MOZART: Divertimento KV 439b No 1. Divertimento KV 439b No 2. Divertimento KV 439b No. 5. La Clemenza di Tito KV 621.La Clemenza di Tito KV621.
Trio Roseau
MDG SACD 903 2096 TT: 62:42
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BUXTEHUDE: Praeludium ex C. HIERONYMUS PRAETORIUS: Hymnus. Te lucis ante terminum. DECKER: Vater unser im Himmelreich. JACOB PRAETORIUS: Vater unser im Himmelreich. JACOB PRAETORIUS: Vater under im Himnmelereich. MATTHIAS WECKMANN: Gott sei gelobet und gebenediet. SCHNEIDEMANN: Praeambulium. VOGEL: Registervorfünrung.
Harald Vogel, organ
MDG SACD 914 2125 TT: 58:43
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STALE KLEIBERG: String Quartet No. 3. Trur du pa lyng?( Do You Believe in Heather?). Trio Luna. Lyssmeden (The Light Smith).
2L SACD 152 TT: 70:00
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This charming Mozart SACD is unique. It offers music of Mozart, much of it originally written for basset horns, in arrangements for a trio of oboe (Rachel Frost), clarinet (Ulf-Guido Schäfer (clarinet), and Malte Refardt (bassoon). This trio calls itself Trio Roseau. Schäfer made these sensitive arrangements, and all seem appropriate as Mozart was very fond of all three instruments. Filling out the disk we have excerpts from La Clemenza di Tito, also arranged for performance by a "trio d'anches" the name given to this instrumental combination. Delightful throughout and the recording made May 2018 in Konzerthaus der Abtei Marienmiunster is well-balanced and clear Recommended!

Those who love organ music surely will wish to investigate this superb new MDG disk that featured the huge famous Arp Schnitger organ in St. Jacobi (Church of St. James) in Hamburg This restored organ goes back to the sixteenth century, here it is played by master organist Harald Vogel. The program includes music written by composers who over several centuries were associated with St. Jacob and its organ. After this, Vogel performs a 15-minute series of brief improvisations displaying the instrument's various registrations, each of the 23 announced by the organist. These dedicated erformances were recorded September 2015 and engineering is typical of the labe, capturing all of the richness and sonorities of this famous organ. It is surprising more music wasn't included as the disk has less than an hour of oplaying time

Norwegian composer Stale Kleiberg (born 8 March 1958) is well-known in his native land both a musician and a musicologist. He has received many awards, and leading Norwegian musical groups have commissioned works. He has written much chamber music, pieces for large orchestra, choral works, and music for solo instruments. There are about a dozen recordings of his music, five of which are on the 2L label. Now we have one more, an intriguing disk that contains two instrumental works: the three-movement String Quartet No. 3, and Trio Luna scored for flute-viola-harp ensemble. There are two song cycles. Lyssmeden (The Light Smith) which is also a trio in a way; a song cycle for mezzo-soprano, clarinet and piano. The other song cycle is Trur du pa lyng? (Do You Believe in Heather?). Both cycles are settings of poetry by Norwegian poet Helge Torvund. Complete texts and translations re provided. Performers are relatively unknown but all are first-class artists. The recording was made August 2018 in Norway;s Sofienberg Church, and engineers have captured an ultra-clear sonic picture. Kleiberg has been described as a "modern Romantic" composer. Surely his music is expertly constructed and welcome; a pleasure to the ears particularly when compared with the bizarre Luigi Nono theater piece Prometo recently mentioned on this site (REVIEW).

R.E.B. (May 2019)

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