Christoph Graupner wrote over 1,400 sacred cantatas. So there’s a lot to choose from — even for an album of just Easter cantatas. Christian Bonath has done a superb job programming a set of Holy Week cantatas that span decades of Graupner’s output. And each one receives a recording world premiere. Just to run down […]
Classical
-
-
Paul Wranitzky Orchestral Works worth a listen
Sure — Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven were the major figures in 1800s Vienna. But they were the only ones. Vienna was the center of the musical world, and talent came from all over. Like Paul Wranitzky from Moravia. He and his brother Anton found fame and fortune in Vienna. In the 1790s he contacted both […]
-
New release celebrates individual voice of Elisabetta Brusa
This installment in Naxos’ series features two works by Elisabetta Brusa: her second symphony, and “Simply Largo.” These are the same performers that recorded her first symphony in Volume Three, and the quality remains high. The Ulster Orchestra has a full yet open ensemble sound. The soloists (if not great) are very good, and Daniele […]
-
Classical Interviews – Amelia Bailey
Graduating music major and violinist, Amelia Bailey, spoke with WTJU about her upcoming Distinguished Major Recital featuring Sibelius, Ravel, Prokofiev, and Daniel Sender. You can watch the recital live on the UVA Music YouTube page on Saturday, March 27th at 3:30pm. For more on recital, visit: music.virginia.edu/Amelia-Bailey-Recital These interviews air as part of WTJU’s Classical […]
-
#ClassicsaDay #WomensHistoryMonth Week 3
The #ClassicsaDay team often uses Women’s History Month as their theme for March. And for good reason. Classical audiences might be aware that there are contemporary female composers. But perhaps not so aware (with the exception of Hildegard von Bingen), of how many women composed music throughout the centuries. For March 2021, I decided to […]
-
Hymns of Kassiani – history’s first woman composer
Pop quiz: who’s the earliest female composer you can think of? Chances are, it’s Hildegarde von Bingen. Although her star has risen from obscurity, she’s not the earliest, or perhaps, the most important. That honor belongs to Kassiani, or Kassia (c.810-c.865). Kassia’s career had some significant differences with Hildegard von Bingen, who was born two […]
-
Pancho Vladigerov String Concertos true masterworks
Capriccio continues their reissue of Pancho Vladigerov recordings with his collected string concertos. Though these recordings were originally done in the 1970s, they all sound quite good in this release. The sound, though a little soft, still has plenty of detail. And that’s especially important for this volume. Pancho Vladigerov defined Bulgarian classical music. His […]
-
Eleanor Alberga – Wild Blue Yonder is exceptional
This Navonna release is the follow-up to Alberga’s String Quartet album. And it solidifies her talent in the realm of chamber music. The four compositions in the program span about twenty-two years, and an equally wide range of subjects. The disc opens and closes with works for violin and piano. The performers are Eleanor Alberger, […]
-
John Abraham Fisher Symphonies have plenty of hooks
John Abraham Fisher was all the rage in 18th Century London. He was a violin virtuoso with a streak of showmanship. By his thirties had a share in the Covent Garden Theatre, a hit oratorio making the rounds, and concertized frequently to great admiration (among the public, if not the critics). His six symphonies were […]