venerdì 11 novembre 2011

J.G.Werner - Calendarium Musicum Vol. 1-2


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Gregor Josef Werner, Music Director of the Prince of Esterhazy, is one of those musicians not yet well enough known to judge whether he has been justifiably forgotten or not. But to judge from the music recorded here, published in Augsbourg in 1748, he is a composer of solid technique and a fine imagination. On the other hand, history has not forgotten that his successor was Joseph Haydn. His "Musical Instrument Calendar" is situated between the Four Seasons by Vivaldi and Haydn's The Seasons. Werner has set to music the months of the year. His Almanach Musical is an agreeable work comprising around 60 pieces both evocative and entertaining. Each month is represented by a suite of five movements in the same key. In each group, there is always a minuet, which represents the annual rotation of the sun. The composer takes the opportunity to show the power of his imagination and his technical prowess. The listener will note particularly the joy of the month of June, the expressive silences of October and the pathos of November.
contents:


cd 1

01 - Im Jenner - Neujahrsanfang
02 - Im Jenner - Gute Hoffnung eines gluckseligen Jahres
03 - Im Jenner - Menuett- Die Tageslange 9, die Nacht 15 Stund
04 - Im Jenner - Der aberwitzige Bauer
05 - Im Hornung - Die Fassnacht
06 - Im Hornung - Menuett- Die Tageslange 10, die Nacht 14 Stund
07 - Im Hornung - Die Hochzeit des Hanswurst
08 - Im Hornung - Menuett- Die Tageslange 11, die Nacht 13 Stund
09 - Im Hornung - Maskerade
10 - In dem Merzen - Die Fasten
11 - In dem Merzen - Die Sonne betritt den Widder
12 - In dem Merzen - Menuett- Tag und Nacht gleich
13 - In dem Merzen - Die Nachsinn und Betrachtung
14 - In dem Merzen - Der verworfene Tag
15 - Im April - Der Fruhling
16 - Im April - Der spielende Schafer
17 - Im April - Menuett- Die Tageslange 13, die Nacht 11 Stund
18 - Im April - Das veranderliche Aprilwetter
19 - Im April - Das Froschgeschrei
20 - Im May - Der Gartner
21 - Im May - Menuett- Die Tageslange 14, die Nacht 10 Stund
22 - Im May - Die Nachtigall
23 - Im May - Menuett- Die Tageslange 15, Die Nacht 9 Stund
24 - Im May - Widerhall oder Echo
25 - Im Brachmonat - Der liebliche Sommer
26 - Im Brachmonat - Die Sonne im Krebs
27 - Im Brachmonat - Ein Erdbeben
28 - Im Brachmonat - Menuett- Die Tageslange 16, die nacht 8 Stund
29 - Im Brachmonat - Der Zeitvertreib

cd2

01 - Im Heumonat - Der Faulenzende
02 - Im Heumonat - Menuett- Die Tageslange 15, die Nacht 9 Stund Olivier
03 - Im Heumonat - Ein Donnerwetter
04 - Im Heumonat - Stilles Wetter
05 - Im Heumonat - Der Keller
06 - Im Augustmonat - Der vergnugte Bauer
07 - Im Augustmonat - Menuett- Die Tageslange 14, die Nacht 10 Stund
08 - Im Augustmonat - Das Posthorn
09 - Im Augustmonat - Der hinkende Bote
10 - Im Augustmonat - Menuett- Die Tageslange 13, die Nacht 11 Stund
11 - Im Herbstmonat - Die erfreuliche Studentenvakanz
12 - Im Herbstmonat - Ein Hirtenstuck
13 - Im Herbstmonat - Menuett- Tag und Nacht gleich
14 - Im Herbstmonat - Der angenehme Herbst
15 - Im Herbstmonat - Die Sonne in der Waage
16 - Im Weinmonat - Es lebe Seine Majestat Kaiser Franciscus
17 - Im Weinmonat - Der Fassbinder
18 - Im Weinmonat - Menuett- Die Tageslange 11, die Nacht 12 Stund
19 - Im Weinmonat - Die Jagd
20 - Im Weinmonat - Es lebe Ihre Majestat die Kaiserin Theresia
21 - Im Wintermonat - Der melancholische Student
22 - Im Wintermonat - Menuett- Die Tageslange 10, die Nacht 14 Stund
23 - Im Wintermonat - Ein Sturmwetter auf der See
24 - Im Wintermonat - Menuett- Die Tageslange 9, die Nacht 15 Stund
25 - Im Wintermonat - Die Mahlmuhle
26 - Im Christmontat - Der Winter
27 - Im Christmontat - Die Sonne im Steinbock
28 - Im Christmontat - Menuett- Die Tageslange 8, die Nacht 16 Stund
29 - Im Christmontat - Der Schlaf oder ein Nachtstuck
30 - Im Christmontat - Das Jahresende


A Carte Musical
dir. Rogério Gonçalves

giovedì 10 novembre 2011

G.F.Handel - Esther (1732 version)


2 CD - MP3 192 Kbps - ZIP 195 Mb


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This is a particularly welcome and important world-premiere recording. Handel composed Esther in about 1718‑20 for James Brydges, the Earl of Carnarvon (and later Duke of Chandos), using a libretto that was anonymously adapted from Thomas Brereton’s English translation of a play by Racine. This slender work, containing only six scenes, lays a strong claim to being the first English oratorio, but Handel seems not to have considered performing it for a public audience until 1732, when the entrepreneurial composer thoroughly revised the score to fit his company of Italian opera singers (including Senesino, Strada and Montagnana, who all sang in English), and enlisted the aid of the writer Samuel Humphreys to expand the drama with additional scenes (which made the oratorio long enough to fill a theatre evening, advantageously fleshed out some of the characters a little bit, and also enhanced the musical attractiveness of the oratorio). This is the historic version of Esther that launched Handel’s oratorio career in London, but it has remained inexplicably neglected in modern times.
David Vickers, Gramophone
[1/2008]



contents:
Disc: 1
1 - Act 1. Scene 1. Overture. Andante - Larghetto - Allegro
2 - Act 1. Scene 1. Breathe soft ye gales
3 - Act 1. Scene 1. Watchful Angels
4 - Act 1. Scene 1. O King of kings, celestial Lord!
5 - Act 1. Scene 1. Alleluia
6 - Act 1. Scene 1. With transport, lovely queen
7 - Act 1. Scene 1. So much beauty sweetly blooming
8 - Act 1. Scene 1. Again shall Salem, to the skies
9 - Act 1. Scene 1. My heart is inditing
10 - Act 1. Scene 1. Kings' daughters
11 - Act 1. Scene 1. Upon the right hand
12 - Act 1. Scene 1. Kings shall be thy nursing fathers
13 - Act 1. Scene 2. Let me with freedom thy petition know
14 - Act 1. Scene 2. Endless fame
15 - Act 1. Scene 3. 'Tis greater far to spare
16 - Act 1. Scene 3. Pluck root and branch
17 - Act 1. Scene 3. Our souls with ardour glow
18 - Act 1. Scene 3. Shall we the God of Israel fear?
19 - Act 1. Scene 4. Jerusalem no more shall mourn
20 - Act 1. Scene 4. Tune your harps to cheerful strains
21 - Act 1. Scene 4. Shall we of servitude complain
22 - Act 1. Scene 4. Praise the Lord with cheerful noise
23 - Act 1. Scene 5. How have our sins provok'd the Lord!
24 - Act 1. Scene 5. Ye sons of Israel, mourn
25 - Act 1. Scene 5. O Jordan, Jordan, sacred tide!
26 - Act 1. Scene 5. Ye sons of Israel, mourn

Disc: 2
1 - Act 2. Scene 1. Tyrants may awhile presume
2 - Act 2. Scene 2. Why sits that sorrow on thy brow?
3 - Act 2. Scene 2. Dread not, righteous queen
4 - Act 2. Scene 2. O heaven, protect her
5 - Act 2. Scene 2. Blessings descend on downy wings
6 - Act 2. Scene 2. I go, the pow'r of grief to prove
7 - Act 2. Scene 2. Tears assist me, pity moving
8 - Act 2. Scene 2. Save us, O Lord!
9 - Act 2. Scene 3. Who dares intrude into our presence
10 - Act 2. Scene 3. Who calls my parting soul from death?
11 - Act 2. Scene 3. O beauteous queen, unclose those eyes
12 - Act 2. Scene 3. If I find favour in thy sight
13 - Act 2. Scene 4. With inward joy his visage glows
14 - Act 2. Scene 4. Heav'n has lent her ev'ry charm
15 - Act 2. Scene 4. The king will listen to the royal fair
16 - Act 2. Scene 4. Blessed are all they that fear the Lord
17 - Act 3. Scene 1. Jehovah crown'd with glory bright
18 - Act 3. Scene 1. He comes! He comes to end our woes
19 - Act 3. Scene 2. Now O my queen, thy suit declare
20 - Act 3. Scene 2. Turn not, O queen, thy face away
21 - Act 3. Scene 2. Flatt'ring tongue, no more I hear thee
22 - Act 3. Scene 2. Through the nation he shall be
23 - Act 3. Scene 2. All applauding crowds, around
24 - Act 3. Scene 2. How art thou fall'n from thy height!
25 - Act 3. Scene 2. I'll proclaim the wond'rous story
26 - Act 3. Scene 3. The Lord our enemy has slain, Allelujah!




Esther, Queen of Persia
: Rosemary Joshua
, soprano
Israelite Woman: Rebecca Outram, soprano
Second Israelite: Cecilia Osmond, soprano
Mordecai: Susan Bickley, mezzo-soprano
Ahasuerus: James Bowman, countertenor
First Israelite: Andrew Kennedy, tenor
Harbonah: Angus Smith, tenor
Haman: Christopher Purves, bass

London Handel Orchestra & Choir
Dir. Laurence Cummings

martedì 8 novembre 2011

De Fragilitate - Piae Cantiones


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The Piae Cantiones (1582) is Finland’s one and only collection of early music and reflection of Europe’s medieval musical heritage. Zefiro Torna performs these beautiful carols, devote and student songs with 15th-16th century instruments and includes a children’s choir. The discrete but charming use of a kantele introduces a Finnish-ing touch to the sound.

The majority of the compositions belongs to the Germanic-Bohemian cantio tradition. There are also links to French, Spanish and Italian sources and to Flemish masters such as Jacob Obrecht. The religious songs — the majority being Christmas songs — are grouped together according to the liturgical year. The remaining songs deal with the transitory character of earthly life, the human condition, the life of schoolchildren, Biblical subjects and the rebirth of Nature in the spring.

Very few collections of music from the 16th century are so strongly anchored in contemporary musical life as the Piae Cantiones are in Finland today, becoming a fixed part of Finnish choral and religious music with the flowering of Finnish nationalism and romanticism in the early 20th century. Variants of these cantiones can be found in Finland’s religious folk music, whilst many composers have also made arrangements of the songs, including Jean Sibelius in his ‘Carminalia’.

“These 24 of the 74 songs from Piae Cantiones form not only a wonderful programme, permitting a variety of styles ranging from pure medieval to rustic and folksy but are also delightful performances….There are delicious and always aptly chosen instrumental contributions, including local colour from the Finnish kantele, and the children sing disarmingly with an ardent, earthly grace, like angelic urchins….”


contents:


De Nativitate [18:49]:
Angelus emittitur [1:23], Salve flos et décor [4:16], Verbum caro factum est [2:06], Congaudeat turba fidelium [1:52], Parvulus nobis nascitur [2:59], Personent hodie [1:30], Nobis est natus hodie [2:26], Paranymphus adiens [2:17]

De Passione [7:39]:
Iucundare iugiter [2:05], Aetas carmen melodiae [3:38], Aetas carmen melodiae [1:56]

De Fragilitate et Miseriis [9:29]:
Kurja, paha syntinen [4:44], Mars praecurrit in planetis [1:43]; Cum sit omnis caro foenum [3:02]

De Vita Scholastica [12:11]:
Scholares convenite [3:35], Zachaeus arboris [1:35], O Scholares discite [4:37], Sum in aliena provincia [2:24]

De Tempore Vernali [9:52]:
Ad perennis vitae fontem [2:15]; In vernali tempore [2:42]; Tempus adest floridum [1:40]; Kaikki maailma riemuitkohon [3:15]


Antwerp Cathedral Choir
&
Zefiro Torna

A review

domenica 6 novembre 2011

The Music of Islam


17 CD - MP3 192 Kbps - 15 RAR 1.80Gb


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With 17 CDs in 15 volumes, The Music of Islam boxed set artistically presents nearly 20 hours of diversely rich Islamic music recorded throughout the Islamic Belt with over 800 pages of synoptic scholastic text written by leading scholars and ethnomusicologists from around the world. Creating a class of its own, and perhaps setting a new standard, The Music of Islam is an unequalled sound document destined to live beyond our time and, regrettably, most likely surpass the very existence of some of the people and cultures featured.

The artists

The Music of Islam is the result of a vision going back over a decade to Michelle Zackheim's visual art project The Tent of Meeting (see Harmonic Meetings 14013) which inspired Eckart Rahn to record 200 musicians in 9 countries on 3 continents over 10 years; the finished project can surely be regarded as recorded music history.
New Zealander David Parsons, an accomplished musician and acclaimed producer and Prof. Margaret Kartomi of Australia, the leading expert of Indonesia's music cultures, have captured the very essence of each area; the people, culture and music.
The musicians and reciters recorded in the series are masters of their chosen art, regionally and worldwide, with numerous years of intense study (or a lifetime devotion to studying) from a long lineage of great composers, reciters, mystics and spiritual leaders. Each is truly a divine gift, not only to their respective cultural history, but to the world at large.
While all volumes feature commonly played Arabic instruments, some volumes include instruments specific to their musical heritage.


contents:


Volume One: Al-Qahirah, Classical Music of Cairo
Volume Two: Music of the South Sinai Bedouins
Volume Three: Music of the Nubians
Volume Four: Music of the Arabian Peninsula
Volume Five: 'Aissaoua Sufi Ceremony (2CD)
Volume Six: Al-Maghrib, Gnawa Music
Volume Seven: Al-Andalus, Andalusian Music
Volume Eight: Folkloric Music of Tunisia
Volume Nine: Mawlawiyah Music of the Whirling Dervishes
Volume Ten: Qur'an Recitation
Volume Eleven: Music of Yemen
Volume Twelve: Music of Iran
Volume Thirteen: Music of Pakistan
Volume Fourteen: Mystic Music Through the Ages
Volume Fifteen: Muslim Music of Indonesia, West Sumatra and Aceh (2CD)