In this very freedom from illusion he recognized the loss of something. From now on, every hour of lightheartedness would be, not a prerogative but an achievement. - D.L. Sayers

Music CD

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:

Conductor: Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden Tölz Boys' Choir, Collegium Aureum Soprano: Hans Buchhierl Alto: Andreas Stein Tenor: Theo Altmeyer Bass: Barry McDaniel Harmonia Mundi 1973

Conductor: René Jacobs Berlin RIAS Chamber Chorus, Academy for Ancient Music Berlin Soprano: Dorothea Röschmann CounterTenor: Andreas Scholl Baritone: Werner Güra Bass: Klaus Häger Harmonia Mundi 2901630 1997 Sound samples on Amazon

Conductor: Harry Christophers The Sixteen, The Symphony of Harmony and Invention Soprano: Libby Crabtree Soprano: Lynda Russell Mezzo Soprano: Catherine Wyn-Rogers Tenor: Mark Padmore Bass: Michael George Label: Brilliant#: 93102-128, 129 1993

Jan Willem de Vriend: conductor Combattimento Consort Daniel Reuss: choirmaster Cappella Amsterdam Malin Hartelius: soprano Kristina Hammarström: alto Jörg Dürmüller: tenor Detlef Roth: bass Challenge 76607 10/09/2007

Karl Richter: conductor Munich Bach Orchestra Munich Bach Choir Gundula Janowitz: soprano Christa Ludwig: alto Fritz Wunderlich: tenor Franz Crass: bass Deutsche Grammophon 427236 Recorded: 1965

Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner English Baroque Soloists / Monteverdi Choir Nancy Argenta: Soprano Anne Sofie von Otter: Mezzo Soprano Ruth Holton: Soprano Katie Pringle: Soprano Bernarda Fink: Alto Anthony Rolfe Johnson: Tenor Hans-Peter Blochwitz: Tenor Olaf Bär: Bass Archiv Produktion Dg: 423232 Recorded: 1987

Conductor: Phillippe Herreweghe Collegium Vocale, Ghent Barbara Schlick: Soprano Michael Chance: Alto Howard Crook: Tenor Peter Kooy: Bass Virgin Veritas 7777 59530 2 Recorded: 1989

Recordings I don't have:

Conductor: Martin Flämig Dresden Kreuz Choir, Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra Arleen Augér: Soprano Annelies Burmeister: Mezzo Soprano Peter Schreier: Tenor Theo Adam: Bass Berlin Classics 183892 Recorded: 10/2006

Director: Nicholas Harnoncourt Concentus Musicus Wien & the Arnold Schoenberg Chor Christine Schafer: soprano Bernarda Fink: mezzo soprano Werner Gura: tenor Gerald Finley: bass Christian Gerthaher, bass 12/2006

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.

 

Andreas Hofer, Giovanni Valentini, Johann Baptist Dolar, H.I.F. Biber
Annegret Siedel, Bell'Arte Salzburg
Soprano: Monika Mauch
Mezzo soprano: Tiina Zahn
Alto: Henning Voss
Tenor: Henning Kaiser
Bass: Wolf Matthias Friedrich
Cantate 58030
Recorded Himmelfahrtskirche, Tading, Germany 2006

 

 

1. Laudate pueri Dominum
2. Dixit Dominus by Andreas Hofer
3. Confitebor tibi by Andreas Hofer
4. Beatus vir by Andreas Hofer
5. Laudate Pueri by Andreas Hofer
6. Laudate Dominum by Andreas Hofer
7. Cum iucunditate by Andreas Hofer
8. Canzon a tre in g by Giovanni Valentini
9. Magnificat by Andreas Hofer
10. Canzona a tre in g by Giovanni Valentini
11. Salve regina by Johann Baptist Dolar
12. Sonata in F major by Heinrich Ignaz Biber
13. 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.

CDs by Bell'Arte Salzburg

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.

 

2007, August 07

Spielen in die Orgel

Masterworks of the Baroque Era for Violin and Organ, a new recording from Annegret Siedel and Pieter van Dijk.

Spielen in die Orgel
Annegret Siedel, Baroque violin, viola
Pieter van Dijk, organ





Released in June 2007
Van Hagerbeer/Schnitger and Van Covelens Organ
Organ of the Grote Sint Laurenskerk, Alkmaar, Netherlands
Cantate Musicaphon C 58029

Because I bought the CDs of Annegret Siedel recently, I was notified of this new release. I was happy to find the site with the audio samples; they are little previews of a performance which is musically and emotionally satisfying. I have already felt enriched by hearing just the short samples.

One thing I would do if I ever won the lottery, would be to travel to Europe just for one of Ms. Siedel's recitals.

I am especially happy that she included the Bach Sonata for violin and continuo BWV 1019 because I have worked on it on my violin and never tire of playing it and hearing it. It is one of my favorite pieces ever.

I am truly looking forward to receiving this CD and hearing it over and over again.

(Eur 14.71) Recording from Cantate MusicaPhon

(Eur 18.99) Link to recording with audio samples (Notice on this page translated from German, Bach's name appears as Brook, which is the English meaning of Bach. For some reason, this little glitch made me very happy.)

Contents:

Johann Sebastian Bach	Toccata and Fuga in d BWV 565 Sonata G Major BWV 1019a Presto and Cantabile
Johann Adam Reincken	Was kann uns kommen an für Not
William Brade	Choral
Heinrich Scheidemann	Praeambulum in F Toccata in G Paduana Lachrymae
Johann Schop	Lacrime Pavan
Dietrich Buxtehude	Praeludium in g BuxWV 148

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