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Let the Bright Seraphim / Thomas, Steele-Perkins, Monks, Armonico Consort
Signum Classics

Let the Bright Seraphim / Thomas, Steele-Perkins, Monks, Armonico Consort

$19.99

Details

Composer
BACH, J.S. TELEMANN SCARLATT
Artist
Monks, Thomas, Steele-Perkins, Armonico Consort
Format
CD
Label
Signum Classics
Released
Jan 01, 2012
Catalog #
SIGCD289
UPC
635212028926

About

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

Tracklist 26 tracks

  1. 1 Aria: Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen! (Soprano) 04:13
    Track
    1
    Title
    Aria: Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen! (Soprano)
    Duration
    04:13
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Elin Manahan Thomas
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  2. 2 Recitative: Wir beten zu dem Tempel an (Soprano) 02:04
    Track
    2
    Title
    Recitative: Wir beten zu dem Tempel an (Soprano)
    Duration
    02:04
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Elin Manahan Thomas
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  3. 3 Aria: Hochster, mache deine Gute (Soprano) 04:09
    Track
    3
    Title
    Aria: Hochster, mache deine Gute (Soprano)
    Duration
    04:09
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Elin Manahan Thomas
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  4. 4 Chorale: Sei Lob und Preis mit Ehren 03:22
    Track
    4
    Title
    Chorale: Sei Lob und Preis mit Ehren
    Duration
    03:22
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Elin Manahan Thomas
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  5. 5 Finale: Alleluja! (Soprano) 02:18
    Track
    5
    Title
    Finale: Alleluja! (Soprano)
    Duration
    02:18
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Elin Manahan Thomas
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  6. 6 I. Adagio 01:47
    Track
    6
    Title
    I. Adagio
    Duration
    01:47
    Composer
    Georg Philipp Telemann
    Performer
    Crispian Steele-Perkins
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  7. 7 II. Allegro 01:57
    Track
    7
    Title
    II. Allegro
    Duration
    01:57
    Composer
    Georg Philipp Telemann
    Performer
    Crispian Steele-Perkins
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  8. 8 III. Grave 01:57
    Track
    8
    Title
    III. Grave
    Duration
    01:57
    Composer
    Georg Philipp Telemann
    Performer
    Crispian Steele-Perkins
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  9. 9 IV. Allegro 01:51
    Track
    9
    Title
    IV. Allegro
    Duration
    01:51
    Composer
    Georg Philipp Telemann
    Performer
    Crispian Steele-Perkins
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  10. 10 Sinfonia 01:29
    Track
    10
    Title
    Sinfonia
    Duration
    01:29
    Composer
    Alessandro Scarlatti
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  11. 11 Recitative: Su le sponde del Tebro 00:59
    Track
    11
    Title
    Recitative: Su le sponde del Tebro
    Duration
    00:59
    Composer
    Alessandro Scarlatti
    Performer
    Elin Manahan Thomas
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  12. 12 Aria: Contentatevi, o fidi pensieri 02:54
    Track
    12
    Title
    Aria: Contentatevi, o fidi pensieri
    Duration
    02:54
    Composer
    Alessandro Scarlatti
    Performer
    Elin Manahan Thomas, Crispian Steele-Perkins
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  13. 13 Recitative: Mesto, stanco e spirante 00:35
    Track
    13
    Title
    Recitative: Mesto, stanco e spirante
    Duration
    00:35
    Composer
    Alessandro Scarlatti
    Performer
    Elin Manahan Thomas
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  14. 14 Arioso: Infelici miei lumi 03:15
    Track
    14
    Title
    Arioso: Infelici miei lumi
    Duration
    03:15
    Composer
    Alessandro Scarlatti
    Performer
    Elin Manahan Thomas
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  15. 15 Aria: Dite almeno 01:55
    Track
    15
    Title
    Aria: Dite almeno
    Duration
    01:55
    Composer
    Alessandro Scarlatti
    Performer
    Elin Manahan Thomas
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  16. 16 Recitative: All' aura, al cielo 00:52
    Track
    16
    Title
    Recitative: All' aura, al cielo
    Duration
    00:52
    Composer
    Alessandro Scarlatti
    Performer
    Elin Manahan Thomas
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  17. 17 Aria: Tralascia pur di piangere 01:34
    Track
    17
    Title
    Aria: Tralascia pur di piangere
    Duration
    01:34
    Composer
    Alessandro Scarlatti
    Performer
    Elin Manahan Thomas, Crispian Steele-Perkins
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  18. 18 Judas Maccabaeus, HWV 63: Part III: See the conquering hero comes (arr. for trumpet and orchestra) 01:22
    Track
    18
    Title
    Judas Maccabaeus, HWV 63: Part III: See the conquering hero comes (arr. for trumpet and orchestra)
    Duration
    01:22
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Performer
    Crispian Steele-Perkins
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  19. 19 Floridante, HWV 14, Act III: Sinfonia (arr. for trumpet and orchestra) 01:20
    Track
    19
    Title
    Floridante, HWV 14, Act III: Sinfonia (arr. for trumpet and orchestra)
    Duration
    01:20
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Performer
    Crispian Steele-Perkins
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  20. 20 Deidamia, HWV 42, Act I: March (arr. for trumpet and orchestra) 01:46
    Track
    20
    Title
    Deidamia, HWV 42, Act I: March (arr. for trumpet and orchestra)
    Duration
    01:46
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Performer
    Crispian Steele-Perkins
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  21. 21 Scipione, HWV 20, Act I: March (arr. for trumpet and orchestra) 01:28
    Track
    21
    Title
    Scipione, HWV 20, Act I: March (arr. for trumpet and orchestra)
    Duration
    01:28
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Performer
    Crispian Steele-Perkins
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  22. 22 Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne, HWV 74, "Eternal Source of Light Divine": Eternal source of light divine 03:21
    Track
    22
    Title
    Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne, HWV 74, "Eternal Source of Light Divine": Eternal source of light divine
    Duration
    03:21
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Performer
    Elin Manahan Thomas, Crispian Steele-Perkins
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  23. 23 I. Prelude: Allegro 01:43
    Track
    23
    Title
    I. Prelude: Allegro
    Duration
    01:43
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  24. 24 Water Piece in D Major, HWV 341: III. Air (Menuetto) 01:50
    Track
    24
    Title
    Water Piece in D Major, HWV 341: III. Air (Menuetto)
    Duration
    01:50
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  25. 25 II. Alla Hornpipe 03:39
    Track
    25
    Title
    II. Alla Hornpipe
    Duration
    03:39
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks
  26. 26 Samson, HWV 57, Act III: Let the bright Seraphim 05:24
    Track
    26
    Title
    Samson, HWV 57, Act III: Let the bright Seraphim
    Duration
    05:24
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Performer
    Elin Manahan Thomas, Crispian Steele-Perkins
    Ensemble
    Armonico Consort
    Conductor
    Christopher Monks