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The American Bach Soloists are
proud to announce the release of two new
compact disc recordings.
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Arcangelo Corelli: Six Concerti Grossi, opus
6
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to Purchase
Corelli's publishers printed transcriptions of the composer's
famous Concerti Grossi. They were the most popular works
of the day, and have remained popular among classical music
afficionados. Through a stroke of genius marketing strategies,
the works were transcribed for two recorders (instead of
the customary two violin soloists), in order to make them
accessible to players of other instruments. You'll hear
on this WORLD PREMIERE RECORDING the phenomenal playing
of Dan
Laurin and Hanneke
van Proosdij. Also presented
are three concertos with Corelli's original instrumentation,
featuring violinists Elizabeth Wallfisch and Katherine
Kyme. Tanya Tomkins (violoncello) and Michael
Sponseller (harpsichord)
are soloists throughout. Included is the celebrated "Christmas
Concerto". Jeffrey Thomas conducts the American Bach
Soloists orchestra. DELOS INTERNATIONAL DE-3358 |
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J. S. Bach: Harpsichord Concertos
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to Order
In 1998, the American Bach Soloists inaugurated their International
Young Artists Bach Competition as a way to foster
emerging musicians who wish to pursue a career in early
music. Michael Sponseller received First Place
in that year's competition for harpsichordists. He has since
appeared throughout Europe and North America with critical
acclaim as a soloist, conductor and chamber musician. Also
winner of the Jurow International Harpsichord Competition (2002),
he holds the distinction of being a two-time prizewinner
at the Festival of Flanders International Harpsichord
Competition (Bruges), as well as taking prizes in
Montréal and Kalamazoo. His recitals have been heard at the Smithsonian
Institution, Saint Cecilia’s Hall, Alliance Françaises and at festivals
such as Boston, Berkeley, and Edinburgh. Here he performs three of Bach's most
brilliant harpsichord concertos in D minor, F major (transcribed from the Fourth
Brandenburg Concerto), and A minor (triple concerto with violinist Elizabeth
Blumenstock and flautist Sandra Miller). DELOS INTERNATIONAL DE-3359 |
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What Sweeter Music - Carols
for Christmas
John Karl Hirten, organist
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to Purchase
Listen to mp3 Excerpts:
> Sussex
Carol
> Infant
holy, Infant lowly
> Adam
lay ybounden
> The
blessed son of God
This beautiful recording is a heartwarming
collection of carols performed by the critically
acclaimed American Bach Choir, an ensemble heralded
by the San Jose Mercury News as “the
best baroque chorus I ever hope to hear.” This
disc is a wonderful blend of the unusual and
the traditional - much of the repertoire is
drawn from the 20th century - and provides
the perfect gift for fans of choral music.
Works by
Britten, Darke, Gibbs, Kodály,
Lauridsen, Ord, Pearsall, Rutter, Vaughan
Williams, Walton, and Willcocks. |
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- What sweeter
music - John Rutter (b. 1945)
- Infant holy, Infant lowly - Polish carol arr. David Willcocks (b. 1919)
- Adam lay ybounden - Boris Ord (1897-1961)
- A Boy was born in Bethlehem - Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
- The blessed son of God - Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
- No sad thought his soul affright - Vaughan Williams
- All this time - William Walton (1902-1983)
- While the shepherds were watching - Cecil Armstrong Gibbs (1889-1960)
- What cheer? - Walton
- Sussex Carol - English traditional arr. Willcocks
- Blessed be that maid Mary - English traditional tune arr. Willcocks
- In dulci jubilo - Old German tune arr. R. L. Pearsall (1795-1856)
- A Christmas Carol - Hungarian traditional tune arr. Zoltán Kodály
(1882-1967)
- O Magnum Mysterium - Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943)
- In the bleak mid-winter - Harold Darke (1888-1976)
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Johann
Sebastian Bach:
St. Matthew Passion (recorded Live at the
1996 Berkeley Festival & Exhibition)
Click
to Purchase - 3 CD Set
Listen to mp3 Excerpts:
> Opening Chorus: Kommt,
ihr Töchter
> Alto Aria: Erbarme
Dich (Elizabeth Blumenstock, violin; Judith Malafronte, alto)
> Soprano Aria: Aus
Liebe (Catherine Bott, soprano)
> Final Chorus: Wir
setzen uns
“This is a highly persuasive and moving
Matthew Passion… remarkable for both
its powerful narrative, superbly shaped by
Thomas as Evangelist, and the emotional intensity
of its meditative arias… The band plays
with elegance and suavity… Such a sense
of performance and narrative makes this live
recording the most compelling Matthew Passion
that I have heard on disc.” - Early
Music Review, Cambridge
“The performance represents something
of a tour de force for American Bach Soloists
director Jeffrey Thomas, who not only conducts
but also sings the demanding role of the Evangelist.
Thomas’s contribution, both as conductor
and singer, is distinguished by a rare sense
of integrity, one of the great strengths of
a performance that grows in stature as it progresses… the
chorus produces much to admire, with some particularly
sensitive interjections in the tenor aria “Ich
will bei meinem Jesu wachen” and
the penultimate recitative. The chorales too
are very successful, truly devotional, unmannered,
but at the same time sung with real meaning… The
splendid oboes da caccia here are characteristic
of the outstanding playing Thomas draws throughout
from his American Bach Soloists, whether as
an ensemble or in their many obbligato roles… a
very fine achievement that will surely bring
as much spiritual refreshment to others as
it has to me.” - Fanfare |
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