English Bach Festival Baroque Orchestra

It is only a short while since I reviewed a suite of dances from Rameau's opera, Nais. Now, hard on the heels of that disc (also conducted by McGegan, Harmonia Mundi, 7/95) comes a reissue of the entire work, albeit with judicious cuts. Nais was commissioned to celebrate the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748, and first performed the following year. Thus it was a vocal counterpart to Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks, both pieces marking the conclusion of the War of the Austrian Succession. The present recording was made in 1980 following performances at London's Old Vic Theatre and at Versailles under the auspices of Lina Lalandi's enterprising English Bach Festival.

In addition to German and early Italian sacred music, Michel Corboz was very involved in exploring the Grand Siècle, and in particular the music of Marc-Antoine Charpentier. The re-creation in Lyon of David & Jonathas, a groundbreaking musical form between lyric tragedy and oratorio, with very few recitatives, was one of the main stage events of 1981. Almost three centuries had passed since the premiere and the work was completely forgotten, though being considered nowadays as one of Charpentier’s masterpieces. This recording, made just after the live performances, was the first to reveal the beauty of this work, thanks to Corboz’ conducting of a period instrument orchestra and an amazing cast of vocal soloists: Colette Alliot-Lugaz, Paul Esswood, Philippe Huttenlocher, René Jacobs, François Le Roux…

In addition to German and early Italian sacred music, Michel Corboz was very involved in exploring the Grand Siècle, and in particular the music of Marc-Antoine Charpentier. The re-creation in Lyon of David & Jonathas, a groundbreaking musical form between lyric tragedy and oratorio, with very few recitatives, was one of the main stage events of 1981. Almost three centuries had passed since the premiere and the work was completely forgotten, though being considered nowadays as one of Charpentier’s masterpieces. This recording, made just after the live performances, was the first to reveal the beauty of this work, thanks to Corboz’ conducting of a period instrument orchestra and an amazing cast of vocal soloists: Colette Alliot-Lugaz, Paul Esswood, Philippe Huttenlocher, René Jacobs, François Le Roux…

Although nowadays Jean-Philippe Rameau is considered the greatest French baroque composer, he only came to real fame when he was already fifty years old. Then, in 1733, his first 'tragédie en musique', Hippolyte et Aricie, was performed in public. This was followed later that decade by Castor et Pollux (1737) and Dardanus (1739) and two 'opéra-ballets', Les Indes galantes (1735) and Les Fêtes d'Hébé (1739). By the 1740s his reputation was such that there was no other composer who could be invited to write the main music to be performed during the festivities at the occasion of the marriage of Dauphin Louis, son of King Louis XV, to Marie-Thérèse of Spain in February 1745. The festivities in Versailles, which lasted a month, started and ended with music by Rameau.

Although Bach and Monteverdi were the two main composers Michel Corboz recorded, he focused intensely on Vivaldi’s sacred music during the mid-70s, be it with the Gulbenkian Orchestra, the Lausanne ensembles or the English Bach Festival Baroque Orchestra. This collection includes the digital premiere of his recording of Beatus vir, RV 598, newly remastered!

Baroque Masterpieces - collection of Baroque music in the best performance in the company Sony BMG DHM Artenova. One of the best collections of Baroque music! The greatest works - the legendary performance! Baroque music is a style of European classical music in the period from about 1600 to 1750. The Baroque era follows the Renaissance and the Classical period precedes. The main in this music was an expression of emotions. Baroque music - this violence and ecstasy, in contrast to the confidence and independence of the Renaissance.

Pachelbel / Handel / Vivaldi / Albinoni & Others
The English Concert - Trevor Pinnock
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 342 MB | Full Artwork: 100 MB | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Archiv Produktion # 415 518-2 | Country/Year: Germany 1985
Genre: Classical | Style: Baroque

The English Concert is a baroque orchestra playing on period instruments based in London. Founded in 1972 and directed from the harpsichord by Trevor Pinnock for 30 years, it is now directed by harpsichordist Harry Bicket. The orchestra has been led by Nadja Zwiener since September 2007. The English Concert was founded by Trevor Pinnock and others in November 1972. The date of foundation is often given as 1973, probably because they started with seven people and only later progressed onto the orchestral repertoire as their number increased. They were one of the first orchestras dedicated to performing baroque and early classical music on period instruments, their repertoire from then to now ranging approximately from Monteverdi to Mozart…