The Virgins

Led by Christopher Hogwood, the Academy of Ancient Music has made many renowned recordings of Handel's music-particularly the oratorios. The beloved Messiah heads up this 8-CD set, followed by Esther; La Resurezzione , and, making its return to the international catalog after an absence of several years, the 1985 recording of Athalia -with none other than Joan Sutherland in the title role! Recorded in London, 1979-85.

The Complete Hildegard von Bingen, Vol. 2 - Aurora - Sinfonye (1999) {Celestial Harmonies 13128-2}
XLD rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 241 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 141 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 261 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1999 Celestial Harmonies | 13128-2
Classical / Medieval / Early Music / Religious / Chant

This is the second volume of The Complete Hildegard von Bingen. Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) was born the tenth child to a noble family and was dedicated at birth to the church. At age three she began to have visions of luminous objects, but soon realized she was unique in this ability and kept these visions secret for many years. Hildegard's religious education, which began at the age of eight, consisted of an ascetic life of prayer and contemplation. At a time when few women were accorded respect, she lived to become a highly respected writer, poet, composer and visionary sought after for her counsel by bishops, popes and kings.

Absolutely admirable. I never tire of going back to this gem of a recording and can't think of a better introduction to the music of William Boyce.

Carlos Garnett - The New Love (1977) {Soul Brother CDSBCS71 rel 2015}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 259 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 87 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 25 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1977, 2015 Muse / Soul Brother Records / Passion Music | CD SBCS 71
Jazz / Soul Jazz / Post Bop / Saxophone

‘New Love’ from 1978 was the fifth and last album that Carlos Garnett recorded for the Muse label in the 70’s. Featuring heavyweight musicians like Alphonse Mouzon, Terumasu Hino and Joe Bonner, It includes the Jazz-Funk Dance classic ‘Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima’ a highly rhythmic track with a wicked bassline a sure fire dancefloor filler. ‘Memories of Coltrane’ is a tribute to the master which starts off with some solos, moves into a spiritual chant and then developes into a corker of dancefloor Jazz shifter with a really heavy percussive driving groove topped with blazing horns reminiscent of a Pharoah Sanders track, and includes a great drum solo from Mouzon.

It seems incredible that a singer of Heldentenor quality like Vickers could sing so stylishly in Handel, with elaborate divisions perfectly executed. Not only that, his portrayal of Samson is deeply moving, thanks to vocal acting over as wide tonal and dynamic range.

This album was composed by German cult favorite Peter Thomas and contains the score for Erinnerungen an Die Zukunft, a documentary based upon a best-seller by Erich Von Daniken that proposed the theory that mankind's ancestors were aliens who landed on this planet centuries ago. The resulting soundtrack album is not easy for the listener to assimilate, primarily because it consists of two side-long medleys patched together from several unrelated musical cues. The medleys aren't arranged in a smooth, flowing fashion, and the album probably would have made an easier listen if it had been broken down into a better programmed set of individual tracks. Programming quibbles aside, Chariots of the Gods (Erinnernungen an Die Zukunft) is still pretty impressive…