Carl Friedrich Abel 300th Birth Anniversary

Carl Friedrich Abel (12.22.1723 – 6.20.1787) 300th birth anniversary.

「Abel(阿伯啊)，出事了！」

Decca Rachmaninoff Complete Works

Decca的Rachmaninoff大全集，於2014年推出來的，也是目前市面上三個拉赫大全集中(另外還有Brilliant Classics和Melodiya的兩套)，整體而言錄音品質、演奏水準、與CP值最高的。他們沒有配合Rachmaninoff的重要週年發行，應該純粹就是自己爽吧。總之，那也沒多重要，因為拉赫音樂的愛好者，一年四季都在聽～～

Early Recollections of Rachmaninoff's Music Part 2

 

對拉赫音樂的早期回憶(二)

Early Recollections of Rachmaninoff's Music Part 1

 

對拉赫音樂的早期回憶(一)

Concert: Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra - Dido and Aeneas (12/02/2023)

Purcell's Dido and Aeneas. John Butt returning to Berkeley to guest conduct PBO.

Thomas Weelkes 400th death anniversary. Madrigals, anthems, and instrumental music.

400th death anniversary of Thomas Weelkes (1576 – 11.30.1623). His anthem "O Lord, grant the King a long life" was performed at the coronation of King Charles III this year.

「剩最後一個了。誰想要買？」

「Weelkes (我要！可是) 我身上的現金不夠…」

Concert: The English Concert - Handel: Rodelinda (11/19/2023)

 

The English Concert presents Handel's Rodelinda. Great way to head into Thanksgiving break.

「Rodelinda(我的琳達)人美心也美！」

Concert: Le Consort - A Journey Through Baroque Europe (11/08/2023)

 

Fabulous concert from young French early music ensemble Le Consort.

Concert: Voices of Music - Mainly Mozart (10/28/2023)

 

Voices of Music 2023-2024 season opening concert series. Going Classical with Mainly Mozart.

Concert: Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra - Garden of Good and Evil (with Tim Mead) (10/18/2023)

PBO opening concert of 2023-2024 season, with the wonderful British countertenor Tim Mead.

Ballroom Classics (Willi Boskovsky)

Driving music for the road trip two weeks ago. 11CDs of classical ballroom music may be too much of a good thing at times.....

Concert: Ensemble Mirable - Beyond Bach and Handel (09/30/2023)

Great SFEMS 2023-2024 season opening concert.
Ensemble Mirable. Beyond Bach and Handel: More Baroque Gems.

Jacques-Martin Hotteterre 350th birth anniversary (maybe?). Music for solo flute (op.2 and op.5) (Philippe Allain-Dupré/Barthold Kuijken/Guillermo Peñalver)

Jacques-Martin Hotteterre (09.29.1673 – 07.16.1763) 350th birth anniversary (maybe?). Music for solo flute (op.2 and op.5) (Philippe Allain-Dupré/Barthold Kuijken/Guillermo Peñalver)

「隔壁的歐先生和Hotteterre(歐太太)感情超甜密的！」

I've Found a New Baby: Baroque Meets Afro-Latin Jazz (Rumbarroco)

I've Found a New Baby: Baroque Meets Afro-Latin Jazz.

Lively toe-tapping stylistic fusion of different regions and time periods by Rumbarroco.

William Babell 300th year death anniversary. Oboe sonatas and recorder concertos. (Concert Royal Köln/Ensemble Odyssee)

William Babell (c1690 - 09.23.1723) 300th year death anniversary. Oboe sonatas and recorder concertos.

「泰山Babell(八寶)粥真是童年的回憶！」

Johann Schelle 375th birth anniversary. Sacred concertos and cantatas (The King's Consort / La Capella Ducale + Musica Fiata / Kolner Akademie)

 

Johann Schelle (09.06.1648 - 03.10.1701) 375th birth anniversary. Sacred concertos and cantatas. (The King's Consort / La Capella Ducale + Musica Fiata / Kolner Akademie)

「真是太棒了，先Schelle(謝了)！」

Georg Anton Benda: Romeo und Julie (Michael Schneider)

First known musical adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Romeo und Julie (1776) by Georg Anton Benda (1722-1795), even comes with a happy ending......

Herbert Howells: Lambert's Clavichord + Howells' Clavichord (John McCabe/Julian Perkins)

20th century music for clavichord by Herbert Howells. Lambert's Clavichord and Howells' Clavichord.

John McCabe, piano

Julian Perkins, clavichord

Harnoncourt Complete Sony Recordings

 

Harnoncourt Complete Sony Recordings. Large coffee book design is kind of a space waster. It does come with a large hardcover book with easier-to-read large font, but also pretty clunky. True pioneer of the early music movement, but also generally one that would manage to find fresh ideas to even the most well-known pieces.

Pietro Antonio Cesti. 400th birth anniversary. Part 4. Le disgrazie d'Amore.

Pietro Antonio Cesti (08.05.1623 - 10.14.1669) 400th birth anniversary. Part 4. Le disgrazie d'Amore. (Auser Musici/Carlo Ipata)

(最終回。本來只想寫一篇，結果拆開來寫，竟然前前後後就寫了一週之久)

Pietro Antonio Cesti. 400th birth anniversary. Part 3. La Dori.

Pietro Antonio Cesti (08.05.1623 - 10.14.1669) 400th birth anniversary. Part 3 La Dori. (Accademia Byzantina/Ottavio Dantone)

Has one of the most confusing and convoluted plots. Completely redeemed by Cesti's beautiful music.

Pietro Antonio Cesti. 400th birth anniversary. Part 2. L'Orontea.

Pietro Antonio Cesti (08.05.1623 - 10.14.1669) 400th birth anniversary. Part 2 L'Orontea. (Frankfurter Opern-und Museumorchester/Monteverdi-Continuo-Ensemble/Ivor Bolton)

Pietro Antonio Cesti. 400th birth anniversary. Part 1

Pietro Antonio Cesti (08.05.1623 - 10.14.1669) 400th birth anniversary. Part 1

「這次你考試排名還是那麼爛嗎？」

「Cesti( ㄘㄟˊ ~~ 是第一)名好不好！」

Korngold: Film Music for The Sea Hawk (BBC Philharmonic/Rumon Gamba)

Erich Wolfgang Korngold film music for The Sea Hawk. BBC Philharmonic/Rumon Gamba.

Christlieb Siegmund Binder 300th birth anniversary

Christlieb Siegmund Binder (07.29.1723 - 01.01.1789) 300th birth anniversary.

「先生，請問您是要點熱咖啡還是冰咖啡？」

「Binder(冰的)！」

Dietrich Becker: Sacred Concertos & Sonatas (Hamburger Ratsmusik / Simone Eckert)

 

「走，去海邊撿Becker(貝殼)！」

Dietrich Becker 400th (maybe?) birth anniversary. Sacred Concertos & Sonatas. Hamburger Ratsmusik / Simone Eckert.

Music at Menlo: Overture Concert I (07/21/2023)

Returning to Music @ Menlo after almost 20 years. Finally catching a live performance by young rising Taiwanese violinist Paul Huang.

Reinecke: Piano Concertos (Callaghan/Sinfonieorchester St Gallen/Pitrenas) (Hellwig/Nordwstdeutsche Philharmonie/Francis)

Carl Reinecke Piano Concertos.

(Callaghan/Sinfonieorchester St Gallen/Pitrenas)

(Hellwig/Nordwstdeutsche Philharmonie/Francis)

「這次要買什麼泡麵？」

「很久沒吃Reinecke(來一客)了～～」

Quantz: Flute Quartets (Oleskiewicz/Field/Elyar/Vial/Schulenberg)

Johann Joachim Quantz (01.30.1697 – 07.12.1773) 250th death anniversary. Early flute quartets by Quantz, also probably my favorite works of his. (Oleskiewicz/Field/Elyar/Vial/Schulenberg)

Bernard Herrmann Film music: Hangover Square & Citizen Kane (BBC Philharmonic / Rumon Gamba)

Film Music of Bernard Herrmann (1911 - 1975). Hangover Square & Citizen Kane. BBC Philharmonic / Rumon Gamba.

Hangover Square's Concerto Macabre is Herrmann's response to Addinsell's Warsaw Concerto.

William Byrd: Consort Music (Phantasm) + The Great Service (Cardinall's Musick)(Musica Contexta)

 

400th death anniversary of William Byrd (c. 1540 – 07.04.1623).

Barber: Complete Orchestral Works (Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Marin Alsop)

 

Heading into Fourth of July with orchestral music from Samuel Barber, one of the most played 20th century American classical composers.

其實本來去年就有點想寫，只是當時全家在出遊，所以就算了。今年美國國慶日不出遠門，就發發音樂文唄 。

Louis-Gabriel Guillemain: Flute Quartets op.12 and op.17 (Hazelzet + Fantasticus)(Ensemble la Francaise)

 

Flute Quartets by Louis-Gabriel Guillemain (1705 - 1770)

(雙冷～～)

「什麼雞跑最慢?」

「妮可Guillemain(雞慢)」

Saint-Saens: Piano Works (Marylene Dosse)

 

Saint-Saens (not quite complete but close enough) piano works, by Marylene Dosse.

Antonio de Literes zarzuelas (Acis y Galatea/Júpiter y Semele/Los Elementos)(Al Ayre Español/Banzo)

 

Happy 350th birthday to Antonio de Literes (06.18.1673 - 01.18.1747).

Zarzuelas Acis y Galatea and Júpiter y Semele and hard-to-categorize Los Elementos, all brought to life by Eduardo Lopéz Banzo leading Al Ayre Español.

「真要這樣搞，Literes(你得累死)呀！」

Rare Baroque cantatas from Gdańsk (Goldberg Baroque Ensemble/Andrzej Szadjeko)

Memorial Day Weekend Long Weekend Music. Rare Baroque cantatas from Gdańsk (Goldberg Baroque Ensemble/Andrzej Szadjeko).

雖然自己沒有宗教信仰，但手邊巴洛克宗教音樂的錄音數量被一位樂友調侃說可以直接開音樂神壇了 @@ ~~~

Spanish Baroque Music Medley (Tonos Humanos/Samaniego/de Nebra)

Expanding music horizons with lesser known Spanish Baroque music.

J.C. Bach: Zanaida (Opera Fuoco/David Stern)+ Josef Mysliveček: Medonte (L'arte del Mondo/Werner Ehrhardt)

Operas by composers who substantially influenced and shaped Mozart.

J.C. Bach's Zanaida. Josef Mysliveček's Medonte

「他真的Zanaida(超耐打)的!」

「我真的Medonte(沒動它)!」

R.I.P. Ingrid Haebler (06.20.1929 – 05.14.2023)

R.I.P. Ingrid Haebler (06.20.1929 – 05.14.2023)

母親節週末中鏢大感冒，目前仍在康復中。看到樂友貼文，才後知後覺發現Ingrid Haebler去逝的消息。

Rameau and other French Baroque operas

 

Recent dose of French Baroque opera. 

Mysliveček: Complete Wind Quintets and Octets (L’Orfeo Bläserensemble)

 Josef Mysliveček (1737-1781): Complete Wind Quintets and Octets

「他應該是太緊張了，Mysliveček(沒事浪費七個)賽末點後才順利贏得比賽～～～」

不是Mysliveček的音樂聽起來像早期莫札特，而是反過來：年輕的莫札特聽起來像Mysliveček。

Nicolas Hotman: Works for viol and theorbo + drinking songs (Watillon/Monteilhet)

Music by Nicolas Hotman (c1610 - 1663), works for viol, theorbo, and ...... drinking songs!

Guy walks into classical music record store.

“Can I help you with something, sir?”

“Yes, I’m looking for a Hotman.”

“Um, this is a music store, which is hardly the place for that. I’m not passing any judgment, so feel free to look around.”

“Nick?”

“No, I’m Jeff.”

“No, I meant Hotman’s first name. Nicolas”

“Ugh, okay. So, did you find him?”

“That’s what I’m asking your help for!”

“Sir, that’s really none of my business.”

“Actually, it kind of is. You work here don’t you?“”

“Sir, I’m asking you to leave now…”

Concert: Philharmonia Baroque - From Muffat to Mason (04/28/2023)

 

From Muffat to Mason. Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra (PBO) concert featuring new commissioned piece by Mason Bates and rarely heard mass by Muffat. 

Concert: Philharmonia Baroque - Handel's Amadigi di Gaula (04/22/2023)

 

PBO's special event. Handel's Amadigi di Gaula.

韓德爾「阿嬤的雞」

Concert: Marcia Hadjimarkos (04/22/2023)

 

Marcia Hadjimarkos - Parisian Piano. Music Sources concert with fascinating repertoire.

Alessandro Scarlatti: Lamenations of Jeremiah (Le Parlement de Musique/Martin Gester)(Ensemble Aurora/Enrico Gatti)

 

Music for Holy Week: Lamentations of Jeremiah, by Alessandro Scarlatti.

Concert: Tetzlaff-Tetzlaff-Dörken Trio (04/03/2023)

 

Back to JCC's non-ideal acoustics this past Monday. Tetzlaff x2 + Dörken

Concert: Chiaroscuro Quartet (04/01/2023)

Catching Chiaroscuro Quartet at SF.

Concert: Voices of Music - Metamorphoses (03/30/2023)

Interesting fusion concert of Western early music and Chinese classical music, with dancers. Unfortunately, the performance was marred by bad acoustics of the venue.