Where to start when you want to get to know the music of Bach, one of the leading figures in the late Baroque era? Here are 10 pieces which represent a good place to start if one wants to get familiar with Bach’s music.
Tag: Choral
Editor’s Choice: The Best New Classical Music Albums, July 2020
The choices of the best classical music albums we covered on The Classic Review the past month.
Review: Bruckner, Stravinsky – Mass for Choir and Wind – Rundfunkchor Berlin
Gijs Leenaars performs Bruckner and Stravinsky’s two Masses for choir and wind instruments, with the Rundfunkchor and Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin.
Review: Cyrillus Kreek – The Suspended Harp of Babel – Vox Clamantis
ECM Records presents a collection of psalms and folk-songs arranged for choir by the Estonian composer Cyrillus Kreek, by Estonian choir Vox Clamantis (2020).
Review: “Inferno” – Motets By Lassus – Cappella Amsterdam, Reuss
Motets for six and eight voices by Ronaldo De Lassus (1530-1594), performed by the Cappella Amsterdam under Daniel Reuss (Harmonia Mundi, 2020).
Mozart – Requiem – A Beginners Guide
Mozart’s Requiem was the last work he ever composed. This guide gives background, analysis and recommends the best recordings of various completions.
Review: “From Five Continents” – Penelope Thwaites
Somm Recordings presents Choral music and songs by Penelope Thwaites, with soloists including Carolyn Sampson and James Gilchrist. Conduced by Jeffrey Skidmore.
Review: Dvořák – Requiem, Te Deum, Biblical Songs – Hrůša, Bělohlávek
Jakub Hrůša conducts the Czech Philharmonic and Prague Philharmonic Choir in Dvořák’s Requiem and Te Deum. The late Jiří Bělohlávek conducts “Biblical Songs”.
Review: “Messiah… Refreshed!” – Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Griffith
Jonathan Griffith and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra perform an arrangement of Handel’s “Messiah”, made by Sir Eugène Goossens for Sir Thomas Beecham.
Review: “Stabat” – Pärt, Macmillan & Vasks – Ross
The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge and the Dmitri Ensemble under Graham Ross perform Arvo Pärt’s Stabat Mater, with other choral works by Macmillan and Vasks
