King Confidence

Alexander Balus brings to completion The King's Consort's series of Handel's four 'military' oratorios (the other three being Judas Maccabaeus, The Occasional Oratorio, and Joshua).
The story is a somewhat embellished retelling of chapters 10 and 11 from the first book of the Apocryphal Maccabees and involves complicated intrigues between the Jews, Syrians and Egyptians in the second century BC. To cut a long story short, Alexander Balus, King of Syria, is eventually defeated in battle by Ptolomee of Egypt and then killed by an Arab; but Ptolomee himself dies just three days later allowing Jonathan, the Chief of the Jews, to remind us of the fate of those who do not believe in the One God.

Joseph and his Brethren, the latest in The King's Consort's mammoth series of recordings of the grand oratorios of Handel, tells the story of Joseph, sold into slavery by his perfidious brothers, winning acceptance at the court of Pharaoh in Egypt by his interpretation of the dreams foretelling seven years of plenty, and seven of famine. His brothers come from drought-ridden Israel to beg for food, and are eventually reunited with Joseph. The work is characteristically full of melodic invention and drama, culminating in the scene between Joseph and his youngest—and innocent—brother Benjamin (here sung by the stunning treble Connor Burrowes) in which Joseph is emotionally overcome and admits his true identity. No wonder the work was so warmly received at its first performance.

‘Deborah contains some of the most glorious music Handel ever wrote. Even if many of the numbers have been recycled from earlier works, the invention is still staggering. Handel devotees can thus amuse themselves spotting the tunes while everyone else can revel in the sumptuous scoring and the sheer vitality and humanity of the piece, all superbly conveyed in Robert King's recording’.

The King Diamond band was formed in 1985 by Danish vocalist King Diamond following the break-up of his previous band, Mercyful Fate. The original line-up consisted of Diamond, his former Mercyful Fate bandmates Michael Denner (guitar) and Timi Hansen (bass), and Swedes Mikkey Dee (drums) and Andy LaRoque (guitar)…

The King Diamond band was formed in 1985 by Danish vocalist King Diamond following the break-up of his previous band, Mercyful Fate. The original line-up consisted of Diamond, his former Mercyful Fate bandmates Michael Denner (guitar) and Timi Hansen (bass), and Swedes Mikkey Dee (drums) and Andy LaRoque (guitar)…

Heaven & Earth (Live and in the Studio 1997 – 2008) is the eighth of the major box set releases from English progressive rock group King Crimson, released in 2019 by Discipline Global Mobile, Panegyric Records, Inner Knot & Wowow Entertainment, Inc…

Boccherini wrote very little vocal music; however he left two settings of the Stabat mater. It was first set in 1781 for solo soprano and strings and then in 1800 for two sopranos and tenor, obviously influenced by the hugely-popular Pergolesi Stabat mater of 1736. There are many similarities in the notation and harmony—even the same key of F minor is used. The writing is of extraordinary individuality and seems to come straight from the heart. This unjustly neglected piece is surely one of the most remarkable sacred compostions of the era.

George Philipp Telemann's Wassermusik (commonly known as 'Hamburger Ebb und Fluth' – an oblique reference to the local method of sewage disposal!) was composed for a grand celebration of seafaring life during 1723. The music was noted at the time for being 'uncommonly well-suited to the occasion', and not least for its subject-matter: Telemann guides his audience through a pageant of aquatic folklore and meteorology.

King's Shelter years were covered in toto on the 1995 double-CD King of the Blues, which had everything from all three of his Shelter albums and then some. Although all of the 18 songs on this single-disc anthology were on King of the Blues, this is a more manageable survey of the same era. Not an era, it should be said, that was King's best, with more ordinary material and less canny production than was used on his best earlier work. It does, however, have some of the better cuts from his 1970s recordings, such as "Going Down," "Lowdown in Lodi," the string-drenched Leon Russell tune "Help Me Through the Day," the brassy instrumental "Guitar Boogie," and covers of chestnuts like "Reconsider Baby," "I'd Rather Be Blind," and "Please Send Me Someone to Love."

To mark their 50th anniversary, the versatile King’s Singers returned home to King’s College, Cambridge, for a program spanning the entire history of Christmas music. It stretches from the perennial beauty of early plainsong to former King’s Singer Bob Chilcott’s magical “A Thanksgiving,” featuring the National Youth Choir of Great Britain. These two divine works frame sprightly Sweelinck, luscious Herbert Howells, and suave and swaggering Poulenc. The final quarter of this recording features touching arrangements of traditional and popular works, plus the delightful, moving “La Peregrinaçion.”