Brassart / Stimmwerck - Motets & Lieder - SUPER-AUDIO CD [Super Audio CD (SACD)]

Studio de Musique Ancienne de Montr al - Motets / Mass [SUPER-AUDIO CD] date 07/26/2005

Transatlantic is a beautifully curated album that reflects on the attraction of America to composers of many nationalities. Like so many European musicians fleeing war and persecution, Russian born Stravinsky became a US citizen. His concerto, Dumbarton Oaks, is featured alongside Dorman, an Israeli composer now domiciled in the US. Japanese composer Takemitsu's Toward The Sea, is a delicate and touching musical depiction of Melville's masterwork, Moby Dick. The program also includes two American born composers Urquhart, who was Bernstein's assistant and pupil and Copland, who's ballet score, Appalachian Spring, projects what many consider to be the quintessential American sound of big landscapes. America has provided a home to so many composers, and in turn given the world so much great music - a two-way transatlantic musical affair.

Following on from the highly expressive psalm settings, we now present the glorious antiphons of the master from Scharding am Inn exquisite church music which Emperor Leopold I himself proclaimed as being definitive for the Catholic lands. Originally, the antiphon denoted a Gregorian chant that was sung by two parties opposite each other. Often a single performer was answered by a group of singers. The antiphon would later disengage from the psalm on which it was commenting. The antiphons set by Mayr represent a special form of the genre, so-called Marian antiphons, almost all of which are addressed to the Mother of God. Only In terras descendam is intended for Christmas. The antiphonal practice is still apparent in all antiphons in the alternation between singers and instrumentalists.