THE BRITANNIC ORGAN VOL.10- Welte’s German organists & their music
Historic Welte rolls played on the Britannic Organ, Museum fur Musikautomaten, Seewen
OEHMS CLASSICS OC 849 (2 CDs)
I have previously reviewed Vol 9 of this series. As with that volume I greatly enjoyed this compilation of recordings of rolls made for Welte organs and played here on the organ from the sister ship of the Titanic. This volume features German organists and composers and provides a fascinating glimpse into the fashions of the day, with registrations ranging from the conservative to the wildly romantic – including much use of the celeste in a Handel organ concerto and a Bach Prelude & Fugue! Earlier repertoire is the focus of the second CD , including Buxtehude, Pachelbel, Bach and Handel. On CD 1 music by Reger, Rheinberger and Karg-Elert can be found alongside lesser-known composers such as Sjogren, Malling & Sittard. This release will not be to everyone’s taste but I enjoyed it immensely. It has made me reflect further on how these organs were intended to be used and in what settings the various rolls would have been heard.
MAJESTIE – Francois Couperin & Michel Richard de Lalande:
Music for the Sun King’s Court
POETICALL MUSICKE
VETERUM MUSICA (68’01)
This recording transports the listener back to a very specific time and place – the court of Louis XIV at Versailles. The well balanced programme presents two Lecons de Tenebres by de Lalande (with texts from Lamentations) framed between three of Couperin’s Concerts Royal.
Poeticall Musicke are Rosemary Galton, soprano, Rafael Font, violin, Kate Conway, bass viol and Joseph Chesshyre, spinet. Performing on period and reproduction instruments together with the vocalist the ensemble delivers an enticing glimpse into an intriguing musical setting.
MESANGEAU’S EXPERIMENTS
ALEX McCARTNEY, lute
VETERUM MUSICA
This CD presents three Suites for solo lute by Rene Mesangeau (1567-1638), reckoned to be amongst the finest of composers for the instrument. His experimentation with lute tuning systems, hence the title of this CD, helped to establish a standard system. This is sublime music, played with such feeling by Alex McCartney, a busy soloist and accompanist, who also directs the ensemble, Poeticall Musicke, and makes lutes. We are fortunate to be able to listen to this re-discovered music performed with such care.
DIVINE NOISE- Theatrical Music for two harpsichords
GUILLERMO BRACHETTA & MENNO van DELFT, harpsichords
RESONUS RES10145 (74’26)
The sound of a full-bodied harpsichord can be thrilling – and here we have two together! Sometimes a complete CD of harpsichord music can be overwhelming but this is not the case with this recording. There is plenty of light and shade although the overall tone of this French baroque programme is vibrant and uplifting. The main work here is a new arrangement by Brachetta of a suite of music from Rameau’s Platee (1745). Alongside this are Couperin’s La Paix du Parnasse (1725) and Le Roux’ Suite in F major (1705). A thrilling experience!
PIERNE – ORCHESTRAL WORKS VOL 2
JEAN-EFFLAM BAVOUZET, piano, BBC PHILHARMONIC , JUANJO MENA.
CHANDOS CHAN 10871 (72’58)
A delightful disk of largely unfamiliar work by Gabriel Pierne (1863-1937). The recording begins with Paysages franciscains, a three-movement work based on the life of St Francis and probably the most modernistic of the pieces presented here. Throughout the piece there is a range of different orchestral colour. Several of the other works on this CD feature the piano alongside the orchestra, including the Poeme-Symphonique and the Fantaisie-Ballet. A lovely late romantic programme for piano and orchestra.
Stephen Page