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Frescobaldi Edition Vol 3 - Masses / Balestracci, La Stagione Armonica
Brilliant Classics · Feb 2009CD$13.99 -
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Jean-francois Dandrieu: Noels (Pieces D'orgue); Pieces De Clavecin
Temperaments · Nov 2012CD$20.99 -
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Christmas At America's First Cathedral
Gothic
CD
$18.99
Sep 28, 2010
In addition to familiar seasonal music by Mendelssohn, Handel, Rutter, and others, Christmas at America’s First Cathedral features music from South Africa, Canada, and the United States, including the premiere recordings of seven new works by two of America’s most important African American composers, Dr. Rosephanye Powell and Dr. James Lee III. Dr. Lee’s motet, "A Clean Heart" is from a collection of four motets composed in 2009. The six selections by Dr. Powell comprise a suite called, Christmas Give, commissioned by Baltimore Choral Arts and given its world premiere December 1, 2009 at the Baltimore Basilica. - Gothic Records
A Choral Christmas / Jones, Trinity Choir Of Boston
Sono Luminus
CD
$18.99
Jul 23, 1997
From the first few seconds of this new recording from Brian Jones and his Trinity Choir, you know it's Christmas. The flute and bell sounds, the dancing rhythm from the organ, the prodigiously joyful voices, and the catchy, unmistakably Rutter-esque melody combine to set off the sparks that promise a bright, happy, thoughtfully and lovingly compiled program. I say "lovingly" because this is the type of programming that, as usual with Jones, is not made with the "snooty" or "snobbish" in mind, but comes purely from the heart and from the experience of a director who knows and cares about the real listening tastes of his audience. (You've got to admire anyone who convincingly and with conviction programs "The Holy City" alongside works by Britten and Vaughan Williams, as he did on an earlier recording for Gothic Records.) And, as reflected here, those tastes, especially in Christmas music, cover a fairly wide range--from Rutter (three pieces) to Poulenc (O magnum mysterium) to Luboff (his well-loved arrangement of the Austrian carol Still, still, still).
The opening tune indeed is by John Rutter, a setting of the 15th-century text "Sing we to this merry company", and it's quickly followed by the Luboff arrangement, Gerald Near's setting of Ding! dong! merrily on high, and the well-known Pearsall version of In dulci jubilo. The combination of familiarity and audience-favorite continues throughout the rest of the 21 selections, with classics such as Rutter's all-time most-popular What sweeter music, Elizabeth Poston's Jesus Christ the apple tree, and Poulenc's motet O magnum mysterium. But mixed in among these revered gems are many less well-known pieces, including a snazzy, bluesy Noël nouvelet arranged by Stephen Jackson, Michael Head's charming and lovely The little road to Bethlehem, and of course a Charles Wood arrangement, Once as I remember (Wood is a Jones favorite).
The choir, one of North America's treasures, always is a treat to hear, displaying not only an enormous stylistic command but also uncommon technical range and interpretive sensitivity. I've said this before, but it's still true: The soprano section would be the envy of any choir. However, the entire ensemble manages a consistent cohesiveness and sonic refinement that's rare among amateur choirs in any part of the world. Even in small details, the choir shows extraordinary care and attention--for instance, in the perfectly rendered endings to the simple but so-often-troublesome "Gloria" line in Ding! dong! merrily on high. And for sheer strength and unity of sound, listen to the choir's rendition of Holst's On this day earth shall ring. Other highlights include Bob Chilcott's Mid-winter, a setting of the Christina Rossetti text "In the bleak mid-winter" that's become an instant favorite all over the world. Jones himself contributes a very effective arrangement of O little town of Bethlehem that joins the two "competing" tunes St. Louis and Forest Green. Although I would prefer a warmer, softer-edged sound in the Poulenc to really capture the "mysterium" in the work, and slightly better-tuned tenors in some places (What sweeter music, for example), this is a first rate recording that will satisfy all listeners looking for an ideal all-around Christmas choral collection. The sound, made in Boston's Trinity Church, captures the detail of choir, organ, and occasional percussion while faithfully capturing the fullness and resonance of the church's magnificent space.
--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com
The opening tune indeed is by John Rutter, a setting of the 15th-century text "Sing we to this merry company", and it's quickly followed by the Luboff arrangement, Gerald Near's setting of Ding! dong! merrily on high, and the well-known Pearsall version of In dulci jubilo. The combination of familiarity and audience-favorite continues throughout the rest of the 21 selections, with classics such as Rutter's all-time most-popular What sweeter music, Elizabeth Poston's Jesus Christ the apple tree, and Poulenc's motet O magnum mysterium. But mixed in among these revered gems are many less well-known pieces, including a snazzy, bluesy Noël nouvelet arranged by Stephen Jackson, Michael Head's charming and lovely The little road to Bethlehem, and of course a Charles Wood arrangement, Once as I remember (Wood is a Jones favorite).
The choir, one of North America's treasures, always is a treat to hear, displaying not only an enormous stylistic command but also uncommon technical range and interpretive sensitivity. I've said this before, but it's still true: The soprano section would be the envy of any choir. However, the entire ensemble manages a consistent cohesiveness and sonic refinement that's rare among amateur choirs in any part of the world. Even in small details, the choir shows extraordinary care and attention--for instance, in the perfectly rendered endings to the simple but so-often-troublesome "Gloria" line in Ding! dong! merrily on high. And for sheer strength and unity of sound, listen to the choir's rendition of Holst's On this day earth shall ring. Other highlights include Bob Chilcott's Mid-winter, a setting of the Christina Rossetti text "In the bleak mid-winter" that's become an instant favorite all over the world. Jones himself contributes a very effective arrangement of O little town of Bethlehem that joins the two "competing" tunes St. Louis and Forest Green. Although I would prefer a warmer, softer-edged sound in the Poulenc to really capture the "mysterium" in the work, and slightly better-tuned tenors in some places (What sweeter music, for example), this is a first rate recording that will satisfy all listeners looking for an ideal all-around Christmas choral collection. The sound, made in Boston's Trinity Church, captures the detail of choir, organ, and occasional percussion while faithfully capturing the fullness and resonance of the church's magnificent space.
--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com
Franck: Complete Organ Works / Hans-Eberhard Roß
Audite Musikproduktion
CD
$36.99
Sep 25, 2012
FRANCK COMPLETE ORGAN WORKS • Hans-Eberhard Roß (org) • AUDITE 21413 (6 CDs: 411:46)
When it comes to the organ, I think it’s safe to say that César Franck is the most important composer since Bach, and here we have a survey of Franck’s organ music so complete that it would take an entire page to list the entire contents of these six discs in standard Fanfare headnote format. In fact, there’s not another collection in existence this complete—not Jean Guillou’s, Marie-Claire Alain’s, Anthony Newman’s, or anyone else’s—since whole discs full of items here are flagged as being premiere recordings, premiere recordings for organ, premiere complete recordings, or premiere complete recordings for organ. So, I have decided to describe the set’s contents on a disc-by-disc basis. Let me forewarn the reader, though, that this is a release dedicated to the doggedly determined among lovers of organ music in general and Franck’s organ music in particular.
Organist Hans-Eberhard Roß performs all 142 pieces on a single instrument, the Goll organ at St. Martin’s Church in Memmingen, Germany. I haven’t been able to find any detailed information on the organ builder, but the enclosed booklet gives the following specifications for the organ: built in 1998, it has four manuals plus pedal, controlling 62 registers. The recordings were made between 2004 and 2005 and were originally released in three two-disc sets in SACD. The boxed-up, six-disc set that came to me for review was on standard, two-channel CDs.
One criticism I will lodge about the presentation is this: the track listings for every piece give the date it was composed, the date it was published, and which of nine editions Roß uses. This last bit of information about the editions may be of interest to the musicologist or scholar studying Franck’s organ works, but more interesting to the general listener, I think, would have been a concordance of stops and registrations used for each piece, something I’ve seen in the notes to other organ recordings, and something that ought, I think, to be material to an undertaking of this seriousness.
Disc 1 starts off with a first-time recording of Pièce en mi bémol ; i.e., Piece in E?. Of course, you’d have to listen to it to know if it was major or minor, but I’ll save you the effort. It’s more or less both, opening with a chord progression that eerily anticipates the ear-curling pronouncement at the beginning of Poulenc’s Organ Concerto. This is followed by another early work, Pièce pour Grand Orgue . It’s not asterisked as a premiere recording but is nonetheless absent from current listings except for this version. Several more early works fill the first disc, all dating from between 1854 and 1856. There are five pieces by Franck originally written for harmonium and transcribed for organ by Louis Vierne, and this is their first time on record. Also a first on record is a first version of a Fantaisie in C Major. Its second version, apparently not a first on record, is also included on the disc. Roß, himself, has transcribed the harmonium piece, Quasi Marcia , op. 22, and plays it here for the first time on organ.
If it’s mainly a CD of Franck’s big organ hits you want, you would be happy with just disc 2. They’re all there in one place: the Fantaisie in C Major, op. 16, the Grand Pièce Symphonique , op. 17, the Prélude, Fugue, et Variation , op. 18, the Pastorale , op. 19, Prière , op. 20, and Final, op. 21.
Disc 3 contains no fewer than 39 short pieces collected under the heading of Posthumous Pieces for Harmonium or Organ with Pedal for L’Office Ordinaire . This spills over onto disc 4, which contains another seven pieces that are part of the same collection. The fourth disc is then filled out by Three Pieces for Grand Organ , a Petit Offertoire , and an Untitled piece, that last two of which were both originally for harmonium. The entire contents of discs 3 and 4, with the exception of the Three Pieces for Grand Organ , are flagged with three asterisks (***), referencing the fact that they are heard here for the first time complete on organ.
Disc 5 and almost all of disc 6 are occupied by Franck’s answer to Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier , the sets of Pieces for Organ or Harmonium. The number seven must have held some mystical significance for Franck because there are nine sets of these pieces, each containing seven numbers, beginning with 7 Pieces in C Major and C Minor , progressing to 7 Pieces in D?-Major and C?-Minor , then to 7 Pieces in D Major and D Minor , which he subtitles, Pour le temps de Noël , and so on. The cycle stops after the 7 Pieces in A?-Major and G?-Minor , leaving the keys of A, B?, and B unexplored. There’s nothing mysterious or supernatural about the reason; Franck died before he was able to finish the project. The entirety of the Pieces for Organ or Harmonium is also thrice asterisked, meaning this is its first complete recording on organ. The final disc in the set concludes with the 3 Chorales for Grand Organ.
At first, I was a bit skeptical of how Franck’s organ music would sound on a modern, German-built instrument. It’s difficult to disassociate these works from the Cavaillé-Coll organs that inspired them. Much of this music, in fact, was composed during Franck’s tenure as organist and maître de chapelle at Sainte-Clotilde between 1858 and 1872. Of the three-manual plus pedal Cavaillé-Coll organ installed in the church, Franck is quoted as saying, “If you only knew how I love this instrument . . . it is so supple beneath my fingers and so obedient to all my thoughts.”
Concluding the 63-page booklet note by Martin Weyer (translated by Viola Scheffel) is a lengthy apologia in defense of playing these works on a Goll organ. The author twists himself in knots talking about the historical period-instrument movement and then tries to turn the argument on its head by explaining why this modern Goll instrument is an appropriate substitute for a Cavaillé-Coll organ and Franck’s music. “Upon hearing the instrument,” Weyer contends, “one will discover a lot of similarities to the sort of instrument that Franck found inspiring.” One could counter that many an organist has recorded Franck’s organ works on authentic Cavaillé-Coll instruments, and that if organist Hans-Eberhard Roß had betaken himself to France to make these recordings, he could have done likewise. But, as far as I’m concerned, the point is irrelevant. Roß is a consummately accomplished player who uses the richly variegated palette of the Goll organ to paint Franck’s pieces in an amazing array of tonal color combinations both bright and subtle, and the acoustic of Memmingen’s St. Martin church, perfectly captured by Audite’s engineers, is ideal. Franck and Cavaillé-Coll are nodding their heads in approval.
FANFARE: Jerry Dubins
Vaughan Williams: Mass In G, Choral Music / Edison, Et Al
Naxos
CD
$19.99
Jan 01, 2002
This is a first rate collection of some of Vaughan Williams' best choral works, both a cappella and with organ accompaniment. Fans of this composer definitely will want to have this disc, whose main attraction is the rarely recorded Mass in G minor. Why this stark and very moving work has received such scant attention on disc is a mystery, but it remains a unique and timeless masterpiece whose bold, bare harmonies and unadorned, chant-like melodies invoke the atmosphere of ancient worship while serving as a kind of musical embodiment of the imposing cathedral structures and spaces in which that worship took place. A good performance of this piece for a cappella double choir and a quartet of soloists first demands excellent singers and an ensemble that's well-balanced and especially solid on the bass end. The nature of the writing, including modal melodies and harmony, parallel fifths, and wide-spaced voicings, gives even the best choirs "intonational" fits; pacing is extremely important in order to keep key, dense-textured sections from bogging down.
None of these challenges proves troublesome at all for the Elora Festival Singers, which during the past 20 years has become one of Canada's--and the world's--finest choirs. Director Noel Edison obviously cares about balances and clarity of line, and also shows concern for his singers (and listeners) by maintaining sensible, effective tempos. However, in one significant place, the crucial, final Agnus Dei movement, I found Edison's tempo just too fast to allow the layers of vocal lines to build sufficient tension and create the energy to achieve the intended, truly powerful climax. Nevertheless, you never get the sense that Edison gets any less than he asks for, especially since the other works on the program are performed with equal intensity and technical confidence. (In the mass, he's also got a terrific quartet of soloists, who not only deliver the notes and maintain the mood in their individual passages, but also make a well-matched ensemble.) It's a real treat to hear the motets sung so well (just listen to that lovely opening to Lord, Thou hast been our refuge, and to the shimmering, jazzy dissonances in the Prayer to the Father of Heaven), and the setting of the beautiful hymn Come down, O Love divine (Down Ampney) makes an appropriate close, a tribute to this composer's immeasurable contribution to the English hymn repertoire. Placing O vos omnes immediately before the mass allows us to easily hear the similarities between these two compositions, written around the same time.
Now, for the slightly bad news: the recording levels make trouble for full enjoyment of these inherently full-bodied, rich-textured works. True, the acoustics of Toronto's illustrious Church of St. Mary Magdalene are somewhat tricky to tame, but if you adjust the volume high enough to comfortably hear softer passages--the beginning of the motet Lord, Thou hast been our refuge, for instance--the louder sections (the entrance of the organ and the work's conclusion), are just too loud. This is true for the mass as well; it seems that the engineers decided that a more distant listening perspective was preferable to a closer one that would have posed its own balance problems. Nevertheless, I eventually was able to find a satisfying middle ground that my ears quickly adjusted to, allowing me to put aside my sonic concerns enough to devote several more hours to this one disc. And I will certainly return to it again, because the performances are that good.
--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com
None of these challenges proves troublesome at all for the Elora Festival Singers, which during the past 20 years has become one of Canada's--and the world's--finest choirs. Director Noel Edison obviously cares about balances and clarity of line, and also shows concern for his singers (and listeners) by maintaining sensible, effective tempos. However, in one significant place, the crucial, final Agnus Dei movement, I found Edison's tempo just too fast to allow the layers of vocal lines to build sufficient tension and create the energy to achieve the intended, truly powerful climax. Nevertheless, you never get the sense that Edison gets any less than he asks for, especially since the other works on the program are performed with equal intensity and technical confidence. (In the mass, he's also got a terrific quartet of soloists, who not only deliver the notes and maintain the mood in their individual passages, but also make a well-matched ensemble.) It's a real treat to hear the motets sung so well (just listen to that lovely opening to Lord, Thou hast been our refuge, and to the shimmering, jazzy dissonances in the Prayer to the Father of Heaven), and the setting of the beautiful hymn Come down, O Love divine (Down Ampney) makes an appropriate close, a tribute to this composer's immeasurable contribution to the English hymn repertoire. Placing O vos omnes immediately before the mass allows us to easily hear the similarities between these two compositions, written around the same time.
Now, for the slightly bad news: the recording levels make trouble for full enjoyment of these inherently full-bodied, rich-textured works. True, the acoustics of Toronto's illustrious Church of St. Mary Magdalene are somewhat tricky to tame, but if you adjust the volume high enough to comfortably hear softer passages--the beginning of the motet Lord, Thou hast been our refuge, for instance--the louder sections (the entrance of the organ and the work's conclusion), are just too loud. This is true for the mass as well; it seems that the engineers decided that a more distant listening perspective was preferable to a closer one that would have posed its own balance problems. Nevertheless, I eventually was able to find a satisfying middle ground that my ears quickly adjusted to, allowing me to put aside my sonic concerns enough to devote several more hours to this one disc. And I will certainly return to it again, because the performances are that good.
--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com
First Flight To Tokyo: The Lost 1961 Recordings
BLUE NOTE RECORDS
CD
$23.99
Dec 10, 2021
Click here to view the Vinyl version.
Two CDs. A previously unreleased live recording of drum legend Art Blakey with a classic line-up of the Jazz Messengers, trumpeter Lee Morgan, tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Bobby Timmons, and bassist Jymie Merritt. It was captured on January 14, 1961, at Hibiya Public Hall in Tokyo during the band's first-ever tour of Japan. Co-produced by Zev Feldman and David Weiss, the audio was newly transferred from the original 1/4" tape reels. First Flight To Tokyo: The Lost 1961 Recordings.
CHRISTMAS / VARIOUS
UNIVERSAL UK
CD
$11.99
Nov 07, 2025
Three CDs. Let the festivities begin with this tremendous collection of 66 timeless Christmas classics from throughout the 1950s-1990s, wrapped up beautifully in this 3CD compilation! Opening with Brenda Lee's 'Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree', CD1 sets a joyous scene with familiar favourites including, Andy Williams with 'It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year', The Crystals with 'Santa Claus Is Coming to Town', Frank Sinatra & The B. Swanson Quartet with, 'Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!' and Bobby Helms with 'Jingle Bell Rock', perfect for a sing-along at a party or whilst you decorate your tree! CD2 kicks things off with Wizzard's sensational perennial favourite, 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday', followed by a fantastic trio of '70s Christmas number ones from Boney M., Johnny Mathis and Mud, as well as the legendary voices of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Louis Armstrong and The Commanders. This disc also showcases much-loved seasonal songs which are not necessarily festive themed from, Boyzone with 'Father And Son', The Flying Pickets with 'Only You' and Frankie Goes To Hollywood with 'The Power Of Love'. Then settle down for the ultimate cosy Christmas evening with the magical soundtrack of CD3, featuring cherished masterpieces including, Bing Crosby's 'White Christmas', Nat King Cole's 'The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)', Ella Fitzgerald's 'O Holy Night', Johnny Cash's 'Little Drummer Boy' and Elvis Presley's 'The First Noel'. This collection is not only the ultimate gift for yourself or loved ones, but the essential soundtrack for all of your festivities!
V8: DANSES DU MONDE
Frémeaux
CD
$20.99
Oct 01, 2011
In this selection, the Cuban Habanera is presented with similar Brazilian dances little known in our cultures: Choro, Frevo, Baião, Maxixe…
This CD belongs to the “Dance Master Classics” anthology, a collection of 20 discs compiled by specialists in each of dancing’s domains. Gathered here in almost exhaustive fashion for the very first time, this a panorama of the best titles in dancehistory, grouped by aesthetic form, follow one special guiding principle: to magnify the relationship between dancers and music.
Noël HERVe & Patrick FReMEAUX
The Organ Of Buckingham Palace Ballroom - Bach, Etc / Nolan
Signum Classics
CD
$19.99
Jan 01, 2008
Following on the success of Joseph Nolan's appearance in Music for the Coronation of James 2nd (SIGCD094), he returns to Signum with a solo disc of organ music, capturing music from some of the finest composers of the instrument. With J.S. Bach's famous Passacaglia in C Minor to Noel Rawsthorne's Dance Suite, with inspiration from Michael Flatley's 'Lord of the Dance' this disc certainly pushes the boundaries of organ music. 'A debut disc of a player demonstrating considerable & technical assurance, we should look forward to his next disc.' - Organists Review on SIGCD094 'Music for the Coronation of James 2nd'
Langlais: Organ Music, Vol. 3
Brilliant Classics
CD
$23.99
Jan 09, 2026
Jean Langlais was born on February 15, 1907, in La Fontenelle, Brittany, France. He became blind from the age of two. Sent to the Paris National Institute for the Blind Youth in 1918, he studied piano, violin, harmony and organ with great blind teachers (among others Albert Mahaut and Andre Marchal). Later on, he entered the Paris National Conservatory of Music in the Marcel Dupre's organ class, obtaining a First Prize in 1930. In 1931, after studying improvisation with Charles Tournemire, he received the "Grand Prix d'Execution et Improvisation des Amis de l'Orgue". He completed his studies obtaining a Composition Prize in Paul Dukas' class at the Paris Conservatory in 1934. In 1945, he became the successor to Cesar Franck and Charles Tournemire at the prestigious organ tribune of Sainte-Clotilde in Paris. He gave countless concerts worldwide, and was a prolific composer. He died on May 8th, 1991 in Paris. Langlais' distinctive style combined traditional harmonies with contemporary techniques. His compositions often feature intricate organ textures and colourful harmonies, influenced by his background as a church musician. Langlais was also known for his use of modes and complex rhythms, which added to the unique character of his music. His works often have a strong emotional intensity and sense of drama, with frequent shifts in mood and dynamics. This is the third volume of the complete organ works includes sonatas, suites, Noels, the Symphony "Alla Webern", and many miscellaneous shorter works. Played by 3 excellent Italian organists: Giorgio Benati, Fausto Caporali and Alessandro Perin. The extensive booklet includes information on the organs used on this album.
A Christmas Celebration / Bell, Halle Choirs
Halle
CD
$20.99
Sep 09, 2016
For TRACKLIST/PERFORMERS SUMMARY, please expand note below:
One of the best parts of the Halle Christmas celebration is the inclusion of the entire Halle family- the Halle and Halle Choir, as well as Halle’s Youth Choir and Children’s Choir. This lovely collection of popular, rare, and newly discovered holiday gems will bring festivity to all of your holiday gatherings. Compositions include works from film composers such as John Williams and Nigel Hess, as well as choral superstars like John Rutter and John Gardner. Especially notable is the orchestral showpiece Noel!, which was written specifically for Halle and conductor Stephen Bell by Roderick Elms, and is receiving here its world premiere recording. “A lovely festive celebration and a reminder of what Christmas is all about” (Oldham Chronicle)
-----
TRACKLIST/PERFORMERS:
A Christmas Overture - Nigel Hess
O Holy Night Adam - arr. Battiwalla *
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day - John Gardner ^
In Dulci Jubilo - arr. Pearsall *^
Noel - Roderick Elms
Somewhere in my Memory - John Williams ~
Fairytale Sleighride - Adam Saunders
Angels’ Carol - John Rutter *
Waltz, Winter Bonfire - Sergei Prokofiev
Personent Hodie - arr. Gustav Holst *
The Holy Boy - John Ireland
Jesus Christ the Apple Tree - Elizabeth Poston ^
A Christmas Carnival - Richard Bissill
In The Bleak Midwinter - Harold Darke/Christina Rossetti *^
Dance of the Tumblers - Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Christmas on the Beach at Waikiki - Marta Keen arr. Alwyn Green ~
Sleighride - Leroy Anderson
We wish you a Merry Christmas *^
Conductor
Stephen Bell
Soloists/Artists
Hallé Choir *
Hallé Youth Choir ^
Hallé Children's Choir ~
One of the best parts of the Halle Christmas celebration is the inclusion of the entire Halle family- the Halle and Halle Choir, as well as Halle’s Youth Choir and Children’s Choir. This lovely collection of popular, rare, and newly discovered holiday gems will bring festivity to all of your holiday gatherings. Compositions include works from film composers such as John Williams and Nigel Hess, as well as choral superstars like John Rutter and John Gardner. Especially notable is the orchestral showpiece Noel!, which was written specifically for Halle and conductor Stephen Bell by Roderick Elms, and is receiving here its world premiere recording. “A lovely festive celebration and a reminder of what Christmas is all about” (Oldham Chronicle)
-----
TRACKLIST/PERFORMERS:
A Christmas Overture - Nigel Hess
O Holy Night Adam - arr. Battiwalla *
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day - John Gardner ^
In Dulci Jubilo - arr. Pearsall *^
Noel - Roderick Elms
Somewhere in my Memory - John Williams ~
Fairytale Sleighride - Adam Saunders
Angels’ Carol - John Rutter *
Waltz, Winter Bonfire - Sergei Prokofiev
Personent Hodie - arr. Gustav Holst *
The Holy Boy - John Ireland
Jesus Christ the Apple Tree - Elizabeth Poston ^
A Christmas Carnival - Richard Bissill
In The Bleak Midwinter - Harold Darke/Christina Rossetti *^
Dance of the Tumblers - Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Christmas on the Beach at Waikiki - Marta Keen arr. Alwyn Green ~
Sleighride - Leroy Anderson
We wish you a Merry Christmas *^
Conductor
Stephen Bell
Soloists/Artists
Hallé Choir *
Hallé Youth Choir ^
Hallé Children's Choir ~
Grandes Pièces Symphoniques / Ian Tracey
Chandos
SACD
$21.99
Oct 01, 2007
I cannot imagine a better place to start to get to know the French organ repertoire... Lovers of the genre should place their orders at once.
The CD opens with a display piece which is much more than just display: the whole disc might well have been devised to demonstrate that there is much more to the great French organ tradition than just a mighty sound. Much of the music is quiet and reflective and the bravura works, like this Tournemire improvisation, have more to offer than glorious sound.
This is one of the improvisations which Tournemire recorded and which were subsequently transcribed by Duruflé. Tournemire insisted that improvisations could not and should not be recaptured but this Improvisation on the Te Deum is a fine piece, worthy of preservation. The CD notes attribute this work to L’Orgue mystique, a cycle of 51 pieces on Gregorian themes for the major festivals of the liturgical year but, whereas that work consists of improvisation-like pieces which Tournemire actually wrote down, the Te Deum improvisation was not written down until Duruflé’s labour of love in transcribing it 28 years later.
Duruflé’s transcription in Ian Tracey’s hands almost persuades one that one is hearing the actual process of improvisation, yet at the same time the playing is totally assured. The Liverpool organ may not be a Cavaillé-Coll, but it is a fine instrument.
Only careful listening identifies the plainsong tune of the Te Deum but that is part of the art of composing such pieces. Bach sometimes buries his chorale melodies fairly deeply in his preludes and Duruflé’s own music based on plainsong themes sometimes requires a deal of detective work. Try his Four motets on Gregorian themes, coupled with his own performance of his gorgeous, Fauré-inspired Requiem and his Mass Cum jubilo on Apex 2564 61139 2, a budget-price distillation of two Erato CDs which have long been in my collection.
The two short pieces by Bonnet which follow are fairly insubstantial but they make an excellent bridge between the display of the Tournemire and the Saint-Saëns improvisation, itself an exercise in virtuosity which receives a glorious free-wheeling performance from Tracey. There is very little Saint-Saëns organ music in the record catalogues; a performance like this reminds us that there is much more to him than The Carnival of the Animals, as I have pointed out in my recent review of two of his Piano Concertos. (Jean-Yves Thibaudet with the OSR under Charles Dutoit on Decca 475 8764).
The title of Franck’s Grande Pièce Symphonique, which is used as the generic name of the CD as a whole, implies employment of the big guns but, in fact, the dominant mood of this piece is restrained, with frequent markings of dolce, pp and even ppp. The opening andante serioso is subdued and reflective: Tracey captures the serioso mood here as well as the mood of the succeeding allegro section, faster but still no troppo e maestoso. The notes in the booklet compare the opening section to a processional but I was put more in mind of a hushed and expectant congregation awaiting the start of Vespers.
In the quiet and reflective andante opening of the second movement, too, the image conjured up is of the preparation for an important service – a role which Tracey, in his capacity at Liverpool Cathedral, will have performed many times. He captures all these quiet passages extremely effectively, especially in those sections marked cantando, and the recording registers every detail, with individual manual- and pedal-parts coming over very clearly. The Liverpool reverberation is kept to a minimum.
The finale also opens pp, but with a hint of a storm to come. When those bigger guns finally arrive, in the wonderful fugue and the concluding outburst of joy, they are all the more effective for having been kept so long in reserve – and for Franck’s retaining a considerable degree of restraint even when they do fire. This is certainly not a showpiece for the sake of mere show and Tracey shows admirable restraint where a lesser organist might well have gone overboard. These grander moments are also very well captured by the engineers, even in normal stereo. One is again aware of the resonance of the building without its ever interfering with the clarity of the recording.
Those seeking to expand their knowledge of Franck’s organ music will inevitably reduplicate the Grande pièce, albeit at bargain price and on French organs. Either Jennifer Bate on the Beauvais organ (Regis RRC2054) or Marie-Claire Alain on the Cavaillé-Coll organ at Caen (Apex 2564 61428 2) will do very nicely. Both are 2-CD sets selling for around £9 in the UK.
The Gigout Scherzo provides a lighter, capricious moment before the Widor: delicacy of touch is paramount here and this Tracey very ably provides.
The Widor Symphony is not the one with the Toccata: that is No.5, already recorded in full by Tracey on CHAN9271. Listeners may welcome the chance to get away from that ubiquitous piece and at the same time hear another of his symphonies in its entirety: the Fourth Symphony is as good a piece as any to choose. Don’t expect these works, despite their title, to sound too symphonic: they are more like a suite than a symphony. Again Tracey’s chief rival in this work is Marie-Claire Alain’s authoritative account on the Cavaillé-Coll organ at Saint Germain (Warner Elatus 2564 60341 2, at mid-price).
Franck left his big guns till the end of his Grande Pièce; the Widor Symphony does the opposite, starting with a fff marking at the beginning of the opening Toccata. This is a big movement – by definition a Toccata is designed to show off the player’s expertise in ‘touching’ the keys. (From Italian toccare, to touch.) Tracey makes the Toccata sound big without being entirely overwhelming and without setting off too much reverberation: if anything, I might have wanted him to sound just a little more ferocious. The Fugue begins quietly with the 16’ pedal tone which the score calls for held in restraint; the effect is ethereal.
The third movement, marked dolce, opens even more ethereally, with the pp organ barely audible. This is the best-known movement, often played as a separate piece. The booklet compares it to Daquin’s Noëls but, having recently reviewed an excellent Hyperion Helios reissue of the Noëls (CDH 55319) I have to say that the relationship is a distant one apart from the cantabile nature of the music, excellently captured by Tracey. The central section, written in four staves – i.e. with two sets of pedal parts – is fiendishly difficult but Tracey, with art that conceals art, makes it sound effortless.
The Scherzo and Adagio are again gentle movements, the pp opening of each setting the tone. The mood of the Adagio anticipates that of Fauré’s Requiem by twenty-one years. Tracey’s nimble playing in the Scherzo, his lighter touch in the Adagio and the recording are once more absolutely first class.
It is a mark of a fine recording not only that it captures the loudest moments without distortion but that it makes an equally good job of registering music on the threshold of hearing. The Chandos engineers score in both respects on this CD – just don’t try to play it in the car: the volume required for the quieter movements to register would place you in the head-bangers’ league in the louder movements.
The Finale begins fff, a marking which recurs at several points in the movement. The big guns are unleashed at the start but Widor is careful again not to make the effect too overwhelming and Tracey’s playing contributes to the comparative restraint, especially in the central part of this movement. The closing bars bring a confident conclusion to the work, confidently executed.
I have already indicated that the recording is first-class even in stereo. In SACD surround-format I am sure that the ambience of Liverpool Cathedral is perfectly captured, albeit without too much of the reverberation of this building.
I’m going for broke and nominating this my Recording of the Month. I cannot imagine a better place to start to get to know the French organ repertoire – unless it should be one of Ian Tracey’s other recordings in this series. Lovers of the genre should place their orders at once.
-- Brian Wilson, MusicWeb International
The CD opens with a display piece which is much more than just display: the whole disc might well have been devised to demonstrate that there is much more to the great French organ tradition than just a mighty sound. Much of the music is quiet and reflective and the bravura works, like this Tournemire improvisation, have more to offer than glorious sound.
This is one of the improvisations which Tournemire recorded and which were subsequently transcribed by Duruflé. Tournemire insisted that improvisations could not and should not be recaptured but this Improvisation on the Te Deum is a fine piece, worthy of preservation. The CD notes attribute this work to L’Orgue mystique, a cycle of 51 pieces on Gregorian themes for the major festivals of the liturgical year but, whereas that work consists of improvisation-like pieces which Tournemire actually wrote down, the Te Deum improvisation was not written down until Duruflé’s labour of love in transcribing it 28 years later.
Duruflé’s transcription in Ian Tracey’s hands almost persuades one that one is hearing the actual process of improvisation, yet at the same time the playing is totally assured. The Liverpool organ may not be a Cavaillé-Coll, but it is a fine instrument.
Only careful listening identifies the plainsong tune of the Te Deum but that is part of the art of composing such pieces. Bach sometimes buries his chorale melodies fairly deeply in his preludes and Duruflé’s own music based on plainsong themes sometimes requires a deal of detective work. Try his Four motets on Gregorian themes, coupled with his own performance of his gorgeous, Fauré-inspired Requiem and his Mass Cum jubilo on Apex 2564 61139 2, a budget-price distillation of two Erato CDs which have long been in my collection.
The two short pieces by Bonnet which follow are fairly insubstantial but they make an excellent bridge between the display of the Tournemire and the Saint-Saëns improvisation, itself an exercise in virtuosity which receives a glorious free-wheeling performance from Tracey. There is very little Saint-Saëns organ music in the record catalogues; a performance like this reminds us that there is much more to him than The Carnival of the Animals, as I have pointed out in my recent review of two of his Piano Concertos. (Jean-Yves Thibaudet with the OSR under Charles Dutoit on Decca 475 8764).
The title of Franck’s Grande Pièce Symphonique, which is used as the generic name of the CD as a whole, implies employment of the big guns but, in fact, the dominant mood of this piece is restrained, with frequent markings of dolce, pp and even ppp. The opening andante serioso is subdued and reflective: Tracey captures the serioso mood here as well as the mood of the succeeding allegro section, faster but still no troppo e maestoso. The notes in the booklet compare the opening section to a processional but I was put more in mind of a hushed and expectant congregation awaiting the start of Vespers.
In the quiet and reflective andante opening of the second movement, too, the image conjured up is of the preparation for an important service – a role which Tracey, in his capacity at Liverpool Cathedral, will have performed many times. He captures all these quiet passages extremely effectively, especially in those sections marked cantando, and the recording registers every detail, with individual manual- and pedal-parts coming over very clearly. The Liverpool reverberation is kept to a minimum.
The finale also opens pp, but with a hint of a storm to come. When those bigger guns finally arrive, in the wonderful fugue and the concluding outburst of joy, they are all the more effective for having been kept so long in reserve – and for Franck’s retaining a considerable degree of restraint even when they do fire. This is certainly not a showpiece for the sake of mere show and Tracey shows admirable restraint where a lesser organist might well have gone overboard. These grander moments are also very well captured by the engineers, even in normal stereo. One is again aware of the resonance of the building without its ever interfering with the clarity of the recording.
Those seeking to expand their knowledge of Franck’s organ music will inevitably reduplicate the Grande pièce, albeit at bargain price and on French organs. Either Jennifer Bate on the Beauvais organ (Regis RRC2054) or Marie-Claire Alain on the Cavaillé-Coll organ at Caen (Apex 2564 61428 2) will do very nicely. Both are 2-CD sets selling for around £9 in the UK.
The Gigout Scherzo provides a lighter, capricious moment before the Widor: delicacy of touch is paramount here and this Tracey very ably provides.
The Widor Symphony is not the one with the Toccata: that is No.5, already recorded in full by Tracey on CHAN9271. Listeners may welcome the chance to get away from that ubiquitous piece and at the same time hear another of his symphonies in its entirety: the Fourth Symphony is as good a piece as any to choose. Don’t expect these works, despite their title, to sound too symphonic: they are more like a suite than a symphony. Again Tracey’s chief rival in this work is Marie-Claire Alain’s authoritative account on the Cavaillé-Coll organ at Saint Germain (Warner Elatus 2564 60341 2, at mid-price).
Franck left his big guns till the end of his Grande Pièce; the Widor Symphony does the opposite, starting with a fff marking at the beginning of the opening Toccata. This is a big movement – by definition a Toccata is designed to show off the player’s expertise in ‘touching’ the keys. (From Italian toccare, to touch.) Tracey makes the Toccata sound big without being entirely overwhelming and without setting off too much reverberation: if anything, I might have wanted him to sound just a little more ferocious. The Fugue begins quietly with the 16’ pedal tone which the score calls for held in restraint; the effect is ethereal.
The third movement, marked dolce, opens even more ethereally, with the pp organ barely audible. This is the best-known movement, often played as a separate piece. The booklet compares it to Daquin’s Noëls but, having recently reviewed an excellent Hyperion Helios reissue of the Noëls (CDH 55319) I have to say that the relationship is a distant one apart from the cantabile nature of the music, excellently captured by Tracey. The central section, written in four staves – i.e. with two sets of pedal parts – is fiendishly difficult but Tracey, with art that conceals art, makes it sound effortless.
The Scherzo and Adagio are again gentle movements, the pp opening of each setting the tone. The mood of the Adagio anticipates that of Fauré’s Requiem by twenty-one years. Tracey’s nimble playing in the Scherzo, his lighter touch in the Adagio and the recording are once more absolutely first class.
It is a mark of a fine recording not only that it captures the loudest moments without distortion but that it makes an equally good job of registering music on the threshold of hearing. The Chandos engineers score in both respects on this CD – just don’t try to play it in the car: the volume required for the quieter movements to register would place you in the head-bangers’ league in the louder movements.
The Finale begins fff, a marking which recurs at several points in the movement. The big guns are unleashed at the start but Widor is careful again not to make the effect too overwhelming and Tracey’s playing contributes to the comparative restraint, especially in the central part of this movement. The closing bars bring a confident conclusion to the work, confidently executed.
I have already indicated that the recording is first-class even in stereo. In SACD surround-format I am sure that the ambience of Liverpool Cathedral is perfectly captured, albeit without too much of the reverberation of this building.
I’m going for broke and nominating this my Recording of the Month. I cannot imagine a better place to start to get to know the French organ repertoire – unless it should be one of Ian Tracey’s other recordings in this series. Lovers of the genre should place their orders at once.
-- Brian Wilson, MusicWeb International
THE FIRST KID CLAYTON SESSION: 1952
FOLKWAYS RECORDS
CD
$17.16
May 30, 2012
At the time his music was recorded in 1952, highly-respected trumpet player Kid Clayton was somewhat elusive, playing with pick-up marching bands but with no steady ensemble. After some effort, composer and jazz aficionado Alden Ashforth arranged a recording session, which features Clayton's buoyant trumpet playing alongside a host of skilled musicians, including Joe "Kid" Avery on trombone.
Frescobaldi Edition Vol 3 - Masses / Balestracci, La Stagione Armonica
Brilliant Classics
CD
$13.99
Feb 01, 2009
Girolamo Frescobaldi has been one of the most influential composers in the history of Western music. Through his many pupils he influenced keyboard playing and composing throughout Europe. Even Johann Sebastian Bach copied some of his works. Therefore it is quite surprising that - as far as I know - no complete recording of his oeuvre has been released. This year (2010) Brilliant Classics has started a Frescobaldi Edition, which is going to be one of the most important projects in the label's history.
Many of Frescobaldi's works for keyboard are played and included in recordings. But some parts of his oeuvre are largely neglected like the instrumental canzonas and his vocal music. The amount of sacred music in Frescobaldi's oeuvre is rather small: only one collection of motets for one to four voices and basso continuo was published in 1627. There are some motets which were included in collections of pieces by various composers. And then there are the two masses which Sergio Balestracci recorded in Volume 3 of the Frescobaldi Edition.
These masses have been preserved in a single manuscript in the library of the Basilica of St John Lateran in Rome. On the organ part of the first of these two masses one finds the letters G. F.di. This has led to these masses being attributed to Frescobaldi. Although their authenticity can't be established with absolute certainty, most scholars believe they were indeed composed by Frescobaldi. It was a good decision to include them in this project since they are of fine quality and give a good picture of the kind of liturgical music which was composed during Frescobaldi's life.
They reflect common practice in Rome in that they are scored for eight voices in two choirs. The two choirs are used to create antiphonal effects. Sometimes they alternate in singing the various verses of the mass, sometimes the one choir repeats a phrase of the other. At some moments they join to underline important passages and in other instances only one choir sings, for instance in 'Et incarnatus est' and 'Crucifixus' in the Credo. In both masses the Benedictus and the second Agnus Dei are left out; these are sung here in plainchant. Both masses are extended by plainchant settings of parts of the Proper of the Mass. In the Missa sopra l'aria della Monica the Introitus, Offertorio and Communion from the Mass for the Virgin Mary are added, whereas in the Missa sopra l'aria di Fiorenza the additional chants are taken from the Mass of St John the Baptist.
Both masses are based on tunes which were quite popular at the time. The aria della Monica was a secular song, and quite often used for keyboard variations and instrumental compositions. The aria di Fiorenza is also known as Ballo del Granduca, and was first composed as the song O che nuovo miracolo by Emilio de' Cavalieri. This was included in the Intermedii which were performed at the wedding of Grand-Duke Ferdinando I and Christine of Lorraine in 1589. This tune was also often used, for instance by Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck.
La Stagione Armonico consists of 28 singers, divided over the two choirs. Although I would have preferred a slighter smaller ensemble, the sound is quite transparent. Furthermore the singing is outstanding, and the choir shows great rhythmic vitality. The two vocal groups are audibly split, but fortunately they haven't been put too far away from each other. The plainchant is also beautifully sung, and as a result this disc can be unequivocally recommended.
The three masses which are recorded as Volume 4 of this series are of a different kind. They are quite well-known and available in several recordings. Pieces from these masses are also often played in concerts and included in recordings. That is especially the case with the Toccatas, like the Toccata per le levatione, which appear in all three masses.
The three organ masses belong to the category of liturgical music which makes use of the alternatim practice. Its roots are in the antiphonal psalmody, and from that perspective they are not that far away from the masses which are performed in Volume 3. Verses could alternatively be sung in plainchant and polyphonically, or sung and played. That is the case here: Frescobaldi offers organ verses to be performed in alternation with voices. He doesn't provide a complete liturgy, though: the largest part of every Mass consists of verses for the Kyrie. But he goes a long way to serve organists: although in an alternatim performance of the Mass only five versets for Kyrie eleison and Christe eleison are needed, he offers the full set of nine, giving performers a maximum choice for whatever they needed. The other organ versets are called Kyrie alio modo and Christe alio modo. Here they are performed after the liturgically 'correct' sequence of plainchant and organ versets.
Other pieces are a Canzona dopo l'Epistola, to be played after the first reading from the Scriptures, and a Recercar post (dopo) il Credo, to be played after the Credo. Most famous are the Toccate per le levatione, to be played during the consecration. Dissonances are an integral part of these pieces, which are to remember the congregation of Jesus' Passion. The Messa della Madonna contains a special ricercar, called Recercar con obligo dicantar la quinta parte senza toccarla. It means that an fifth part is added which should be sung without support of the organ. In his liner-notes Noel O'Regan writes: "Frescobaldi gives the singer a six-note phrase taken from the Litany of Loreto where it sets the words 'Sancta Maria'; he does not give these words in the print but it is clear that they are what is intended". In this recording the part is played on the natural trumpet, which is rather odd, although this is often practiced. It would have been nice if this part would have been sung as Frescobaldi has indicated. The Messa delli Apostoli contains a comparable piece but here that part should be played at the organ.
These three masses are from the collection Fiori Musicali, published in Venice in 1635. It also contains two pieces on secular tunes, Bergamasca and Capriccio sopra la Girolmeta. It is not quite clear why they are included. Noel O'Regan states that the former is taking the place of the canzon which concludes the other two masses. But that seems unlikely because of the secular subject. The capriccio is based on a tune whose name is the feminine version of Frescobaldi's own. O'Regan again sees this composition as a possible alternative to the concluding piece of this or one of the other masses.
Roberto Loreggian delivers very good performances. Many pieces are quite short, in particular the Kyrie and Christe settings, and they can appear quite short-winded. The fact that the are alternated by the appropriate plainchant helps to prevent that. The singing of the Schola Gregoriana is bright and clear. Of course, it would be nice to hear all pieces within the liturgical context for which they were intended. To my knowledge no such recording exists. So we have to be satisfied with this recording. The quality and variety of Frescobaldi's music and Roberto Loreggian's level of playing is such that that's no tall order.
If these two disc reflect the quality of this whole project we are in for a treat.
-- Johan van Veen, MusicWeb International
Many of Frescobaldi's works for keyboard are played and included in recordings. But some parts of his oeuvre are largely neglected like the instrumental canzonas and his vocal music. The amount of sacred music in Frescobaldi's oeuvre is rather small: only one collection of motets for one to four voices and basso continuo was published in 1627. There are some motets which were included in collections of pieces by various composers. And then there are the two masses which Sergio Balestracci recorded in Volume 3 of the Frescobaldi Edition.
These masses have been preserved in a single manuscript in the library of the Basilica of St John Lateran in Rome. On the organ part of the first of these two masses one finds the letters G. F.di. This has led to these masses being attributed to Frescobaldi. Although their authenticity can't be established with absolute certainty, most scholars believe they were indeed composed by Frescobaldi. It was a good decision to include them in this project since they are of fine quality and give a good picture of the kind of liturgical music which was composed during Frescobaldi's life.
They reflect common practice in Rome in that they are scored for eight voices in two choirs. The two choirs are used to create antiphonal effects. Sometimes they alternate in singing the various verses of the mass, sometimes the one choir repeats a phrase of the other. At some moments they join to underline important passages and in other instances only one choir sings, for instance in 'Et incarnatus est' and 'Crucifixus' in the Credo. In both masses the Benedictus and the second Agnus Dei are left out; these are sung here in plainchant. Both masses are extended by plainchant settings of parts of the Proper of the Mass. In the Missa sopra l'aria della Monica the Introitus, Offertorio and Communion from the Mass for the Virgin Mary are added, whereas in the Missa sopra l'aria di Fiorenza the additional chants are taken from the Mass of St John the Baptist.
Both masses are based on tunes which were quite popular at the time. The aria della Monica was a secular song, and quite often used for keyboard variations and instrumental compositions. The aria di Fiorenza is also known as Ballo del Granduca, and was first composed as the song O che nuovo miracolo by Emilio de' Cavalieri. This was included in the Intermedii which were performed at the wedding of Grand-Duke Ferdinando I and Christine of Lorraine in 1589. This tune was also often used, for instance by Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck.
La Stagione Armonico consists of 28 singers, divided over the two choirs. Although I would have preferred a slighter smaller ensemble, the sound is quite transparent. Furthermore the singing is outstanding, and the choir shows great rhythmic vitality. The two vocal groups are audibly split, but fortunately they haven't been put too far away from each other. The plainchant is also beautifully sung, and as a result this disc can be unequivocally recommended.
The three masses which are recorded as Volume 4 of this series are of a different kind. They are quite well-known and available in several recordings. Pieces from these masses are also often played in concerts and included in recordings. That is especially the case with the Toccatas, like the Toccata per le levatione, which appear in all three masses.
The three organ masses belong to the category of liturgical music which makes use of the alternatim practice. Its roots are in the antiphonal psalmody, and from that perspective they are not that far away from the masses which are performed in Volume 3. Verses could alternatively be sung in plainchant and polyphonically, or sung and played. That is the case here: Frescobaldi offers organ verses to be performed in alternation with voices. He doesn't provide a complete liturgy, though: the largest part of every Mass consists of verses for the Kyrie. But he goes a long way to serve organists: although in an alternatim performance of the Mass only five versets for Kyrie eleison and Christe eleison are needed, he offers the full set of nine, giving performers a maximum choice for whatever they needed. The other organ versets are called Kyrie alio modo and Christe alio modo. Here they are performed after the liturgically 'correct' sequence of plainchant and organ versets.
Other pieces are a Canzona dopo l'Epistola, to be played after the first reading from the Scriptures, and a Recercar post (dopo) il Credo, to be played after the Credo. Most famous are the Toccate per le levatione, to be played during the consecration. Dissonances are an integral part of these pieces, which are to remember the congregation of Jesus' Passion. The Messa della Madonna contains a special ricercar, called Recercar con obligo dicantar la quinta parte senza toccarla. It means that an fifth part is added which should be sung without support of the organ. In his liner-notes Noel O'Regan writes: "Frescobaldi gives the singer a six-note phrase taken from the Litany of Loreto where it sets the words 'Sancta Maria'; he does not give these words in the print but it is clear that they are what is intended". In this recording the part is played on the natural trumpet, which is rather odd, although this is often practiced. It would have been nice if this part would have been sung as Frescobaldi has indicated. The Messa delli Apostoli contains a comparable piece but here that part should be played at the organ.
These three masses are from the collection Fiori Musicali, published in Venice in 1635. It also contains two pieces on secular tunes, Bergamasca and Capriccio sopra la Girolmeta. It is not quite clear why they are included. Noel O'Regan states that the former is taking the place of the canzon which concludes the other two masses. But that seems unlikely because of the secular subject. The capriccio is based on a tune whose name is the feminine version of Frescobaldi's own. O'Regan again sees this composition as a possible alternative to the concluding piece of this or one of the other masses.
Roberto Loreggian delivers very good performances. Many pieces are quite short, in particular the Kyrie and Christe settings, and they can appear quite short-winded. The fact that the are alternated by the appropriate plainchant helps to prevent that. The singing of the Schola Gregoriana is bright and clear. Of course, it would be nice to hear all pieces within the liturgical context for which they were intended. To my knowledge no such recording exists. So we have to be satisfied with this recording. The quality and variety of Frescobaldi's music and Roberto Loreggian's level of playing is such that that's no tall order.
If these two disc reflect the quality of this whole project we are in for a treat.
-- Johan van Veen, MusicWeb International
V1: MUSIQUES DE DANSE DU MONDE
Frémeaux
CD
$74.99
Jul 01, 2011
Throughout the ages, people have danced to the rhythms of music, and dancers have always expected musicians to perform at their artistic best. In their exchanges, dancing – music’s authentic physical representation – has today developed into an entirely separate art-form. Jazz, rock, tango – and many other major forms of musical expression now familiar in concerts, shows or films – would doubtless have never existed if dancing hadn’t been music’s primary function. To reach the body, heart and soul at the same time, music composed and played for dancing fully requires all of music’s qualities. This collection of dances from around the world – an anthology selected by specialists in each one of these styles – proves how true this is, thanks to the best titles in dance-history. The selections here, sorted by aesthetic form, were chosen with one thing in mind: to show the relationship between dancing and music.
Noël HERVe & Patrick FReMEAUX
Jean-francois Dandrieu: Noels (Pieces D'orgue); Pieces De Clavecin
Temperaments
CD
$20.99
Nov 20, 2012
DANDRIEU Organ and harpsichord works • André Isoir (org); Olivier Baumont (hpd) • RADIO FRANCE 316041.42 (111:24)
This is a re-release of two albums whose contents were recorded by Radio France in 1987, and subsequently issued. Little is available of Jean-François Dandrieu outside of organ collections featuring an occasional work, so two discs of his music is most welcome on that count alone.
James Anthony, in his French Baroque Music from Beaujoyeulx to Rameau , has some unkind things to say about Dandrieu’s organ music. Quoting the composer’s desire for “noble and elegant simplicity,” Anthony states it “results in overall ennui for performer and listener.” I can’t claim to know what Isoir’s opinion was on the matter while playing these selections, but I find them to be charming miniatures that mix pieces in a serious French sacred vein with folk-flavored treats. Textures are always light, and flowing movement is maintained through Dandrieu’s command of counterpoint as a source of energy. Contrast is a strong element in their favor: The haunting “Flûtes” (whose parts mostly avoid the cliché of winds moving in thirds) in the D-Minor Suite is followed by a songful, two-part canon, Basse du cromorne , which in turn leads to the one of the lengthiest and most majestic pieces in the collection, an Offertoire that is a theme and variations. The four suites presented here are each preceded and followed by one of those noëls which drew crowds who loved the tunes and wished to hear their favorite church organists display their virtuosity.
Dandrieu’s harpsichord works were regarded by some of his contemporaries as equal in quality to those of François Couperin, and that’s high praise indeed. Most of the pieces reside at a level of complexity far beyond style brisé , though the latter makes an appearance in La Tranquille and the theme of La Fastueuse et cinq variations . The thematic profile overall is very high, and the harmonic treatment unfailingly distinctive.
The performances by André Isoir are unfailingly effective, with an excellent selection of stops. Olivier Baumont in turn is fine, though he has a tendency sometimes to rush basic tempos—as in L’Harmonieuse, La Patétique , and again in La Lully: Ouverture, which misses the grandeur of the piece’s opening section, and creates little sense of contrast with its second. Based on acquaintance with Baumont’s more recent recordings, I suspect he’d feature less hectic performances in such pieces if he were to record the same material over again today. And when he isn’t pushing here, he phrases elastically to strong effect. La lyre d’Orphée and La Fidèle both benefit from the additional breathing space this provides.
The instruments deserve a mention as well. Baumont performs on a 1750 Benoist Stehlin harpsichord—one of three surviving instruments from his workshop—that once belonged to the composer Bernard Jumentier. It is a bit dry and hard (at least, as recorded here) but very clear. The Jean-Boizard Organ at the Abbey of Saint Michel-en-Thiérache that Isoir plays apparently is blessed. No other conclusion is possible. It escaped a fire in 1715; avoided being gutted in 1791 when the abbey was purchased, before the s ans-culottes could get to it; was passed over when organ pipes were frequently requisitioned during World War I for their metal; and missed a second disastrous fire in 1971 because it had been dismantled for restoration. Its sound is pleasantly varied, and each note, tonally distinct, without any mechanical noise.
There’s a lot more of Dandrieu’s organ and harpsichord music out there awaiting the attention of recording companies, but this fair sampling, performed attractively, should be in the collection of every fancier of French Baroque keyboard music.
FANFARE: Barry Brenesal
FIRST TIME THE COUNT MEETS THE DUKE
VINYL PASSION
Vinyl
$21.49
May 10, 2024
The phrase "Once in a lifetime" is sometimes used carelessly to accentuate the importance of an event. But it was truly a unique occasion when the orchestras of Duke Ellington and Count Basie got together in the studio to record together for the first (and last) time. The Duke Ellington and Count Basie (both playing the piano) orchestras had already been competitors for 25 years but the leaders' mutual admiration (Ellington was one of Basie's main idols) and some brilliant planning made this a very successful and surprisingly uncrowded encounter. The result is almost an embarrassment of riches. Limited edition on solid orange & solid white vinyl.
Adrian Boult conducts Berg, Stravinsky, & Vaughan Williams
SOMM Recordings
CD
$32.99
Jan 05, 2024
SOMM RECORDINGS announces the first appearance on disc of three historic live recordings by Sir Adrian Boult to mark the 40th anniversary of the pre-eminent British conductor’s death, including his complete 1949 account of Alban Berg’s Wozzeck, Stravinsky’s Capriccio (1948), and Vaughan Williams’ Fourth Symphony (1965).
Boult had led the UK premiere of Berg’s excoriating opera in 1934, although only Act II of that performance survives. This complete 1949 recording with the BBC Symphony, Heinrich Nillius as Wozzeck, and Suzanne Danco as Marie – only the second UK performance – adds to Boult’s and the opera’s stature on disc. Recorded live in London’s Royal Albert Hall, it is a remarkable document of an exhilarating performance.
Boult’s pioneering championing of ‘new’ music is also heard in his recording of Stravinsky’s Capriccio, with the BBC Symphony and the prodigiously gifted Australian Noel Mewton-Wood at the piano.
Boult’s rare outing in 1965 with the Royal Opera House Orchestra saw him returning to a work he premiered 30 years earlier, Vaughan Williams’ Fourth Symphony. Under Boult’s baton it is a stirring and startling statement of loss and grief.
A bonus track features a revealing discussion of his 19-year tenure at the head of the BBC Symphony by Boult with Bernard Keeffe for BBC Radio in 1965.
