Michael Leighton Jones
Michael Leighton Jones is a bass whose agile, controlled and expressive voice is heard in baroque cantata repertoire with the Melbourne ensemble Arcadia.
On Tall Poppies he is the bass on Arcadia’s recording of Buxtehude sacred cantatas, where his solo work—especially in Mein Herz ist bereit—was singled out for its flamboyant yet smoothly rhythmic command of the style.
He returns on their programme of Handel’s early Italian cantatas, taking the two bass works with resonant tone and tasteful da capo ornament: Buxtehude: Cantatas (TP157) and Handel: Italian Cantatas (TP173).
Performing as Accademia Arcadia
Accademia Arcadia plays baroque cantatas and chamber sonatas with one-to-a-part heat: Buxtehude's sacred motets, Handel's Italian dramas full of fire, Corelli through Purcell and Leclair, and improvisatory violin writing that still feels spontaneous.
Handel: Italian Cantatas
Melbourne ensemble Arcadia specialises in baroque cantata repertoire. Here they bring fire and passion to five of Handel's Italian cantatas: virtuosic music, beautifully performed.
Buxtehude: Cantatas
This CD is a must for Buxtehude fans, with five works not then available on disc. Arcadia is a new Melbourne ensemble formed to explore early vocal works.