The “Missa 1724” is actually an assemblage of various sacred works by Jan Dismas Zelenka. But to be fair, they all come from the same general period of Zelenka’s career, and they do make a convincing whole. The Kyrie, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei, ZWV 26 recycles some previous material (some only a year older than […]
Jan Dismas Zelenka
-
-
Zelenka: Missa Omnium Sanctorum – a true Baroque masterwork
In an ideal world, the works of Jan Dismas Zelenka would be as familiar as those of Johann Sebastian Bach, or Georg Philipp Telemann. Both were friends and colleagues of Zelenka, and both admired his work. The 1741 Missa Omnium Sanctorum is one such work. It’s a major work (over 50 minutes long), and an […]
-
Timeless Classics from 18th Century Czech Masters
The latest installment of Supraphon’s long-running Music from 18th Century Prague series features mostly sacred music by two composers, and an instrumental work by a third. All three share a connection with J.J. Fux, whose highly influential teachings on composition and counterpoint left their mark on virtually all Czech composers of the period. The album […]
-
Vivaldi – Return of Angels
“The Return of Angels” is billed as a collection of Vivaldi’s sacred music arranged in an attractive program. The Ensemble Caprice under Matthias Maute perform these works with a lightness and transparency that make for an enjoyable listening experience. The disc starts with Juditha triumphans, one of Vivaldi’s four surviving oratorios. Originally, this music was […]