Broken Consort

On this CD:

1. Broken Consort
Composed by Sebastian Currier

2. Spooks
Composed by John Halle

3. Fenton Songs: 1. Beauty, Danger and Dismay
Composed by John Halle

4. Fenton Songs: 2. Out of Danger
Composed by John Halle

5. Fenton Songs: 3. Serious
Composed by John Halle

6. Fenton Songs: 4. Hinterhof
Composed by John Halle

7. Resisting Stillness
Composed by Chester Biscardi

8. Frag
Composed by David Lang

9. Ear Conception
Composed by William Anderson

10. Composition No. 186
Composed by Anthony Braxton

11. Cygnature Piece
Composed by Robert Pollock

Tracks:

First Booke Of Songes: I. Unquiet Thoughts
First Booke Of Songes: II. Who Ever Thinks Or Hopes Of Love
First Booke Of Songes: III. My Thoughts Are Wing'd With Hopes
First Booke Of Songes: IV. If My Complaints Could Passions Move
First Booke Of Songes: V. Can She Excuse My Wrongs
First Booke Of Songes: VI. Now, O Now, I Needs Must Part
First Booke Of Songes: VII. Dear, If You Change
First Booke Of Songes: VIII. Burst Fourth My Tears
First Booke Of Songes: IX. Go Crystal Tears
First Booke Of Songes: X. Think'st Thou Then By Thy Feigning
First Booke Of Songes: XI. Come Away, Come Sweet Love
First Booke Of Songes: XII. Rest Awhile, You Cruel Cares
First Booke Of Songes: XIII. Sleep, Wayward Thoughts
First Booke Of Songes: XIV. All Ye, Whom Love Or Fortune Hath Betray'd
First Booke Of Songes: XV. Wilt Thou Unkind Thus Reave Me
First Booke Of Songes: XVI. Would My Conceit
First Booke Of Songes: XVII. Come Again: Sweet Love Doth Now Invite
First Booke Of Songes: XVIII. His Golden Locks
First Booke Of Songes: XIX. Awake, Sweet Love
First Booke Of Songes: XX. Come, Heavy Sleep
First Booke Of Songes: XXI. Away With These Self-Loving Lads

Tracks:

Second Booke Of Songs: I. I Saw My Lady Weep
Second Booke Of Songs: II. Flow My Tears
Second Booke Of Songs: III. Sorrow, Stay
Second Booke Of Songs: IV. Die Not Before Thy Day
Second Booke Of Songs: V. Mourn, Mourn, Day Is With Darkness Fled
Second Booke Of Songs: VI. Time's Eldest Son
Second Booke Of Songs: VII. Then Sit Thee Down
Second Booke Of Songs: VIII. When Others Sing Venite
Second Booke Of Songs: IX. Praise Blindness Eyes
Second Booke Of Songs: X. O Sweet Woods
Second Booke Of Songs: XI. If Floods Of Tears
Second Booke Of Songs: XII. Fine Knacks For Ladies
Second Booke Of Songs: XIII. Now Cease My Wand'ring Eyes
Second Booke Of Songs: XIV. Come Ye Heavy States Of Night
Second Booke Of Songs: XV. White As Lilies Was Her Face
Second Booke Of Songs: XVI. Woeful Heart
Second Booke Of Songs: XVII. A Shepherd In A Shade
Second Booke Of Songs: XVIII. Faction That Ever Dwells
Second Booke Of Songs: XIX. Shall I Sue
Second Booke Of Songs: XX. Toss Not My Soul
Second Booke Of Songs: XXI. Clear Or Cloudy
Second Booke Of Songs: XXII. Humour Say What Mak'st Thou Here

Tracks:

Third Booke Of Songs 1603: I. Farewell, Too Fair
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: II. Time Stands Still
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: III. Behold A Wonder Here
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: IV. Daphne Was Not So Chaste
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: V. Me, Me, And None But Me
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: VI. When Phoebus First Did Daphne Love
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: VII. Say, Love, If Ever Thou Didst Find
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: VIII. Flow Not So Fast, Ye Fountains
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: IX. What If I Never Speed?
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: X. Love Stood Amazed
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XI. Lend Your Ears To My Sorrow
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XII. By A Fountain Where I Lay
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XIII. O What Hath Overwrought
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XIV. Farewell, Unkind
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XV. Weep You No More, Sad Fountains
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XVI. Fie On This Feigning!
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XVII. I Must Complain
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XVIII. It Was A Time When Silly Bees
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XIX. The Lowest Trees Have Tops
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XX. What Poor Astronomers Are They
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XXI. Come When I Call

Tracks:

A Pilgrimes Solace: I. Disdain Me Still
A Pilgrimes Solace: II. Sweet Stay Awhile
A Pilgrimes Solace: III. To Ask For All Thy Love
A Pilgrimes Solace: IV. Love, Those Beams That Breed
A Pilgrimes Solace: V. Shall I Strive Wih Words To Move?
A Pilgrimes Solace: VI. Were Every Thought An Eye
A Pilgrimes Solace: VII. Stay, Time, Awhile Thy Flying
A Pilgrimes Solace: VIII. Tell Me, True Love
A Pilgrimes Solace: IX. Go Nightly Cares
A Pilgrimes Solace: X. From Silent Night
A Pilgrimes Solace: XI. Lasso vita mia
A Pilgrimes Solace: XII. In This Trembling Shadow Cast
A Pilgrimes Solace: XIII. If That A Sinner's Sights
A Pilgrimes Solace: XIV. Thou Mighty God
A Pilgrimes Solace: XV. When David's Life
A Pilgrimes Solace: XVI. When The Poor Cripple

Tracks:

A Pilgrimes Solace: XVII. Where Sin Sore Wounding
A Pilgrimes Solace: XVIII. My Heart And Tongue Were Twins
A Pilgrimes Solace: XIX. Up Merry Mates
A Pilgrimes Solace: XX. Welcome Black Night
A Pilgrimes Solace: XXI. Cease, Cease These False Sports
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Lachrimae Pavane
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Can Shee
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Paduana
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: The Frogge
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Frog's Galliard
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Pavana And Galiarda
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Paduana Lachrymae
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Can She Excuse
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Pavion Solus cum sola
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Dowland's Almayne
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Piper's Paven And Galliard
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Pavan Lachrymae

Tracks:

Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: I. The Lamentation Of A Sinner
Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: II. Domine ne in furore
Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: III. Miserere mei Deus
Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: IV. The Humble Suit Of A Sinner
Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: V. The Humble Complaint Of A Sinner
Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: VI. De profundis
Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: VII. Domine exaudi
Lachrimae: Lachrimae Antiquae
Lachrimae: Lachrimae Antiquae Novae
Lachrimae: Lachrimae Gementes
Lachrimae: Lachrimae Tristes
Lachrimae: Lachrimae Coactae
Lachrimae: Lachrimae Amantis
Lachrimae: Lachrimae Verae
Lachrimae: Mr. John Langton's Pavan
Lachrimae: Mr. Nicholas Gryffith His Galiard
Lachrimae: Sir John Souch His Galiard
Lachrimae: Semper Dowland Semper Dolens
Lachrimae: Mr. Giles Hobies Galiard
Lachrimae: The King Of Denmark's Galiard
Lachrimae: Sir Henry Umpton's Funerall
Lachrimae: Mr. Henry Noell His Galiard
Lachrimae: The Earl Of Essex Galiard
Lachrimae: Mr. Bucton His Galiard
Lachrimae: Mr. George Whitehead His Almand
Lachrimae: Captain Digorie Piper His Galiard
Lachrimae: Mr. Thomas Collier His Galiard
Lachrimae: Mrs. Nichols Almand

Tracks:

Sacred Songs: Sorrow, Come!
Sacred Songs: I Shame At Mine Unworthiness
Sacred Songs: An Heart That's Broken And Contrite
Psalms: Psalm 100: All People That On Earth Do Dwell
Psalms: Psalm 38: Put Me Not To Rebuke O Lord
Psalms: Psalm 130: Lord To Thee I Make My Moan
Psalms: Psalm 104: My Soul Praise The Lord
Psalms: Psalm 100: All People That On Earth Do Dwell
Psalms: Psalm 134: Behold And Have Regard
A Prayer For The Queen's Most Excellent Majesty
Instrumental Music: Solus cum sola pavan
Instrumental Music: Lachrimae
Instrumental Music: Galliard
Instrumental Music: Pipers Pavan
Instrumental Music: Lachrimae
Instrumental Music: Lady Rich Galliard
Instrumental Music: Earl Of Essex Galliard
Instrumental Music: If My Complaints
Instrumental Music: Lachrimae Doolande
Instrumental Music: Lord Willoughbie's Welcome Home
Instrumental Music: My Lord Chamberlaine His Galliard
Instrumental Music: Comagain
Instrumental Music: Pavan Lachrymae
Instrumental Music: Sorrow Stay

Tracks:

Lute Music: Preludium
Lute Music: Lachrimae
Lute Music: Can She Excuse
Lute Music: Dr. Case's Pavan
Lute Music: Melancholy Galliard
Lute Music: Sir John Smith, His Almain
Lute Music: Fantasia
Lute Music: A Dream
Lute Music: Almain
Lute Music: The Queen's Galliard
Lute Music: Coranto
Lute Music: Resolution
Lute Music: Mrs. Vaux Galliard
Lute Music: Almain
Lute Music: Mr. Dowland's MIdnight
Lute Music: Fantasia
Lute Music: Loth To Depart
Lute Music: The Most Sacred Queen Elizabeth, Her Galliard
Lute Music: The Earl Of Essex, His Galliard
Lute Music: Pavan
Lute Music: John Dowland's Galliard
Lute Music: Aloe
Lute Music: The Lady Clifton's Spirit
Lute Music: What If A Day
Lute Music: Mr. Giles Hobie's Galliard
Lute Music: Come Away (Song arrangement)
Lute Music: Galliard
Lute Music: Fancy (Fantasia)

Tracks:

Lute Music: Lachrimae (Basic Version)
Lute Music: Galliard To Lachrimae
Lute Music: [Jig]
Lute Music: Galliard On 'Wasingham'
Lute Music: Complaint (Ballad Setting)
Lute Music: Mignarda (Galliard)
Lute Music: Semper Dowland Semper Dolens (Pavan)
Lute Music: The Frog Galliard
Lute Music: A Fancy (Fantasia)
Lute Music: Fancy (Fantasia)
Lute Music: Piper's Pavan
Lute Music: Captain Digorie Piper's Galliard
Lute Music: Lady Laiton's Almain
Lute Music: Dowland's Galliard
Lute Music: Dowland's First Galliard
Lute Music: Tarleton's Jig
Lute Music: Walsingham (ballad Setting)
Lute Music: Lord Willoughbie's Welcome Home (Ballad Setting)
Lute Music: Sir Henry Guilforde, His Almain
Lute Music: Pavan (Related To 'Lachrimae')
Lute Music: Mr. Langton's Galliard
Lute Music: Mrs. Clifton's Almain
Lute Music: Galliard
Lute Music: Lady Hunsdon's Puffe (Almain)
Lute Music: Galliard
Lute Music: Go From My Window (Ballad Setting)
Lute Music: Fancy (Fantasia)

Tracks:

Lute Music: Pavana Johan Douland
Lute Music: Mrs. Brigide Fleetwood's Pavan (Solus sine sola)
Lute Music: La mia Barbara
Lute Music: Sir Henry Umpton's Funeral (Pavan)
Lute Music: Lachrimae
Lute Music: Farewell Fancy (Chromatic Fantasia)
Lute Music: Farewell (On The 'In Nomine' Theme)
Lute Music: The King of Denmark's Galliard
Lute Music: Mrs. Vaux's Jig
Lute Music: Mrs. Nichol's Almain
Lute Music: Galliard
Lute Music: Lord Strang's March
Lute Music: Mrs. Winter's Jump
Lute Music: Can She Excuse (Galliard)
Lute Music: The Shoemaker's Wife, A Toy
Lute Music: Mrs. Norrish's Delight
Lute Music: Galliard
Lute Music: Mrs. White's Thing (Almain)
Lute Music: Mrs. White's Nothing
Lute Music: The Frog Galliard
Lute Music: Solus cum sola
Lute Music: The Lord Viscount Lisle, His Galliard
Lute Music: Orlando Sleepeth (Ballad Setting)
Lute Music: Robin (Ballad Setting)
Lute Music: Galliard (On A Galliard By Daniel Bacheler)
Lute Music: Forlorn Hope Fancy (Chromatic Fantasia)

Tracks:

Lute Music: The Lady Russell's Pavan
Lute Music: Fancy (Fantasia)
Lute Music: Sir John Langton's Pavan
Lute Music: Earl Of Derby, His Galliard
Lute Music: A Coy Toy
Lute Music: Fortune My Foe
Lute Music: [Almain]
Lute Music: Mr. Knight's Galliard
Lute Music: Sir John Souch His Galliard
Lute Music: Tarletone's Riserrectione
Lute Music: The Lady Rich, Her Galliard
Consort Music: Lachrimae Pavan
Consort Music: Can She Excuse Galliard
Consort Music: Captain Piper's Pavan And Galliard
Consort Music: The Frog Galliard
Consort Music: Round Battell Galliard
Consort Music: Fortune My Foe
Consort Music: Dowland's First Galliard
Consort Music: Katherine Darcie's Galliard
Consort Music: Tarleton's Jigge
Consort Music: Almain a 2
Consort Music: Mistress Nichols Almain a 2
Fullsack And Hildebrandt: Auserlesener Paduanen und Galliarden: Susanna Fair (Galliard)
Haussmann: Rest von polnischen und andern Tanzen: Mistress Nichols Alman a 5
Opusculum: Mr. John Langton Pavan And Galliard
Opusculum: La mia Barbara Pavan and Galliard
Opusculum: Lachrimae Antiquae Novae Pavan and Galliard

Tracks:

Consort Music: Mistress NIchols Almain
Consort Music: Volta a 4 ('Ioh. Douland')
Consort Music: Were Every Thought an Eye
Consort Music: Lady If You So Spite Me
Consort Music: Pavan a 4
A Musicall Banquet: I. My Heavy Sprite (Anthony Holborne)
A Musicall Banquet: II. Change Thy Mind Since She Doth Change (Richard Martin)
A Musicall Banquet: III. O Eyes, Leave Off Your Weeping (Robert Hales)
A Musicall Banquet: IV. Go, My Flock, Go Get You Hence (Anon.)
A Musicall Banquet: V. O Dear Life, When Shall It Be? (Anon.)
A Musicall Banquet: VI. To Plead My Faith (Daniel Bacheler)
A Musicall Banquet: VII. In A Grove Most Rich Of Shade (Guillaume Tessier)
A Musicall Banquet: VIII. Far From Triumphing Court
A Musicall Banquet: IX. Lady, If You So Spite Me
A Musicall Banquet: X. In Darkness Let Me Dwell
A Musicall Banquet: XI. Si le parler et le silence (Pierre Guedron)
A Musicall Banquet: XII. Ce penser qui sans fin tirannise ma vie (Pierre Guedron)
A Musicall Banquet: XIII. Vous que le Bonheur rappelle (Pierre Guedron)
A Musicall Banquet: XIV. Passava Amor su arco desarmado (Anon. Spanish)
A Musicall Banquet: XV. Sta notte mi sognava (Anon. Italian)
A Musicall Banquet: XVI. Vuestros ojos tienen d'Amor (Anon. Spanish)
A Musicall Banquet: XVII. Se di farmi morire (Domenico Maria Megli)
A Musicall Banquet: XVIII. Dovro dunque morire? (Giulio Caccini)
A Musicall Banquet: XIX. Amarilli mia bella (Giulio Caccini)
A Musicall Banquet: XX. O bella piu (Anon, Italian)

Customer Reviews:

A musical treasure-box.......2006-09-10

Both the music and this actual product are masterpieces. John Dowland's collected works here - covering 12 compact discs - exhibit the depth and power of this composer, a composer who many now regard as suffering from clinical depression. I doubt that the issue of the diagnosis of Dowland's depression can ever be settled, however, it is certainly obvious from his music, so completely on display here, that he was a man with very dark depths and corners in his mind. Dowland's various manifestations and "takes" on his own tune, "Flow my tears"/"Lachrimae" are here. This tune has haunted me ever since I first heard it when I was a child. It seems to sum up Dowland's feelings - at least Dowland seems to have thought so.

The First, Second, Third and Fourth Bookes of Songes, A Musicall Banquet, the keyboard transcriptions, all the lute music, consort music are here and virtually everything else written or supposedly written by John Dowland. Anthony Rooley and The Consort of Musicke perform this music with style and feeling throughout. This 12 CD set is something of a monument to the ensemble - I only wish they'd finished their collection of Monteverdi madrigals, which was equally good (La Venexiana are currently doing a magnificent job of recording all Monteverdi's books of madrigals for the GLOSSA label).

This is an expensive set, however, you will probably never need to buy another John Dowland CD again after buying and listening to this collection.

I bought this CD set on a mild Summer evening of 1998 and listened to it while sitting in my sun room - which a glorious orange sunset in progress, and a glass of wine. It brought back so many memories.

a beautiful journey into melancholy.......2001-06-15

I'm amazed at how many people tend to associate John Dowland's music with a tragic sense of drama. While no doubt this is art highly based on sadness, the "tragic" sense of it is more a legacy from the Romantic period. During the Renaissance, however, sadness was undestood as a very aesthetic way of approaching life. That is also the reason why Shakespeare's tragedies appear more sophisticated than his comedies.

Tracks:

Renaissance Song & Dance
Dance Suite - Eramus Widmann - Collection Of1613
Three English Songs For Voices And Instruments
Instrumental Music Of The Early Barogue
Festive Sounds
Trouvere Tunes
The Cabinet Organ
Lauda And Motet
Minstrel Melodies
Medieval Dances

Customer Reviews:

A very nice album for SCAdian ears.......2007-04-25

This is a fun album. it's festive, playful, and a real joy to listen to. There is something for everyone in this album--including and especially SCAdians. In fact there's probably at least one piece on this album that every SCAdian dancer, musician, and/or bard will recognize. There's courtly songs, love songs, and get out of your chair dances, even formal pieces you associate with concert halls.

Whether you play in the SCA or just love great historical music, this is one of the better albums I've ever bought--on amazon or anywhere else!

Recording is defective.......2007-04-06

The first one I got had a lot of popping and crackling, and some digital defects that cause the CD player to skip. I liked the music so I bought another copy and it was the same. Both wound up in the trash. Don't waste your money on this disk.

adequate performances but totally inadequate information.......2005-04-27

It is perhaps unfair to judge the performances on this recording (presumably made in the late 1950s/early 60s? - we are not given a date) by modern standards of early music performance. Yes, there are moments when the experimental nature of the approach is all too apparent, both in terms of the [im]plausibility of the interpretations and in the [at times] excruciating intonation (a particularly pertinent example is the shawm playing in track 10). But what is in fact by far the most deplorable feature of this recording is the utter sparsity of information provided - about the performers, the instruments, the composers, the repertoire, etc. Worse still, what little that is provided is often hopelessly inaccurate: sometimes in the form of blatant spelling errors (eg the Coventry Carol becomes here 'Lully Lullary', etc), at other times factual blunders (the medieval 'Estampie' in track 10 is in fact a 16th cent [ie Renaissance] tourdion, 'Quand je bois du vin clairet', whilst John Dowland's 'Frogg Galliard', c.1597, is here given an anonymous attribution...etc, etc, etc).

In short, for those not acquainted with pre-Baroque music, this is NOT a good place to start!!! Seasoned Early Music connoisseurs, on the other hand, may find a perverse pleasure in some atrocious moments, or perhaps take interest in its value as an example of historically informed performance style in the pioneering years - but you have been warned!!

For those interested, here are some alternative recommendations if you are new to this music: firstly, 2 wide-ranging compilations by 2 well-known ensembles -

1. Sinners and Saints - The New London Consort/Philip Pickett (Decca 48559)
2. Portrait ('Moyen Age et Renaissance') - Hesperion XX/Jordi Savall (Auvidis Fontalis 'Portrait' ES9904), or either of the 2 new compilations by Savall and his ensemble(s) on Alia Vox ('Harmonie Universelle', AV9810; 'Harmonie Universelle II', AV9839).

and a compilation (mostly of early music) featuring a number of different groups -

'Pastime with Good Company' (Alpha, A901) [includes groups like L'Arpegiatta, Le Poeme Harmonique, Diabolus in Musica...]

A nice overview of very early music.......2003-12-02

This was one of the first recordings of early music I ever bought. It's a broad survey of styles and periods, from the 12th to 17th centuries. I've become a more sohisticated listener since then, but I still get this one out fairly regularly. The recording is apparently old and the digital remastering was not done extraordinarily well, but those who are more interested in music than in audio equipment should be able to listen through the occasional (minor) vinyl surface noise. My major complaint (why I gave it 3 stars instead of 4) is the lack of documentation--there is no information about the musicians, and many of the composers are uncredited (some because they actually are anonymous, but sometimes out of apparent laziness). Still, at this price it's a bargain.

Don't Be Affraid.......2003-11-19

This cd is worth picking up. Yes the first couple of tracks have pops and crackles in it. And yes it sounds as if the music was transfered directly from a vinyl source. But the performances and selections on this cd are fabulous. And you get use to the flaws in the recordings. Which I find minor.

Customer Reviews:

Fine reissue of a classic set.......2006-05-24

Think about the stupidest, most formulaic Hollywood movies you can think of: cheesy action pictures, fluffy, unfunny comedies, big but stiff epics. Now imagine that one of the greatest living composers was working in Hollywood, turning out astonishing, hauntingly beautiful and stirring musical scores for these throwaway movies. That's what you get with this set: music Henry Purcell composed for some two dozen often utterly forgettable plays (trust me--I've read a number of them!) Occasionally, when he teams up with a playwright worthy of his stature, such as John Dryden, Aphra Behn, or William Congreve, the results are even better, but for the most part you can enjoy the music here without knowing anything about the original plays.

This set originally appeared as separate LPs in the 70s and 80s, and has been long out of print. That's a pity, since Purcell spent a good deal of his short professional life in the theatre, either writing the incidental music contained on these CDs, or the music for his larger works, the semi-operas (King Arthur, The Fairy Queen, and the like). Almost all of these works are enjoyable gems; certainly, they represent a pinnacle of English 17th century music. Purcell had a genius for spinning musical gold out of the most leaden lyrics (check out his Odes and Welcome Songs on Hyperion if you don't believe me), and he does the same with the song texts in these plays.

Hogwood and the AAM offer clean, listenable performances, and the sound on these old analog discs has been cleaned up and brightened--although they were pretty good, even in the late 70s. As with most Hogwood, emotional extremes are kept to a minimum, so the "otherworldly" nature of late 17th century music, so often emphasised in more recent Baroque performances, doesn't come across here. It would be interesting to see what a group like The King's Consort would do with this music, but this set fills the major gap in the Purcell canon quite nicely.

My only beef with the reissue, as with many reissues, is that the liner notes are rather thin for a 6-cd set--the lyrics to the songs, for example, are especially missed. Still, it's a worthwhile set, and a must for fans of Purcell, English Baroque music, or anyone who just wants to experience a taste of the last days of the Restoration stage.

Average customer rating:

Matthew Locke: The Broken Consort

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000FI901M
Release Date: 2006-07-11

Tracks:

Fantasy
Corant
Air
Saraband
Fantasy
Corant
Air
Saraband
Fantasy
Fantasy
Corant
Fantasy
Fantasy
Saraband
Fantasy
Corant
Air
Saraband
Fantasy
Corant
Air
Saraband
Fantasy
Fantasy
Corant
Fantasy
Fantasy
Saraband
Fantasy
Corant
Air
Saraband
Fantasy
corant
Air
Saraband - Conclusion
Fantasia
Corant

Average customer rating:

Fun spin
The Most Interesting Ensemble I've Ever Heard
The Most Interesting Ensemble I've Ever Heard

Broken Consort
William Anderson , Chester Biscardi , Anthony Braxton , Sebastian Currier , John Halle , David Lang , Robert Pollock , Charles Wuorinen , and Cygnus Ensemble
Manufacturer: Composers Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00004T92H
Release Date: 2000-06-27

Tracks:

Sebastian Currier Broken Consort (1996)
John Halle Spooks (1996)
Charles Wuorinen FENTON SONGS (1997-98)
Chester Biscardi Resisting Stillness (1996)
David Lang Frag (184)
William Anderson Ear Conception (1994-95)
Anthony Braxton Compostion No. 186 (1996)
Robert Pollok Cygnature Piece (1997)
Ear Conception: I
Ear Conception: II
Composition No. 186
Cygnature Piece: I - Mysteriously
Cygnature Piece: II - Dance

Customer Reviews:

Fun spin.......2000-10-31

Wuorinen's Fenton Songs are fantastic and they alone justify the cost of this disc. Also worthy here--Anderson's Ear Conception is very beautiful. Robert Pollock's Cygnature Piece is great fun. Chester Biscardi's precious little guitar duo I found very memorable. Among the good natured fluff on this recording--for me John Halle's Spooks stands out.

The Most Interesting Ensemble I've Ever Heard.......2000-10-20

The Cygnus ensemble consists of guitars, mandolines, violin, cello, flute and oboe. They play regularly in New York City, and they have toured in Holland, Denmark, Poland, Russia, Mexico and the U.S. Because their instrumentation is absolutely unique most of their music was written for them, and in the case of the Braxton piece, they are improvising to a large extent.

Sebastian Currier's Broken Consort is the title track, it's a fun piece with Stravinskian drive, building to almost cacophonic density before subsiding into a very beautiful ending. I like the opening which builds up to a V-I, a grand joke on the scale of Phillip Johnson's AT&T building with its big chippendale on the top.

John Halle's piece is fun and sparkling with very inventive textures and subversive machinations. It is very well put together--despite its outward charm and excessibility Halle's movement from one section to the next is quite sophisticated and compelling.

Wuorinen's Fenton Songs--if you've ever been told that Wuorinen's music is academic this will cure you of that impression. These are four lush, deep, penetrating settings of poems by the great British poet who writes so often for the NY Review of Books.

Biscari's guitar duo, Resisting Stillness, is gorgeous with wonderful unison pitches between the instruments and rich chordal textures.

David Lang's Frag is a bizarre little experiment for oboe, flute and cello.

Anderson's septet (cygnus joined by a glass harmonica) is in two movements, the first being very Roccoco with too beautiful harmonies swirling about with guitar filigree interlaced among the sustaining instruments. The second movement is faster and it builds into surprising contrapuntal patterns which become ever more light and fleet until the end.

Anthony Braxton's piece is largely improvisatory. It is fun when you learn to let go of all expectations about what music is supposed to do and just go along for the ride. It's a happening, frozen in magnetic media.

Robert Pollock's Cygnature Piece is rollicking and very witty, yet despite its being perfectly accessible, Pollock's language here is very new, and often surprising.

The Most Interesting Ensemble I've Ever Heard.......2000-10-20

Biscari's guitar duo, Resisting Stillness, is gorgeous with wonderful unison pitches between the instruments and rich chordal textures.

David Lang's Frag is a bizarre little experiment for oboe, flute and cello.

Customer Reviews:

The Review.......2000-06-30

It is okay. The CD cover can show more imfo.

Average customer rating:

Good for the soloist singer set....
In Deed a "Dream" Messiah, Except...

Messiah: The Dream Cast

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Meet Bryn Terfel
Wagner ·Terfel: Berliner Philharmoniker / Abbado
Handel - Messiah / Harper, Watts, Wakefield, Shirley-Quirk, LSO, C. Davis
Bryn Terfel - Simple Gifts
Bryn Terfel - Handel Arias / Scottish CO, Mackerras

ASIN: B0001GWB5K
Release Date: 2004-03-09

Tracks:

Symphony - English Baroque Solorists
Comfort Ye, My People - Anthony Rolfe-Johnson
Ev'ry Valley Shall Be Exalted - Jerry Hadley
And He Shall Purify The Sons Of Levi - The English Concert Choir
Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive - Anne Sofie Von Otter
O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings To Zion - Anne Sofie Von Otter
For Unto Us A Child Is Born - Chorus Of Les Musiciends Du Louvre
Pifa (Pastoral Symphony) - Chicago Symphony Orchestra
There Were Shephards...Glory To God - Kiri Te Kanawa
Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter Of Zion - Joan Sutherland
He Shall Feed His Flock - Leontyne Price
All We Like Sheep Have Gone Astray - Academy Of St Martin-In-The-Fields Chorus Sir Neville Marrinier
Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart - Charles Daniels
Behold And See - Charles Daniels
The Lord Gave The Word - Gabrieli Consort
Why Do The Nations - Bryn Terfel
Hallelujah - Academy Of St Marin-In-The-Fields Chorus
I Know That My Redeemer Livith - Arleen Auger
Behold, I Tell You A Mystery - Robert Hale
The Trumpet Shall Sound - Robert Hale
Worthy IS The Lamb... Amen - London Symphony Chorus

Customer Reviews:

Good for the soloist singer set...........2006-12-21

I've been living with this CD for a few days now and while I think it's a valuable addition, I wouldn't use it even as a primary 'highlights' cd. (For that you're better off with the highlights CD featuring John Shirley-Quirk, Felicity Palmer, Raymond Leppard, English Chamber Orchestra, and Felicity Palmer (Audio CD - 2003)- ASIN: B00006L9RR).

It's best to use this as a soloist review cd. If you're singing one of the solo parts, use it as a guide for phrasing/pacing except as noted below.

Other: The decca recording transfers are very good and help keep this at 3 stars.

"The trumpet shall sound" cut is quite good, nice tempo, one weak note on the entrance to the chorus repeat holds it back slightly.

* "For unto us a child is born" must have been sung while the Kentucky Derby was on...WAY too fast. This sounds more ridiculous on repeated hearings.

In Deed a "Dream" Messiah, Except..........2006-05-22

With one glaring exception, this "Dream Cast" recording is an excellent collection of highlights from Handel's Messiah, containing both modern- and period-instrument recordings. The performances of the "dream team" soloists are excellent, and not just the women, but also the men. For the female voices, I particularly enjoyed: Arleen Auger (I know that my Redeemer liveth), Anne Sofie von Otter (O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion) and Leontyne Price (He shall feed his flock), with Joan Sutherland also good (Rejoice greatly o daughter of Zion), but Kiri Te Kanawa (There were sheperds abiding) perhaps seeming disaffected. For the male voices it was great from start to finish with Anthony Rolfe-Johnson (Comfort ye my people), Jerry Hadley (Every valley shall be exalted), Charles Daniels (Behold and see) and Robert Hale (The trumpet shall sound), but with Bryn Terfel (Why do the nations) perhaps seeming light.

The one exception? For Unto Us a Child is Born sung at high speed. Les Musiciens de Louvre (whoever they are) sound like chipmunks singing at the old LP 78 speed. They seem in a race to see who can finish singing first, without any meaning or phrasing, like juveniles in a race thru' their rosary beads. This is a shame, because next to the Hallelujah chorus, this is the most important part of the Messiah.

The orchestral playing by the English Baroque with Gardiner, the English Consort with Trevor Pinnock, and the Gabrieli Players with McCreesh was outstanding. I especially liked the clear trumpet playing of the Gabrieli with Hale singing "The trumpet shall sound." I also enjoyed the Hallelujah chorus by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields with Neville Marriner. Altho' I usually like a modern, massed-strings sound, this smaller ensemble under Marriner was very pleasing to my ears. And given my bias I liked the performances of the large symphony orchestras under Solti and Davis too.

So this is in deed a "dream" collection, except for the French chipmnunks on the second most important part of the Messiah.

Locke: The Broken Consort (English Orpheus Vol 26) /Parley of Instruments * Holman

Average customer rating:

Locke: The Broken Consort (English Orpheus Vol 26) /Parley of Instruments * Holman
Matthew Locke , Mark Caudle , Susanna Pell , Peter Holman , and The Parley of Instruments
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000002ZUI
Release Date: 1995-05-23

Average customer rating:

not quite there
No joy in Mudville for me
Choice Indeed

A Choice Collection

Manufacturer: Linn Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Held By The Ears
Trios for 4
Sun King's Paradise

ASIN: B00000399T
Release Date: 1996-04-30

Tracks:

Broken Consort in D: Fantazie
Broken Consort in D: Courant
Broken Consort in D: Ayre
Broken Consort in D: Saraband
Set Of Ayres in F: Preludio/Prestissimo
Set Of Ayres in F: Sarabanda/Adagio
Set Of Ayres in F: Gavotta Con Divisiono
Ayres: Preludio In Ostinatione
Ayres: Andamento Malinconico
John Come Kiss Me Now
Sett Of Ayres In D: Ov
Sett Of Ayres In D: Minuet
Sett Of Ayres In D: Almain
Sett Of Ayres In D: Corant
Sett Of Ayres In D: Two In One On A Ground
Anon: Old Simon The King
Ground In g
Vars On Callino Casturame
Divisions On A Ground
Sett Of Ayres In E: Bizzararrie Sopra Un Basso Matinconico
Sett Of Ayres In E: Aria Amorosa/Adagio
Broken Consort in C: Fantazie
Broken Consort in C: Courant
Broken Consort in C: Ayre
Broken Consort in C: Saraband

Customer Reviews:

not quite there.......2007-02-16

I ordered this CD as I was impressed with Palladian's CD " Held by the Ears". I found it a very successful program of music beautifully played ; a mix of Ayres by Nicola Matteis and trad/anon Scots tunes and ayres. This CD also has Ayres by Matteis and other works by lesser English composers of the period , they are all well played but taken as a program it all falls a bit flat. The Matteis is not as lively and jolly as that on "Held by the Ears", two movements are designated malinconico. The other composers have fallen into obscurity, possibly for good reason. There is one track by anon, "Old Simon the King", which provides 2 min of superb recorder playing.
I don't think this program quite works, even though the playing of it is excellent.

No joy in Mudville for me.......2006-03-17

I bought this knowing nothing of the Palladian Ensemble other than the glowing review here. This is an era I enjoy, a unique collection of instruments, and I'm always on the lookout for the unknown. The playing is spirited, especially the viola da gamba--wow!, and the recording is certainly expressive, (maybe a bit too expressive; sometimes that recorder sounds as if it is whistling inside my head.) But I have given this CD at least twenty listens, and the compositions have failed to grab me. I believe Purcell the neglected genius of Western music, so I know the flavor. But while this is all pleasant enough and a few pieces do really shine, the vast majority of it falls into the charming background music. Nice enough to have on, good for cooking to or encouraging conversation, but the heart is just not there.

That is not to say there are not delights all over. These are mostly sprightly and elegant tunes. Sometimes they hit it spot on. The string playing is a marvel. But they do not grab the soul, shake it, and not let go. They dissipate all too readily, leaving nothing but a vaguely pleasant memory.

Choice Indeed.......2000-02-18

I have listened to this disc over and over for weeks on end. The playing is fabulous - spirited, informed, and with the fine sense of ensemble that one expects from the best string quartets. The repertoire is fascinating and entertaining. This is the perfect album to play when you get home after a really hard day. It restores my faith in Western Civilization. Order it today and I guarantee that you will become a fan of The Palladian Ensemble.

Music Track:

Music Track

music track

Recommended Music:

Air Supply [Import]

Haydn: Piano Trios Nos. 39, 43-45

Leclair: Recreations

Music: Faded Love 1947-1973 [Box set]

Get Born [Import]

Hollerin' at a Woodpecker

Get Out Those Old Records: 50 of His Many Greatest

Haydn: Concerto for violin No4; Symphony No36

From Dreams Or Angels (ex)

Eva Lind - Lieder, die zu Herzen geh'n

Good Medicine

Encores in Hi-Fi

En Nueva York [Import]

Slowhand

Pablo Querido