Raphael Chirbes

When Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen died in 1728, his former Kapellmeister had not forgotten the five brilliant years he had spent in the prince’s service. He dedicated to his memory a mourning cantata almost entirely based on the music of two major works of the mid-1720s, the Trauer-Ode and the St. Matthew Passion. Although the score is lost, the wordbook and other sources of information have now made it possible to reconstruct the work. In his first recording for harmonia mundi, Raphaël Pichon invites us on an exciting musical treasure hunt.

Launched by a fizzing account of the overture to the Paris ballet Les petits riens, the programme centres around three magnificent showpiece arias for Aloysia, famed both for her expressive cantabile and her coloratura prowess. Among her specialities were sustained pianissimo high notes; and I can’t imagine they were more delicately floated than they are by Sabine Devieilhe, a lyric coloratura who combines a pure, sweet timbre and dazzling virtuosity…In one of her signature roles, Devieilhe despatches the Queen’s ‘Der Hölle Rache’ with terrific pizzazz, her poise in alt even enabling her to shade the high-wire coloratura at will.

"Following in the tradition of the original TMNT microseries comes the first of four stand-alone tales centering on each Turtle. Raphael's place in the world is uncertain and he can't shake the feeling that he'll always be an outsider. That changes when he finds another mutant, the arctic fox Alopex, who may have a new clue pertaining to the Turtles origin. Unfortunately she's too busy being hunted alive to share the info! Will Raphael and his new friend survive the night? The Angel: After the Fall team of Brian Lynch and Franco Urru reveal all! Well, some, anyway!"