Three Crossover Projects

I. Dialogos. (Constantinople/Holland Baroque). Pentatone PTC 5187 493.

In Dialogos, Holland Baroque and Constantinople embark on a musical journey inspired by one of history’s most remarkable encounters: the meeting between Saint Francis of Assisi and Sultan Malik al-Kamil during the Fifth Crusade in 1219. Eight centuries later, their gesture of openness and mutual respect becomes the creative spark for this collaboration — a meeting not of faiths or institutions, but of human voices and mutual respect.

Drawing from ancient sources such as the Laudario di Cortona and the works of the 17th-century Polish musician Ali Ufki (Wojciech Bobowski), the ensembles weave new compositions where Persian, Ottoman, and early Western Baroque traditions intertwine. Under the artistic direction of Kiya Tabassian, and Judith and Tineke Steenbrink, the music becomes a living dialogue — a conversation of timbres and histories that celebrates listening over division, and resonance over conflict. Each note reflects a crossing of cultures where the old inspires the new, and where peace begins in sound.

Known for their inventive reimagining of the Baroque repertoire and intercultural encounters, Holland Baroque and the Montreal-based ensemble Constantinople both thrive on collaboration and stylistic exploration. Their meeting in Dialogos continues a creative lineage that has made Holland Baroque a long-standing PENTATONE partner, following Silk Baroque, Telemann Polonoise & Brabant 1653 (2021), Minne (2022),Bachs Königin (2023), and the EP Metamorphosis (2024). Here, as in those projects, the ensemble transforms history into a contemporary message: that music is dialogue itself.

II. Head Space: Candlelight. (The King’s Singers). Signum SIGCD950.

Head Space: Candlelight is the first in The King’s Singers’ Head Space series, aiming to connect choral music with calmness and reflection. Inspired by compline, the Catholic night service, it features plainchant, including “In manus tuas Domine” and “Salva nos Domine vigilantes,” emphasizing breath-led pacing. The album also includes wordless Orlando Gibbons “Songs,” contemporary pieces by Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Judith Bingham, and Arvo Pärt, and the experimental “4’33”” by John Cage, concluding with Robert Parsons’ “Ave Maria” and Edvard Grieg’s “Ave Maris Stella,” all designed to create a contemplative atmosphere.

From Cross Rhythms: Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Another year, another new line-up for the ever-reliable King's Singers. However, while the names change as the years go by the vocal blend remains the same: two countertenors, a tenor, two baritones and a bass, and the pitch-perfect harmonies are the same as they ever were. 'Head Space' is a new KS's project aiming to connect choral music with calmness and reflection. 'Candlelight' is inspired by Compline, the final service of the monastic day to prepare for the night ahead and the 14 tracks featured begin and end with Plainchant ("In manus tuas, Domine" or "Into your hands, O Lord" to open and "Salva nos Domine" or "Save us, O Lord" to close). Running through the programme are four wordless "Songs" by Orlando Gibbons (Numbers 1, 9, 13 and 20) with two of them, 1 and 20, featuring a 17th century cornet played by Jeremy West, a founder member of His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts. Followers of the King's Singers will know that the vast majority of their repertoire is a cappella so to hear a cornet while unexpected adds to the blend and turns the sextet into an octet. There are three contemporary pieces in the first part of the programme: "Heyr þu oss himnum à" ("Hear us in heaven, O God") by the Icelandic composer Anna Thorvaldsdottir, "Ave virgo sanctissima" ("Hail, most holy Virgin") by England's Judith Bingham, and "Zwei Beter" ("Two prayers") by the Estonian Arvo Part. Then it is back to the Middle Ages with Hildegard von Bingen's "O Euchari" for St Eucharius, the first bishop of Trier. And then we hear something completely different: John Cage's infamous "4'33" with its 273 seconds of silence. I admit that when I looked at the track list I was sceptical: we are here to hear the King's Singers not to listen to silence but I was wrong. This moment of silent reflection is absolutely right as part of a contemplative programme and I felt like the prophet Elijah when he was at Mount Horeb in 1st Kings 19 and the Lord spoke to him not in the earthquake, wind or fire but instead in the sound of silence. Then the music resumes with Robert Parson's "Ave Maria", the final Gibbon's Song, Edvard Grieg's "Ave Maris Stella" ("Hail, star of the sea"), and the concluding Plainchant, taking us back to the beginning. This 46-minutes of music plus the 4-33 of silence is the King's Singers at their most spiritual. Yes, they can and do excel with their many showstoppers but there should always be time to reflect and meditate. No doubt listeners who practice mindfulness will get something from this and those of us who try to spend time with God on a regular basis will also appreciate this collection. And if you enjoy superlative a cappella singing the King's Singers are still up with the very best.

III. Al-Bunduqiyya—The Lost Concerto (Il Pomo d’Oro/Giovanni Sollima, cello/Federico Guglielmo, v. & cond.). Warner/Erato 5054197917523.

The charismatic, cosmopolitan cellist Giovanni Sollima joins the instrumentalists of Il Pomo d'Oro for Al-Bunduqiyya - The Lost Concerto. The album, which crosses cultures and eras, sets Vivaldi, born in Venice in 1678, in the context of his native city's historical relationship with the eastern Mediterranean and Asia. Al-Bunduqiyya is the Arabic name for Venice and 'The Lost Concerto' (Il Concerto Perduto) is a work composed in 2021 by Sollima. His starting point was all that remains of one of Vivaldi's concertos for cello: the orchestral viola part, now preserved at the Venice Conservatory. Among the other items are complete concertos by Vivaldi, solo improvisations by Sollima, a piece by Vivaldi's contemporary Tartini, and music of the Cypriot and Albanian traditions. When the programme of Al-Bunduqiyya was performed at London's Wigmore Hall, Seen and Heard International wrote: "Sollima conjured a feast of tone colours, plunging into pizzicatos, climbing to the heights of the fingerboard with Romantic bravura, conjuring ornamental flourishes with improvisatory flair, finding intense sentiment before whipping up a wild dance and concluding with some glissandi yelps! This was as much theatre as music."

From The Strad:

Cellist–composer Giovanni Sollima’s album demonstrates Vivaldi’s native Venice’s (‘Al-Bunduqiyya’ in Arabic) historical relationship with the eastern Mediterranean and Asia. Comprising works that cross cultures and eras, it includes original compositions by Vivaldi and Sollima, arrangements and improvisations.

Vivaldi’s three concertos for violin and cello, dispatched with unanimity, vitality and lyricism by Sollima and Federico Guglielmo, form the programme’s kernel. His Sinfonia RV709 highlights the neat ensemble playing of the modestly sized Il Pomo d’Oro, but the ‘lost concerto’ is essentially a free composition by Sollima, constructed around surviving remnants of a viola part of RV787 and other Vivaldi fragments. Guglielmo infuses the recitativo movement of Vivaldi’s ‘Grosso Mogul’ Concerto RV208 with Eastern seasoning aplenty in an especially dramatic account.

In The Family Tree, Sollima revels in reproducing its myriad avant-garde effects and bravura pyrotechnics above a recurring bass-line and builds the piece to an exhilarating conclusion. Also striking are his and the ever-versatile Guglielmo’s vivid evocations and energetic execution of traditional Albanian–Sicilian and Cypriot dances, along with his transcription of a Tartini violin sonata movement based on a gondolier’s song. He further demonstrates his free spirit in five brief solo cello improvisations, interspersed throughout his programme. The recordings have pleasing warmth and clarity.

ROBIN STOWELL