So who was Anton Schweitzer? Born in 1735, he was a child prodigy who enjoyed the patronage of the Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The duke paid for his education and made him Kapellmeister of his court orchestra. When the orchestra was disbanded, Schweitzer hit the road with a theatrical troupe. Most of his surviving compositions are […]
choral music
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Johann Mayr Messa di Gloria – forgotten, but not forgettable
If maestro Frank Hauk had his way, Johann Simon Mayr would be known for more than just being Gaetano Donizetti’s music teacher. Mayr, in his day, was a major figure. He wrote 19 masses, 57 symphonies, over 70 operas — most of which are now all but forgotten. Is Mayr’s music forgettable? Hauk would disagree. […]
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Christoph Graupner Easter Cantatas intimate and effective
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 […]
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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 […]
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Benno Ammann – Missa Defensor Pacis blends new and old
Swiss composer and conductor Benno Amman embraced the full range of 20th Century composition — from neo-classical to experimental. That eclecticism is, I think, what makes the Missa Defensor Pacis so successful. It’s a work that could only be written in the 20th Century, and yet it seamlessly incorporates traditions of the past. Ammann was commissioned to […]
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Porfeti della Quinta perfectly perform Philippe Verdelot
Philippe Verdelot one of the composers credited with developing the Italian madrigal. Though French, he spent most of his professional life in Florence. His publications spread throughout Europe and set the model for this Renaissance vocal form. Verdelot wrote mostly five- and six-voice madrigals. This release features some of his less-common four-voice madrigals. They were […]
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Christian Friedrich Ruppe cantatas have broad appeal
Handel wrote “Messiah” to benefit the London Foundlings Hospital and it’s now a holiday standard. Christian Friedrich Ruppe wrote his cantatas to benefit an orphan’s home in Leiden. After their initial performances, they remained unheard for 250 years. Ruppe wrote the Christmas and Easter cantatas on this release for the Holy Spirit of Poor Orphans […]
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Seasonal Serenity from Brian Galante and Stephen Paulus
This release features two world premiere recordings: Brian Galante’s “So Hallow’d the Time,” and Stephen Paulus’ “Christmas Dances.” They couldn’t be in better hands. Robert Taylor’s ensemble, the Taylor Festival Choir sings with a clean, translucent sound that resonates with the deep spirituality of these works. “So Hallow’d the Time” is a quiet contemplation on […]
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Mirabile Mysterium spans centuries of choral Christmas music
I love Christmas music. But I don’t love hearing the same old tunes trotted out year after year. We have over two millennia of sacred music written for this season, variety shouldn’t be difficult. That’s what I like about Mirabile Mysterium. Matthias Jung conducts the Sächsisches Vocalensemble in a wide-ranging program of seasonal sacred music. […]