CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

Haydn - The Creation / Piau, Padmore, Davies, Gabrieli Consort & Players, McCreesh

from: ARCHIV Produktion

Release Date February 05, 2008
The other reviews say it all, although I would add that this is a great album for those just getting into classical or wanting to experience it for the first time. I also recommend this album to all seasoned classical enthusiasts.

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

Giovanni Gabrieli: Music For San Rocco

from: Archiv Produktion

Release Date November 19, 1996
This CDs sound quality is superb and highlights the antiphonal quality of the works.

This CD displays the range of Gabrieli, who is, in my opinion, one of the most underrated composers. There are pieces for every mood. From the triumphal "Jubilate Deo," to the dynamic "Magnificat," this collection does not disappoint. My favorite track has to be "Suscipe, Clementissime Deus." It starts off as very prayerful, introspective and pleading and blossoms into an outpouring of fervor toward the end when the singers exclaim, "Tu solus sanctus, tu solus Dominus, to solus altissimus, Jesu Christe."

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

Handel - Solomon / A. Scholl, Dam-Jensen, Hagley, Bickley, Gritton, Agnew, Harvey, Gabrieli Consort and Players, Paul McCreesh

from: Archiv Produktion

Release Date July 20, 1999
I struggled as to wether I should purchase "Solomon" with either Michael Chance of Andreas Scholl singing the title role. This is a frequent difficulty, because they are two of my favorites, but often sing the same compositions. The Mcreesh version with Scholl won out, mainly because it is the entire score. It is interesting to note that Paul Mcreesh opted to place the choral piece, "Praise the Lord" in its proper place, instead of changing it to a finale role, as is typically done, thus avoiding a possible Romantic imbellishment, as opposed to Baroque. The choruses are many and magnificent. All Scholl's arias are angelic. There are also three duets, with three of four of the sopranos, and Scholl. One aria by Solomon's Queen is a little strange. She refers ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

The Baroque Christmas Album

from: Archiv Produktion

Release Date October 11, 2005
There are not many things in life that I would describe as just Gorgeous -- but this album is definitely one of them. The selections, the arrangements, the production quality, all are clean, yet lush -- simultaneously light and rich. The effect is wonderful.

This may not appeal to hardest-core periodists, but for beautiful music lovingly performed, the album is very hard to beat. Not only rocketted to the top of my favorite holiday album list - it is already high on my favorite all-time list. It will NOT be getting put away with the rest of the Christmas albums. Year-round keeper!

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

Biber: Missa Salisburgenis /Musica Antiqua Koln * Goebel * Gabrieli Consort & Players * McCreesh

by: Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber, Pater Ignatius, Bartholomaus Riedl, Gabrieli Consort and Players, Musica Antiqua Koln, Paul McCreesh, Reinhard Goebel

Release Date November 09, 1999
For reasons unknown I was not familiar with Biber and his work in the late Baroque, so when a local FM announcer, without warning, played the Gloria from this mass I was completely gob-smacked. Spectacular!

Written as it was [in 1682] to celebrate the opening of the new Salzberg cathedral, and coincidently the 1100th aniversary of the conversion to Christianity of that city, it is a work on a giant scale. This partially explains the use of two major period music groups ot complete the recording - Paul McCreesh and the Gabrielli Consort in cooperation with Rienhard Goebel and Musica Antiqua Cologne.

It is almost overwhelming to hear, and presumably there won't be many recordings of such a large work. The performers manage to convey the ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

Praetorius - Mass for Christmas Morning

from: Archiv

Release Date October 11, 1994
This is fully enthralling. As a young man I find it difficult to enjoy such music but I would give this album a thousands stars, thats all. this is genius.

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

A Venetian Coronation 1595

from: Angel Records

Release Date December 23, 2002
The other reviews here are spot on and i agree! This is a very special disc.
May i also add that it was awarded Record of the Year 1990 by ABC-FM Stereo
here in Australia and Gramophone (UK) 1990 Early Music Award.
I also suggest looking at abcshop dot com dot au for a superb selection of High quality classical music most of which is produced in Oz and not seen in huge quantities overseas. Amazon does have a few also. Type in ABC Classics
and browse through the selection.

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

Bach: St Matthew Passion (Matthäus-Passion)

by: Johann Sebastian Bach, Gabrieli Consort, Paul McCreesh

Release Date April 08, 2003
I bought this recording more out of curiosity than any expectation of being moved by it, yet I find that the one-on-a-part approach works surprisingly well. If you have been stirred by excellent one-on-a part recordings of, say Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610 (by Stubbs, McCreesh, and Alessandrini, in my order of preference), you may find that the smaller scale makes for greater intimacy and subtlety in the work's contrasting moods.

The most surprising thing for me is that the "choral" passages have more bite and dramatic impact here than in most recordings with larger forces. The urgency of the questions "was?" and "wohin?" in the opening chorus, the anxiety of the disciples' question, "Herr, bin ich's," the outrage of "Sind Donner, sind Blitzen in Wolken verschwunden," even the cruel ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

Christmas in Rome [DVD Video]

from: Deutsche Grammophon

Release Date November 13, 2007
I was expecting a better quality of the music and the pictures together. Otherwise I still like the music.

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

Venetian Christmas

from: Deutsche Grammophon

Release Date September 03, 2001
'FIRST MASS OF CHRISTMAS AT ST.MARKS'

For the Doge and the Venetian nobility, Christmas Eve began with a series of attendances in the Basilica that were celebrated with great ceremony. Two hours before sunset, the Doge and the privileged political advisers came to San Marco, where they heard Vespers celebrated by a large group of musicians, vocal and instrumental; the musical settings were in 8,10,12 and 16 parts. As soon as Matins concluded, about 2 hours after Sunset, the first Mass of Christmas began. As it began, the Doge ,resplendent in the insignia of his office, left his throne, and accompanied by the papal Legate, knelt on the first step in front of the High Altar to respond to the Legate's Confession.

This distinctly Venetian symbiosis of religion and politics is epitomized ... Read More: