Ars Antiqua Austria - 17th Century Music & Dance from the Viennese Court - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

A versatile Mass setting for use throughout the liturgical year, Mass of the Sun of Justice / Misa Sol de Justicia is fully bilingual, singable entirely in English or in Spanish, or any pastoral combination of both languages. At it's core, this setting is built on assembly-minded melodies. Much of the choral writing is two-part, albeit spelled out in four voices, whereby the basses frequently double the soprano melody, and the alto and tenor lines essentially share a single harmony in their respective ranges, splitting only at cadence points for a fuller effect. Optional descants and divisi further expand the voicing possibilities. The additional instrumentation is particularly spirited, further enhancing these sung texts for solemn occasions. InchSun of justiceInch is a term used to reference Christ with respect to his second coming, as found in the ancient InchOInch antiphons. This title appears in the Lectionary among the Alleluia options for the common of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and is, in fact, assigned to the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, celebrated within the Advent season. As such, the music is InchAdvent-likeInch in nature, joyful and filled with hope.

Johann Strauss the Elder' compositions of the mid-1840s are among his very finest. As ever they are saturated with his seemingly inexhaustible vitality and invention, qualities admired by dancers and critics alike.

Ars Antiqua Austria - Viennese Lute Concertos 1701 [COMPACT DISCS] date 07/08/2008