Janet Baker Monteverdi

2008 five CD set from Dame Janet Baker, the British mezzo-soprano who has achieved international fame and adulation from generations of music fans.

After having established her reputation for all time by singing 'The Angel' in Elgar's Dream of Gerontius with Sir John Barbirolli in 1964, Dame Janet Baker became the mezzo-soprano of choice for numerous conductors, bringing to each performance her incisive musicality, clear diction and natural warmth of tone that endeared her to audiences all over the world. Her range was enormous - from Monteverdi through to 20th century composers, particularly Britten.

Hector Berlioz, France’s greatest Romantic composer, exemplifies the spirit of his age – yet his genius was also ahead of its time. Reflecting his colourful life, his music is astonishing for its originality and ambition, and for orchestration of groundbreaking brilliance. This, the first-ever complete Berlioz edition, comprises carefully selected recordings and even includes works completely new to the catalogue. The accompanying booklet, lavishly illustrated, contains a fascinating commentary from Berlioz biographer David Cairns, whose words bring the composer’s music still more vividly to life.

I do think that this Decca set is arguably the best compilation reissue of such a bulk of Handel work which has been released in a long time, just in time to commemorate the two hundred fiftieth anniversary of the passing of il caro Sassone. There is a lot in this box, absence of libretti notwithstanding. The enclosed booklet is essential to navigate you through the track listings and timings and little else but a small general essay on GFH.

By John Van Note

A collaboration between Edgar Fruitier, classical music expert and collector, Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte and Cardinal Marc Ouellet, this 6 CD collection of sacred music is a classical's music lover's dream.