Beautiful Music

More Beautiful Music to get you tapping your toes and smiling … Chacona a la Vida Bona by 17th century Spanish composer Juan de Arañés. The performers OWN this music — it is such a pleasure to listen AND to watch them. “Here’s to the good, sweet life, my sweet, let’s dance the chaconne!”  

Savor the joy and vibrancy of this virtuosic, upbeat music! Today’s Beautiful Music is a CIACCONA by Andrea Falconieri, played by the group La Ritirata. It’s from their recording Il Spiritillo Brando: dance music in the courts of Italy and Spain, c.1650.  

Armenian-Argentinian American singer Solange Merdinian is a mezzo soprano with a broad repertory that includes baroque, contemporary, folk, tango, cabaret, and world music. Today’s Beautiful Music features Solange Merdinian with guitarist Nicholas Ciraldo performing  Carlos Barbosa-Lima’s arrangements of Three Argentine Popular Songs by Alberto Ginastera. You can also learn more about the two performers using

Today’s Beautiful Music is an ancient echo from the 14th century. It’s a serene selection called Armes, amours/O flour des flours by François Andrieu, sung by members of Sollazzo Ensemble.  You can also use the link below to learn more about the talented performers. www.sollazzoensemble.com    

Bach Choir of Bethlehem (PA) has a long history of important and historic accomplishments: it is the oldest American Bach choir, and the group presented the first American performances of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Mass in B Minor and the Christmas Oratorio. Today’s Beautiful Music features their Bach at Noon concert from Nov 9, 2021. In

Two outstanding French baroque musicians were Marin Marais and Elizabeth Claude Jacquet de la Guerre. Today’s Beautiful Music is a concert recording of some of their music by members of Juilliard 415. The ensemble is made up of outstanding early music experts affiliated with the prestigious NYC music school.

“Abendmusik” means evening music, and it refers to church concerts in Lübeck, Germany starting in the 17th century. Abendmusik is also the name of an ensemble — New York’s Early Music String Band. Today’s Beautiful Music features Abendmusik from a concert recording that’s a preview of their recording of music by William White. You can

Johann Helmich Roman is sometimes called the “Father of Swedish Music.” The baroque era composer lived from 1694 until 1758, and was Master of the Swedish royal chapel and a prolific composer. Today’s Beautiful Music is Johann Helmich Roman’s most famous composition — his Drottningholm Music — composer for Swedish Crown Prince Adolf Fredrik’s wedding

Chiara Margarita Cozzolani (1602-1678) was a singer and composer. She was also a Benedictine nun in a cloistered convent in Milan. She composed sacred music until she became abbess at the convent and stopped her composing activities. GLORIA IN ALTISSIMIS DEO — sung by Monica Piccinini and Silvia Vajente — is today’s Beautiful Music. You

Today’s Beautiful Music is a charming performance by the talented singer Nicole Besa. Tornami a vagheggiar (Turn me to fond desire) is an aria from George Frideric Handel’s opera ALCINA.