Classical Music In Concert

Saturday, 1 August 2026

Handel Week (6): Esther - Solomon's Knot

George Frideric HANDEL

(1685 - 1759)

Esther (HWV 50b)

oratorio in 3 acts (version London, 1732)

libretto: unknown, with additional text by Samuel Humphreys

Solomon's Knot

DIR: JONATHAN SELLS

recorded: May 24, 2024, Basilika, St. Wendel

period instruments

lossless (flac)

Zoë Brookshaw, soprano (Esther)

Clare Lloyd-Griffiths, soprano (Israelite Boy)

Kate Symonds-Joy, mezzo-soprano (Priest of the Israelites)

Joseph Doody, tenor (Mordecai)

James Hall, tenor (Priest of the Israelites)

Thomas Herford, tenor (1st Israelite)

Xavier Hetherington, tenor (Ahasuerus)

David de Winter, tenor (Habdonah, Officer, 2nd Israelite)

Alex Ashworth, bass (Haman)

Jonathan Sells, bass

included: libretto [pdf]

(01) act 1 [37'20"]

(02) act 2 [28'21"]

(03) act 3 [34'40"]

Picture: Esther and Mordecai (Aert de Gelder, 1685)

links:

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Il Trionfo del tempo e del disinganno

Friday, 31 July 2026

Handel Week (5): Il Trionfo del tempo e del disinganno - William Christie

George Frideric HANDEL

(1685 - 1759)

Il Trionfo del tempo e del disinganno

oratorio in two parts (HWV 46a) (Rome, 1707)

libretto: Benedetto Pamphili

Julie Roset, soprano (Bellezza)

Rebecca Leggett, mezzo-soprano (Piacere)

Jasmin White, contralto (Disinganno)

James Way, tenor (Tempo)

Les Arts Florissants

DIR: WILLIAM CHRISTIE

recorded: July 10, 2025, Erlöserkirche, Bad Kissingen

[Kissinger Sommer 2025]

period instruments

mp3 (bitrate: 256 kbps)

included: libretto (IT/E) [pdf]

(01) part 1 [77'19"]

(02) part 2 [80'38"]

Picture: Time Orders Old Age to Destroy Beauty (Pompeo Batoni, 1746)

links:

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FestspielOrchester Göttingen

Thursday, 30 July 2026

Handel Week (4): Joseph and his brethren - Laurence Cummings

George Frideric HANDEL

(1685 - 1759)

Joseph and his brethren

oratorio in 3 parts (HWV 59) (London, 1744)

libretto: James Miller (after Genesis and Zeno)

Michael Strik, soprano [treble] (Benjamin)

Elizabeth Watts, soprano (Asenath)

Hilary Summers, contralto (Phanor, Potiphera)

Tim Mead, alto (Joseph)

Robert Sellier, tenor (Judah, Simeon)

George Humphreys, bass (Pharaoh, Reuben)

NDR Chor

FestspielOrchester Göttingen

DIR: LAURENCE CUMMINGS

recorded: May 17, 2013, Stadthalle, Göttingen

[Internationale Händel-Festspiele Göttingen 2013]

period instruments

flac (original bitrate unknown)

included: libretto & programme notes [pdf]

(01) part 1 [59'26"]

(02) part 2 [63'27"]

(03) part 3 [46'17"]

Picture: Joseph and his brothers (Ottavio Vannini, 1585-c1643)

download:

Joseph and his brethren

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Collegium Vocale & Collegium 1704

Wednesday, 29 July 2026

Handel Week (3): Susanna - Václav Luks

George Frideric HANDEL

(1685 - 1759)

Susanna

oratorio in 3 acts (HWV 66) (London, 1749)

libretto: Moses Mendes (?)

Helena Hozová, soprano (An Attendant)

Kateryna Kasper, soprano (Susanna)

Tereza Zimková, soprano (Daniel)

Gabriel Díaz, alto (Joacim)

Ondřej Holub, tenor (First Elder)

Pavol Kubáň, baritone (Chelsias)

Jiří Miroslav Procházka, bass (Judge)

Tomáš Šelc, bass (Second Elder)

Collegium Vocale & Collegium 1704

DIR: VÁCLAV LUKS

recorded: June 21, 2026, Litomyšl Castle

[Festival Smetana Litomyšl 2026]

period instruments

mp3 (bitrate: 320 kbps)

included: libretto (E/D) [pdf]

(01) act 1 [65'33"]

(02) act 2 [41'54"]

(03) act 3 [43'26"]

Picture: Susanna and the Elders (Gerard van Honthorst, 1592-1656)

links:

Jiří Miroslav Procházka

Tomáš Šelc

download:

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Tuesday, 28 July 2026

Handel Week (2): Alexander's Feast - Roman Válek

George Frideric HANDEL

(1685 - 1759)

Alexander's Feast or the Power of Musick

Ode in two parts (HWV 75) (London, 1736)

libretto: Newburgh Hamilton (after John Dryden)

Markéta Böhmová, soprano

Jaroslav Březina, tenor

Jiří Miroslav Procházka, bass

Czech Ensemble Baroque

DIR: ROMAN VÁLEK

recorded: Feb 17, 2021, Besední dům, Brno

period instruments

flac (original bitrate: 128 kbps AAC)

included: libretto [pdf]

(01) part 1 [42'13"]

(02) part 2 [27'36"]

Picture: Marble portrait of Alexander the Great (2nd/1st century B.C.)

links:

Jiří Miroslav Procházka

Czech Ensemble Baroque

download:

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Monday, 27 July 2026

Handel Week (1): Berenice - David Bates

George Frideric HANDEL

(1685 - 1759)

Berenice

opera in 3 acts (HWV 38) (London, 1737)

libretto: Antonio Salvi

Mireille Asselin, soprano (Berenice)

Anat Edri, soprano (Alessandro)

Giuseppina Bridelli, mezzo-soprano (Selene)

Michał Czerniawski, alto (Demetrio)

Raffaele Pe, alto (Arsace)

Christopher Turner, tenor (Fabio)

Timothy Dickinson, bass (Aristobolo)

La Nuova Musica

DIR: DAVID BATES

recorded: May 7, 2016, Stadthalle, Göttingen

[Internationale Händel Festspiele Göttingen 2016]

period instruments

lossless (flac)

included: libretto (IT/E) [pdf]

(01) act 1 [54'33"]

(02) act 2 [48'17"]

(03) act 3 [42'59"]

Picture: Berenice III (115-80 B.C.)

links:

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Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir

Sunday, 26 July 2026

Bach: Cantatas BWV 12, 82, 131 & 147 - Ton Koopman

Johann Sebastian BACH

(1685 - 1750)

Cantatas BWV 12, 82, 131 & 147

Amelia Berridge, soprano

Lara Morger, contralto

Tilman Lichdi, tenor

Chris Postuma, tenor*

Klaus Mertens, bass

The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir

DIR: TON KOOPMAN

recorded: June 17, 2026, Thomaskirche, Leipzig

[Bachfest Leipzig 2026]

period instruments

flac (original bitrate: 192 kbps AAC)

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Johann Sebastian BACH

(01) Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen (BWV 12),

cantata for Sunday Jubilate* [23'06"]

Michael PRAETORIUS (1571-1621)

(02) Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir [04'49"]

Johann Sebastian BACH

(03) Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir (BWV 131) [20'35"]

Heinrich SCHÜTZ (1585-1672)

(04) Herr, nun lässest du deinen Diener im Friede fahren (SWV 433) [03'21"]

Johann Sebastian BACH

(05) Ich habe genung (BWV 82),

cantata for the feast of the Purification of Mary [17'34"]

Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben (BWV 147),

cantata for the feast of Mary Visitation [29'30"]

(06) [Parte prima] [17'34"]

(07) Parte secunda [11'56"]

Picture: autograph of cantata BWV 147 (Wohl mir, dass ich Jesum habe)

links:

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Hinrich Philip Johnsen - score

Friday, 24 July 2026

The Splendour of the North - Consortium Sedinum

The Splendour of the North

Orchestral music from Sweden, Denmark

& North Germany

Consortium Sedinum

DIR: URSZULA STAWICKA

recorded: July 2, 2026, Galeria IMO, Stary Sącz

[Omnia Beneficia Festival 2026]

period instruments

flac (original bitrate: 320 kbps AAC)

included: programme festival (PL)

programme notes (E)

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Johann Adolph SCHEIBE (1708-1776)

(01) Sinfonia in B flat (SchW A2,002) [08'04"]

Johan Helmich ROMAN (1694-1758)

(02) Overture in g minor (BeRI 43) [07'36"]

(03) Concerto grosso in B flat (BeRI 45) [08'34"]

Per BRANT (1714-1767)

(04) Sinfonia in d minor [10'09"]

Hinrich Philip JOHNSEN (1717-1779)

(05) Sinfonia in F (NorJ A1) [08'34"]

Johan Joachim AGRELL (1701-1765)

(06) Sinfonia in A, op. 1,3 [11'06"]

Picture: Stockholm, 1771 (Johan Sevenbom,1721-1784)

links:

Johann Adolph Scheibe - score

Johan Helmich Roman - scores

Per Brant - score

download:

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Thursday, 23 July 2026

Bellini: Beatrice di Tenda - Riccardo Minasi

Vincenzo BELLINI

(1801 - 1835)

Beatrice di Tenda

tragedia lirica in 2 acts (Venice, 1833)

libretto: Felice Romani (after Carlo Tedaldi Fores)

Angela Meade, soprano (Beatrice di Tenda)

Carmela Remigio, mezzo-soprano (Agnese del Maino)

Francesco Demuro, tenor (Orombello)

Giuliano Petouchoff, tenor (Rizzardo del Maino)

Manuel Pierattelli, tenor (Anichino)

Mattia Olivieri, baritone (Filippo Maria Visconti)

Choir and Orchestra of Opera Carlo Felice

DIR: RICCARDO MINASI

recorded: March 19, 2024, Opera Carlo Felice, Genoa

modern instruments, period style

flac (original bitrate: 320 AAC)

(01) act 1 [1.27'50"]

(02) act 2 [1.11'25"]

Picture: Poster for premiere, 1833

links:

download:

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