What are you listening two?

[mcq]

Kicking off the weekend's listening with a wonderful slice of Italian baroque opera in the form of Pergolesi's Adriano in Siria.  Beautifully sung by the principals, Franco  Fagioli and Romina Basso, the title role is taken in commanding fashion by Yuriy Minenko who impressed me a great deal a few years ago in the astonishing recording of Vinci's Artaserse (also featuring Fagioli).  This is highly recommended, a benchmark recording of criminally neglected repertoire.

[mcq]

I've been enjoying this immensely. Jean Rondeau's third release follows in the wake of a striking debut devoted to a selection of solo works by Bach and a second, very enterprising, disc taking in works by Rameau and Royer.  There is a beautiful simplicity in his playing.  Nothing is over-weighted or over-ornamented.  Rondeau is neither overly-studied or ponderous in his approach or eager to thrill or impress with shallow displays of virtuosity.  Everything in his playing serves the music in an honest fashion but he also incorporates a warmth, a sense of rhythmic élan that communicates itself vividly to the listener.  There is a clarity of thought which belies his youth (a mere 26 years) and which promises so much more to come in a long and rewarding career.  The lineage of great French harpsichordists is immensely strong  -  off the top of my head, I can think of Christoph Rousset, Pierre Hantaï, Olivier Baumont, Blandine Verlet,  Céline Frisch, Béatrice Martin and Blandine Rannou  -  and Rondeau is one more name to add to that distinguished list.

[mcq]

Listening to two recent purchases this afternoon, both devoted to Telemann, a composer who I hope will be the subject of a great many releases this year, the 250th anniversary of his death.  

First up was a glorious performance of Telemann's Reformation Oratorio in a world premiere recording.  The conductor is Reinhard Goebel who did so many wonderful things with his ensemble Musica Antiqua Koln and is now passing on his considerable knowledge of period performance to modern instrument groups.  I hope this is the start of a regular working relationship between Goebel and Sony/DHM.  Goebel's latterday work as a conductor of modern instrument groups has been somewhat under-recorded.  The choir here is the sterling Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks who have been part of some magical performances of Bach's four large-scale masterpiece under the direction of their artistic director, Peter Dijkstra.



I then listened to a new recording from Concerto Melante, Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott.  An earlier release, Spirituosa, also centred on Telemann and was one of the finest single-disc surveys of this composer's instrumental output that I have heard so I was really looking forward to this one.  The group perform two cantatas and three chamber works, all of which are newly discovered and are testament to Telemann's staggering consistency as a composer, whose prodigious output is always matched by a superior quality which distinguished him from the very many other fine composers that comprised the German Baroque.

[markof]

[mcq]

I'm looking forward to that CD, Mark.  Leclair's music is seriously undervalued.  I love this version of the violin concertos.



Here are some other favourite Leclair recordings.

[mcq]

Kicking off the day's listening with Son of England, the new release from Vincent Dumestre's ensemble, Le Poème Harmonique.  Many of the greatest recordings of Purcell have come from French shores.  Phillippe Herreweghe recorded two superlative discs devoted to this repertoire.  One of Christophe Rousset's most notable achievements was Harmonia Sacra, a singularly beautiful recording of Purcell's sacred music with Rosemary Joshua.  Philippe Pierlot recorded a serenely beautiful selection with countertenors Damien Guillon and Carlos Mena and his Ricercar Consort.  And revelatory versions of Dido and Aeneas have been recorded by Hervé Niquet and Rene Jacobs.  

This is another richly rewarding recording featuring committed performances of great depth and beauty which are profoundly satisfying.  A notable coupling is a premiere recording of a work of a hitherto-ignored contemporary, Jeremiah Clarke, whose Ode on the Death of Henry Purcell is here recorded for the first time in preference to John Blow's gorgeous elegy of the same name.  It is a poignant work, reverential in tone,  and performed with a hushed eloquence that is particularly notable.  Hopefully this will be the start of further investigations into this neglected composer's works.

[mcq]

Listening this afternoon to Pamela Thorby's warm-hearted  traversal of Telemann's endlessly rewarding Recorder Sonatas and Fantasies.  This is intoxicating music of charm, wit and grace, melodically rich and played with an infectious sense of playfulness.  I have loved previous recordings of ths repertoire by gifted musicians such as Dan Laurin, Maurice Steger and Dorothee Oberlinger and this will take pride of place beside those treasured CDs.

[mcq]

Listening this evening to this 3-CD traversal of Zelenka's complete orchestral music.  This is ceaselessly inventive music, where astringent sonorities rub shoulders with lyricism of the most tender sweetness.   I must have bought this set over 10 years ago and I forget how many times I have listened to this music and yet it continues to nourish the mind and gladden the heart with each passing listen.  Truly remarkable music.

[mcq]

Finishing up the day's listening with Maude Gratton's inspired performance of keyboard concertos by W.F. Bach.  This composer's work has been sorely neglected on record and this recording (and Gratton's earlier, and similarly revelatory, disc devoted to a selection of the man's keyboard works) demonstrate just what we have been missing.  This is forward-thinking, richly inventive music of elegance and great style, performed with bravura by Gratton and her ensemble.  Quite superb.

[markof]

I'm looking forward to that CD, Mark.  Leclair's music is seriously undervalued.  I love this version of the violin concertos.



Here are some other favourite Leclair recordings.

Many thanks for the recommendations. I'm not familiar with Leclair; it was Fabio Biondi that attracted me to listen to the recording - and really liked it.
I'll definitely check on your list.
Mark