I suspect the ubiquity of the term “fake news” inspired this compilation. But it does raise an interesting point. How much does authorship influence our assessment of a work? The Trio Glie Speziali present a variety of Baroque compositions that were attributed to others — some famous, and some not. Misattribution could be accidental. The […]
early music
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More from the Stone Age of Early Music Performance
Back on June 26, 2017 I presented a Historic Radio Special on The Early Music Show, consisting of ‘early’ recordings of early music, beginning with the barely audible spectacle of a Handel oratorio captured on wax cylinders in 1888 to a formative solo disc of countertenor Alfred Deller singing a Thomas Morley tune, made around […]
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Wesser-Renaissance Bremen Ideally Suited to Johann Rosenmüller
In the 1650s “The Amphion of his Century” was an up-and-coming musician in Leipzig. He was poised to take over as the cantor of St. Thomas’ in 1653 (a position J.S. Bach would hold years later). Suddenly everything changed. A scandal forced Johann Rosenmüller to leave in haste. While it was a setback for his […]
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Sandro Volta’s Unvarnished Take on Petrucci Tablatures for Lute
Ottavio Petrucci was not the first music publisher. But he was the first to figure out how to print complex polyphonic scores. This release collects from his Intavolatura di Liuto (lute tablatures) — a genre that blossomed thanks in part to Petrucci’s innovations. Lutenist Sandro Volta performs music by Francesco Spinacino, Joan Ambrosio Dalza, and […]
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Funiculus Triplex: Franz Xaver Hassl Rediscovered
The title of this release comes from a collection of trio sonatas by Franz Xaver Hassl (1708-1757). Funiculus Triplex is the only known surviving work of Hassl’s and receives its world premiere recording here. Fleshing out the program are three sacred arias by Johann Ludwig Steiner (1688-1761). Also included are canzonettas by Johann Friedrich Agricola […]
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Blue Heron complete outstanding Peterhouse Partbooks series
In the 1540s Thomas Bull compiled partbooks for the Canterbury Cathedral Choir. They were only in use for a few years, as Edward II dissolved professional choirs. The books were stored in Peterhouse College and all but forgotten. Blue Heron has brought this music back to life, with scholarly research and committed performances. This is the fifth […]
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Capella de Ministrers’ Travels Down the Silk Road
Looking at the discography listed on the website of Valencian early music ensemble Capella de Ministrers is an impressive thing indeed. I count no less than 56 titles there, and the group has managed that number of releases in a mere matter of 41 years. The one that hooked me in its re-release 13 years […]
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Rosa Das Rosas – Chominciamento di Gioia explore Christian symbolism
The subtitle for this release (in English) is “the symbol of the Rose in the Middle Ages.” The flower was a major part of Christian symbolism, and thus for Christian-inspired music. The thorns represented the sins of Man. The red petals of the rose symbolized the blood of Christ and the martyrs, shed in sacrifice. […]
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A Tale of Two Vielles
On a special Labor Day edition of The Early Music Show broadcast back on September 4, 2017, I interviewed David McCormick, founder of the Charlottesville-based Early Music Access Project. The Project holds its annual fundraiser at Swannanoa Palace in Alton on Sunday, June 24 at 3 pm. This interview with David was my first chance […]