JS BACH – ORGELBUCHLEIN BWV 599 – 644
STEPHEN FARR, Organ of StadtKirche, Waltershausen, Germany
RESONUS RES10259 79’02
Unlike some ‘complete’ recordings these sublime chorale settings make for a beautiful programme in their own right. As performed on this organ in Stephen Farr’s continuing project to record the organ works of Bach they make for delightful listening.
FRANCIS POULENC – PIANO CONCERTO & CONCERT CHAMPETRE & other works
MARK BEBBINGTON, piano
JOHN ROBERTS, oboe, JONATHAN DAVIES, bassoon
ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA, JAN LATHAM-KOENIG, conductor
RESONUS RES10256 72’32
This CD presents a balanced programme of works for soloists and orchestra by a composer whose music always sounds fresh and exciting without straying too far from the melodic. A good overview and an entertaining listen.
THEY THAT IN SHIPS UNTO THE SEA GO DOWN – MUSIC FOR THE MAYFLOWER
PASSAMEZZO
RESONUS RES10263 61’23
The Coronavirus pandemic may have put paid to the outdoor celebrations but here we have a wonderful disc that commemorates the setting out for the New World of the Pilgrim Fathers on the Mayflower 400 years ago. These sacred and secular works are taken from books that travelled on the voyage, mostly vocal but with the occasional instrumental piece including music by Dowland, Campion & Richard Allison. A delightful disc with some very interesting settings.
JUAN ESQUIVEL – MISSA HORTUS CONCLUSUS & other works
DE PROFUNDIS, EAMONN DOUGAN, conductor
HYPERION CDA68326 69’29
A disc of music by this still relatively unknown composer from the Spanish Baroque is a very welcome addition. The main work is complimented by a number of other liturgical settings. Included before the Mass is Hortus conclusus by Rodrigo de Ceballos which gives its name to the setting. De Profundis present seem very at home with this music.
STANFORD-GRAY-WOOD-PARRY – SONGS OF FAREWELL
CHOIR OF WESTMINSTER ABBEY, JAMES O’DONNELL, conductor
HYPERION CDA68301 64’45
The classic Anglican cathedral sound is presented well in this CD from Westminster Abbey. Parry’s substantial Songs of Farewell fills the 2nd half but the lesser known and shorter works that lead up to them are equally enjoyable. Together they make for a very satisfying sequence. Recorded not in the Abbey, but at All Hallows, Gospel Oak. Choir, soloists and organist all produce a beautiful blended sound.
HERBERT HOWELLS – MISSA SABRINENSIS
THE BACH CHOIR, BBC CONCERT ORCHESTRA
HELENA DIX, CHRISTINE RICE, BENJAMIN HULETT, RODERICK WILLIAMS
DAVID HILL, conductor
HYPERION CDA68294 71’32
I didn’t know this work. Rather than being part of the Anglican choral tradition this is a large scale concert work for choir, soloists and orchestra, written originally for the Three Choirs Festival at Worcester. After a few initial performances It was not revisited until the composer’s 90th birthday but remains The booklet makes for interesting reading, referring to the near loss of the manuscript when the composer’s bag was stolen from a train! This work deserves to be better known. A lovely bonus track is Michael: A Fanfare setting – a lovely arrangement, originally by the composer, of his well-loved hymn tune for All my hope on God is founded. Choir and orchestra are in good voice.
JANCEVSKIS – AETERNUM
THE MIXED CHOIR OF RIGA CATHEDRAL SCHOOL, JURGIS CABULIS, conductor
HYPERION CDA68328 56’59
I highly recommend this CD of choral music from a Latvian composer who is not yet 30. At times ethereal and relaxing and at other times experimental and more challenging there is great variety and some enthralling performances. The choir of young voices is put through its paces, with demands including some unusual vocal effects as part of the highly disciplined but arresting sound. Unusual texts sit alongside traditional ones. The two longer works here are a setting of O lux beata Trinitas and When (text from Romeo & Juliet).
FADING
THE GESUALDO SIX, OWAIN PARK, conductor
HYPERION CDA68285 64’06
Another beautiful choral disc with interesting programming. Much of the music here is based around the service of Compline which marks the end of the day. Alongside classic English settings by Tallis, Tye & Byrd are contemporary compositions of traditional and contemporary texts. Composers include Joanna Marsh, Veljo Tormis and Owain Park himself. The exquisite blend of The Gesualdo Six enables the music to breathe and soar.
WIDOR – ORGAN SYMPHONIES 1 (Nos. 1 & 2, Op 13)
WOLFGANG RUBSAM, Skinner organ of Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, University of Chicago
NAXOS 8.574161 84’01
WIDOR – ORGAN SYMPHONIES 2 (Nos. 3 & 4, Op 13)
WOLFGANG RUBSAM, Skinner organ of Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, University of Chicago
NAXOS 8.574195 78’03
The Naxos Organ Encyclopedia Series is already an impressive achievement with a range of repertoire, well known and less familiar. It is surprising that it is only now that these works have been recorded as part of the project. It is good to have them presented in sequential order in this format with a substantial and interesting American organ being put through its paces by Mr Rubsam. The 2nd disc includes an original movement from the 2nd Symphony that was subsequently replaced – fascinating to compare the two.
TWO LUTES WITH GRACE – PLECTRUM LUTE DUOS OF THE LATE 15TH CENTURY
MARC LEWTON, lute, PAUL KIEFFER, lute, GRACE NEWCOMBE, voice
NAXOS 8.573854 61’38
Here we have a lovely collection of the earliest surviving repertoire for lute duo, some of it also for voice. This is a very enjoyable programme and an opportunity to hear fine performances of music few are likely to be familiar with.
ANTONIO VERACINI – SONATE DA CAMERA OP 2
ENSEMBLE OPERA QVINTA
DYNAMIC CDS7860 69’03
Here is another release of unusual repertoire. Veracini lived in Florence from late 17th until the early 18th. This music for violin and chamber group has been recorded and released in its entirety for the first time.
TCHAIKOVSKY – ALL-NIGHT VIGIL; SACRED CHORAL WORKS
LATVIAN RADIO CHOIR, SIGVARDS KLAVA, conductor
ONDINE ODE 1352-2 53’33
The bulk of this CD returns us to much more familiar ground with this setting of the Vigil, first performed in a concert setting. Four other short works that follow are far less familiar and make for an interesting conclusion. They include A Jurists’ Song, written for the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Imperial School of Jurisprudence in St Petersburg, where the composer had studied.
SP