Hey MD - when I was first exposed to the Alpha Productions website it only included titles from the Alpha, Rivercar, and Fuga Libre labels. The Outhere link I included is the more expansive website that now acts as an "umbrella" site for Alpha and now a growing stable of smaller labels. The Alpha site is really a treat as they provide extended samples for a number of their releases. I've generally had good luck, with a little patience, in finding the Alpha titles I'm after on Amazon, and if not there ArkivMusik.com is my back up source. It can be a little hit -'n'-miss searching on Amazon as their cataloging of Classical, especially outside of the standard repertoire, with performances by relative unknowns, can be inconsistent. So I usually go in armed with all: composer, artist(s), recording title, & catalog number. A bit of a hassle, but in this particular instance I feel it's worthwhile. As I mentioned in my first post, Alpha is primarily about smaller ensemble works with an additional eye towards recordings of the musical traditions of various geographical regions, primarily medieval chant and folk songs. An acquired taste, that I've acquired to a degree. I'd be happy to suggest the following titles as an "introduction" to what Alpha offers:
Alpha 013 / J.S. Bach / Concerts Avec Plusieurs Instruments I / Cafe Zimmerman - the first of the Cafe Zimmerman recordings. If a little Bach is enough, this one will serve that purpose, but there is II, III, etc.
Alpha 031 / Charles Avison / Concertos in 7 Parts / Cafe Zimmerman - another Cafe Zimmerman favorite with some fairly momentous, unison string aggression in one part. Very tasty and popular so sometimes out-of-stock.
Alpha 028 / Ignazio Albertini / Sonates Pour Violon & Basse Continue / Helene Schmitt - I don't listen to nearly enough Classical to have developed anything resembling a "fixation" for a particular Classical artist, but Helene Schmitt could prove to be an exception. Early in this recording, backed by the sparsest of ensembles, Schmitt tackles a solo passage that contains so much fire, so much Gypsy-style passion, that it still can send a shiver up my spine. On a system friendly to string tone and reproduction this is a stand out recording that I will pull out to impress the impressionable.
Alpha 512 / Al' Improvisso / L'arpeggiata & Chistina Pluhar - this is a different beast than the other titles. L'arpeggiata is the ensemble at large, many of whom are Alpha "regulars", and Ms. Pluhar is what amounts to the creative director. The recording is what amounts to a "jam" session, thus All' Improvisso. The performers agreed on the song structures, kind of like the old "let's jam in C" thing on a very professional scale. There's a bit of classical, Euro folk, jazz "feel", and a ton of great playing and singing.
I'm glad to have been prompted to return to the Outhere site for the first time in a while as I now see that they are offering a Download option. I'll look into it and just maybe they're offering these already stellar recordings in higher rez. A boy can dream. - String
