荷蘭老牌巴洛克音樂天團La Sfera Armoniosa加盟Challenge唱片首張專輯 / 普賽爾的經典名曲集 SACD Hybrid

成立於1992年的荷蘭巴洛克音樂天團La Sfera Armoniosa,在指揮Mike Fentross的率領下,以現場實況錄音的方式錄製了這張加盟Challenge的首張專輯.曲目選擇了多首Henry Purcell的名曲.搭配上女高音Johannette Zomer的獻唱,極具想法的一張演出.指揮家Mike Fentross如此說道: I was really moved when I heard my orchestra play the opening bars of the Purcell. I heard a sound that was quite different to what I knew from other present-day baroque orchestras. Was this sound closer to that of Purcell's own orchestra, a sound that he may have had in mind when composing this wondrous music? In the very first chat I had about this project with Lidewij van der Voort, our new concertmaster, we talked about the modern adaptations that are often (and understandably) applied to baroque instruments nowadays, and about the possibility of going back to authentic strings (completely bare gut) and a 17th century bow hold (the French grip) for this Purcell project. As it happens, I'd had a similar conversation not long before that with Lidewei de Sterck, our principal oboist, about authentic reeds (scraped from the inside) and with Graham Nicholson, about 17th century trumpets (natural trumpets with no finger holes). These aspects, seemingly just details, have a major impact not just on the sound but also the way of playing and therefore on the way we interpret the music. We all felt the need to record this CD with these 'experimental' instruments. An orchestral sound with so much transparency and colour, a way of playing with such narrative power! I'm full of admiration for the musicians who played so beautifully and who were prepared to take up the challenge of moving away from a well-trodden path.
 
曲目
Purcell:
Dioclesian Suite
Hornpipe (from The Indian Queen)
I attempt from love's sickness to fly in vain (from The Indian Queen)
King Arthur, Z628 excerpts
Prophetess or The History of Dioclesian, Z627
The Fairy Queen, Z629 excerpts
The Indian Queen, Z630 excerpts
 
Johannette Zomer (soprano)
La Sfera Armoniosa, Mike Fentross