<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> LSO Strings / Pierre de la Rue / For the Beautyy of the Earth

ELGAR: Introduction and Allegro for Strings. VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis. BRITTEN: Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge.
London String Ensemble/Roman Simovic, cond.
LSO LIVE SACD LSO 0792 TT: 53:59
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DE LA RUE: Missa Cum jociundiate
Ccappella Pratensis I Stratton Bull. Wim Diepenhorst, organ.
CHALLENGE CLASSICS SACD CC72710 TT: 64:24
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'FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH"
Gabriel V SACD TT: 53:03
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For their third SACD on the LSO LIVE series we have this disk of English music. Their previous issues were music of Tchaikovsky and Bartók (752) and Schubert and Shostakovich (786).Roman Simovic enjoys a successful career iun the world of chamber music, and has toured extensively as a recitalist. In 2010 he was appointed Concertmaster of the London Symphony, and occasionally takes the podium as he does here in these brilliant performances all recorded during a concert February 3, 2016 at the Barbican in London. Producer James Mallinson has managed to tame the dry acoustics of the venue. The players, totally at home in this repertory, play very well indeed. The LSO is about to enter an exciting new phase in their history in September 2017 when Sir Simon Rattle becomes Music Director. Exciting days ahead for the LSO!

Dutch vocal ensemble Cappella Pratensisis is heard in a program of music of Josquin Desprez and ,am other polyphonic composers of the 15th and 16th centuries. This focuses on music that inspired Dutch artist Hieronymus Bosch (c. 1450-1516); whose work often depicted music or performance thereof. Bosch was a brother of the Brotherhood of Our Illustrious Lady, a large prestigious organization which once a week would gather in their chapel in the church of St. John the Evangelist to celebrate a votive Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin. This recording replicates that event with serene devotional music that features an organ. This is performed by Cappella Pratensis directed by Stratton Bull with organist Wim Diepenhorst, recorded in Belgium's Church of Franc-Waret in November 2015. Every effort has been made to provide a concert similar to what Bosch heard six centuries ago. Excellent audio. Complete texts and translations are provided.

For the Beauty of the Earth is a collection of music for brass, organ and percussion performed by Gabriel V (5 each of trumpets and trombones, 3 horns, 1 tuba, 4 percussion). . This is, according to CD notes, a group of men and women committed to the traditions of monastic life. There are a dozen works arranged for brass and organ.This is music that "exhibits the beauty of God's creation and redemption." These recordings were made in Mechanics Hall in Worcester, MA.July 2015. Lovely, grand music very well played and beautifully recorded in multi-channel sound. The organ (played by Sharonrose Pfieffer) is not particularly impressive; I've heard many more exciting performances of this warhorse, but this is the only one with added brass and percussion. It is unfortunate there isn't more music: 53 minutes is quite brief playing time.

R.E.B. (December 2016)

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