Norbert Duchtel plays a wonderful program of organ works for Christmas on the new Mathis Organ (2010) at the Church of the Assumption of Mary in Rieden/South Bavaria (Germany). The music is from the Baroque and Romantic eras and allows US to experience the full tonal variety of the instrument in sophisticated and sensitive interpretations, and includes a world premiere recording of Paul Geist's Weilhnachts.

The Emory Symphonic Winds, comprised of members of the Emory Wind Ensemble and the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony, are American leaders in the commissioning of new music. Bruce Broughton’s In the World of Spirits was dedicated to the ensemble and is a work of action, dynamism and electric physicality. Christmas carols and hymns are explored by Gustav Holst while Jennifer Higdon charts the intangible beauty of music itself. Alfred Reed’s Russian Christmas Music is a classic of symphonic band writing: rich, colorful and sonorous.

Exclusive Collection of Christmas Carols Many renowned German-speaking singers - amongst others, Jonas Kaufmann, Angelika Kirchschlager and Christoph Pregardien - and ensembles have recorded their Christmas carol exclusively for the song project. The recordings are presented in two lavishly equipped CD boxes with elaborate illustrated booklets.

Classical Music

LET THE BRIGHT SERAPHIM • Christopher Monks, cond; Elin Manahan Thomas (sop); Crispian Steele-Perkins (tpt); Armonico Consort (period instruments) • SIGNUM SAGCD289 (59:07)

BACH Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen, BWV 51. A. SCARLATTI Su le sponde del Tebro. TELEMANN Trumpet Concerto in D. HANDEL Music for the Vauxhall Gardens: HWV 63, 14, 42, 20, 74. Water Music: Overture; Air; Hornpipe. Samson, HWV 57, “Let the Bright Seraphim”

When does an early-music ensemble go Pop? Or Mod for that matter? The answer may well be when it’s Armonico Consort, with its very eclectic and sometimes even bizarre (though they call it “original”) programming, which features themed concerts designed to attract new audiences to classical music. To read the description of their concerts so far, with rubrics such as “Too Hot to Handel,” “Naked Byrd,” or “Monteverdi’s Flying Circus,” one wonders whether this is a revamped branding in order to be hip, or if someone in Britain has gone off the reservation. Whatever one’s view of this sort of advertising, there is little doubt that they have made some impressive achievements, such as founding the AC Academy for interactive music education, which will no doubt assure a bright future for music in England, at least. This disc seems to take a more sedate view, using George Fredrick Handel’s famous aria from Samson as the title. Here, the ensemble under Christopher Monks partners with soprano Elin Manahan Thomas and trumpeter Crispian Steele-Perkins, both well-known superstars in the early-music world, to create a program of favorites.

The cantata Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen is a tried and true soprano display piece, whose final Alleluia is a magnificent tour de force for both voice and clarion trumpet, especially since it follows on to the sedate cantus firmus colophon “Sei Lob und Preis” in typically Bachian cantata style. The Scarlatti cantata too is a favorite for sopranos seeking to outdo the great Farinelli, while every trumpeter worth anything has in his or her repertory the Telemann D-Major Trumpet Concerto, with its flashy runs and showy sequences. Where the program departs from the ordinary is with the so-called “Music for the Vauxhall Gardens,” a paean towards the popular outdoors venue in London during the 18th century, where summer concerts were given in a rather impressive pavilion. The five pieces include a sort of greatest hits parade compiled by Steele-Perkins after similar bits and pieces published in the 1740s by John Walsh, concluding with some works from the Water Music , once ascribed to Handel but now probably by one of his subordinates, John Grano (1692-1748), and of course the title aria. As a concert, it is recognizable, even perhaps a bit well worn, since almost all of the pieces have been recorded previously by people such as Steele-Perkins himself and Emma Kirkby.

The result is something that purists might find redundant, though the performances themselves are quite good. Thomas has a nice, vibrant voice that blends well with the period instruments, and the Consort is both in tune and has some nice phrasing in these warhorses, which is the mark of absolute professionalism. Steele-Perkins performs ably for his part, with just enough variability to be able to discern the valveless quality of his natural trumpet, performing the various virtuoso parts with agility and alacrity. My hesitancy in the face of such a performance is that most who are knowledgeable of the period will not find these renditions out of the ordinary, even though they are expert. Moreover, the program itself will only appeal to a certain audience since many listeners will already have equally expert recordings of entire pieces at hand, though perhaps not all on one disc. Still, if one is just beginning to explore either the world of the Baroque, or even classical music at all, this should have some appeal.

FANFARE: Bertil van Boer

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

CHRISTMAS MUSIC FOR BRASS AND ORGAN: Great Joy, Vol. 2

JAKUB JAN RYBA: Jitka Sobehartova; Marie Mrazova; Vladimir Dolezal; Richard Novak; Cvorak Chamber ORchestra/Libor Pesek; Directed by Jan Bonaventura; NTSC All Region 4:3; Dolby digital Stereo; Color; Subtitled in Czech, English, German, French; Approx. 79 mins. JAKUB JAN RYBA: Czech Christmas Mass; Christmas Folk Songs: I. Christmas Songs from the Krkonose Region, II. Christmas Songs fromthe Hussite Era, III. Christmas Pastorale.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Includes christmas carol(s) by various composers. Ensemble: BBC Singers. Conductor: Stephen Cleobury. Soloist: Robert Quinney.

Unlike the cantatas discussed in my review of Gottfried Stölzel's 1736/37 so-called "Christmas Oratorio" on CPO (type Q4082 in Search Reviews), these, composed in 1728 and intended for use during Christmas, are more musically substantive (but still concise) and offer some outstanding arias and duets. In addition, we hear recitatives that in harmonic and melodic effect are far more than just functional devices--and the choral sections, while relatively short, are also very well crafted, showing the work of a composer adept at devising solid thematic material and knowing how to keep it interesting. The stylistic similarities to Bach will be obvious to anyone familiar with the cantatas of the slightly older master (he was five years Stölzel's senior), and if you really try, your imagination may trick you into believing you're hearing a direct reference or two--a little thematic slice here, an orchestral flourish there--and certainly Stölzel's use of compound meter in the duet aria "Heller Aufgang aus der Höhe" with obbligato violin (from the opening cantata) is a page right out of any number of Bach's works in the genre.


But the high quality of the writing, especially in the attractively shaped arias, bespeaks a composer with some fine ideas of his own. Try the alto/bass duet in the above-mentioned cantata, or the soprano solo in the following work, a lovely melody that dances liltingly along accompanied by oboes and strings. Here and throughout, soprano Christine Rembeck shows easy confidence to go with her beautiful voice, and her ornaments are attractive and effective. In fact, all of the singers are first rate, taking to their "roles" with obvious appreciation for such singable and satisfying music. There are some unusual features of scoring, such as the alto aria in the Christmas cantata Kündlich groß ist das gottselige Geheimnis, with its eerie continuo doubling and violins weaving around above the voice in thirds.


The oboe concerto is a feisty work that wastes not a note, from the lively opening Allegro to the short Andante that begins in faux-passacaglia fashion with only upper strings accompanying the soloist. The third movement is a compact Allegro with enough challenging flourishes and fleeting runs to satisfy an oboist looking for a few moments to show off. Stölzel shows imagination in his chorale harmonizations--from the trumpet-tinged In diesem Licht kannst Du sehen to the simple and direct Gib mir, o Jesu, nur heilige gute Gedanken (which many listeners will recognize as "Lobet den Herren").


The recording is somewhat spacious and heavy on the resonance, which lends a hugeness to the sound that swallows some detail in the tutti sections. And--typically and irritatingly--MDG provides only German texts (with no accompanying track numbers). On first listen, I thought I was not going to have a whole lot to say about this music--but the more I listened, the more I enjoyed, and it's likely you'll do the same. These are really fine works that competent church choirs and accomplished college and community choral groups should seriously consider as alternatives to programs typically heavy on Bach and Handel.
--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com

Classical Music