What are you listening two?

[Diapason]

Marvellous music, I must have a look for those recordings.

[mcq]

I started the day listening to a number of new purchases.  First of all, I listened to a superb new recording of Telemann's orchestral suites and concertos as performed by La Petite Bande under the direction of La Petit Bande. I don't recall hearing La Petit Bande in this repertoire before and I was immediately reminded of Jordi Savall's unaffected, loose-limbed, earthy approach with his ensembles when performing baroque music.  This is a really wonderful selection of music, taking in two suites and two concertos for recorder, viola da gamba and oboe, performed with a sense of relish and enthusiasm that is quite infectious.  Very generous running time at 79 minutes as well.



Next, I listened to a recording of a selection of Rameau's pièces de clavecin de concert interspersed with two of his cantatas as performed by Ensemble Amarillis. I have four of the CDs that they recorded for Naive's sister label Ambrosie in my collection and they are among  my favourites because of their sense of joyful spontaneity that they bring into their performances.  This is their first recording for Naive and it is a delight to see them turn to Rameau.  Perhaps the most important thing for any ensemble performing this amazing music is to retain the sense of nobility, tendresse, that Rameau made his very own.  When listening to Rameau's operas, I am reminded time and again of the profundity and sense of morality in Handel's operas and I believe that it is an indication of Rameau's greatness that he came closer than any of his contemporaries in incorporating these emotional qualities into his work.    That is exactly the spirit that Amarillis achieve in this in all of the works featured on this wonderful and utterly life-affirming CD.  The mellow-toned high tenor, Mathias Vidal, is a considerable asset in the performance of the relatively rarely-performed cantatas, Orphée and Le Berger Fidele.  



Finally I listened to a performance of Couperin's Apothéoses performed by Amandine Beyer's marvellous ensemble Gli Incogniti in their debut recording for Harmonia Mundi.  The two Apothéoses, homages to the recently departed Corelli and Lully, have received a superb recording in recent years by Phillippe Pierlot and his Ricercar Consort for the Mirare label (which also generously adds Rebel's Tombeau de Monsieur Lully) but it is always a pleasure to welcome a performance as emotionally charged with inner life as Beyer's to the catalogue.  Lightness of touch is the key here allied to a sense of vibrancy and vivacity which have been hallmarks of all of Beyer's previous recordings for Zig Zag.  The dance-like elements of the scores are brought out with earthy vividness and the more sombre moments are articulated with a striking sense of refined pathos which is quite moving. An auspicious debut for Beyer and Gli Incogniti for Harmonia Mundi.  

[mcq]

Listening this afternoon to a recent reissue, Philipe Herreweghe's direction of a masterpiece of Renaissance music, the Penitential Psalms by Lassus.  Although originally released as recently as 2006, Harmonia Mundi appear to have carelessly allowed this to drift out of the catalogue so it is a relief to see it back in circulation where it should permanently remain.  Other fine versions of the Psalms exist (the versions by Henry's Eight, Hilliard Ensemble and Dufay Ensemble are all profoundly satisfying) but Herreweghe's versions come closest, I feel, to communicating the sheer depth of the creative vision of Lassus.  Listening to these performances I am struck by the sheer beauty of sound that Collegium Vocale Gent produce.  The effect, however, is not one of overwhelming radiance, but, rather, one of intimacy, of stillness, a glorious dialogue born of a profound yearning and a humbling of the spirit between a great composer and his God.  Quite breathtaking music and an extraordinary listening experience.

[mcq]

Listening this evening to a recent release, the Beethoven cello sonatas as performed by Jean-Guihen Queyras and Alexander Melnikov.  These are two of the finest musicians on Harmonia Mundi's roster and this new recording is a wonderful achievement, the best I've heard since András Schiff and Miklós Perényi on ECM and Anne Gastinel and François-Frédéric Guy on Naive.  Wonderful musicianship that simply bursts with life, alternately intimate and reflective or boisterous and outgoing, this is immensely rewarding chamber music that I cannot recommend too highly.

[Jose Echenique]

It´s almost 20 years since a very young and still unknown Marc Minkowski recorded Grétry´s La Caravane du Caire for the Belgian label Ricercar, it was and still is a very good recording, so it is all the more surprising that the same label decided to give it another go with Guy van Waas. La Caravane du Caire is kind of France´s Die Entführung aus den Serail, a Oriental extravaganza with Turkish dances and exotic characters that is fun and enjoyable. Guy van Waas uses a slightly different edition than Minkowski, so there´s some new music to be heard, his orchestra, Les Agrémens is excellent, perhaps even more polished than Minkowski´s Ricercar Academy, made of excellent period musicians of that time, but Les Agrémens show how much better HIP orchestras have become. The singers are also very good, there are no big names, but they are not needed, all are characterful and pleasing. So, this is a welcome issue, perhaps one regrets that with so many Grétry operas still waiting to be recorded an unrecorded one was not preferred, but since this is so good one can´t complain.

[mcq]

Utterly glorious, truly life-affirming music sung with passionate intensity which gladdens the heart and inspires the soul.  Strongly recommended.  I feel so fortunate to be able to come home after a busy day at work and feel my cares drift away as I am transported in mind and body by this miraculous music.  Life is good.

[fergus]

Utterly glorious, truly life-affirming music sung with passionate intensity which gladdens the heart and inspires the soul.  Strongly recommended.  I feel so fortunate to be able to come home after a busy day at work and feel my cares drift away as I am transported in mind and body by this miraculous music.  Life is good.

Good for you; I am not surprised with all of those wonderful looking recordings that you have listed recently!

[fergus]

Another run of Beethoven String Quartets, this time the late quartets played by the Guarneri Quartet....

[mcq]

Listening tonight to the brooding, gravely beautiful music of Armenian composer Tigran Mansurian. Influences of Shostakovich and Bartok abound in this music but I am also reminded of Britten, in particular his marvellous cello suites, which strike me as among the most spiritually resonant music produced in the 20th century.  Wonderful performances from the soloists Kim Kashkashian, Leonidas Kavakos, Anja Lechner and Patricia Kopatchinskaja who are on inspired and committed form in this searingly personal and intensely felt music.

[fergus]

Spohr; Nonet and Octet played by the Wiener Oktett....