One of the joys of running my kind of service is that I get the opportunity to listen to many more records than I could ever personally afford to buy. I have been particularly struck by the range of wonderful recordings coming from overseas.
I do not generally pick on one CD to make a great noise about, but recently I have found access to the Alpha label has been easier and have discovered their CD entitled NOVA METAMORFOSI. The subtitle (Sacred Music in Milan in the early seventeenth century) does not really given much of a clue as to the joys to be discovered within. The performers, Le Poème Harmonique directed by Vincent Dumestre, were not knon to me. But what a production!! The music is itself very enjoyable but the performance is something else. Intonation the like of which is rarely heard, singers whose personality does not obstruct the musical line and whose phrases do not die into terminal vibrato, amazing decorations which would have brought joy the Ganassi and other theorists of the time. And I am not alone - I recently set up stall at an Early Music course and had three copies. Customers were given the opportunity to listen and all three copies were sold within half an hour. A CD to die for - ALPHA 039.
I shall continue to scour as many foreign catalogues as I can to find the best in Early Music recordings and will encourage overseas companies to supply recordings for review in UK journals. I take a small personal pride in having introduced some overseas companies to UK distributors which makes obtaining the CDs much easier.
I continue to be amazed at the sheer number of releases of recordings of Early Music particularly in the light of the doom and gloom in the Recording Industry as a whole. I add around 90 new releases to my database each month. Regretably not all these are new releases but re-releases of old recordings, repackaged and repriced (often at a considerably lower price than originally). However it is good to see some of these back on the shelves since the other regret that I have is the number of important recordings which are being deleted. I mourn in particular the loss of three recordings - Utopia Triumphans, Rosenmuller Vespers and the Feast of San Rocco. Hopefully some of these will reappear in new guises and at lower prices in the fullness of time.
A list that I have found particularly interesting is Ricercar (number preface RIC) which has a high concentration of interesting recordings one of the more recent of these being Rogier's Missa Domine Dominus noster performed by Choeur de Chambre de Namur, La Fenice, Ricercar Consort, Doulce Mémoire, Tubery (A436).It was a great pleasure to take part in a course which studied this. It confirmed to me what a fine work this is.
This same label has recently released Scheit's Prima Pars Concertum Sacrorum with the Ricercar Consort and La Fenice (A835). Not to be missed!
A new label which is coming up with some very fine recordings is Signum UK.They have released the first four of the proposed 9 CDs of The Complete Works of Thomas Tallis by Chapelle du Roi. They plan to release 2 further CDs in this series each year (although even this schedule is difficult to maintain). This combination has also produced a recording of Music for Philip of Spain (1925) which includes the Richafort Requiem with motets by Gombert, Josquin, Guerrero and Lobo.
Signum have also released several recordings by charivari agréable: one entitled rather confusingly Music for Philip of Spain but a supplementary title and his four wives clarifies things a little. The other Two upon a Ground is one that I have enjoyed particularly but then I am a sucker for music over grounds.Their most recent recordings have continued the high standards of performance.
One which gives me particular pleasure: The Triumphs of Maximillian performed by Musica Antiqua of London with John Potter (tenor) and directed by Philip Thorby (2054). This is a disc of songs and instrumental music from 16th century Germany. I recall hearing a performance of this repertoire by these artists some years ago. Subsequently the attempt to release this recording has been doged by a series of misfortunes including the loss of the master tape. However the recording has been worth waiting for and the performances of these rarely recorded works are to my ears very fine.
Among the recordings that still give me particular pleasure are (the numbers are those used in my catalogue):
The Bach Cantata recordings by the Bach Collegium of Japan now up to their 18th volumes and continuing to maintain the same very high standard. Their recording of Schütz (1542) has proved well worth waiting for as has their St. Matthew Passion. Their Monteverdi 1610 Vespers (4669) worthily stands along side such classics as the recording by the Taverner Consort (898).
Concerto Italiano singing Musica Sacra by Monteverdi (724) and his 4th and 6th books of Madrigals (A338 & 1177)
The recording of the Canzonas and Sonatas from Sacrae Symphoniae 1597 by His Majesty's Sagbutts and Cornetts (1330) is essential listening for all Gabrieli enthusiasts.
Two artists who continue to give me particular pleasure are Jean Tubery (cornetto) (A226, A227 and others), in particular his recent Castello disc entitled In stilo moderno (A561), another dazzling display of cornetto playing and Maria-Christina Kiehr (soprano) (A100, A227 and others) who each exemplify ideally appropriate instrumental and vocal styles. Her recording of Monteverdi Pianto della Madonna has confirmed what an extraordinarily fine singer she is. This recording has made me revisit with great pleasure her recording Ave Maria with La Fenice and Elseneur (A759).
For enthusiasts of music for Viol Consorts I would particularly recommend the two recordings by Phantasm. Their recording of the Complete Fantasias of Purcell (A289) won the Gramophone award for the best Baroque (non vocal) recording in 1998 and their release of Fantasias by Byrd and Lupo (A446) sounds equally good.
Perhaps the most interesting newly available recording which have come my way recently are from Sony Hispanica. (A616 - A648 and A705 - A709). These are not new recordings but are refreshing in that they offer a different and very lively interpretation of Spanish Medieval Music.
I would also like to commend very warmly two recordings by the Cantors of Exeter University diected by David Allinson (Salve Regina 1472 & Stabat Mater A689). No ordinary University choir this - their performances of music of the late 15th and early 16th centuries stand comparison with any of the well known Early Music singing groups.Listen particularly to William Cornysh, junior's Wofully araide on the Stabat Mater CD..
Other reliable sources of recordings of particular interest and quality are those coming from the Harp Consort and the solo discs from Andrew-Lawrence-King. In particular I would commend La Purpura de la Rosa (2442). Also I have been impressed by recordings from Jordi Savall's label Alia Vox. Having heard a short extract of their new recording of Lully I am strongly reminded of the image of the orchestra in the film, Tous les Matins du Mond.
Finally for sheer "wow power" The recording by Les Haulz et les Bas entitled "Alta Danza" - Dance music from 15th Century Italy. Their combination of 2 shawms, slide trumpet and bombard produces a simply magnificent sound.
However the small number of records which I could not live without continue to be:
Luz y Norte by Ribayaz (323) played with such verve and rhythmic vitality by the Harp Consort that multinational multitalented group of musicians. This is also my best selling disc and still my personal favourite of all the CDs I have had a chance to hear. If you have not heard Carolan's Harp, their next disc (1100) I would recommend it as a complete contrast.
Running close is Jacaras: music for guitars which is similarly lively but with not so much variety of tone colour.
All Souls Vespers: Requiem Music from Cordoba Cathedral (1079), Ave Maris Stella: Music from Seville Cathedral (A214) and The Marriage of England and Spain performed by The Orchestra of the Renaissance under the direction of Richard Cheetham with an international group of instrumentalists and singers. Their fourth, a recording of Guerrero's Requiem has now been released and maintains the very high standards set in the earlier recordings.
Recent new releases which have particularly impressed me include Fire ~ Water by King'singers and the Harp Consort, Spanish Gipsies by the Harp Consort and a trio of real winners from Harmonia Mundi:
Maria Christina Kiehr singing 'Cantata la Maddelena' - who says that a 'straight' voice cannot express emotion? This finally proves that you do not need a heavy vibrato to give the music feeling.
Orchestra of the Renaissance performing settings of the Song of Songs - more sexy music.
Concerto Palatino playing Gabrieli with two organs (the sort of disposition at St Marks until they removed the organs). Wonderful playing.
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