Bernard Foccroulle returns to the source. On historic organs of the former Low Countries, the Belgian organist revives for Ricercar a sixteenth- and seventeenth-century repertoire, revealing its strength, colours and intimacy without affectation.
From the very first bars, the “St John Passion” reveals itself like an old master painting freshly revarnished under the brush of Raphaël Pichon and his ensemble Pygmalion: the lines become firmer, the contrasts sharper, the light begins to circulate, revealing unexpected gleams and rough edges.
On this debut album, the Théodora ensemble takes listeners on a journey through France and the German-speaking world, from Lully and Campra to the Krieger brothers, where styles intersect and transform. Carried by a distinctive vocal palette and a finely articulated continuo, the recording highlights the variety of compositional approaches and characters.
The supplications of the chosen people, the relentless yet exultant unleashing of the Plagues of Egypt, and the brilliance of divine triumph over paganism all feature in the new recording of Israel in Egypt, released by Alpha Classics.
Composed a decade after Handel’s and long forgotten since, Geminiano Giacomelli’s Cesare in Egitto has been brought back to life on disc by Ottavio Dantone and his Accademia Bizantina, who capture all its flavour and originality. A discovery worth hearing!
