Houston Symphony, Nicole Heaston, Toby Spence & Peter Rose, – Haydn: The Creation (2018)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:39:27 minutes | 1,72 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © PentaTone
Haydn’s stupendous, joyous and uplifting oratorio Die Schöpfung (The Creation) is thrillingly brought to life in this recording with Andrés Orozco-Estrada conducting the Houston Symphony, with the Houston Symphony Chorus and the acclaimed operatic soloists Nicole Heaston, Toby Spence and Peter Rose. With its startling dramatic gestures, bold orchestral colours and sublimely beautiful word painting, Haydn’s astonishing depiction of the Genesis creation story remains his supreme masterpiece and one of the best-loved works in the entire choral repertoire. In a vivid series of tableaux, from the creation of light to Adam and Eve’s love duet, Haydn brings to life the birds, beasts and angels which all rejoice in soaring, life-affirming music.
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Sarah Fox, Kathryn Rudge, Toby Spence, Henry Waddington, London Mozart Players & William Vann – Parry: Judith (2020)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 02:11:12 minutes | 2,24 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Chandos
Recorded after the first London performance for over 130 years, Parry’s neglected oratorio here appears for the very first time. Having been commissioned by the Birmingham Festival, Parry decided to combine the Old Testament stories of Manasseh and Judith. A good deal of the libretto was provided by Parry himself, who took other texts from the biblical books of Isaiah, Psalms, and Judith. Having originally conceived the work in four acts, Parry condensed it into two. Judith was premiered by Richter in Birmingham in August 1888, and it consolidated Parry’s reputation as a choral composer, numerous performances following in Edinburgh and in London. Although popular in his lifetime, Judith fell into obscurity after Parry’s death.
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