his face during his resting times that he was fairly disgusted with how he was playing.
As well as pitch problems the horns had embouchure and phrasing problems, and the trumpets did also to a lesser extent. Although this may have been authentically the way the brass sounded on Handel's barge, for my $49 I would have preferred valved horns.
During my younger years in the pre-authentic period, I was used to a lusher sound from Handel's piece, perhaps because of extra strings which were not authentic. Also the modern strings have a brighter sound. Also, as usual in so-called authentic versions, tempos were rushed; in this case not in the allegros, which were sensible, but in the slower movments, which have a much greater majesty when played slower. Altogether I thoroughly prefer the versions from my misspent youth over these thin, somewhat inconsequential 'authentic' versions that are so common these days. And the problems the horns had were not merely a matter of taste, but a serious drawback. Although superb technicians might not have such problems, perhaps there are not enough of these around in the professional pool in one of the world's leading cities, who can handle these very difficult horns as they need to be handled.
Though the sound was quite nice and the concert was beautiful, I found a few drawbacks. Most glaring were the problems that the valveless horns had playing proper pitch. The first horn player was male and the second female. Each was out of pitch with some regularity, though the man's playing was worse, perhaps because his parts were more difficult. One could see by the expressions on his face during his resting times that he was fairly disgusted with how he was playing.
As well as pitch problems the horns had embouchure and phrasing problems, and the trumpets did also to a lesser extent. Although this may have been authentically the way the brass sounded on Handel's barge, for my $49 I would have preferred valved horns.
During my younger years in the pre-authentic period, I was used to a lusher sound from Handel's piece, perhaps because of extra strings which were not authentic. Also the modern strings have a brighter sound. Also, as usual in so-called authentic versions, tempos were rushed; in this case not in the allegros, which were sensible, but in the slower movments, which have a much greater majesty when played slower. Altogether I thoroughly prefer the versions from my misspent youth over these thin, somewhat inconsequential 'authentic' versions that are so common these days. And the problems the horns had were not merely a matter of taste, but a serious drawback. Although superb technicians might not have such problems, perhaps there are not enough of these around in the professional pool in one of the world's leading cities, who can handle these very difficult horns as they need to be handled.
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