Various Artists - Pipes Barrels and Pins - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

The sublime Choir of St. John's College, Cambridge return with the second volume in their Advent series - celebrating the advent season from within the Christian tradition; a season celebrated since at least the sixth century. This splendid live recording, from within the Chapel of St. John's College itself, features Christmas favorites, including Britten's Deo Gracias from A Ceremony of Carols as well as gorgeous performances of lesser known works by modern composers including Jonathan Dove, Arvo Pärt and Paul Manz. The Choir of St John's College, Cambridge (link is external) is one of the finest collegiate choirs in the world - known and loved by millions from it's broadcasts, concert tours and over 90 recordings. Founded in the 1670s, the Choir is known for it's rich, warm and distinctive sound, it's expressive interpretations and it's ability to sing in a variety of styles. Alongside this discipline, the Choir is particularly proud of it's happy, relaxed and mutually supportive atmosphere. The Choir is directed by Andrew Nethsingha following in a long line of eminent Directors of Music, recently Dr George Guest, Dr Christopher Robinson and Dr David Hill.

Various Artists - Parry's Barrel Organ / Various [COMPACT DISCS] date 10/31/2006

The turn of the 17th century represents not only the golden age of the Venetian Republic, but one of the most variegated moments in the history of Western art music. The innovations of the Venetian School, influential far beyond the confines of it's native lagoon, represent the culmination of a stylistic evolution in a period of aesthetic transition from the high Renaissance to the early Baroque. The instrumental music of InchLa SerenissimaInch is celebrated not only for the enormous historical, cultural, and artistic inheritance that it represents, but, quite simply, for it's sheer beauty. La Pifarescha incorporates a fascinating and diverse selection of instruments. Shawms, sackbuts, cornetts, trumpets, bagpipes, dulcians, flutes, fiddles, lutes, viols, percussion, and many others, join together to alternate the sounds of InchaltaInch with the Inchbassa cappellaInch, offering a highly variable sonority unique to this group. Thus, La Pifarescha traces the evolution from the alta cappella to the noble consort of cornetts and sackbuts, which appeared on the scene during the renaissance and flourished in the early baroque, often expanding it's ranks to include keyboards, strings, and voices.