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Presto News - 19th January 2009Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin put Platti firmly on the map |
 A baroque discovery this week, in the form of the 18th century Italian composer Giovanni Benedetto Platti. Born in 1692, he studied in Venice, probably with people like Vivaldi, Lotti, Albinoni and Marcello. However, like many other Italian composers in that period, he headed north in search of employment to the countries whose inhabitants admired the fashionable Italian music of the time. He settled in the German town of Würzburg where he entered the service of the Prince-Bishop and remained there until his death in 1763.  Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin As well as composing, he was a virtuoso oboist, played the cello, violin, harpsichord and flute, taught singing and when needed, sung tenor. His numerous works include harpsichord and flute sonatas, trio sonatas and ricercati for violin and violoncello. I’ve had a chance to listen to some of these, and whilst the harpsichord sonatas to me sounded like a dull version of those by CPE Bach, the trio sonatas are both innovative and very attractive. However, the impetus behind today’s editorial lies in a new disc from the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin of three of his Concerti Grossi coupled with an oboe concerto and a cello concerto. The Concerti Grossi are derived from some of the Op. 5 Violin Sonatas of Corelli and, full of rich and sometimes exotic harmonies, show Platti as a very worthy heir to one of the great masters of the genre. The Cello Concerto is one of at least twenty-eight he wrote for the instrument, for his patron’s brother Rudolf Franz Erwein (an enthusiastic amateur cellist and tireless collector). The one played here suggests a quality easily equivalent to those of Boccherini, and I hope that some of the others will see the recording studio soon. I’ve put the whole of the first movement below for you to listen to and hope that you will be similarly enthused by this exciting music and stunning playing. Indeed, the playing throughout this disc is nothing short of superb. Tempos, phrasing, style, sound, dynamic contrast, excitement, tenderness, ... it is hard to find fault anywhere on this disc. Very highly recommended, and hopefully it will result in a plethora of Platti recordings in the years ahead!
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 Platti - Concerti Grossi after CorelliAkademie für Alte Musik Berlin |
Chris O'Reilly - chris@prestoclassical.co.uk |
listen - Platti - Cello Concerto in D major (1. Allegro)New Releases19th January 2009 |
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. |
 Daniel Barenboim - New Year's Concert 2009 (CD)Wiener Philharmoniker, Daniel BarenboimThe New Year's Concert in Vienna has been a glorious tradition for over six decades. A best-selling classical event year after year, the concert has unique global appeal. It is broadcast on TV and radio to over 50 countries, and is viewed by tens of millions of people all over the world. This year's concert, conducted by Daniel Barenboim, is now out on CD. Versions on DVD and Blu-ray will follow next month. |
 Mahler - Symphony No. 2Elena Mosuc & Zlata Bulycheva, London Symphony Orchestra & London Symphony Chorus, Valery GergievValery Gergiev's Mahler cycle with the London Symphony Orchestra continues with Symphony No. 2. "Faced with the London Symphony Orchestra's concentrated glare and attack, I considered cowering under my seat" The Times |
 Ligeti - Lux Aeterna, other works and Heppener - Im GesteinmusicFabrik, Cappella Amsterdam, Daniel ReussBoth Ligeti and Heppener belong to the generation born in the 1920s which formed the basis for the post-war avant-garde. Lux Aeterna, used by Stanley Kubrick in his film 2001: A Space Odyssey, marked the installation of a new musical language. |
 Schumann - A tribute to BachAndreas Staier (Erard piano 1837)For Schumann, Bach was the supreme benchmark. He saw in his great predecessor not merely a genius of the past, but a vital source for his art, and sought both inspiration and psychological stability in Bach's music. Schumann paid tribute to his mentor in many different ways: writing chorales and fugues like Bach, borrowing his themes, or playing on the four notes which form his name, B-A-C-H. This programme, recorded on an Érard piano with an ideal timbre, is played by a passionate admirer of these two masters of the keyboard. |
 English Love SongsMark Stone (baritone) & Stephen Barlow (piano)This excellent release is a unique collection of English love songs by some of the great English composers of the 20th century including Vaughan-Williams, Purcell, Britten, Dowland, Finzi and Warlock. All of the songs are firm favourites; amongst the most well known are Silent Worship, Where’er You Walk, If Music Be the Food of Love and The Salley Gardens. |
 Marais & Sainte-Colombe - Pièces de violeJosh Cheatham, Julien Léonard (viola da gambas) & Skip Sempé (harpsichord)Josh Cheatham is an important representative of the new generation of viola da gamba virtuosi. For his first solo recording, he has chosen a French programme of works of Marin Marais (1656-1728) and Le Sieur de Sainte Colombe (1630/40-1691/1701). These remarkable musicians possess both the mastery and the panache which allows them to play this music and to convey the singular warmth of the sound of the viola da gamba with uncommon expressivity. |
 Monteverdi - Selva morale e spiritualeLa Venexiana, Claudio Cavina (director)After the completion, a few months back, of their complete Monteverdi Madrigal Edition, and a Gramophone Award for Orfeo, La Venexiana now issues three discs recorded live at the 2005 Semana de Música Religiosa Festival in Cuenca. Rather than following the order of the printed edition, La Venexiana have arranged the sequence of pieces into three substantial liturgical settings, each one equipped with its own character. |
.jpg) Milestones - Chandos 30th anniversary Box SetChandos Records celebrates its thirtieth anniversary in 2009. Founded by Brian Couzens, Chandos quickly established itself as one of the world’s leading classical labels. To celebrate thirty years in the classical recording world, Chandos is releasing a limited edition thirty-disc set featuring highlights of the company’s recording history. |
 BBC Radio 3 CD ReviewSaturday 17th January 2009 |
Building a Library - Haydn: Symphony No. 104 in D major 'London' |
 First Choice(coupled with Symphonies Nos. 94, 96, 100, 101 and 103)Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Colin Davis |
Disc of the Week |
 Colin Matthews - Horn Concerto(coupled with Alphabicycle Order)Richard Watkins (horn), Halle Orchestra, Mark Elder (conductor) |
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