Sadly, our main distributor has taken the decision to discontinue supplying physical copies for review. As a result there may only be a small number of occasional reviews posted here in the future.
ENJOTT SCHNEIDER – ORBE ROTUNDO: Life, Magic, Death
SANDRA MOON, soprano
ROBERT SELLIER, tenor
TODD BOYCE, baritone
MUNCHNER MOTETTENCHOR
MORAVSKA FILHARMONIC OLOMOUC, HAYKO SIEMENS, conductor
WERGO WER 5129 2 50’20
This recent “companion piece” to Carmina Burana takes additional texts from the original medieval German manuscript and material from other wide-ranging sources. These including biblical texts, gravestone inscriptions, magical incantations and poems by Oswald von Wolkenstein and Neidhart von Reuenthall. It is a very effective new work in its own right, with some clear links to Orff’s composition. I still need to listen to it alongside the original. It will be interesting to see if they are paired in future performances.
MARKO NIKODIJEVIC – 3 WORKS
HR-SINFONIEORCHESTER FRANKFURT
RUNDFUNK-SINFONIEORCHESTER BERLIN
ANNA SOHN, soprano
JAKUB SAWICKI, organ
JONATHAN STOCKHAMMER & VLADIMIR JUROWSKI, conductors
WERGO WER 6442 2 59’46
Each of these three recent works combine elements of contemporary composition including techniques associated with digital technology alongside long established musical tradition. There is a spirituality underpinning all of this writing which often addresses issues of time – past and future. The final work here, Da ispravitsja/gebetsraum mit nachtwache, is based on an ancient Serbian Orthodox chant.
JS BACH – TRIO SONATAS
THE KING’S CONSORT
ROBERT KING, conductor
VIVAT 123 75’43
Another recording of Bach’s Trio Sonatas? Ah, but this is rather different! This wonderful music originally written as organ studies is here arranged for and presented by a chamber ensemble who have featured these works for some time. I must confess I found the transposing into different keys and the rearranged order a little confusing at first but nevertheless thoroughly enjoyed the fresh sound.
Sadly, our main distributor has taken the decision to discontinue supplying physical copies for review. As a result there may only be a small number of occasional reviews posted here in the future.
SP