May 2018

Three More from the Middle Ages

Moralizing songs of the Middle Ages, songs from the Crusades, and the concept of transformation in the 14th century.

Composer: Conon de Bethune (c.1150-1224), Le Chatelain de Couci (born c.1168), Thibaut IV-Count of Champagne (1201-1253) , Hugues de Berge (c.1170-c.1228), Huon de Saint-Quentin, Le Châtelain de Arras, Giovanni da Firenze (fl1340‑50), Solage (fl late 14th century) , Francesco Landini da Firenze, Don Paolo da Firenze, Jacopo da Bologna, Philippe de Vitry, Guillaume de Machaut, Solage, Zacara’ da Teramo, Filippotto da Caserta, Maestro Piero, Niccolò da Perugia, Bartolino da Padova, Matteo da Perugia

CD Info: ALBA CD ABCD 152, Linn CD CKD 529, Alpha CD 286

Bo Holten’s Return to Early Music

The Danish composer and conductor has a great range of interests; happily early music is one. His latest CDs with his ensemble Music Ficta feature music of Gesualdo and the Lassus St. Matthew Passion. All of the music on this program comes from the recent early music work of Bo Holten: Upon completing his studies in musicology at the University of Copenhagen and bassoon at the Royal Academy of Music, Bol Holten established his reputation as a conductor of early music vocal groups, first with Ars Nova which he formed in 1979 and later with Musica Ficta formed in 1996. He has an international reputation as a leading specialist in early music, especially in vocal polyphony. Musica Ficta have proved to be a dominant force in Danish musical life and one of the finest vocal ensembles in Europe having given over 250 concerts and theatre performances, and released multiple recordings. Bo Holten has been a guest conductor with a wide range of ensembles and choirs in Scandinavia and abroad, and in 2007 he was appointed chief conductor of the Flemish Radio Choir. He has composed over 100 works including symphonies, solo concertos, works for chorus and orchestra, operas, and musicals. He has also written works for chamber ensembles, song cycles, and pieces for percussion ensemble, as well as scores for films and television series. Among his most widely performed works are the 30 a cappella works which span his composing career. In autumn 2014, Bo Holten staged his second Gesualdo opera Gesualdo – Shadows, and in 2018 he completed his grand opera on Martin Luther, Schlagt sie tot!

Composer: Orlandus Lassus, Gesualdo

CD Info: Naxos CD 8.573840, CD DACOCD 760

Three More from Early Baroque Italy

Sacred music by Giovanni Fasolo, a new recording of Salomone Rossi, and the rarely-heard works of Giovanni Antonio Rigatti.

Composer: Salomone Rossi Ebreo, Giovanni Battista Fasolo (1598-1664), Giovanni Antonio Rigatti

CD Info: CD GB 5638-2, Brilliant Classics CD 95512, CD LDV 14034

Swan Song

The breathtaking series on the Carus label of the complete works of Heinrich Schütz concludes (as he did) with his Opus Ultimum, which he called his Swan Song.

Composer: Heinrich Schütz

CD Info: Carus CD 83.275, Carus CD 83.239