The sacred works on this disc were composed by two powerhouses of the Baroque. The well-known Austrian composer Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber (1644-1704) left a seemingly never ending trail of wonderful works, but Johann Kaspar Kerll, who also wrote a great number of outstanding pieces, is...

Baroque cellist Stefano Veggetti performs with members of the early music band Ensemble Cordia on this Brilliant Classics release of cello concertos by Giovanni Benedetto Platti (c.1697-1763). In all, there are five concertos on this recording made in 2011; three of them are appearing on CD...

Containing some two dozen tracks of pieces by largely lesser known composers from the early Baroque, this release on Teldec’s Das Alte Werk imprint is fittingly titled Viaggio Musicale (Musical Journey). It’s performed by one of Italy’s pioneering early music ensembles, Il...

Not so well known to the average classical music lover but a momentous figure to classical guitarists and aficionados of guitar music is the Aragonese composer Gaspar Sanz (c.1640-c.1710) (Aragon is an autonomous district within Spain). This recent release on the Cantus label titled...

At a time when instrumental music in Europe was dominated by Italians, Johann Heinrich Schmelzer rose to become the most important Austrian composer of instrumental music of his day. This recent release on the Zig-Zag label (the one with the Zebra for its logo) contains seven sonatas from...

As you read this, I invite you to listen to the beautiful Et resurrexit episode from the Credo of Missa Dei Patris by Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679-1745) with its delightful rhythmic, harmonic and melodic complexities. It’s this intricate compositional finesse, exploring so many subtle...

‘Corelli’s Legacy’ from the K&K Verlagsanstalt label offers Baroque music enthusiasts a listening experience which is unique on several fronts. Subtitled ‘Baroque Music by Arcangelo Corelli and his “Students”‘, the album surveys the far-reaching...

These melodically elegant and interesting concertos by late Baroque composer Johann Joachim Quantz will delight just about any listener who enjoys baroque music. The recording is thoroughly enjoyable, with splendid performances by baroque transverse flute soloist Mary Oleskiewicz and the...

The third album from the small Flora label to be recommended on Expedition Audio is this program devoted entirely to the music of early baroque composer John Jenkins titled The Pleasing Slumber; it’s subtitled Aires for a Treble, Lyra, Base and Harpsecord (sic). The performances are by...

A flautist known for his extraordinarily beautiful tone, astonishing technique and impeccable intonation, Michel Blavet (1700-1768) was one of the most celebrated flute virtuosos in France at a time when the transverse flute was becoming wildly popular. He also wrote extensively for his...

The brilliant French organist Marie-Claire Alain passed away earlier this year at the age of 86. Ms. Alain (1926-2013) came from a long line of celebrated organists, including her father, Albert Alain and brothers Jehan and Olivier. A graduate of the Paris Conservatory, she studied with...

This is the second program to come from Carus performed by the vocal ensemble Gli Scarlattisti featuring the music of these two baroque masters, Andreas Hammerschmidt (1611/12-1675) and Johann Rosenmüller (1619-1684). Formed in 1995 by Jochen Arnold, who also directs these performances, Gil...