The first recording on Challenge Classics by the wonderful Dutch baroque orchestra, La Sfera Armoniosa. For its debut, La Sfera Armoniosa and its artistic director Mike Febtross have chosen orchestral music and arias from operas by Henry Purcell. Well-known baroque specialist, soprano Johannette Zomer joins the orchestra in this live recording.
The debut album by young countertenor Oscar Verhaar showcases eight arias drawn from Handel's English oratorios.
This was a group of session musicians assembled by a composer to record a single LP. Composer and keyboardist Carlo Barbiera dedicated a full album to the life and works of sculptor Luciano Ceschia (1926-1991), both coming from near Udine, Friuli Venezia Giulia, in the north-east of Italy. This rare album is a rather original example of experimental electro-acoustic progressive style, mainly based on synth effects and acoustic guitars and often reminding some of Battiato's early works. Despite the presence of five singers in the line-up, the vocal parts are short, spoken or recited rather than sung. 19 tracks (+ bonus tracks) are listed on the cover, but these are connected to form two long suites. All in all an interesting album for the adventurous listeners in search of something different.