Classical Music

The 17th century composer Johann Georg Künstel is one of the forgotten persons in history. He lived at Franconia in South East Germany where he is mentioned as a schoolmaster and court organist. But his inclusion in Johann Gottfried Walther’s Musicalisches Lexicon of 1732 provides clues about his significance. The St Mark Passion can be considered to be his most significant work; records show that it was frequently performed in Coburg even after the composer’s death. The work’s substantial dimensions of nearly two and a half hours (!) which is outstanding for this time is due to the fact that the complete performance was divided between several church services between Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. The music is really pleasant; the long recitatives of the Evangelist are formed with pleasing melodies and are continuously accompanied by strings. Most of the text is narrated by the vocal consort or parts of it, often interrupted by instrumental intermezzos. On first glance, the St Mark Passion seems to be straightforward, everyday music ideally suited for choirs, but a closer examination reveals that the work is actually a sophisticated, through-composed musical drama. From the introductory sonata to the concluding chorale, Künstel creates an enthralling musical arc, immediately drawing the audience into the passion of Jesus.

Classical Music

Classical Music

The Greek gods of covetous love and gentle death, Eros and Thanatos, are symbols of this CD's program from chant 1450.The ensemble sings the nocturnal matins from the Gregorian Liturgy of the Hours. Unexpected components are integrated into the rigid liturgical structure: in place of the long Psalms and readings are four-part love songs by Spanish poet and composer Juan del Enzina (1468-1529).In both content and polyphonic texture they provide a counterpoint to the monodic funeral liturgy.Sometimes simultaneously, sometimes in-between songs, Mr. Ken Zuckerman improvises on the sarod.

Classical Music

Oriental Touch - Early Music Meets Oriental Jazz' is the exciting result of a sound experiment that the ensemble FizFuz undertook with the Freiburger Spielleyt: an ensemble that has successfully occupied itself with the music of the minstrels in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance for over a quarter century meets a renowned jazz ensemble with roots in the traditions of Turkish music and klezmer. This is not merely an encounter with music from the most wide-ranging cultures and about 1000 years of music history, however; it is also a meeting of musical personalities with the most widely-varied cultural roots, becoming involved with each other here with open ears and hearts. In searching for points of contact, they have found them in the musical tradition of early Spain, where the Occident and Orient still lay close to each other. They also find differences, venturing into shared interpretations of Monteverdi's popular song 'Si dolce e'l tormento', traditional Arab as well as Sephardic melodies. The result is an engaging mixture of many influences and characteristics, coming together to form a harmonic whole with a great deal of fire and esprit - catchy music that moves our hearts and also gets our feet tapping!

Classical Music

Classical Music

Import Hybrid-SACD pressing.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music