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Presto News - 7th January 2008Francis Xavier and Jordi Savall |
 Jordi Savall is described on his Wikipedia page as “a viol player, conductor, and composer” – true enough. But more importantly he is also a musicologist, a researcher, an educator and a man with such vision that his achievements will be unrivalled for years to come.  St. Francis Xavier His latest such achievement is his homage to the 16th Century figure of St. Francis Xavier (1506-1552). Savall says he has been intrigued for many years by the extraordinary travels of Francis Xavier, a Spanish pioneering Roman Catholic Christian missionary who travelled hundreds of thousands of miles, driven by the force of his beliefs to lay the foundations of new Christian communities. Following the success of similar tributes to Don Quijote and Christopher Columbus this new release (out today) takes the form of a book and 2 disc set. The book charts Francis Xavier’s travels – from old Europe to the land of the rising sun – with the help of extracts from his letters and passages and illustrations from the most representative texts of his age. The music recalls the key stages in his life, and also reflects the different music he would have heard on his travels (for example the drums and the oud of Africa, the sarod and the tabla of India, and the flutes, the Biwa and the chants of Japan).  Jordi Savall But what I find particularly fascinating about this set is that it also includes music appropriate to other historical events at the time. It was a fascinating period in history with events like Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses to the Castle Church door in Wittenberg; Henry VIII breaking with Rome and ordering the execution of Thomas More; and Pope Paul III approving the Society of Jesus (Jesuits - of which Xavier is considered one of the founders). It is not descriptive music that Savall chooses, but music that evokes the various historical events, reveals the spirit and the atmosphere in the Courts, and music that we believe or imagine the protagonists of the period would have listened to. All in all this is a really imaginative and inventive way to pay tribute to the great Francis Xavier and by the end you really feel that you have explored his life and times from the inside out. It is beautifully presented in a hard-back gold covered book, and will hopefully inspire others to produce similar releases in the future.
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 Francis Xavier - The Route of the OrientDriss El Maloumi & Lahoucine Baquir (oud & percussion) & Senhora del Mundo (voz, psalteri, sarod & tablas) Hespèrion XXI & La Capella Reial de Catalunya, Jordi Savall |
Chris O'Reilly - chris@prestoclassical.co.uk |
New Releases7th January 2008 |
This is just the pick of the recent releases. The New Releases and Future Releases pages are always available for browsing all the new and forthcoming releases. |
 Couperin - Works for Harpsichord - Volume 1Pierre Hantaï (harpsichord)This guy is an absolute genius. Even if you're not a big fan of the harpsichord or already own an alternative recording of these works you will not regret buying this disc. His deep musicality combined with an unbelieveable technique make this very highly recommended. |
 Bach, J S: Cello Suites Nos. 1-6, BWV1007-1012Jean-Guihen QueyrasOne of my favourite cellists of our time. It is unfortunate that it comes so soon after that excellent Isserlis set last year, but he does have some new things to say. Nothing is overstated and his sound is beautiful. The recorded sound is rich and well balanced. |
 James MacMillan: The World's Ransoming & The Confession of Isobel GowdieLondon Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin DavisThe 50th release on the LSO's own label, and the first to feature the music of James MacMillan, a composer with whom both the LSO and Sir Colin Davis have a long association. Born in Scotland in 1959, MacMillan has established himself over the past two decades as one of the world's leading composers. His music draws heavily on Catholicism, socialism and Scottish patriotism. |
 La Quinta Essentia - Three Renaissance MassesHuelgas-Ensemble, Paul Van NevelFollowing on from last years 40 Voices (This weeks Harmonia Mundi Golden Disc), the Huelgas-Ensemble now turn their attention to the Renaissance Mass form. But rather than pick three similar masses they have deliberately chosen three very different ones so you can compare and contrast the three major styles of the Renaissance: the strict classical counterpoint of the Roman school (Palestrina), the ripe fruit of the Franco-Flemish style (Lassus), and flamboyant English Late Gothic (Ashewell). |
 Mozart: Sonata for 2 pianos, K448 & Schubert Fantasie in F minor, D940Katia and Marielle Labèque (piano)These are probably the two most important works in the repertoire for two piano/piano duet and here they are performed by probably the leading proponents of the genre. Highly recommended. |
 Mozart, Salieri & Reghini - Arie di BravuraDiana Damrau (soprano)A new signing to Virgin Classics, this is German coloratura soprano Diana Damrau's first release for the label. She is quickly building up quite a following, and this disc, including rarities by lesser-known composers Salieri and Righini, could surprise a few people. |
 Bach, J S: Musical OfferingKonstantin Lifschitz (piano)In 1994, Russian pianist Konstantin Lifschitz burst onto the international scene with a recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations. The CD received a Grammy nomination and was praised as the most convincing Bach interpretation since Glenn Gould. Since then I don’t know where he has been, but now he seems to be back, and with more Bach. |
 Massenet: Manon - DVDNatalie Dessay, Rolando Villazon & Samuel Ramey, Orquesta Sinfónica e coro del Gran Teatre del Liceu, Victor Pablo PérezFor their first-ever encounter in a staged opera, Natalie Dessay as Manon and Rolando Villazón as des Grieux were the much-awaited highlight of Barcelona’s Liceu season this June 2007 in David McVicar’s beautiful stage production of Massenet’s Manon. The DVD, out only 6 months after the performances, captures on film this outstanding production of Massenet's most popular and enduring opera which has, since its creation in Paris in 1884, maintained an important place in the repertory. |
 BBC Radio 3 CD ReviewSaturday 5th January 2008 |
Building a Library - Wagner: Das Rheingold |
 First ChoiceHans Hotter, Georgine von Milinkovic, Rudolf Lustig, Gustav Neidlinger, Paul Kuen, Toni Blankenheim, Josef Traxel, Hertha Wilfert, Maria von Ilosvay, Ludwig Weber, Josef Greindl, Jutta Vulpius, Elisabeth Schärtel, Maria Graf Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Joseph Keilberth |
 First Choice (as part of the whole Ring cycle)Hans Hotter, Georgine von Milinkovic, Rudolf Lustig, Gustav Neidlinger, Paul Kuen, Toni Blankenheim, Josef Traxel, Hertha Wilfert, Maria von Ilosvay, Ludwig Weber, Josef Greindl, Jutta Vulpius, Elisabeth Schärtel, Maria Graf Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Joseph Keilberth |
CD of the Week |
 Albéniz: Iberia orch. Francisco GuerreroOrquesta Sinfónica de Galicia, José Ramón EncinarThe arrangement of Isaac Albéniz's Iberia for orchestra was the last major enterprise undertaken by Francisco Guerrero, although the composer's sudden and unexpected death in October 1997 unfortunately left the project only half-finished. Of the twelve numbers that comprise the famous piano suite, Guerrero managed to orchestrate six. In an interview published in 1989, when asked whom he regarded as the foremost Spanish composer from the last hundred years, he answered thus: "for me the greatest beyond doubt is Albéniz. Iberia is the greatest Spanish work in the last hundred years. It is sumptuous, fabulous music, an extraordinary masterpiece of inexhaustible richness." Iberia by Albéniz/Guerrero is something more than a simple transcription: it is a work that can be included in its own right in the catalogue of major works by Guerrero - the place where the genius of two visionaries converges. |
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