New Releases

[Todd]

Does anyone know if these are brand new recordings or a collection of existing albums? And if existing, are they any good?

Based on the pianist's discography, I think it's new, though I may be mistaken.

[Florestan]

To HIP, or not to HIP

In this case we can have both answers --- as opposed to the original question, alas! 

[Brian]

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

I don't like it when they mix genre on one release (concerto+sonata).

[Brian]

Not too early to start thinking about FEBRUARY



(Tan Dun conducts too)



Chandos is unfortunately using the old numbering. 8 = Unfinished





There are instruments and then there are instruments ... On the one hand a violin, trumpet or lead guitar so firmly planted in the spotlight that everyone else on stage is reduced to a supporting role. On the other a bassoon, double bass, drum set or Hammond organ, providing the harmonic and rhythmic backdrop against which the soloist can shine But what if the background instruments rebel? What if they strike back? ORBI – the Oscillating Revenge of the Background Instruments – is the result: four musicians making their bass-heavy instruments howl and growl (and sing!) in a mix of symphonic rock, thrusting metal and a little blues, 100% instrumental and lead-singer free. Of this Dutch quartet, Bram (on bassoon) and Rick (double bass) both pursue high-profile careers in classical music. Marijn (percussion) is classically trained but also studied in West Africa and India, and is active in many musical genres as well as multimedia projects. And keyboardist Sven Figee, finally, plays jazz, pop and rock in various constellations. Choosing from their own favourite playlists, and with the help of arranger Marijn van Prooijen, they have come up with a mix of music and sounds that is as weird and wonderful as it is surprising and addictive.

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Also coming on Chandos, but no artwork available to me yet:

Arriaga - Orchestral Works
BBC Philharmonic / Juanjo Mena

Tasmin Little Plays Amy Beach, Clara Schumann, and Ethel Smyth
with John Lenehan

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet Plays Schumann
Sonata No. 3 + Faschingsschwank aus Wien + Gesang der Frühe + the late Drei Klavierstücke

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Also coming on Ondine, but only back cover artwork is available to me:

[Mandryka]

This year I know of three new Josquin releases, viz. Tallis Scholars with MM di Dadi and Mousse De Biscaye; Metamorphoses Biscantor! with MM Fortuna Desperata and Mousse De Biscaye; Cappella Amsterdam with motets. Altogether a bumper Josquin year, but is it a vintage Josquin year?

They're all relatively recent and I haven't really given any of them the attention they deserve. But I can say this much with a certain confidence: the Tallis Scholars release is excellent, combining poise and intensity and great beauty of tone in a way which I find irresistible. Both masses on their recording may or may not be by Josquin des Prez, and if they are they may or may not be very early works. Whatever. The quality and inventiveness of the music is very high. This CD alone makes 2018 a great Josquin millesime I think.

SQ is fabulous even on Spotify, I can't wait to hear it losslessly.

I have enjoyed the Metamorphoses recording too.

[San Antone]

This CD alone makes 2018 a great Josquin millesime I think.

I bought this one as soon as it came out, and then bought the rest of the Josquin recordings by the Tallis Scholars I didn't have.

[JBS]

This year I know of three new Josquin releases, viz. Tallis Scholars with MM di Dadi and Mousse De Biscaye; Metamorphoses Biscantor! with MM Fortuna Desperata and Mousse De Biscaye; Cappella Amsterdam with motets. Altogether a bumper Josquin year, but is it a vintage Josquin year?

They're all relatively recent and I haven't really given any of them the attention they deserve. But I can say this much with a certain confidence: the Tallis Scholars release is excellent, combining poise and intensity and great beauty of tone in a way which I find irresistible. Both masses on their recording may or may not be by Josquin des Prez, and if they are they may or may not be very early works. Whatever. The quality and inventiveness of the music is very high. This CD alone makes 2018 a great Josquin millesime I think.

SQ is fabulous even on Spotify, I can't wait to hear it losslessly.

I have enjoyed the Metamorphoses recording too.

Slight mixup here. The Di Dadi/Mousse CD was released in 2016.
This is the Josquin they released last month
[asin]B07FTNNKN8[/asin]
But I think your comments about the quality of the performance apply to this one.

[Mandryka]

Slight mixup here. The Di Dadi/Mousse CD was released in 2016.
This is the Josquin they released last month
[asin]B07FTNNKN8[/asin]
But I think your comments about the quality of the performance apply to this one.

Thank you! I'll listen to that one today.

[San Antone]

Slight mixup here. The Di Dadi/Mousse CD was released in 2016.
This is the Josquin they released last month
[asin]B07FTNNKN8[/asin]
But I think your comments about the quality of the performance apply to this one.

You are correct - I had gotten them mixed up, but I also bought the one from 2016 (although Mandryka implied it had come out in 2018). 

I like them all.

[king ubu]

Is he good? Don't know him at all yet, but saw plenty of promo for this disc already. He'll be playing as part of a series I subscribe to in March ... this is on the menu that night - looks interesting enough for sure:

Bach, Chromatische Fantasie & Fuge d-Moll BWV 903
Schubert, Fantasie C-Dur D 760 «Wandererfantasie»
Chopin, Polonaise-Fantasie As-Dur op. 61
Mussorgsky, Bilder einer Ausstellung

[Madiel]

Not too early to start thinking about FEBRUARY

I haven't ruddy well navigated Christmas yet.

[Mandryka]

I like them all.

I thought Gaudeamus was very British.  Self assured, expressive without being demonstrative. Beautiful tone beautifully recorded, of course.

You know, British choirs have a reputation for this, professional accurate singers who can give many performances very well. They can cope confidently with an intense work rhythm. There's a paper by Christopher Page where he argues that the work regime, the training and the ethos, of British choirs is like how it was for early choirs, and that gives us Brits a special authority about how to sing early music. It's as if he's saying that British choirs are a particularly authentic early music instrument, as it were.

A friend of mine who's sung  in the Tallis Scholars once said that the first time he rehearsed with Philips he was amazed at the managed professionalism of it. It was just assumed that you really knew your part well, that you had mastered the score, before coming. Philips just gets them to sing, makes some points about nuances etc and BANG!!! on to the next one.

[Traverso]

I thought Gaudeamus was very British.  Self assured, expressive without being demonstrative. Beautiful tone beautifully recorded, of course.

You know, British choirs have a reputation for this, professional accurate singers who can give many performances very well. They can cope confidently with an intense work rhythm. There's a paper by Christopher Page where he argues that the work regime, the training and the ethos, of British choirs is like how it was for early choirs, and that gives us Brits a special authority about how to sing early music. It's as if he's saying that British choirs are a particularly authentic early music instrument, as it were.

A friend of mine who's sung  in the Tallis Scholars once said that the first time he rehearsed with Philips he was amazed at the managed professionalism of it. It was just assumed that you really knew your part well, that you had mastered the score, before coming. Philips just gets them to sing, makes some points about nuances etc and BANG!!! on to the next one.

The choir members know what is expected of them so that mr Philips only has to make some nuances. It is more important that the choir members stay fresh and give their best during recording in the studio or church.
There is of course a big difference between the conductors. Take the difference in opinion of the Stabat Mater from Palestrina.
Listen to Andrew Parrott with his almost improvised freer approach and that of Peter Philips.

[Mandryka]

I think there is an English tradition in early vocal music of working very quickly through very large amounts of repertoire -- think of the sheer volume and pace of output of people like Rooley, Philips, Hillier, Page. Contrast with Stratton Bull or Walter Testolin or Giuseppi Maletto or Thomas Binkley.

[San Antone]

You know, British choirs have a reputation for this, professional accurate singers who can give many performances very well. They can cope confidently with an intense work rhythm. There's a paper by Christopher Page where he argues that the work regime, the training and the ethos, of British choirs is like how it was for early choirs, and that gives us Brits a special authority about how to sing early music. It's as if he's saying that British choirs are a particularly authentic early music instrument, as it were.

I have consistently enjoyed British recordings of early music.  But they are not praised by everyone on GMG.  I remember posting how I like this set:



And it being criticized by Que and The New Erato (I think).   

You can't please everyone all of the time.   

[The new erato]

Critized is a too strong Word, I'd rather say I prefer other ways of presenting the Music.

[Traverso]

I have consistently enjoyed British recordings of early music.  But they are not praised by everyone on GMG.  I remember posting how I like this set:



And it being criticized by Que and The New Erato (I think).   

You can't please everyone all of the time.   

The recordings in this box are really very fine indeed. The recording of the Josquin Desprez CD is one of my all time favorites.The Ockeghem requiem is also a beauty.

[Que]

I have consistently enjoyed British recordings of early music.  But they are not praised by everyone on GMG.  I remember posting how I like this set:



And it being criticized by Que and The New Erato (I think).   

You can't please everyone all of the time.   

I do not recall commenting on these particular recordings - and I am not familiar with (all of) them... 

If you search the forum for "Oxbridge" you'll find that it is actually Mandryka used that term for a certain style of performing Early Music, and that you've had in fact discussions with him in the past on that topic.

Anyway, that doesn't take away from the fact that for Early Franco-Flemish repertoire, I am inclined to look for a different style than the Hilliard's.

Q

[San Antone]

Critized is a too strong Word, I'd rather say I prefer other ways of presenting the Music.

I do not recall commenting on these particular recordings - and I am not familiar with (all of) them... 

If you search the forum for "Oxbridge" you'll find that it is actually Mandryka used that term for a certain style of performing Early Music, and that you've had in fact discussions with him in the past on that topic.

Anyway, that doesn't take away from the fact that for Early Franco-Flemish repertoire, I am inclined to look for a different style than the Hilliard's.

Q

Fair enough.   

The recordings in this box are really very fine indeed. The recording of the Josquin Desprez CD is one of my all time favorites.The Ockeghem requiem is also a beauty.

Another precinct reporting ...