This album features great contemporary American works for piano.

During the 2015/2016 season, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra celebrates their 125th birthday. This two disc set includes the very best compiled recordings over a three decade span, including works by Wagner, Nielsen, Webern, Holst, and more. The Royal Scottish National Orchestra was originally founded in 1891 under the name the Scottish Orchestra. They have worked with the very best conductors, composers, and soloists, Aaron Copland, Luciano Pavarotti, and Richard Strauss to name a few.

A festive concert of great voices, this Volkslied-Edition offers on 5 CDs the most famous and most beloved German folksongs, performed by well known singers like Hermann Prey, Peter Schreier, and famous choirs, especially boys choirs, such as the Dresden Kreuzchor, Thomanerchor Leipzig and the Regensburger Domspatzen. A well done edition for all friends of choir music offered for a verys special price!

Julianne Baird and her frequent collaborator, the period-instrument group The Aulos Ensemble, offer some of the fruits of their many Christmas concerts together in a pleasingly varied, Baroque-focused program of vocal and instrumental works. Most of the 16 selections feature Baird's bright, clear, and very agreeable soprano, supported by some combination of flute, recorder, baroque oboe, violin, and cello, and harpsichord or organ. Most familiar are the title tune, plus such mainstays of today's Christmas repertoire as "Remember O thou Man", "Gently the Fragrance" (better known as Whence is that goodly fragrance, or by its French title, Quelle est cette odeur), and "Tomorrow shall be my dancing day". Another favorite is a beautiful Advent cantata aria by Bach (from BWV 36), usually heard as "Auch mit gedämpften..." but for some reason performed here in the version from the decidedly non-Christmas secular cantata Die Freude reget sich (BWV 36b). Regardless, the music is still just as lovely, although you can hear the BWV 36 setting sublimely rendered by Sibylla Rubens, Philippe Herreweghe, and Collegium Vocale on an excellent 1996 Harmonia Mundi recording.


The instrumental playing is first-rate, and the accompaniments to Baird's singing are smartly arranged and well-balanced with the voice. My only reservation concerns a couple of the longer selections--Böddecker's Veni Salvator hominum and the instrumental "Symphonie" by Corrette--whose musical material isn't substantial enough to fully command our interest for six or eight minutes. On the other hand, Corrette's Noël Provençal, an instrumental number that closes the disc, is a wild, wonderful, colorful rustic dance that leaves you smiling and uplifted, a perfect complement to the opening "In dulci jubilo". The sound, from Princeton Theological Seminary's Miller Chapel, is suitably vibrant, clear, and natural. [10/26/2006]
--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com

The great bass-baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau has been involved with the music of Bach throughout his career. Even as a student, he studied the cantatas and in his first Post-War concert in 1947, he was a soloist in the "St. Matthew Passion." As the singer's career progressed, performances of the music of Bach and his contemporaries became increasingly rare. However, in the 1950s, while at the beginning of his career, Fischer-Dieskau produced a series of radio recordings featuring not only the music of Bach but other Baroque composers such as Schutz, Tunder and St. Elzel.

Rudolf Tobias (1873–1918) founded the classical-music tradition in Estonia almost single-handedly, writing the first Estonian orchestral piece, the first Estonian string quartet, first Estonian piano concerto and the first Estonian oratorio, the monumental Des Jona Sendung, from which Ines Maidre has now transcribed for organ the blazingly powerful Sanctus. Although Tobias was himself an outstanding organist, he wrote little music for his own instrument and most of it is modest in scale, but its quirky craftsmanship reveals the hand of a master.

REVIEW:

Rudolf Tobias (1873–1918) is credited with founding the classical music tradition in Estonia, having written the first Estonian orchestral piece, piano concerto, piano sonata, oratorio, and string quartet. He studied composition with Rimsky-Korsakoff and then had a wide-ranging career in Tartu, Paris, Munich, Dresden, and finally as Professor of Theory at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik. At the outbreak of war in 1914, he was drafted into the German army, serving as an interpreter. His health began to fail in 1916 and he was discharged, and died of pneumonia in October of 1918.

This program of his complete published organ works reveals a composer of well-crafted, pleasant liturgical “gebrauchsmusik” based on chorale tunes. It is all modest in scope, nothing lasting much over five minutes. It is unfortunate that he left nothing substantial for the organ, as he was considered an outstanding organist. The booklet contains notes on the composer and music as well as the specification of the 1913 Sauer organ (rebuilt in 1998) in the Dome Church (St Mary’s) in Tallinn, Estonia.

-- American Record Guide

C.P.E. Bach’s two collections of religious songs were among the most popular 18th Lieder publications. The songs selected for this CD have never been recorded before with their complete texts. The other work recorded here is the ‘Hamlet Fantasy’ which resulted when the poet Gerstenberg imposed his free translation of Hamlet’s soliloquy on one of C. P. E. Bach’s keyboard works. This CD is released to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the composer’s birth.

REVIEW:

These devotional songs by CPE Bach are culled from two major sources: Geistliche Oden und Lieder mit Melodien (1758) on poetry by CF Gellert; and Sturms Geistliche Gesänge mit Melodien on texts by Christian Carl Sturm (1780–1). More than half of the songs on the program are recorded here for the first time: ‘Bitten’, ‘Prüffung am Abend’, ‘Abendlied’, ‘Busslied’, ‘Uber die Finsternis Kurz vor dem Tode Jesu’, ‘Passionslied’, ‘Der Tag des Weltgerichts’, ‘Empfindungen in der Sommernacht’, and ‘Der Frühling’.

Meyn and Charlston perform the full text of each lyric (‘Prüffung am Abend’ has 10 stanzas) and in intimate surroundings that replicate the original domestic setting for the performance of these songs. It is the perfect setting for the clavichord (built by Peter Bavington), which is the instrument Bach had in mind. Meyn’s tenor voice is light, just right for this repertory and setting. Texts and notes are in English.

-- American Record Guide

Isabel Leonard’s luxuriant vocal tone, riveting stage presence and remarkable artistic versatility make her one of today’s most in-demand singers. In this – her first Delos release – she explores the riches of Spanish song in all its varied Iberian forms and styles that can be traced back as far as its millennium-old Moorish influences. The generous program encompasses pure folksongs, folk-influenced art songs, dances and popular theater songs by quite a few of Spain’s finest composers of the late-19th and 20th c., Mompou, Falla, García Lorca, Sanjuán, Granados and Montsalvatge. Herself a Spanish speaker and passionate devotee of Iberian musical art, Ms. Leonard is partnered here by Brian Zeger, one of America’s most supremely sensitive and accomplished piano collaborators. “…magnetic charisma and a remarkable depth of tone” (Bachtrack)

Alessandro Scarlatti’s cantata Bella madre de’ fiori, opens with a slow-tempo Sinfonia followed by a series of arias and recitatives, the last of which is perhaps the most intensely poetic and stylistically original section of the whole cantata. Giovanni Bononcini’s Il lamento di Olimpia opens with a two-movement delicately pastoral prelude; the most important dramatic moments of the text are in the two recitatives rather than in the cantata’s da capo arias. For the cantata Care luci del mio bene, Bononcini has given us a composition of exquisite elegance in superb cantabile style.

Traditional choruses and excerpts of Christmas music from the Baroque era to the time of Saint-Saens. Performing groups include: Wiener Sängerknaben, Regensburger Domspatzen, Dresdner Kreuzchor, Thomanerchor Leipzig, Tölzer Knabenchor, Academy of London, Dresdner Philharmonie, Neues Bachisches Collegium Musicum Leipzig, Martin Flämig, Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden, Roland Büchner, Peter Marschik.

Selections include:
Bach, J S:

Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier, BWV469

Brahms:

O Heiland, reiss die Himmel auf, Op. 74 No. 2

Grieg:

Ave Maris Stella

Grüber, F:

Stille Nacht

Handel:

Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus
Tochter Zion, freue dich

Mendelssohn:

Von Himmel hoch: Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her

Ave Maria, Op. 23 No. 2

Saint-Saens

Christmas Oratorio (Excerpt)

Mozart:

Laudate Dominum from Vesperae Solennes de Confessore, K339

Reger:

Mariä Wiegenlied, Op. 76 No. 52

Traditional:

Maria durch ein’ Dornwald ging
In Dulci Jubilo
Adeste fideles
Stille, stille, lasst uns lauschen
Es ist ein Ros'
O Jesulein suss, O Jesulein mild

REVIEW:

Performances, as you would expect with such esteemed choirs at work, are mostly excellent; recording ambiences and quality are quite variable, but generally fine. The spare booklet contains no notes, texts, or information about the original albums these selections no doubt came from; all we get is titles, performers, and track timings. Still, if you’re a Germanophile or favor a boychoir kind of Christmas, this pleasant collection should enrich your holidays.

– American Record Guide

Recorded in: Dr Anton Philipszaal, The Hague, The Netherlands 24-27 September 1989 (orchestral works); 18-20 April and 3 & 4 July 1990 (symphonic songs) Producer(s) Brian Couzens Sound Engineer(s) Ralph Couzens Ben Connellan (Assistant: orchestral works) Peter Newble (Assistant: symphonic songs)

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All selections are performed twice on this box set. All selections on CD 1 are sung in their original languages. The same works are repeated on CD 2, where the German language songs are sung in English. The Hebrew and English language works on CD 2 are again sung in their original form.

This release is an interesting musical journey through the paths that led to Arnold Schoenberg’s composition of his masterpiece for string sextet, Verklarte Nacht.+ The pieces presented on this album, which are diverse and include pieces by Bach, Brahms, and Berg, show development of harmony and tonality from Bach’s era all the way to the late romantic period, when a new harmonic language began to emerge. The string sextet utilized in this recording was formed from the principal players of the Orchestra da Camera di Mantova, and led in this recording by Alessandro Maria Carnelli.

Max Emanuel Cencic has become one of the best countertenors of his time. Cencic is a former member of the Vienna Boys’ Choir and has had a successful career, regularly performing at some of the world’s most famous opera houses as well as recording for Capriccio and other labels such as Virgin Classics.

Capriccio now presents Cencic’s 3 previous CDs of cantatas by Vivaldi, Scarlatti and Caldara on the label in new packaging and a bonus documentary DVD which includes interviews and video clips.

This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players.

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Close your eyes, lean back and enjoy!

In October last year, I reviewed for MusicWeb International, the first volume of songs by American composer Margaret Ruthven Lang. She was unknown to me at the time, and naturally, I had never heard her music. Little did I know that I was in for a treat! Indeed, Volume I of Lang’s selected songs was a very pleasant surprise. The music was exquisite and beautifully matched the lyrics. It made me think: where on Earth had this composer been hiding all my life! For me, it was a revelation, which was why I selected it as one of my Recordings of the Year 2011. I have been anticipating the launch of the second volume. Well, it is here now, under the charming title of New Love Must Rise. I am very pleased to say that it does not disappoint; on the contrary, if anything, it is even better than the first.

In a brief interview to me, via e-mail, tenor Donald George, who performs the songs with pianist Lucy Mauro in both volumes, said of Lang’s work: “The songs are simple, eminently singable and enjoyable. They work in the singing voice”. For me, this is exactly why the songs have an instant appeal and the reason why one is happy to listen to them repeatedly. As with the first CD, the songs are organised into topics: The Garden, The Twilight, Nonsense Rhymes and Pictures and Tomorrow and a Lullaby. The recording opens with On an April Apple Bough; a gorgeous piece and one of my favourites in Volume II. Although not the most difficult to perform, its heart-warming, poetic melody immediately has you hooked! All the other songs within the Garden topic are equally beautiful but there are two that stand out and which I would describe as two mini-masterpieces. The first, I Knew the Flowers Had Dreamed of You, is delicate and lyrical. The second, Nameless Pain, sets a poem by Thomas Bailey Aldrich, where the music perfectly illustrates the poetry. It is vibrant, poignant and powerful all at the same time; if you close your eyes, you can almost feel the summer wind or the scent of the rose and sense the nameless pain of the poet.

These two precious gems are by no means unique. The second topic, The Twilight, begins with another of these little treasures, Song in the Songless. This is on a poem by George Meredith from “A Reading of Life”. It is an extraordinary piece, emotionally very expressive, almost operatic. It is probably one of the most difficult to sing but also one of the most effective dramatically. It works almost like a duet between the voice and the piano. Donald George does it justice and has here the opportunity of showcasing an excellent technique, with some very warm, confident high notes, a very fine crescendo and the right level of sentiment. The piano line is exquisite and engaging, particularly on its own when responding to the voice. Lucy Mauro’s delicate touch and flawless technique give us a luminous sound of great beauty, adding to the emotional impact of the song.

Besides the abovementioned little masterpieces, there is much to enjoy and admire. All the songs within the second topic, The Twilight, are simply adorable; often evocative of a certain romantic atmosphere that adds to the general charm. Then, there is the very funny, at times witty group of Nonsense Rhymes and Pictures, effectively performed by George and Mauro with humour and a real sense of fun. I felt like jumping in and singing along! The last topic, Tomorrow and a Lullaby, is perhaps, from my perspective, as a linguist, the most fascinating section of the recording. It includes a song in German Lied der Nebenbuhlerin and one in French Lament. These songs are not better than the ones in English but it is remarkable how well Lang is able to compose to languages that were not her own. It shows her versatility, knowledge and sensibility.

Tenor Donald George and pianist Lucy Mauro are in this CD, as in the first, in fine form. The musical rapport between them is transparent throughout, as is their obvious admiration for the composer. They revel in the music; their sheer delight is contagious and, like me, you will suddenly realise that you are smiling, all alone in a room, for no apparent reason!

I could go on forever, describing the intricate beauty of Margaret Lang’s songs, one by one, but then, this review would become far too long! To summarise: the songs of the second volume are as admirable as the ones of the first. Lang’s music is full of appealing melodies and sophisticated harmonies but most of all, the songs have a freshness, an innocence of days gone by. They are often deceptively simple but the more one listens, the more one grasps their delicate complexity. This collection of little musical treasures comes, yet again, in an attractive, colourful package as delightful as the music. There are some very interesting, informative notes, on the composer and her songs, written by Lindsay Kooth.

Finally, I would like to end by making a simple suggestion: Get the recording, close your eyes, lean back and enjoy!

-- Margarida Mota-Bull, MusicWeb International

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The musical content of this album presents a cross-section of the typical aesthetic features and diversified representative expressions that were most appreciated by the public during the late Renaissance and early Baroque. The style of In Tabernae Musica's performance stems chiefly from the study of the iconographic sources, from which there emerges an artistic production that is targeted not exclusively at the educated class, but also, at the people.

This third volume of the first complete recording of the Guerra Manuscript, a recently discovered anthology of seventeenth-century Spanish secular songs, features tonos, works for solo voice and accompanying instruments, by some of the greatest Spanish composers of that time such as Juan Hidalgo and José Marín. + These are framed by instrumental works by other composers of the period to set them in a richer context.

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Esperanza: A Gift of Spanish Song Gloriae Dei Cantores celebrates the rich contribution of Spanish music and culture to the world. This recording spans 500 years, from the golden age of the Spanish Renaissance, with works by Guerrero, Victoria, and Morales to the 20th century, with music by Rodrigo. Also included are works of Mexican composers de Zumaya (a striking setting of the Miserere) and Carlos Chavez, and Latin-American composers such as Villa-Lobos, Casals, and Joaquin Nin. Esperanza will be a revelation to those unfamiliar with the riches of Spanish literature and a great discovery for all devotees of choral music.

The universe of Stefano Bulfon appears to find its poetic necessity in offering a harmony of contrasts which only music can exemplify as an oxymoron. It is this kind of interworld, which has ceased to draw dramatic boundaries between lyric subjectivity and the dull setting of man. The Divertimento Ensemble, founded in 1977 brings Bulfon's works to life with their internationally-renowned soloists. The ensemble is strong dedicated to music education as well as the promotion of young people's creativity.