Baroque music has never quite been the wheelhouse of Theatre of Voices and their director, Paul Hillier, but this release has found both critical and commercial success. It's easy to see why. The music is completely fresh, coming from a personal collection in Sweden, and much of it is strong enough to make you wonder where it's been all your life. The composers involved are from the generations before Bach, and most of them influenced him. Primary among these is Dietrich Buxtehude, who lies at the center of the program and ...
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Baroque music has never quite been the wheelhouse of Theatre of Voices and their director, Paul Hillier, but this release has found both critical and commercial success. It's easy to see why. The music is completely fresh, coming from a personal collection in Sweden, and much of it is strong enough to make you wonder where it's been all your life. The composers involved are from the generations before Bach, and most of them influenced him. Primary among these is Dietrich Buxtehude, who lies at the center of the program and who had mixed German and Scandinavian background. Sample the fascinating elaboration on the title tune, which is unlike Bach or anyone else. Organ pieces are not just interludes but feel part of the groups of Christmas pieces on the program, which cover and evoke the seasonal themes of The Annunciation and Advent ; The Shepherds ; The Nativity ; and New Year, Epiphany & Annunciation . The selection covers some little-heard composers including Johann Christoph...
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