Classical Editor: Rob Barnett                               Music Webmaster Len Mullenger: Len@musicweb-international.com


A CAPELA DO REI MAGNÂNIMO

"The Chapel of the Magnanimous King"
FRANCISCO ANTONIO DE ALMEIDA
(C.1702 - C.1755)
In Dedicatione Templi
CARLOS SEIXAS
(1705 - 1742)
Sonata no.75 in A minor
D.SCARLATTI
(1685 - 1757)
Laetatus Sum
BERNARDO PASQUINI
(1637 - 1710)
Sonata in C
GIOVANNI BATTISTA BASSETTI
(? - ?)
Lauda Jerusalem
JOAO RODRIGUES ESTEVES
(c. 1700 - 1751)
Mass for 8 voices

Lisbon Chamber Choir/Teresita Gutierrez Marques
David Cranmer (organ)
Recorded Lisbon 2000
STRAUSS PORTUGALSOM SP 4292 [54.50]

The music on this disc is associated with the 'magnanimous monarch' of its title, namely King Joao V of Portugal, who reigned during the first half of the C18th. It has been brought together in this form with the assistance of the Portuguese Ministry of Culture - but don't let that put you off.

There is some attractive music here, though none of it is of especially high quality. Perhaps predictably, the best piece is the Scarlatti, though the de Almeida motet is worth listening to, as is the Mass by Esteves.

The Lisbon Chamber Choir is a pleasant-toned choir, who achieve a well balanced blend, but are a little short on tonal variety, which this music urgently needs. There are some important solos, which are taken competently, presumably by members of the choir. Unfortunately, they are not credited, which seems rather thoughtless.

The organist David Cranmer produces some attractive sounds from the organ of St.George's Church Lisbon, where this disc was recorded, though some will find the quintadena stop used in the Seixas Minuet (sounding a 12th above the main note) strangely exotic. Cranmer provided much of the research needed to assemble these performances, and also wrote the informative sleeve-note.

A couple of small but significant quibbles. Firstly, this disc is very short at under 55 minutes. And secondly, some more track divisions would have been useful. The Scarlatti falls into several clearly demarcated sections, but is all on one track, whereas the Esteves is divided into five separate tracks - much better.

Gwyn Parry-Jones

This disc is available direct from Portugalsom-STRAUSS as follows:-

The prices are: UK pounds- 6 and US dollars -10 (freight not included).

Freight --- till 3 cd's --- not registered --- £2.40;registered---- £3.50

For USA --$ 10

Freight --till 3cd's -- not registered ---$5 ;registered ---- $6.80

We accept Visa or American Express

Credit cards are accepted with the name of the buyer, credit card number, validity date and type of card.

Orders : to the attention of Eduarda Martins

by fax to the nº 351 21 7142353

By mail to :

Rua Adelaide Cabete,3C

1500-023 LISBOA

Portugal

phone 01 7151151 - 7143490 fax 01 7141723

by e-mail strauss@mail.telepac.pt

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