NewOlde.com - Early Music & Baroque Opera Reviews, CD New Releases 2010

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Promoting Historically-Inspired Performances of Early Music and Baroque Opera

Excerpts from the documentary by Olivier Simonnet, "Lully l'Incommode", broadcast on Arte TV in France in December 2009, have been posted on Youtube: Playlist

New Releases

Handel. Orlando. (HWV 31, London 1733). K617221 (3 CDs, March 2010). Details. Jean-Claude Malgoire, La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy. Orlando: Christophe Dumaux, countertenor; Angelica: Elena de la Merced, soprano; Dorinda: Rachel Nicholls, soprano; Medoro: Jean-Michel Fumas, countertenor; Zoroastro: Alain Buet, bass. UK | FR | DE

Handel. Judas Maccabaeus. (HWV 63, London 1747). Ambronay (2 CDs, March 2010). Leonardo García Alarcón, Ensemble Les Agrémens, Choeur de Chambre de Namur. Judas Maccabaeus: Makoto Sakurada, tenor; Israelite Woman: Maria Cristina Kiehr, soprano; Israelite Man: Mariana Rewerski, mezzo-soprano; Priest / Messenger: Fabian Schofrin, countertenor; Simon: Alejandro Meerapfel, baritone. UK | FR | DE

Handel. Giulio Cesare in Egitto. (HWV 17, London 1724). MDG (3 CDs, January 2010). George Petrou, Orchestra of Patras. Giulio Cesare: Kristina Hammarström, mezzo-soprano; Cleopatra: Emanuela Galli, soprano; Sesto: Mary-Ellen Nesi, mezzo-soprano; Cornelia: Irini Karagianni, mezzo-soprano; Tolomeo: Romina Basso, mezzo-soprano; Achilla: Tassis Christoyannis, baritone; Curio: Petros Magoulas, bass; Nireno: Nikos Spanatis, countertenor. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Benedetto Marcello. Cassandra (Odi, o Troia) / Concerto for violin arranged for solo harpsichord by J.S. Bach, BWV 981. Aeon (1 CD, March 2010). Kai Wessel, countertenor. David Blunden, harpsichord. UK | FR | DE

Jean Gilles. Lamentations / Motet "Diligam te, domine" (1701). Ligia Digital (1 CD, March 2010). Jean-Marc Andrieu, Orchestre Les Passions, Choeur de chambre Les Éléments (Joël Suhubiette). Anne Magoüet, soprano; Vincent Lièvre-Picard, haute-contre; Bruno Boterf, tenor; Alain Buet, baritone. FR | DE

J.S. Bach. Matthäus Passion BWV 244. Challenge Classics CC 72357 (3 CDs, January 2010). Details / "A barefooted, vulnerable St Matthew Passion of sky-high perfection" -- Because of construction in Leuven, recording had to be done at night. "During the first night a full live recording was made. And during daytime [producer] Bert [van der Wolf] did his production work, so that the next three nights he knew exactly what parts still had to be done. It was a very intense and unique process." Sigiswald Kuijken, La Petite Bande. Gerlinde Sämann, soprano; Marie Kuijken, soprano; Christoph Genz, tenor; Jan van der Crabben, baritone; Bernhard Hunziger, bass. One voice per part (OVPP). FR | DE

J.S. Bach. Markus-Passion. Carus 83.244 (1 CD, February 2010). Performance review / Malcolm Bruno, Towards a Markus-Passion. Choir & Organ, Nov/Dec 2005 (pdf). Michael Willens, Kölner Akademie. Anja Zügner, soprano; Dorothea Wagner, soprano; Clare Wilkinson, mezzo-soprano; Silvia Janak, mezzo-soprano; Ensemble Amarcord: Wolfram Lattke, tenor; Martin Lattke, tenor; Frank Ozimek, baritone; Daniel Knauft, bass; Holger Krause, bass. Dominique Horwitz, Speaker. Hellmann reconstruction revised by Andreas Glöckner (Carus 2001). FR | DE

Pietro Antonio Cesti (1623-1669). Le Disgrazie d'Amore (Vienna 1667). Hyperion CDA 67771/2 (2 CDs, January 2010). Details / Sleeve notes (pdf). Carlo Ipata, Auser Musici. Allegria: Cristiana Arcari, soprano; Venere: Maria Grazia Schiavo, soprano; Amicizia: Elena Cecchi Fedi, soprano; Amore: Paolo Lopez, sopranist; Adulazione: Gabriella Martellacci, contralto; Avarizia: Martín Oro, countertenor; Cortigiano: Francisco Ghelardini, countertenor: Inganno: Carlos Natale, tenor; Amante: Anicio Zorzi Guistiniani, tenor; Vulcano: Furio Zanasi, baritone; Bronte: Antonio Abete, bass; Sterope: Enea Sorini, bass; Piragmo: Luigi De Donato, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Monteverdi. Vespro della beata vergine. K617220 (2 CDs, January 2010). Details. Gabriel Garrido, Ensemble Elyma, Les Sacqueboutiers de Toulouse, Coro Antonio Il Verso, Coro Madrigalia. Emanuela Galli & Adriana Fernández, sopranos; Martín Oro & Fabian Schofrin, coutertenors; Mario Cecchetti, Rodrigo del Pozo, Pablo Pollitzer, Fracesc Garrigosa, tenors; Furio Zanasi, baritone; Daniele Carnovich & Ivan Garcia, basses. FR | DE

Handel. Neun Deutsche Arien HMV 202-210 / Gloria / Trio Sonata HWV 392. BIS 1615 (1 CD, December 2009). Emma Kirkby, soprano. London Baroque. These are new recordings and not reissues of the Kirby/London Baroque German Arias on EMI and the Kirkby/London Baroque Gloria on BIS. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Lully, Purcell. Amours impossibles. Triton (1 CD, February 2010). Details (pdf). Françoise Masset, soprano. Michel Alabau, 2001 Freytag/Tricoteaux North German organ at Saint-Vaast de Béthune. Transcriptions and opera arias. FR

J.S. Bach. Das wohltemperirte Clavier BWV 846-893. Triton TRI 331164 (4 CDs, November 2009). Frédéric Desenclos, performing on four different organs: 1726 Garrels organ at Oud-Katholieke Kerk in The Hague; 1996 Felsberg-Aubertin organ at Église Notre-Dame Saint-Vincent in Lyon; 1999 Rémy Mahler organ at Saint-Étienne de Baïgorry; 1783 Wolfferts-Heyneman organ at Sint-Maartenskerk, Zaltbommel. UK | FR | DE | JP

Tunder, Meder, Weckmann, Biber, Bernhard, Buns. Harmoniae Sacrae - 17th Century German Sacred Cantatas. Ramée 0905 (1 CD, February 2010). Details. Mieneke van der Velden, L'Armonia Sonora. Hana Blažíková, soprano; Peter Kooij, bass. François Fernandez & Sayuri Yamagata, violin; Kaori Uemura & Ricardo Rodriguez Miranda, viola da gamba; Peter Rikkers, violone; Leo van Doeselaar, organ. FR | DE

Carissimi. Oratorios: Jonas, Ezechia, Jephte, Job. ATMA 2622 (1 CD, February 2010). Alexander Weimann, Les Voix Baroques. Susie LeBlanc, soprano; Maria Keohane, soprano; Catherine Webster, soprano; Josée Lalonde, contralto; Matthew White, countertenor; Lawrence Wiliford, tenor; Colin Balzer, tenor; Sumner Thompson, baritone; Tyler Duncan, baritone. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Giovanni Battista Bassani. La Tromba della Divina Misericordia (Ferrara 1676, Bologna 1682). Concerto 2044 (1 CD, November 2009). Details. Paolo Borgonovo, Ensemble StilModerno, Ensemble Vocale Magnificat. Anna Bessi, mezzo-soprano; Elena Carzaniga, mezzo-soprano; Gianluca Buratto, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. Israel in Egypt. (HWV 54, London 1739). BR Klassik (2 CDs, March 2010). Details. Peter Dijkstra, Concerto Köln. Rosemary Joshua, soprano; Atsuko Suzuki, soprano; Gerhild Romberger, contralto; Kobie van Rensburg, tenor; Simon Pauly, bass; Thomas Hamberger, bass. FR | DE

Deutsche Barocklieder. Harmonia Mundi (1 CD, June 2010). Andreas Scholl, countertenor. DE

Handel. Mezzo-Soprano Opera Arias. Virgin (1 CD, February 2010). Max Emanuel Cencic, countertenor. Diego Fasolis, I Barocchisti. US | UK | FR | DE | CA

Vivaldi. Opera Arias & Motets. (1 CD, March 2010). Arias from Arsilda, Regina di Ponto, Giustino & Bajazet. FR | DE

Rosenmüller (1619-1684). Deutsche Geistliche Konzerte - German Sacred Concertos. Christopherus CHR 77319 (1 CD, January 2010). Arno Paduch, Johann Rosenmüller Ensemble. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Giovanni Legrenzi (1626-1690). Concerti musicali per uso di Chiesa Op. 1 - Musica & Vespera. Dynamic CDS 653 (2 CDs, February 2010). Details (pdf). Riccardo Favero, Oficina Musicum. FR | DE

Haydn. 12 London Symphonies. Naïve (4 CDs, March 2010). Marc Minkowski, Les Musiciens du Louvre - Grenoble. UK | FR | DE | JP

Vivaldi. Complete Music for Plucked Instruments. Brilliant Classics (2 CDs, April 2010). L'Arte dell'Arco. DE

Haydn. Violin Concertos. Brilliant Classics (1 CD, March 2010). Federico Guglielmo, violin & director, L'Arte dell'Arco. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Haydn. Concertini & Divertimenti for Keyboard Trio. Brilliant Classics (1 CD, February 2010). Roberto Loreggian, fortepiano & director, L'Arte dell'Arco. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

J.S. Bach. Clavier-Übung I - Partitas. Alpha (2 CDs, March 2010). Benjamin Alard, harpsichord. FR | DE

Michelle Corrette (1707-1795). Les Délices de la solitude - 6 sonatas for violoncello & b.c. Coviello Classics 21001 (1 CD, January 2010). Bassorum vox: Seung-Yeon Lee, cello; Se-Hee Lee, cello; Fernando Reyes Ferrón, theorbo & guitar; Mami Kurumada, harpsichord. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Giovanni Bendetto Platti (c.1697-1763). Ricercate & Sonate - Chamber Music with Violoncello. Christophorus CHR 77310 (1 CD, October 2009). Neumeyer Consort: Barbara Mauch-Heinke, violin; Felix Koch, cello; Harald Hoeren, harpsichord; Markus Stein, organ. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Leonardo Leo, Giuseppe de Majo (1697-1771); Nicola Ugolino (late 18th Century); Niccolò Grillo (18th Century); Nicola Fiorenza (c.1700-1764). Cantate Napoletane del '700. Eloquentia EL 0919 (1 CD, May 2009). Details / Review by Johan Van Veen. Antonio Florio, Cappella della Pietà de'Turchini. Pino de Vittorio, tenor; Alessandro Ciccolini, violin; Tommaso Rossi, flute; Ugo Di Giovanni, archlute. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Antonio Bertali (1605-1669). La Strage Degl'Innocenti / Carissimi. Historia Divitis. ORF 2012796 (1 CD, January 2010). Details. Christoph Hammer, Neue Hofkapelle München. Ulrike Hofbauer, soprano; Kristine Jaunalksne, soprano; Ulrike Andersen, contralto; Alex Potter, countertenor; Robert Sellier, tenor; Manuel Warwitz, tenor; Dominik Wörner, bass; Manfred Bittner, bass.

Henri Du Mont. Cantica Sacra. Ricercar (1 CD, February 2010). Bruno Boterf, Choeur de Chambre de Namur, Les Solisites. FR | DE

Matthias Weckmann. Wie liegt die Stadt so wüste - Sacred Motets. Harmonia Mundi HMC 902034 (1 CD, February 2010). Konrad Junghänel, Cantus Cölln, Concerto Palatino. FR | DE

Francesco Cavalli. Magnificat and other sacred works. Dynamic (1 CD, January 2010). Bruno Gini, Ensemble La Pifarescha, Coro Claudio Monteverdi. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel, Marcello, Porpora, Sartorio, Scarlatti. Rosso - Italian Baroque Arias. DG-Archiv (1 CD, April 2010). Patricia Petibon, soprano. Andrea Marcon, Venice Baroque Orchestra. DE

Manuscrit de Vaudry de Saizenay (1668-1742). AS Musique ASM 004 (1 CD, September 2009). Details. Claire Antonini, 11-course baroque lute by Paul Thomson. This is a superb recording, in every respect -- the music, the richly ornamented performance, the lute, the recording engineering and the room acoustics. Claire Antonini has chosen 32 pieces, mostly dances, from the 450 collected and copied by Vaudry de Saizenay. From the liner note by Claude Chauvel: "His book ... is full of technical details and interpretative signs such as fingering, tenues (held notes), ornaments, harpégements (arpeggiated chords), and separations. In this unique source for many pieces, he sometimes corrects the text or clarifies the attributions." From the liner note by Claire Antonini: "This selection not only reflects my musical affinities but also satisfies two important criteria: * Fidelity to the manuscript's spirit and to its organisation of the modes, richness of musical forms, and multitude of composers - be they renowned lutenists like Gaultier or de Visée, others represented by only a few pieces, like Emond or Jacquesson, or simply anonymous musicians. * Clarity of the musical discourse.... [T]he alteration of dance suites and individual pieces, enriched by the play of changing keys, allows the composers to respond one to another, to assert their personalities and richness of their styles - Gaultier's boldness and originality, Gallot's melancholy, or de Visée's nobility, for example." FR | DE

Charles Mouton (1626-1699). The Mystery of Sign. Mouthon - Concerti à 5. Challenge Classics (1 CDs, January 2010). Details (pdf). Gunnar Letzbor, Ars Antiqua Austria. These apparently include arrangements of Mouton lute pieces. DE

Rameau. Opera Airs Transcribed for Organ. Alpha (1 CD, February 2010). Details. Yves Rechsteiner, Moucherel organ of Cintegabelle. From Rechsteiner's arrangements of Rameau works for organ, published by Le Chant du Monde. FR | DE

J.S. Bach, Buxtehude, Froberger, Reincken, Kerll. Die Quellen des jungen Bach. Alpha 149 (1 CD, January 2010). Céline Frisch, harpsichord. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel, Pranzer, Kreutzer, Blumenthal, Stark. Clarimonia en Suite: Evolution of the Clarinet and its Music. Cavalli CCD 287 (1 CD, January 2010). Details. Clarimonia: Jochen Seggelke, Bernhard Kösling, Ekkehard Sauer. Guest: Joaqim Palet. DE

Rovenský, Reichenauer, Zelenka, J.F. Fasch, Caldara. Rorate Coeli - Advent and Christmas Music in Baroque Prague. Supraphon SU 4002-2 (1 CD, October 2009). Details. Jana Semerádová, Collegium Marianum. Hana Blažíková, soprano; Kamila Ševčíková, contralto; Tomáš Král, baritone; Marián Krejčík, baritone. In case you haven't heard Hana Blažíková yet, see this video of her performing "Risorga il mondo lieto e giocondo" (Maddalena) from Handel's La Resurrezione, with Václav Luks & Collegium 1704 (recorded for release on Zig-Zag Territoires). US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. Brockes Passion. (HWV 48, Hamburg 1719). Carus 83.428 (January, 2010). Peter Neumann, Collegium Cartusianum, Kölner Kammerchor. Tochter Zion: Nele Gramß, soprano; Evangelist: Markus Brutscher, tenor; Jesus: Markus Flaig, bass; Petrus: James Oxley, tenor; Gläubige Seele: Johanna Winkel, soprano; Maria: Elvira Bill, mezzo-soprano; Judas: Jan Thomer, countertenor; Michael Dahmen, bass. UK | DE

Telemann. Die Tageszeiten. Carus 83.439 (1 CD, January 2010). Fritz Näf, L'arpa festante, Basler Madrigalisten. Monika Mauch, soprano; Gerhild Romberger, contralto; Hans Jörg Mammel, tenor; Gotthold Schwarz, bass. UK | DE

Charpentier. David & Jonathan H.490 (1688). Tragédie biblique. Livret du Père Bretonneau. ABC Classics 4763691 (2 CDs, December 2009). Details / Libretto (pdf) (Dyslexic, right-justified English version.) Anthony Walker, Cantillation, Orchestra of the Antipodes. David: Anders Dahlin, tenor; Jonathan: Sara Macliver, soprano; Saül: Dean Robinson, bass; Achis: Richard Anderson, bass; Joabel: Simon Lobelson, baritone; La Pythonisse: Paul McMahon, tenor; L'Ombre de Samuel: David Parkin, bass. US | UK | DE | CA | JP

Haydn. Opera at Esterháza -- Arias for La Circe (pasticcio) and for insertion in operas by other composers. BIS SACD-1811 (1 CD, December 2009). Manfred Huss, Haydn Sinfonietta Wien. Miah Persson, soprano; Bernard Richter, tenor; Kristin Chávez, mezzo-soprano; Iván Paley, baritone; Manfred Hemm, bass; Christoph Genz, tenor. UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Zelenka. Il Diamante (Serenata, ZWV 177, Dresden 1737). Nibiru 0151-2232 (2 CDs, 2009). Details. Adam Viktora, Ensemble Inégal. Giunone: Roberta Mameli, soprano; Amore: Marie Fajtová, soprano; Venere: Gabriela Eibenová, soprano; Terra: Hana Blažíková, soprano; Imeneo: Kai Wessel, countertenor. Hopefully Nibiru will eventually arrange for better distribution outside of the Czech Republic.

Telemann. "O woe! O woe! My canary is dead!" - Secular cantatas and orchestral suites. Accent ACC 24199 (1 CD, January 2010). Ewald Demeyere, Bach Concentus. Dorothee Mields, soprano. Vinciane Baudhuin, oboe. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Lobt Gott ihr Christen allzugleich - Baroque Bass Cantatas from the Mügeln Archive. cpo 777 298-2 (1 CD, February 2010). Klaus Mertens, bass-baritone. Shalev Ad-El, Accademia Daniel. Emanuel Kegel: Nichts ist süßer als die Liebe; Christian Wolff: Mit Fried und Freud fahr ich dahin; Johann Theodor Römhild: Es geht kein andrer Weg zum Himmel & Meine Sonne stehet stille; Hoffmann: Lobt Gott ihr Christen allzugleich; Johann Donati: Mein Hertzens-Hauß bereite dich; Telemann: Kaum ist der Heyland auf der Erden. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel, Gloria; Melchior Hoffmann, Magnificat; Christian August Jacobi, Der Himmel stehdt uns wieder offen; plus instrumental works by Manfredini, Melani, & Torelli. Per il Santissimo Natale. Berlin Classics 0016602BC (1 CD, October 2009). Review by Johan van Veen. Deborah York, soprano. Elibipolis. US | UK | FR | DE | JP

Handel. Handel with Care - Opera and Oratorio Arias. dhm 88697526952 (1 CD, March 2010). Wolfgang Katschner, Lautten Compagney. US | DE | CA | JP

Handel, Alessandro Scarlatti, Corelli. Travelogues of Italy. Winter & Winter 910 158-2 (1 CD, February 2010). Details (pdf). Susanne Rydén, soprano. Die Freitagsakademie. Includes the Handel cantatas Mi palpita il cor (HWV 132) & Il Delirio Amoroso (HWV 99). DE

Handel. Amore x Amore. Winter & Winter 910 162-2 (1 CD, October 2009). Details. Xavier Sabata, countertenor. Aarón Zapico, Forma Antiqua. Ho fuggito, HWV 118; Organ Concerto in B-flat, Op. 4, No. 6 HWV 294; Lungi da me, pensier tiranno! HWV 125b; Violin Sonata in D minor, HWV 359a, transcribed for viola da gamba, Grave, Allegro; Nel dolce tempo, HWV 135b; Harpsichord Suite No. 7 in G minor, HWV 432, transcribed for theorbo, archlute & guitar, Passacaille; Clori, degli occhi miei, HWV 91a; Violin Sonata in D minor, HWV 359a; Dolc’è pur d’amor l’affanno, HWV 109a. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel & Giuseppe Sammartini. Sonatas for a German Flute. Accent ACC 24191 (January, 2010). Les Buffardins -- Frank Theuns & Marc Hantaï, flutes; Rainer Zipperling, cello; Siebe Henstra, harpsichord. FR | DE

J.C.F. Bach. Concerti - Bach-Söhne III. Carus 83.306 (1 CD, January 2010). Gottfried von der Goltz, Freiburger Barockorchester. Christine Schornsheim, harpsichord. UK | DE

Handel. Alexander's Feast HWV 75 & Ode for St. Cecilia's Day HWV 76. Naxos (1 CD, February 2010). Joachim Carlos Martini, Barockorchester Frankfurt, Junge Kantorei. Gerlinde Sämann, soprano; Knut Schoch, tenor; Klaus Mertens, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Froberger. Pièces de Clavecin. Naïve (1 CD, February 2010). Christophe Rousset, harpsichord. FR | DE | CA

Haydn. Haydn and the Art of Variation. Metronome METCD 1085 (1 CD, January 2010). Carole Cerasi, fortepiano & clavichord. Sonata in C major HobXVI/48. Sonata in G major HobXVI/40. Sonata in D major HobXVI/19. Sonata in D major HobXVI/42. Andante and Variations in F minor HobXVII/6. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Frescobaldi. Harpsichord Music vol. 1. Nimbus 5850 (1 CD, November 2009). Richard Lester, 1619 single-brass-strung harpsichord by Boni. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Music on Hemony Carillons. Globe 5234 (1 CD, July 2008). Details. Arie Abbenes, City carilloneur of Utrecht. J.S. Bach: Concerto after A. Marcello; Cimarosa: Sonata canto solo e basso; Merula: Sonata seconda; Locatelli: Sonata No. 12 for violin & b.c.; Parcham: Sonata; Chapentier: Concerto pour quatre parties de Violes; Castello: Sonata seconda; Purcell: Dido and Aeneas, excerpts. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Luigi Rossi (1597-1653). Oratorio della Settimana Santa. Cremona MVC/007-021 (1 CD, 2008). Details. Diego Cantalupi, Ensemble L'Aure Soave, Coro del Friuli Venezia-Giulia. Núria Rial, soprano; Gianluca Buratto, bass. FR | DE

Handel. Venus & Adonis: Cantatas & Sonatas. dhm 88697630232 (1 CD, January 2010). Details. Gemma Bertagnolli, soprano. Alfredo Bernardini, Ensemble Zefiro. Venus & Adonis (HWV 85) apparently was Handel's first setting of an English text. Also includes Mi palpita il cor (HWV 132) and the German aria "Meine Seele hört im Seh". US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Haydn. Die wüste Insel - 1802 German version of L'isola disabitata. dhm 88697579852 (1 CD, January 2010). Track list / Details (pdf). Michi Gaigg, L'Orfeo Barockorchester. Constanze: Ulrike Hofbauer, soprano; Silvia: Barbara Kraus, soprano; Fernando: Christian Zenker, tenor; Enrico: Reinhard Mayr, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Charpentier, Lambert, Rameau. Ombre de mon amant - French baroque arias. DG-Archiv 477 8610 8 (1 CD, January 2010). Details. Anne Sofie von Otter, mezzo-soprano. William Christie, Les Arts Florissants. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Vivaldi, Nisi Dominus. Benedetto Marcello, Salmo XXI "Volgi, mio Dio", Estro poetico armonico. Carlo Tessarnini, Alletamenti. Fontmorigny (1 CD, November 2009). Details. Emmanuel Bardon, countertenor, Canticum Novum. FR | DE

Handel. Apollo e Dafne HWV 122 / Dafne Suite HWV 4 / Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 4. Cavi-Music (1 CD, February 2010). Bernhard Forck, Händelfestspielorchester Halle. Myrsini Margariti, soprano; Nikolay Borchev, bass. UK | FR | DE | JP

Alessandro Scarlatti. Cantatas. Naxos 8.551283 (1 CD, December 2009). Susanna Crespo Held, soprano. Musica Poetica. Io son pur solo; Il Rossignuolo; Sento nel core; No marirei contento; Lascia, deh, lasica. FR | DE

Handel in the Playhouse. Opella Nova ONCD 014 (1 CD, October 2009). Details. Žak Ozmo, L'Avventura London. Mary Bevan, soprano; Greg Tassell, tenor. Music by Handel borrowed for English ballad operas. "It was these versions of Handel's music, according to scholars, that were the most well known among British middle-class audiences in the first half of the 18th century. It was also this music that made the composer popular as a national composer, as these very English ballad operas were successes years before Handel's oratorios were fashionable." US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. Complete Cantatas vol. 2. Brilliant Classics 94000 (1 CD, December 2009). Marco Vitale, Contrasto Armonico. Stephanie True, soprano. Un'alma innamorata HWV 173; O lucenti o sereni occhi, HWV 144; Del bell'idolo mio, HWV 104; Aure soavi e liete, HWV 84; Tra le fiamme (Il consiglio), HWV 170. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. Italian Cantatas vol. 6 - Olinto pastore. Glossa GCD 921526 (1 CD, November 2009). Roberta Invernizzi, soprano; Yetzabel Arias Fernández, soprano. Fabio Bonizzoni, La Risonanza. Alpestre monte, HWV 81; Amarilli vezzosa (Il duello amoroso), HWV 82; O come chiare e belle (Olinto pastore), HWV 143. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. La Lucrezia - Italian Cantatas. Ludi Musici (1 CD, November 2009). Sonia Prina, contralto. Mike Fentross, La Sfera Armoniosa. Dolce pur d'amor l'affanno HWV 109a; Siete rose rugiadose HWV 162; Qualor crudele HWV 151; Fra pensieri quel pensiero HWV 115; Stanco di piu soffrire HWV 167a; La Lucrezia HWV 145. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Johann Mattheson. Das grösste Kind (Christmas Oratorio, Hamburg 1720). cpo 777 455-2 (1 CD, November 2009). Michael Alexander Willens, Die Kölner Akademie, Chor der Kölner Akademie. Susanne Rydén, soprano; Nele Gramss, soprano; Anne Schmid, contralto; Gerd Türk, tenor; Thilo Dahlmann, baritone; Wolf Matthias Friedrich, bass. A correspondent from Germany reports that the music is even better than in Mattheson's "David", recorded by the same group, and that, for a refreshing change, the only keyboard continuo instrument is the harpsichord, consistent with the score which is marked "cembalo". Apparently Naxos is not going to distribute this interesting CD in North America, even though director Willens is an American. UK | FR | DE | JP

Vivaldi. Argippo. (RV 697, Prague 1730). Dynamic CDS 626/1-2 (2 CDs, September 2009). Details / English libretto (pdf). Ondřej Macek, Baroque Ensemble Hofmusici. Argippo: Veronika Mráčková Fučíková, mezzo-soprano; Osira: Jana Bínová-Koucká, soprano; Zanaida: Pavla Štěpničková, mezzo-soprano; Silvero: Barbora Sojková, soprano; Tisifaro: Zdeněk Kapl, baritone. Some of the singing is rather amateurish, and the live recording is just OK, but overall this set is much more appealing and listenable than most of the studio recordings on Naïve/Opus 111. Dynamics and tempos are normal and never exaggerated, and there are no strumming guitars, harps, or organs. It's virtually a medley of great Vivaldi arias, with quite limited recitative. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Leo, Pegolesi, Scarlatti. Sacred Music from Naples. dhm 88697539442 (1 CD, February 2010). Details. Alan Curtis, Il Complesso Barocco. Mary-Ellen Nesi, mezzo-soprano; Catherine Jones, cello. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Buxtehude, Telemann, J.S. Bach. Jesu meine Freude - German Baroque Cantatas vol. 2. Sony Vivarte 88697627402 (1 CD, January 2010). Details. Stephan MacLeod, director & bass, Gli Angeli Genève. Hana Blažíková, soprano; Julia von Landsberg, soprano; Pascal Bertin, countertenor; Jan Kobow, tenor. Buxtehude: Jesu, meine Freude BuxWV 60; Telemann, Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele TWV 1:1253-54; Bach: Jesu, meine Freude BWV 227; Jesus schläft, was soll ich hoffen BWV 81; Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele BWV 180. US | FR | DE | CA | JP

Buxtehude. Complete Organ Works vol. 2. Hyperion CDA 67809 (1 CD, January 2010). Details / Sleeve notes (pdf). Christopher Herrick, organ of Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim, Norway (1739-41, restored in 1994). US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel, Babel, Edward Jones, Nicolas Charles Bochsa. Microcosm Concerto - Harp Music by G.F. Haendel. Glossa GCD 92103 (1 CD, November 2009). Details. Mara Galassi, harp. Giovanni Togni, organ, harpsichord & fortepiano. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Karl Kohaut - Haydn's Lute Player. Challenge Classics (1 CD, October 2009). Concertos, sinfonia & divertimento, plus a Haydn trio. Gunar Letzbor, Ars Antiqua Austria. Hubert Hoffmann, lute. Jan Krigovsky, Viennese double bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

François Couperin. Les Deux Messes pour Orgue. Aeolus AE 10301 (1 CD, December 2009). Details. Serge Schoonbroodt, 17th Century organ of the cathedral of Notre-Dame in Le Puy en Velay. I usually prefer recordings with alternating chant, as French masses were originally performed. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Charles Noblet (1715-1769). Nouvelle suites de pièces de clavecin (Paris, 1756). Centaur CRC 3005 (1 CD, November 2009). Details. Charlotte Mattax Moersch, harpsichord by Willard Martin after Blanchet 1720. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Franz Xavier Richter (1709-1789). Pastoralmesse, Magnificat, Sinfonie. Cyprès (1 CD, December 2009). Andrzej Kosendiak, Wroclaw Baroque Orchestra. The earlier Richter CD on Cyprès by Ensemble Stradivaria is outstanding. UK | FR | DE | JP

Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (1710-1784). 12 Polonaises, Fantasia, Sonata. MDG (1 CD, November 2009). Siegbert Rampe, harpsichord & tangent piano. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Vivaldi. Pyrotechnics - Opera Arias. Virgin 50999 694573 0 2 (1 CD, November 2009). Vivica Genaux, mezzo-soprano. Fabio Biondi, Europa Galante. Fine performance, but it sounds like a bootleg recording made with a hidden microphone. Track 13 in particular is unlistenable, with distorted sounds apparently coming from the harpsichord. While some tiny labels like AS Musique approach perfection on every release, EMI/Virgin continue to release recordings that should have been done over by a different engineer. Don't waste your time looking for the advertised "bonus material" online. There isn't any. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Telemann. Bass Cantatas. Brilliant Classics 93940 (1 CD, October 2009). Christian Hilz, bass. Stefano Veggetti, Ensemble Cordia. Die Gnadenthüre steht dir offen, TWV 1:339; Herr, erhöre meine Stimme, TWV 1:738; Ach Herr, lehr uns bedenken wohl, TWV 1:24; Ouverture in D major, TWV 55:21; Sinfonia from Miriways, TWV 21:24; Der stürmende Aeolus from the Water Ouverture; Largo from the Serenade "Deutschland grünt & blüht im Frieden" TWV 12:1. UK | FR | DE | JP

Anton Huberty (c.1722-1791). Amor vincit omnia. Neu Method-Messige Viol d'Amour Stüke. Cavalli CCD 279 (1 CD, November 2009). Details. Marianne Rônez, viola d'amore; Helena Dearing, soprano; Gerhart Darmstadt, cello; Egino Klepper, harpsichord & fortepiano. FR | DE

Handel. Suites des Pièces de clavecin 1720 - Embellished version by Gottlieb Muffat (Vienna 1736). Cavalli CCD 137 (2 CDs, November 2009). Details. Eva Maria Pollerus, harpsichord. FR | DE

Carlo Ignazio Monza (c.1696-1739). Harpsichord Music. Deux-Elles DXL 1117 (1 CD, June 2009). Details. Terence Charlston, single-manual Italian harpsichord after Giusti. Also includes a prelude and fugue by Bartolomeo Monari and a toccata in imitation of a cuckoo by Pasquini. I recommend this fine performance and recording. Monza's suites remind me of Handel and are of comparable quality. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. Handel's Harp. ATMA (1 CD, October 2009). Stephen Stubbs, Seattle Baroque Orchestra. Cyndia Seiden, soprano. Maxine Eilander, harp. Movements for harp, including V'adore pupile and the harp concerto from Alexander's Feast. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. Joshua. (HWV 64, London 1748). SOMM 240-2 (2 CDs, March 2009, North America: November 2009). Details. Lawrence Cummings, London Handel Orchestra & Singers. Achsah: Catherine Manley, soprano; Othniel: Alexandra Gibson, mezzo-soprano; Joshua: Allan Clayton, tenor; Caleb: George Humphreys, bass; Angel: Richard Rowntree, tenor. Original version of "Hark! 'tis the linnet and the thrush" (not in the HG edition). US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

J.S. Bach. Brandenburg Concertos 2 & 4, Sinfonias. Parnassie PAR 40 (1 CD, February 2009). Société de Musique Ancienne de Nice. Jean-François Madeuf, trumpet. The first recording of Brandenburg Concerto 2 on a trumpet without fingerholes, which were not available to early 18th Century trumpeters. Details. (Madeuf recently recording Brandenburg 2 with La Petite Bande for future release.)

Schaffrath, Le Roux, J.S. Bach, F(?) Couperin, C.P.E. Bach, J.C. Bach, Soler. A Due Cembali Obligati - 18th Century Music for 2 Harpsichords. Etcetera KTC 1392 (1 CD, October 2009). Jan Devlieger & Guy Penson, harpsichords. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

J.C. Bach. La dolce fiamma - Forgotten castrato arias. Virgin Classics 6945640 (1 CD, November 2009). Philippe Jaroussky, countertenor. Jérémie Rhorer, Le Cercle de Harmonie. Very favorably reviewed by Brian Robins in EMR. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP
6857260 - Deluxe Edition with 96-page CD book. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel, arranged by Mendelssohn. Dettinger Te Deum; Haydn, The Storm; Cherubini, Chant sur la mort de Joseph Haydn. Carus 83.428 (1 CD, October 2009). Nicholas McGegan, FestspielOrchester Göttingen, NDR Chor. Dominique Labelle, soprano; Thomas Cooley, tenor; Colin Ainsworth, tenor; William Berger, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Hummel. Sonata in E flat; Sonata in F minor; La contemplazione. Chandos (1 CD, November 2009). Susan Alexander-Max, fortepiano. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Buxtehude. Opera Omnia 11: Vocal Works 4. Challenge Classics (2 CDs, October 2009). Ton Koopman, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Chorus. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Die Birckholtz-Trompete von 1650. Raumklang (1 CD, October 2009). Notes by James Miller | Photos. Jean-François Madeuf & Ensemble. "An old trumpet found hanging on a nail in the wall of the village church of Belitz." US | UK | FR | DE | JP

William Shore, Henry & Daniel Purcell, Charles Dieupart, William Topham, James Paisible, Jeremiah Clarke, Corelli. Purcell's Trumpets from Shore to Shore. Arion ARN 68804 (1 CD, October 2009). Notes by James Miller. Marie-Paule Nounou, Ensemble Arion. Jean-François Madeuf & Joel Lahens, trumpets. A superb concert and recording. FR | DE

Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre et al. Le Passage de la Mer Rouge. K617218 (1 CD, November 2009). Details. Luanda Siqueira, soprano. Le Tendre Amour. Includes Réne Drouard de Bousset (1703-1760), Judith (1735) & Sébastien de Brossard, La Cheutte de Salomon. UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

J.S. Bach, Biber, Pisendel, Westhoff. L'Art du Violon Seul. Ambronay (1 CD, October 2009). Mira Glodeanu, violin. UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

J.S. Bach. Cantatas for the complete liturgical year, volume 9 (of 20): "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland". Accent 25309 (1 CD, October 2009). Sigiswald Kuijken, La Petite Bande. BWV 61, 36, 62, 132. Excellent ongoing OVPP series. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Ligia Digital Frescobaldi Edition. Jean-Marc Aymes, harpsichord, organ & claviorganum.
Vol. 3. Il Secondo Libro di Toccate, Canzoni alla Francese (1645). Lidi 0101199-09 (2 CDs, April 2009). US | FR | DE | CA | JP
Vol. 2. Il Primo Libro di Caprici. Lidi 0101177-07 (1 CD March 2007). FR | DE
Vol. 1. Toccate d'intavolatura di Cimbalo ed Organo - Libro Primo. Lidi 0101163-05 (2 CDs, November 2005). FR | DE

Brilliant Classics Frescobaldi Edition. Roberto Loreggian, harpsichord & organ.
Vol. 6. Secular Madrigals. (1 CD, November 2009). Bettina Hoffmann, Modo Antiquo. FR | DE
Vol. 5. Il Secondo Libro di Toccate. (2 CDs, August 2009). Nicola Belliinazzo, Schola Gregoriana Scriptora. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP
Vol. 4. Fiori Musicali, 3 Organ Masses. (1 CD, June 2009). Nicola Belliinazzo, Schola Gregoriana Scriptora. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP
Vol. 3. Masses. 93780 (1 CD, February 2009). Sergio Balestracci, La Stagione Armonica, Schola Gregoriana. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP
Vol. 2. Canzone. 93766 (2 CDs, October 2008). Ensemble Conserto Musico. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP
Vol. 1. Toccatas and Partitas. 93767 (2 CDs, October 2008). US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel, Dixit Dominus. Steffani, Stabat Mater. Coro COR 16076 (1 CD, September 2009). Harry Christophers, The Sixteen. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

António Teixeira (1707-1759). As Variedades de Proteu (Lisbon 1737). PortugalSom PS 5009 (2 CDs, July 2009). Details. Stephen Bull, Metrica e Harmonia, A Escola de Rhetorica. Proteu: Mário João Alves, tenor; Maresia: Maria Repas Gonçalves, soprano; Cirene: Susana Teixeira, mezzo-soprano; Carangueijo: Armando Possante, baritone; Dórida: Paula Pires de Matos, soprano; Nereu: Marcos Alves dos Santos, tenor; Rei Ponto: Rui Beata, baritone; Polibio: Carlos Guilherme, tenor. Available from fnac.pt | Records International.

Marin Marais. Pièces de Viole, Book 2, Part 3 - Tombeaux. Ligia Digital (2 CDs, October 2009). Jean-Louis Charbonnier, bass viol; Paul Rousseau, bass viol; Mauricio Burgalia, theorbo; Pierre Trocellier, harpsichord. FR | DE

Telemann. Six Cantatas 1731 (TVWV 20 Nr. 17-22). cpo (1 CD, September 2009). Ludger Rémy, Les Amis de Philippe. Maria Jonas, mezzo-soprano; Klaus Mertens, baritone. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. Complete Cantatas vol. 1. Brilliant Classics 93999 (1 CD, September 2009). Details. Marco Vitale, Contrasto Armonico. Stefanie True, soprano. Contents: Delirio Amoroso HWV 99; Ditemi o piante HWV 107; Care selve, aure grate HWV 88; Allor ch'io dissi addio HWV 80. UK | FR | DE | JP

Lully. Ballets & récits italiens. Glossa GCD 921509 (1 CD, September 2009). Details. Fabio Bonizzoni, La Risonanza. Emanuela Galli, soprano; Yetzabel Arias Fernández, soprano; Stefanie True, soprano. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Alessandro Scarlatti. Davidis pugna et victoria. Hyperion CDA 67714 (1 CD, October 2009). Details. Alessandro De Marchi, Academia Montis Regalis. David: Roberta Invernizzi, soprano; Jonatha: Robin Johannsen, soprano; Saul: Martín Oro, countertenor; Testo: Fredrik Akselberg, tenor; Golia: Antonio Abete, bass. Scarlatti's only surviving Latin oratorio. This is a fine performance and recording. I haven't had a chance to compare it with the earlier recording on Agorà. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

François Francoeur & François Rebel, Zélindor, Roi des Sylphes (1745). Naxos (1 CD, October 2009). Details. Ryan Brown, Opera Lafayette. Zélindor: Jean-Paul Fouchécourt, haute-contre; Zirphé: Heidi Grant Murphy, soprano; Zulim: William Sharp, bass; Une Nymphe / La Sylphide: Ah Young Hong, soprano. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Dumont, Louis Couperin, d'Anglebert, La Barre, Chambonnières et al. Music from the Borel Manuscript (c.1660). Plectra Pl 20801 (2 CDs, 2008). Details. Davitt Moroney, 1707 Dumont harpsichord and 1635 Ruckers harpsichord. US

Haydn. Philemon & Baucis (Marienette opera 1773). BIS SACD-1813 (1 CD, September 2009). Manfred Huss, Haydn Sinfonietta Wien, Vocalforum Graz. Philemon: Christoph Genz, tenor; Baucis: Maren Engelhardt, soprano; Aret: Jan Petryka, tenor; Narcissa: Alexandra Reinprecht, soprano. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Francesco Mancini (1672-1737). Missa septimus (SSATB)(25:13). Anonymous 1st half 18th Century, "Lauda Jerusalem" (SATB)(20:00); "Confitebor tibi, Domine" (soprano solo)(18:00); "In deliquio amoris" (soprano solo)(16:55). Italian Music in the Low Countries. Etcetera KTC 4031 (1 CD, June 2009). Erik Van Nevel, Currende. Claire Lefilliâtre, soprano; Marnix De Cat, countertenor, Han Warmelinck, tenor. From the collection of Italian music at the Mechelen cathedral. There are 140 works in the collection, all Latin church music, including 13 works by Fago, 7 by Mancini, 5 by Sarro, and 3 by Porpora. This is a superb recording of very high quality music. The Kyrie of Mancini's Missa septimus begins with similar schematas to J.S. Bach's B-minor mass. Perhaps both were influenced by partimenti that were circulated in the late 17th / early 18th Centuries but are unknown today. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Alessandro Scarlatti. Il Pastor di Corinto (Favola pastorale, Naples 1701). Bongiovanni AB 20013 (1 DVD, March 2009). Details. Lorenzo Tozzi, Romabarocca Ensemble. Clori: Bruna Tredicine, soprano; Silvio: Caterina Novak, mezzo-soprano; Niso: Cristina Cappellini, soprano; Melisso: Carlo Putelli, tenor; Serpilla: Roberta De Nicola, soprano; Serpollo: Massimo Di Stefano, bass. US | UK | FR | CA | JP

Philippe Courbois (1705-1730). Dom Quichotte - Cantates & concertos comiques. Alpha 151 (1 CD, October 2009). Dominique Visse, countertenor. Pablo Valetti, Café Zimmermann. Plus Corrette, Concertos comiques V & XXIV; Pierre de la Garde (1717-c.1792), La Sonate (cantata); Marais, La Sonnerie; Nicolas Racot de Grandval (1676-1753), La Matrone d'Éphèse (cantata). (Grandval's cantata, Rien du tout, on the CD "Airs Baroques Français" by Patricia Petibon et al. is noteworthy in its quotations of popular cantatas by Clérambault, Montéclair, Campra, Stuck and Bernier. "In his own time, [Grandval] was best known for Le Vice puni ou Cartouche, poème héroïque, comique et tragique (1725), in which lines from tragedies by Corneille, Racine and Voltaire are parodied." Catherine Cessac liner notes.) US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Jan Jakub Ryba (1765-1815). Czech Christmas Mass. DG-Archiv (1 CD, November 2009), reissue of Czech DG-Archiv 4651082 (1998). Magdalena Kožená, soprano. Robert Hugo, Capella Regia Praha. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Christophe Lemenu de Saint-Philbert (c.1720-1774). 6 Cantatilles. Hungaroton HCD 32564 (1 CD, June 2009). Details. Mónika González, soprano; Zoltán Megyesi, tenor; Róbert Mandel, hurdy-gurdy; Pál Németh, flute; Ottó Nagy, viola da gamba; Piroska Vitárius, violin; Ágnes Várallyay, harpsichord; Gábor Tokodi, lute. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. Trio Sonatas op. 2 & op. 5. Harmonia Mundi (2 CDs, October 2009). Richard Egarr, Academy of Ancient Music. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Jan Josef Ignác Brentner (1689-1742). Concertos & Arias (Music from Eighteenth-Century Prague). Supraphon SU 3970-2 (1 CD, September 2009). Details. Hana Blažíková, soprano. Jana Semerádová, Collegium Marianum. There is music by Brentner on the Bolivian Baroque CDs. Outstanding performance by Hana Blažíková. Much of the music on this disk might easily be mistaken for Telemann. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Pierre Robert (1625-1699). Grands Motets (1684). K617215 (1 CD, September 2009). Details. Olivier Schneebeli, Les Pages & Les Chantres du Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles, Musica Florea. Dagmar Sasková, soprano; Damien Guillon, countertenor; Robert Getchell, haute-contre; Jean-François Novelli, tenor; Alain Buet, baritone; Arnaud Richard, bass. De Profundis, Quare fremuerunt gentes, Te decet hymnus, Nisi dominus. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. Dixit Dominus. Telemann. Deus Judicium Tuum. Eloquentia EL 0916 (1 CD, September 2009). Details. Pierre Cao, Arsys Bourgogne Choir, Harmonie Universelle. Yeree Suh, soprano; Ingrid Perruche, soprano; Britta Schwarz, contralto; Markus Schäffer, tenor; Alain Buet, bass (Teleman); Arnaud Richard, bass (Handel). US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Haydn. Sonatas Hob.XVI: 20, 23, 32 & 37. Passacaille PAS 955 (1 CD, June 2009). Nicolau de Figueiredo, harpsichord. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Johann Gottlieb Graun & Carl Heinrich Graun. Trios for 2 Violins & Basso. cpo 777 423-2 (1 CD, August 2009). Les Amis de Philippe. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

CPE Bach. Solo Keyboard Music vol. 19. Miklós Spányi, tangent piano. BIS (1 CD, September 2009). UK | FR | DE | CA | JP
CPE Bach. Keyboard Concertos vol. 17. Miklós Spányi, tangent piano & harpsichord, with Petri Tapio Mattson and Opus X. BIS CD-1687 (May 2009). US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP
Latest additions to the ongoing complete edition. See the CPE Bach page for a list of earlier volumes.

Haydn. Die Schöpfung (1798). Harmonia Mundi HMC 902039/40 (2 CDs + 1 DVD, October 2009). René Jacobs, Freiburger Barockorchester, RIAS Kammerchor. Julia Kleiter, soprano; Maximillian Schmitt, tenor; Johannes Weisser, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Pietro Torri (1650-1737). Le Martyre des Macchabées. Musique en Wallonie 0846/47 (2 CDs (109:14) + DVD of most of the oratorio (93:32), September 2009). Details & livret (pdf). Jean Tubéry, Les Agrémens, Choeur de Chambre de Namur. Le jeune Macchabée: François-Nicolas Geslot, haute-contre; La mère du jeune Macchabée: Anne Magouët, soprano; Antiochus: Alain Buet, baritone; Éléazar: Bruno Rostand, bass; Menelaus: Matthieu Chapuis, tenor; Le Grand Prêtre: Etienne Debaisieux, bass. Comes in 88-page hardcover book with French/English/German/Dutch libretto. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Leonardo Leo (1694-1744). L'Alidoro (Commedia in musica, Naples 1740). Dynamic DVD 33588 (2 DVDs, July 2009). Details. Antonio Florio, Orchestra Barocca Cappella della Pietà de'Turchini. Elisa: Francesca Russo Ermolli, mezzo-soprano; Faustina: Maria Grazia Schiavo, soprano; Zeza: Valentina Varriale, soprano; Luigi / Alidoro: Maria Ercolano, soprano; Don Marcelo: Giuseppe De Vittorio, tenor; Meo: Gianpiero Ruggeri, baritone; Giangrazio: Francesco Morace. This is the finest commercially available musical performance of a Leo opera. There are three predominately serious roles, Faustina, the prima donna with the most difficult music, Luigi and Elisa, while the rest are mostly or wholly buffa. The staging is less objectionable than most. Sitting on the floor while singing seems to be a prevailing fad among stage directors. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Galuppi. L'Olimpiade (Milan 1747). Dynamic 33545 (2 DVDs, February 2009). Details. Andrea Marcon, Venice Baroque Orchestra. Argene: Roberta Invernizzi, soprano; Aristea: Ruth Rosique, soprano; Megacle: Romina Basso, contralto; Licida: Franziska Gottwald, mezzo-soprano; Clistene: Mark Tucker, tenor; Alcandro: Furio Zanasi, bass; Aminta: Filippo Adami, tenor. This is the finest commercially available musical performance to date of a Galuppi opera. The non-historically informed staging is less objectionable than most, with no nudity or machine guns, but there's still too much pointless dashing about and singing out of posture, especially on the floor. Outstanding performances by Romina Basso in the exceedingly difficult primo uomo role of Megacle and by the two prima donnas. There's no easy role in this demanding opera. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Lully. Le Triomphe de l'Amour. ORF (1 CD, September 2009). Details. Eugène Michelangeli, Ensemble Les Sentimens. Elizabeth Dobbin, soprano; Matthias Helm, bass. Pasticcio drawn from the operas of Lully: Le Triomphe de l'Amour, Phaeton, Armide, Amadis, Cadmus et Hermione, Bellerophon, Persée. FR

Purcell, Simpson, Corbetta. The Food of Love. Naïve Ambroisie (1 CD, September 2009). Paul Agnew, tenor; Anne-Marie Lasla, viol; Elizabeth Kenny, theorbo; Blandine Rannou, harpsichord & organ. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Attilio Ariosti (1666-1729). The Stockholm Sonatas III. BIS CD-1675 (1 CD, December 2008). Details / Liner notes / Review by Johan van Veen. Includes the cantata Pur alfin gentil viola with Emma Kirkby, soprano. Thomas Georgi, viola d'amore; Lucas Harris, archlute, guitar; Mime Yamahiro Brinkmann, cello. The "Stockholm Sonatas" are so-called because the sole surviving source is in the Statens Musikbibliotek in Stockholm. Ariosti is best known today as one of the opera composers, along with Handel and Bononcini, for the first Royal Academy of Music in London. (But he did not compose the lackluster first act of Muzio Scevola, as formerly claimed.) US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP
The Stockholm Sonatas II. BIS CD-1555 (1 CD, May 2007). Details / Review by Daniela Braun from EMR. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP
The Stockholm Sonatas I. BIS CD-1535 (1 CD, June 2006). Details / Extended liner notes. With Joëlle Morton, viola da gamba, great bass viol. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP
From Thomas Georgi's notes on volume III: "In this final volume of my series, I explore the possibility that Ariosti strung his viola d’amore as a soprano range instrument. You will thus hear a top string of c'' or d'', depending on the work. Mostly I am happy with this soprano tessitura solution: Sonata 15, for example, is unplayable without the top c'' string. On the other hand, Sonata 18 and Sonata 20 benefit from an alto range tuning on the instrument, although they can be managed in my soprano range set up. In these cases I had to choose between the ideal solution and the practical one. There is a limit to the number of changes a player and his instrument can master/endure during the four-day period of a recording session. In this final session there were eight works, and seven different tunings."

Porpora. Arias. Atma ACD 22590 (1 CD, August 2009). Details. Karina Gauvin, soprano. Alan Curtis, Il Complesso Barocco. Arias from Arianna, Adelaide, Ezio, Polifemo, Angelica & Imeneo. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. La Resurrezione. (HWV 47, Rome 1708). Virgin 6945670 (2 CDs, September 2009). Libretto with translations (pdf). Emmanuel Haïm, Le Concert d'Astrée. Angelo: Camilla Trilling, soprano; Maddalena: Kate Royal, soprano; Cleofe: Sonia Prina, contralto; San Giovanni: Toby Spence, tenor; Lucifero: Luca Pisaroni, bass. Yet another recording of my favorite Handel oratorio! I thought I would never say this, but instead of more Resurreziones, how about recording some excellent but unknown Italian oratorio from the same period, such as Il faraone sommerso by Francesco Nicolà Fago -- here is an aria from a superb performance by Biondi, Invernizzi et al. I'm undertaking a comparison of seven commercial recordings of La Resurrezione (Vitale, Minkowski, de Vriend, Koopman, McGegan, Hogwood, plus this one), set off after listening to the fine recording by Marco Vitale on Brilliant Classics -- the first at historical pitch. If you have avoided the Haïm recording because of the distant and overly reverberant sound in her recording of Il Trionfo, I can report that this CD has excellent recorded sound, although the performance suffers from usual HUP "innovations" and some heavy vibrato. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Steffani, Caldara, Vivaldi, Porpora, Mancini. Amor hai vinto - Cantatas. Gramola (1 CD, August 2009). Concertino Amarilli. Marelize Gerber, soprano. Steffani, Spezza amor; Caldara, Sinfonia for Violoncello; Vivaldi, Amor hai vinto; Porpora, D'amore il primo dardo; Mancini, Quanto dolce è quell'ardore. US | UK | DE | CA | JP

Abbé Vogler (1749-1814). Requiem. Haydn. Te Deum. Oehms Classics OC 922 (1 CD, August 2009). Gerd Guglhör, Neue Hofkapelle München, Orpheus Chor München. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Homage à Sainte Cécile: Purcell, Hail Bright Cecilia. Handel, Ode for Saint Cecilia's Day. Haydn, Missa Cellensis. Naïve (2 CDs, October 2009). Marc Minkowski, Les Musiciens du Louvre. Lucy Crowe, soprano; Richard Croft, tenor; David Bates, countertenor; Anders Dahlin, tenor; Neil Baker, baritone; Luca Tittoto, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Pergolesi. Stabat Mater / Violin Concerto / Salve Regina. DG-Archiv 477 8077 (1 CD, August 2000). Claudio Abbado, Orchestra Mozart. Rachel Harnisch, soprano; Sara Mingardo, contralto; Julia Kleiter, soprano. Giuliano Carmignola, violin. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Caldara, Handel, Porpora, Leo, Hasse, Graun, Francesco Araia, Giacomelli. Sacrificium. DG-Archiv 478 1521 (2 CDs, October 2009). Cecilia Bartoli, soprano. Giovanni Antonini, Il Giardino Armonico. Great arias, but reorchestrated to add guitar, lute, harp, organ and percussion and to de-emphasize the harpsichord. After having been performed with organ accompaniment for about 200 years, Handel's "Ombra mai fu" enjoyed a brief reprise of harpsichord continuo for about 25 years. Now, for the first time, it is performed with lute continuo. Other slow arias here suffer under organ continuo, which at least partially drowns out Bartoli's raspy voice. Her abilities with facial expressions in comic opera, which made her a star, are irrelevant in an audio recording. Fast arias get the strumming guitar, another late 20th Century addition to the continuo section by the HUPsters. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Carlo Rainaldi (1611-1691). Cantate, Duetti e Lamentazioni. Tactus TC 611801 (1 CD, July 2009). Details. Lorenzo Tozzi, Romabarocca Ensemble. Rosita Frisani, soprano; Cristina Jannicola, soprano. DE

Porpora, Vinci, Leo, Hasse, Pergolesi. Lava - Opera Arias from 18th Century Naples. dhm 88697541212 (1 CD, August 2009). Details / CD booklet (pdf) / Video of "Manca solletica" from Leo's Demetrio. Claudio Osele, Le Musiche Nove. Simone Kermes, soprano. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP
Reissued on dhm 88697661232 (March, 2010): DE

Handel. Between Heaven & Earth - Arias. Naïve OP 30484 (1 CD, October 2009). Details. Sandrine Piau, soprano. Stefano Montanari, Accademia Bizantina. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Froberger. Froberger Edition vol. 6 (of 8): Ricercar - Complete Ricercari / Chigi Toccatas. Aeolus (1 CD, August 2009). Bob van Asperen, Hermans organ, Spirito Santo, Pistola (1664). US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. 9 German Arias / Music for the Royal Fireworks. dhm 88697483932 (1 CD, August 2009). Details. Núria Rial, soprano. Michael Oman, Austrian Baroque Company. US | FR | DE | CA | JP

J.C. Bach. Six Sonatas Op. 5. Chandos Chaconne (1 CD, September 2009). Sophie Yates, harpsichord. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Johann Gottlieb Graun. Concertos for Strings. Challenge Classics (2 CDs, September 2009). Modern Times_1800. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Haydn. 6 Sonatas for Violin and Viola. Accent ACC 24219 (1 CD, August 2009). Anton Steck, violin; Christian Goosses, viola. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Albinoni. Concerti a Cinque Op. 10. Arts Music 47747-8 (1 CD, July 2009). Details. Claudio Astronio, Harmonices Mundi. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Domènec Terradellas (1713-1751). Artaserse (S. Giovanni Grisostomo, Venice 1744). RCOC 0800/3 (3 CDs, April 2009). Details. Juan Bautista Otero, Real Compañía Ópera de Cámara (RCOC). Artaserse: Anna Maria Panzarella, soprano; Arbace: Céline Ricci, soprano; Mandane: Marina Comparato, mezzo-soprano; Semira: Sunhae Im, soprano; Artabano: Augustin Prunell-Friend, tenor; Megabise: Mariví Blasco, soprano. Italian/Spanish/French libretto included. A poorly OCRed old English translation (1800) is online (scroll down). Burney: "Terradellas seems to have written all his songs for performers of abilities; for his airs are never made easy and trivial in order to spare the singer." A fine opera and performance, if you can tolerate the non-HIP harp continuo, which is relatively innocuous in comparison to the noisy strumming guitar and organ found on numerous opera recordings. Highly recommended. History of Artaserse -- this was the 24th setting, more or less. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Agostino Steffani (1654-1728). Orlando Generoso (Hanover 1691). MDG 309 1566-2 (3 CDs, June 2009). Bernward Lohr, Musica Alta Ripa. Orlando: Kai Wessel, countertenor; Angelica: Roberta Invernizzi, soprano; Bradamante: Susanne Rydén, soprano; Medoro: Jörg Waschinski, sopranist; Ruggerio: Franz Vitzthum, countertenor; Galafro: Daniel Lager, countertenor; Atlante: Wolf Matthias Friedrich, baritone. There is no translation of the libretto. The translator's fee was spent on a glossy color photo of the idiotic modern production. This is a dreary performance ruined by HUP organ continuo throughout which makes it sound like German funeral music. There is an excellent article by Donald Burrows on continuo instruments in Handel oratorios in the new Handel Studies book dedicated to Howard Serwer, in which he has pulled together a variety of sources, including a unique organ part for Alexander's Feast, to demonstrate that the organ was used much less frequently than in typical current oratorio performances, and often for bass line only without chords. He also notes that while Handel's operas and oratorios were performed in the same opera house for 9 years, the organ was used only in the oratorios. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Vivaldi. Glorias RV 588 & RV 589, Ostro picta RV 642. Naïve OPS 30485 (1 CD, August 2009). Rinaldo Alessandrini, Concerto Italiano. Sara Mingardo, contralto. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

André Campra (1660-1744). Motets pour Notre-Dame de Paris. K617 (1 CD, September 2009). Details. Ensemble Aquilon. Marcio Soares Holanda & Thibault Lenaerts, hautes-contre; Matthieu Cabanes & Amine Hadef, tenors; Geoffroy Buffière & Christophe Gautier, baritones. UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Telemann. Der aus der Löwengrube erettete Daniel (Hamburg 1731). cpo (1 CD, July 2009). Michael Schneider, La Stagione Frankfurt. Annemei Blessing Leyhausen, soprano; Annegret Kleindopf, soprano; Laurie Reviol, soprano; Kai Wessel, countertenor; Julian Prégardien, tenor; Jörn Lindemann, tenor; Ekkehard Abele, bass; Stephan Schreckenberger, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Zelenka. I Penitenti al Sepolchro del Redentore (ZWV 63, 1736). Zig-Zag Territoires (1 CD, August 2009). Václav Luks, Collegium 1704. Fine recording and recommended. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Giovanni Maria Bononcini (1642-1678). Cantate e Sonate da Camera. Tactus TC.640202 (1 CD, August 2009). Details. Fabio Bonvicini, La Scatola dai Suoni. Alida Oliva, soprano. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Vivaldi. Stabat Mater, Sonata al Santo Sepolcro RV130; Pergolesi, Salve Regina; Pergolesi (arrangement by J.S. Bach), Stabat Mater - Tilge Höchster meine Sünden BWV 1083. BIS SACD 1546 (1 CD, July 2009). Emma Kirkby, soprano; David Taylor, countertenor. Theatre of Early Music. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Haydn. Philemon & Baucis / Jupiters Reise auf die Erde. Hanssler Profil PH 09038 (1 CD, April 2009). Wolfgang Brunner, Salzburger Hofmusik. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Michael Praetorius (1571-1621) & Samuel Scheidt (1587-1654). Der Wächter auf der Zinne (The Guard on the Battlement). Coviello COV 20907 (1 CD, July 2009). Details. Dominique Visse, countertenor; Katharina Bäuml, Capella de la Torre. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Telemann. Harmonischer Gottes-Dienst (1726). Complete recording of all 72 cantatas by Bergen Barokk in progress:

Volume 2: The cantatas for middle voice, violine and basso continuo 1. Toccata Classics TOCC 0057 (1 CD, July 2009). Details. Franz, Vitzthum, countertenor; Bjarte Eike, violin; Hans Knut Svenn, harpsichord & organ; Markku Luolajan-Mikkola, cello. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Volume 1: The cantatas for high voice, recorder & basso continuo 1. Toccata Classics TOCC 0037 (1 CD, August 2006). Details. Mona Julsrud, soprano; Frode Thorsen recorder; Hans Knut Sveen, harpsichord; Markku Luolajan-Mikkola, cello. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Haydn. Die Feuersbrunst (or Das abgebrannte Haus). (Marionetten-Singspiel H29b: A). cpo 777 213-2 (2 CDs, June 2009). Details. Andreas Spering, Capella Augustina. Otto Katzameier, baritone; Andreas Karasiak, tenor; Isa Katharina Gericke, soprano; Ferdinand von Bothmer, tenor. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Jean-Philippe Rameau. Concerts mis en simphonie - version orchestrée des pièces de clavecin (1741). Musiques à la Chabotterie (1 CD, April 2009). Hugo Reyne, La Simphonie du Marais. Collection Rameau Vol. 2. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Domènec Terradellas (1713-1751). Arias and overtures from Artaserse, Merope & Sesostri. Fuga Libera (1 CD, April 2009). Details. Stefano Demicheli, Dolce & Tempesta. Maria Grazia Schiavo, soprano. "[Terradellas'] death in Rome in 1751 has remained a mystery to the present day. One version has it that he was murdered on the orders of his arch-rival Niccolò Jommelli." US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Agostino Steffani (1654-1728). Alarico il Baltha, cioè l'Audace, Rè de Gothi (Munich 1687). Concerto 2039 (3 CDs, April 2009, originally released by Centaurus Music (2006)). Details. Dieci Sara, Scarlatti Camera Ensemble. Alarico: Stefania Maiardi, mezzo-soprano; Sabina: Maria Carla Curia, soprano; Honorio: Lee Ji-Young, mezzo-soprano; Pisone: Luca Casagrande, baritone; Semiamira: Loretta Liberato, contralto; Placidia: Won Mi-Jung Capilupi, soprano; Stilicone: Guerino Pelaccia, tenor; Lidoro: Marco Democratico, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

La Voce di Orfeo: Gli Amori di Francesco Rasi 1574-1621. Naïve (1 CD, June 2009). Furio Zanasi, baritone; Guilio Casati, narrator. Eduardo Egüez, La Chimera. Includes works by Monteverdi, Ferrari, Rasi, d'India, Caccini, Desprez & Brunelli. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Bonporti, Mannelli. Roma - cello concertos & trio sonatas. Myrios 002 (1 CD, June 2009). Alte Musik Köln (formerly members of Musica Antiqua Köln). US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Bonporti, Mannelli. Pirates of the Baroque: Stolen masterworks & forgotten musical jewels. Red Priest Records (1 CD, June 2009). Piers Adams, Red Priest. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (HWV 74, London 1713) / Dixit Dominus (HWV 232, Rome 1707). Harmonia Mundi (1 CD, September 2009). Marcus Creed, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Vocalconsort Berlin. Hélène Guilmette, soprano; Andreas Scholl, countertenor; Malcolm Bennett, tenor; Andreas Wolf, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Hotteterre, Chedeville, Philidor. Le Berger Poète. Alpha (1 CD, June 2009). Details. François Lazarevitch, Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien. Suites and sonatas for flute and musette. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. Giulio Cesare in Egitto. (HWV 17, London 1724). Pro Musica Camerata PMC 062/064 (3 CDs, January 2009). Details. Władysław Kłosiewicz, Musicae Antiquae Collegium Varsoviense, Choir of the Warsaw Chamber Opera. Giulio Cesare: Anna Radziejewska, mezzo-soprano; Cornelia: Dorota Lachowicz, contralto; Sesto: Jacek Laszczkowski, sopranist; Cleopatra: Olga Pasiecznik, soprano; Tolomeo: Jan Monowid, countertenor; Achilla: Jarosław Bręk, bass; Nireno: Karol Bartosinski, countertenor; Curio: Sławomir Jurczak, bass.

Handel. Harpsichord Suites (1720). Delos DE 3394 (2 CDs, March 2009). Jory Vinikour, harpsichord by John Phillips after the Gräbner 1739 (extended bass to DD!) tuned to Bradley Lehman's Bach tuning. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. Al Piacere del Signore - transcriptions for 2 harpsichords. ORF 3056 (1 CD, April 2009). Le Petit Concert Baroque. Chani Lesaulnier & Nadja Lesaulnier, harpsichords. Movements from the Water Music, Fireworks Music, Rinaldo, Ariodante, Teseo & Alexander's Feast transcribed by the performers. FR

Telemann. Kapitänsmusik 1744 TVWV 15:15. cpo 777 390-2 (2 CDs, May 2009). CD 1: Oratorio "Vereint euch, ihr Brüder" (71'20); CD 2: Serenata "Freyheit!" (75'19). Manfred Cordes, Weiser-Renaissance. Dorothee Mields, soprano; Monika Mauch, soprano; Ulrike Hofbauer, soprano; Immo Schröder, tenor; Dominik Wörner, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Johann Mattheson. Der liebreiche und geduldige David (Hamburg 1723). cpo 777 360-2 (1 CD, May 2009). Michael Alexander Willens, Die Kölner Akademie, Chor der Kölner Akademie. Nicki Kennedy, soprano; Ursula Ettinger, contralto; Max Ciolek, tenor; Christian Hilz, bass; Raimonds Spogis, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

J.S. Bach Orchestral Suites for a Young Prince (Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen). Avie AV 2171 (1 CD, May 2009). Review by Johann van Veen. Original versions without trumpets, drums or transverse flute. Monica Huggett, Ensemble Sonnerie. Gonzalo X. Ruiz, oboe and reconstruction of the original version of suite no. 2. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Charles Levens (1689-1764). Te Deum (1722) & Deus Noster Refugium. Hortus 060 (1 CD, April 2008). Michel Laplénie, Ensemble Sagittarius, Orchestre Baroque Les Passions, Ensemble Baroque Orfeo et Groupe Vocal Arpège. Sophie Landy, soprano; Sophie Pattey, soprano; Vincent Lièvre-Picard, haute-contre; Sébastien Obrecht, tenor; Marcos Loureiro de Sá, bass; Sébastien Brohier, baritone; Marduk Serrano, baritone. This may be the finest recording to date of grands motets, and the music is of the same high quality as the performance and recording. The Levens Te Deum deserves to be recognized as one of the standard works of early 18th Century France. It continued to be performed as late as August 1789, but before recent revivals, this composer from Marseilles who worked in Vannes, Toulouse & Bordeaux had been almost totally forgotten. A recording by the same performers of Levens's Messes des Morts was released on Lira d'Arco in 2003 and reissued on Etcetera. As on the recent recording of the Gilles Requiem on Ligia Digital, Volny Hostiou plays a serpent, with quite an elaborate part in the chorus Te per orbem in particular. UK | FR | DE | JP

Psalterion & Fortepiano - From C.P.E. Bach to Mozart. Ambronay AMY 012 (1 CD, June 2008). Margit Übellacker, psalterion (dulcimer); Aline Zylberajch, fortepiano by Monika May after the earliest Stein. CPE Bach, Sonata Wq 87; Mozart, Adagio K.266 & Sonata K.305, plus sonatas by Schobert, Melchior Chiesa, & Eberlin. This superb recording celebrates the pantalon, an undamped keyboard instrument invented and popularized by Pantalon Hebenstreit during the 18th Century. Ms. Übellacker's skill with the hammers comes remarkably close to what would be possible with a keyboard. US | UK | FR | DE | JP

Handel. La Resurrezione. (HWV 47, Rome 1708). Brilliant Classics 93805 (2 CDs, April 2009). Details. Marco Vitale, Contrasto Armonico. Angelo: Klaartje van Veldhoven, soprano; Maddalena: Stefanie True, soprano; Cleofe: Kristine Gether, contralto; San Giovanni: Marcel Beekman, tenor; Lucifero: Mitchell Sandler, bass. Performed at Roman pitch a=392 with oboes at 440. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. Samson. (HWV 57, London 1743). Carus 83.425 (3 CDs, March 2009). Details. Nicholas McGegan, FestspielOrchester Göttingen, NDR Chor. Sophie Daneman, soprano; Franziska Gottwald, contralto; Samson: Thomas Cooley, tenor; Michael Slattery, tenor; William Berger, bass; Wolf Matthias Friedrich, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. Ezio. (HWV 29, London 1732). DG Archiv 477 807-3 (3 CDs, March 2009). Alan Curtis, Il Complesso Barocco. Ezio: Ann Hallenberg, mezzo-soprano; Fulvia: Karina Gauvin, soprano; Valentiniano: Sonia Prina, contralto; Massimo: Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani, tenor; Varo: Vito Priante, bass; Onoria: Marianne Andersen, mezzo-soprano. Libretto by Metastasio. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. Alcina. (HWV 34, London 1735). DG-Archiv 477 737-4 (3 CDs, March 2009). (Joyce DiDonato's blog about recording Alcina). Alan Curtis, Il Complesso Barocco. Alcina: Joyce DiDonato, mezzo-soprano; Ruggiero: Maite Beaumont, mezzo-soprano; Morgana: Karina Gauvin, soprano; Bradamante: Sonia Prina, contralto; Oronte: Kobie van Rensburg, tenor; Oberto: Laura Cherici, soprano; Melisso: Vito Priante, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Mozart. Idomeneo, rè di Creta (KV 366). Harmonia Mundi HMC 902036/38 (3 CDs, May 2009). Details. René Jacobs, Freiburger Barockorchester, RIAS-Kammerchor. Idamante: Bernarda Fink, contralto; Ilia: Sunhae Im, soprano; Elettra: Alexandrina Pendatchanska, soprano; Idomeneo: Richard Croft, tenor; Arbace: Kenneth Tarver, tenor; Gran Sacerdote: Nicolas Rivenq, tenor; La voce: Luca Tittoto, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Alessandro Scarlatti. Giuditta (second setting, 1697, the "Cambridge Giuditta"). Dynamic CDS 596 (1 CD, March 2009). Details. Gilbert Bezzina, Ensemble Baroque de Nice. Giuditta: Sophie Landy, soprano; Oloferne: Carl Ghazarossian, bass; Nurse: Raphaël Pichon, countertenor. I only know of one previous recording, by Velardi on Bongiovanni. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Leonardo Leo (1694-1744). Le Nozze di Iole ed Ercole. ORF 2011768 (2 CDs, November 2008). Review by Johan van Veen. Christoph Hammer, Neue Hofkapelle München. Iole: Susanne Bernhard, soprano; Ercole: Kai Wessel, countertenor; Alceo/Teseo: Dominik Wörner, bass. DE

Handel. Aminta e Fillide (HWV 83) / Clori, mia bella Clori (HWV 92) - Italian Cantatas vol. 4. Glossa GCD 921524 (1 CD, September 2008). Maria Grazia Schiavo, soprano; Núria Rial, soprano. Fabio Bonizzoni, La Risonanza. This superb performance and recording will be the NewOlde.com Best Handel Recording for 2008 (along with the Curtis Tolomeo). US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Reissues of Particular Interest

Lully. Les Premiers Opéras. Accord (10 CDs). Hugo Reyne, La Simphonie du Marais. FR

J.S. Bach. English Suites, French Suites, Klavierbüchlien für Wilhelm Friedemann. Ambroisie (6 CDs). Christophe Rousset, harpsichord. FR

J.S. Bach. Complete Organ Works. Ricercar (16 CDs? The last issue contained 18 CDs). Bernard Foccroulle. Budget reissue of this excellent set performed on historical North German organs. FR

Handel Opera Collection. dhm 88697489402 (22 CDs, April 2009). Details. This reissue includes the S. Kuijken recording of Alessandro, which has been out of print for many years. The best of the remaining opera recordings are Lotario (Curtis), Partenope (Kuijken) & Rodelinda (Schneider). Of these, only Schneider's Rodelinda has been superseded by a clearly superior recording. The others are of little or no interest: Malgoire's lackluster Rinaldo, Serse & Tamerlano and the comically incompetent old Rudel recording of Giulio Cesare. No librettos are included or available online. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. 6 Operas: Rodrigo, Radamisto, Admeto, Fernando, Arminio, Deidamia. Virgin 6958622 (15 CDs & 1 CD-ROM with booklet texts). Alan Curtis, Il Complesso Barocco. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. Operas. Harmonia Mundi (9 CDs & 1 CD-ROM with pdf librettos of the operas only). René Jacobs. Guilio Cesare, Flavio, Rinaldo, & Duetti e Cantate da camera from HM 1004. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Telemann. Ino (Dramatic Cantata) / Overture in D (both c.1765). DG-Archiv. Barbara Schlick, soprano. Goebel, MAK. FR

Vivaldi Opera Edition. Naïve/Opus 111 OP 30470. Reissues of the first six Opus 111 Vivaldi opera recordings & Juditha Triumphans, plus the Alia Vox recording of Farnace. 27 CDs + 1 DVD + 208-page book. Recommended for the book and the recordings, of L'Olimpiade, Orlando Fïnto Pazzo, and Juditha Triumphans. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Vivaldi. Vespri per l'Assunzione di Maria Vergine. Opus 111/Naïve. Alessandrini. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. Il Trionfo / Teseo / Amadigi. Warner (Erato), 6 CDs. Minkowski. Improved with new typeset librettos with new aria translations (pdf).. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. La Resurrezione (Koopman). Semele et al. (Gardiner). Warner (Erato). Libretto (pdf). US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Blow. Venus & Adonis. L'Oiseau-Lyre. Pickett. US | UK | DE | FR | CA | JP

Vivaldi. Dorilla in Tempe. Pierre Verany. Bezzina. Better performance than all but two of the disappointing Naïve Vivaldi Edition opera recordings. FR | DE

Coming Soon

Vivaldi. Armida al campo d'Egitto. (RV 699-A, Venice 1718). Surviving part autograph partially rearranged for the 1738 performance. Naïve / Opus 111 (3 CDs, March 2010). Rinaldo Alessandrini, Concerto Italiano. Erminia: Raffaella Milanesi, soprano; Armida: Sara Mingardo, mezzo-soprano; Adrasto: Romina Basso, mezzo-soprano; Osmira: Monica Bacelli, mezzo-soprano; Emireno: Marina Comparato, mezzo-soprano; Tisaferno: Martín Oro, countertenor; Califfo: Furio Zanasi, baritone. DE

Haydn. Applausus (Jubiläum Virtutis Palatium). Cantata Hob XXIVa:6 (1768). Capriccio C5036 (2 CDs, March 2010?). Andreas Spering, Capella Augustina. Temperantia: Anna Palimina, soprano; Prudentia: Marina de Liso, mezzo-soprano; Justitia: Donát Havár, tenor; Fortitudo: Johannes Weisser, bass; Theologia: Andreas Wolf, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Telemann. Käpitansmusik 1738. cpo 777 386-2 (2 CDs, 2010). Hermann Max, Rheinische Kantorei, Das Kleine Konzert. Veronika Winter, soprano; Cornelia Samuelis, mezzo-soprano; Jan Kobow, tenor; Immo Schröder, tenor; Ekkehard Abele, bass; Gregor Finke, bass.

Antonio Caldara. La Conversione di Clodoveo, Rè di Francia (1715). ATMA (2 CDs 2010, recorded in 2005). Alexander Weimann, Les Voix Baroques. Clodoveo: Allyson McHardy, mezzo-soprano; Clotide: Nathalie Paulin, soprano; San Remigio: Susie LeBlanc, soprano; Uberto: Matthew White, countertenor.

Jean-Baptiste Lully. Atys. Musique à la Chabotterie (3 CDs, Spring 2010). Details. Hugo Reyne, La Simphonie du Marais. Lully ou le Musicien du Soleil, Volume XI. Atys: Romain Champion, haute-contre; Sangaride: Bénédicte Tauran, soprano; Cybèle: Amaya Domínguez, mezzo-soprano; Célénus: Aimery Lefévre, baritone; Idas: Matthieu Heim, bass; Doris: Maud Ryaux, soprano; Mélisse: Maïlys de Villoutreys, soprano; Le Sommeil: Vincent Liévre-Picard, haute-contre.

Recommended Interviews from Goldberg

Vincent Dumestre by Yutha Tep, Issue 37.

Martin Gester by Brian Robins, Issue 36.

Sigiswald Kuijken by Brian Robins, Issue 34, in which he discusses the violoncello da spalla and holeless natural trumpet, among other matters.

Christophe Rousset by Brian Robins, Issue 33.

Also:

Jean-François Madeuf by Jeffrey Nussbaum on the Historic Brass Society website (2006). J-FM: "I never play [natural trumpet] with holes. I only did that when I was learning this very difficult (but so wonderful) instrument."

Early Music World - new website by Brian Robins

A note about web browsers.

ORF and Philips included opera libretto files on multi-session CDs, a now obsolete technology. The non-audio files can't be opened in Windows 7 x64 Explorer, but you can open and extract them with the free version of IsoBuster.

"If one is to believe the historians of the seventeenth century, stage directors did not yet exist. What a fortunate age! One could attend an opera without having to close one's eyes. One could take delight in it, listen to it and watch it at the same time, without feeling welling up within oneself, scene by scene, crescendo, rinforzando, that dull anger which is very bad for one's peace of mind." Philippe Beaussant (La Monde de la Musique, April 2005), English translation in "Vivaldi in Scena: Thoughts on the Revival of Vivaldi's Operas" by Frédéric Delaméa in Vivaldi, Motezuma and the Opera Seria, Michael Talbot (ed.) at 171-2 (Brepols 2008).

I'm still waiting for even one of the many conductors of baroque Italian opera performances with organ, guitar, or harp continuo to cite one solitary source in support of an obnoxious fad. At one time, scholars were prominent in the historical performance movement, but increasingly they have been replaced by copycats and greedy salesmen.

http://www.newolde.com