New Video - J.C. Bach "Ach daß ich Wassers gnug hätte" (Lamento) with Chatham Baroque

This is one of my favorite pieces in the baroque repertory. Written by Johann Christoph Bach (1642-1703), this lament beautifully captures the German sense of intensely internalized personal piety. "Oh, that I had enough tears in my head to bewail my sins..." That sort of thing :-).
With Chatham Baroque, an amazing small ensemble based in Pittsburgh, PA. Recorded February 21st, 2010.



Translation:
Oh, that I had water enough in my head
And that my eyes were springs of tears,
So that I could bewail my sin night and day.

My sin overwhelms me.
Like a weighty burden,
it has become too much more me,
So I weep, and mine eyes flow with tears.
My sighing is great, and my heart is sad,
for the Lord has filled me with grief
In the day of his wrath.

Mourn, Day is with Darkness Fled - John Dowland Lute Song... Recent Videos

A lute song by John Dowland (1563-1626). This is from Dowland's second book of Ayres, a collection that also contains his song, "Flow my Tears". The text describes a pseudo-apocalyptic scenario in which day is overcome by night, hell has taken over heaven, and evil mists are choking off our joys. Heavy stuff for a lute song!

Text:
Mourn, mourn, day is with darkness fled,
What heav'n then governs Earth?
Oh, none but hell in heaven's stead
Chokes with his mists our mirth.

Mourn, mourn, look now for no more day
Nor night, but that from hell.
Then all must, as they may,
In darkness learn to dwell.

But yet this change needs must change our delight.
That thus the Sun should harbor with the night.

Ian Howell - Countertenor
Karl Wohlwend - Guitar

Recorded live at the Merit Music School in Chicago, IL.
Thanks to the Ravinia Festival for arranging this lecture demonstration.
Audio and video recorded with a Flip HD video camera, edited in iMovie.

Laudate Dominum - C.M. Cozzolani... Recent Videos

Chiara Margarita Cozzolani, a benedictine nun in the Italian city of Milan, published this cantata for solo voice and two violins in 1648.

Tableau Baroque:

Ian Howell - Coutertenor
Adam Lamotte & Tekla Cunningham - Violins
William Skeen - Viola da Gamba
Henry Lebedinsky - Harpsichord

Text:

Praise the Lord, all you nations.
Praise him, all you people.
For confirmed upon us is his mercy.
And the truth of the Lord remains forever.
Glory to the Father, glory to the Son
And glory to the holy spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now,
And always shall be.
Unto ages of ages.
So be it.

Recorded 15 August 2009 at the Whidbey Island Music Festival.

http://www.whidbeyislandmusicfestival...

For more information about Ian Howell and Tableau Baroque.
http://www.ianhowellcountertenor.com
http://www.tableaubaroque.org

Holy Messiah Source Material... Recent Videos

One of Handel's Italian duets, originally for two sopranos, re-scored for alto and violin obligato. The two arias in this cantata served as the source material for Handel's choruses "His yoke is easy" and "And he shall purify" from his oratorio, "Messiah."

Ian Howell - Countertenor
Tekla Cunningham - Violin
William Skeen - Cello
Henry Lebedinsky - Harpsichord

Text:

The flower that laughs at dawn
later will be killed by the Sun
and has its tomb in the evening.

Life is a flower
it is destroyed at dawn
and in one single day loses its springtime.

Recorded 14 August 2009 at the Whidbey Island Music Festival.

http://www.whidbeyislandmusicfestival...

For more information about Ian Howell and Tableau Baroque.
http://www.ianhowellcountertenor.com
http://www.tableaubaroque.org

This video was recorded with a FlipHD camera (that didn't like the intensity of the stage lights).
Audio was recorded with a matched pair of Avenson ST0-2 omni-directional microphones.

"1685 & the Art of Ian Howell" CD Release

1685 & the Art of Ian Howell

My debut solo CD with the American Bach Soloists has been released!

The CD may be ordered through the American Bach Soloists website or purchased at any of my upcoming concerts.  It will be available on iTunes in the coming months.

Click here to order and listen to online samples.

From the ABS website:

March 23, 2009

    ABS's newest recording was released on Bach's birthday, March 21st, 2009.

    1685 & The Art of Ian Howell features ABS International Young Artists Competition winner, Ian Howell, in works by three composers born in 1685: J.S. Bach, Handel, and Domenico Scarlatti.

    Ian Howell was the featured soloist in our subscription concerts in April of last year. During the following week, he and the ABS musicians recorded this newest addition to the American Bach Soloists' discography. One of Bach's greatest solo cantatas, Vergnügte Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust!, is paired with Scarlatti's exquisite Salve Regina. A selection of arias from Handel's oratorios and operas - including Saul, Giulio Cesare, Orlando, Rinaldo, and Serse - completes the 72 minute disc.

    Mr. Howell, Maestro Thomas, and recording producer Chris Landen spent Bach's birthday in the studio, putting the finishing touches on this beautiful compilation.

Christmas comes late this year...

Hello everyone. I just learned that the release date of my American Bach Soloists CD has officially been pushed back to April of 2009. *sighs* These things always take five times longer to assemble than you'd hope! I'll keep everyone posted as the process moves forward. The best way to keep informed is through my e-mailing list (no spam, and at most one email per month) you can sign up here.
I intend to offer a pre-release pre-order deal, so keep your interweb eyes peeled.

Debut Solo CD recorded with The American Bach Soloists

I joined conductor Jeffrey Thomas and The American Bach Soloists April 23rd-26th
to record a CD of beautiful baroque music. Repertory includes:
Bach's Cantata 170 Vergn&252;gte Ruh, Domenico Scarlatti's Cantata Salve Regina, and Handel opera and oratorio arias from
Saul (O Lord whose mercies numberless), Giulio Cesare (Al lampo dell'armi), Orlando (Fammi combattere & Orlando's Mad Scene),
Rinaldo (Cara sposa), and Serse (Ombra mai fu). We are planning on a December release.
The CD, "1685 and the Art of Ian Howell," will be available for purchase online and in stores, and available for download from iTunes and Magnamusic. Stay tuned for more information.

Premiere of Songs by Pablo Ortiz

I premiered a set of three songs written by Argentinian born composer

Pablo Ortiz, during a concert at UC Davis in Davis, CA. Russ Irwin commissioned these pieces for me
to texts by the Mexican poet Rosario Castellanos. Listen to a live recording of the second movement,
Elegia, by clicking here.