DCD 093 - October on Achill

Redmond O'Toole is a classical guitarist who moves easily between the classical world and that of traditional Irish music. His instrument, the "Brahms guitar" is an unusual eight-stringed guitar with a special resonating box and held like a cello.

O'Toole uses the instrument to great effect, especially on his first CD with VGo Records. October on Achill features O'Toole performing Irish music with many of the same musicians he's been playing informally with (on the island of Achill) for the past 15 years.

The result is of an hour's worth of excellent and exciting performances that successfully straddles Redmond O'Toole's two musical worlds.

DCD Enhanced Classical 'Cast #093 - October on Achill

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- Ralph

This program we play:

Morrison's Jig/Drowsy Maggie/The Traveller - Traditional
Eleanor Plunkett - Turlough O'Carolan
Redmond O'Toole, guitar
from "October on Achill"
a VGo release

The Castle of Dromore - Traditional
The Boys of Blue Hill/Cronin's Hornpipe - Traditional
Redmond O'Toole, guitar
from "October on Achill"
a VGo release

Miss Bailey - Mauro Giuliani
The Nine Points of Roguery/The Lark in the Morning/The Kesh Jig - Traditional
Redmond O'Toole, guitar
from "October on Achill"
a VGo release

DCD 092 - Vicenzo Albrici: Concerti Sacre

Vinceno Albrici (1631-1696) spent a great deal of time in the service of Queen Christina of Sweden. So it's no surprise that Swedish-based label Musica Rediviva would release an album dedicated to this composer.

The compositions are all "sacred concertos." That is, works that adapted the new concerto style of vocal composition (contrasting arias and choruses) to liturgical use.

Albrici was a champion of the genre, along with Heinrich Schutz, who he worked with in Queen Christina's court. Schutz was a major influence on Johann Sebastian Bach -- and there's a connection to Albrici as well. After being dismissed from the court at Dresden, Albrici was hired as organist at Thomaskirche in Liepzig in 1681 -- a position Bach would later hold as well.

DCD Enhanced Classical 'Cast #092 -Vincenzo Abrici: Concerti Sacre

- Ralph

This program we play:

Vincenzo Albrici: Sinfonia fro two violins and basso continuo
Capella Augustina; Matteo Messori, conductor
Musica Rediviva

Vincenzo Albrici: Quantus amor Jesu for baritone and basso continuo
Capella Augustina; Matteo Messori, conductor
Musica Rediviva

Vincenzo Albrici: Ave Jesu Christe for two sopranos and basso continuo
Capella Augustina; Matteo Messori, conductor
Musica Rediviva

Vincenzo Albrici: Venite omnes gentes
Capella Augustina; Matteo Messori, conductor
Musica Rediviva

DCD 089 - Lazarof on Laurel

This program we feature works for a Laurel Records release: Chamber Music by Henri Lazarof.

Henri Lazarof has had a remarkable career, always at the forefront of modern expression in the arts. For the past four decades he's been a respected composer and teacher at UCLA. This collection of chamber music is one of four CDs Laurel has released of Lazarof's music.

Lazarof has a very distinctive musical voice that bridges tradition and the avant garde. This CD presents four works for various combinations of instruments, mostly written in the 1980's.

In this podcast we play excerpted movements from these works.

DCD Classical 'Cast #089: Lazarof on Laurel

- Ralph

This program we play:


Lazarof: Momenti for solo cello, mvts. 1-3
Jeffery Solow, cello
Laurel Records

Lazarof: Piano Trio, mvts. 3-4
Jeffery Solo, cello; Yoko Matsudo, violin; Jerome Lowenthal, piano
Laurel Records

Lazarof: Trio for Wind Instruements, mvts. 3-4
Sheridan Stokes, flute; John Winter, oboe; Gary Gray, clarinet
Laurel Records