James Bowman – Alto CD

Favourite Baroque Arias

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:36:57 +0000

“[An] enjoyable [anthology] of arias sacred and secular… performances that would be hard to better in expressivity, quality of tone and diction, intonation, control of vibrato, and absence of technical strain.… =The recording is as clear as a frosty morning, the acoustic spacious, and the balance exemplary.… A disc I shall often return to… Warmly recommended.”
— Gramophone©

Essential Baroque arias with periodinstrument accompaniment – a Gramophone rave at an unbeatable price

Allegri: Miserere / Renaissance Polyphony and Consort Songs

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:36:36 +0000

“No need to emphasise the pathos … which blooms out unaided. Comparison with other recordings… seems quite pointless. This very handsomely occupies a niche of its own.”
— Gramophone (review of Palestrina: Stabat Mater)

Allegri’s most popular work – a world-class performance – at a super-value price

Dowland Lute Songs

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:36:13 +0000

“This admirable record contains songs from all three Bookes & more. … The lute solos are played in exemplary fashion by Robert Spencer. A fine single-disc introduction to Dowland’s art, since it includes justly famous pieces… sung with wonderful artistry by James Bowman who brings sensitivity and intelligence to each song and characterises them tellingly. … There is no lack of contrast and each phrase is floated with imagination… recording very good, real and present.”— Penguin Guide

Alto is pleased to return to the catalogue the brilliant countertenor James Bowman singing John Dowland’s evocative siongs accomplanied with musicality and imagination by lutenist Robert Spencer.

Thomas Campion: Fair, if you expect admiring / I care not for these ladies / It fell on a summer’s day / The cypress curtain of the night
Danyel: Eyes, look no more / Like as the Lute Delights / What delight can they enjoy
John Dowland: Come again, sweet love doth now invite / Go Crystal tears / Can she excuse my wrongs? / Awake, sweet love / Sorrow, stay / Shall I sue? / Fine knacks for ladies / Prelude for lute / Lachrimae Pavan (lute solo) / What if I never speed? / Me, me, and none but me / Flow not so fast, ye fountains / When Phoebus first did Daphne love / Lady, if you so spite me / Shall I strive with wordes to move? / Tell me, true Love / Semper Dowland Semper Dolens (lute solo) / Lady Laiton’s Almain (lute solo) / Captain Candish’s Galliard (lute solo)
Philip Rosseter: Sweet come again / Whether men do laugh

Original recordings produced by Ted Perry and Martin Compton
Recording engineer: John Shuttleworth
Licensed from CNR Music Netherlands. Originally released as Saga 9004 and 9040
Compiled & re-mastered for by Paul Arden-Taylor (www.dinmore-records.co.uk)