Hoff Ensemble, Winter Quiets Nigts

If listeners had to commit to a single version of Vivaldi's Four Seasons for the rest of their lives, this 1984 BIS recording would be thoroughly satisfying choice. Superbly played, brilliantly recorded period instrument performances of this perennial masterpiece are all but a dime a dozen, and the differences between Hogwood's and Pinnock's and Harnoncourt's readings don't begin to make up for the fatal boredom of their performances. This version with Nils-Erik Sparf and the Drottningholm Court Baroque Ensemble would be an ideal choice because theirs is the freshest performance of the piece. Beyond their excellent technique and impeccable sense of style, Sparf and the Swedish musicians bring joy and enthusiasm to the music, and sound like they are in turn receiving happiness and energy from the music. There's real pleasure here, and real affection, as if the concertos were newly composed and these were their world premieres. Filled out with witty accounts of Vivaldi's F major Concerto for Bassoon and his G minor Concerto for Flute and Bassoon, this disc is a delight.

Ensemble für frühe Musik Augsburg - Neidhart von Reuental
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 276 MB | Full Artwork: 98 MB | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Christophorus # CHR 77108 | Country/Year: Germany 1990
Genre: Folk, Classical | Style: Medieval

Neidhart von Reuental was one of the most famous German minnesingers. He was probably active in Bavaria and then is known to have been a singer at the court of Friedrich II in Vienna. As a minnesinger he was most active from 1210 to at least 1236. Neidhart is very well known for being rather sarcastic and comical. More melodies survive by him than from any other minnesinger…

Deutsche Grammophon presents Winter Tales – a new seasonal album featuring music from some of the label’s star composers, who were invited to reimagine the music of Christmas and Chanukah, drawing inspiration from their childhoods and homelands. The album, which is due for release on 21 October, comprises 12 very personal responses to that creative challenge, all of which have something fresh and timely to say about winter’s promise of renewal and light’s power over darkness.

With Jungle City (Alessa, 2009), Norwegians Jan Gunnar Hoff (keyboards) and Per Mathisen (bass) documented their meeting with Peruvian-born Alex Acuna, a Weather Report alum who leapt onto the international stage, first as percussionist and then kit drummer, on the fusion super group's Black Market (Columbia, 1976) and Heavy Weather (Columbia, 1977). That, after a first rehearsal in Tromsø—situated in Norway's far north—Acuña jumped out of his seat, screaming "We have to play much more together!" only meant that Jungle City would, most likely, not be a one-shot deal.