Early Music on Record Review

[doversoul1]

10 November

9.00am
J S Bach: The Brandenburg Concertos; Overture in B minor, BWV.1067
Zefiro (ensemble)
Alfredo Bernardini (director)

J S Bach recomposed Peter Navarro-Alonso: Goldberg Variations, BWV.988
Alpha (ensemble)

Josquin des Prez: Missa Gaudeamus and Missa L’ami Baudichon
Tallis Scholars (choir)
Peter Phillips (conductor)

9.30am – Building a Library – Simon Heighes on Couperin’s Trois Lecons de Tenebres

10.20am – New Releases
Couperin: ‘Complete Works for Harpsichord’
Carole Cerasi (harpsichords)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00013yx

[MickyD]

ANOTHER version of the Brandenburgs! But Bernadini should bring some interesting things to it. I heard a young baroque group do No.5 the other day with an additional bassoon in the continuo section, and it worked so well.

[doversoul1]

17 November

9.00am
Christoph Graupner: Duo Cantatas for Soprano & Alto
Miriam Feuersinger (soprano)
Franz Vitzthum (counter-tenor)
Capricornus Consort Basel
Peter Barczi (conductor)

‘War & Peace 1618:1918’ – Chamber music and songs by Isaac, Scheidt, Schutz, Hammerschmidt, Hildebrand Albert, Hollaender, Franck & Satie
Dorothee Mields (soprano)
Lautten Compagney (ensemble)
Wolfgang Katschner (lute & direction)

Francois Couperin: Complete works for harpsichord
Carole Cerasi (harpsichord)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00016rb

[doversoul1]

24 November

9.00 am
‘The Ear of Theodoor van Loon’ – Music from 16th & 17th century composers including Francesco Soriano, Paolo Quagliati, Felice Anerio, Giuseppe Zamponi and others
Huelgas Ensemble
Paul van Nevel

10.50am New Releases: Suzanne Aspden on Baroque New Releases
Handel, Vinci: Didone abbandonata
Lautten Compagney (orchestra)
Wolfgang Katschner (conductor)

Handel: Ode for St Cecilia’s Day
Carolyn Sampson (soprano)
Ian Bostridge (tenor)
Dunedin Consort (ensemble)
John Butt (conductor)

‘Giulio Cesare: a Baroque Hero’ – Baroque opera arias by Handel, Bianchi, Giacomelli, Piccinni & Pollarolo
Raffaele Pe (countertenor)
La Lira di Orfeo (ensemble)

Antonio Soler: Latin vocal works
La Grande Chapelle (choir)
Albert Recasens (conductor)

Music for solo cello by Bach, Ligeti, Saygun, Gabrielli & Sollima
Mike Block (cello)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00019bd

[ardcarp]

‘Giulio Cesare: a Baroque Hero’ – Baroque opera arias by Handel, Bianchi, Giacomelli, Piccinni & Pollarolo
Raffaele Pe (countertenor)
La Lira di Orfeo (ensemble)

Ms Aspden was cool about the Handel, but focused on the lesser [almost unknown?] lights. But Raffaele Pe has a wonderful voice!

And talking of lesser lights...

Antonio Soler: Latin vocal works
La Grande Chapelle (choir)
Albert Recasens (conductor)

...Soler's choral music, well performed in a grand acoustic, sounded a bit ordinary to me. (He wrote some interesting harpsichord sonatas though, transitional between Baroque and Galante.)

[doversoul1]

1st December

9.00am
Josquin Desprez: Miserere mei Deus, In principo erat Verbum, Planxit autem David etc. Plus Gombert: Musae Jovis
Capella Amsterdam
Daniel Reuss (conductor)

‘Star of Heavem – The Eton Choirbook Legacy’: Choral music by Cooke, Cornysh, Galvani, Hough, Lambe, MacMillan, Phibbs & Wylkynson
The Sixteen
Harry Christophers (conductor)

10.50am New Releases: Jeremy Summerly on Christmas music
Verbum caro factum est – a Christmas Greeting’ – Choral music by Daquin, Bach, Gruber, Mendelssohn, Scheidt etc.
Bach Collegium Japan Chorus,
Masaaki Suzuki (conductor)

Telemann: Christmas Oratorios
Kolner Akademie (orchestra)
Michael Alexander Willens (conductor)

A Renaissance Christmas’ – Choral music by Sweelinck, Lassus, Tallis, Byrd, Victoria, etc.
The Sixteen (choir)
Harry Christophers (conductor)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001cqm

[doversoul1]

8 December

9.00am
Corelli: Concerti Grossi, Op.6
Gottfried von der Goltz (violin)
Petra Mullejans (violin)
Guido Larisch (cello)
Freiburger Barockorchester (orchestra)

‘Handel – Italian Cantatas’: Aminta e Fillide HWV 83, Armida abbandonata HWV105, Trio Sonata in B minor HWV 386b & La Lucrezia HWV 145
Sabine Devieilhe (soprano)
Léa Desandre (mezzo soprano)
Le Concert d’Astrée (ensemble)
Emmanuelle Haim (director)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001gnj

[doversoul1]

15 December

9.00am – Best of 2018 with Harriet Smith, Katy Hamilton & Jeremy Sams – Part 1
Vivaldi: Four Seasons; Il riposo per il Santissimo Natale; L’amoroso & Il grosso mogul
Rachel Podger (violin)
Brecon Baroque (ensemble)

‘Handel’s Last Prima Donna / Giulia Frasi in London’ – operatic arias for soprano by Handel, Ciampi, Arne, John C. Smith & Hayes
Ruby Hughes (soprano)
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Laurence Cummings (conductor)

10.20am – Best of 2018 with Harriet Smith, Katy Hamilton & Jeremy Sams – Part 2
‘Star of Heavem – The Eton Choirbook Legacy’: Choral music by Cooke, Cornysh, Galvani, Hough, Lambe, MacMillan, Phibbs & Wylkynson
The Sixteen
Harry Christophers (conductor)

Handel: Acis and Galatea
Lucy Crowe (Galatea)
Allan Clayton (Acis)
Early Opera Company
Christian Curnyn (conductor)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001m31

Jeremy Sams?

[doversoul1]

22nd December

9.00am
Christmas Cantatas by Buxtehude, Telemann & Bach
La Petite Bande
Sigiswald Kuijken

9.30am – Building a Library – Caroline Gill on Vivaldi’s Gloria

10.20am – New Releases
Himmelmusik’ – Sacred songs and cantatas by Theile, JC Bach, Butner & Ritter
L’Arpeggiata (ensemble)
Christina Pluhar (director)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001psj

[doversoul1]

29 December

9.00am
Manuel Cardoso: Requiem, Lamentations, Magnificat & Motets
Cupertinos (choir)
Louis Toscano (conductor)

10.20am – New Releases
Francesco Geminiani: Concerti Grossi, Op.7
Café Zimmerman (ensemble)

11.45am – Disc of the Week
Handel: Serse

Franco Fagioli (countertenor)
Inga Kalna (soprano)
Vivica Genaux (mezzo soprano)
Francesca Aspromonte (soprano)
Delphine Galou (contralto)
Andrea Mastroni (bass)
Biagio Pizzuti (baritone)
Il Pomo D'Oro (ensemble)
Maxim Emelyanychev (conductor)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001sg5

A great way to end the year.

[doversoul1]

5th January

9.00am
Handel: Te Deum, O Magnify the Lord
Grace Davidson (soprano)
Charles Daniels (tenor)
Nicholas Mulroy (tenor)
Benedict Hymas (tenor)
Edward Grint (bass)
London Handel Orchestra (orchestra)

11.45am – Disc of the Week
JS Bach: Violin Concertos Nos. 1, 2 & 5 plus Concerto for 2 Violins in D minor
Shunske Sato (violin)
Zefira Valova (violin II)
Il Pomo d’Oro (ensemble)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001wl9

[ardcarp]

The Handel 'Cannons' Te Deum sounded very tidy, and I guess the rather 'close' acoustic must have been similar (the same?) to that of Handel's time there. The 'choir' consisted of the soloists (all top-notch) and I guess if one wanted an OVPP disc this would be ideal. I just missed a bit of grandeur...and no, I don't want the Hudderfax Choral Society, just a few more in the tutti.

[edashtav]

I enjoyed the JS Bach: Violin Concerto
played by
Shunske Sato (violin)
Because it showed wit, precision, wonderful melodic shaping, dancing rhythms and a sense that the whole band were having the time of their lives.

[jayne lee wilson]

I enjoyed the JS Bach: Violin Concerto
played by
Shunske Sato (violin)
Because it showed wit, precision, wonderful melodic shaping, dancing rhythms and a sense that the whole band were having the time of their lives.

Yes Ed, marvellous, one of my Records of the Year, and given a review of (deservedly) gushing enthusiasm by Charlotte Gardner in Gramophone, 1/19. "This is properly heavenly" she said.

https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/ba.../vl9fp8m2zwgkb
Truly special...

[doversoul1]

12 January

9.00am
‘L’Alessandro amante’ – 18th century songs and instrumental pieces by Bononcini, Handel, Pescetti, Steffani, Draghi, Mancini, Vinci, Leo & Porpora
Xavier Sabata (counter tenor)
Vespres D’arnadi (ensemble)
Dani Espasa (director & harpsichord)

10.20am – New Releases
‘Si vous vouliez un jour – Airs sérieux et à boire, Vol.2’ – Songs by Charpentier, Moulinié, Lambert & Camus
Les Arts Florissants (Ensemble)
William Christie (conductor)

‘In a Strange Land – Elizabethan composers in exile’ – Choral music by Dowland, Byrd, Philips, Dering, De Monte, Watkins & White
Stile Antico (choir)

11.45am – Disc of the Week
Purcell: King Arthur
Vox Luminis (ensemble)
Lionel Meunier (conductor)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001zpc