Bach: St Matthew Passion

BACH FAMILY: Motets by the Bach Family

Classical Music

Includes song(s) by Jack Gottlieb.

Classical Music

RUBBRA: Nine Tenebrae Motets / Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis

Classical Music

Purcell: Ode for St. Cecilia's Day - Te Deum

The name at least of the Irish composer Gerard Victory (1921-95) should be familiar to most readers. His voice is not particularly distinctive, nor obviously Irish, but his music is accessible and broadly tonal in idiom, making use of a wide range of styles, as in the oratorio Ultimo Rerum ("The Last of Things"). This is a much-expanded setting of the Requiem Mass, not unlike Britten's War Requiem, into which have been interspersed texts from the Koran, Walt Whitman and the Eddas amongst others. Ultimo Rerum is divided into two halves, or cantos, each of five movements: the first moves from Kyrie to Offerwrium, the second from Sanctus (after an opening canzone setting words by Leopardi) to a radiant Agnus Dei. There is much to enjoy throughout: the Kyrie, for example, contains some beautiful writing, although its operatic manner may not appeal to everyone.

Almost any of the ten individual movements could be performed satisfactorily as independent items, although the full kaleidoscopic range of Victory's conception only becomes apparent when heard complete. Herein, though, lies its weakness: in a work of this size and character, one needs a sense of the transcendent (think of, say, the War Requiem, The Vision of Si Augustine or Brian's Gothic. Symphony), yet in Ultimo Rerum I listened in vain for any real visionary quality. Is it the fault of the composer? Well, Victory's technical credentials cannot be doubted, his craftsmanship is impeccable, but one must question the wisdom of the division into two cantos, both of which traverse similar terrain in moving from darkness to light. In the first, the real problem lies in the Dies irae - it is just too comfortable. There is no "fear of eternal torment" here; mightily as the performers try, this is no Day of Wrath, more an Afternoon of Irritation. Firmer direction from Colman Pearce might have gone some way in redeeming this; as it is, the close of both this movement and the canto are undermined. The recording is fine and clear (Chris Craker), and overall the performance sounds committed and assured, one small false entry in the Dies irae aside. Unusually for this label, neither CD reaches 50 minutes in duration, but I imagine the addition of a meaningful coupling would have required unhappily splitting one of the cantos across discs.

-- Gramophone [6/1995]

Classical Music

Classical Music

C.P.E. Bach: Die Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu

One of the most important composers of opera and sacred music between Mozart and Rossini, and Donizetti' teacher, Johann Simon Mayr also composed several major oratorios, including David and the Marriage of Tobias. Like Haydn' more famous Il Rito.

Mozart: Requiem

Handel: The Great Choruses

From the hero of Werther to the villain of Carmen, Carreras has shined in a wide range of operatic roles. His membership in the Three Tenors increased his fame yet more; now, he's the star of his own 2-CD anthology: Nussun Dorma from Turandot; E Lucevan Le Stelle from Tosca; C'est Toi! Ce'st Moi from Carmen plus everything from Grieg and Strauss to Rodgers & Hammerstein!

Suppe: Missa Dalmatica

Mozart: Requiem in D Minor, K.626

Track Listing
1. Christmas Song, The - (with Tony Bennett)
2. O Holy Night - (with Charlotte Church/Plácido Domingo)
3. Do You Hear What I Hear - (with Vanessa Williams)
4. Jesus De Nazareth - (with Plácido Domingo)
5. Winter Wonderland - (with Tony Bennett/Vanessa Williams)
6. Silent Night - (with Charlotte Church)
7. My Favorite Things - (with Vanessa Williams/Tony Bennett/Plácido Domingo)
8. White Christmas - (with Tony Bennett/Vanessa Williams)
9. Hacia Belen Va Un Burro - (with Plácido Domingo)
10. Through The Eyes Of A Child - (with Vanessa Williams)
11. First Noel, The - (with Tony Bennett/Plácido Domingo)
12. Somewhere In My Memory - (with Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen Chorus)
13. I Saw Three Ships - (with Plácido Domingo/Vanessa Williams)
14. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - (with Tony Bennett)
15. Hijo De Dios - (with Plácido Domingo)
16. I'll Be Home For Christmas - (with Tony Bennett/Plácido Domingo)
17. Joy To The World - (with Plácido Domingo/Vanessa Williams)
18. Angels We Have Heard On High - (with Tony Bennett/Vanessa Williams/Plácido Domingo)
19. Silent Night
20. One More Year - (with Plácido Domingo/Vanessa Williams)

Musicians include: Tony Bennett, Charlotte Church, Placido Domingo, Vanessa Williams (vocals); Steven Mecurio (conductor); Ralph Sharon Quartet; Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen Children's Choir; Vienna Symphony.

Recorded live at the Konzerthaus, Vienna, Austria in December 2000.

This stellar line-up, recorded live in Vienna, performs a program of quintessential Christmas songs in a rich variety of styles, from the light pop of "My Favorite Things" to traditional Spanish tunes such as "Hacia Belen Va Un Burro" and English equivalents like "Angels We Have Heard on High." Tony Bennett kicks the whole thing off with a typically warm rendition of "The Christmas Song." He's followed by a pretty straight reading of "O Holy Night" by the Welsh teen classical prodigy Charlotte Church and the inimitable Placido Domingo, and Vannessa Williams' gospel-tinged version of "Do You Hear What I Hear?"

It's an evening of familiar favorites, impeccably performed, with the added bonus of the Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen Children's Choir providing an appropriately child's-eye view of the holiday. OUR FAVORITE THINGS is a worthy addition to the bulging repertoire of Christmas collections, in a gimmick-free traditional setting.

The Ecclesiastical Year in Gregorian Chant

This recording presents a performance of H.C. Robbins Landon's edition of Mozart's Requiem, a product of modern scholarship, sound musicological argument, and learned intuition. It comprises Mozart's original fragment along with completions by the familiar Süssmayr, as well as Mozart's other students, Eybler and Freystädtler. The CD booklet gives details on who added what, and makes for interesting reading. But, the real concern here is the performance itself, and it is truly captivating. Bruno Weil's quick tempos bring fresh air and sunlight into the mausoleum some have made of this work. There is a compelling urgency that carries over from one movement to the next. The "Rex tremendae" here sounds chilling, its defiant anger fully embodied by the Tölzer Boys Choir, which sings with all the range and beauty of a traditional choir but with more clarity and poignancy. The four soloists are beautifully devotional, though bass Harry van der Kamp has some slight intonation problems in the "Tuba mirum". Tafelmusik's vividly colorful playing clarifies the musical lines with naturalness and subtlety, while the recorded sound marvelously balances reverberation and clarity. An outstanding release. --Victor Carr, ClassicsToday.com

Verdi: Messa da requiem - Rossini: Stabat Mater

Includes verse(s) for organ by Anonymous. Soloist: Gustav Leonhardt.

GREGORIAN CHANT, Vol. 2

Charpentier: Te Deum