Johann Sebastian Bach

Since Bach was more than cryptic in indicating the instrumentation of what is often regarded as his musical testament, The Art of Fugue has been subjected to an infinite variety of arrangements for all sorts of instruments. This recording follows a series of performances in which the musicians of the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin tested a highly unusual concept: rather than play uniformly one after the other the contrapuncti and canons that Bach left us, they have made great efforts to diversify both the instrumentarium and the macrostructure – to the point where we end up, to our delight, experiencing their interpretation as an exciting musical game for several players!

As harpsichordist, conductor, and musical director of the ensemble Les Talens Lyriques, Christophe Rousset is one of the finest interpreters of Baroque music. His first recording for Aparté, devoted to Louis Couperin, was received most enthusiastically by public and critics alike, and collected many distinctions in the international press including BBC Music Magazine Instrumental Choice.

Now at the peak of his maturity, the artist presents an original programme, Bach Fantasy, in which he treats us to little-known works but also standards by the great J.S. Bach. Apart from the important sets of works, including the Goldberg Variations, the Well-Tempered Clavier, the keyboard Suites and Partitas, many miscellaneous pieces by Bach have come down to us in the hand of his pupils and admirers: early essays, pieces of a didactic nature, evocations of emotions, and sometimes all of the above. Christophe Rousset plays these pieces on the 1632 Ruckers harpsichord of Neuchâtel, one of the finest in the world.

The choir’s repertoire comprises masterpieces of sacred church music and it has enjoyed great success during the last few years, touring in Switzerland, Poland, Israel, France and many other countries. This must surely be one of the great Christmas choral masterpieces.

The six trio sonatas stand out as an almost unique exception in Bach’s output for the organ, essentially composed for the Lutheran liturgy in a style that is frequently much more severe and sometimes positively out of step with the tastes of his time.

To serve them K617 give us three organs from the Felsberg factory contributing their rich palette of timbres, played by the fingers and feet of young Swiss virtuoso Benjamin Righetti, 1st prize G. Silbermann of Freiberg (2005) and the International Organ Competition of the City of Paris (2007).

3 instruments: Orgelbau FELSBERG R. • Freytag Tricoteaux J.-M. St. Paul, Lausanne (1986) Triosonaten I & II; The Chiésaz St. Légier (1997) Triosonaten III & IV; Temple, Boudry (1994) Triosonaten V & VI

Fifteen years after his recording of Bach’s three Sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord (on hm, with Rinaldo Alessandrini), Paolo Pandolfo returns to this repertoire a new approach: the fruit of active and concentrated years of consideration, study and research into the inherent possibilities of his instrument. Given the basic differing natures of these two instruments, the performance of these works very often turns – in Pandolfo’s words – into a “musical argument”, rather than what is demanded by the music’s essential nature: a “musical conversation” in which the score achieves “transparency and eloquence”.

For this exercise in interpretative discourse Paolo Pandolfo has found a suitably-engaged musical mind in harpsichordist Markus Hünninger, a friend for many years and a teacher, like Pandolfo, at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. The resulting disc has a very personal flavour to it, reiterating the uncompromising sense of quality in all that the Roman gamba player does. Following on from his essential recordings of music by Forqueray, Hume, Marais, Sainte Colombe and Abel, he is now rounding off on Glossa his own particular vision of Bach, which he commenced in 2000 with the recording of the now-legendary Six Suites.

To complete the disc there are two vocal arias with obbligato viola da gamba drawn from two of Bach’s Passions, in which Pandolfo is joined by two leading early music singers of recent times, the countertenor Michael Chance and the bass Harry van der Kamp.

Classics is proud to announce the release The Very Best of Nigel Kennedy. This 2-CD set celebrates the multiple facets of the award-winning, multi-million record selling violinist, featuring works from his twin passions, classical and jazz.

The first disc focuses on classical music, featuring Kennedy’s iconic recordings of the best-loved violin repertoire: movements from the great concerti including Bruch and Beethoven; stand-alone works such as Zigeunerweisen and Lark Ascending; and from his landmark recording of Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Kennedy’s 1989 release of the baroque masterpiece, named the best-selling classical recording of all time by the Guinness Book of World Records, topped the UK Classical Charts for over a year, reached #3 on the UK Pop Album chart and has sold more than two-million copies world wide. At one point, Nigel was selling more records a week than the combined total of the other 19 records in the UK Classical Sales Chart.

The second disc features tracks from his award-winning and critically acclaimed jazz and pop recordings: standards from his Blue Note Sessions album, performances of his own pop and fusion compositions with the Nigel Kennedy Quintet and with Polish klezmer trio Kroke, as well as tracks from his most recent EMI Classics release Sssh!, including his collaboration with Culture Club singer Boy George.

This disc is a far cry from the typical fare we’ve come to expect on the shelves around the Christmas season. The inclusion of Bach’s sublime Cantata 63 and Mendelssohn’s Vom Himmel hoch give the disc a year round appeal.

Vaughan Williams’ joyful The First Nowell is a veritable feast of well loved carols and the London Philharmonic Choir together with soloists Lisa Milne and Christopher Maltman exude Christmas cheer.

Vaughan Williams himself said ‘I think that every Christmas play ought to begin with God rest you Merry and end with The First Nowell.’

The Bach motets are considered one of the summits of the choral repertory. Their technical and aesthetic challenges are virtually unparalleled. New College approaches these works with its customary zest and energy, strongly characterizing the forward impulse of the music, and its dramatic qualities.

A debate turns around the numbers of singers Bach would have called upon to sing these pieces. What is abundantly clear is that institutional resources dictated the choice, as they do at New College. If New College’s ensemble is slightly larger then Bach’s, both groups, across three hundred years, are composed largely of student voices. This music is for a rising generation of musicians: an exemplar of excellence in polyphonic composition and singing.

“The B minor" – that phrase alone resonates with gravity in the hearts and minds of those who love as no other the music of J.S. Bach.

This disc sees the Rodolfus Choir at their best, as renowned Bach interpreters, having sung his works across the UK to great acclaim. Following a live broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and performance at Holy Trinity Guildford at the end of 2009, this disc, recorded in the chapel of Charterhouse School, continues their ever-growing catalogue of extraordinary recordings and follows their acclaimed recording of music by Herbert Howells, released earlier this year (SIGCD190)

2010 marks the 40 anniversary of Collegium Vocale Ghent: founded by Philippe Herreweghe at a time when the Baroque revival was still an affair for specialists, the Belgian choir has been at the very heart of the rediscovery of Bach’s sacred music. Abundantly illustrated and elegantly presented, these nine CD-books offer you the entire collection of Bach/Herreweghe recordings.

“Forty years after its foundation it’s all too easy to take the excellence and consistency of Collegium Vocale Ghent for granted: back in 1970 there wasn’t any such ensemble in mainland Europe. Philippe Herreweghe, a psychiatry student, founded CVG to put his ideas into practice…CVG became part of the first complete Bach cantata project for Telefunken, Herreweghe, at hospital in the day, conducting his choir in the evening sessions… Presentation is exemplary: top quality at mid price, and a birthday gift that really will keep on giving.” Andrew McGregor, BBC Music Magazine, June 2010