1765: Times of Transition
Academy of Ancient Music
Laurence Cummings, Amanda Forsythe
Mozart: Symphony No.1in E-flat major
Philidor: Arias from Tom Jones
Haydn: Symphony No.39 in G minor
Telemann: Ino
One year, four composers, with a 76 year age-gap between them. Laurence Cummings and the Acadmeny of Ancient Music (AAM) opened their new season in Milton Court with Mozart, Haydn, Telemann and Philidor representing the year 1765 during a transitional age in music. It was the era of sturm und drang, the dramatic ‘storm and stress’ movement in German music and literature that emphasised deep emotions, individual freedom and love of nature. Along with the works of literature from the likes of Goethe and Schiller, came the musical reaction to the rational approach of the Enlightenment and Baroque and the start of the Classical period, a prelude to the upcoming early Romantic era. Composers such as Haydn, Gluck, and Mozart included elements of this genre, not least in angular themes, rapidly changing musical moods, and dramatic interventions. In opera, the increased use of fully orchestrated accompagnato recitatives took over from the baroque basso continuo genre.
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The annual 
Recorded in 2003, this is presumably a reissue, although I couldn’t anything to confirm that. It is not listed on il Gardellino’s website. Matthessohn seems to have been one of the first to wonder how Telemann managed to compose so much music. This, and the dominance of Bach in the revival of German baroque music, has always been a bit of a problem. The opening Concerto in this CD helps by including several moments that many listeners might recognise. Matthessohn also commented that “Telemann alone is beyond all praise and lauds”, and this CD demonstrates the exceptional quality of his music. Both technically and musically, his compositional skill is self evidence, as is the breadth of his creative imagination. 
One of the most delightful of London’s music venues is Garrick’s Temple to Shakespeare 
Using modern copies of seven different types of historic recorder (blockflöte), Die höfische Blockflöte (The Royal Recorder) explores the link between musical instrument making and the various royal courts of Europe. The recorders range from two different versions of the two mid-17th century Rosenborg soprano recorders, one made in maple, the other (at higher pitch) in the original material, narwhale tusk, both made by Fred Morgan. The originals are to be found amongst the Crown Jewels in the Royal Collection in Rosenborg Castle, Copenhagen. It can bee heard in Jacob Van Eyck’s Prins Robberts Masco. 
Jean-Christophe Dijoux was the winner of the harpsichord category of the 2014 Leipzig International Bach Competition, and this CD stems from that success. Born in Réunion, Dijoux studied in Paris, Freiburg and Basel, spent a year touring with the European Union Baroque Orchestra (EUBO), and won awards for continuo playing at the 2013 International Telemann Competition. Using two harpsichords (built by Matthias Kramer of Berlin after 1701 and 1754 originals) and four different temperaments, he explores music with a connection to Hamburg. Both instruments have 16’ stops, adding an impressive gravitas to the sound.
