Airboss II (1998)

Johann Jacob Froberger (1616 - 1667): Fantasia. Pieces for Harpsichord and Organ. Performed by Siegbert Rampe on six historical harpsichords from the collection of Andreas Beurmann and on the organ built by Hans Scherer, Junior, in 1624. The recordings were made in July 1996 at Schloss Hasselburg near Neustadt in Schleswig-Holstein (harpsichords) and at St. Stephan's Church in Tangermünde, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.

By Leslie Richford (Selsingen, Lower Saxony)

These chamber works bring Sony's adventurous, timely Ligeti series to a natural pinnacle. Long the challenger of stylistic stasis and customary demonstrations of excellence, Ligeti has outdone himself here (as he did with the fantastic Mechanical Music release). The Trio for Violin, Horn, and Piano (1982) challenges its players to stay in step with each other even while expanding virtuosity to the breaking point. Marie-Luise Neunecker plays such full horn parts that they roll flow over the tonal bounds, as does Saschko Gawriloff's violin and Pierre-Laurent Aimard's piano… –Andrew Bartlett..

The presumptuous manner in which Philips proclaims this disc of Vivaldi ‘Concertos for Anna Maria’ as being a world premiere recording is as careless as it is misleading. All six concertos have been previously recorded, some of them several times over. Even more absurdly, though, four of the six are included on a disc, with Shlomo Mintz and the Israel Chamber Orchestra, bearing virtually the same title as this new release, and claiming with greater justification, world premiere status. I reviewed Mintz’s programme very favourably in the pages of Gramophone, so readers who subsequently acquired it should proceed with caution in considering the present one.

Now we have all three of the concertos, plus the Scottish Fantasy, Op. 46, and the Serenade, Op. 75, all in one convenient 2-CD set. The reproduction is broad, spacious and defined, with the solo violin in perfect perspective.

Second Symphony is also a youthful work – the composer was just 21 at the time – but it differs from the First in that it’s cast in a single movement. After the premiere in 1973 Aho decided to rework the middle section, a task he didn’t attempt until 1995. The result is a compact, tightly structured piece – it’s a triple fugue – which the composer candidly admits was intended as an antidote to some of the more ‘difficult’ music of the 1960s.

Antonio Soler - Sonatas completas, Vol. II - Patrick Cohen, fortepiano (1998) {Glossa GCD 920509}
XLD rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 224 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 141 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 21 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1998 Glossa Music | GCD 920509
Classical / Baroque / Period Instruments / Fortepiano

Antonio Francisco Javier José Soler Ramos, usually known as Padre ('Father', in the religious sense) Antonio Soler, known in Catalan as Antoni Soler i Ramos (baptized 3 December 1729 – died 20 December 1783) was a Spanish composer whose works span the late Baroque and early Classical music eras. He is best known for his keyboard sonatas, an important contribution to the harpsichord, fortepiano and organ repertoire.

This is, like the others in the series, deserves the warmest possible recommendation.

Michala Petri is one of few recorder players in the world to manage making a highly successful career as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber player. She often appears in concert with her husband, Lars Hannibal, a guitarist and lutenist. Petri's repertory is extensive, especially in the Baroque realm with works by J.S. Bach, Telemann, Vivaldi, Handel, Corelli, Sammartini, and many others.