The “Vokalhelden” [vocal heroes] from the Education Program of the Berlin Philharmonic interpret 22 children’s songs from throughout all of Europe in arrangements by Peter Schindler. + The songs are performed in their respective languages or in a German transcription. + This CD is part of the “Lieder Project” an effort that promotes and benefits singing with children. + It emphasizes quality and is designed especially for children. + Proceeds from the Lieder Project are donated to causes furthering singing with children.
HASSE Requiem in C. Miserere in c • Hans-Christoph Rademann, cond; Johanna Winkel, Marie Luise Werneburg (sop); Wiebke Lehmkuhl, Marlen Herzog (alt); Colin Balzer (ten); Cornelius Uhle (bs); Dresden C Ch; Dresden Baroque O (period instruments) • CARUS 83.349 (70:15 Text and Translation)
Carus Verlag of Stuttgart has an interesting dual purpose to its business by releasing discs such as this based upon its latest scores and parts. In general, this has been quite interesting, even given that the recording arm is now owned by Naxos, but the result has been a concentrated effort on composers whose names were mostly well known but whose works were little performed. I can say that the scores are generally quite nicely edited, and it is good to have such works as the two pieces performed here available in the series Music from Dresden. Johann Adolph Hasse is one of the pivotal figures of the 18th century. Married to soprano Faustina Bordoni and heir to George Frederick Handel’s title of “Il caro sassone,” he was a principal figure in opera and church music in Dresden, where he was Hofkapellmeister, but also in Italy, where he was commissioned to write up through his late-70s, as well as functioning as maestro di cappella at the Ospedale degli Incurabili. One might expect a vast amount of music to have been written during this time, and indeed this is the case, for he composed frequently and eloquently at the drop of the proverbial hat for any occasion. Like Telemann, he had no qualms about fulfilling any commission that was given him, no matter how large or trivial, and his style conformed to whatever the tastes were at that moment.
Hasse composed two Requiem Masses for Dresden, one in E?-Major (also recorded by Carus and the Dresden Baroque Orchestra) and this one in C Major. Both works seem to have been written in 1763 within a few weeks of each other, this one for Frederick August II and the other for his successor who kicked off only a couple of weeks later. Because Frederick August was a beloved leader, his obsequies seem to have been celebrated annually for almost a century, and Hasse’s music became a fixture in Dresden, even though it had long since gone out of fashion stylistically. The work is sprawling, with the text subdivided into numerous smaller movements and scored for a large ensemble. C Major may have been a rather odd key for a Requiem, but Hasse found that path between mourning and celebration of his ruler’s life that avoided a more maudlin setting in a minor key. Besides, he seems to have been less interested in an integrated work than one which would accompany a grand public event. In any case, the result is rather a mixed bag. For me, the opening presents one of the most suspenseful of the period, with a slow tattoo of tonic and dominant confusing the issue of key. Is it C Major, or is it C Minor? When the oboes enter, the major key becomes apparent, but at the words “et lux perpetua,” the shift to minor mode is both funereal and emotional. This captures the attention immediately, but expectations rise and fall during the course of the work. The Te decet hymnus is an old-fashioned paean with Baroque walking bass, and while the Kyrie is worthy of any major-key Mass by Joseph Haydn, the following highly contrapuntal Christe eleison with its strange harmonic twists seems anachronistic, even as it foils expectations. One might expect the Dies irae to have grist for a powerful image of the Last Judgment, but instead it is a rather weak homophonic chorus over dotted rhythms. There is nice woodwind writing in the Inter oves, reminding one of C. P. E. Bach, and the Lacrymosa’s heavy, minor-key, ponderous tread is less gentle tears than weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. There are operatic moments, such as the delightful alto solo in the Recordare, and when Hasse pairs his women’s voices, such as the lyrical Hostias et preces, or the Sanctus with its pair of sopranos at the beginning and at the Hosanna in excelsis, we are more in the heavenly realm than heading in the opposite direction (musically speaking, of course). The final Lux aeterna, followed by a recap of the opening Requiem aeternam, is brief and to the point, with an all-male chorus.
The Requiem itself is too long to be paired with a similar work but too short for a single disc, and therefore Carus has opted to include a Miserere written originally for Venice. This apparently survives in a copy for Dresden with a four-part chorus, as opposed to the first version, which was for women’s voices only, in deference to the Ospedale forces. It is a competently composed but rather more pedestrian work. The tone is lighter, such as the operatic Tibi soli or the Quoniam si voluisses, and the chorus more homophonic (though there is a bit of counterpoint as required at the final Amen).
The performance by the Dresden early-instrument ensemble seems competent enough. The individual soloists for each movement are not enumerated on the track list, though one can probably intuit who sings which part. The voices in general blend well together, particularly sopranos Johanna Winkel and Marie Luise Werneburg, while Wiebke Lehmkuhl has a nice rich tone to her voice. Colin Balzer’s tenor can be a bit light at times, but his tone likewise is clear and unambiguous. Cornelius Uhle’s bass also fits in quite well, and in the Tibi soli he handles the part with ease. Hans-Christoph Rademann keeps his ensemble’s tempos moving along at a respectful pace, but he avoids any breakneck speeds and so allows the music to emerge well. I would have loved a bit more life in the Miserere, but Hasse’s conventionality probably prevents any real moments of brilliant light in the interpretation. My only qualm is the recorded sound, in which the strings are often a bit strident and one can hear the scraping of bows. The trumpets, too, could be more secure. You’ll probably want this disc if you are a fan of Requiems, and certainly the work would appeal to those interested in 18th-century music. It is certainly a decent recording, and brooks comparison with Hasse’s other Requiem.
Already during his lifetime Handel's "Messiah" became his most frequently performed work, achieving virtually cult status. The many outstanding choruses in this oratorio are among the most beloved, well known pieces in the history of choral music. This new release contains all of the choruses from the internationally acclaimed recording conducted by Frieder Bernius. The special sound and musical refinement displayed by his ensembles - the Stuttgarter Kammerchor and the Barockorchester Stuttgart - which, according to the MDR Figaro (April 2009) breathe "liveliness and new energy" into the work, make it a most musically exciting listening experience.
Spohr: Die letzten Dinge / Bernius, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen
Carus
CD
$20.99Oct 14, 2014
The “The Last Judgment” by Louis Spohr is one of the most important oratorios of the early 19th c. Accompanied recitatives, short contrapuntal solos and above all great choruses characterize the musical structure. Contrary to other apocalyptic compositions, Spohr focuses on a positive, comforting fundamental attitude of joyful anticipation, making manifest the praise of God and the portrayal of omnipotence, kindness and righteousness. Frieder Bernius and the Stuttgart Chamber Choir together with the Bremen Chamber Philharmonic present the oratorio on this recording.
SCHIEFERDECKER Triumph, Belial ist nun erleget. Auf, auf, mein Herz. In te Domine speravi. Weicht, ihr schwarzen Trauerwolken. Concertos: No. 9 in g; No. 13 in c • Simone Eckert, cond; Klaus Mertens (bs); Jan Kobow (ten); Hamburger Ratsmusik (period instruments) • CARUS 83.398 (62:18 Text and Translation)
For someone as obscure as Johann Christian Schieferdecker, a pupil of Buxtehude, he certainly has gotten his share of play recently. Not only has my colleague Michael Carter reviewed one of the concertos (Fanfare 34:3) but another, Jerry Dubins, reviewed and recommended an entire disc of these instrumental works in a recent issue (Fanfare 35:6) performed by the Elbipolis Hamburg period-instrument ensemble on Challenge. Both found them recommendable, though the latter seemed reticent on whether or not Schieferdecker represents a marvelous new rediscovery. This disc may not decide that issue, but I do find it curious that in the space of a very short time, a composer who was completely dissed by Johann Mattheson, the early chronicler of Hamburg music but who grew up practically as the blood brother of Reinhard Keiser, should suddenly emerge from shadows. Maybe it is something in the water in Hamburg, or maybe this relatively new period-instrument ensemble there decided that it was tired of the giants, C. P. E. Bach and Georg Philipp Telemann. Or maybe this is Schieferdecker’s 15 minutes of fame in the world of recorded music. Whatever the reason, we now have a selection of his compositions that demonstrates his ability and talent in the midst of other better-known figures.
Schieferdecker was, by any stretch of the imagination, a solid, well-educated, and talented composer. He was the son of an organist, attended school in Leipzig where he wrote his first operas, and returned to Hamburg to become a colleague of Telemann, Keiser, Mattheson, and Handel, toiling away in the opera house there. When Buxtehude sought a successor, it was Schieferdecker who was able to walk away with the job. Apparently he did not have the same qualms about marrying Buxtehude’s long-in-the-tooth daughter as his other friends, and when she died a couple of years later, he raised their child to continue the musical succession. As a composer, he was a chronological contemporary of Telemann (though he died in 1732, more than three decades before his colleague), but it is not clear exactly how much music he actually wrote. There were about a dozen operas written for Leipzig and Hamburg (all seemingly lost), and he certainly was active in Lübeck as Buxtehude’s successor, writing Abendmusik, pieces for organ, and in 1713 publishing a set of 12 Musicalische Concerte (probably best translated literally as “Musical Concerts,” rather than concertos, but in the insecure generic designation of the time indicating simply pieces—in this case each a rather conventional French suite). This disc, however, presents a somewhat old-fashioned throwback to the previous century in the form of the sacred concerto, which by the 18th century had long gone out of practice. These pieces, in reality sort of proto-cantatas each ending with a chorale, form a sort of halfway house between the traditional Baroque Lutheran cantata and the more amorphous Abendmusik, this defined as miniature movements of a contemplative nature. It is not known when he wrote the four pieces here, but the sparse setting of a voice and minimal string accompaniment with continuo may indicate that these are early works, possibly even about 1700. As these are the only ones that apparently have survived, the disc is filled out with two suites from the 1713 set, both of which were recorded on the aforementioned Challenge disc.
Three of these sacred concertos are in German, and one uses a Latin text that was often used as an offertory (the “In te Domine speravi” movement diverges from its other usage as the final portion of the Te Deum hymn). All are very much in the vein of Buxtehude, with the voice accompanied by a pair of violins and continuo. The Latin concerto omits one of the violin parts, in essence becoming a more common solo cantata. Many of the violin lines seem to remind one of Henry Purcell, with brief fanfares (such as in “Triumph, Belial ist nun erleget”) and the occasional use of the ground bass. But in that same concerto, the second aria, “Wenn die Bosheit,” reduces things to a continuo, lending a sort of Scarlatti feel. The chorales often use the solo voice in hymnlike fashion above some nice countermelodies in the violins, such as in the “Gott Vater” of Auf, auf mein Herz. The harmony can also be a bit gnarly, with unexpected twists and sudden non-sequitur chords shifting it momentarily. The finest example of this is in the opening aria of Weicht, ihr schwarzen Trauerwolken. And occasionally there is a rapid-fire parlando delivery of the text (“Sicut erat” in In te Domine speravi) that brings to mind a sort of Baroque rap, telescoping the line on a single pitch in a way that is quite remarkable.
The performance by the group Hamburger Ratsmusik is extremely good. They are all on pitch, handle the twisting and turning violin lines with ease, and there is a nice pacing by viol player Simone Eckert, who also conducts the ensemble. Their sensitive playing is the reason some of the odder moments do not become musical parodies, but rather demonstrate Schieferdecker’s sometimes unique compositional method. Klaus Mertens, of course, does his usual stellar job. This is just the sort of music he excels in, and his flexible bass handles the composer’s often unusual melodic contours perfectly. Tenor Jan Kobow, too, does an outstanding job in his one outing, the Latin concerto, being nicely on pitch and cognizant of the compositional peculiarities.
Echoing my colleague, I sincerely doubt that Schieferdecker is the next Baroque sensation on the horizon. For one thing, there isn’t that much left, barring a rediscovery of the lost operas or some other archival treasure trove. For another, the music is perhaps too quirky in terms of substance and style compared with his other Hamburg compatriots, all of whom went on to achieve major status in the musical world. But what remains as on this disc offers enough unusual variety to be worth a listen, and given that the performance here by the Ratsmusik is solid and well done, one would not go astray by including this in one’s collection.
Kalliwoda: Orchestral Works / Bernius, Hofkapelle Stuttgart
Carus
CD
$20.99Jan 20, 2017
With this recording, Frieder Bernius once again honors the musical legacy of the Bohemian composer Johann Wenzel Kalliwoda. On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the death of the longstanding court kapellmeister of Donaueschingen on 3 December 2016, the focus is on his instrumental compositions. In addition to the Symphony No. 1, op. 7 – a work that has not been available in a current recording for many years – the release includes the Variations for Clarinet and Orchestra op. 128 and the Concertino for Violin and Orchestra op. 15. It represents a convincing homage to a composer who found his place in the transition between the Classical form of a late Mozart and the Romance form of early Romanticism, between lyrically reflective melodies and “Sturm und Drang” dramatics as well as between homophonic orchestral tuttis and strict counterpoint.
One of the most influential sacred works in all of history is presented on this new release: Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. Frieder Bernius with the Kammerchor Stuttgart, as well as the Barockorchester Stuttgart, perform this work beautifully, highlighting their knowledge of historically informed performance practice. Soloists featured here include Hannah Morrison, Sophie Harmsen, Tilman Lichdi, Peter Harvey, and Christian Immler.
Heinrich Schütz composed his last work, a monumental setting of Psalm 119, in 1671 at the age of 86, complemented by a setting of Psalm 100, and a setting of the German Magnificat. This group of works, known as the “Schwanengesang”, or “swansong”, is a highly personal musical declaration, distinguished by its elegance and spiritual depth. As part of the Schütz Complete Recording, the Dresdner Kammerchor conducted by Hans-Christoph Rademann has again made a recording which sets new standards, presenting both the sung and the expressive elements of the composition in exemplary fashion. This recording of the fragmentary-surviving Schwanengesang is based on a new edition of the music by Werner Breig, published in November 2017 as part of the Stuttgart Schütz Edition. In many passages it suggests other approaches to reconstruction from the version published in 1984, and so approaches the Schwanengesang in a completely different way.
The Bassoon Abroad - Foreign Composers In Britain / Harris, Ensemble Chameleon
Carus
CD
$20.99Jan 28, 2014
THE BASSOON ABROAD: Foreign Composers in Britain • Jennifer Harris (bn); Ens Chameleon • CARUS 83.463 (69:25)
GALLIARD 6 Sonatas for Bassoon/Cello and Basso Continuo: No. 1 in a; No. 2 in G; No. 5 in d; No. 6 in C. The Advice. TRAD The Bush aboon Traquair. The Flowers of Edinburgh. The Lass of Pattie’s Mill. MERCI 6 Sonatas for Bassoon, op. 3: No. 1 in B?; No. 3 in E?; No. 4 in g; No. 5 in c. LAMPE The Solitary Relief. The Maid’s Request
Elsewhere in this volume, I welcome The Proud Bassoon, a recital of German and French bassoon works from the late Baroque period played by the Scottish Baroque bassoon virtuoso Peter Whelen. Now, here from the same package of goodies sent by publisher Joel Flegler, is another recital of Baroque bassoon works, played by a different outstanding proponent of the instrument, English-born Jennifer Harris. These are works primarily of the French (despite the name) composer Luigi Merci and German composer John Ernest Galliard, both of whom immigrated to England to become part of the lively music scene dominated by another German, George Frideric Handel. Harris, incidentally, has made the counter-move, having transplanted to Germany for her advanced studies and subsequent career as an orchestral and chamber musician. She is currently professor of Baroque bassoon at the Conservatory of the City of Vienna University.
The two principal composers are not well known. Galliard moved to England by way of the Court of Denmark to become chapel-master of Somerset House in London. Merci served James Brydges, first Duke of Chandos, before moving to London as well. Among the few surviving works, both produced a set of six sonatas for bassoon and continuo, four each of which Harris has chosen as the core of this recital. They are remarkable for their timing—the bassoon was just coming into its own as a solo instrument at the time of their composition and publication—and for their quality and variety of style. While not masterpieces on the exalted plane of Handel, they display the considerable melodic gift of their creators, and are substantial works which suggest the discernment and playing skill of the public which bought them for home music-making.
Like the works on The Proud Bassoon, these sonatas often require a soloist of considerable skill to pull them off. New instruments based on surviving period bassoons, courses of study to teach the instrument with its complex, very different fingerings, and still others to teach period performance practice, are now resulting in a crop of outstanding proponents of the instrument and this repertoire. Harris is clearly one of these, and she and the remarkable artists of Ensemble Chameleon are making a most impressive CD debut with this outstanding release. The works may not be masterpieces, but the performances are, with Harris’s imaginative, charismatic, and always virtuoso performances ably seconded by the other four members of Ensemble Chameleon. They are so good they should be named individually: Ulrike Becker plays Baroque cello; Barbara Messmer, violone; Andrea Baur, lute; and Evelyn Laib, harpsichord. The often subtle, continually varied sonorities produced as accompaniment are a constant delight, with the alternate use of plucked strings and harpsichord especially nicely done. Tempos are lively but avoid the Lamborghini-like approach of some ensembles from farther south.
Solo honors are shared a bit. The ensemble, sans bassoon, plays German composer John Frederick Lampe’s ballad The Solitary Relief, taken from a 1756 song collection Apollo’s Cabinet, and Harris joins them for a sampling of Scottish airs from the same collection. Laib takes a solo turn in the same composer’s The Maid’s Request. Becker and Baur play a Galliard ballad, The Advice. They are as impressive individually as collectively.
Carus, known for its superbly engineered releases, has added yet another to its catalog. Notes by the soloist, to which I am indebted, are lively and informative, and provide, along with the context of the works, a clever motivation for the program concept. She also makes an interesting connection between the period settings of Scottish airs interspersed among the sonatas, and the music of Merci and Galliard. All in all, presentation and music, the release is perfect. Some admirers of late Baroque music may shy from this disc because of the drier, stuffier quality of the Baroque bassoon. That would be a shame, as the sonority is ideal for the music and the ensemble. and the music is a delight. Highly recommended.
As Mendelssohn's successor of the Berlin Cathedral, Nicoli composed the Mass in D major, a sacred work well worth discovering and an important contribution to 19th century church music. Consono presents several other choral works which with their varied scorings show the diversity of Nicolai's sacred compositions.
Over the centuries thousands of musical treasures came to be through the choral tradition of the British cathedrals and universities. Some of the most beautiful motets and anthems have been recorded here in their original language by the figuralchor koln and Richard Mailander. Notable composers such as William Byrd, Thomas Tallis, and Charles Villiers Stanford are contributors to this lineup of English sacred choral music which travels through the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries.
Euch ist ein Kindlein heut geborn: Luthers Weihnachtslieder
Carus
CD
$20.99Oct 14, 2016
The ensemble Hamburger Ratsmusik, under the direction of Simone Eckert has recorded five songs from Luther for Advent and Christmas. These pieces have been arranged by various composers from the Reformation era and they captivate through their diversity in different instrumental and vocal combinations. Vom Himmel hoch is one of the most famous songs by Martin Luther and is still sung today at Christmas time.
The Lieder project is a co-operative charitable project between SWR2 (Southwest German Broadcasting Company), Carus, over 100 performing artists and now more than 300 children. Following the highly successful "Lullabies" and "Folk songs", SWR2 and Carus have now turned to the German "Children's songs" ("Kinderlieder"). All of the recordings are being released successively as lieder collections in 3 attractive CD boxes. Each box includes a comprehensive book with lied texts and source information.
Hassler: In Dulci Jubilo - Choral Music For Advent And Christmas / Penalosa Ensemble
Carus
CD
$20.99Sep 24, 2013
The Peñalosa-Ensemble is an a cappella quartet consisting of four absolutely experts for the early vocal music: the German singers Susan Eitrich, Sebastian Mory, Jörg Deutschewitz und Pierre Funck. The CD presents a cappella works by Hans Leo Hassler (1564–1612) for advent and Christmas. The selected works, which cover the entire gamut of Hassler’s productivity with respect to different compositional types and genres, profit greatly from the clear performance by the solo mold of the Peñalosa quartet.
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