CHRISTMAS
A Winter’s Light: A Christmas Collection Vasari Singers, Jeremy Backhouse (with Martin Ford, organ) [ Naxos / CD - released 20/Nov/2012 ] The Vasari Singers' annual carol concerts always provide a warming blend of traditional favourites and less well-known music from all periods and styles. |
MENDELSSOHN
Heimkehr aus der Fremde / Concerto in E for piano and orchestra (with Chopin - Piano Concerto No 1, orch. Balakirev) Victor Sangiorgio (piano) / Royal Northern Sinfonia, Martin Yates [ Dutton / CD - released 20/Sep/2014 ] Dutton Epoch's first recording with Royal Northern Sinfonia features pianist Victor Sangiorgio, brilliant in two romantic concertos of the mid-nineteenth century but given a modern twist: Martin Yates' realisation of the surviving fragments of... |
BENJAMIN GODARD
Piano Concerto No. 1 / Introduction and Allegro for piano and orchestra / Symphonie Orientale for orchestra Victor Sangiorgio (piano) / Royal Scottish National Orchestra / Martin Yates [ Dutton Epoch / CD - released 18/Oct/2011 ] Dutton Epoch explores the music of French composer Benjamin Godard (1849-1895), until now known only for his violin concertos, in this disc featuring his equally delectable First Piano Concerto. |
BENJAMIN GODARD
Piano Concerto No. 2 / Jocelyn: Suites / Fantaisie Persane Victor Sangiorgio (piano) / Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Martin Yates [ Dutton Epoch / CD - released 1/Mar/2013 ] "Sangiorgio is at one with the idiom, able to charm and barnstorm with the best of them, sound engineer Dexter Newman capturing the full-bodied bass of the piano in a warm, spacious soundscape." [Gramophone] |
LULLY
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (comic opera / ballet) Vincent Dumestre / Benjamin Lazar / Cecile Roussat / Le Poeme Harmonique / Martin Fraudreau [ Alpha / 2 DVD - released 28/Nov/2005 ] G :- All Regions - Widescreen 16:9 - PCM Stereo / Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround - Colour - 262 Minutes - PAL |
LULLY
Cadmus & Hermione (comic opera / ballet) Vincent Dumestre / Benjamin Lazar / Gudrun Skamletz / Le Poeme Harmonique / Martin Fraudreau [ Alpha / DVD - released 1/Jun/2009 ] |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Ultimate Classical Relaxation (Incls 'Air on a G string', Meditation from Thais, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik & Dance of the Hours) Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano) Kyung Wha Chung (violin) Alicia de Larrocha (piano) / Academy of St Martin in the Fields / Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra [ Decca / 5 CD Box Set - released 25/Mar/2008 ] This set includes two CDs devoted to the music of J.S. Bach and one devoted to Tchaikovsky. The remaining two contain a sublime programme of music by Dvorák, Barber, Saint-Saëns, Bruch, Canteloube and many more. |
WESTMINSTER ABBEY
Great Occasions Westminster Abbey Choir, London Brass, Iain Simcock (organ). Martin Neary [ Regis Records / CD - released 12/Jun/2002 ] "Much pleasure here..choir are in fine form" (Gramophone) |
JAMES MACMILLAN
Mass and other sacred music Westminster Cathedral Choir / Martin Baker (with Andrew Reid organ) [ Hyperion / CD - released 15/May/2001 ] "Powerful liturgical music from one of today's most admired composers, performed with passionate intensity by the Westminster choristers" (Gramophone) |
TOMAS LUIS de VICTORIA
De Beata Maria Virgine & Surge propera Westminster Cathedral Choir, Martin Baker [ Hyperion / CD - released 1/Nov/2011 ] Following the success of the Westminster Cathedral Lay Clerks in their sumptuous men-only recording of Victoria's Missa Gaudeamus, the choir returns to full ranks for a further issue in their survey of the Masses of this undisputed Master of the... |
BRAHMS / RHEINBERGER
Masses & Motets Westminster Cathedral Choir / Martin Baker [ Hyperion / CD - released 14/Jul/2006 ] Brahms's Missa canonica is something of a rarity: composed around 1856, the work lay unperformed until 1983 despite being regarded highly enough by its composer for him to have re-used some of its material in the popular motet Warum ist das Licht... |
PALESTRINA
Missa Dum Complerentur Westminster Cathedral Choir / Martin Baker [ Hyperion Helios / CD - released 4/Feb/2014 ] "Westminster Cathedral Choir and their new music director Martin Baker continue the Hyperion/Westminster tradition with this thrilling recording of Palestrina's Pentecost Mass, published posthumously in Venice in 1599." Editor's Choice (Gramophone) |
PALESTRINA
Missa Hodie Christus natus est & & other music for Christmas Westminster Cathedral Choir, Martin Baker [ Hyperion Helios / CD - released 20/Jan/2015 ] "This is a thrilling recording of Palestrina's music for the Christmas season" (The Guardian) |
PALESTRINA
Third Book of Lamentations Westminster Cathedral Choir / Martin Baker [ Hyperion / CD - released 19/Apr/2007 ] Palestrina composed four sets of Lamentations, the third of which is recorded here. Throughout the centuries composers of sacred music have aspired to do justice to this most dramatic of texts and Palestrina’s settings rank amongst the finest. The... |
WILLIAM BYRD
The Three Masses Westminster Cathedral Choir, Martin Baker [ Hyperion / CD - released 20/Sep/2014 ] BBC Music Magazine Award Nomination 2015 - Choral |
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS / BINGHAM
Masses Westminster Cathedral Choir / Martin Baker (director) [ Hyperion / CD - released 10/Jun/2005 ] Hyperion's record of the month for May presents a programme of sacred choral music from Westminster Cathedral. |
BYRD / CROCE / GUERRERO / MALCOLM / MAWBY / PALESTRINA / TALLIS / PARSONS, R / DEVAN, D
Miserere Westminster Cathedral Choir, Martin Baker / Peter Stevens (organ) / William Gaunt (bass) [ Hyperion / CD - released 1/Feb/2013 ] This release from the admired Westminster Cathedral Choir demonstrates the splendours of the liturgy in the at-once solemn and joyful period of Lent. |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Christmas Vespers at Westminster Cathedral Westminster Cathedral Choir / Martin Baker / with Matthew Martin (organ) [ Hyperion / CD - released 26/Oct/2006 ] "Here Westminster Cathedral Choir and Martin Baker give us a rich evocation of the complete service of Vespers at the Cathedral as it is currently sung. If you close your eyes you can almost smell the incense." (MusicWeb Nov 2006) |
VICTORIA
Ave Regina caelorum Westminster Cathedral Choir Robert Quinney (organ & continuo) Martin Baker (master of music) [ Hyperion / CD - released 24/Nov/2004 ] The Choir of Westminster Cathedral continues its survey of the music of Tomás Luis de Victoria with this new recording of the Missa Ave Regina caelorum, an opulent double-choir setting based on Victoria's two eponymous motets. |
PETER MAXWELL DAVIES
Sacred Choral Music Westminster Cathedral Choir / Robert Quinney (with Robert Houssart), organ Martin Baker, director [ Hyperion / CD - released 7/Jun/2004 ] "A challenging Mass with magical effects crowns an outstanding disc from this choir" Editor's Choice Gramophone Magazine July 2004 |