Francesconi / Ircam - Etymo - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

'In Mozart's Footsteps' - A Life Between Pop, Jazz and DodecaphonyFew composers have been able to express themselves musically as skilfully as Matyas Seiber he was the world's first professor of jazz, later becoming active and influential in the International Society for Contemporary Music and a regular presence at major festivals. In his adopted home of England, he turned his hand to a song that can confidently be described as a schmaltzy ballad, subsequently receiving the prestigious Ivor Novello Award for his work. Seiber was also creatively diverse in terms of genres pieces for an a cappella choir stand alongside chamber and solo pieces, songs, radio and film music, and orchestral works with and without solo instruments.

Following the publication of the collection Parnassus Musicus Ferdinandaeus in 1615; all kinds of compiled collections of sacred music started to appear; often featuring music for smaller ensembles and of course; in the new early-Baroque style; music scored for voice; instruments and basso continuo. The compiler; usually a composer himself; gathered works from his colleagues; added some of his own work and had the collection published. Nowadays because of copyright this would be unimaginable; particularly if publishing the compositions of one's own contemporaries. We do not actually know exactly how and why editors and composers actually compiled these collections. Sometimes self-interest played a role; because if a somewhat less-lauded composer provided his volume with a work by Monteverdi; it added to the status of the collection. After all; Monteverdi was the highly esteemed Maestro di Capella from Venice at the time; who moreover composed operas commissioned by quite a few courts in what we now call northern Italy. It may also have been a statement by including the music of others; appreciation was expressed for the work of colleagues. It may also have been that the compiler thought it important to publish a volume that gave a representative sample of what was being written in a particular period and region. We unfortunately do not know whether Monteverdi received any compensation for lending his work to these tomes; either. People discovered; edited; watched and listened to what others were doing; then took advantage of it. In any case; we can be grateful that; thanks to these collections; we have more of Monteverdi's music at our disposal. His letters show that his responsibilities organising the religious music for Venice constituted an enormous task; and that he was also required to work for other patrons. The fact that he requested an assistant for a long ti

Bachmann / Kilbonoff - Part Fratres [COMPACT DISCS] date 01/14/2011