14 Fall 2005 Early Music America

Johann Sebastian BachHarpsichord ConcertosAmerican Bach Soloists, Jeffrey Thomas, director; Michael Sponseller, harpsichordABS 1604165:55 minutes

There’s an intimate scale tothese performances that is mostcharming, thanks to fine musician-ship and a most apt single-manualharpsichord, circa 1720, made byBerlin builder Michael Mietke. Threeof Mietke’s instruments survive, and

Bach isknown tohaveplayedtwo ofthem. Thearrival atCothen of

a Mietke harpsichord facilitated thecomposer’s invention of the harpsi-chord concerto. Bach took advan-tage of the Mietke’s stronger tone,as compared to other German harp-sichords of the period, to composethe pieces on this recording. Theinstrument’s strength manifestsitself not in a piercing tone, butrather in an appealingly rounded,full-bodied richness.

Michael Sponseller gets off to aworrisome start, rushing the begin-ning of the first work. But other-wise, his well-proportioned elegancecarries the day quite stylishly. TheAmerican Bach Soloists and directorJeffrey Thomas have previously dis-played their excellence in Bachthrough a fine series of cantatarecordings, and they prove equallyadept in the purely instrumentalrealm. The string group is small(three violins, one each of viola,cello, and violone) yet never soundsthin; excellent recording perspectivehelps.

In the F-major concerto (a tran-scription/transposition of the FourthBrandenburg Concerto), the tworecorder players—Hanneke vanProosdij and Judith Linsenberg—handle their duties at a brisk butnot hurried pace. In the delightful ifrelatively undemanding Triple Con-certo (BWV 1044), which countstimbre contrasts and the slow-movement trio as among its bestqualities, Elizabeth Blumenstock onviolin and Sandra Miller on flute

team with Sponseller in a perfectlyscaled performance that nicelybrings out the finale’s bittersweetquality. —Steve Holtje

Ludwig van BeethovenSymphonies Nos. 5 & 6Tafelmusik Orchestra, Bruno Weil, conductor, Jeanne Lamon, music directorAnalekta AN 2 983173:56 minutes

Has any audience ever receivedbetter value for the price of its tick-ets than the lucky folks who attend-ed an 1808 benefit concert for Lud-wig van Beethoven (1770-1827)?On that historic night, the Vienneseaudience heard the Fourth PianoConcerto, the Choral Fantasia, theSanctus from the Mass in C, and thepremiere of two new symphonies:the C Minor, Op. 67 (Fifth), and theF Major, Op. 68, Pastoral (Sixth). Thetwo symphonies were revolutionaryworks, but time and mediocre inter-pretations have turned them intowarhorses of the concert hall.

The Tafelmusik Orchestra, underthe direction of Bruno Weil, revivesthe epochal spirit of both works onthis new recording.

Period instrument recordings ofBeethoven symphonies are nolonger uncommon. Roger Norring-ton, Christopher Hogwood, andJohn Eliot Gardiner have all taken acrack at some part of Beethoven’snine symphonic works, but noneachieves the superb results that Weilgets from Tafelmusik.

Weil’s ensemble is modest(strings are 7-6-4-4-3), but the per-formances never lack body or

grandeur.The iconicopeningmovementof the Fifthis brisk butnot superfi-cial, and the

finale is heroism personified. Thisperformance is Fritz Reiner-like in itsintensity. The Pastoral is a triumph,too. The third movement, “Merrygathering of country folk,” isdelightfully rustic, and the stormyfinale is frightening indeed.

The reduced size of the bandallows Beethoven’s crafty orchestra-

tion to glow anew—the interplay of winds and strings in the secondmovement of the Pastoral is lovelychamber music. The triumph of this recording is that it makes thefamiliar sound fresh. —Craig Zeichner

Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber

Missa Christi ResurgentisThe English Concert, The Choir of the English Concert, Andrew Manze, directorHarmonia Mundi HMU 90739777:34 minutesThe New York Collegium, Andrew Parrott, music director and conductorKleos Classics KL 5135 (SACD)73:53 minutes

We live in a charmed worldwhen a work that’s never beenrecorded before is suddenly avail-able on two new CDs. The EnglishConcert, under the direction ofAndrew Manze, and the New YorkCollegium, led by its music directorAndrew Parrott, go head to head ina heavyweight match in which Hein-rich Ignaz Franz von Biber wins.

In 1670, Biber (1644-1704) lefthis home country of Moravia to bea part of a musical renaissance thatwas taking place in Salzburg. ThePrince-Archbishop Maximilian Gan-dolph wanted to make Salzburg a“German Rome” and hired Biberand the composer Georg Muffat toset the score for his dream.

Biber’s Missa Christi Resurgentisis worthy of Gandolph’s grandplans. While we don’t know theexact date of the work’s composi-tion, it was likely written around1674 for Easter celebrations. Themass was probably one of Biber’sfirst large-scale works to be heard inSalzburg, and he pulled out all thestops, using multiple choirs of voic-es and instruments. The instrumen-tal writing is particularly splendid,with stratospheric brass and virtu-oso passages for violins. There are

novel touches in the vocal writing,too, including the unusual use ofthree bass soloists in a number ofsections (notably in the Kyrie andCredo).

As would be expected, the tworecordings present the mass in dif-ferent contextual settings. Manzeand company’s reading is more like a concert performance, whileParrott and the Collegium re-createa 17th-century Salzburg Easter serv-ice with liturgical chant. Bothrecordings have instrumental sec-tions interspersed between sectionsof the Mass Ordinary: Manze usesstring music by Biber and Schmelzer,while Parrott is more eclectic, select-ing Biber works but also music byKerll and Poglietti.

The Manze recording is highlypolished and theatrical. The English

Concert playgloriouslyfrom theopeningbrass fan-fares (all ofthe brassplaying isspectacular)to the clos-ing series ofBiber stringworks.Manzestrikes anideal bal-

ance between the work’s exuber-ance and its moments of repose. Hischorus and vocal soloists are out-standing, and the three basssoloists’ contributions to the Kyrieand Credo, with its remarkable trot-ting bass line, are sonorous andrich. The high voices, choral andsolo, glimmer and glow.

Parrott’s performance is less the-atrical, yet in some ways more satis-fying. Opening with an Easter Introitby Johann Stadlmayr (frequentlyused in 17th-century Salzburg), thework is firmly established as liturgy.The chant sets the brightly colored,

Early Music America magazine welcomes news of recent recordings.Please send CDs to be considered for review and pertinent informa-tion to Craig M. Zeichner, Reviews Editor, 69 Poplar Street, Apt. 2C,Brooklyn, NY 11201; recordings@earlymusic.org. Early Music Americacannot guarantee the inclusion of every CD sent for review. All pub-lished reviews reflect the personal opinions of the reviewer only.

Edited by Craig Zeichner

Early Music America Fall 2005 15

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16 Fall 2005 Early Music America

energetic polychoral sections off insharper contrast, and Parrott’schoral and instrumental forces riseto the occasion. One exception isParrott’s use of boy sopranos andaltos in solo sections—Manze hasthe edge here.

The question “Which versionshould I buy?” will certainly arise formany. If you enjoy liturgical re-cre-ations, the Parrott should be yourfirst choice. If you want to revel inpure vocal splendor and drama,Manze’s disc is the one to have. Youcan’t go wrong with either, though.This magnificent mass deserves aspot (or two) in your collection. —Craig Zeichner

John BrowneMusic from the EtonChoirbookTallis Scholars, Peter Phillips, directorGimell CDGIM 03671:25 minutes

Peter Phillips’s fine liner notesconcentrate entirely on JohnBrowne’s music, offering nothing ofBrowne’s life. But then, basically allthat’s known of the composer is hismusic, although it has been sur-mised on reasonable grounds thathe was a chaplain of the house ofthe Earl of Oxford. His pieces thatsurvive in the Eton Choirbook(1490), the most important sourceof late-1400s English choral music,serve to rank him as “the greatestEnglish composer of the periodbetween Dunstaple and Taverner”(according to The New Grove Dic-

tionary ofMusic andMusicians)—an estima-tion basedon just eightcompleteworks and

two fragmentary pieces. Three non-liturgical pieces in the Fayrfax Bookfrom 1501 are also believed to behis.

All five works on this program,the only disc devoted entirely toBrowne, are stunning masterpieces.The richness of their textures is strik-ing in any context, and even moreso when compared to the relativelyspartan works of Browne’s contem-poraries. Most famous (well, amongmusicologists) in this regard is “OMaria salvatoris,” the first eight-voice writing we know of today. Butthe close, low-lying, six-part writingof “Stabat iuxta” (for four tenors

and two basses) is even more of asonic attention-grabber. The level ofrhythmic and harmonic imaginationthroughout is astonishing, especiallyif the cross-relations as performedwere intended. There’s a speculativeaspect in these matters when itcomes to making performing edi-tions; Timothy Symons is creditedwith the new editions used here.

The Tallis Scholars may be longin the tooth, but on this studiorecording they still offer firm toneand the sustained long lines thatPhillips insists on—and that thismusic requires. Here’s hoping for asecond Tallis Scholars disc ofBrowne’s music!—Steve Holtje

Dietrich BuxtehudeSacred CantatasMatthew White, countertenor;Katherine Hill, soprano; PaulGrindlay, bass; Aradia Ensemble,Kevin Mallon, director and violinNaxos 8.55704158:30 minutes

When one thinks of the BaroqueGerman sacred cantata, the name

Bach springsto mind.Another “B,”however,was respon-sible formore than100 of these

works: Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707). Unfortunately, this prolificcomposer is better known in musichistory as the father of a daughterwho is said to have sent candidatesfor the position of organist ofMarienkirche scurrying back whencethey came—marriage to her wasone of the conditions of the job.

This CD presents seven of thecomposer’s sacred vocal works.Three highlight the talent of coun-tertenor Matthew White, while afourth features soprano KatherineHill. The rest, for three voices, addbass Paul Grindlay. One wonderswhy Grindlay was not assigned hisown selection, as BuxWV 44, 45,and 73 are for bass. The three per-formers demonstrate an extremelyfine sense of ensemble singing,most noteworthy in the fugalAlleluias of the works that consti-tute the first and last tracks.

Generally, the singers performsplendidly, each offering smoothand effortless interpretations of theembellished Baroque vocal lines.

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Jane Hershey, viola da gamba

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Dana Maiben, Baroque violin

Laurie Monahan, voice

Ken Pierce, period dance

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Hill, however, approaches the stri-dent in the upper ranges of “In te,Domine, speravi.”

Kevin Mallon and the otherinstrumentalists offer perfectly bal-anced accompaniment, and hisstring arrangement of an organ pas-sacaglia is a nice instrumental inter-val mid-recording. These perform-ances offer a splendid introduction,if needed, to the works of one ofBach’s older but equally famouscontemporaries.—Denise Gallo

François d’AgincourComplete Works forHarpsichord, Volume TwoRebecca Pechefsky, harpsichordQuill Classics QC 100457:22 minutes

With this recording, RebeccaPechefsky has given us the secondand final installment of the key-

board worksof Françoisd’Agincour(1684-1758).Unlike thefirst volume,which prima-rily contained

dance forms, the second is charac-terized by its variety of charactersketches and program pieces.

D’Agincour exploited the possi-bilities of this formal situation inmany charming ways. For example,the second movement in the secondordre, “Le Colin-Maillard,” depicts aform of blind man’s bluff in which afeather was used to touch theblindfolded player. The light touchof the feather is immediately appar-ent in the single staccato highnotes, and the hands chasing andcrossing each other on the twomanuals eloquently convey the sub-sequent pursuit. In another vein, thefinal movement, a chaconne titled“La Sonning” (for a prominent Nor-man), is a substantial piece thatuses striking textural and registralcontrasts to project a rich andengrossing thematic development.

The fourth ordre begins with anequivalently big movement, the alle-mande “La Couperin” (for Françoisle Grand). Couperin was a modelfor d’Agincour, as this grand por-trait makes clear. The melodic mate-rial is highlighted in a variety ofmanners, conveying nobility andbreadth and ending in touchingsimplicity.

Pechefsky’s research has comeup with some real gems and somevery illuminating liner notes. Howev-er, what holds the recording togeth-er are her very thoughtful perform-ances. She squeezes time like puttyto mold the elegant phrases thatmake this music work.—Stephen Dydo

John DowlandA DreamHopkinson Smith, luteNaïve E 889669:17 minutes

“A Dream” is the title of one ofJohn Dowland’s densest and mosthaunting pavans. It could also be adescription of this recital for alutenist. Take your favorite pieces bythe best-known (and, arguably, thebest) lutenist-composer and putthem together in a highly personalorder—that’s a dream.

For Hopkinson Smith, this has tobe a special pleasure, since he’sbeen playing these pieces for about30 years. For us it’s rewarding,because we get to hear an interpre-tation that has been honed sincethe time when Julian Bream was themost famous Dowland (1563-1626)interpreter. Smith’s European educa-tion has given him, from his earlydays, a different take on the music.

Not that we’ve had a lot ofDowland recordings from Smith; infact, this is his first Elizabethan discof any kind. Could this have comeabout because of his recent focuson J.S. Bach, who shared with Dow-land a capacity for blending dense,

highlychromaticcounter-point intothe mostaffectingmusicaltextures?

Whether or not this is the case,included in the collection are notonly “A Dream,” but also “Lachri-mae Pavan,” “A Fantasie,” “FarewellFantasie,” and “Semper Dowlandsemper dolens.” These are, collec-tively, Dowland’s contrapuntalmasterworks.

Do not look for shocking newinterpretations here. Rather, find atechnique that has matured to thepoint where there is a quiet masteryof the most musically difficult ofDowland’s works. —Stephen Dydo

Guillaume DufayMissa Se la face ay paleDiabolus in Musica, Antoine Guerber, directorAlpha Productions 05167:05 minutes

Sixty-seven minutes? No,Antoine Guerber is not the SergiuCelibidache of early music, and thisis not the slowest performance onrecord of this mass. Rather, this

recordingcontainsa re-cre-ation of acompletemass as itwas pos-sibly used

in a service (in this case, Trinity Sun-day), adding seven movementsbeyond the five of the Ordinary thatGuillaume Dufay (c.1400-1474) set.Skeptics might say that if this trendgoes any further, we’ll be listeningto sermons in Latin, but this timeout there’s a method to some ofthe madness.

Guerber, leader of this finely pol-ished male group (eight voices, twoper part), has chosen three poly-phonic Proper movements (Introit,Alleluia, Communion) from a manu-script that Dufay apparently had ahand in writing—in the sense thatthe Gregorian melodies are para-phrased and two contrapuntallower voices are added. Guerber’snotes say it’s “highly likely” thatDufay wrote these three particularmovements. The other four Propermovements come from a CambraiCathedral missal of 14th-centuryvintage, earlier in style and, asidefrom the brief “Ite missa est,”monophonic; the low-lying soloGradual and Offertory are striking,although perhaps to some tastes somuch of a contrast as to constituteinterruptions. In the end, a littlemore than half this disc is devotedto the titular mass, making it strictlyfor re-creation fans.—Steve Holtje

Franz Joseph HaydnDie Schöpfung (The Creation)Sunhae Im, soprano; Jan Kobow,tenor; Hanno Müller-Brachmann,bass; Vokal Ensemble Köln; CapellaAugustina, Andreas Spering,conductorNaxos 8.557380-81104:22 minutes (2 CDs)Symphonies Nos. 91 & 92,“Oxford,” and Scena diBereniceBernarda Fink, mezzo-soprano;Freiburger Barockorchester,

René Jacobs, conductorHarmonia Mundi HMC 90184969:22 minutes

Although written for the ParisianComte d’Ogny, the Symphony No.92 in G Major was one of the worksFranz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)conducted when he received anhonorary doctorate at Oxford Uni-versity in 1791. Haydn’s English tri-umphs can be deduced by lookingat the works presented to Englishaudiences that still hold a place intoday’s repertoire. Except for thefinal symphonies of Mozart, noother symphonies from the Classicalera dominate the concert halls andrecording studios like Haydn’s Lon-don works. Oratorio? In the post-Handel era, arguably no oratorioenjoys the success of DieSchöpfung, with professional andamateur choirs making it a corner-stone of their concert seasons.

René Jacobs has the goldentouch these days. His recent record-ings of Haydn’s The Seasons andMozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro andCosi fan tutte are the most thrilling

explorationsof Classicalrepertoire inlong memo-ry. The sameattention todetail, vigor,and wit thatmade thoserecordingsrevelations ispresent onthis disc ofHaydn’s“Oxford”symphonies.These are

detailed performances. Listen to thecrisply articulated warm, low stringsin the second movement of Sym-phony No. 91 in E-flat Major, ele-gant and bubbling with wit andenergy. Sure, Colin Davis’s Haydnmay be more patrician and ThomasBeecham’s more genial, but cue upthe Presto finale of Symphony No.92 in G Major—a breathless, Rossi-ni-like frolic—and you will be totallyseduced by these joyous perform-ances.

Speaking of seduction, there’shigh drama in Andreas Spering’sreading of Die Schöpfung rightfrom the opening measures. Has thework’s opening orchestral depictionof Chaos ever sounded so shocking?Much of the credit goes to Sper-ing’s excellent orchestra, CapellaAugustina, whose winds and brass

Continued on page 48

48 Fall 2005 Early Music America

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growl with a primordial roar. Sper-ing also pays careful attention tothe word painting that’s found in so much of the work, and eachtableau—the creation of light, theparting of the waters from the dryland, the creation of birds—iswonderfully vivid.

The vocal soloists are all quitegood, but this might be one placewhere some other recordings havean edge. Sunhae Im has a lovely,fluid soprano voice, but she justdoesn’t bring the radiance of EmmaKirkby or Elly Ameling to her arias.Tenor Jan Kobow is also top flight,but it’s difficult to forget Fritz Wun-derlich’s performance on HerbertVon Karajan’s otherwise stiff record-ing. Bass Hanno Müller-Brachmannis solid, and his duet with Im andchorus is a standout.

However, Spering and companyget all the big moments right—DieSchöpfung is filled with many—andthe superb sound and budget pricemake this is a highly recommendedrecording.—Craig Zeichner

Ludwig SenflLieder, Motets, Instrumental WorksFarallon Recorder Quartet (LetitiaBerlin, Frances Blaker, LouiseCarslake, Hanneke van Proosdij)Pandore CD-510155:00 minutes

Ludwig Senfl (1486-1542) isbest known to us from his associa-tion with Heinrich Isaac; he proba-bly studied with Isaac, he (briefly)took over Isaac’s job as court com-poser for Maximilian I, and he fin-ished the composition of Isaac’smonumental work Choralis Con-stantinus. Senfl’s own output isprincipally in the smaller forms,though, including about 240motets and 250 lieder; it is theseforms that constitute the core ofFarallon’s debut disc.

These short pieces, many aminute or two in length, have oftenbeen heard on recordings withIsaac’s more substantial works. In away, this makes good sense, since awork such as Missa Carmina, withits wealth of folk tunes, is wellplaced in its historical context whenit is presented along with examplesof Senfl’s lieder.

The Farallon Recorder Quartet(named for the Farallon Islands offthe coast of San Francisco, the

group’s home base) does Senflgrateful service with this collection,primarily made up of four-voicedmotets and lieder arranged for

recorders,with a cou-ple of purelyinstrumentalpiecesthrown in.The ensem-ble is very

tight, both rhythmically and withregard to intonation. It’s difficult forsuch a homogenous ensemble togenerate the kind of individuality ofline that vocalists could more easilyproduce with texts. The recorderplayer has to do it with subtlermeans. The Farallon players eschewnote bending, thus preserving har-monic clarity—the homophonic pas-sages sound like organ chords. Theensemble relies on the details ofarticulation to carry the line, andthey do so quite successfully, bothindividually and as a group. —Stephen Dydo

Antonio VivaldiShades of RedMatthias Maute, recorders; REBEL,Jörg-Michael Schwarz, directorBridge Records 917365:45 minutes

One of the bright spots in theNew York early music scene hasalways been REBEL, the small periodinstrument orchestra in residence atTrinity Church on Wall Street. Theirconcerts and recordings, while notalways revealing new repertoire,always manage to reveal somethingnew in the music.

So it is with this collection ofconcertos and sonatas for recorderand strings by Antonio Vivaldi(1678-1741). This is all music youhave heard before, but it’s worthhearing again—if only to be aston-

ished by thewild yet bril-liantly artic-ulaterecorderplaying ofMatthiasMaute. In

the first and last pieces (Concerto inG Major and Concerto in C Major)especially, Maute’s playing on thesoprano and sopranino recorders,respectively, is so spirited, so brightand clear, and so fast that you won-der how he got the knots out of his

Continued from page 19

Early Music America Fall 2005 49

“Trefoil not only sings the music with accuracy but inflects it with meaning that takes it out of pure abstraction.”

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For news and tour dates: www.trefoiltrio.com

Drew Minter

Mark Rimple

Marcia Young

Specialists in late

medieval polyphony.

Both CDs available online:

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tongue after the recording session.Maute also appears on the con-

certos in A minor and C minor. Theremaining four pieces featurestrings alone. A standout is REBEL’ssensitive reading of the Sinfonia alSanto Sepolcro in B minor. Theemotional quality of the strings hereis deep and true.

Special mention to Daniel Swen-berg on Baroque guitar and lute,who truly swings in his continuoplay throughout this disc. —Beth Adelman

COLLECTIONS

Ay Luna, Música Españoladel Sigio de Oro

Guillemette Laurens, mezzo-soprano; Unda Maris Alpha Production 06476:24 minutes

At first glance, this collection ofmusic for keyboard, harp, andvihuela, with the occasional vocalwork tossed in, resembles a record-ing that’s been made a dozen timesbefore. Pick your singer—Montser-rat Figueras or Marta Almajano—and your ensemble—Hesperion XXor Al Ayre Español—and you knowwhat to expect. When the singer isGuillemette Laurens, however, youknow the performances are going

to be in-your-face and occasionallyvexing, but hardly boring.

In the past I’ve been critical ofLaurens: “Too much affect, too littletechnique.” On this recording, how-ever, she manages to probe the lis-tener’s sensitive spots with a pierc-ing intensity. Her performances of“O, que en la cumbre,” a crucifixionmeditation, and “Triste España,” alament on the death of a prince, areso moving that you feel the weightof the words bearing down on you,even if you have little understandingof Spanish.

The dance music is elegancepersonified, played tightly but beau-tifully. Damien Colcomb plays organ

music (byCabezónandArauxo)on aFrenchinstru-ment at

Lorris en Gâtinais. (An argument ismade in the notes that the Flemishinfluence in the manufacture of theFrench organ can also be found inSpanish organs.) It works fine. AnArauxo tiento on the sixth tone hasthat sweet and sour sound wesometimes hear in Spanish instru-ments, but I didn’t care for the

50 Fall 2005 Early Music America

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June 5-11, 2006

blend of the organ and pluckedinstruments.

The sound on this good oldstereo recording is audiophile quali-ty. No matter how many acronymsyou use—SACD, DVD, XRCD, and soon—to explain the technical pro-duction, if the music-making isn’trecorded well, it doesn’t matter. Thisdisc captures the sound of pluckedinstruments (harp and vihuela) andpercussion with striking presence. —Craig Zeichner

Éclatante AmaranteElisabeth Belgrano, Jennifer Ellis,sopranos; Lucas Harris, theorbo,lute; Carlene Stober, viola da gambaEB 2004 (self-produced, available at http://elibelgrano.org/)61:56 minutes

The French singer Anne Cha-banceau de La Barre (1628-1688)reminds one of the title character inWoody Allen’s film Zelig. She was

everywhere.A singerwho enjoyeda greatcareer inParis (sheperformedin the ballets

de cour and sang the sublime airsdu cours of Michel Lambert [1610-1696] in salons), she also sang atthe court of Queen Christina ofSweden. Back in France, she wasthe only French singer to perform inthe premiere of Francesco Cavalli’sopera, L’Ercole amante. This record-ing by soprano Elisabeth Belgrano(profiled on page 20) is a portrait ofde La Barre’s life and times.

Any way you look at it—musico-biography or straight-ahead recitalof 17th-century vocal music—Bel-grano’s selection of repertoire andher performances (accompanied bythe excellent lutenist Lucas Harris)make this a very special disc. TheFrench diarist Jean Loret raved thatde La Barre’s voice was “so clearand so rare.” The same can be saidof Belgrano, whose light, brightvoice and precise declamation iswell-suited to these works.

She is also one of the mostmeticulous singers I’ve heard inawhile. The precision (what trills!),beauty, and intensity she brings toLambert’s “Si l’amour vous soumetà ses loix” reminds me of EmmaKirkby (one of Belgrano’s teachers)in her prime. Passion? Luigi Rossi’s“Un ferito Cavaliero” is a lament

that Belgrano sings with crushingimpact. You won’t find this disc in arecord shop, but if you pick it upfrom Belgrano’s website, it will be arecording you come to treasure.—Craig Zeichner

Soror Mea, Sponsa MeaCappella Artemisia, Candace Smith, directorTactus TC 56000272:21 minutes

For 17th-century cloisterednuns—women eternally married toChrist—the sensuously startlingimagery of the Bible’s CanticumCanticorum, with its frank ex-changes between the bride and herbeloved, must have been particularlypoignant. This recording focuses on the music written by and forcloistered nuns set to thesesensuous texts.

The variety of styles and tech-niques presented, coupled withsolid performances, makes this aninvaluable recording. Thanks to Cap-pella Artemisia and other ensem-bles, such 17th-century cloisteredcomposers as Lucrezia Orsina Viz-zana, Maria Xaveria Perucona,Chiara Margarita Cozzolani, andIsabella Leonarda are now betterknown. This recording featuresmusic by each of these composersand provides some of the disc’smost memorable moments.

Perucona’s “Propera veni dilectemi,” written for soprano, alto, andtenor (the cloistered nuns did won-ders with transposing), displays thecomposer’s considerable melodicgifts, while Leonarda’s “Sicut turtur”

shows herskill at bal-ancing soloand ensem-ble voicesand strings.From out-side the

cloister, there’s Francesco Martini’s“Tota pulchra es.” For eight treblevoices, it has a stile antico flavorand receives a lovely performancefrom the Cappella Artemisia singers,who get stronger with each record-ing.

In a little over an hour’s worthof music, Cappella Artemisia onceagain presents a musical milieu thatis bittersweet—there were harshrestrictions on music-making laiddown by church authorities—butbeautiful to the core.—Craig Zeichner

Early Music America Fall 2005 51

ProvincetownBookshop Editions

The Provincetown Bookshop, Inc.246 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02657(508) 487-0964

JUST OFFTHE PRESSAndrew Charlton: Suite moderne, for 3 recorders (ATB)

A neo-Hindemithian Set(3 playing scores, PBE-44) $9.95

Michael East: “Desperavi”, Fantasia for 5 viols orrecorders; transcribed by David Goldstein(Score & parts, PBE-46) $7.95

Bernard Krainis: “Elijahu Ha-Navi”, Divisions andTango on a Hebrew Tune. For Alto Recorder alone(PBE-45) $8.95