Reviews by the editorial staff of Early Music America. Have a new recording or book? Submit it for consideration.
Espresso Shots with Apollo’s Fire
It's easy to speculate that J.S. Bach was tired of the daily grind as Cantor of the Thomasschule in Leipzig and found Zimmermann's Coffeehouse a space to refresh his creative drive. Jeannette Sorrell and Apollo's Fire scored a 2024 hit with their "Bach's Coffeehouse," debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Classical charts, as they celebrated the fun and flair of music by Bach, Telemann, and Vivaldi — fit for café life.
We Can’t Get Enough of the Troubadours
The moniker "troubadour" stirs the modern imagination like no other Medieval vocation. A smart new book offers concise studies of some of the most famous troubadours, offering thoughtful observations on poetic style alongside vivid descriptions of the historical context that shaped the tradition.
Corelli Violin Sonatas, More Alive Than Ever
Violinist Rachel Barton Pine can trace her pedagogical lineage straight back to Arcangelo Corelli. But for historical performance style, she studied with gamba player John Mark Rozendaal and harpsichordist David Schrader. Joined by lutenist Brandon Acker, they offer imaginative and rewarding readings of Corelli's Op. 5 collection of violin sonatas.
The Magic of Turning Secular to Sacred
A sacred 'parody Magnificat' pays homage to another composer's smaller work, such as a secular madrigal. The parody's craftsmanship and originality display reverence for the original. A recent album of Magnificats by Orlandus Lassus, alongside the pieces that served as inspiration, is a brilliant game of matched pairs.
Cinquecento Revive Ludwig Daser’s Legacy
Influential at the Bavarian court in the 16th century, Ludwig Daser and his music were overshadowed by his posthumously more celebrated contemporaries. But Daser's lyrical gifts and structural innovations are gaining adherents, including the pan-European vocal ensemble Cinquecento. Their latest recording capture all the tension and exuberance of this remarkable music.
Celebrating Frans Brüggen’s Rare Recorders
The great recorder virtuoso, conductor, and early-music pioneer Frans Brüggen died a decade ago, but his legacy remains strong. One of today's brightest stars borrowed rare instruments from Brüggen's collection. With limited time on fragile instruments, she plays to each of their strengths, often with 'breath-taking intimacy.'
He Said/She Said in French Courtly Love
Medieval ensemble Trobár celebrates women in 14th and 15th c. song, centered on poet Christine de Pizan and her musical circles, including (male) composers who are now famous, obscure or anonymous. It's a "he said/she said" dialogue on love, equality, and courtly virtues.
Missing Obrecht Partbooks, a Gap Now Filled
Countless works, preserved only in partbooks, remain unheard to modern ears because one or more of the books are lost. Now Jacob Obrecht's Mass on the 'Scaramella' tune has been completed with best-guess scholarship and recorded by the outstanding Binchois Consort.
The Butter Quartet, Spreading Love of the Galant
The Butter Quartet, who met as students at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague, released their debut recording with 'Scintilla: Early Italian String Quartets.' In buoyant, impeccable playing, they capture the galant spirit of music by Pugnani, Boccherini, Lombardini Sirmen, and Giardini. Excellent performances of attractive, varied repertoire.
Courtly and Colonial Music in Mughal India
With a lively writing style, Katherine Butler Schofield's 'Music and Musicians in Late Mughal India: Histories of the Ephemeral, 1748-1858' offers a deeply researched study of early Hindustani musical practices in courtly and colonial settings. The era is one of sociopolitical transition during the century of the powerful British East India Company’s conquest of India.
