Tír Na HiFi

Some Chorales for Advent from the Kirnberger collection; BWV 696-704....

Jared wrote:^^ Fergus, a man with such a ridiculous beard should consider himself very lucky indeed to have acquired a pretty girl in the first place, but I don't think he'll keep her long if he keeps neglecting her like that..

That beautiful lady was his wife Jared but I have no idea if she left him through neglect............

Seán wrote:

fergus wrote:

Beautiful music indeed, the quartet is unfamiliar to me though.

I also have it on CD Seán and if one wanted to explore this music this is a wonderful recording and comes highly recommended....

I have also been working my way through this old LP set recently....






This is an interesting historical performance. The set opens on its hinge as opposed to taking the lid off and inside the 4 LPs are housed in 4 sturdy pages that are once again hinged to a metal bar inside giving a book effect; it reminds me of the old 78 presentations. Unfortunately there is no booklet with the set so I do not know the year of the performance was. It is a good performance, one of its time, but quite different in presentation from today’s period performances. We are also treated to an interesting introduction spoken by Beecham himself.

fergus wrote:

as you will no doubt know Fergus, the BBC Music Mag has its own 'Building a Library' section. The Xmas edition focussed on the Schutz Christmas Story, and you'll be pleased to learn that that version came in the 4th, 'highly commended' slot...

When Germanico was recorded the authorship was in dispute, the booklet gives some hints that it MIGHT be by Handel, composed in his early years in Italy, though I have to say that it doesn´t sound like early Handel at all, that´s immediately obvious. Well, it was DHM´s bad luck that shortly after it was released it was authenticated by Giovanni Bononcini, and that seems about right, it does sound like Bononcini.
The authorship dispute apart, it is a lovely opera, with gorgeous music, and the recording is marvelous, with exquisite singing by Sara Mingardo, the Argentinian countertenor Franco Fagioli and soprano Maria Grazia Schiavo of la Cappella de´Turchini. The group Il Rossignolo making it´s recording debut is also excellent. An opera very much worth hearing, just remember, it´s not by Handel.

fergus wrote: I also have it on CD Seán and if one wanted to explore this music this is a wonderful recording and comes highly recommended....

I do like it Fergus, I have a few individual recordings of Ravel and Debussy and this wonderful pair too, both come highly recommended

The splendid Italians:


and the Quatuor Ebéne with quartets by Debussy, Ravel and Fauré:

Haydn - Symphony No.83 La Poule (John Barbirolli, Halle Orchestra, BBC Legends)

never mind the Dorics....