Michel-Richard Delalande 300th death anniversary.

Michel-Richard Delalande [de Lalande] (12.15.1657 – 06.18.1726) 300th death anniversary. Grand motets, music for the king's supper, and occasional music. 

「他們這些人真的是Delalande(都來亂的)！」

Concert: Jordi Savall + Hespèrion XXI + La Capella Reial de Catalunya - Songs, Battles, and Dances from the Old and the New World (04/21/2026)

The OG early music superstar. Jordi Savall returns once again to Berkeley with Hesperion XXI with a fascinating program, juxtaposing African spirituals, instrumental pieces, and other vocal pieces. At 84, he's showing the audience that he's still got it all.

Joseph Michel: Lecons de tenebres (Le Concert Spirituel / Hervé Niquet)

Music for Holy Week 2026. Joseph Michel (1688-1736)'s Lecons de tenebres, the last of its kind to be published in the first half of 18th century. Hard to find and limited release by Le Concert Spirituel / Hervé Niquet.

受難曲不只有J.S. Bach，復活節神劇不只有Handel，Leçons de ténèbres不只有F. Couperin，Stabat Mater不只有Pergolesi 😂

Concert: Philharmonia Baroque - Pearls of Sorrow (03/13/2026)

Pearls of Sorrow. Philharmonia Baroque concert featuring guest conductor Christine Brandes and countertenor Reginald Mobley with an interesting program of mainly German mid-Baroque sacred music and African-American spirituals. An evening of beautiful singing by Mobley.

Concert: Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra - Baroque Garlands (02/08/2026)

 

Super Baroque Sunday!  

Emeritus conductor McGegan is back conducting the Philharmonia Baroque. Handel's Dixit Dominus, one of my favorite sacred Baroque pieces, and much lesser-known Rameau's La Guirlande. 

Francesco Cavalli 350th death anniversary. Life. Sacred Music. Operas

Francesco Cavalli (02.14.1602 – 01.14.1676) 350th death anniversary. 

早至中期巴洛克時期重要的作曲家裡，另一位我先前接觸比較少的是Francesco Cavalli。長期以來，只知道他是銜接早期Monteverdi與巴洛克晚期歌劇的重要橋梁，寫有至少40幾齣歌劇。之前有個已倒閉的德國廠牌Cavalli Records，錄製了不少小眾的古樂專輯，就是根據他而命名的。

大量接觸聲樂之後，我開始慢慢拉近與Cavalli的距離。除了入手幾齣他的歌劇全曲錄音之外，還有幾張他比較被忽略的宗教音樂專輯。因此今年他逝世的350週年，簡單介紹一下他的生平與手上的一些專輯。

Arnold Matthias Brunckhorst: Opera Omnia (Ensemble Musica Poetica Freiburg)

Forgotten music by Arnold Matthias Brunckhorst (c1670－1725). Keyboard works, Christmas History (Oratorio), and Easter History (Oratorio).

「必須得這樣做，不然可是(Brunckhorst)會被罵的！」

Baroque Christmas Music medley (12/25/2025)

Baroque Christmas Music medley (from mostly CPO).

Concert: Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale - Gloria (12/07/2025)

Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale presents Vivaldi's Gloria and other Christmas-themed works. Getting into the holiday spirit!

Early Music Medley (11/30/2025)

Early Music Medley. Listening spree during Thanksgiving Break.

古樂大集錦。

Alessandro Scarlatti: Il martirio di Sant'Orsola (Le Concert de l'Hostel Dieu / Franck-Emmanuel Comte)

Alessandro Scarlatti (05.02.1660 – 10.22.1725) 300th death anniversary.

Il martirio di Sant'Orsola. (The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula).

(Le Concert de l'Hostel Dieu / Franck-Emmanuel Comte)

What connects Alessandro Scarlatti, Caravaggio, Virgin Islands, and Lyon?

大史卡拉弟專輯的遐想～～

Caldara: La passione di Gesù Cristo (Europa Galante / Biondi)

Music for Holy Week and Easter. Musical settings of La passione di Gesù Cristo (The passion of Jesus Christ) by Metastasio, the OG 18th century version centuries before Mel Gibson.

First setting by Antonio Caldara (1730) (Europa Galante/Biondi).

Johann Philipp Krieger 300th Death Anniversary

 

Johann Philipp Krieger (02.27.1649－02.07.1725) 300th death anniversary.

「他超愛吃梨子，真的是個Krieger(嗑梨哥)！」

Georg Caspar Schuermann: Opera music and cantatas.

Georg Caspar Schürmann (1672/73－1751) opera music and cantatas. 

"Hey, I might need a favor...."

"Schürmann (sure, man), anything for you!"

Christmas at St. Thomas in Leipzig (Johann Rosenmueller Ensemble/L'Arpa Festante/La Petite Bande/Musica Fiorita)

Part of this past holiday road trip's driving music. Christmas music written by the St. Thomas Cantors of Leipzig can be enjoyed anytime. Deserving of special mention: arguably one of the best Christmas Oratorio recordings committed to disc.

Telemann: Christmas Cantatas (Il Fondamento/Dombrecht)

 

Happy holidays. Beautiful festive Christmas Baroque music from someone not named J.S. Bach or Handel.

Telemann, partnering with hymnologist Erdmann Neumeister, were influential in shaping the German sacred cantata in the early 18th century. It was to have a profound effect on the likes of J.S. Bach, Fasch, Graupner, etc in their own compositions to come.

今年聖誕佳節聽的相關節慶音樂走德國路線。

Tesori di Napoli

Tesori di Napoli (Treasure of Naples). The short-lived ambitious Opus 111 series that planned to showcased 300 years (1500-1800) of Neapolitan music.

250th death anniversary of Niccolò Jommelli

 250th death anniversary of Niccolò Jommelli (09.10.1714 – 08.25.1774).

「你現在一直跑來跑去，等一下Jommelli(就沒力)氣了。」

Johann Theile 300th death anniversary. Sacred and secular vocal works, and instrumental music (Weser-Renaissance Bremen/Hamburger Ratsmusik/Les Amis de Philippe)

Johann Theile (07.29.1646 – 06.24.1724) 300th death anniversary. Sacred and secular vocal works, and instrumental music (Weser-Renaissance Bremen/Hamburger Ratsmusik/Les Amis de Philippe)

「雖然是外國人，但他在台灣住了二十幾年，已經超Theile(台了)好嗎～～」

"Wer ist der, so von Edom kömmt". Pasticcio Passion Oratorio.

 

Music for this year's Holy Week. "Wer ist der, so von Edom kömm". Pasticcio passion oratorio with music C.H. Graun, J.S. Bach, Telemann, Kuhnau, and ???.