This was the first CD by the specialist 16th century music group La Compañia, based in Melbourne. Specialising in wind and percussion, the improvisation required by many of these early works is a feature of their performance. The ensemble recorded many items for the 1998 film 'Elizabeth' and this CD includes tracks not included on the soundtrack CD. Splendid and rousing fare.

The performers are Vivien Hamilton (voice), Danny Lucin (cornetto, mute cornet), Mitchell Cross (soprano and alto shawms, bells), Rachael Cogan (soprano and alto recorders), Bob Collins (tenor sackbut, Spanish bagpipes), Glenn Bardwell (tenor sackbut), Rosemary Hodgson (vihuela), Christine Baker (long drum, darabuka, tambourine) and Mara Saiz (castanets)
tracks: Diego de Pontac: El balenton de los Zielos
Francisco Guerrero: Oy, Joseph; A un nino llorando; Nino Dios d'amor herido
Matheo Flecha the Elder: El Fuego
Enriquez de Valderrabano: Fantasia suelta del quarto tono
Miguel de Fuenllana: De Antequera sale el moro
Dom Gabriel de S. Joa: Hola Han Pastorcillos
Anon: Rodrigo Martinez; Pero que seja a gente
Juan del Enzina: Si habra en este baldres?; Levanta, Pascual; Partistesos, mis amores; Hoy comamos y bebamos
Heirich Isaac: La Spagna
Alonso Mudarra: Si me llaman, a mi llaman; Claros y frescos rios
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The National Carillon of Australia is located on Aspen Island in Canberra. It is a mighty and magnificent landmark, set in a tower which is lit at night against a backdrop of willows, clear sky and water. There are 53 bells, made at the famous Taylors foundry in England, controlled from the main keyboard. A diverse selcetion of music from classical pieces, to jazz and show standards, to folksong, is played on this magnificent instrument by internationally renowned carilloneur Adrian Tien.
tracks:
GERSHWIN:
The Man I Love; Strike up the Band
WHITE:
Rotation
J.S.BACH:
Siciliano from Flute Sonata in E flat
TRAD:
The Bells of Aberdovey; Londonderry Air; Home among the Gum Trees;
Su-Wu in Exile (with chinese music ensemble)
KEE:
Ringing Piece from Franz Hals Suite
ALBENIZ:
Preludio from España, Op. 165; Preludio from Cantos de España, Op. 232
BARNES:
Barcarolle from Serenades I
D. SCARLATTI:
Sonata L.33
TAKI:
Moonlight over the Deserted Castle
RODGERS:
My Favourite Things; Edelweiss; 16 Going on 17
MUSSORGSKY:
Old Castle from Pictures at an Exhibition
ROTTIERS:
Ballade
MORE INFO HERE

MIWAKO ABE (violin), DAVID McSKIMMING (piano)
Miwako Abe's playing has been applauded in several countries - Sandor Vegh says "she possesses a rare inner gift of the flame for the music, and this makes her playing so warm and living" Those qualities are definitely to the fore in this lovely selection of Romantic music in which she is so ably accompanied by David McSkimming. All these works are by composers working in Paris at the end of the 19th century.
tracks:
Claude Debussy:
Sonata for Violin and Piano; La plus que lente; La fille aux cheveux de lin
Jules Massenet:
Meditation from 'Thaïs'
Maurice Ravel:
Menuet from Sonatine; Habañera
Ernest Chausson:
Poème, Op. 25
Eugène Ysaÿe:
Poème élégiaque, Op. 12
Gabriel Fauré:
Morceaux de lecture; Berceuse, Op. 16
Camille Saint-Saëns:
Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28
MORE INFO HERE

WOOF! PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE International record Review RECORD OF THE YEAR (MODERN)
The essence of Percy Grainger.
Tracks:
1. Shepherd¹s Hey (arr. Woof!) *
2. The Lonely Desert Man sees the Tents of the Happy Tribes
3. Arrival Platform Humlet (realised McAlley) *
4. Bahariyale v. Paliyandi (trans. Grainger) **
5. Berong Pengetjet (trans. Grainger) **
6. Blithe Bells (Bach arr. Grainger) *
7. Crying for the Moon (Ella Grainger arr. Grainger) **
8. Eastern Intermezzo *
9. Irish Tune from County Derry (arr. Ragdale) *
10. London Bridge (Balfour Gardiner arr. Grainger) **
PERCY GRAINGER 11. Pagodes (Debussy arr. Grainger)
12. Sailor¹s Song (arr. Woof!) *
13. Under a Bridge
14. Sekar Gadung (trans. Grainger) **
15. Valley of the Bells (Ravel arr. Grainger)
16. Country Gardens (arr. Woof!) *
*= world premiere recording in this version
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RIVER STORY is performed by
TONY GOULD (piano), PETER PETRUCCI (guitar)
Two of Australia's most prominent jazz musicians present a fine mix of standards and new pieces by the performers.
tracks:
Goodby Michel (Gould)
I should care (Cahn, Stordall, Weston)
Some other time (Bernstein)
The wind (Reed)
My favourite things (Rodgers, Hammerstein)
My romance (Rodgers, Hart)
The old country (Lewis, Adderley)
River story (Petrucci)
Beija Flor (Cavquinho, Silva, Tomaz)
When you wake you can see the trees (Gould)
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Performed by THE ORPHEUS ENSEMBLE
Featuring the music of Purcell, Blow, Eccles and more, "Tyrannick Love" is a collection of lyrical, folky, character and dramatic 'mad songs' for soprano, harpsichord, baroque cello (viol and baroque violins on occasion), each written for famous singers and actresses in popular Restoration dramas of late 17th century England. Vivien Hamilton gives the songs the lyricism and dramatic edge that they require, while being sensitively accompanied by Pricilla Taylor and Margaret Waugh.
CD contents:
Henry Purcell:
Sweeter than Roses; When first Amintas su'd for a Kiss
If Musick be the Food of Love (both settings; Whilst I with Grief did on you look
Cupid the slyest rogue alive; I attempt from Love's sickness
Bess of Bedlam; Ah! How sweet it is to love
From Rosy Bow'rs; Beneath a Poplar's shadow lay me
Musick for a while; Dear, Pritty Youth
John Blow: Lysander I persue in vain
John Eccles: I burn, my brain consumes to Ashes Samuel Akeroyde: Farweel bonny Wully Craig Pelham Humfrey: Cupid once, when weary grown Giovanni Draghi: Where art thou, God of Dreams?
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Genevieve Lacey, a young Australian recorder player has been acclaimed by reviewers as "world class" and "one of Australia's great musicians". Poul Høxbro now focuses his talents on resurrecting medieval percussion instruments and here, on some tracks, plays the Andean hand drum known as a Tar. Together, they present a unique programme of traditional Irish folk melodies, baroque virtuosity, contemporary Australian works and medieval dance music.

The CD booklet features the wonderful visual artistry of Laura Rytter Holm.

tracks:
Chominciamento di gioia (anon 14th cent.)
Les Folies d'Espagne (Marin Marais)
Epithalamium (Amanda Baker)
Cello Suite no. 1, BWV1007 (J.S. Bach)
Charvgi (Calliope Tsoupaki)
Irish Folk Melodies:
She moved through the fair (2 versions)
Johnny I hardly knew ye
Waly, waly
Paddy's Lamentation
MORE INFO HRE

SUSANNE EHRHARDT AND JACQUELINE OGEIL
The recorder and harpsichord were both mainstream instruments in the eighteenth century, both having thousands of original works written for them but also arrangements of pieces originally written for other instruments; this practice is used here with a fine selection of baroque concerti and sonatas played by two virtuosos - German recorder player Susanne Ehrhardt and Australian keyboard player Jacqueline Ogeil (organ and harpsichord).
CD contents:
Antonio Vivaldi:
Concerto in D minor, Op. 3 No. 8
Sonata in G minor (attrib. Vivaldi)
Sonata, Op. 5 No. 6
Sonata, Op. 5 No. 12 - Follia
Domenico Scarlatti:
Sonata in G minor, K31
Sonata in B minor, K87
Tomaso Antonio Vitali:
Concerto di sonate a violino, violoncello e cembalo, Op. 4 No. 12 "Follia"
MORE INFO HERE

Sonatas of 17th century Italy performed by Capella Corelli.
A glimpse into the rich world of instrumental music in seventeenth-century Italy from the experimental works of Cima, Castello, Montalbano, Fontana, Frescobaldi, Marini and Uccellini to Corelli.
During the 17th century instrumental music was moving away from its supporting role in church and vocal music and was establishing its independence as a musical genre. This change coincided with an increase in instrumentalists' skills, many of whom were also composers. A number of their works are featured on this CD and through them one can admire both the composer's musical imagination and skill as a performer. This recording celebrate 21 years of Capella Corelli, one of Australia's foremost Baroque chamber ensembles.
CD contents:
Arcangelo Corelli:
Sonata, Op. 5 No. 1
Sonata, Op. 5 No. 12 - 'Follia'
Giovanni Paolo Cima:
Concerti Ecclestiastici - Sonata per il violino
Bartolomeo Montalbano:
Sinfonie ad uno e doi violini - No. 4 'Geloso'
Giovanni Battista Fontana:
Sonata prima
Sonata terza per il violino o cornetto
Sonata quarta
Girolamo Frescobaldi:
Toccata - Cento partite sopra passacagli
Dario Castello:
Sonata prima a soprano solo (from 'Sonate Concertante in stile moderno, libro secondo'
Sonata seconda
Marco Uccellini:
Sonate over Canzoni da farsi a violino - Op. 5 no. 8
Biagio Marini:
Sonata per il violino per sonar con due corde
MORE INFO HERE

The music of Girolamo Frescobaldi spans one of the most exciting and innovative periods of European music. He was an adventurer, who freed, more than anyone, instrumental music in pieces such as his extraordinary improvisatory toccatas; yet he was also conservative, his canzonas representing the epitome of the imitative polyphonic tradition of Italian renaissance music. This fine selection of his works spans from 1615 to around 1635 and are an excellent introduction to this genius of his time. They are taken from several main collections published during his lifetime.
Performed by La Romanesca(recorders,viola da gamba, counter tenor, harpsichord)
tracks:
Canzona decimamona, detta la Capriola (1628)
Sonetto spirituale, Maddalena alle croce (1630)
Toccata settima (1637)
Canzona decimaterza, detta la Bianchina (1628)
Se l'aura spira (1630)
Canzona seconda sopra la Romanesca (1634)
Canzona settima, detta la Superba (1628)
Sonetto Ohime, che fur, che sono (1630)
Canzona seconda detta la Bernardinia (1628)
Aria detta la Frescobalda (1615)
Canzona vigesima prima, detta La Tegrimuccia (1628)
Non mi negate, ohime (1630)
Toccata settima (1637)
Canzona terza detta la Lucchesina (1628)
Troppo sotto due stelle (1630)
Canzona seconda (1615)
Cosi mi disprezzate (Aria di passicaglia) (1630)
Bergamasca (1635)
Canzona terza, detta la Donatina (1628)
Occhi che sete di voi pomposi (1630)
MORE INFO HERE

TWO CDS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE
CLARA SCHÜTZ (cello), JULIE HASKELL (piano), GENEVIEVE LACEY (recorder), ANN MURPHY (harpsichord), LINDA KOUVARAS (piano), MERLYN QUAIFE (soprano), STEPHANIE LINDNER (violin), ANNELIES BILLETER (viola), RACHEL PAGE (cello), ANTHONY POPE (trumpet), DOMINIC PERISINOTTO (organ), JOSEPHINE TAN (piano), MEGAN KENNY (alto flute), GRANIA BURKE (bass clarinet), BRUCE PETHERICK (piano), IAN HOLTHAM (piano), CHOIR OF ORMOND COLLEGE directed by DOUGLAS LAWRENCE, BARRIE WEBB (trombone), PETRA STRING QUARTET, BARRIE COCKROFT (soprano saxophone), JULIAN WARBURTON (percussion)

A wonderful cast of leading Australian instrumentalists, and a few visiting from the UK, in a showcase concert of the varied and fascinating music of Brenton Broadstock, recorded live in Melba Hall. Every piece is totally unique.. bit all are direct, uncluttered and lyrical. Includes 3 award-winning works.
tracks:
Clear Flame Within (cello & piano)
Aureole 3 (recorder and harpsichord)
In the Silence of Night (piano solo)
Bright Tracks (soprano, string trio)
At the going down of the sun (trumpet and organ)
Aureole 4 (piano solo)
All that is solid melts into air (flute, clarinet and piano)
Dying of the Light (piano solo)
Fourteenth Station of the Cross (choir)
Beast from Air (trombone and percussion)
I touched your glistening tears (saxophone and piano)
String Quartet No. 2
MORE INFO HERE

THE CHOIR OF ORMOND COLLEGE
directed by DOUGLAS LAWRENCE
THOMAS HEYWOOD, organ
Recorded on the choir's recent European tour, this CD features Kodály's magnificent 'Missa Brevis', Christopher Tye's 'Missa Euge Bone', Herbert Howells' 'Three Latin Church Motets' and Bach's motet for double choir 'Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit'.

Kodály's 'Missa Brevis', composed in the dark years of World War II, with its haunting melodies reflects both the horror of the period and Kodály's understanding of the capabilities of the voice. Soaring and penetratingly beautiful solos are combined with sections for the full choir to create drama and passion. The 'Missa Brevis' was recorded in the stunning acoustics of the 17th century Martinskirche, near Lake Constance in Southern Germany with accompaniment provided by organist Thomas Heywood, on a wonderful new Rieger organ.

The Tye, Howellsand Bach were recorded in the 15th century Santa Maria Bressanoro in Northern Italy.
tracks:
Zoltán Kodály:
Missa Brevis
Christopher Tye:
Missa Euge Bone
Herbert Howells:
(Three Latin Church Motets)-
Salve Regina
Regina Coeli
Nunc Dimittis
Johann Sebastian Bach:
Motet for Double Choir 'Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf' BWV226
MORE INFO HERE

Two of Australia's finest baroque musicians, Hans-Dieter Michatz(baroque flute) and Linda Kent (harpsichord) perform Telemann's rarely heard 'Sonate Metodiche' for Baroque flute and continuo. This disc contains six Telemann sonatas which exhibit all the wonderful variety, exploitation of colour and detailed ornamentation characteristic of the high Baroque. (BR>Contents:
No. 1 in G minor : No. 2 in A major
No. 3 in E minor : No. 4 in D major
No. 5 in A minor : No. 6 in G major
MORE INFO HERE

ELIZABETH ANDERSON (harpsichord),
THE CHOIR OF ORMOND COLLEGE directed by Douglas Lawrence
with Christoph Maubach (xylophone and glockenspiel), Danny Fischer (drums), Ian Wilmot and Kylie Davies (double bass), and Joel Gladman (tuba)

A totally unique concept, classical harpsichordist Anderson lets her hair down in a set of fun pieces, from the traditional choral 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' through jazzy versions of old favourites, to the crazy crazy 'Chocolate Bunnies' - play loud to liven any party...
This CD-single is also a greetings card with space for a personal message
Tracks:
Santa Claus is Coming to Town (Gillespie, arr. McAlley)
I Saw Three Ships (trad, ar, Anderson)
In dulci jubilo (arr. Gesius/Bach)
Good King Wenceslas (trad, arr. McAlley)
We Wish you a Merry Christmas (trad, arr. Warrell)
Chocolate Bunnies (Angle)
Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer (Marks, arr. McAlley)

In 1739, Mattheson bemoaned the fact that while Buxtehude was well known for his organ works his keyboard works were never published, despite being of a high order.Acclaimed harpsichordist Jacqueline Ogeil has put together a CD of Buxtehude's harpsichord works, most of which were only found as recently as the middle of this century. Written in the popular idioms of the Baroque period, the gigue, the suite, aria and variations, they are light and entertaining works of a secular nature. Jacqueline Ogeil's harpsichord is a copy, by Marc Nobel (Melbourne 1988), of a 17th century Flemish instrument by Jean Couchet. Its pitch is A=415, and for this recording it is tuned in a well-tempered system such as was used by Buxtehude in his later years.
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Of all the previous recordings by one of Australia's most celebrated composers none gives a greater insight into Dreyfus' multifaceted talents than this Move CD release. Opening with a spirited and moving rendition of the 'Ned Kelly Ballads' by folk singer Broderick Smith accompanied by four french horns and rhythm section, this CD embraces a compendium of Dreyfus' musical styles. The 'Italian Songs', featured in the TV series 'Waterfront' and beautifully performed here by soprano Joanna Cole accompanied by pianist Len Vorster, illustrate Dreyfus' perfect mirroring of Italian Verissimo. The youthful Methodist Ladies College Senior Madrigal Group perform 'Lifestyle' a suite of unaccompanied choral movements, appropriately dealing with youthful ambitions and dreams. In 'Homage á Victor Bruns', the three bassoonists from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra are joined by a fourth, the composer himself, a one time bassoonist of that orchestra, for a brief but telling essay in neoclassicism. In complete stylistic contrast (but then is this not the hallmark of Dreyfus' creative career) the Prism Wind Quintet perform the 'Quintet for Wind Instruments', a compendium of the 1960's Darmstadt school of compositional techniques. Brilliant performances are also given in the solo pieces on the CD which include 'Odyssey for a Lone Bassoon' performed by Matthew Wilkie, 'Stant Litore Puppes' performed by organist Christopher Cook, 'In Memoriam' Raoul Wallenberg performed by clarinettist David Thomas accompanied by pianist Robert Chamberlain and 'Heidelberg 1890' for soprano and flute performed by Marianne Collet-Stier and Almut Riemenschneider. The CD is rounded off with three Dreyfus classics. 'In New Gold Mountain' played by the Australian Chinese Ensemble you can just imagine yourself in the tea house of Yu Yuan Garden in Shanghai. And was there ever a more soothing ballad for all animal lovers to cuddle up to than 'Love Your Animal', commissioned by the RSCPCA and performed here by the Melbourne Musicians conducted by Frank Pam. Finally, the now sadly disbanded 5th Military District Band from Perth resurface with a rousing rendition, the 25th commercially released version of Dreyfus' hardly disbanded, always evergreen-fresh national treasure, the theme from the television series 'Rush'. MORE INFO HERE

Featuring Kurt Jensen (mandolin), Joan Harris (mandola), Julie Raines, (harp), May Gavin (piano), Tamara Leamon (guitar), Suzann Fisk (vocals), and the Scandinavian Choir conducted by Staffan Thuringer

One of the best Christmas discs we've heard and very popular this CD has a great mix of traditional and new carols and songs from Scandinavia, Australia and England and a mix of styles too, with the choir and also a wonderfully unusual instrumental line-up. Definitely one to make your party guests sit up and listen!

Includes: Christmas Eve Medley; Away in a Manger; När det lider mot jul (choir & organ);
Once in Royal David's City; Australian Carols Medley; Bethlehem Stjärna (Choir & Organ); Silent Night;
Bethlehem Stjärna (mandolins & harp); Cantique de Noël; Coventry Carol; Nu tändas Tusen Julejus;
Blessed be that Maid Mary; Ave Maria; Holly and the Ivy; WInter Song; Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer;
Merry Christmas Medley; Mary's Boy Child; Barn Jesus in En Krybbe Lå; När det lider mot jul (mandolins);
Jeg er så glad hver juletid; Dance at Christmas; We Wish You a Merry Christmas; White Christmas

ZANA CLARKE AND PETER BIFFIN
This rather unique album derives from the frustrations felt by the duo when playing a wide variety of music from baroque sonatas, to Turkish art music, to medieval estampies; they wished to find a better balance (for them) of structure, freedom and individual expression, so set about writing their own material. While Zana plays a Ganassi recorder, a Renaissance instrument quite different from the better-known Baroque variety, Peter plays two instruments from the Asia Minor/India area - the Tar-hu, which is a long necked bowed instrument with four playing strings and seven sympathetic strings, and the Deboosh, a large fretless dobro with six strings tuned low. The resultant mix of ethnic, medieval and jazz influences is individual, exploratory and highly exotic. Nardoo, by the way, is an Australian aquatic plant with the ability to lie dormant in dry mud for many years.
tracks (all by Clarke and Biffin):
Willow; Lady Grey; Night Prowler; Once upon a Time; Sunday Sunday; Taboosh; Cherry Brandy;
Apple Blossom; Oscillation; Tundra; Fragment Longing; Bihag; The Fox; Inner Edge; Solace;
Charles Street; Madeira; Aldebaran
MORE INFO HERE

This CD by Russian husband-and-wife piano duo Igor Machlak and Olga Kharitonova is, as the title suggests, connected with travel - first, the journey from country to country, from piece to piece - from America, to Germany, Russia Spain and thence to Australia; also the journeys undertaken mentally by composers - exemplified here by the Spanish Rhapsodies by Moszkowski and Ravel, and even the piece by Grainger which is based on folk tunes from the Faroe Islands. The duo themselves undertook a journey when they moved from Russia to Australia in 1995.

Programme:
Leonard Bernstein:
America ("West Side Story")
Johannes Brahms: Waltzes, Op. 39 nos. 1-16
Sergei Rachmaninov:
Three duets from op. 11 (Barcarolle, Scherzo and Valse)
Valery Gavrilin:
Four pieces from 'Sketches" - Troika, March, The Little Clock and Tarantella
Maurice Ravel:
Rhapsodie Espagnole
Moritz Moszkowski:
Dances Espagnoles, op. 12
Percy Grainger:
Let's Dance Gay in Green Meadow
MORE INFO HERE

The title evokes the intimacy, delicacy, refinement and above all the douceur (sweetness or sftness) of early 18th-century French chamber music. The court of Lousi XIV required impeccable taste in all things, from manners, dress, furniture and architecture to art and music, much of which 'good taste' probably arose from the King's personal preferences. There were three basic court musical establishments: the Musique de la Chapelle Royale, the Musique de la Grand Ecurie (for the King's large wind band) and the Musique de le Chambre - a small band of (usually) flute, violin, viol, lute, theorbo and harpsichord, which provided performances for various entertainments; the music was also heard in the growing number of salons in the homes of the aristocracy. THe music is expertly performed by the splendid Elysium Ensemble

Programme:
COUPERIN:
Huitième concert dans le goût théâtral
Septième concert dans le goût théâtral
HOTTETERRE:
Suite in E minor
Deuxième suite de pièces à deux dessus
MORE INFO HERE