rssIt is not the notes themselves but the intervals between them that constitute a melody. - Ralph Kirkpatrick
Music CD
2010, January 20
BWV 55, BWV 82 and arias
Two Bach cantatas and a selection of arias by tenor Ian Bostridge.
I am listening to the Europa Galante play Bach cantatas, arias and sinfonias. I was not sure about buying this CD but I am so glad I did. It is superb. I am listening to it again and again.
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Tenor: Ian Bostridge |
The marvelous voice of tenor Ian Bostridge could not be more perfect for this program of Bach cantatas and arias. Like Hans Hotter before him, Bostridge's voice has a unique ethereal quality, a hollow distance that identifies less with the character and more the spirit of the subject.
The complete review from John Greene, ClassicsToday.com
In BWV 82 … in addition to the transposition up to E minor for soprano tessitura (here an octave lower for Bostridge's tenor) from Bach's 1731 version, they've also opted for that 1731 use of a flute instead of the oboe. Bach himself recycled the piece four or five times after the original 1727, always with oboe except in 1731.
From the discussion on Bach-Cantatas.com
2009, December 29
Christmas Oratorio BWV 248
Recordings for the season.
At age 50, Bach wrote a series of cantatas for the Christmas season which are combined into the Christmas Oratorio.
Part I: Christmas Day
Part II: Day after Christmas
Part III: Third Day of Christmas
Part IV: New Years
Part V: Sunday after New Years
Part VI: Feast of the Epiphany, January 6
- Five pages of Christmas oratorio recordings to choose from at Presto Classical: Best Prices
- TOC for Bach Cantatas Christmas Oratorio
- Wikipedia article
- Monograph
- Articles on Bach Cantatas.com
- Rene Jacobs Sound samples on Amazon
- Schmidt-Gaden - much sought recording on Amazon UK
- YouTube videos
Recordings I have:
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Recordings I don't have:
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2009, October 26
Once again, Annegret Siedel
Annegret Siedel leads the Bell'Arte Salzburg in a program of Musical Vespers, another very special CD. Thank you, Ms. Siedel and all involved.
- Laudate pueri Dominum
- Dixit Dominus by Andreas Hofer
- Confitebor tibi by Andreas Hofer
- Beatus vir by Andreas Hofer
- Laudate Pueri by Andreas Hofer
- Laudate Dominum by Andreas Hofer
- Cum iucunditate by Andreas Hofer
- Canzon a tre in g by Giovanni Valentini
- Magnificat by Andreas Hofer
- Canzona a tre in g by Giovanni Valentini
- Salve regina by Johann Baptist Dolar
- Sonata in F major by Heinrich Ignaz Biber
- Virgo prudentissima by Andreas Hofer
This music captures the mood of late afternoon, of the day drawing to a close; the bass parts are warm and ever-present, but not overpowering. The soprano voice is perfect for the venue, not operatic at all.
Since all of the Hofer works are first recordings, this is a valuable addition to recordings of the post-1648 Salzburg era. - Fanfare, J.F. Weber
Important for everyone interested in early to mid-baroque northern European church music. See my post about a previous recording.
Bell'Arte Salzburg - Ensemble for Ancient Music
Review of ensemble on Goldberg Magazine
Review from Fanfare by J.F. Weber
2009, October 25
Baroque music on CD
I have a few recordings of some renaissance and some baroque music before Bach.
J.S. Bach represented the height, the end of a period; he developed and enlarged the traditions that were created before him. Here is a list of the Baroque recordings I have. I have not included composers who, like Handel, were Bach's contemporaries. Many of these recordings are currently available, some of them as re-issues, some by other performers. All are worth listening to.
