Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Johann Sebastian Bach sadly left no trumpet concertos known to us in the twenty-first century. The trumpeter Matthias H�fs has now remedied this situation by arranging a number of Bach's solo concertos for his instrument. His modern piccolo trumpet is able - unlike the valveless Baroque trumpet - to bring out the brilliant sound of the trumpet in the demanding melodies of the concertos. Most instrumentalists, especially trumpeters, must come to terms with the fact that the history of their instrument is frequently one reflecting the gradual development of it's musical and technical abilities. What that means is that a modern-day trumpeter can achieve far more with their modern instrument than was possible with the Baroque trumpet. While it is true that Bach composed superb solo parts for trumpet, he seems to have been deterred from writing a concerto in several movements for the trumpet, either because the trumpet of his day had a limited note range or there was no suitable soloist available to play such a complex work. Back in the Baroque era, it was perfectly commonplace for concertos and in particular solo concertos to be played ad libitum on a whole range of different instruments. Bach wrote all of the concertos that Matthias H�fs has recorded on his new album for the Clavier (clavichord or harpsichord). When arranging works for other instruments, Bach's approach depended on which instrument he was arranging for. Together with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen he has produced an album that furthers a long tradition. At same time, he ably demonstrates yet again what a seemingly familiar instrument is capable of.

Classical Music

Why Francesco Geminiani is not mentioned these days alongside other great masters of the era of Baroque music is a bit of a mystery. Together with Corelli and Handel he was one of the composers who made a great career for himself in eighteenth-century Great Britain. Concerto Koln has not forgotten him, on the contrary: the ensemble pays homage to him as one of the true greats. And now the musicians have chosen their favorite pieces from his entire oeuvre and called it Geminiani’s Quintessence. He was a composer, virtuoso violinist and itinerant artist, as well as being a dealer and collector of art, a musicographer and musicologist. Francesco Geminiani’s life, and in particular his travels, do not read like the typical story of a more or less sedentary Baroque composer. In comparison with Johann Sebastian Bach, who hardly went beyond a 200 km radius in his entire life, Geminiani was a globetrotter who journeyed to Rome and Paris and as far as Dublin. It would seem that this restlessness is reflected in his music. Things that are hard to imagine nowadays were common practice back then: works by other composers as well as composers’ own works were re-worked and arranged for other solo instruments or orchestra. In the case of Geminiani, however, the large number of arrangements of his own and other works led to a reputation of being unoriginal and lacking in imagination. As a result of his method of constantly composing and arranging, Geminiani’s entire output can be divided into four categories: his Concerti Grossi and arrangements of them, arrangements of his sonatas as Concerti Grossi, and arrangements of sonatas by other composers as Concerti Grossi. Concerto Koln has chosen works from all four categories for this project, with bassoonist Lorenzo Alpert taking a leading role in selecting those rare works “which we think are the loveliest and most accomplished of his compositions.”

Classical Music

Classical Music

In 2008, Peter Anders the German operatic tenor would have been 100 years old. Unfortunately, he died much earlier, in a car accident in 1954, at the height of his singing career. To date, his voice is considered unique, Anders is a singing legend as there are few others. This 3 X CD collection includes some of his most important forties recordings re-mastered & restored so future generations can faithfully as possible experience the singer's voice.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music