Category: Recording

La Tempesta, Patrick Bismuth
86:32 (2 CDs in a wallet)
NoMadMusic NMM024

[dropcap]E[/dropcap]ach of the seven suites that make up Biber’s HAA has its own character, largely dictated by the composer’s chosen scordatura for the two treble instruments. They are joined throughout on this new recording by theorbo and harpsichord or organ with extra contributions from cello, viola da gamba, violone and harp; sometimes there are harmonic realisations of the continuo line, sometimes these are merely played as supporting melodies. I largely enjoyed the performances, though the acoustic was a little too vast for the group, and I found some of the continuo playing slightly invasive (with Biber’s already complicated multi-stopping lines dialoguing, there is no need to have the accompanists vying for attention, too.) Compared to the booklet note, though, that is as nothing; quite apart from the most awkward translations (“For everyone’s listening pleasure, the ensemble offers a transfiguration of academic music without denaturing it”), I could have done entirely without Patrick Bismuth’s four pages relating the seven sonatas to the Creation or his likening Biber’s thought processes to the Mandala (“a sound environment, a set, made, however, of right angles, dots and circles”.) It is just as well the performances are so persuasive, though I am sure to remain faithful to The Purcell Quartet’s version for the time being.

Brian Clark

Biber, Baltzar, Telemann, Bach
59:58
NoMadMusic NMM018

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his recital begins and ends with descending tetrachords; Biber’s “Passacaille”, which Cohën-Akenine says, “served as the benchmark before Bach composed his Chaconne”, opens proceedings in fine style, if slightly too closely miked for my tastes – it is one thing to be aware of the performer’s presence, quite another to hear his every inhalation. I do wonder, though, for whom it was a benchmark? A quick check of the RISM online catalogue reveals not a single manuscript source of the work at all, which would suggest that only those wealthy enough to own a copy of the print or fortunate enough to encounter Biber himself would have known of its existence; the suggestion that this solo repertoire was widely available, known and played is surely untenable. Be that as it may, it is clear that virtuoso players with financial means (or contacts) did produce a wealth of music for their instrument and the two pieces by Thomas Baltzar are particularly welcome. Likewise, unmannered renditions of two of Telemann’s fantasias (no. 1 in B flat major, and no. 3 in F minor) confirm his rightful place among the masters of the medium. There is no arguing, though, that the Bach D minor Partita is one of the masterpieces of Western music, and Cohën-Akenine shifts up a gear for the immense challenges. It is particularly impressive that, in spite of all the extraneous noises, the bow strokes all come off without harshness, and the open strings ring pure throughout. I’m not going to say that I stopped hearing the breathing, but the musician’s communion with Bach was so intense that everything else was transcended. Next time, though, please do move the mikes!

Brian Clark

Modo Antiquo, Federico Maria Sardelli
69:00
deutsche harmonia mundi 8-88751-27852-3
RV52, 60, 552a*, 779, 813, 820*, Anh. 107a*

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he programme of this recording consists of a recorder sonata, a trio for two violins and continuo, another for violin, cello and continuo, a quartet for violin, oboe and organ with the “se piace” chalumeau, another for strings, a violin concerto and another for two violins. RV820 is the trio with obbligato cello, only recently added to the Vivaldi catalogue after Sardelli, the director of Modo Antiquo, identified it among downloaded material his wife was working on; he had already been occupied with dating the composer’s works and presenting the world premiere recording of that piece (as well as those of the Leuwen version of RV Anh. 107, and the “reconstructed” RV522a) provided an opportunity to put together an entire recital of early works. Playing one-per-part, Modo Antiquo have one plucker (theorbo and guitar) and keyboardist (harpsichord and organ); in the violin concerto, I would have preferred the double bass to drop out in the solo episodes. While most of the music-making is enjoyable, the booklet lets the enterprise down – Michael Talbot’s booklet note could have done with some proofreading, but the other “English” contributions are terrible; “The Young Vivaldi: a rivelation”??? So ignore the book and enjoy the music.

Brian Clark

Motets et cantates de Hammerschmidt, Telemann, Bruhns, Scheidt…
Le Concert Etranger, Itay Jedlin
77:17
Ambronay AMY045

• Bruhns: Hemmt eure Tränenflut
• Hammerschmidt: Ach Gott, warum hast du mein vergessen? Erbarm dich mein, o Herre Gott; Ergo sit nulla ratio salutis; Herr, wie lange willst du mich so gar vergessen? Inter brachio salvatoris mei; Pavane 1 à 5
• Monteverdi: Sinfonia
• Rosenmüller: Sinfonia XI
• Scheidemann: Erbarm dich mein, o Herre Gott (organ), Præludium in D
• Scheidt: Ist nicht Ephraim mein teurer Sohn? (organ)
• Telemann: Ach Herr, straf mich nicht in deinem Zorn

[dropcap]M[/dropcap]any fine ensembles have cut their teeth at the Ambronay Fesitval, where it is almost expected that performers will step off the well-trodden path and bring their audiences new experiences and insights into familiar repertoire. This programme combines settings of texts which call upon God in one way or another (both vocal and instrumental) is beautifully performed with some outstanding singing and playing – look out especially for bass Nicolas Brooymans!

The vocalists wring every last drop of feeling out of the text without allowing their emotions to affect the high quality of their singing. Although Telemann’s fine Ach Herr, straf mich nicht  sets the bar at a higher point than any of the subsequent works can quite reach, the inclusion of five works by Hammerschmidt is particularly welcome (even if the booklet notes omit any mention of the 30 Years War – surely the reason why so many such texts were set at the time!) and Bruhns’ Hemmet eure Tränenflut  is but one of that composer’s many works that deserve to be better known and more widely recorded. Finely played as it is, what exactly is the justification for the inclusion of a sinfonia by Monteverdi?

Brian Clark

Knabenchor Hannover, Johann Rosenmüller Ensemble, Barockorchester L’Arco, Jörg Breiding
115:09 (2 CDs)
Rondeau Productions ROP701920

[dropcap]E[/dropcap]ach of the two CDs which make up this recording feature three large-scale vocal works in the Venetian style by one of the late 17th century’s undoubted masters; Arno Paduch’s booklet note suggests that the conversion to Catholicism of Duke Johann Friedrich von Braunschweig-Lüneburg (the dedicatee of Rosenmüller’s 1667 Sonate da camera) might suggest that at least some of the Latin church music was written for Hanover. The combined forces of that city’s modern boys’ choir, four imported soloists for the upper voice obbligato parts, the Johann Rosenmüller Ensemble, and the Barockorchester L’Arco (here strings with lute, dulcian and organ) produce an absolutely glorious sound throughout. The psalms are framed by plainchant antiphons sung by a Schola (seven men from the choir), who also supply the Ingressus  and the hymn (Ave maris stella). Veronika Winter and Maria Skiba are exemplary sopranos, while Alex Potter and Henning Voss shine as the alto soloists. Where I had expected to find the shift from the intimacy of solo voices to a large choir (25, 17, 9, 12), in fact the effect was rather impressive, and similar anxiety about an imbalance between instruments and choir was dispelled in performance; the recording engineer has clearly placed his microphones perfectly, allowing the whole soundscape to be captured without compromise. This is an impressive achievement, and includes some truly beautiful music – the Lauda Jerusalem  with solo trumpet is especially worthy of note. Many Rosenmüller works remain unrecorded, though, so let us hope that Breiding and co. are not finished yet!

Brian Clark

La Capella Ducale, Musica Fiata, Roland Wilson
76:07
deutsche harmonia mundi 88875051442

[dropcap]J.[/dropcap] H. Schein has often been relegated to the role of ‘filler’ composer, providing a pretty but musically inconsequential piece to fill up an early Baroque programme. Not so long ago this was the fate of Michael Praetorius, a composer now recognized for his major contribution to large-scale choral music, and it should probably come as no surprise Schein promises to be a similar discovery. This collection of music from his Cymbalum Sionium  of 1615 is the work of a highly accomplished, inventive and imaginative musical mind, building on the world of Lassus, Hassler, and the Gabrielis, clearly being influenced by Praetorius and in turn influencing Heinrich Schütz. It seems extraordinary even in a country like Germany which boasts such an embarrassing wealth of superlative early Baroque music that Schein’s choral music should largely have escaped attention until now, but the present CD does much to rectify this problem. The performances are energetic, beautifully sung and presenting a full range of instrumental colours including scampering cornets, recorders and splendid regal, dulcian and a great bass shawm tones which add a terrific earthy note to proceedings. The striking contemporary portrait of Schein, complete with funky coiffure and facial hair, suggests a composer as flamboyant as the vividly wonderful music recorded here. One of the chief delights of reviewing is coming across completely unanticipated treasures, and this CD certainly comes into that category.

D. James Ross

Profeti della Quinta
69:29
Pan Classics PC 10350

[dropcap]L[/dropcap]uzzaschi is chiefly known as the composer of a collection of madrigals for the Dame of Ferrara, his Madrigale per cantare et sonare a uno, doi e tre soprani, catering for the virtuoso voices of the world’s most famous vocal trio before the Three Tenors. There are a couple of items from that collection here sung very effectively by soprano and male alto, but it is the other material from Luzzaschi’s other publications that interested me more. These include madrigals in five and six parts, sacred music and instrumental ricercars, and toccatas. Who knew that Luzzaschi was so versatile and so thoroughly competent in such a wide range of genres? The performances are beautifully musical, and one particular highlight is an arrangement by the group’s director Elam Rotem for one of the group’s counter-tenors and harpsichord of a five-part madrigal, which, taking the music for the Ladies of Ferrara as a model, he encrusts with decoration.

In comparison to his sparkling secular music, his sacred music, while utterly competent lacks perhaps the sheer verve of the other repertoire. As I have suggested, variety is the keynote of this excellent CD, and I found myself enjoying thoroughly an organ rendition of one of Luzzaschi’s canzonas, and the group’s polished viol consort playing his ricercars, while the finely balanced and delicately ornamented singing was a constant delight. For added variety, the viols play a couple of galliards by Luzzaschi’s contemporary, Giovanni Anerio, primarily known for his sacred choral music, but clearly also a master of instrumental chamber music. I have not always been entirely complimentary about Elam Rotem’s projects in the past, but this one seems to me entirely laudable and beautifully realized. Incidentally, full marks for the cover illustration, Titian’s ‘Venus with an organist and a dog’ in which the musician gazes at the rather corpulent goddess in search, one hopes, of musical inspiration.

D. James Ross

Music at San Marco di Venezia 
ensemble officium
63:53
Christophorus CHR 77390

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his varied programme of music for voices and instruments is taken from Andrea Gabrieli’s Sacræ Cantiones  of 1565, an early publication comprising works composed for the Munich Hofkapelle, which Gabrieli visited, working alongside Lassus. It is worth remembering that this music, which now sounds so distinctively ‘Venetian’ to us was composed for Lassus’ Court ‘orchestra’, and bearing that in mind, we can readily hear the influence of Lassus throughout. This is particularly the case in a cappella works such as Bonum est confiteri, whereas in the more elaborate works incorporating cornets and sackbuts we can hear the future musical world which was to make San Marco the envy of early Baroque Europe. All of the music is taken from the 1565 publication with the exception of the ‘diminution’ of Laudate Dominum  for cornet and organ, completed in period style by the group’s excellent cornet soloist Friederike Otto, and the complex 10-part setting of Laudate Dominum in sanctis eius, published posthumously in 1587 by the composer’s nephew and musical heir, Giovanni. The singing and playing are precise and expressive, and if I could occasionally have done with more panache and a slightly more generous acoustic – assuming as the CD title suggests that Gabrieli went on to use his earlier works in San Marco following his appointment there in 1566 – I liked the way the ensemble sometimes employed voices on each line, including the high top lines. Although it is widely assumed that the choral forces in San Marco were made up of adult male singers with falsetto male alto voices topped by cornets, the use of boys or even adult male sopranos cannot be ruled out. I also liked the variety of presentations, including a lovely instrumental rendition of O sacrum convivium. It is easy to dismiss Andrea Gabrieli as a bridge figure between Lassus and his flamboyant nephew Gabrieli, but this CD helps to reinforce the fact that he had his own distinctive and profound voice, which was already clearly in evidence in this early publication.

D. James Ross