Sweelinck, Jan Pieterszoon

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Wonderfully Addictive CD!

Music for Trumpet and Organ

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Bach: Works for Trumpet
Caprice - Alison Balsom
Amanda
Trumpeting by Nature: An Efficient Guide to Optimal Trumpet Performance
Jens Lindemann: Rising Sun

ASIN: B00006JC6U
Release Date: 2003-02-04

Tracks:

Variations On 'Mein Junges Leben Hat Ein End'
Allemande From Partita II, BWV 1004
Musike From 'King Arthur'
Musike From 'King Arthur'
Musike From 'King Arthur'
Musike From 'King Arthur'
Shenandoah
Elegy
Semaine Sainte A Cuzco
Vocalise-Etude, Pour Voix Elevees
Okna, Podle Marca Chagalla
Okna, Podle Marca Chagalla
Okna, Podle Marca Chagalla
Okna, Podle Marca Chagalla

Customer Reviews:

Wonderfully Addictive CD!.......2006-02-08

Inspired by a recent recital performance I attended featuring Ms. Balsom, I purchased her latest CD ("Bach Works for Trumpet"). I was completely blown away by her performance and immediately fell in love with the disc. And so began my quest to find "Music for Trumpet and Organ"- her debut album, released in the US in 2003.

I finally got it yesterday. I decided to put it in my CD player, and take it in while reading the program notes she included in the CD jacket. Wow, what a performance!

Ms. Balsom plays everything from Sweelinck's "Variations on 'Mein junges Leben hat ein End'" to Petr Eben's "Windows" with a sweet and captivating tone, and with virtuosic technical ability to match. Her performance on the "suite" of excerpts from Act IV of Purcell's "King Arthur," played on the baroque trumpet (basically a trumpet with no valves) was especially remarkable; and her performances of "Shenandoah" and George Thalben-Ball's "Elegy" on the flugelhorn were incredibly passionate. She captures the emotion of the pieces well.

Whether your interests are in late Renaissance or Baroque music, 20th century music, or anything in between; it's on this CD. And it's all played incredibly well. I would recommend reading her program notes that accompany the CD, they really add a lot to her performance.

Consort of Musicke by William Byrd & Orlando Gibbons; Sweelinck: Fantasia in D (The Glenn Gould Edition)

Average customer rating:

Glenn Gould's strange genius, Sony's parsimony
Gould has never played so sublimely.....Sweelinck is amazing!
Enraptured visions!
Brilliant
Another Remarkable GG Recording...

Consort of Musicke by William Byrd & Orlando Gibbons; Sweelinck: Fantasia in D (The Glenn Gould Edition)
Glenn Gould , William Byrd , Orlando Gibbons , and Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000028NB
Release Date: 1993-06-29

Tracks:

First Pavan And Galliard
Fanasy In C Major
Allemande (Italian Ground)
Hughe Ashton's Ground
Sixth Pavan And Galliard
'Lord Of Salsibury' - Pavan And Galliard
A Voluntary
Sellinger's Round
Fantasia In D

Customer Reviews:

Glenn Gould's strange genius, Sony's parsimony.......2007-03-12

Glenn Gould was a master of slow tempos, holding long melodic and contrapuntal lines together without using the damper pedal or any obvious pianistic tricks, and his extraordinary way with simple keyboard pieces shines through on this disc.

And even though these compositions are light stuff compared to the towering Bach masterpieces he recorded, there is plenty to enjoy here. And don't feel bad that Byrd and Gibbons are not played on a virginal. Nearly an hour of twanging away at these intimate, charming and modest pieces might drive an earnest modern listener crazy. Feel good about the heft and color of the modern Steinway. Gould brings body and warmth to what might otherwise be very minor pieces.

The "bonus" Sweelinck piece is further evidence of Gould's genius, but the sound quality is absolutely atrocious--taken from Canadian television in 1964 it sounds like something from a basement behind the Iron Curtain in the darkest, most technologically challenged days of Stalin's Cold War.

These are fine recordings that owe everything to Gould's eccentric and pure musical vision, but it must be stated that Sony Classical has hardly been generous with these reissues. The liner notes to this disc archly refer to "Columbia" in quotes, as if the record company that defined an entire era in classical music, comprehensively recording Bruno Walter, Leonard Bernstein, George Szell, Igor Stravinsky, and Glenn Gould, among countless other icons of the era, were a fictional bygone relic that modern day corporate record executives somehow have to refer to "in quotes."

One can hardly imagine that a perfectionist and technophile like Gould would allow such a poorly reproduced cut to be tacked on to one of the records he so lovingly produced.

Gould has never played so sublimely.....Sweelinck is amazing!.......2006-09-08

These recordings are absolute gems. In fact I daresay nothing like these performances has come before nor will come again. Gould is a genius, and the music he performs is timeless as well as historical. One can listen to this music and be transported to the 16th century, such is the power, beauty and effectiveness of Gould's interpretations. I cannot say enough of Gibbons and Sweelink, these masters are terribly underrated and unheard. Gould's touch is magical, technical virtuosity meets a true anachronistic artist. To the naysayers I say they have ears to ear yet do not hear, or in one ear and out the other. Anyone sensitive to true art will appreciate this music. Gould's performances and the composed music transcends banal quibbles like "he plays it too fast", or "it should be played on a virginal". Long live Byrd, Gibbons, Sweelinck and Gould!

Enraptured visions!.......2006-02-07

The interpretative art of Glenn Gould reached sidereal dimensions in this occasion playing the British virginalists. Gould made the complete journey and ellaborated a fine and fascinating portrait about the moods, mesmerizing approach, creating a spelling atmsophere around every single piece of this treasured album.

For all those who admire and still remaind his genius, this album is among his multiple golden recordings a special value.
Inspiered and fine recordings that will reward even the most exigenet listener.

A must-buy.

Brilliant.......2006-01-08

I echo the Spotlight review of J. Anderson, above, who has written eloquently. This music is a transporting experience.

Another Remarkable GG Recording..........2004-05-24

As a GG fan for over 30 years, I thought I knew most of his work; Sony, however, has issued more than was previously available--in a most excellent form. And so, I have the pleasure of discovering yet more wonderful GG works.

I had previously heard of the infamous Byrd/Gibbons recordings in the later 1970s; however, I had never actually heard the recordings themselves (--somehow the LP escaped me). Anyway, I am pleased to announce that this is another remarkable GG recording, and the infamy is due only to critics with a lack of understanding.

Tracks:

Sicut Cervus
Ave Maria
Justorum Animae
Jesu Rex admirabilis
Exultate Deo
Exultate Justi
Jesu,Dulcis Memoria
Ave Verum Corpus
Psalm 90
Psalm 96
Hodie Christus Natus Est
O Maria Virgo Pia
Tu Pauperum Refugium
O Sacrum Convivium
If Ye Love Me,Keep My Commandments
Hosanna To The Son Of David
O Quam Gloriosum
Selig sind die Toten
Heu Nos Miseros
Exaltabo Te
O Sing Joyfully
O Magnum Mysterium
Laudate Nomen
Cantate Domino

Amazon.com

Go right to the first track and prepare for one of the most masterful and stylish performances of Palestrina that you'll ever hear. It's not flashy music nor is the singing especially virtuosic, but the unified phrasing, ideal balance among sections, and overall ensemble technique is impressive, and Palestrina's little motet simply opens and displays itself like a beautiful flower. The rest of the program, which includes a variety of beautiful flowers from composers such as Josquin, Sweelinck, and Tallis, maintains the same standard. Anyone looking for an introduction to Renaissance sacred choral music will find much here to encourage further exploration--standards like Byrd's "Ave verum corpus" and Victoria's "O magnum mysterium"-- and lesser known tiny masterpieces such as Victoria's "Jesu, dulcis memoria." The Voices of Ascension ranks with the world's finest choirs, and this recording reflects both the highest standard of choral singing and the highest standard of choral composition during the Renaissance. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Great literature... but thats about it.......2007-06-17

This cd was mildly dissapointing, to say the least. The literature is fantastic. Some of the greats are featured on here with some of their best works. No doubt a great taste of the Renaissance, especially for someone new to it. However, I'm sorry to say that the performance is second-rate, at best. Dennis Keene apparently is either unaware, or just simply understudied when it comes to the Renaissance. He shows an incredible lack of messa di voce, which was what drove the counterpoint of the Renaissance. His interpretations rob this music of its deeply personal purpose. I would suggest the Hilliard Ensemble over any ensemble for Renaissance literature, and find it dissapointing that so many people praise such emotionless, understudied Renaissance ensembels such as the Voices of Ascension, the Tallis Scholars, and the Oxford Camerata, just to name a few. Very good literature... But always pick the Hilliard Ensemble or Anthony Rooley's Consort of Musike when you have the option. It seems like Paul Hillier and Anthony Rooley are the only two true Renaissance scholars currently conducting ensembles.

Essential listening........2007-03-05

This was my first CD of Renaissance choral music, as it undoubtably has been for a great many people. It offers the best possible introduction to the genre for 2 main reasons: 1. No other CD of Renaissance choral music contains such a varied cross-section of early to late Renaissance sacred music styles. 2. The performance and recording quality are fabulous.

Keene uses a variety of different voicings and numbers of singers according to the needs of each particular piece, sometimes with only 2 on a part. The ensemble heard on this recording is a select professional core of The Voices Of Ascension, one of the best choral groups in the country. The voices are all very rich and resonant, and the intonation through the entire CD is unquestionably on par with the best in the world. The singing is, for the most part, completelly vibratoless and extremely smooth, which creates a gorgeous purity that allows this music to shine. However, it does become strident at times, which may put off some choral conductors who are strongly against straight-tone singing.

Of particularly high quality and beauty are the Viadana "Exultate Justi", Byrd's "Ave Verum Corpus", Tallis' "O Sacrum Convivium", and the Victoria and Sweelinck pieces. Another extraordinary track is Leonardo Leo's "Heu Nos Miseros", a late Baroque piece included because of its influence from earlier styles. It is a 9 part double choir piece full of extravigant dissonances and emotion, performed breathtakingly.

Captivating!.......2006-04-12

I was christened as a choral music fan once, as a college student, I heard the music of the Cambridge Singers. Inundated with classical music for years, how could I never have heard such music?! It was as if my musical senses were born anew: for it was with the same awe as a child encountering the world for the first time, that I discovered this novel and fascinating world of a cappella choral music. There were landmark discoveries along the way: Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge; Concordia Choir; St. Olaf Choir; the Dale Warland Singers; the Kansas City Chorale; Kantorei; the West Coast Mennonite Chamber Singers...and (as you expected!) I must end with the Voices of Ascension. The clarity of their pure voices can only be paralleled by the Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge. Chant haters, do not avoid this CD - you will find no chants here! Chants hold absolutely NO intrigue for me and I cannot endure listening to them for long periods of time. By contrast, this music, aptly named "Beyond Chant," truly does uncover hidden musical treasures of the Renaissance for those who would ordinarily avoid such music. The intricately woven a cappella harmonies are captivating and satisfying. I highly recommend this CD to all choral music fans.

Lofty music.......2005-10-14

Some of the earliest pieces of Christian music are the various kinds of chant. These hearken back to synagogue singing; there were various kinds of chant, including Gregorian, Old Roman, Mozarabic, Cistercian and Anglican chant. These tend toward the monophonic, singing with a single 'tune' or lone. They are generally without regular beats or set meters. However, in the Renaissance, monophonic chant grew into a polyphonic form, and this is one of the most glorious eras of music. (My shelves at home are filled with CDs of this sort.) Composers in this era include many represented on this disc - Palestrina, Desprez, Victoria, Lassus, Byrd, Gibbons and Tallis were some of the leading lights of the time. Lesser known but still glorious include Tye, Viadana, Sweelinck, Hassler, Batten and Schutz.

One of the interesting features of this disc is that it includes three pieces by Sweelinck, two psalm settings and 'Hodie Christus Natus Est'. (Sweelinck is very under-represented in recording and performance today). Some pieces are very well known - Byrd's 'Ave Verum Corpus' is perhaps one of the most familiar pieces from this period, as is Palestrina's 'Exultate Deo'. This is a collection that draws from the breadth of the Western Christian tradition of music from this time, with composers from Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Spain.

The composers here wrote liturgical music for Masses and other worship services, as well as other pieces - motets and other kinds of new music. This disc represents music that is two or three steps removed from plainsong and basic forms of chant - some are quite a bit distant. Viadana's composition for 'Exultate Justi', for example, was actually composed later, and despite being done in a more Renaissance style, shows decided influences of the Baroque (this might also be part of the performance of the Voices of the Ascension that gives this impression).

The Voices of Ascension, under the direction of Dennis Keene, grew out of the choir of the Church of the Ascension in New York City. Many of the singers are active soloists in addition to being part of this group (whose numbers vary, but often around 40). Keene is a conductor, organist and teacher (not an uncommon combination). Trained at Juilliard, he has led the Voices of Ascension through many outstanding recordings and performances.

This is a performance that is definitely uplifting, and a good collection of music in its breadth to introduce the glories of Renaissance polyphony to those who with little exposure to it. The recording quality is very good, and the choir is quite full and well suited for the music. Some have commented upon the tempo, but this was not a concern for me, and did not stand out as unusual or a problem upon listening (indeed, there were a few points at which I might wish for it to be a bit faster, rather than slower).

A collection that soars!

Slow down Maestro !.......2004-01-04

Another reviewer writing about another album by Dennis Keene wrote:

"Yet the performance is not the slowly flowing honey usually served up by, say, the Tallis Scholars (as good as that is). Particularly in the Gloria and Credo of the Mass, Dennis Keene deliberately de-emphasizes the rise and fall of the different voices' lines in favor of a more naturally speech-like declamation of the long Latin texts. This means a surprisingly fast tempo--and some rhythmic spring and syncopation one might not expect in Palestrina. Some (not all) of the motets get a similar treatment: it works well in joyous pieces like the Pentecost motet Dum complerentur, but listeners might miss that melodic rise and fall in some of the slower works. The singers of Voices of Ascension are quite skillful, and the slight edge in their tone helps make the different melodies unusually audible. Very worthwhile, but not your father's Palestrina."

As a matter of fact, I used to like this album quite much although it was certainly not my favorite. That was until I listened to Robert shaw's "O Magnum Mysterium", which is amedley of Renaissance, negro spiritual, Russian and Western contemporary religious music. I was struck by Shaw's profoundly spiritual interpretation of the pieces by Victoria and Tallis that are also recorded on "Beyond Chant".

From then on I could no longer listen to this cd without feeling feeling increasingly dissatisfied. I tried to find a precise reason and not being a music specialist I was quite at a loss until I found the review above. Maybe the quick tempo is the key to my dislike.

I definitely feel that Dennis Keene and his singers do not have the depth of the Robert Shaw Festival Singers although the booklet accompanying the cd claims that the audience was spellbound by their performance, which took place in a cathedral in New York.

Tracks:

Psaume 128 : Bienheureux est quiconque
Psaume 13 : Jusques as quand as establi
Psaume 104 : Sus, sus mon ame il te faut dire bien
Psaume 163 : Seigneur Dieu, oy l'oraison mienne
Psaume115 : Non point a nous
Psaume 114 : Quand Israel hors d'Egypte sortit
Psaume 137 : Estans assis aux rives aquatiques
Psaume 130 : Du fond de ma pensee
Psaume 128 : Bienheureux est quiconque
Psaume 104 : Sus, sus mon ame il te faux dire bien: 1 partie
Psaume 104 : Sus, sus mon ame il te faux dire bien: 2 partie
Psaume 104 : Sus, sus mon ame il te faux dire bien: 3 partie
Psaume 104 : Sus, sus mon ame il te faux dire bien: 4 partie
Psaume 104 : Sus, sus mon ame il te faux dire bien: 5 partie
Psaume : A toy mon Dieu mon coeur monte
Psaume 33 : Resvillez-vous chacun fidele
Psaume 107 : Donnez au Seigneur gloyre
Par le desert de mers peines
Cantique de Simon

Customer Reviews:

Superb! The authentic worship of the Reformed Church........2007-03-16

Reformed churches should restore this tunes to regular use in the public worship of the Lord.

Surprisingly interesting.......2001-09-04

A recording of psalms sung in French is probably not most people's idea of instant excitement. This record surprises, first, by being memorable and refreshing.

Part of the fact that this record is surprisingly entertaining must go to the credit of the composers of the Genevan psalter themselves. The tunes themselves are simple, like folksongs, and just as memorable. Several arrangements of the same psalm are frequently performed in sequence here: the first, with the bare, monodic melody; a simple four part arrangement, and a more flowery and contrapuntal early baroque arrangement.

Another part of the interest held by this record is that the texts of the versified psalms are quite good. Some were written by the famous poet Clement Marot, and others by Theodore Bezy. They are not the best work of either author, but they do not contain some of the forced lines that made the comparable work out of the English Reformation, the Sternhold-Hopkins metrical psalter, never quite catch on. A full lyric sheet would have been nice, though.

When a hymn tune is identified by names such as 'Old 100,' the reference was to the tunes out of the Genevan psalter. These tunes live on in familiar hymns and doxologies still sung round the world. Despite what you might think, this is a quite lively record.

A MUST FOR LOVERS OF GENEVAN TUNES.......2000-08-05

Recordings of Genevan tunes are rare. GOOD recordings of Genevan tunes are VERY rare. So I'm pleased to inform you that you have discovered something very rare - this is an excellent recording of Genevan tunes!

This CD features the original Genevan tunes originating from the French Reformation, first composed under the influence of the psalm singing Reformer John Calvin in Geneva.

The Goudimel Ensemble sings the melodies accurately, with beautiful harmonies faithful to the time of the Reformation.

The only drawback of this CD for most listeners is that the lyrics are French. However, this is arguably a feature of this CD, attesting to the producer's desire to be faithful to the time of the Reformation by singing the psalms in the language in which they were composed.

There is an air of timelessness about this music - listeners will have the sense that what they are hearing is probably identical to what the French believers in Geneva were listening to nearly five centuries ago.

Customer Reviews:

The Arts Lend a Light to Global Understanding.......2005-10-25

SACRED BRIDGES is not just a recording of great beauty and intensely interesting music, it is also a solid though quiet stance about global understanding, especially in the realm of basic spiritual flow and similarities among the currently (and historically) disjunctive elements of Christianity, Judaism, and Islamism.

The King's Singers couple with Sarband (an instrumental group playing the reed flute, a three-stringed violin, a zither, and a small drum)) present a seamless series of psalms, prayers, incantations and other religious utterances and music from all three religions. The result is uncannily beautiful and enormously moving. From 16th and 17th psalms of Sweelinck, Rossi and Goudimal to Jewish works by composer Hebreo to Islamic ones by composer Ufki, the chants and instrumental episodes form this running song of mood and heightened awareness and are unique and wholly lovely. One cannot step away from this recording without connecting to the thread that joins all religions - if religions are broken down into their essential elements of spirituality, sincerity, and longing for peace and brotherhood.

The performers are, as expected, outstanding and the variety of music will find some new voices for different people depending on their spiritual and musical background. And that is as it should be - a sacred bridge of discovery that we all are beings with shared needs. This recording should be placed in the libraries of not only music enthusiasts, but also in homes where people seek to understand the nebulous differences among these three great belief systems. Highly recommended on every level. Grady Harp, October 05

Transforming Music.......2005-10-16

In a world where the result of our collective knowledge of the diverse cultures is the hope for global understanding, this album is pivotal.

As a Performing Arts Presenter, I had the opportunity to present the United States Premiere of the collaboration between The King's Singers and Sarband--"Sacred Bridges." Before an awed audience of 400 people this album was recreated in its entirety. Performed straight through, without breaks for applause, the work left the audience in stunned silence for a full thirty seconds before applause began from one individual and then grew to the entire group assembled. The end result was aboth a standing ovation and a crescendo generated by the audience that is normally associated with rock concerts.

Take a quiet hour and sit with this album. You will be moved in ways not normally transmitted by the recorded notes. This album represents what occurred on stage for our audience. It's special both for the King's Singers fans, but those looking for a more world music investment for their unmatched vocal harmonies.

Michael Blachly, Director
University of Florida Performing Arts

Average customer rating:

Piet Kee plays Buxtehude & Sweelinck

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000000A4I
Release Date: 1992-07-29

Tracks:

Magnificat primi toni [BuxWV 203]
Engelsche Fortuyn - BUXTEHUDE/SWEELINCK
Ballo del Granduca - BUXTEHUDE/SWEELINCK
Echo Fantasia - BUXTEHUDE/SWEELINCK
Puer nobis nascitur - BUXTEHUDE/SWEELINCK
Praeludium in D major [BuxWV 139]
Ach Herr, mich armen S[BuxWV 178]
Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott [BuxWV 199]
In dulci jubilo [BuxWV 197]
Vater unser im Himmelreich [BuxWV 219]
Praeludium in C major [BuxWV 137]
Canzonetta in G major [BuxWV 171]
Canzona in E minor [BuxWV 169]
Ciacona in E minor [BuxWV 160]

Average customer rating:

Peerless

A Bridge to Bach

Manufacturer: Bridge Records, Inc.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000MRP6PA
Release Date: 2007-02-01

Product Description

Andrew Rangell's latest disc is a recital of compositions that the pianist connects, in various ways, to the music of J.S. Bach. Most of the works which comprise this recital were written in the early to middle 1600's, and Rangell writes that: one can hear fleeting soundprints of Bach here and there: moments of the Goldberg Variations in Sweelinck's Linden Grüne variations or the Tomkins Voluntary; the contrapuntal abstractions of the Art of the Fugue surfacing in Sweelinck's long fantasy or Froberger's mystical ricercares; dance rhythms and metrical patterns from innumerable Bach suites, prefigured in the pavanes and galliards. Though many-faceted, this program is essentially intimate and interior in character. A Bridge to Bach -- a figurative, slightly fanciful designation-- is a metaphor meant to suggest how, for me, all the present pieces are linked, spanned, connected, encompassed. Andrew Rangell's though-provoking recordings for Bridge have sparked considerable debate for their individualistic approach to repertoire and performance practice. Charles Michener in the NY Observer writes: such was Rangell's intensity like the late Glenn Gould, he seemed to be propelled by an irresistible force that the listener's attention was riveted to the music. Andrew Rangell's discography on Bridge includes the following recordings: Schubert: Moments Musicaux, Sonata in B-flat, D. 960; BRIDGE 9153 Peruvian Honeymoon: Chopin, Wolff, Mozart, Valen, Haydn, and Stravinsky; BRIDGE 9154 J.S. Bach: French Overture in b, Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue; Italian Concerto; BRIDGE 9180 Beethoven: Sonatas, No. 10, 17, 24, 9, 27; BRIDGE 9181 Five Sonatas: Janá ek, Stravinsky, Ernesto Halffter, Enescu; BRIDGE 9205

Customer Reviews:

Peerless.......2007-06-21

A disc of staggering grandeur and emotional power. The nearest comparable performance is Murray Perahia's recording of the Handel Suites. In both cases, we're in the realm of the masters.

Sweelinck: Keyboard Music /Herrick (Organ)

Average customer rating:

Sweelinck: Keyboard Music /Herrick (Organ)

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Froberger: The Unknown Works
William Lawes: Consorts in Four and Five Parts

ASIN: B0000AE7AX
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Christmas Vespers at Westminster Cathedral

Average customer rating:

Absolutely gorgeous!

Christmas Vespers at Westminster Cathedral

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Chants | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Magnificats | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
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Christmas at St. John's
The Feast of St. Edward, King and Confessor at Westminster Abbey
Palestrina: Lamentations
Fantasia on Christmas Carols/ The First Nowell/ On Christmas Night
Lighten our Darkness

ASIN: B000I8OIGG
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Tracks:

Gaude Et Laetare
Deus In Adiutorium
Psalm Antiphon
Dixit Dominus
Rex Pacificus Magnificatus Est
Organ Improvisation
Magnifcatus Est Rex Pacificus Super Omnes Reges Universae Terrae
Confitebor Tibi
Magnificatus Est Rex Pacificus
Organ Improvisation
Completi Sunt Dies Mariae, Ut Pareret Filium Suum Primogenitum
Beatus Vir
Completi Sunt Dies Mariae
Organ Improvisation
Psalm Antiphon
Laudate Pueri
Scitote Quia Prope Est Regnum Dei
Organ Improvisation
Levate Capitva Vestra: Ecce Apprpinquabit Redemptio Vestra
Laudate Dominum Omnes Gentes
Levate Capita Vestra
Organ Improvisation
Apparuit Benignitas Et Humanitas Salvatoris Nostri Dei
Responsorium Breve
Christe Redemptor Omnium
Crastina Die
Magnificat Antiphon
Magnificat
Cum Ortus Fuerit Sol De Caelo
Tonus Orationis
Benedicamus Domino
Alma Redemptoris Mater
Post Partum
Elogium
Hodie Christus Natus Est
Fete

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely gorgeous!.......2006-11-24

The Westminster Cathedral Choir does consistently fine work: one can always depend on their precision, musicality and good taste. Their sound is bright and forward, more like a French choral sound than the usually darker English sound. The lush, reverberant acoustics of the cathedral are a joy, particularly when the organ is used.

This is such a beautiful CD; it was just released this month. Here is Roman Catholic liturgy at its finest. You can't listen to this prayerful music, so beautifully sung, and not lament the Church's widespread misunderstanding of the Vatican II liturgy directives, which stated that Gregorian chant, sacred polyphony and the use of the organ should continue to have "pride of place" in the reformed Roman liturgy. Instead, in our zeal to be contemporary, which is a legitimate concern, we have succeeded in cutting ourselves off from centuries of our tradition, and we are the poorer for it.

And so this recording is all the more precious. I think what I enjoy the most here is not the polyphonic motets, which are lovely but which can be found elsewhere. It's the chanted psalmody, especially since chant in the Liturgy of the Hours is relatively under-recorded, compared to the flowering of recordings of chant in the Mass. The beauty of Westminster's chant touches us, as it moves along at a reflective, unhurried pace. It's accompanied by the organ, which is not authentic, but for many of us it's a guilty pleasure, and it's very well done here. The organ also comments on the psalmody in brief improvisations which are a pleasure in themselves.

Five stars aren't really enough to give justice to this fine recording. I can't recommend it highly enough.

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Sweelinck: Organ Works

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000001409
Release Date: 1995-05-01

Tracks:

Toccata In C
Ballo del granduca
Ricercar
Malle Sijmen
Mein junges Leben hat ein End'
Echo Fantasia In A Minor
Onder een linde groen
Toccata In A Minor
Erbarm dich mein, o Herre Gott
Poolsche Dans

Music Composers:

Music Composers

Music Composers