Newell Jenkins in music by Zelenka

Well! This must be one of the first recordings of the music of Jan Dismas Zelenka made on these shores. Early music pioneer Newell Jenkins leads his Clarion Concerts Orchestra in sparkling performances of these Telemannesque pieces recorded circa 1966.

When you think about it, there really hasn't been much of a renaissance for Zelenka, much like we have had with Telemann. For a composer who was admired, and held in high esteem, by both Bach and Telemann this seems a bit odd. He was an inventive writer and seems to have "pushed the envelope" at times so one would think that a more comprehensive appraisal would be forthcoming but alas, this has not been the case. In Zelenka's music one can hear the freshness of Telemann and the forthrightness of Handel while also catching the glimpses of the classical period which was right on the horizon.

Jenkins serves up this program with zest, vigor and scrupulous attention to period performance practice. This is an engaging program and one wishes that an additional work, maybe another ouverture, could have been included on the program. No bother, what is here is a fine slice of the talent of one Jan Dismas Zelenka.

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Coronation and Banquet Music with the Boston Baroque Ensemble

I love picking up forgotten lps featuring Boston based musicians and here's a neat little one featuring the Boston Baroque Ensemble of Daniel Pinkham. No, this is NOT the Boston Baroque of Telarc recordings fame but rather a chamber group of associates of Pinkham's, most of them teachers from NEC and Harvard. If I were to guess, I'd place this mono Cambridge recording about 1967 or so.

Daniel Pinkham is little known beyond Boston but for those in early music, he was one of the big time pioneers. He was a performer (a terrific organist and harpsichordist), editor, musicologist and composer, in fact his own compositions were heavily influenced by the music of the baroque era. Everything that I have heard by Pinkham is tasteful, well thought out and crafted. This lp of music by Telemann, Zelenka and Boismortier is no exception. My only wish is that Cambridge had thought better to have included another composition to bring this over the 40 minute mark.

Well worth your listening...

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