Having recorded the complete motets composed by the ancestors of Johann Sebastian Bach (RIC 347), Vox Luminis now tackles their complete spiritual concerts and sacred cantatas, in which the instruments - particularly the strings - play a highly important role. In the cantata for the Feast of St Michael the Archangel by Johann Christoph Bach, trumpets and drums are enlisted to evoke the battle of the archangels in heaven. To round off this programme,...

Berlin-based violinist Daniel Hope's latest album takes a deep dive into the rich repertoire of American music, exploring its roots and distinctive qualities. We know a piece is from America the moment we hear it, says Hope. But what makes music sound American? Daniel Hope / America provides some answers, presenting works by composers as diverse as Leonard Bernstein, Sam Cooke, Aaron Copland, Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Florence Price, Samuel...