...and some other tidbits.  Hello all

Though my favorite musical eras are the Romantic to Early Contemporary,
I've been enjoying the Baroque--and earlier--quite a bit lately and want
to share, as a non-specialist, where I've made inroads and why.

I love the soprano writing of Richard Strauss, whether for solo voice, or
multiple voices conversing in exquisite counterpoint.  Think of the arias
in Ariadne auf Naxos, and Rosenkavalier.  If you like this music as well,
I would recommend trying a CD of selected pieces from "Office Des Tenebres"
by Charpentier.  Opus 111 offers these works, performed by Veronique
Gens/Noemi Rime and Le Parlement De Musique, at mid-price.  Also quite
gratifying is Savall's "Canticum ad Beatum Virginem Mariam--particularly
the Stabat Mater--available at midprice on the Astree label.

I feel there is quite a kinship between the stylized archaism of some
Strauss and the music of Charpentier &Co.  Other composers of this era that
write equally beautifully for soprano include Rameau, Lully, and Couperin.
If you like this music, go right ahead and buy Lully's Petit motets, (try
the Salve Regina for 3 Sopranos), with Christie; and the Couperin "Lecons
de tenebres" with Gens/Piau and Rousett.  Very lyrical and sensuous music,
without too many long stretches of declamation that you might encounter in
Bach or Handel.

If you like the deep Russian Choral sound of Rachmaninoff or Gretchaninov,
as I do, you might enjoy Savall's mid-priced recording of Morales--his
Officium defunctorum and Missa pro Defuntis--performed by La Capella Reial
de Catalunya.  A critic describes the performance as luxurious as black
velvet, and he's right.  With the discreet aid of deep sackbuts, the sound
is wonderfully seamless.  At full price is Victoria's Requiem with McCreesh
and the Gabrieli Consort.  Very similar in sound to Savall's, Victoria
offers up and endless variety of deeply-lush progressions.  I have to also
mention Savall's mid-priced "El Canto de la Sibila II," with the beautiful
voice of Montserrat Figueras answered by the deep rich voices of La
Cappella.  If your kids, (or you), like what is called "trance" music,
(chant with a beat--it's all the rage now), they might like the above.

Purists will remind us that Savall's readings of the El Canto are not
as informed as some more recent alternative performances.  For instance:
Savall rings his bells at 4:55PM.  Extant sources specifically tell us that
they were rung at 5:00PM; the resulting temperature difference severely
compromised pitch and timbre....

If you like big, BTW; I was so impressed with McCreesh's performance of
the Biber Missa Salisburgensis, that I grabbed his Praetorius Mass as
well.  Riveting from beginning to end because of the tremendous variety of
ensemble:  from full chorus, to multi-stationed boy sopranos, sopranos with
harps, distant trumpets and tympani, organ--you get the idea.  (McCreesh's
recording of the Sheppard Mass has some beautiful music, but beware--*lots*
of plainchant.  McCreesh's angle is to present liturgical music in
context.)

I was left a little cold by Coin's Marais recording...maybe Savall's
performance adds distant bells to his?:)

John Smyth
Sacramento, Ca
http://facelink.com/j66560