Composer's name is listed where notable (i.e. Classical Performance, Jazz Performance).
For more information on any of the rock, pop and Jazz music featured on this program, I frequently utilize AllMusic , an excellent free database holding a huge plethora of information about music and the artists that make it.
| Composer | Performer | Title | Genre | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
George Friedrich Handel (1685 - 1759) |
Arleen Auger, Anne Sofie von Otter, Michael Chance, Howard Crook, John Tomlinson, The English Concert and Choir, Trevor Pinnock, cond. |
Messiah (Part III) |
Classical, Baroque, oratorio |
Polydor, 1988 |
Although the first thing that we may think of when we think of the Messiah may be the chorus that closes Part II (commonly known as the Hallelujah Chorus), some of the most beautiful and poignant music in the whole oratorio is in Part III, including such wonderful arias as I Know That My Redeemer Liveth, The Trumpet Shall Sound, and the duet O Death Where Is Thy Sting? Of course, in reality, the whole oratorio is of such consistently high quality that one really can't favor one part over another. |
Claudio Monteverdi (c. 1567 - 1643) |
Consort Ars Musica, Rafaello Monterosso, cond. |
Laetatus Sum |
Rennaisance, early Baroque, music for small vocal ensemble |
Regent, 1995 |
Contrasting examples of how Monteverdi alternated between a more conservative style, as demonstrated in the first work (referred to as his prima practica, which focused on a strict method of counterpoint and an equal distribution of voices) and a more innovative later style (labeled his seconda practica, which used a freer method of counterpoint, and a distribution of voices that focused more on the soprano and bass). These techniques would set the stage for Schütz (see below), and therefore for Bach and everything to follow. These examples here are from a compilation published in 1650. |
Dixit Dominus II |
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Heinrich Schütz (1585 - 1672) |
Concerto Vocale, -w- Sebastian Hennig (sop), Rene Jacobs, contralto |
Was betrübst du dich, meine Seele? (Why art thou cast down, O my soul?) |
early Baroque, music for vocal with small ensemble |
harmonia mundi, 1982 |
Schütz was a noted composer and organist, and is widely considered to be the most important German composer prior to Bach. He wrote the first German opera in 1627 (which unfortunately has been lost; no purely instrumental works survive either, even though he was a noted organist), and was as inspired by Dutch sources as he was by Gabrielli (whom he studied with) and Monteverdi. Tonight's example is from the second book of Symphoniae Sacrae, published in Dresden in 1647. As was the Calvinist tradition, much of his work uses text from the Book of Psalms. |
Calista Ensemble, -w- Tony Arnold (soprano), Cliff Colnot, cond |
Prairie Sketches I for soprano and ensemble |
21st Century music for voice and small ensemble |
ArtCD1991, 2005 |
Dr. Read Thomas was here at SIU a few weeks ago, introducing a peformance of several of her works at Altgeld, and I was quite impressed by the quality of her writing. My impressions are certainly validated in listening to this lovely recording. The second work includes a rendition of "Delight is as the flight" by Emily Dickenson. | |
Bubble: Rainbow - (spirit level) for Soprano, Flute, Oboe, Violin, Cello, Piano and Percussion |
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Amy Briggs Dissanayake, piano |
Piano Etudes 1 and 2 |
21st Century music for piano |
These piano etudes were composed in matching pairs, but they have a rather consistent sylistic quality that I think to be rather revelatory of the composer's thought processes. As with the piece below, they are excellent demonstrations of the potential for great beauty in modern classical music, especially those pieces which explore the sonic qualities of an instrument. This is really good stuff, and is worthy of further listening. | ||
Piano Etudes 3 and 4 |
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Piano Etudes 5 and 6 |
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Robert Waters, violin |
Pulsar for solo violin |
21st Century music for violin |
As one of the pieces performed at the concert last month was a piece for solo clarinet, it is perfectly appropriate to include another one of her works for solo instrument, this time the violin. I think this is rather demonstrative of the quality of her writing, and the thought and consideration that goes into this manner of classical composition. |
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Last Update: April 16, 2007
Email: saxman@siu.edu