Various Artists - All Time Great Instrumental Hits 2 / Various - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Alto returns the acclaimed 1996 recordings of J.S. Bach's St. John Passion by the King's College Choir, Cambridge under the direction of Stephen Cleobury, and joined by an impressive array of Baroque specialists headed by the tenor John Mark Ainsley (Evangelist), the bass Stephen Richardson as Christ, soprano Catherine Bott, alto Michael Chance, and baritone Stephen Vance. The orchestra, the Brandenburg Consort, founded by Roy Goodman, was one of the leading period-instrument ensembles specializing in the music J.S. Bach and his contemporaries. St. John Passion was first performed in 1724 as part of a church service during Holy Week at St. Thomas' Church in Leipzig with other items being added the following year, included in this recording ('1725 setting'), although later Bach reverted to the original 1724 version. With it's trial scenes St John Passion is noticeably more dramatic than the St. Matthew Passion which followed a couple of years later. InchA lively, well-paced version with original instruments and excellent team of characterful soloists, with the fresh-toned (King's Choir) boy trebles adding dramatic bite. What especially distinguishes this set is that the alternative numbers that Bach wrote for a revival in 1725, are given in an appendix, including the Chorale fantasy in place of the opening... Most enjoyableInch -Penguin Guide, 3 stars Inchfine contributions especially from Stephen Varcoe, and an exceptionally immediate and affecting 'Es ist vollbracht' from Michael Chance.Inch -Gramophone

This product is an authorized manufactured on demand CD-R

Reissue of the digitally remastered edition of this album by the British pop-punk/alt-rock outfit. Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2) was the 14th and final studio album by XTC, released in 2000. The album is the second volume of the Apple Venus set and reached the UK Top 40 albums chart. At this point, guitarist and singer Andy Partridge and bassist and singer Colin Moulding were the only two band members left. The duo therefore utilized session musicians on every track to fill in the musical elements that they were incapable of performing themselves.