Project Harmonia Mundi - Part 10

Directly based on Joseph Bédier’s modern French adaptation of the legend of Tristan and Iseult, Le Vin herbé enabled Frank Martin, in the years immediately after World War II, to achieve the international reputation that his excessive discretion had denied him until then. The Swiss composer, a subtle intermediary between French and German cultures, strove to differentiate himself from Wagner at a time when the latter’s music was being hijacked by the Nazis; but what is most remarkable in this ever-surprising score is its extraordinary freshness of invention, free of all dogmatic systems, yet not totally renouncing serialism, for example.

Salzburg’s baroque splendour, conjured up in a vivid performance of an Easter Mass. Andrew Manze reveals Biber’s boundless invention, from intimate instrumental movements to grand choral climaxes.

Music appreciation textbooks and timelines in magazines often name Guillaume Dufay as the first great composer of the European Renaissance, but one might equally call him the last great composer of the Middle Ages. This disc presents all 13 of Dufay's isorhythmic motets–the final masterpieces of a very medieval-minded genre. During the Middle Ages, music was considered a science (just like mathematics), and isorhythmic motets are constructed according to strict arithmetical principles. In addition, each voice generally has a different text, while the fundamental voice (called the tenor) usually has no text at all and is often (as here) performed by instruments. As this description might indicate, isorhythmic motets are among the most intellectualized and least emotive works in the entire pre-20th century repertory–yet Paul van Nevel and the Huelgas Ensemble achieve an impressive range of expression from such seemingly poker-faced music. Apostolo glorioso (composed for the consecration of a church) and Ecclesie militantis (written for the coronation of a Pope), performed by choir and (antique) brass, are ornate and imposing, while Magnanime gentes laudes, done by one soprano, one tenor, and one trombone doubled by recorder, is intimate and delicate. The director's excellent program notes explain how isorhythmic motets are constructed and what to listen for. Van Nevel also offers wise advice: Don't listen to this disc straight through–rather, listen carefully to one or two motets several times until you recognize the structural markers, then move on to other motets later. Following that advice will make this CD somewhat more work than most, but the listener's effort will be richly repaid by these splendid performances.

Matthew Westphal, Amazon.com

Two dramas for solo woman. A young woman talks over the phone to her lover, whom we never hear; tomorrow he is going to marry someone else… Several times the conversation is interrupted as the line is cut, each time with dramatic effect; and behind this everyday banality, we realise that we are witnessing a veritable descent to the depths with this abandoned woman. Three years after La Voix humaine (his “sad and lovely child”, as he used to refer to it with Denise Duval, its first performer), Poulenc was to conclude his collaboration with Cocteau by writing the short monologue that completes this CD: he musical style has not changed, but this time, the depths are those of the Mediterranean, in which the old lady of Monte-Carlo, “a dead woman among the dead” has decided to plunge for the last time…

Rachmaninov's All-Night Vigil - widely regarded as the pinnacle of Orthodox church music - deftly deploys "choral orchestration", an array of timbral and harmonic effects, and a variety of compositional techniques, building to a joyous affirmation of religious faith. Paul Hillier leads the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir in a sumptuous performance.

Giovanni Rovetta (c.1595-1668) succeeded Monteverdi as Maestro di capella at St Mark's in 1644, and naturally the style of these vespers is much indebted to the great master. The pieces presented here are handpicked from Rovetta's 1639-collection and could have been heard at any vesper in St Mark's during the 1630's and 1640's; they have absolutely nothing to do with the birth of the future sun-king, all this is merely a combination of PR and loose historical facts (it was Rovetta's Te Deum that was performed on that occasion, an information from the booklet!). All this is absolutely irrelevant, since there is much lovely music on this disc; the psalms does not posses the innovative genius of Monteverdi, but they are written in an indisputable more fluent and elegant manner. It's quite reasonable to compare these pieces with the sacred music of Rovetta's colleague, Cavalli, whose church music you might know from Bruce Dickey's equally excellent Harmonia Mundi-recording.
We find the same melodic gifts in Rovetta's music, as well as a good deal of dramatic sense. Rovetta's style is more concise, which is good, and his ensemble writing is perhaps more intimate and madrigalesque than Cavalli's. This is another reason for that the one-voice-per-part works well here; furthermore, Cantus Cölln is above all characterized by their unique ability to present a powerfull tutti-sound, when this is needed, never being dominated by the brass, which, admittedly, is a potential risk in "OVPP"-recordings. Furthermore it's worth mentioning that the instrumental ensemble in the manuscript constitutes of two violins and BC; cornetts are added here but there are no trombones.Thus, these vespers are "medium-scale".
I dont think that a full choir would have produced more impressive and moving performances of the initial "Dixit Dominus…", the cry "Confessio…" in the Confitebor or the "Potens in Terra…" in the Beatus Vir, than Cantus Cölln does here. Actually, with a full choir I would fear a loss of rhytmic vitality, textual clarity ( a MUST in 17th century music) and a narrowing of expressive range.
If you love early baroque music, you'll love this recording, with Cantus Cölln as well as Harmonia Mundi engineering at usual high standards.

A Custumer, Amazon.com

Alessandro Scarlatti composed many oratorios to celebrate special events. Colpa, Pentimento e Grazia, subtitled Oratorio per la Passione (Oratorio for the Passion) and created for Easter 1708, evokes the Passion of Christ through a text written by a great roman patron of the time, Cardinal Ottoboni. This is the first recording of the Baroque Orchestra of Seville, conducted by Eduardo López Banzo.

As a violin fanatic, I was very anxious to get my hands on this CD! However, I was not expecting it to be as wonderful as it is! Manze's intonation and technique are flawless, as always, and his up-beat tempos in the fast sections make what the entire concert exciting. The slow movements are played with care and not "astringent" like some other period-instrument performances I have heard. Manze is not the only star on this recording: the entire Romanesca Ensemble is superb in balance and technique. Since I love Biber's Rosenkranz Sontatas, I was happy to see the arrangment on this disc. Schmelzer seems to pick up right where Biber left off, giving the sonata a fun and exhilerating Turkish concept. Here's to yet another disc that beautifully introduces us to a virtually unknown Baroque composer! Highly recommended.

dolcissima2780, Amazon.com

Alessandro Stradella was one of the more colorful characters of the 17th-century musical world: a Roman aristocrat, composer, marriage broker (!) and spendthrift who was chased by scandal and debt from Rome to Venice to Turin to Genoa, where he was stabbed to death at age 38. The music on this disc–two sinfonias (for violin and viola da gamba with continuo) and four cantatas for solo soprano–is entirely worthy of such a personality: melodies that don't end quite where you'd expect; impossibly long, giddy coloratura phrases; surprising effects, such as those of a violin playing a melody in parallel thirds using double-stops. It's very challenging for the musicians, certainly; but as this disc demonstrates, it's heady stuff when performed well. The instrumentalists, especially violinist Ingrid Matthews and gambist Mary Springfels, play with a winning combination of energy, good taste, and striking tone. Christine Brandes's slight, clear soprano isn't particularly distinctive, but she's an outstanding singer. The rapid descending scales of a jilted lover's furious lament, the lively grace of a simple triple-time air, the impossibly long runs and high notes of the extravagantly lamenting Ariadne: whatever Scarlatti dishes out, she handles with ease.

Matthew Westphal, Amazon.com

So many good things on this CD I hardly know where to begin, but I'll start by saying that every selection on it is like a divine revelation! The music is exotic as one would expect from Tavener who preceded this music by the "Fall and Resurrection" from which he extracted the theme for "The Hidden Face". And a hypnotic melody it is!"The Hidden Face" is a prayer, for solo countertenor,oboe, and a distant group of muted violins and viols. It deals with the Eastern Orthodox concept of prayer.The disc also includes two other selections involving the countertenor voice with viols:"Apokatastasis" also features Tibetan bowls;the word means:a spititual state of ecstasy. "Nipson" is the title of the second selection and refers to "cleansing the sins." But let's mention the skill it takes for the singer to sing these Tavener tunes. It has to be someone like Michael Chance to handle them for he does bear the brunt of the work on this album. And the closing arrangement of Purcell's "An Evening Hymn" is a refreshing contrast to what comes before. I've had this CD for quite a while and I never get tired of hearing it. Buy and enjoy!!!!

George Peabody, Amazon.com

Gold Medalist at the 11th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Olga Kern brings her passionate Russian intensity to the most popular of all piano concertos, the Tchaikovsky First. Completing the program is a rarely heard orchestral showpiece, Francesca da Rimini, in a fiery reading by Maestro Seaman and the Rochester Philharmonic.