Scheibl / Hell - Styrian Harpsichord Concertos - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Alex Potter - praised by the press as Incha rising star in the world of countertenorsInch - interprets sacred works by Telemann for cpo on this album. The setting of Psalm 6 continues to be thoroughly obliged to the tone of the sacred concertos of the seventeenth century associated with names such as Dietrich Buxtehude, Johann Rosenmüller, and Johann Schelle. However, even though this psalm setting entitled InchAch, Herr strafe mich nichtInch very much resembles similar works by older authors, it nevertheless displays a very special aura. Accompanied by two violins and basso continuo, an affectively nuanced narrative of a soul plagued by fear and hoping for the end of it's torments is heard. The Missa in B minor is similar in style to the music of the psalm; it is what is known as a Lutheran »short mass,« which with it's Kyrie and Gloria merely consists of two compositional complexes. All the numbers comprising InchMe miserumInch concern the faithful soul, which tells it's story, is aware of it's insufficiency but does not yield to despair, and therefore is able to register it's experience of faith. A sonata and two fugues round off the album.

Music and art of the 17th and 18th century offers a range of contrasts and colors. It is filled with impressive ostentation and ornaments that contrast with humbleness and simplicity. Attempts to engage human emotions and InchattackInch them as well as the intention to capture individual emotions and passions are evident in every composition. Every country brings it's own cultural heritage related to the language, traditions, and unique culture of it's people who have been building it for generations. On this album Martin Hroch presents works by French, Italian, and Czech composers. Martin Hroch, a prominent Czech harpsichordist, studied at Janacek Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno. He studied under the harpsichordist B.M. Willi and pianists A. Vlasakova and J. Jirasky. He continued his studies of harpsichord and early music at Hochschule fur Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna. As a soloist and chamber musician he performs with many orchestras and chamber ensembles in the Czech Republic and across Europe. He records for broadcasting and television companies, and is a member of the British Harpsichord Society. He currently serves as a teacher at JAMU in Brno.

This includes four Concertos for harpsichord written by Joseph Anton Steffan who was one of the most prominent composers of Czech origin living in Vienna in 18th century. He was born in the small Bohemian village of Kopidlno, and thanks to his talent he made an international name for himself. In his best works he touched on the new horizon of Romanticism. His compositions became some of the most substantial sources of Mozart's inspiration. His catalog is dedicated primarily to keyboard instruments- in addition to other compositions he wrote more than 40 keyboard concertos. He was a favorite composer among the noble families and rich burghers, although he has now been almost forgotten in music history. The present features Edita Keglerova and the Hipocondria Ensemble performing Steffan's Concertos for Harpsichord.