Monday, March 30, 2026

An Hour of High Baroque Music

Good morning! Here is a one-hour selection of High Baroque chamber and vocal music. We open with Johann Adam Reincken's Partita No. 6 from his Hortus Musicus, music that so impressed the young Johann Sebastian Bach that he arranged several of Reincken's themes for harpsichord. Then Buxtehude's festive Magnificat anima mea in a radiant performance by Ton Koopman and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and Choir.

A rare sacred concerto by Johann Rosenmüller follows, a composer who blended German gravity with Venetian colour like no other. Georg Muffat's Sonata III from Armonico Tributo, a work that masterfully fuses French, Italian and German styles. The playlist closes with two works by Johann Pachelbel: a jubilant cantata and suites from his Musikalische Ergötzung, along with the familiar Canon and Gigue.

Programme

1. Johann Adam Reincken — Hortus Musicus, Partita No. 6
2. Dietrich Buxtehude — Magnificat anima mea
3. Johann Rosenmüller — Bleibe bei uns
4. Georg Muffat — Armonico Tributo, Sonata III
5. Johann Pachelbel — Cantata · Musikalische Ergötzung · Canon

▶ Open playlist in Spotify · 1 hour

Johann Adam Reincken

1623 – 1722

Hortus Musicus — Partita No. 6 in A major (1687)

Recorded: November 1995

Les Cyclopes: Thierry Maeder (violin) · Bibiane Lapointe (violin) · Brian Feehan (violin) · Manfred Kraemer (violin) · Laura Johnson (viola da gamba) · Guido Balestracci (viola da gamba)

• Sonata
• Allemand
• Courant
• Saraband
• Gigue

Dietrich Buxtehude

c. 1637 – 1707

Magnificat anima mea, Domine, BuxWV Anh. 1

Recorded: 2006 – 2007

Bettina Pahn, Johannette Zomer (soprano) · Bogna Bartosz, Patrick van Goethem, Daniel Taylor (alto) · Jörg Dürmüller, Andreas Karasiak (tenor) · Donald Bentvelsen, Klaus Mertens (bass)
Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir · Ton Koopman, conductor

• Magnificat anima mea, Domine

Johann Rosenmüller

1619 – 1684

Bleibe bei uns, denn es will Abend werden

Recorded: 2021

Ensemble 1684 · Gregor Meyer, conductor

• Bleibe bei uns, denn es will Abend werden

Georg Muffat

1653 – 1704

Armonico Tributo — Sonata III (1682)

Recorded: August 2020

Concerto Copenhagen · Lars Ulrik Mortensen, director

• I. Grave – Allegro
• II. Corrente
• III. Adagio
• IV. Gavotta
• V. Rondeau

Johann Pachelbel

1653 – 1706

Halleluja! Lobet den Herrn in seinem Heiligtum

Recorded: 2004

La Capella Ducale · Musica Fiata · Roland Wilson, conductor

• Lobet den Herrn in seinem Heiligtum

Musikalische Ergötzung — Suite in C major, P. 374 (c. 1691)

Recorded: 2016

Gli Incogniti · Amandine Beyer, director

• I. Sonata
• II. Aria
• III. Treza
• IV. Ciacona

Canon & Gigue, P. 37 (c. 1680)

Recorded: 2016

Gli Incogniti · Amandine Beyer, director

• I. Canon a 3 Violinis con Basso c.
• II. Gigue

Image & Context

Laurent de La Hyre (1606–1656)
Allegory of Music, 1649 · Oil on canvas, 105 × 142 cm
One of a series of seven allegories on the Liberal Arts, likely a replica of the version held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
La Hyre painted this work during the height of French Baroque classicism — the same decades that saw Reincken and Buxtehude establishing the North German organ school.

Image courtesy: Galerie Jean-François Heim, Basel

Classical music morning playlist

Good morning! Here is a one hour selection of chamber works spanning the Classical and early Romantic periods. We begin with Mozart's "Kegelstatt" Trio, composed playfully during a game of skittles and performed by the trio of Brymer, Kovacevich, and Ireland. Misty landscapes in John Field's pioneering Nocturnes. I selected three of them — two well before and one after Chopin composed his. Alice Sara Ott's recently recorded interpretations are on the playlist. Hummel's Cello Sonata, where cellist Bárta and pianist Milne converse with delicate eloquence across three movements, was actually one of the examples for Johannes Brahms' first cello sonata. The playlist concludes with Howard Shelly's sparkling rendition of Hummel's Rondo in E.

Open playlist in Spotify · 1 hour

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)

Trio in E♭, K. 498 · "Kegelstatt Trio"
Composed: 1786 · Recorded: December 1969

Jack Brymer (clarinet) · Stephen Bishop Kovacevich (piano) · Patrick Ireland (viola)

Track 01: Andante
Track 02: Menuetto
Track 03: Rondeaux (Allegretto)

John Field (1782–1832)

3 Piano Nocturnes
Alice Sara Ott, piano · Recorded: September 2024

Track 04: Nocturne No. 9 "Pastorale" in A major (1815)
Track 05: Nocturne No. 4 in A major (1817)
Track 06: Nocturne No. 14 in C major (1835)

Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778–1837)

Cello Sonata in A major, Op. 104 (1824)
Recorded: February 2005

Jiří Bárta (cello) · Hamish Milne (piano)

Track 07: Allegro Amabile e Grazioso
Track 08: Romanze: Un Poco Adagio e Con Espressione
Track 09: Rondo: Allegro Vivace Un Poco

Rondo in E, Op. 11 (1804)
Howard Shelley, piano · Recorded: 1999

Track 10: Rondo in E, Op. 11

Gustav Mahler, if Ajax wins or not.

A few matches remained, and football club Ajax was set to become Dutch football champion. At least, that was the plan. The Museumplein in Amsterdam, near the Rijksmuseum, had been saved for the famous Mahler Festival, an Amsterdam tradition since 1920. But because of the expected celebration of Ajax's championship, the public part of the festival was moved to Vondelpark.

And then... Ajax started losing all its matches. Now, on May 13th, there's a real chance they won't win the championship after all, making all the fuss about nothing.

At least we still have Spotify. While looking through playlists, I found this varied collection of Mahler works with different performers from different time periods, all giving top-notch performances. The collection even includes a recording of Carl Maria von Weber's opera "Die drei Pintos," which Gustav Mahler finished after Weber's death.

I hope you will enjoy this playlist! 

Gustav Mahler, the complete works:

Gustav Symphony No. 1 in D Major "Titan"

Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Bruno Walter
Recorded: 14, 21 January & 4, 6 February 1961
Recording Venue: American Legion Hall, Hollywood, United States

Track 01 Langsam, schleppend
Track 02 Kräftig bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell
Track 03 Feierlich und gemessen, ohne zu schleppen
Track 04 Stürmisch bewegt

Symphony No. 2 in C Minor "Resurrection"

Charlotte Margiono (soprano), Jard van Nes (alto)
Saxon State Opera Chorus, Dresden, Staatskapelle Dresden, Dresdner Philharmoniker
Bernard Haitink
Recorded: 13 February 1995
Recording Venue: Semperoper, Dresden, Germany

Track 05 Allegro maestoso
Track 06 Andante moderato
Track 07 In ruhig fließender Bewegung
Track 08 Urlicht. Sehr feierlich, aber schlicht
Track 09 Finale. Im Tempo des Scherzos

Symphony No. 3 in D Minor

Dennis Egan (posthorn), Helen Watts (contralto), Denis Wick (trombone)
Highgate School Choir, London Symphony Orchestra
Jascha Horenstein
Recorded: 16 November 1961
Recording Venue: Royal Festival Hall, London, United Kingdom

Track 10 Kräftig. Entschieden (Live)
Track 11 Tempo di menuetto. Sehr mäßig (Live)
Track 12 Comodo. Scherzando. Ohne Hast (Live)
Track 13 Sehr langsam. Misterioso (Live)
Track 14 Lustig im Tempo und keck im Ausdruck (Live)
Track 15 Langsam. Ruhevoll. Empfunden (Live)

Symphony No. 4 in G Major

Eva Csapó (soprano)
SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg
Klaus Tennstedt
Recorded: September 1976

Track 16 Bedächtig, nicht eilen
Track 17 In gemächlicher Bewegung, ohne Hast
Track 18 Ruhevoll, poco adagio
Track 19 Sehr behaglich

Symphony No. 5 in C-Sharp Minor

NDR Sinfonieorchester
Klaus Tennstedt
Recorded: 19 May 1980
Recording Venue: Laeiszhalle Hamburg, Germany

Track 20 Trauermarsch
Track 21 Stürmisch bewegt, mit größter Vehemenz
Track 22 Scherzo
Track 23 Adagietto
Track 24 Rondo-Finale

Symphony No. 6 in A Minor "Tragic"

New York Philharmonic
Dimitri Mitropoulos
Recorded: 10 April 1955
Recording Venue: Live recording, New York, United States

Track 25 Allegro energico, ma non troppo. Heftig, aber markig (Live)
Track 26 Andante moderato (Live)
Track 27 Scherzo. Wuchtig (Live)
Track 28 Finale. Sostenuto - Allegro moderato - Allegro energico (Live)

Symphony No. 7 in E Minor

SWR Sinfonieorchester des Südwestrundfunks
Hans Rosbaud
Recorded: 20 February 1957
Recording Venue: Baden-Baden, Germany

Track 29 Langsam - Allegro con fuoco
Track 30 Nachtmusik. Allegro moderato
Track 31 Scherzo. Schattenhaft
Track 32 Nachtmusik. Andante amoroso
Track 33 Rondo - Finale

Kindertotenlieder

Brigitte Fassbaender (mezzo-soprano)
NDR Sinfonieorchester
Klaus Tennstedt
Recorded: 11 November 1980
Recording Venue: Kieler Schloß, Germany

Track 34 No. 1, Nun will die Sonn' so hell aufgeh'n
Track 35 No. 2, Nun seh' ich wohl
Track 36 No. 3, Wenn dein Mütterlein
Track 37 No. 4, Oft denk' ich, sie sind nur ausgegangen
Track 38 No. 5, In diesem Wetter

Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major "Symphony of a Thousand"

Frances Yeend (soprano), Uta Gräf (soprano), Camilla Williams (soprano), Martha Lipton (mezzo-soprano), Louis Bernhardt (vocals), Eugene Conley (alto), Carlos Alexander (baritone), George London (bass)
Schola Cantorium, Westminster Choir, Public School No. 12 Boys Choir, New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra
Leopold Stokowski

Track 39 Pt. 1, Veni, Creator Spiritus (Live)
Track 40 Pt. 2, Final Scene from Faust (Live)

Symphony No. 9 in D Major

Staatskapelle Dresden
Giuseppe Sinopoli
Recorded: 6 April 1997
Recording Venue: Semperoper Dresden, Germany

Track 41 Andante comodo (Live)
Track 42 Im Tempo eines gemächlichen Ländlers. Etwas täppisch und sehr derb (Live)
Track 43 Rondo-Burleske. Allegro assai (Live)
Track 44 Adagio. Sehr langsam und noch zurückhaltend (Live)

Symphony No. 10 in F-Sharp Minor

Wiener Staatsoper
Hermann Scherchen

Track 45 Adagio. Andante

Des Knaben Wunderhorn (1899 version)

Diana Damrau (soprano), Ivan Paley (baritone), Stephan Matthias Lademann (piano)

Track 46 No. 2, Verlor'ne Müh (Version for Voice & Piano)

Lieder und Gesänge, Book 2

Ivan Paley (baritone), Stephan Matthias Lademann (piano), Diana Damrau (soprano)
Recorded: May, September 2003
Recording Venue: Telos Music Studios, Mechernich-Floisdorf, Germany

Track 47 No. 1, Um schlimme Kinder artig zu machen
Track 48 No. 4, Starke Einbildungskraft

Lieder und Gesänge, Book 3

Ivan Paley (baritone), Stephan Matthias Lademann (piano)

Track 49 No. 5, Selbstgefühl

5 Humoresken

Track 50 No. 4, Das himmlische Leben

Songs from "Des Knaben Wunderhorn"

Track 51 No. 8, Lied des Verfolgten im Turm (Version for Voice & Piano)

Lieder und Gesänge, Book 3

Diana Damrau (soprano)
Recorded: May, September 2003
Recording Venue: Telos Music Studios, Mechernich-Floisdorf, Germany

Track 52 No. 4, Nicht wiedersehen!
Track 53 No. 3, Scheiden und Meiden
Track 54 No. 1, Zu Strassburg auf der Schanz

Songs from "Des Knaben Wunderhorn"

Track 55 No. 3, Trost im Unglück (Version for Voice & Piano)

Lieder und Gesänge, Book 2

Track 56 No. 3, Aus! Aus!

Lieder und Gesänge, Book 3

Track 57 No. 2, Ablösung im Sommer

Songs from "Des Knaben Wunderhorn"

Recorded: May, September 2003
Recording Venue: Telos Music Studios, Mechernich-Floisdorf, Germany

Track 58 No. 6, Des Antonius von Padua Fischpredigt (Version for Voice & Piano)
Track 59 No. 7, Rheinlegendchen (Version for Voice & Piano)

Lieder und Gesänge, Book 2

Track 60 No. 2, Ich ging mit Lust durch einen grünen Wald

Songs from "Des Knaben Wunderhorn"

Recorded: May, September 2003
Recording Venue: Telos Music Studios, Mechernich-Floisdorf, Germany

Track 61 No. 10, Lob des hohen Verstandes
Track 62 No. 4, Wer hat dies Liedlein erdacht?
Track 63 No. 11a, Revelge (1901 Revision)
Track 64 No. 9, Wo die schönen Trompeten blasen
Track 65 No. 1, Der Schildwache Nachtlied
Track 66 No. 12a, Der Tamboursg'sell (1901 Revision)
Track 67 No. 5, Das irdische Leben
Track 68 No. 12, Es sungen drei Engel
Track 69 No. 11, Urlicht

Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen

Mildred Miller (mezzo-soprano)
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Bruno Walter
Recorded: 30 June and 1 July 1960
Recording Venue: American Legion Hall, Hollywood, United States

Track 70 No. 1, Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht
Track 71 No. 2, Ging heut' morgen ubers Feld
Track 72 No. 3, Ich hab' ein glühend Messer
Track 73 No. 4, Die zwei blauen Augen von meinem Schatz

Lieder und Gesänge, Book 1

Dési Halban (soprano), Bruno Walter (piano)
Recorded: 16 December 1947
Recording Venue: Los Angeles, United States

Track 74 No. 2, Erinnerung
Track 75 No. 3, Hans und Grete
Track 76 No. 1, Frühlingsmorgen

Rückert-Lieder

Kathleen Ferrier (contralto)
Wiener Philharmoniker
Bruno Walter
Recorded: 20 May 1952
Recording Venue: Wien, Grosser Saal, Musikverein, Austria

Track 77 No. 5, Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
Track 78 No. 1, Ich atmet' einen linden Duft
Track 79 No. 6, Um Mitternacht

Das Lied von der Erde

James McCracken (tenor), Hertha Töpper (alto)
WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
Sir Georg Solti
Recorded: 1961

Track 80 No. 1, Das Trinklied vom Jammer der Erde
Track 81 No. 2, Der Einsame im Herbst
Track 82 No. 3, Von der Jugend
Track 83 No. 4, Von der Schönheit
Track 84 No. 5, Der Trunkene im Frühling
Track 85 No. 6, Der Abschied

Blumine (original 2nd movement of Symphony No. 1)

Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
Michael Halász

Track 86 Blumine (First Version of Symphony No. 1, Mvt. 2)

Das klagende Lied

Gundula Janowitz (soprano), Sonja Draksler (alto), Julius Patzak (tenor)
Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, Chor des Österreichischen Rundfunks
Kurt Richter
Recorded: 1960
Recording Venue: Vienna, Austria

Track 87 Orchestral Prelude
Track 88 Beim Weidenbaum
Track 89 Ein Spielmann zog einst des Weges daher
Track 90 Ach Spielmann, lieber Spielmann mein
Track 91 Von hohen Felsen
Track 92 Was ist der Konig
Track 93 Ach Spielmann, lieber Spielmann mein!
Track 94 Ach Bruder, lieber Bruder mein!

Das Lied von der Erde (Version for Voice & Piano)

Robert Dean Smith (tenor), Stephan Matthias Lademann (piano), Ivan Paley (baritone)
Recorded: March and April 2005
Recording Venue: Telos Music, Studios, Mechernich-Floisdorf, Germany

Track 95 I. Das Trinklied vom Jammer der Erde
Track 96 II. Der Einsame im Herbst
Track 97 III. Der Pavillon aus Porzellan
Track 98 IV. Am Ufer
Track 99 V. Der Trinker im Frühling
Track 100 VI. Der Abschied

Die drei Pintos, J. Anh. 5, Act I (Completed G. Mahler)

Eric Shaw (tenor), Ales Jenis (baritone), Alessandro Svab (bass), Sinéad Campbell (soprano), Stewart Kempster (bass)
Wexford Festival Opera Chorus, National Philharmonic Orchestra
Paolo Arrivabeni
Recorded: 22, 25, 28 & 31 October 2003
Recording Venue: Theatre Royal, High Street, Wexford, Ireland

Track 101 Leeret die Becher, mutige Zecher! [Live]
Track 102 Was ich dann tu', das frag' ich mich [Live]
Track 103 Ei, wer hätte das gedacht! [Live]
Track 104 Leise weht' es, leise wallte [Live]
Track 105 Wir, die den Musen dienen [Live]
Track 106 Also frisch das Werk begonnen! [Live]
Track 107 Auf das Wohlergeh'n der Gäste! [Live]

Die drei Pintos, J. Anh. 5, Act II (Completed G. Mahler)

Barbara Zechmeister (soprano), Sophie Marilley (mezzo-soprano), Robert Holzer (bass), Peter Furlong (tenor)
Recorded: 22, 25, 28 & 31 October 2003
Recording Venue: Theatre Royal, High Street, Wexford, Ireland

Track 108 Entr'acte [Live]
Track 109 Wisst ihr nicht, was wir hier sollen? [Live]
Track 110 Höchste Lust ist treues Lieben! [Live]
Track 111 Ach, wenn das du doch vermochtest! [Live]
Track 112 Ja, das Wort, ich will es sprechen [Live]
Track 113 Geschwind nur von hinnen! [Live]

Die drei Pintos, J. Anh. 5, Act III (Completed G. Mahler)

Recorded: 22, 25, 28 & 31 October 2003
Recording Venue: Theatre Royal, High Street, Wexford, Ireland

Track 114 Schmücket die Halle mit Blüten und Zweigen [Live]
Track 115 Nun, da sind wir [Live]
Track 116 Mädchen, ich leide heiße Liebespein! [Live]
Track 117 Ein Mädchen verloren, was macht man sich d'raus? [Live]
Track 118 Ihr, der so edel [Live]
Track 119 Habt ihr es denn schon vernommen? [Live]
Track 120 Mit lieblichen Blumen, mit duftenden Blüten [Live]
Track 121 Was wollt Ihr? [Live]
Track 122 Heil sei Euch, Don Pantaleone! [Live]

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/65ReDauSeVJ6fnUnpGG5FQ?si=3c6547cf994c4809

(Http link to the 19 Hours 04 minutes playlist!)

The classical sandwich (on period instruments)

”The” classical concert program is an overture, followed by a concert and a symphony. So, as it’s in use in the concert halls, it actually never took off on CD. Strange! In te time of Spotify, it’s easy to create your own concert. And so I did. From two recent and one almost recent issues I compiled some fine playing in a classical sandwich. All recordings on this playlist are on authentic instruments. Enjoy the program! 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Track 01 Overture Le Nozze di Figaro, KV 492 (1786)

Kölner Akademie

Michael Alexander Willens, conductor

Recorded September 2022

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809-1847)

Tracks 02-04 Violin Concerto In E Minor Op 64 (1844)

Alina Ibragimova, violin

Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment

Vladimir Jurowski, conductor

Recorded September 2011

Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

Tracks 05-08 Symphony No. 5 in B-Flat Major, D. 485 (1816)

Freiburger Barockorchester 

Pablo Heras-Casado, conductor

Recorded November 2021

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7x4LzsRktTFr9KMj6tVrIk?si=43b9ca0f5b0349eb(Weblink to the playlist)

Have a break, have a Brendel. Alfred Brendel in Joseph Haydn.

Sometimes you get a brief break during which you can listen to some music. On your headphones, in the kitchen, in bed even. And a short playlist can be very fitted for that. Years ago I made a quick Debussy fix playlist, now it are the 1985 Haydn recordings by now retired pianist Alfred Brendel, who always excelled in this repertoire. Starting with the most well known piano sonata (also a piece many people played when they had five of six years of piano lessons), the D major Hoboken 37 sonata. Then a set of moving variations in f minor, allegedly composed by Haydn as a reflection of Mozart’s death, and his masterpiece, the E flat sonata Hoboken 52. 

I hope you will enjoy this Brendel-break!

Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

Tracks 01-03 Piano sonata in D major Hob. XVI: 37 (before 1780)

Track 04 Andante Con Variazioni In F Minor Hob. XVII: 6 (1793)

Tracks 05-07 Piano sonata in E flat  major Hob. XVI: 52 (1794)

Alfred Brendel, piano

Recorded in 1985

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6bDR7942uv7AbxOayYz3fv?si=a899f9672e024278(47 minutes of a Brendel-break through a Spotify weblink)

A one hour Spotify playlist with works from the classical period. Clementi, Mozart, Pleyel

Born before Mozart and living past Beethoven, Muzio Clementi (1752-1832) had a fruitful long musical life. Mozart envied his technical abilities behind te pianoforte and Beethoven was introduced to the early sonatas by Clementi by his teacher Christian Gottlieb Neefe. The Capriccio in E, op 47 no 1 is from 1821 and more a “free form sonata” in three parts. The symphonic caracter of this work is captured by the pianist Howard Shelley.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) composed the String Duo No. 2 in B-flat major for violin and viola, K. 424, during the summer of 1783. This work was the second of two duos he wrote to complete Michael Haydn’s set of six for Archbishop Colloredo. Michael, the younger brother of Joseph, was sick and unable to finish the requested 6 sonatas, only having composed 4. Mozart surprised his friend by composing two additional sonatas in 5 days…

The String Quintet in F Minor, is part of Ignaz Pleyel’s (1757-1831) collection of chamber music from 1786. It is scored for a string quartet (two violins, viola, and cello) with the addition of an extra viola, creating a quintet. A remarkable French “stürm on drang” work in three parts.

Muzio Clementi (1752-1832)

Tracks 01-03 Capriccio for piano in E, op 47 no 1 (1821)

Howard Shelley, piano 

Recorded 2011

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Tracks 04-06 String Duo No. 2 in B-flat major for violin and viola, K. 424 (1783)

Sarah Kapustin, violin 

Roeland Jagers, viola

Recorded 2020

Ignaz Pleyel  (1757-1831)

Tracks 07-09 String Quintet in F Minor, Ben 277 (1786)

Janáček Quartet

Miloš Vacek  Vítězslav Zavadilík, violin

Bohuslav Matoušek, Jan Řezníček, viola

Břetislav Vybíral, cello

Recorded 2013

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7i1gTJcGI0Ngl0JDb0Cb5U?si=b31675752a0f40d6Spotify HTTP link