DCD 043 - A Collection of Choirs

This episode of the "DCD Classical 'Cast" we present a program of choral music. We start and finish with selections from the Seattle Pro Musica, a professional group active in the Pacific Northwest. Their holiday album, "Wiehnachten: A German Christmas" is a perennial best-seller for us. And, as you'll hear, their other releases, "Peace in Our Time" and "Alnight by the Rose" are of equal quality.

We also include a renaissance madrigal from Giaches de Wert, and John Biggs conducts his composition "Two Chorals on Poems by Oscar Wilde."

- Ralph

This program we play:

Herbert Howells: Requiem (first three movements)
Seattle Pro Musica; Karen P. Thomas, director
Seattle Pro Musica

John Biggs: Two Chorals on Poems by Oscar Wilde
The Consort Chorale; John Biggs, conductor
Consort Press

Giache de Wert: Transeunte Domino
Rutgers Collegium Musicum; Andrew Kirkman, conductor
DTR

Morton Lauridessen: Madrigali - Six "FireSongs" on Italian Renaissance Poems (final two movements)
Seattle Pro Musica; Karen P. Thomas, director
Seattle Pro Musica

DCD 042 - Saudade and César

This program we feature three tracks from Con Brio recording's latest release. "Saudade" is the debut album of Stephen Reck, an up-and-coming classical guitarist from Ireland. It's a compelling collection of guitar works, and includes some under-recorded selections that work quite well.

We fill out the program by revisiting the first recording from our own label, DCD Records. James Higdon performs on the Helmut Wolff et associes organ at the Bales Organ Recital Hall at Kansas University. It's been a while since I've listened to the disc, but it holds up very well (even if I was the producer).

Listen to the podcast and judge for yourself!

- Ralph

This program we play:

Dominico Scarlatti: Sonata in D major, K. 177
Stephen Reck, guitar
Con Brio Recordings

César Franck: Premier Choral en mi majeur
James Higdon, organ
DCD Records

Andrés Segovia: Estudio Sin Luz
Stephen Reck, guitar
Con Brio Records

William Lovelady: Donegal
Stephen Reck, guitar
Con Brio Records

DCD 041 - Solo Sounds from Musica Rediviva

This program we continue our showcase of new releases from the Swedish record label Musica Rediviva. In this podcast we have two solo artists: Ryosuke Sakamoto and Hans Faguis.

Sakamoto is a gifted young lutenist, and his debut recording "Travels with My Lute" give us a musical journey through both time and space. Sakamoto plays selections from various composers throughout Europe (space). These works range from the renaissance all the way up to the 20th Century (time).

We also feature selections from Faguis' Bach recital at the newly-restored Leufsta Bruk Church organ. This magnificent instrument was built by Johan Niclas Cahman, Sweden's foremost organ builder of the 1700's (and the subject of another Musica Rediviva release).

- Ralph

This program we play:

John Dowland: Fantasia
Ryosuke Sakamoto, lute
Musica Rediviva

Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 545
Hans Faguis, organ
Musica Rediviva

Sylvius Leopold Weiss: Passacaglia
Ryosuke Sakamoto, lute
Musica Rediviva

Johann Sebastian Bach: Fantasie in G major, BWV 572
Hans Faguis, organ
Musica Rediviva

Claude Debussy: La fille aux Cheveaux (arr. Sakamoto)
Ryosuke Sakamoto, lute
Musica Rediviva