{"title":"CORO 25th Anniversary Sale","description":"\u003cp\u003eCelebrate\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e25 years\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eof CORO\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003ewith\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eover 100 exceptional titles\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eon sale now at \u003cem\u003eHBDirect\u003c\/em\u003e!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCORO\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eis the pioneering independent artist-owned classical label whose acclaimed catalog has grown to more than 200 exceptional recordings. Since its founding,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCORO\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003ehas championed bold artistry and outstanding performances from some of today's finest musicians. To mark this milestone, enjoy special anniversary savings on a curated selection from the label's celebrated collection—\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e25% OFF\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003efor a limited time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"shopify-section-template--18107431616746__blocks_hpEaLT\" class=\"shopify-section\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"shopify-block-ARk1HUVd2TGNpVktaW__ai_gen_block_00051a3_B6TAYk\" class=\"shopify-block\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"ai-section-header-ark1huvd2tgnpvktawaigenblock00051a3b6tayk\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"ai-section-header__container-ark1huvd2tgnpvktawaigenblock00051a3b6tayk\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"ai-section-header__description-ark1huvd2tgnpvktawaigenblock00051a3b6tayk\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"shopify-section\" id=\"shopify-section-template--18107431616746__blocks_hpEaLT\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"shopify-block\" id=\"shopify-block-ARk1HUVd2TGNpVktaW__ai_gen_block_00051a3_B6TAYk\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"ai-section-header-ark1huvd2tgnpvktawaigenblock00051a3b6tayk\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"ai-section-header__container-ark1huvd2tgnpvktawaigenblock00051a3b6tayk\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"ai-section-header__description-ark1huvd2tgnpvktawaigenblock00051a3b6tayk\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShop the sale now before it ends at 9:00am ET, Monday, August 31st, 2026.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"a-traditional-christmas-carol-collection-vol-1","title":"A Traditional Christmas Carol Collection, Vol. 1","description":"\u003cp\u003eA collection traditional Christmas Carols from The Sixteen, sung in well-known and well-loved arrangements with traditional harmonies and original words. This is the perfect Christmas disc - everyone will recognize the carols and be able to sing along with The Sixteen, or just create a relaxing and convivial mood, enjoying the familiar sounds of that special season of the year where love and hope surround us. (Coro)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Coro","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46908204450072,"sku":"828021604324","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/992100_10a428a5-5156-4105-a2d5-537b38396df7.jpg?v=1777782005"},{"product_id":"haydn-symphony-no-103-theresienmesse","title":"Haydn: Symphony No. 103 \u0026 Theresienmesse","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Handel and Haydn Society celebrates Haydn with a dazzling pairing of two of the composer’s masterpieces. 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From exuberant early works such as Will Todd’s sublime \"Whisper Him my name,\" Maxwell Davies’ \"Lullabye for Lucy,\" Stanford’s glorious \"The Blue Bird,\" and a new commission from Roderick Williams, this is truly music to escape to.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Coro","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46908328542488,"sku":"828021618420","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/3940230-2787851.jpg?v=1777696360"},{"product_id":"mozart-violin-concertos-vol-i","title":"Mozart Violin Concertos Vol I","description":"\u003cp\u003eMozart’s Violin Concertos need little introduction - from No. 3 in G major featuring the 19-year-old Mozart at his elegant, witty and beguilingly changeable best, to the Sinfonia Concertante – the string concerto masterpiece – with its masterly mixture of noble strength and tender lyricism. 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Featuring 39 tracks hand-picked by the conductor, the works on this collection document Harry Christophers' life in music-from his early years as a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral, through his time at Magdalen College, Oxford, and subsequent founding of The Sixteen, to more recent years as Artistic Director of America's renowned Handel and Haydn Society.     This collection charts his discovery as a boy of Purcell and Poulenc to his enduring love for the music of Victoria and Handel and his celebrated partnership with James MacMillan. Each track holds special significance and the stories behind the choices are documented in notes especially written by Harry Christophers for this album.","brand":"Coro","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":48681812099352,"sku":"828021620621","price":16.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/4335078-3177936_d662765b-7bf2-4133-99c3-f59f94cbaf28.jpg?v=1777506862"},{"product_id":"stanford-partsongs-pastorals-folksongs","title":"Stanford: Partsongs, Pastorals \u0026 Folksongs","description":"\u003cp\u003eRecognizing the centenary of the Anglo-Irish composer Charles Villiers Stanford's death, this new album from The Sixteen includes a number of premiere recordings of his Irish Folksongs and Partsongs.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStanford is celebrated both nationally and internationally as a composer of great diversity. He composed a substantial number of concert works, including seven symphonies, but he is best-remembered for his choral works. Stanford's writing for voices is exquisite and his imaginative storytelling is ever-present in his Irish Folksongs where he captures everything from fiery revenge to passionate love with equal effectiveness.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStanford's dedication to the poetry of Mary Elizabeth Coleridge also stands out-he was drawn to the lyricism of her poetry and the imagery she conjures up-something that is clearly heard in his Opus 127 settings. 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Alongside this, Carissimi's well-known Jephte transposed to the lower pitch at use in Rome at the time, injecting a more profound colour into both individual voices and it's famously plangent final chorus.     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It has been performed annually in Boston as part of the Handel and Haydn Society concert season every year since 1854.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEWS\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn his rendering of the score, Harry Christophers eloquently guides us through the entire oratorio with a steady hand and firm conviction. The tempi are sprightly where they ought to be, even sparkling like jewels at times—but not blazing as if on fire—and are equally slackened when they need to be. Further, the text is not merely declaimed; rather, every word is expressed!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe period instrument orchestra plays each and every note, trill, and ornament to perfection. As one would expect, the soloists are likewise fantastic. Soprano Gillian Keith, countertenor Daniel Taylor, tenor Tom Randle, and baritone Sumner Thompson off er impressive virtuoso contributions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe chorus’s full-bodied yet accurate ensemble singing perked up these ears from the very first pitch of “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed” all the way through “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain” and the mammoth, closing “Amen.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e– Choral Journal\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Coro","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":49052948889880,"sku":"828021612527","price":16.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/2781264.jpg?v=1777696449"},{"product_id":"bach-j-s-christmas-oratorio-bwv-248","title":"BACH, J.S.: Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Christmas Oratorio is one of Bach's greatest masterpieces and this recording is one of The Sixteen's finest. Mark Padmore is one of today's greatest 'Evangelist's', and this recording shows him at his very best. With an ever-swelling fan-base during the busiest media-quarter for the group with radio, broadsheet and music magazine coverage that will be the envy of competitors, this vivid and passionate Christmas release really should be on many shopping lists. 'Superlative...demonstrating all The Sixteen's familiar virtues.' BBC Music Magazine\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Coro","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":49052948922648,"sku":"828021601729","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/585796.jpg?v=1777774108"},{"product_id":"queen-of-heaven","title":"QUEEN OF HEAVEN","description":"This CD features all the music from The Choral Pilgrimage 2013, The Sixteen's annual UK tour,  including the new version of Allegri’s Miserere and MacMillan’s new, and equally memorable, setting of the same text. The disc also features music by Palestrina including some of his wonderful music for Easter including the Stabat Mater a8 and excerpts from the Missa Regina caeli.","brand":"Coro","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":49162040049944,"sku":"828021611827","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/2495788.jpg?v=1777545247"},{"product_id":"a-meditation","title":"A Meditation","description":"\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe five new choral works on this album – by James MacMillan, Will Todd, Anna Semple, Eoghan Desmond and Lisa Robertson – all grew from a meditation by St John Henry Newman. Newman was a theologian of towering stature and broad influence and his meditation resonates with great clarity in our present age of the re-evaluation of what we can and cannot do without, and of the profound human need for a sense of meaning and purpose. Canonized in October 2019, Newman's writings represent a rich and thought-provoking legacy and, alongside the new works presented, are immortalized in three well-known hymns and Sir Edward Elgar’s exquisite elegy 'They are at rest'. Also included are two of Elgar’s psalm settings – Great is the Lord and Give unto the Lord. These are monumental works for choir and organ, full of grandeur and drama, but also inherently simple. 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The Mass is a parody on Janeuqin's famous chanson 'La Guerre' which also features on this disc. Janequin's La Guerre, was so popular in the 16th century that it led to numerous composers, including Janequin himself, writing parody mass settings on it. Missa de la Batalla Escoutez is one of the finest of those settings. Guerrero is a quite astounding and varied composer with a wide expressive range. Heralded in the Renaissance as 'the most extraordinary of his time in the art of music', he was more famous than Victoria and Morales. Despite being a master of expression and sublime melodic invention - skills exemplified by his Missa de la Batalla Escoutez and the other fine works on this disc - Guerrero's work has often been overlooked in favour of that of his contemporaries. With this brand new recording The Sixteen aims to redress the balance.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Coro","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":49162042245400,"sku":"828021606724","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/1489244_35002fc1-e102-4f46-8d06-88625045e571.jpg?v=1777800919"},{"product_id":"sacred-music-easter-celebrati","title":"SACRED MUSIC: EASTER CELEBRATI","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn the finale to series one of the Sacred Music programme, Simon Russell Beale presents a special concert for Easter from LSO St Luke's Church, London, performed by the award-winning choir The Sixteen, conducted by founder Harry Christophers. The music takes us on a journey of over six hundred years, from haunting plainchant through to the celebrated music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Highlights include Palestrina's motet Assumpta Est Maria, and Allegri's Miserere. (See overleaf for full concert programme) Plus Bonus Features include: · Sacred Music Series One Preview · Exclusive Interview with Harry Christophers · Song Selection with Introductions from Harry Christophers (Audio Option) · Related Recordings by The Sixteen · Artist Biographies and Images · Downloadable Screensavers\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Coro","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":49162042310936,"sku":"828021607998","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/1643101.jpg?v=1777800500"},{"product_id":"bach-collection","title":"BACH COLLECTION","description":"\u003cp\u003eThree of The Sixteen's celebrated Bach recordings in one stylish boxed set. Weihnachts Oratorium (COR16017) - The Christmas Oratorio is one of Bach's greatest masterpieces and this recording is one of The Sixteen's finest. Mark Padmore is one of today's greatest 'Evangelist's', and this recording shows him at his very best. Cantatas 34, 50, 147 (COR16039) - During his years as Leipzig's Director Musices, Bach supplied at least three complete annual cycles of Cantatas for the church year. The rich variety of his writing for solo voices and orchestra along with thrilling choral textures is well represented in the three cantatas on this disc. Mass in B minor (COR16044) - Bach's Mass in B minor displays all the ingredients that contribute to his supreme ranking amongst his peers of any age, and also demonstrates the breadth of compositional skills amassed during his lifetime. It demands choral singing of blistering athleticism but also sensitive, responsive and, at times, majestic orchestral playing coupled with virtuosic obligato. \"All hail the über-choir\" The Independent\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Coro","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":49162042278168,"sku":"828021607226","price":32.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/1553254.jpg?v=1777790859"},{"product_id":"tallis-gibbons-byrd-tomkins-music-for-monarchs-and-ma","title":"TALLIS \/ GIBBONS \/ BYRD \/ TOMKINS: Music for Monarchs and Ma","description":"This selection is a Hybrid Super Audio CD. The Stereo Hybrid SACD program can be played on any standard compact disc player. The DSD Surround and Stereo programs require an SACD player for playback.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cimg src=\"\/graphics\/p10s10.gif\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  Thomas Tallis' 40-voice motet Spem in alium (scored for eight five-part choirs) was composed some 400 years before the modern age of recordings, and perhaps it's a work that's best left for the experience of live performance. Granted, capturing this grand Renaissance experiment in sound and performance logistics (said to have been composed in response to a ducal challenge) is an irresistible temptation for choirs and record companies, most of whose attempts have resulted in something less than the imagined \"wall of sound\" effect promised by its sumptuous rich-textured, full-bodied scoring. But if you're going to record it, you might as well use whatever technical means are at your disposal to reproduce the wide vocal range, sonic depth, and pure physical sensation engendered by this huge concentration of vocal forces, which in the tutti passages is sort of like the choral equivalent of an all-stops-out cathedral organ.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Until now, the best version on disc was by The Tallis Scholars. Recorded nearly 20(!) years ago, it remains a top choice, absolutely stunning in coherence and cohesiveness, to say nothing of its firm balances and amazing sonic power. (Interestingly, but not surprisingly, many of the singers on that earlier disc appear here as well.) However, this new release from Coro goes even further in bringing us closer to the live experience and manages (remarkably) to capture even more interior detail of the massed vocal forces. Since this is not a work that delivers sound from a relatively focused source--it literally comes from all directions--a surround-sound SACD recording makes a lot of sense, and even though this review is based on listening to this \"hybrid\" on a standard CD player (the SACD-system review will follow), there's no question that the engineering and mastering techniques used were expertly done to maximize the music's strengths--and delivering it with more clarity and wide-ranging dynamic impact than ever before.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e And that's only part of an extraordinary program that goes on to feature several more gems drawn from \"a century of British history\", including a convincing reconstruction of a Tomkins masterpiece (until recently unattributed) that's never before been recorded. The disc's subtitle, \"Music for Monarchs and Magnates\", sets the rationale for selections that highlight mostly larger-scale motets and anthems (and a sublime Te Deum by Tallis) composed for special, royal occasions, sometimes containing a not-too-subtle political commentary in their carefully-chosen Biblical texts. Byrd's rarely-heard Latin motet Deus venerunt is a 13-plus-minute disconcerted response to the execution of Jesuit priests, expressed in the words of a Psalm and in music that's deliberately refined and solemn--and gorgeous. Some of the works are accompanied by instruments--cornetts, sackbutts, viols--and the effect is always to the benefit of the music, surrounding and enhancing the voices with colors both bright and rich. Orlando Gibbons' Great King of Gods is a highlight among these latter pieces.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e The disc closes with yet another performance of Spem in alium, this time in its English-text setting, \"Sing and glorify\". And who would complain about hearing this magnificent work again? As you might expect, the singing throughout is absolutely first-class--and with many of Britain's top performers on hand, combined with such exalted repertoire, we're treated to one of the choral events of the year, one that will remain a standard for more than its spectacular sound. (My only complaint: Coro continues its user-unfriendly practice of providing a straight track listing only on the outside of the CD box.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e The disc closes with yet another performance of Spem in alium, this time in its English-text setting, \"Sing and glorify\". And who would complain about hearing this magnificent work again? As you might expect, the singing throughout is absolutely first-class--and with many of Britain's top performers on hand, combined with such exalted repertoire, we're treated to one of the choral events of the year, one that will remain a standard for more than its spectacular sound. (My only complaint: Coro continues its user-unfriendly practice of providing a straight track listing only on the outside of the CD box.)\u003cbr\u003e --David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com","brand":"Coro","offers":[{"title":"SACD","offer_id":49162043064600,"sku":"828021601620","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/585772.jpg?v=1777775951"},{"product_id":"victoria-lamentations-of-jeremiah","title":"VICTORIA: Lamentations of Jeremiah","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Sixteen and Harry Christophers have long been applauded for their dedication to the works of Victoria, and this CD is a superb example of the composer's depth and the artists' performance. 'Scholar, mystic, priest, singer, organist, and composer - six persons all rolled into one and that is, quite simply, why Victoria is the most outstanding composer of the Renaissance.' (HC) This Holy Week music combines an intensity of expresion with a sombre passionate and mysterious quality often thought of as peculiarly Spanish. Victoria's own intense faith imbues every note, and is expressed in the words of his own dedication of the piece to the Holy Trinity, 'God, most high Trinity, may every soul praise you. For ever reign over those you save through the Mystery of the Cross.'\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Coro","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":49162043130136,"sku":"828021602122","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/821685.jpg?v=1777785646"},{"product_id":"hilliard-live-vol-1-perotin-and-the-ars-antiqua","title":"HILLIARD LIVE, Vol. 1 - Perotin and the Ars Antiqua","description":"\u003cp\u003eIncludes work(s) by various composers.  Ensemble: Hilliard Ensemble.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Coro","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":49162043162904,"sku":"828021604621","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/1043819.jpg?v=1777696514"},{"product_id":"handel-collection","title":"HANDEL COLLECTION","description":"Harry Christophers and The Sixteen have long been celebrated for their recordings and performances of Handel. Over the past three decades Harry Christophers and his award-winning ensemble have expanded their Handel repertoire to take in his greatest works. They have also made numerous recordings of Handel’s masterpieces and this twelve CD boxed set features a selection of some of their finest discs along with three remarkable solo albums featuring The Sixteen’s celebrated orchestra and acclaimed sopranos Sarah Connolly, Ann Murray and Elin Manahan Thomas.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003ci\u003eReviews of some of the original recordings that make up this set:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003ci\u003e Coronation Anthems\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  By any standards this is a major release. Even in a year which is seeing, predictably, a glut of Handel releases, many of them extremely fine, this stands out. Harry Christophers and The Sixteen have enjoyed tremendous success at home and abroad with performances that have caught the imagination of a public outside (as well as inside) the traditional concert hall (and, to add a quick plug, they will be the subject of next month’s cover story). And here, perhaps more than in any other of their excellent recent issues, they show just why.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e This is an opulently sung and played Handel disc but also a cunning one. Christophers has thought deeply about how to pace these works, how to marshall his resources for maximum but never superficial effect. The opening of  \u003ci\u003eZadok the Priest\u003c\/i\u003e, for instance, so familiar to us all, is here subdued, hushed and steady. When the melody opens out, The Sixteen add power and sheen, giving a sudden surge. It reminds one of the historian Charles Burney's observation of Handel (quoted by Christophers) that \"when he did smile, it was his sire the sun, bursting out of a black cloud\".\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e A tremendous issue. One to keep on the shelves and return to frequently.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e -- Gramophone [4\/2009]\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e A good modern recording of Samson is overdue. It is extraordinary that this fine work, composed within weeks of Messiah, and in Handel’s day possibly the most popular of all his oratorios, should be represented on the Gramophone Database only by one version recorded nearly 20 years ago and the unidiomatic and heavily cut Harnoncourt recording made in 1992. The new one does not obliterate memories of the old, which captures performances by a generation of British Handel interpreters at their finest (Dame Janet Baker, Helen Watts, Robert Tear, Benjamin Luxon and John Shirley-Quirk, as well as several admirable younger singers). But the new version gives a complete and straightforward account of the work, in tune with styles of Handel performance favoured today. Except in one particular: most conductors of period-instrument groups tend to favour faster tempos than those Harry Christophers generally chooses. This is a decidedly leisurely reading of the work; clearly Christophers has a sense of its magnitude, of the big issues with which it is involved and the nobility of its utterance, and he will not let himself be hurried. I think there are times, especially in the final act, where quicker tempos would have been helpful towards the maintenance of the oratorio’s momentum. Similarly, I wish that he had moved a shade more swiftly during the recitatives, and – or this may be the editors – from one number to the next, simply to sustain the dramatic impetus more strongly. I suspect, however, that Christophers is probably less concerned with the drama of the work than with its religious and philosophical aspects, and of course with presenting a direct and faithful realization of it: a perfectly legitimate approach and one that I am sure many will applaud.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e He has an excellent cast. Thomas Randle is well equipped for Samson, a firm, strong tenor, with a hint of baritonal quality in his middle and lower registers. There is no bombast here. “Total eclipse” has much of pathos but no heroics. “Why does the God of Israel sleep” is done with some power, and the renunciation of Dalila (“Your charms to ruin”) is weightily sung; and there is plenty of fire in his rejection of the Philistine braggart Harapha but never at the cost of musical singing. It is not strongly characterized: an estimable performance but one that does not quite catch you by the throat. Samson’s father Manoah is sung with characteristic warmth and depth of tone and feeling by Michael George: listen for example to his “Thy glorious deeds” in Act 1. His bass contrasts aptly with the tauter, more focused one of Jonathan Best’s Harapha. Mark Padmore contributes some well-placed singing as both the Israelite and the Philistine man. Lynne Dawson does the same as the woman from both camps (and also the Virgin, echoing Dalila in one appealing number); she contributes a vigorous “Let the bright seraphim” (which here has a brief choral section at the end, surviving in Handel’s manuscript but probably never heard before). I enjoyed Lynda Russell’s soft, seductive Dalila, a modest role, confined to Act 2; but perhaps above all Catherine Wyn-Rogers excels as Micah, with beautifully intense singing and concentrated tone in all her music – her phrasing in “Then long eternity” and the heartfelt expression in “Return O God of hosts”, for example, are quite outstanding. Stylistically the performance is cautious, with only modest added ornamentation and brief cadenzas, but of course the requisite appoggiaturas in the recitative: if an error, it’s certainly in the right direction.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e The Sixteen provide clear and spirited choral singing throughout, suitably jolly in the Philistine music, duly noble in that for the Hebrews. I was struck by the unusual clarity of texture in the choruses, attributable both to Christophers’s direction and insistence on firm tone and incisive articulation and to the work of the engineers. Altogether a welcome issue.'\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e -- Stanley Sadie, Gramophone [8\/1997]\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003ci\u003e Esther\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \"There can be little question that the true heroes of the present recording are Christophers, who conducts the work with a fervent conviction that makes the excellent Hogwood look at times a little prosaic, and his quite magnificent chorus, who sing throughout with an incisive precision, superb articulation, and clarity of diction that is often electrifying. Michael Chance sings a wonderful Priest (his intensely moving “O Jordan, Jordan” is one of the highlights of the set) that eclipses that of Drew Minter, and Nancy Argenta provides a poignant reminder of the singer she was with a radiantly joyful “Praise the Lord.” Haman, the one character of real interest (there are surely pre-echoes of Saul in his downfall), is powerfully sung by Michael George...this is a quite splendid performance of a work more often mentioned by historians than heard, a fate it certainly does not deserve.\"\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e -- Brian Robins, Fanfare\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003ci\u003eDelirio Amoroso \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \"Like most Coro releases to date, this is a reissue of a disc originally put out by the now-defunct Collins Classics label. The present disc dispenses with services of The Sixteen to feature three of the Italian cantatas composed during Handel’s prodigious Italian sojourn (1706–1710), all of those here dating from the first half of 1707. The most conventional in form is Clori, mia bella, a pastoral in which—over the course of four brief da capo arias alternating with secco recitative—a young man experiences the varying emotions attached to the uncertainties of love. The spirit of the piece is none too serious, Handel’s music utterly delicious. Both the other cantatas are more ambitiously planned, providing ample evidence of the young composer’s often-innovative approach to the form. Armida abbandonata, scored for just two violins and continuo, but here done with a fuller body of strings, has as its subject the abandonment of the sorceress Armida by the Christian knight Rinaldo as related in Tasso’s Gerusalemme liberata, a topic to which Handel was to return in his first London opera, Rinaldo. It opens with a remarkable accompanied recitative in which the singer is accompanied by two violins senza basso, then proceeds to a heartbroken aria of ravishing beauty, and a highly dramatic accompanied dramatic recitative in which the scorned Armida gives vent to her conflicting emotions.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e The semidramatic Delirio amoroso is designed on an even grander scale, the vocal writing being more virtuosic, with each of its arias having an obbligato part. The text by Handel’s Roman patron Cardinal Benedetto Pamphili also taps into the fashionable Arcadian theme. In her delirium, the scorned and distraught Chloris follows her unfaithful dead lover to Hades, only to be rejected once more. Out of compassionate love, she leads him to Elysium, where a beautiful Entrée prefigures the idea of Gluck’s blessed spirits.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e The much admired, indeed much loved, Irish mezzo Ann Murray makes no pretence of being an early-music singer, but she brings considerable style to these splendid examples of Handel’s burgeoning flair and invention. The voice itself sounds lovely, and it is produced with an enviable ease, floating and phrasing Handel’s wonderful melodies with real musicality. Equally as important are Murray’s strong powers of communication and feeling for text.\"\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e -- Brian Robins, Fanfare\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003ci\u003eHeroes and Heroines \/ Sarah Connolly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"And the mezzo lode continues to run as rich and high-quality as ever, supplying the world with yet another first-rate singer. Of course, Sarah Connolly hasn't exactly come out of nowhere: she's been a member of The Sixteen Choir and has made acclaimed appearances for the past several years in opera roles and concerts throughout the U.S. and Europe. This collaboration with her former Sixteen conductor, Harry Christophers, reveals the impressive maturity and technique of Connolly along with Christophers' solid command of Handelian drama. The repertoire may not be the most common collection of arias (only one is very familiar), but the selection is no less engaging for that; the idea of this recital was to \"depict not only the close links between opera and oratorio in Handel's works but also equate the position of hero and heroine.\" Interesting programming concept aside, what you hear is top-notch Handel singing in some very characterful and artistically challenging pieces.\u0026gt;\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e From Connolly's first notes, \"Sta nell' Ircana\" from Alcina, we have no doubt about this voice's considerable dramatic capabilities, and we can't help but be impressed with both her range (free of discernible register breaks) and ease of delivery from top to bottom. By the aria's end she's confirmed the power of her lowest register notes and ability to fully embody and project her character. I'm not wild about her \"ha-ha-ha-ha-ha\" articulation in one of the aria's repeated figures, but since she doesn't exhibit this annoying mannerism anywhere else, I assume it's an intended \"effect\" (imitating the orchestral figures, perhaps?) and only mention it because it's so striking and uncharacteristic of her singing in general.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Connolly is just as convincing and her voice is as lovely in the slower arias, including \"Mi lusingha il dolce affetto\" from Alcina (all seven minutes of it!). Her breath control is amazing and she completely enthralls with her attractive, sensible ornaments. And she's lucky to have such a partner in Christophers and his attentive orchestra: listen as he takes Connolly's lead from the intro to Ariodante's tender \"Scherza infida\" and hands her a perfectly set atmosphere of sorrow and tragic determination. This is the highlight of the CD, Connolly's subtle vocal shading, expressive phrasing, and vibrant tone varying from gently floating to more emphatically projected--the definition of captivating.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Other listeners may cite the following \"Dopo notte\", a brisk, high-energy aria from the same opera, as the most impressive of Connolly's performances, and it would be hard to argue in light of the singer's command of the reams of rapid runs and wildly leaping lines while maintaining the flow and emotional intensity of this fiendishly difficult seven minutes of music. And then there's the beloved and oft-performed \"Verdi prati\", which Connolly renders as sensitively and with as sumptuous a tone and smoothly-spun legato as we could hope for. The final \"Where shall I fly?\" from Hercules is a magnificent display of virtuoso vocalism, although I still prefer Stephanie Blythe's more fluid, richer-voiced rendition--purely a matter of personal taste. And again, much credit must go to Christophers' smart orchestral leadership and to the crisply pointed accents, finely honed rhythms, and warm sound of the Symphony of Harmony and Invention, recorded to the highest modern standard.\"\u003cbr\u003e --David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com [10\/11\/2004]","brand":"Coro","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":49162043195672,"sku":"828021608025","price":56.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/1631859.jpg?v=1777787945"},{"product_id":"hilliard-live-vol-3-brumel","title":"HILLIARD LIVE, Vol. 3 - BRUMEL","description":"The famous Hilliard Ensemble presents a live tribute to the late fifteenth-century master composer Antoine Brumel, who was one of the most influential composers of his generation. This disc is the third of four live discs by The Hilliard Ensemble to be released on CORO. 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Over the next few years, The Sixteen will record the complete publication with a variety of forces for CORO.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “The Sixteen under Harry Christophers respond with breathtaking assurance.” — Gramophone\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Coro","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":49162043293976,"sku":"828021608728","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/1732873.jpg?v=1777777208"},{"product_id":"purcell-loves-goddess-sure-was-blind","title":"PURCELL: Love's Goddess Sure Was Blind","description":"Love’s Goddess Sure was Blind, written in exuberant and florid style for the birthday of the much loved young Queen Mary ends, extraordinarily, with a reflection on the grief her eventual death would provoke. It was less than six years later that the prophesied mourning became a reality, when, in her early thirties, she succumbed to smallpox. Purcell’s eloquent compositions for her funeral are acknowledged as some of his most powerful masterpieces marrying a genuine of expression of grief (Purcell greatly admired the witty, musical Mary) with a characteristic sophistication of style.","brand":"Coro","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":49162043326744,"sku":"828021602429","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/685994.jpg?v=1777782001"},{"product_id":"christmas-collection","title":"CHRISTMAS COLLECTION","description":"The perfect gift for Christmas – three of The Sixteen’s most celebrated festive CDs in a Boxset. From medieval carols with fiddles, harps and drums to the traditional carols we know and love, this collection includes favourite twentieth century English carols.","brand":"Coro","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":49162043359512,"sku":"828021605420","price":22.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/1206789.jpg?v=1777737441"},{"product_id":"monteverdi-selva-morale-e-spirituale-volume-iii","title":"Monteverdi: Selva morale e spirituale, Volume III","description":"\u003cp\u003eWithout doubt, Monteverdi was the greatest of the early baroque European composers. He revolutionised the music of the theatre and the church by his dramatic and imaginative use of voices and instruments and by his daring harmonies and rhythms. Next to his Vespers of 1610, the Selva morale e spirituale of 1641 is his most significant and virtuosic collection of sacred music. Monteverdi stretches every singer's versatility to the limit in this demanding but exhilarating music. Included on this final volume are the eight part Magnificat (Primo) - one of the most impressive of all Monteverdi's settings with the added richness of doubling strings; the old style Credidi and Memento featuring the full choir; and the exquisitely beautiful soprano solo, Pianto della Madonna 'Iam moriar, mi fili', performed here by Grace Davidson.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Coro","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":49162043425048,"sku":"828021610929","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/2172093.jpg?v=1777736156"},{"product_id":"britten-collection","title":"BRITTEN COLLECTION","description":"\u003cp\u003e'A disc of exceptional quality, reinforcing The Sixteen's reputation as one of the finest choirs of our day.' Gramophone \"The Sixteen perform Britten's virtuosic masterpiece with fearsome accuracy and a luxurious sound.\" Classic FM Magazine \"Britten's mastery for writing for unaccompanied chorus is here demonstrated in fine performances...\" BBC Music Magazine This superb collection, released in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Britten's birth, features all three of The Sixteen's celebrated Britten recordings. Arguably the most famous British composer of the 20th century, Benjamin Britten possessed a formidable talent and distinctive style. His remarkable career spanned over 40 years and this collection of choral works features a fascinating selection of music from throughout his life. 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