Classic Musica Antiqua Köln

When you collect “records” (i.e., music recordings, no matter the medium of the software), you grab recordings by the same ensemble (i.e., the Academy of Ancient Music, the Beatles, etc.). You begin to compare them, at some point, and perhaps identify one as a “signature” or “classic” example of that ensemble’s sound, not to mention their artistry, etc. When thinking about Musica Antiqua Köln, I select their Telemann recording of Tafelmusik from the late 1980s. I remember buying this 4-disc set at the record store in Cleveland’s TowerCity Center in the mid 1990s, thinking it a luxurious purchase: around $50 for Telemann. What I found, and still find, is a really clear recording (it sounds crystal clear, in fact, with percussive harpsichord, bright flutes, and the robust, juicy sound of Goebel’s violin) that overflows with energy, color, and technical perfection. The recording represents everything one might want: a variety of music (the collection is a set of three “productions” or suites of pieces, including a solo sonata, a trio sonata, a concerto, and an overture), a variety of color (each example is scored for a different collection of instruments, ala Bach’s Brandenburg Concerti), and edgy, passionate readings. MAK may have never sounded better or have appeared in such a clear recording. Their reading of Telemann more recently, on the flute quartets CD echoed some of the details from Tafelmusik, but it is the recording of Telemann’s banquet music that is clearly the signature. Incidentally, I’ve been looking for a MAK replacement of late. Some MAK disciples are obvious candidates: Manfredo Kraemer, Anton Steck, Florian Deuter, Christian Rieger, etc., etc.