Alta

Georg Philipp Telemann - Musica Alta Ripa - Concertos and Chamber Music
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Label/Cat#: MDG "Gold" # 309 1582-2 | Country/Year: Germany 2009, 5xCD
Genre: Classical | Style: Baroque

…Celebrated German label MDG have assembled a fine and varied chamber music programme of four movement concertos and sonatas plus an overture which shows off the composer in some of his finest and most varied colours and textures. Listeners unfamiliar with Telemann can comfort themselves as each and every one of the works contained here has expressive charm in abundance and sustained musical interest. No bland and plodding keyboard continuo here. (…) Telemann’s strength and depth in these chamber compositions is never in doubt and with consistently fine playing from the Ensemble Musica Alta Ripa this is certainly a worthy release.

Jeff Plate has joined forces with TSO keyboardist Jane Mangini and some amazing new talent to form his "years in the making" band Alta Reign. Plate and Mangini, along with Tommy Cook (guitars/lead vocals), Collin Holloway (guitars/lead vocals), Kevin McCarthy (bass, vocals) and Zach Hamilton (keyboards, guitars/vocals), will be releasing Alta Reign’s debut album "Mother’s Day" on January 8, 2021 via Rat Pak Records. The album is a reflection of dedication as the initial idea spawned 30 years ago and ended in 2020 with the album now being released in 2021. States drummer Jeff Plate, “Beginning in a rehearsal room in Rockland, Ma. 30 years ago and ending in this insane year of 2020, "Mother’s Day" is the end result of years of writing, listening, learning, planning and waiting for the right moment to put this all together. Everyone involved has been the perfect combination of effort and talent to complete the ideas and songs that have been kicking around in my head for years. I could not be prouder to share this album with the world, this is Alta Reign.”

Remastered from the original LP recording, this performance is now available on CD.
Leclair was one of the best violinists of his times. The story is told that he had to compete in a musical duel with Locatelli in Kassel - then a most highly popular form of musical entertainment. The chronicler describes his "devilish" playing, contrasting it with the "angelic" style of his Italian rival. His trio sonatas suggest familiarity with the Italian school but also draw on entirely independent French traditions and shine with ingenious inventions and harmonic refinements.

While Italians and Frenchmen were competing for musical primacy everywhere on the European Continent, a very characteristically British tonal idiom reigned supreme during this short period of history before foreign influences increased in importance. Musica Alta Ripa’s espousal of an epoch that so far has not received much attention turns out to be a genuine instance of good fortune. With their special feel for the peculiar resonances of English music, these Hanoverian baroque specialists present a royal audio feast and with it genuine enrichment not only for early music enthusiasts.

Even those who may be unfamiliar with his music will likely recognize Johann Goldberg's name in association with J.S. Bach's famous Goldberg Variations, the story behind which is so speculative as to not bear repeating here. Goldberg was in fact a student of the elder Bach's as well as W.F. Bach. So similar was Goldberg's early use of counterpoint, texture, and chromaticism to his teacher's that one of the trio sonatas heard on this album – the one in C major – was actually listed for many years in the BWV as being by Bach. Regrettably for listeners, Goldberg died before his 30th birthday; like Brahms, he was his own worst critic and destroyed copious amounts of his own compositions.

Agostino Steffani (1654-1728) was the most important composer ever to be appointed by the Duchy of Hannover. At the end of the 17th century this noble family embarked on a cultural offensive with the objective of having Duke Ernst August become a prince elector. To this end, the Welph dynasty obtained the services of Steffani, a master choice in itself as his works are still performed to this day in the majestic gardens of Princess Caroline of Monaco and her husband, the current Ernst August of Hannover.