The Busch Chamber Players – Handel: 12 Concerti Grossi, Op. 6 / Purcell, Bach, Gabrieli, Schütz (3-CD Set)

UPC: 727031929628 

MPN: GEMM CDS 9296 

Brand Name: Pearl (Pavilion Records Ltd.)

Overview

This historic 3-CD collection from Pearl presents Adolf Busch and The Busch Chamber Players in a landmark series of recordings featuring Handel’s 12 Concerti Grossi, Op. 6, alongside rare performances of works by Purcell, Bach, Gabrieli, and Heinrich Schütz.

Recorded in New York’s Town Hall in 1943, these interpretations are treasured by collectors and early music connoisseurs for their vitality, clarity, and integrity. Pearl’s digital restoration faithfully preserves the warmth and energy of these performances, capturing the ensemble’s pioneering spirit in historically informed chamber music before the early music revival truly began.

This edition offers the only known complete source of these performances—meticulously transferred and produced by Roger Beardsley—and serves as a testament to Adolf Busch’s profound musicianship and leadership.

Product Features

• Format: 3 Compact Discs (Digital Audio)
• Recording Venue: Town Hall, New York, 1943
• Performer: The Busch Chamber Players, directed by Adolf Busch

• Principal Musicians:

  Producers / Audio Restoration: Roger Beardsley (Pearl Records)
  • Violins – Adolf Busch, Ernest Drucker
  • Cello – Herman Busch
  • Keyboard – Mieczysław Horszowski
  • Piano Continuo – Lukas Foss
  • Vocal Soloist – Christine Johnson (Schütz: Die teutsche gemeine Litaney, SWV 428)
• Label: Pavilion Records Ltd., Wadhurst, East Sussex, England
• Made in: Germany

Track Highlights

George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) – 12 Concerti Grossi, Op. 6

Performed complete across Discs 1–3. Includes:

• No. 1 in G major – A tempo giusto, Allegro, Adagio, Allegro
• No. 5 in D major – Larghetto e staccato, Allegro, Presto
• No. 8 in C minor – Allemande, Siciliana, Allegro
• No. 11 in A major – Andante larghetto e staccato, Aria (Larghetto e piano)
• No. 12 in B minor – Largo, Allegro, Larghetto affettuoso

Additional Works:

• Henry Purcell (1659–1695): Chacony in G minor (7:55)
• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750): Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C major – complete
• Giovanni Gabrieli (1557–1612): Canzon a dieci
• Heinrich Schütz (1585–1672): Die teutsche gemeine Litaney, SWV 428

Total playing time across 3 discs: Approx. 3 hours, 37 minutes

Interesting Facts

• Historical Significance: The Busch Chamber Players were among the first ensembles to revive Baroque and Classical works using small, chamber-like forces, anticipating later historically informed performance movements.
• Collector’s Item: These performances were considered lost until rediscovered from rare archival sources—this Pearl edition is the only available complete issue.
• Technical Restoration: Pearl’s engineering combines modern digital transfer with careful equalization, preserving the authentic sound and warmth of early 1940s analog recordings.
• Busch Legacy: Adolf Busch, renowned violinist and conductor, was a central figure in preserving musical integrity during a turbulent period of history, bridging pre-war Romantic style and the nascent Baroque revival.

Publishers

© Pavilion Records Ltd., Sparrows Green, Wadhurst, East Sussex, England Produced and transferred by Roger Beardsley Made in Germany

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