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Classic FM Babies

by: Katherine Jenkins, Elin Manahan Thomas, Julian Lloyd-Webber, Pascal Roge, Herbert Von Karajan, Charles Dutoit, Harry Christophers, London Symphony Orchestra

July 23, 2007

A lovely 2CD Classic FM compilation of relaxing music - for mothers as much as their babies - consisting of an interesting assortment of baroque, classical, romantic and modern music with the underlying theme of aiming to relax the listener.

Some pieces are chosen partly for their title as well as the soothing effect they have, these include the 'Lullaby' by Brahms and 'The Swan' from 'Carnival of the Animals' by Saint-Saens. The more contemporary offerings are by popular composers such as Patrick Hawes. These are good recordings, as expected by Classic FM, many of which will be comfortably familiar to most of the radio shows listeners.

Comfortably safe by Classic FM maybe, but comfortably relaxing too.

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Handel Messiah

by: The Sixteen Harry Christophers, Carolyn Sampson, Catherine Wyn-Rogers, Mark Padmore, Christopher Purves

September 01, 2008

A lovely 2CD Classic FM compilation of relaxing music - for mothers as much as their babies - consisting of an interesting assortment of baroque, classical, romantic and modern music with the underlying theme of aiming to relax the listener.

Some pieces are chosen partly for their title as well as the soothing effect they have, these include the 'Lullaby' by Brahms and 'The Swan' from 'Carnival of the Animals' by Saint-Saens. The more contemporary offerings are by popular composers such as Patrick Hawes. These are good recordings, as expected by Classic FM, many of which will be comfortably familiar to most of the radio shows listeners.

Comfortably safe by Classic FM maybe, but comfortably relaxing too.

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Renaissance - Music for Inner Peace

by: Harry Christophers, Sixteen

February 21, 2005
Beautiful and haunting vocals. Always a pleasure to listen to this uplifting CD. Recommended.

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Allegri - Miserere; Lotti - Crucifixus; Palestrina - Stabat Mater Dolorosa

from: Coro

May 05, 2003
Allegri's Miserere is given the top billing on this disc, perhaps because of some celebrated special effects, explained in the liner notes, that it contains. The first track is devoted to a sombre and beautiful Crucifixus (from the Nicene Creed) by one Lotti, an older contemporary of Bach. Admirable and compelling, both of these, but what I bought this disc for was the two items by Palestrina, his Stabat Mater and the celestial Missa Papae Marcelli.

It is not just the quality of the early music specialists these days but the sheer profusion of them that continues to astonish me. I looked through the list of singers (18, not 16) and while I did not recognise most of the names offhand that may simply be because I did not investigate ... Read More:

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Fauré - Requiem

by: Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Elin Manahan Thomas, Roderick Williams

March 03, 2008
I was present at the live concert at the Barbican in August 2007 when this was recorded. It was probably the best concert ever attended, and the recording shows this in it's energy, yet passionate and sensitive qualities.Harry Christoper ,The Sixteen and the Academy of St martin's in the field have produced a superb C.D..
J. Battershill

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Christmas Music from Medieval and Renaissance Europe

from: Hyperion

July 01, 1994
This is now the 11th Christmas that this music has been part of the tradition of my holiday season, and although I've acquired numerous other holiday music collections over the years, this far surpasses any other collection that I own. It is difficult to do justice to this music by describing it in mere words. The collection ranges from the 14th to the 16th Century, and is unlike any other collection of Christmas music available. It evokes the true spirit of the Christmas season, is enlightening, inspirational, and transports the listener far from the trite elements of the 'modern' holiday season. No other choral group can compare to the Harry Christophers The Sixteen (named such as the group consists of four treble/mean, four alto, ... Read More:

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The Flowering of Genius

by: The Sixteen/Harry Christophers

October 01, 2001
This is now the 11th Christmas that this music has been part of the tradition of my holiday season, and although I've acquired numerous other holiday music collections over the years, this far surpasses any other collection that I own. It is difficult to do justice to this music by describing it in mere words. The collection ranges from the 14th to the 16th Century, and is unlike any other collection of Christmas music available. It evokes the true spirit of the Christmas season, is enlightening, inspirational, and transports the listener far from the trite elements of the 'modern' holiday season. No other choral group can compare to the Harry Christophers The Sixteen (named such as the group consists of four treble/mean, four alto, ... Read More:

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Heroes and Heroines

from: Coro

October 04, 2004
We are very fortunate that at the moment there is an embarasse de richesse of mezzos singing the baroque repertoire and amongst the finest in the world is, without doubt, Sarah Connolly. Not only has Sarah Connolly an exceptionally fine voice, larger than many, but she is also a marvelous interpreter both musically and dramatically as anyone who has seen her at ENO will attest. This CD is a calling card to all the major opera companies and recording labels - get her now, the voice has a wonderful bloom! So, why only 4 stars and not 5? Well, the let down is Harry Christophers and The Sixteen. The strings are often rough, and the extraordinary dynamics and subtle changes that Minkowski, McGegan, Christie are able to produce on my full recordings of Alcina, ... Read More:

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Treasures of Tudor England

from: Coro

January 28, 2008
We are very fortunate that at the moment there is an embarasse de richesse of mezzos singing the baroque repertoire and amongst the finest in the world is, without doubt, Sarah Connolly. Not only has Sarah Connolly an exceptionally fine voice, larger than many, but she is also a marvelous interpreter both musically and dramatically as anyone who has seen her at ENO will attest. This CD is a calling card to all the major opera companies and recording labels - get her now, the voice has a wonderful bloom! So, why only 4 stars and not 5? Well, the let down is Harry Christophers and The Sixteen. The strings are often rough, and the extraordinary dynamics and subtle changes that Minkowski, McGegan, Christie are able to produce on my full recordings of Alcina, ... Read More:

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John Tavener - A Portrait

by: Bjork

February 02, 2004

This is the John Tavener born in the 1940's, not the John Taverner (with an `R') of the 1490's. Their music is quite different, so the mistaken identity will only be made once in terms of CD purchases.

John Tavener was born in London in 1944, hence this double CD of his popular works being released in 2004 to mark his 60h birthday.

Much of the music here is short pieces from the full works so gives a good overview to the newcomer, to whom this is directed, of the style of music produced by the composer. The range of music is varied, at times startlingly so, from the freestyle and unpredictable `Mandelion for organ' to the slightly eerie `Prayer of the Heart' with the subtle string playing of the Brodsky quartet played alongside ... Read More: