Early Music on Record Review

[doversoul1]

9 January

10.50
Sarah Lenton joins Andrew live in the studio to discuss recent recordings of operas by Handel, Hasse, and Saint-Saens and Donizetti's most popular opera Lucia di Lammermoor

HASSE, J A: Siroe re di Persia
HANDEL: Faramondo
(and more)

Hasse will be worth hearing but as for Faramondo, I am perfectly happy with this; http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Virgin/2166112

though will be interested in hearing a new take.


P.S. Oh dear. How did this happen? I hope it still includes the correct libretto for those who come to this work for the first time.
NB booklet-error: the English-language synopsis included in the booklet is for Siroe rather than Faramondo.

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/advsearch.php?composer=&work=Faramondo&performer=&medium=all&label=&cat=

In the same article:
In 2014, Handel’s opera received its first performance at the Göttingen International Handel Festival with a young cast performing under the musical direction of Laurence Cummings

This should be …its first staged performance. The Virgin CD is the same production of this concert performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYqFmgx2jJk

[doversoul1]

17 January:

11.45am Disc of the Week
Monteverdi Madrigali Volume 2: Mantova<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
MONTEVERDI: Quatro Libro (1603); Quinto Libro (1605); Sesto Libro (1614)
Les Arts Florissants, Paul Agnew (conductor)
LES ARTS FLORISSANTS EDITIONS AF003 (CD)

As published on the website (where does the smiley come from?). What’s happened to the ‘lively and exciting’ bit that I saw yesterday?

[doversoul1]

24 January

9.00am
STEFFANI: Niobe Regina di Tebe
Karina Gauvin (Niobe), Philippe Jaroussky (Anfione), Amanda Forsythe (Manto), Aaron Sheehan (Clearte), Terry Wey (Creonte), Jesse Blumberg (Poliferno), Colin Balzer (Tiberino), Jose Lemos (Nerea), Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra, Paul O’Dette and Stephen Stubbs (musical directors)

If only Catherine B were still presenting the EMS, she would make a fabulous programme on Steffani and the opera, now that the CD has been released. Are you listening Catherine?


10.50am New Releases with Hannah French
An all Handel affair

Messiah: Lucy Crowe (soprano), Tim Mead (counter-tenor), Andrew Staples (tenor), Christopher Purves (baritone), Le Concert d’Astree Orchestre et Chœur, Emmanuelle Haim (conductor)

Heroes from the Shadows - Handel Arias: Nathalie Stutzmann (contralto, conductor), Orfeo 55

Israel in Egypt, HWV54
Julia Doyle (soprano), Maria Valdmaa (soprano), David Allsopp (counter tenor), James Gilchrist (tenor), Roderick Williams (bass), Peter Harvey (bass), Netherlands Chamber Choir, Le Concert Lorrain, Roy Goodman (conductor)

Handel: Operatic Arias: Emma Bell (soprano), Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Richard Egarr (conductor)

[Nick Armstrong]

Missing from the schedule at an earlier stage presumably was what I though was the most appealing of all the recordings I heard discussed on CD Review this morning:

Handel: Music for Queen Caroline

HANDEL: Coronation Anthem No. 3, HWV260 'The King Shall Rejoice'; Te Deum in D major 'Queen Caroline', HWV280; The Ways of Zion do mourn, HWV 264

Tim Mead (countertenor), Sean Clayton (tenor), Lisandro Abadie (baritone), Les Arts Florissants, William Christie (conductor)

LES ARTS FLORISSANTS EDITIONS AF004 (CD)

The choral and orchestral performances sounded terrific in the extracts selected, and the 'narrative' of the album intriguing. I think I'll opt for the download though, with a digital version of the extras including a specially written short story by a contemporary American author....

[MickyD]

Think I could do without the latter, Cali...what on earth is that doing in a release of Handel's music?

[Nick Armstrong]

Think I could do without the latter, Cali...what on earth is that doing in a release of Handel's music?

Trendy'n'quirky innit

[MickyD]

Yes, I fear so.

[doversoul1]

Missing from the schedule at an earlier stage presumably was what I though was the most appealing of all the recordings I heard discussed on CD Review this morning: [/COLOR]

Apologies. It was a plain, simple error in copying and pasting.

I thought the timpani in the introduction to the funeral music was extraordinary.

But the short story. Why on earth indeed? Does Christie goes along with any odd ideas as long as he can play the music or does he seriously think including a gimmick* may add something to the music?

*The story itself may not be anything gimmicky but with a CD?

[Black Swan]

Missing from the schedule at an earlier stage presumably was what I though was the most appealing of all the recordings I heard discussed on CD Review this morning:

Handel: Music for Queen Caroline

HANDEL: Coronation Anthem No. 3, HWV260 'The King Shall Rejoice'; Te Deum in D major 'Queen Caroline', HWV280; The Ways of Zion do mourn, HWV 264

Tim Mead (countertenor), Sean Clayton (tenor), Lisandro Abadie (baritone), Les Arts Florissants, William Christie (conductor)

LES ARTS FLORISSANTS EDITIONS AF004 (CD)

The choral and orchestral performances sounded terrific in the extracts selected, and the 'narrative' of the album intriguing. I think I'll opt for the download though, with a digital version of the extras including a specially written short story by a contemporary American author....

Cali,

I have this CD and it is fantastic. I have been a fan of the rarely performed The Ways of Zion do Mourn. The funeral anthem for Queen Caroline.

A

[Nick Armstrong]

Cali,

I have this CD and it is fantastic. I have been a fan of the rarely performed The Ways of Zion do Mourn. The funeral anthem for Queen Caroline.

A

You've tipped me over the edge, o Black one!

[doversoul1]

31 January:

9.00
Flight of Angels

GUERRERO: Duo Seraphim; Missa Surge propera: Gloria; Laudate Dominum; Maria Magdalene; Missa de la batalla escoutez: Credo; Vexilla Regis; Missa Congratulamini mihi: Agnus Dei I; Missa Congratulamini mihi: Agnus Dei II

LOBO, A: Missa Maria Magdalene: Kyrie; Libera me; Ave Regina caelorum; Ave Maria; Versa est in luctum

The Sixteen, Harry Christophers


10.30
Arias for Domenico Gizzi: Roberta Invernizzi (soprano), I Turchini, Antonio Florio

Italian Cantatas and Sonatas: Emily Atkinson (soprano), Concentus VII

RAMEAU: Les Fetes de Polymnie: Veronique Gens, Emoke Barath, Aurelia Legay, Marta Stefanik (sopranos), Mathias Vidal (tenor), Thomas Dolie (baritone), Domonkos Blazso (bass), Purcell Choir, Orfeo Orchestra, Gyorgy Vashegyi (conductor)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b050sglx

[doversoul1]

7 February

10.20 am
CPE Bach: Symphonies: Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Rebecca Miller

Telemann: Trios & Quartets with viola da gamba: Florence Bolton, Benjamin Perrot, La Reveuse

Leonardo Leo: Recorder Sonatas Nos. 1-7: Ensemble Barocco di Napoli

Coup Fatal: Baroque music by Monteverdi, Vivaldi, Bach, Gluck and Handel combined with Congolese music, played on traditional and modern instruments by musicians from Kinshasa.

[MickyD]

I may have to get that CPE Bach disc, as it has just one symphony on it that I don't possess!

[doversoul1]

28 March

10.50
Anna Picard reviews new releases of English and Italian baroque vocal music, including Purcell's The Indian Queen from The Sixteen and Harry Christophers, and Cavalieri's Rappresentatione with René Jacobs and the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin.

Plus
Contrapunctus, Owen Rees,
Iestyn Davies (countertenor), Thomas Dunford (lute), Jonathan Manson (viol)
Nicholas Phan (tenor), Michael Leopold (lute), Ann-Marie Morgan (viola da gamba)
Olivia Chaney, James Bowman, Ana Silvera, Jim Moray, Concerto Caledonia, David McGuinness

[Richard Tarleton]

Anna Picard really on fire today - "bitumen bass", "oxygenated, japanned quality"