Dowland / Schachtner - Clear & Cloudy - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

There are no original works for women's or girls' choir and no octet in the so-called 'Schubert line-up'. The well thought-out arrangements of romantic Christmas music by master arranger Andreas N. Tarkmann presented here are so appealing that one can only wonder why the composers have not come up with the idea of writing for this line-up... A group of musicians doesn't yet constitute an orchestra. On the other hand, if eight extraordinary artists, who love music and love even more playing music together form an ensemble, the result is spectacular. The uniqueness of the ensemble Oktoplus, founded in 2006 in Hannover, is reflected in it's name. Every chamber music lover knows Schubert's famous octet. Oktoplus takes over this work of Romanticism as well as many unknown works of the classical and modern octet. Depending on the piece or project, the InchplusInch stands for expansion of the ensemble to enrich the program. Album Tracks 1. Zwei Weihnachtslieder 2. FÜNF Weihnachtslieder 3. Weihnachtslieder Op. 8 4. ZW1LF Variationen Über Ein Thema Aus Judas MacCabäus Von Händel = Twelve Variations About a Theme from Judas MacCabäus By Händel 5. Nöel 6. Prelude de Nöel 7. Cantique de Nöel

At the Collegiate Church in Stuttgart, the largest regional church in Württemberg (South Germany), and burial site of the Dukes of Württemberg, who lived in the neighbouring castle, a new organist was appointed in 1652 Philipp Friedrich Böddecker (1607-1683). His Sacra Partitura, a collection of eight motets and two sonatas, was printed in Strasbourg in 1651, when his negotiation with the church council had already begun. These compositions might have been decisive for Böddecker's appointment, particularly as the composer dedicated the collection to the Duke's musical sister, Duchess Sibylla. The music is composed in typical concertante style, but influenced by Italian monody and Monteverdi's seconda pratica. In his preface, Böddecker informs us that he would have Inchpreferred to publish a work with more voices than just a voce solaInch, but was forced to comply with the specifications of the InchcoffersInch and the in the troubled times after the Thirty Years' War. The compositional technique is not, however, a makeshift solution. On the contrary, Böddecker's fine works fit into a style of music which had increasingly been flourishing in German-speaking regions since the first half of the century the sacred concerto for small ensemble, placing a virtuous melody with great emphasis on the text above a richly scored basso continuo group. Album Tracks 1. Magnificat 2. Daß Vater Unser - Variation No. 4 3. Daß Vater Unser - Variation No. 19 4. Daß Vater Unser - Variation No. 28 5. O Vatter Aller Frommen 6. Daß Vater Unser - Variation No. 40 7. Haec Est Dies 8. Veni Salvator 9. Sonata in E 10. Natus Est Iesus 11. Sonata Sopra Detta »La Monica« 12. Deus, Deus Meus 13. Christ Lag in Todesbanden 14. Sonata Violino Solo (& B.C.) 15. Laudate Dominum

Jean-Baptiste Dupont performs transcriptions of works by Johann Sebastian Bach on the organ of Saint-Sernin. The layering of composition, transcription, instrument, and interpretation emphasizes the polyphonic depth and dynamic colouring of the pieces. Timeless masterpieces merge with the expressive potential of the Cavaille-Coll organ, itself a masterpiece of the 19th century. Album Tracks 1. Musikalisches Opfer BWV 1079~Ricercar a 6 2. Präludium und Fuge b-Moll BWV 867~I. Präludium 3. Präludium und Fuge b-Moll BWV 867~II. Fuge 4. Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir' BWV 29~Sinfonia 5. Meine Seele erhebt den Herren BWV 648 6. Kommst du nun, Jesu, vom Himmel herunter BWV 650 7. Chaconne aus 'Partita Nr. 2 d-Moll' BWV 1004 8. Suite Nr. I C-Dur BWV 1066~I. Ouvertüre 9. Suite Nr. I C-Dur BWV 1066~II. Courante 10. Suite Nr. I C-Dur BWV 1066~III. Gavotte 11. Suite Nr. I C-Dur BWV 1066~IV. Forlane 12. Suite Nr. I C-Dur BWV 1066~V. Menuett 13. Suite Nr. I C-Dur BWV 1066~VI. Bourrée 14. Suite Nr. I C-Dur BWV 1066~VII. Passepied 15. Musikalisches Opfer BWV 1079~Ricercar a 6 (Organo pleno-Fassung)