My usual explanation in this space: I am especially interested in piano and choral music, plus symphonies, so that’s what I get the most promos of. Other stuff obviously gets through my filters, but the percentages of what comes in inevitably affect what comes out, i.e. this list. That said, in terms of number of centuries spanned, rather than genres or formats or whatever, I think I'm covering as much or more musical territory than most critics. By the way, look for a shorter list of my favorite classical reissues of 2012, to follow in a day or two.
1. Tokyo String Quartet, Jon Manasse, Jon Nakamatsu Brahms: Piano Quintet, Clarinet Quintet (Harmonia Mundi) There were recordings this year that were more important in terms of bringing new repertoire to light, or featuring young artists, or bringing classical into the 21st century, or being more controversially newsworthy. Examples of all of those follow.
1. Tokyo String Quartet, Jon Manasse, Jon Nakamatsu Brahms: Piano Quintet, Clarinet Quintet (Harmonia Mundi) There were recordings this year that were more important in terms of bringing new repertoire to light, or featuring young artists, or bringing classical into the 21st century, or being more controversially newsworthy. Examples of all of those follow.
- 1/2/2013
- by SteveHoltje
- www.culturecatch.com
Monteverdi Choir/John Eliot Gardiner J.S. Bach: Motets (Soli Deo Gloria)
Conductor John Eliot Gardiner's superb and detailed notes for this release (on his choir's own label) open with this bold statement: "Bach's motets constitute the most perfect, and in some ways the most hypnotic, set amongst his works." They were not even remotely conceived of as a "set," however -- unlike, for example, the sonatas and partitas for violin, or the cello suites, or the Well-Tempered Clavier, the motets were created independently, over the course of many years, probably (and in some cases, certainly) for specific occasions. However, in a way that actually helps make Gardiner's case, because their resulting variety of style and structure is attractive.
The cover art is a photo of high-wire walker Philippe Petit, an apt metaphor for singing this music. That this album was recorded "live" might raise concerns among choral fans...
Conductor John Eliot Gardiner's superb and detailed notes for this release (on his choir's own label) open with this bold statement: "Bach's motets constitute the most perfect, and in some ways the most hypnotic, set amongst his works." They were not even remotely conceived of as a "set," however -- unlike, for example, the sonatas and partitas for violin, or the cello suites, or the Well-Tempered Clavier, the motets were created independently, over the course of many years, probably (and in some cases, certainly) for specific occasions. However, in a way that actually helps make Gardiner's case, because their resulting variety of style and structure is attractive.
The cover art is a photo of high-wire walker Philippe Petit, an apt metaphor for singing this music. That this album was recorded "live" might raise concerns among choral fans...
- 6/24/2012
- by SteveHoltje
- www.culturecatch.com
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