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Greene: Overtures / Clarke, Baroque Band
Cedille

Greene: Overtures / Clarke, Baroque Band

$19.99 Only 3 left

Details

Composer
GREENE, MAURICE
Artist
Baroque Band, Clarke
Format
CD
Label
Cedille
Released
Nov 11, 2014
Catalog #
CDR 152
UPC
735131915229

About

Maurice Greene (1696-1755), organist of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London; Composer and Organist to the Chapel Royal; Master of the King’s Musick. Maurice Greene, described contemporarily (and he was a near-exact contemporary of Handel) as the leading English-born musician of his generation. And yet, today’s audiences have little experience listening to his music, especially his instrumental works. The truth is, his music is not better than Handel, it’s not as good as Handel, but it sounds like Handel at his most ingratiatingly English. If it’s not as melodically entrancing, it definitely captures the appeal of bright “happy” harmony and ear-catching melody, along with the character of both the gentle, verdant countryside and the stately court ceremony. In short, if you like the orchestral Handel, or the concerto grosso Handel, you’ll definitely enjoy the overtures presented here, in vibrant, clearly detailed sound, stylishly performed by Garry Clarke’s Chicago-based period-instrument ensemble Baroque Band.

This group can play notes with the best baroque bands, but throughout the six Overtures in Seven Parts (strings, plus harpsichord, flute, and oboe) and the two additional overtures (from the opera Phoebe and from Greene’s Ode to St. Cecilia’s Day) these musicians and their director show particular and welcome concern for expressive nuance and articulation that gives the performances a dynamic presence that’s far more satisfying to listeners than renditions that may be “proper” but fall far short of demanding a repeat.

The program’s producers opted to supplement/complement the recital with three selections from Greene’s Lessons for the Harpsichord, performed with his usual panache and absolute stylistic authority by David Schrader. My only suggestion would have been to intersperse the solo harpsichord works among the overtures rather than group them in one block–but having these pieces on the same disc as the orchestral works makes for nice variety as well as giving listeners exposure to another area of Greene’s rarely-heard music. I looked everywhere for information about Schrader’s harpsichord–an instrument whose disposition makes an impressive sound, but also has a certain character that organists and early-music keyboardists know can add a dimension to the music and the performance that goes beyond the mere designation “harpsichord” or “organ”. Whatever its provenance, Schrader’s instrument has a very pleasing, intimate quality, timbrally on the bright side and evenly voiced across registers.

And whatever may have prompted the producers and players on this recording to make a program of Maurice Greene’s instrumental music–the vast majority of the existing CD catalog contains choral works–we baroque music lovers can do no less than celebrate and enjoy the chance to hear–and hear again–these undeservedly obscure solo and orchestral pieces, most of them entirely new to the catalog. Strongly recommended.

– David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com

Tracklist 33 tracks

  1. 1 I. Allegro assai 02:44
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegro assai
    Duration
    02:44
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  2. 2 II. Andante 01:30
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Andante
    Duration
    01:30
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  3. 3 III. Vivace 01:35
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Vivace
    Duration
    01:35
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  4. 4 I. Con spirito 01:12
    Track
    4
    Title
    I. Con spirito
    Duration
    01:12
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  5. 5 II. Allegro - Andante 02:59
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. Allegro - Andante
    Duration
    02:59
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  6. 6 III. Allegro 01:32
    Track
    6
    Title
    III. Allegro
    Duration
    01:32
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  7. 7 I. Con spirito 01:24
    Track
    7
    Title
    I. Con spirito
    Duration
    01:24
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  8. 8 II. Allegro assai 02:21
    Track
    8
    Title
    II. Allegro assai
    Duration
    02:21
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  9. 9 III. Allegro ma non troppo 01:37
    Track
    9
    Title
    III. Allegro ma non troppo
    Duration
    01:37
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  10. 10 I. Con spirito 01:02
    Track
    10
    Title
    I. Con spirito
    Duration
    01:02
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  11. 11 II. Allegro 02:01
    Track
    11
    Title
    II. Allegro
    Duration
    02:01
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  12. 12 III. Moderato 01:53
    Track
    12
    Title
    III. Moderato
    Duration
    01:53
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  13. 13 IV. Allegro 01:38
    Track
    13
    Title
    IV. Allegro
    Duration
    01:38
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  14. 14 I. Allegro 02:39
    Track
    14
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    02:39
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  15. 15 II. Andante vivace 01:37
    Track
    15
    Title
    II. Andante vivace
    Duration
    01:37
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  16. 16 III. Presto 01:52
    Track
    16
    Title
    III. Presto
    Duration
    01:52
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  17. 17 I. Con spirito 01:33
    Track
    17
    Title
    I. Con spirito
    Duration
    01:33
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  18. 18 II. Allegro 02:12
    Track
    18
    Title
    II. Allegro
    Duration
    02:12
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  19. 19 III. Moderato 01:38
    Track
    19
    Title
    III. Moderato
    Duration
    01:38
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  20. 20 IV. Presto 02:05
    Track
    20
    Title
    IV. Presto
    Duration
    02:05
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  21. 21 I. Allegro 01:10
    Track
    21
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    01:10
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
  22. 22 II. Molto allegro 01:20
    Track
    22
    Title
    II. Molto allegro
    Duration
    01:20
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
  23. 23 III. Vivace 01:25
    Track
    23
    Title
    III. Vivace
    Duration
    01:25
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
  24. 24 I. Allegro 01:12
    Track
    24
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    01:12
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
  25. 25 II. Gigue 02:20
    Track
    25
    Title
    II. Gigue
    Duration
    02:20
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
  26. 26 III. Presto 01:16
    Track
    26
    Title
    III. Presto
    Duration
    01:16
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
  27. 27 IV. Vivace 01:34
    Track
    27
    Title
    IV. Vivace
    Duration
    01:34
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
  28. 28 I. Allegro 01:42
    Track
    28
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    01:42
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
  29. 29 II. Gavotta 01:26
    Track
    29
    Title
    II. Gavotta
    Duration
    01:26
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
  30. 30 III. Vivace 02:20
    Track
    30
    Title
    III. Vivace
    Duration
    02:20
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Performer
    David Schrader
  31. 31 I. Allegro 04:51
    Track
    31
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    04:51
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  32. 32 II. Moderato 01:37
    Track
    32
    Title
    II. Moderato
    Duration
    01:37
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke
  33. 33 Ode for St Cecilia's Day: Overture 03:46
    Track
    33
    Title
    Ode for St Cecilia's Day: Overture
    Duration
    03:46
    Composer
    Maurice Greene
    Ensemble
    Baroque Band
    Conductor
    Garry Clarke