Harmonia Podcast #145: Purcell, Blow, and 17th-Century Italian Music by Women Composers
16
December
2010
I can’t say enough about the two recordings on this week’s podcast. Both contain special performances of pieces with familiar and lesser-known composers.
Songs by Henry Purcell and John Blow
Countertenor Carlos Mena is new to me, but the fine playing of the Ricercar Consort (Philippe Pierlot, dir.) in not. The recording is essentially a vehicle for Mena’s voice, which it exhibits in spades. French countertenor Damien Guillon joins Mena in the duets, blending beautifully.
Music of 17th-century Italian Women Composers
I’ve been listening to recordings by Maria Cristina Kiehr and Concerto Soave (Jean-Marc Aymes, dir.) for years, in which time I’ve come to admire their unique sound, style, and approach. Unlike many ensembles which cover the same repertoire, they generate a hard-to-describe mood—something downright mystical.
Listen: #145—Carlos Mena and Maria Cristina Kiehr
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Buy:
- Blow/Purcell, Odes & Songs, Carlos Mena and Ricercar Consort
- Various, Il Canto Delle Dame, Maria Cristina Kiehr and Concerto Soave
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