Author: BCR central

Thank you Lark Reviews for this charming review of The Nightingale’s Response by Fontanella:

If ever there was a recording for a gentle summer’s evening this must be it. The scores range from Merula and Van Eyck in the seventeenth century to George Shearing and Joseph Kosma. The nightingale itself is heard as the programme continues and it says a great deal for the sensitivity of the planning that there is no problem in continuity. The Quintet play a wide range of recorders giving a freshness and range to the works, all of which are captivating in their impact.

Passacaglia’s Vivaldi Undercover is a tremendously fun, vigorous album – even if we say so ourselves! And reviewers agree:

“…wonderfully passionate and detailed playing… in the hands of the wonderfully virtuosic Annabel Knight and Louise Bradbury the playing is never less than superbly accomplished…”
Early Music Review

“…this is a delightful disc. In Tobie Miller [Passacaglia] has a true virtuoso in its ranks… The other players are just as good.”
MusicWeb International

Disc of the week
Longplay.blox.pl

“Passacaglia delivers performances replete with polished precision and rhythmic verve while never neglecting to keep the music’s breezy textures centre-stage. Unusual in many ways, but the sheer invention of [the] transcriptions makes this disc worthy of serious investigation.”
dailyclassicalmusic.com

A very nice first review of Olwen Foulkes’s debut album on BCR, Directed by Handel.

Olwen Foulkes’s playing is excellent, producing a beautifully controlled and mellifluous tone which she combines with an impressive sense of musical detail as well as the longer melodic phrase. She also provides well-written programme notes describing the music of Handel’s theatre musicians.

Although this is clearly a CD focussed on the recorder soloist, the other four musicians (Nathaniel Mander, harpsichord, Carina Drury, cello, Tabea Debus, bass recorder, and Toby Carr, theorbo) get a very fair share of the honours. As well as her role as a continuo player, cellist Carina Drury is the expressive soloist in Geminiani’s Sonata in F (H.107). Nathaniel Mander provides very effective harpsichord continuo as well as his solo performance of John Blow’s Mortlake Ground.

Full copy here.

This much anticipated debut recording by recorder player Olwen Foulkes is now in stock for immediate despatch from the BCR online store. Directed by Handel explores music and composers closely associated with Handel, rooted in London’s vibrant theatre world. There are works by Handel himself, Sammartini, Geminiani, Castrucci and JC Smith, some presented for the first time in new arrangements by Olwen. She is joined by a superb continuo team – Nathaniel Mander (harpsichord), Carina Drury (cello), Toby Carr (theorbo) and Tabea Debus (bass recorder). Click the album link to find out more and hear audio samples. You’ll also find some photos from the recording sessions in London below.

Announcing BCR’s latest album release, Sacred Music by Ockeghem & Josquin by Capilla Cayrasco.

In BCR’s first choral release, Capilla Cayrasco, directed by Eligio Luis Quinteiro, present works by the two most influential Flemish composers of the early renaissance.

The album was recorded over three sunny days last year in the legendary recording venue of All Saints’ church, Tooting, London, with Capilla Cayrasco being joined on two tracks by Reiko Ichise (viol) and Sarah Moffatt (rebec).

Available immediately from the BCR online store. £12.50 including UK postage – order here.

We’re pleased to announce our latest release, Vivaldi Undercover by Passacaglia.

Baroque specialists Passacaglia explore the way Vivaldi was copied, borrowed from, adapted – and counterfeited – in the 18th century. The album features sparkling new arrangements by the group, and brand new performances of Chedeville’s brilliant transcriptions of ‘The Four Seasons’, with virtuoso hurdy-gurdy player Tobie Miller.

Available immediately. £12.50 including UK postage – order here.

We’re really pleased to have launched this completely new version of the BCR website. We think it showcases the work of our superb artists better than ever before. The redesigned store should be easier to use for customers in the UK, Europe and beyond. And it’s ready for a series of new releases in 2017, starting with albums by Capilla Cayrasco, Fontanella and Passacaglia. Please do connect via Facebook or Twitter, and sign up for our email newsletter for release announcements and exclusive discount vouchers.