Dear Sunday Baroque listener,

The annual Sunday Baroque Holiday Gift List features recommended recordings of baroque and early music, to help you choose something special for the music lover on your gift list. These recent releases are the cream of the crop; using the label and catalogue number provided for each, you can easily order them from your preferred retailer. The list is a cross-section of familiar favorites and less well known music played by a variety of performers on both period and modern instruments. Every week throughout December on Sunday Baroque you can audition selections from some of these cds to help you pick the perfect musical treat to give – or get – this holiday season. Happy listening.

Suzanne Bona

Antonio Vivaldi: VIVALDI - FOUR SEASONS, TARTINI – DEVIL’S TRILL SONATA (Sony 88697)
Joshua Bell – violin & Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
No baroque music lover should be without a terrific recording of Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons concertos, and this fine performance by Joshua Bell is a very good choice. Giuseppe Tartini’s "Devil's Trill" Sonata, played by Joshua Bell with harpsichordist John Constable, is a bonus offering on this CD. There are many recordings of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons available; this one features a fine violinist and superb orchestra, and is well worth your consideration.

Johann Sebastian Bach: BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS (AVIE 2119)
Trevor Pinnock & European Brandenburg Ensemble
To celebrate his 60^th birthday in Dec. 2006, Trevor Pinnock invited some of his musician friends from period instrument groups all over Europe to join him in revisiting Johann Sebastian Bach’s Six Brandenburg Concertos. The recording that resulted from their collaboration won the Baroque Instrumental Gramophone Award 2008, and the European Brandenburg Ensemble is now poised for future projects.

Johann Sebastian Bach: GOLDBERG VARIATIONS (arr. by Dmitri Sitkovetsky) (Oxingale OX2014)
Jonathan Crow – violin, Douglas McNabney – viola, Matt Haimovitz – cello
Even if you already own a recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations, this performance is unique and special, and well worth adding to the collection. Dmitri Sitkovetsky’s string trio arrangement captures a range of moods from tender and graceful, to waltzlike, to intensely driving, and is artfully played by Matt Haimovitz, Jonathan Crow and Douglas McNabney.

Thomas Tallis, William Byrd: HEAVENLY HARMONIES (Harmonia Mundi 807463)
Stile Antico
One reviewer described the members of Stile Antico as “… the brightest new stars in the firmament of Renaissance vocal ensembles.” Their second CD, "Heavenly Harmonies" (preceded by their equally lovely debut, "Music for Compline"), features liturgical music by two of England’s greatest composers of the 16^th century: William Byrd and Thomas Tallis. The inspiring music is sung with purity and brilliance; an ideal CD for “chill out” time.

George Frideric Handel, William Byrd, Giovanni Gabrieli, and others: LEGENDS (Opening Day 7347)
Canadian Brass
After four decades together, the Canadian Brass have earned the right to be called legends. This CD offers a compilation of favorite Canadian Brass performances for quintet, double quintet, and larger ensemble. Not all of the music is from the baroque era, but these are greatest hits that will make you wish you played a brass instrument, too.

George Frideric Handel: WATER MUSIC & ROYAL FIREWORKS MUSIC (Alia Vox 9860)
Jordi Savall & Le Concert des Nations
Some of George Frideric Handel’s most recognizable, beloved music is given a particularly upbeat and energetic performance by Spanish conductor Jordi Savall and Le Concert des Nations, one of several period instrument groups he founded. Originally recorded in the early 90s, this recording has been remastered and issued on hybrid CD-SACD.

George Frideric Handel, Antonio Vivaldi, Francesco Veracini and others: CRAZY (Dorian Sono Luminus 90802)
I Furiosi
The Toronto based ensemble I Furiosi (literally, “the furious”) doesn’t look like your typical early music group. But don’t let the skintight leather, spiked hair and tattoos fool you – these are skilled period instrument specialists who deliver the goods performing baroque music by slightly eccentric composers.

Arcangelo Corelli & Georg Philipp Telemann: CORELLISANTE (Dorian 90703)
Jorg-Michael Schwarz & Rebel Baroque Ensemble
Music by two leading baroque era musicians is celebrated on this find recording from NY based Rebel Baroque Ensemble: Arcangelo Corelli and Georg Philipp Telemann. Focusing on the similarities and connections between the two, Rebel offers less well known music by two very well known composers. This is a great choice for novices, as well as more experienced listeners looking to expand their collection.

Giuseppe Sammartini: SONATE PER FLAUTO E BASSO CONTINUO (Harmonia Mundi 905266)
Maurice Steger - recorder
With silky sound and nimble fingers, recorder player Maurice Steger and his colleagues (cellist Mauro Valli, harpsichordist Sergio Ciomei, Margret Köll, bassoonist Christian Beuse, theorbo/guitarist Eduardo Egüez and organist Naoki Kitaya) will knock your socks off playing these virtuosic Sonatas. Relatively unknown baroque musician Giuseppe Sammartini finally gets some well deserved attention on a fine recording.

Johann Sebastian Bach: PARTITAS 2, 3, & 4 (Sony 22697)
Murray Perahia – piano
Murray Perahia continues his ongoing love affair with Johann Sebastian Bach’s music. These Partitas are from Bach’s Kekboard Practice collection, but they are no mere study pieces – they are lovely and profound, and Perahia’s interpretation is straightforward and respectful. Good for Bach fans as well as piano aficionados.