Label &Catalog
Number
Description
| Nimbus NI 5175 or Musical Heritage HMS 5154738 |
Berlioz: Grande Symphonie Funebre et Triomphale, Gossec: Symphonie Militaire, Gossec: March Lugubre, The Wallace Collection; Serpentist: Stephen Wick, Ophicleides: Stephen Wick, Stephen Saunders |
| Erato/Musifrance 2292-45607-2 | DeCaurroy: Missa Pro Defunctis, Ensemble Vocal Sagittarius; Serpentist: Bernard Fourtet |
| Musica Mundi 314011 | Fress und Sauflieder der Renaissance, Musica Canterey Bamberg; Serpentist: Enrique Crespo |
| Accent ACC 8860 D | Harmonie und Janitscharenmusick, Octophoros; Serpent & Bass Horn: Andrew van der Beek (note this album is also available from Musical Heritage Society, see below) |
| Musical Heritage MHS 512700Y | Music for Harmonie and Janissary Band, Octophoros; Serpent & bass Horn: Andrew van der Beek |
| Label la Lichere LLL 37 | Le Chant du Serpent (avant garde jazz); Serpentist: Michel Godard (also ophicleide sound effects on track 11 "Serpent d'Or") |
| Nimbus 5318 | Mendelssohn: Symphony #3 "Scottish", Mendelssohn: "Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage"; The Hanover Band; Serpentist: Alan Lumsden |
| Saydisc SDL 360 | Under the Greenwood Tree: Music from the Time of Thomas Hardy; The Mellstock Band; Serpentist: David Townsend |
| Saydisc SDL 361 | Fill Your Glasses: Convivial English Glees; London Serpent Trio; Serpentist: Christopher Monk, Ophicleide: Clifford Bevan, Anaconda: Andrew van der Beek |
| Music Masters MMD6-0236 F | Music of Francis Johnson and Contemporaries; The Chestnut Brass Company; Serpentist: Jay Krush |
| Dog Rose Sound DR13930 | Serpent Celebration 1590-1990; The London Serpent Trio and Guests (the largest assembly of Serpent players for at least 200 years) |
| Thelonius THE 0101 | L'Impossible Trio (jazz); Serpentist: Michel Godard |
| Wergo WER 8008-2 | Heloise (jazz improvisation); Michael Riessler ensemble; Serpentist: Michel Godard |
| Hopi HOP 200002 | Aborigene (classical, baroque, renaissance, jazz); Serpentist: Michel Godard |
| Philips 434 402-2 (CD) and Philips70254 (VHS video) video re-released on DVD as Decca 074 3212 |
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14; Orchestre
Revolutionaire et Romantique; Stephen Wick on Serpent
& Ophicleide, Stephen Saunders on ophicleide Video re-released as part of Decca DVD Berlioz Redicovered (see Filmography) |
| Newport Classic NPD 85548 or Sony Classical #62485 |
Tippecanoe and Tyler Too: American Political Marches
and Songs; The Chestnut Brass Company and Friends;
Ophicleide: Jay Krush Hail to the Chief (Sony title) |
| Newport Classic NPD 85516 | Listen to the Mockingbird: 19th Century brass band music; The Chestnut Brass Company and Friends; Ophicleide: Jay Krush |
| Crystal Records CD 562 | Pastime with Good Company; The Chestnut Brass Company; Serpent & Ophicleide: Jay Krush |
| EMI/Reflexe CDC 7-49541-2, re-released as Virgin Veritas / Virgin Classics # 7243 5 61379 2 9 (561379-2) |
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14; The
London Classical Players; Ophicleides: Stephen Wick,
Stephen Saunders (re-release adds Berlioz: Les Francs-juges, Op. 3) |
| Silex Y225040 | Le Bucher des Silences (jazz); Serpentist: Michel Godard |
| Silex Y225023 | Kejadenn (bagpipes, double reeds, drums, very eclectic); Bagad Kemperle; Serpentist: Michel Godard |
| Label Hopi 200004 | K.O.N.P.S. (jazz); Jean Francois Canape Trio; Serpentist: Michel Godard |
| Philips 442-137-2 video of this released on DVD as Decca 074 3212 |
Berlioz: Messe Solennelle; Orchestre Revolutionaire et Romantique; Serpent: Stephen Wick; Stephen Saunders; Ophicleide & Buccin: Marc Giradot |
| BNL 112851 A/B available from Organ Historical Society, phone: 800-728-2614 |
Louis Marchand (organ & plainsong); Ensemble Alternatim, Bernard Coudurier; Serpentist: Helmut Schmitt |
| Wild Goose WGS 281 CD | Tenants of the Earth (West Gallery and folk songs); The Mellstock Band; Serpentist: Phil Humphries |
| Varese Sarabande VSD-5753 | The Alien Trilogy (movie soundtracks); Royal
Scottish National Orchestra; Serpentist: Phil
Humphries (serpent heard on tracks: "Breakaway" & "The Door") |
| Beautiful Jo Records BEJOCD-9 | The Music of Dickens and His Time; The Seven Dials Band; Serpentist: Phil Humpries |
| Past Time BEJ0CD-10 | Christmas with Dickens; Trombone & Serpent: Phil Humphries |
| Titanic TI-100 | Sweet and Low; The London Serpent Trio; Serpentists: Christopher Monk, Alan Lumsden, Andrew van der Beek (out of print, check libraries) |
| Beautiful Jo Records BEJOCD-28 | The Dance at the Phoenix (Village Band Music from Hardy's Wessex); The Mellstock Band; Serpentist: Phil Humphries |
| Pandourian PRCD1004 order from <neuman@uofport.edu> |
The One Horse Open Sleigh; Ophicleide: Philip Neuman |
| Opus 111 #OPS30-135/136 | Mendelssohn: St. Paul (Paulus); Chorus Musicus Koln, Das Neue Orchester; Serpentist: Andrew van der Beek |
| Studio SM #D2490 | Repons (plainsong/chant with Serpent improvisation); The Choir of the Ligugé Abbey; Serpentist: Michel Godard |
| M.A. Recordings #M048A order from www.marecordings.com |
Sous Les Voutes, Le Serpent (serpent and not much else, in many styles); Michel Godard, serpent |
| Enja #ENJ-9339-2 | Odd Times (serpent, oud, harmonica, percussion); Michel Godard, serpent |
| Enja #ENJ-9071-2 | Loose Wires (serpent, guitars, percussion); Michel Godard, serpent |
| Enja #ENJ-9362-2 | Castel Del Monte (serpent, brass, woodwinds,
persussion, vocals); Michel Godard, serpent see also Castel Del Monte II, below |
| Auvidis-Astree #E-8765 | Cristobal De Morales: Officium Defunctorum & Missa Pro Defunctus a 5; La Capella Reial De Catalunya & Hesperion XX; Bernard Fourtet, serpent |
| Auvidis-Astree #E-8642 | Joseph-Marie Amiot: Messe Des Jesuites De Pekin (Mass of the Jesuits in Beijing); XVIII-21, Musique Des Lumieres/ Ensemble Meihua Fleur de Prunus/ Choeur de Centre Catholique Chinois de Paris; Michel Godard, serpent |
| Auvidis-Astree #E-8521 | Charles D'Helfer: Requiem, Messe De Funerailles Des Ducs De Lorraine (Funeral Mass for the Dukes of Lorraine); A Sei Voci/ Les Sacqueboutiers De Toulouse/ La Psallette De Lorraine; Bernard Fourtet, serpent |
| Vivarte/ Sony Classical #SK-48-039 | Praetorius: Magnificat, etc.; Huelgas Ensemble;
Michele Vandenbroucque, serpent The presence of serpent on this recording has been questioned. In spite of the liner notes which indicate the Vandenbroucque is playing serpent, it may be a bassoon instead. |
| New World Records #80299-2 | Music of the Federal Era; Members of the Federal Music Society; Alan Moore, serpent |
| L'Oiseau-Lyre #D103561/ Decca #436-131-2 | Susato: Danserye 1551; New London Consort; Stephen Wick, serpent |
| Ricercar #245012 | Praetorius: Terpsichore Musarum; Ricercar Consort & La Fenice; Michel Godard & Keremie Papasergio, serpents |
| Label Hopi #HOP200017 order from www.labelhopi.com, <labelhopi@wanadoo.fr> |
Dream Weavers (serpent, woodwinds, vocals); Michel Godard, serpent/ tuba/ conque-shell |
| Nimbus #NI 5470 | The Origin of the Species: Virtuoso Victorian Brass Music; The Wallace Collection; Stephen Wick (low parts) & Tony George (high parts), ophicleides |
| Harmonia Mundi France #HMC 901584.85 | Mendelssohn: St. Paul (Paulus); La Chapelle Royale / Collegium Vocale / Philippe Herreweghe; Bernard Fourtet, serpent |
| Archive Produktion # 459 688-2 | Handel: Solomon; Gabrieli Consort & Players / Andreas Scholl / Paul McCreesh; Bernard Fourtet, serpent |
| Seraphim CDE 7243 5 69025 2 7 (CD) Angel SS 45015 (LP) |
Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks; London Symphony Orchestra / Charles Mackerras, conductor / Alan Lumsden & Christopher Monk, serpents |
| Vanguard Classics SVC-47 | Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks (complete - in original scoring); English Chamber Orchestra / Johannes Somary, conductor / 2 serpent players |
| Naxos # 8.554096-97 | Cavalieri: Rappresentatione di Anima e di Corpo; Cappella Musicale di San Petronio di Bologna / Sergio Vartolo; Bernard Fourtet, serpent |
| Auvidis-Astree #E-8640 | Escobedo: Missa Philippus Rex Hispaniae; A Sei Voci /Les Sacqueboutiers de Toulouse / Choeur Philippus Rex Hispaniae; Bernard Fourtet [liner notes only mention bass sackbut, however his personal discography lists this as a recording he played serpent on] |
| CMS Recording SPR 54C cassette tape (maybe also on LP?....SPR 54?) |
Christmas Cheer;
Canterbury Clerkes with the The London Serpent Trio;
Serpentists: Christopher Monk, Alan Lumsden, Andrew van
der Beek (out of print, check libraries) several serpent-only tracks of carols, plus most other tracks have some serpent accompaniment |
| Ateliers du Fresne #300 002.2 order from Ecole Maitrisienne Regionale des Pays de Loire angers@ecole-maitrise.org, fax 02 41 87 79 71 |
Le Livre d'Orgue de Montreal (Lebegue & anonymous: Pange Linqua, Messe Magnae Deus Potentiae, Tubas Cum Citharis, Magnificat); Maitrise de la Cathedrale d'Angers / Damien Herisset, organ / Bernard Fourtet, serpent |
| Verese Sarabande # VSD-5849 | Herrmann: Journey to the Center of the Earth
(movie soundtrack); Serpentist: Don Cristlieb (serpent heard on tracks "Giant Chameleon/The Fight" (solo), and possibly "The Duck") |
| Altri Suoni # AS101 | Deux (avant garde jazz); Serpentist: Michel Godard |
| EMI / Virgin Classics # 72435 45369 22 (545369) | Prokofiev: Pierre et le Loup (Peter and the Wolf performed in French with various ancient instruments); Serpentist: Bernard Fourtet |
| Hyperion # CDA67119 | Antique Brasses (music of Beethoven, Crusell, Lachner, Löwenstein, Neukomm, Nicolai, Rossini, Salieri); London Gabrieli Brass Ensemble; ophicleides: Stephen Wick, Tony George |
| Naive/Livre Disque # V 4874 | Pérégrinations Goldberg (a unique musical creation with words in French and English, and riffs on serpent, overlaying portions of Bach's Goldberg Variations); Nancy Huston & Freddy Eichelberger; Michel Godard, serpent |
| EMI/Angel # CDM 7 63303 2 | Hoffnung's Musicfestivals (including The Hoffnung Music Festival Concert, The Hoffnung Interplanetary Music Festival, The Hoffnung Astronautical Music Festival); Eric Halfpenny, serpent and Nigel Amherst, The Anaconda |
| JVC # JVC-2052-2 | The Wallace Collection's "Victorian Christmas"; The Wallace Collection, with The Trinity Boy's Choir and The Britten Singers, Tony George, ophicleide (with solos) |
| Decca/London # 455 688-2 | Mendelssohn : Elijah; Orchestra of the Age of
Enlightenment & Edinburgh Festival Chorus with Bryn
Terfel & Renée Fleming, directed by Paul Daniel; Tony
George, ophicleide While the CD booklet does not state instrumentation, the performer has confirmed use of the ophicleide. |
| Enja #ENJ-9431-2 | Castel Del Monte II (serpent, strings, woodwinds,
persussion, vocals); Michel Godard, serpent see also Castel Del Monte, above |
| Beautiful Jo Records BEJOCD-31 | Hey for Christmas (Seasonal Songs & Carols
from the Broadside Ballad collections ); The Mellstock Band with The Oxford Waits; Serpentist: Phil Humphries |
| Argo # ZRG 596 | Music All Powerful : Music to Entertain Queen
Victoria ; Purcell Consort of Voices; Alan Lumsden, ophicleide |
| Virgin Classics # 7243 5 61975 2 7 (or, 5 61975 2) | Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 "Italian", and A
Midsummer Night's Dream; Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment; orchestra includes ophicleide Note: CD booklet notes indicate the participation of an ophicleide in the performance. However, the performer involved has stated that the ophicleide was used only for a pre-recording concert. Another player in the orchestra has stated that for the recording, a euphonium was used for the ophicleide part. |
| Harmonia Mundi (France) # 901463.64 | Mendelssohn: Elijah (Elias); Orchestre des Champs
Elysées, La Chapelle Royale, Collegium Vocale with Petteri
Salomaa & Soile Isokoski, directed by Philippe
Herreweghe; Marc Girardot, ophicleide |
| Glossa # GCD 921101 | Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream (part of The
Grand Tour series); Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, directed by Frans Brüggen; Stephen Wick, ophicleide |
| Mooncrest # CRESTCD 011 | No Roses; Shirley Collins and The Albion Country Band; Alan Lumsden, ophicleide & Gregg Butler, serpent (both pretty much inaudible in the mix) |
| Arion # ARN 68300 | Dupuy: Noel, Motet, Magnificat ("Au Milieu de la Nuit"/"Cantate Domino Canticum Novum"/Magnificat respectively); Groupe Vocal de Toulouse & Ensemble Instrumental Baroque; Bernard Fourtet, serpent |
| Telarc CD-80594 | Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks & Water Music; Boston Baroque orchestra / Martin Pearlman, conductor / Douglas Yeo, serpent |
| Act Company ACT 9006-2 | Ottomania (avant-garde jazz); Kudsi Erguner,
composer & reed flute / Michel Godard, serpent very little serpent on this recording |
| Wergo WER 8009-2 | Tentations d'Abélard (avant-garde jazz); Michael
Riessler, woodwinds & composer; Michel Godard, serpent very little serpent on this recording |
| Intakt CD 062 | European Chamver Ensemble (avant-garde jazz);
Pierre Favre, percussion & composer; Michel Godard,
serpent very little serpent on this recording, but what's there is very nice |
| Leo Records CD LR 291 | Sequenze Armoniche (some jazzy reflections on
Gregorian Chant); Dolmen Orchestra, Nicola Pisani,
conductor; Michel Godard, serpent very little serpent on this recording |
| Enja ENJ-9380 2 | Translucide (cello solo with avant-garde jazz
accompaniment); Vincent Courtois, cello & composer;
Michel Godard, serpent very little serpent on this recording |
| Enja ENJ-8078 2 | The Sultan's Picnic (avant-garde jazz); Rabih Abou-Khalil, oud & composer; Michel Godard, serpent very little serpent on this recording |
| HatOlogy 504 | The Root of the Problem (avant-garde jazz, a
series of musical chess games); Misha Mengelberg, piano
& composer; Michel Godard, serpent very little serpent on this recording |
| Splasc(h) CS h2501 | Atem (avant-garde jazz); Stefano Battaglia,
Dominique Pifarély, Michele Rabbia, Vincent Courtois;
Michel Godard, serpent & tuba very little serpent on this recording; track 3 is the only one where serpent is used, although it is a mournful serpent solo (on other tracks, Godard plays tuba) |
| Intakt CD 049 | Pierre Favre Singing Drums - Souffles (avant-garde
jazz); Pierre Favre, percussion & composer; Roberto
Ottaviano, saxophones; Michel Godard, serpent very little serpent on this recording; track 3 "Ritual to a Funeral" is something of a serpent solo, suitably mournful and soulful (on other tracks, Godard plays tuba) |
| Enja ENJ-9323 2 | Ocre (avant-garde jazz ?); Sylvie Courvoisier;
Michel Godard, serpent THIS RECORDING IS NOT IN THE SERPENT NEWSLETTER'S ARCHIVES AND HAS NOT BEEN VERIFIED TO CONTAIN SERPENT.......this is not the same recording as the more recent "Ocre Y2K" |
| Capriccio 67 068 | Mendelssohn: Athalia; Das Neue Orchester, directed by Christoph Sperling; Erhard Schwartz, ophicleide |
| Pan Classics 510 142 | Krommer: Music for Wind Octet; Amphion Wind Octet (Amphion Bläseroktett); Marc Girardot, serpent |
| Berlioz Historical Brass BHB 101 available from <www.yeodoug.com> |
Le Monde du Serpent (The World of the Serpent); Berlioz Historical Brass, Gloria Dei Cantores choir, members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, DeBorah DeWolf Emery (piano), Jennifer Ashe (soprano), Ben Peck (buccin); Douglas Yeo, serpent & the contrabass serpent "George", with Craig Kridel (serpent) and Phil Humphries (serpent & ophicleide) |
| Enja ENJ-9148 2 | TubaTubaTu (jazz tuba duets); Michel Godard,
tuba & serpent & composer, Dave Bargeron, tuba
& sackbut & composer, with accordion and drums two tracks, "Murmure" and "Old Town", have serpent and sackbut duets, the other tracks are tuba duets |
| Serpent Press SER 007 | Ghosts & Lovers (Shocking Stories, Wicked Songs & Wild Tunes, Tales of Dread and Delight from Hidden Byways of Rural Tradition); The Mellstock Band; Phil Humphries, serpent and ophicleide |
| King Record Company (Tokyo) KICJ 345 | Godzilla Jazz (avant-garde jazz based on themes from
Godzilla movies); Jack Walrath on trumpet and
effects, Art Baron on trombone, didgerido, serpent,
recorders and effects, Britt Woodman on trombone, Bill
Bickford on guitars, Lindsey Horner on bass, Cecil Brooks
III on percussion serpent appears as Rodan the Flying Monster, in a free-form solo with recorder accompaniment in the middle of the track "Rodan" |
| Multijazz Records 101
write or visit website to verify availability: |
Multiple Instruments; Scott Robinson, multi-instrumentalist, including ophicleide (album (LP, not CD) with eight jazz selections in traditional styles; backup of piano, bass and drums supporting overdubbed/multitrack lead and harmony on instruments including trumpet, saxophones, ophicleide, normaphon, double-belled euphonium, cornet, clarinets, trombone, tuba, banjo, recorders, piccolo, organ pipes, bombarde, solaristic sound sculptures, mellophone, french horn, valved posthorn, helicon, slide trumpet, highland bagpipes) - ophicleide used on one track, "If I Were a Bell" by Frank Loesser |
| Arbors Records ARCD19275 | Jazz Ambassador: Scott Robinson Plays the Compositions of Louis Armstrong; Scott Robinson, multi-instrumentalist, including ophicleide (on the track "Yes! I'm In the Barrel") |
| Datura Blues (no catalog number) PO Box 5198, Arcata, CA 95518 daturablues@hotmail.com www.geocities.com/datura_blues |
Master the Tempest is Raging....; Bodie Pfost, serpent, trombone,etc., this self produced CD includes serpent on track 2, "The Ocean Thief...", as a foghorn very softly in the background, starting roughly at 7:00 on the track and ending at 8:20. A better serpent part is on track 4, "They'll Have to Drag Me Kickin' and Screamin", accompanying the vocals, church serpent style, in the Ave Maria section starting at 3:00 on the track and ending at 3:30. It is largely on the strength of this latter section that this recording is listed here. |
| Serpent Press SER 008 | Glad Tidings: A West Gallery Christmas; The Mellstock Band; Phil Humphries, serpent and ophicleide |
| Alpha 514 |
Une Messe Pour La Saint-Michel & Tous Les Saints Anges (A Mass for Saint Michel & All Holy Angels); improvised 17th Century Gallican mass re-enactment with Freddy Eichelberger (organ), Ensemble Vocal Ludus Modalis; Michel Godard, serpent |
| Virgin Classics 7243 5 45706 2 9 | Hector Berlioz:
Benvenuto Cellini; French National Orchestra, Radio
France Chorus, directed by John Nelson; unnamed player on
ophicleide ophicleide has a solo as part of Pierrot's cavatine in Act I scene 12 |
| Intuition INT 3353 2 |
Trio Rouge; Lucilla
Galeazzi (voice), Vincent Courtois (cello); Michel Godard,
serpent & tuba |
| Doyen DOY CD162 |
The History of Brass
Band Music: The Early Years 1850-1920; Grimethorpe
Colliery (UK Coal) Band, Elgar Howarth directing; Clifford
Bevan, ophicleide (tracks
1 & 2 only, on bass part) |
| EMI Classics D
104902 reissued as disk 4 of the 4 CD set "Christmas Carols" Musical Heritage Society 5489976 [this set also referenced below] |
Carol Album 2;
Taverner Consort, Choir & Players, Andrew Parrott
directing; Stephen Saunders, ophicleide ophicleide present on one track (17) only, "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" on the bass line |
| Virgin Classics
7243 (5 45733 2) 3 |
Charpentier: Te Deum & Grand Office Des Morts; Les Arts Florissants, William Christie directing; Stephen Wick, serpent |
| Salzburger Museum Carolino
Augusteum (no catalog number) order by email cornelia.auernig@smca.at |
Geschichte der
Salzburger Blasmusik "alla turca"/History of Salzburg
"alla turca (Janissary)" Wind Music; Magistratsmusik
Salzburg, Joseph Seidl directing; Bruce Holcomb, serpent serpent featured in 10 minute lecture in both German and English on Janissary music, then on demonstration scale, and finally on three musical selections; "Allemande Nr. 9, Marsch Nr. 11, both attributed to A. Fendt of the Salzburg military band of 1812, and "Salzburger Studentenmarsch vom Jahre 1777" This CD is an excellent introduction to Janissary music and the instruments used for playing it. |
| Ricercar RIC 245 |
Charpentier: Te Deum & Messe pour plusieurs instruments (au lieu des orgues); Choeur de Chambre de Namur (the choir), Les Agremens (chamber orchestra on Te Deum), La Fenice (chamber orchestra on Messe), Jean Tubery directing; Volny Hostiou, serpent |
| Supraphon SU 3194-2
931 (1993 recording from Czech Republic) |
Renaissance Music at
Princely Courts of Europe; Rozmberk Consort Prague,
Frantisek Pok directing; Frantisek Pok, serpent serpent heard only on 1-1/2 minute long track #19 "Entre vous gentilz hommes" (Pierre Certon), and is playing the melodic line at the top of the instrument's range, sounding almost like a tenor zink (lyzard), over the harmony provided by viols, but playing is good while it lasts |
| Chestnut Brass, no catalog
number |
Distant Dancing;
Chestnut Brass Company; Jay Krush, ophicleide,
Marian Hesse, quinticlave |
| Deutsche Harmonia
Mundi 82876 64071 2 |
Richard Wagner: Der
fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman) - Original
Paris Version; WDR Rundfunkchor Köln, Prager
Kammerchor (the choirs), Cappella Coloniensis (the
orchestra), Bruno Weil directing; Marc Girardot,
ophicleide ophicleide is used throughout, but it's timbre can be heard easily in the Overture at 0:11 with the trombones, and in a soft chorale with trombone 2 and trombone 3 at 2:53. Also in the opening of track 2, especially at 0:23 |
| Frémeaux &
Associés FA 166 |
Choro (1906-1947);
Pixinguinha (flute), João Pernambuco (guitars), Jacob do
Bandolim; Irineu de Almeida, ophicleide ophicleide appears on track 15 of CD #1 (it is a 2 CD set), " São João Debaixo D'Aguá ", and Almeida is an excellent player on a very energetic part that comes through clearly. This CD consists of 36 Brazilian 'choro' pieces from the first half of the 20th Century; 'choro' is Brazil's oldest musical form, emerging from Rio in the 1880s, and is a mixture of European melody and harmony with African rhythm. |
| Orfeo C 689 061 A |
Victorian Christmas
(a.k.a. Victorian Christmas for Brass); Passion des
Cuivres (19th Century brass quintet, Constanze Backes,
soprano; Erhard Schwartz, ophicleide ophicleide solos on several tracks, plus Handel's "O Ruddier Than the Cherry" which is a complete ophicleide solo |
| Melba MR 301111 |
Back from Oblivion;
Nick Byrne, ophicleide & David Miller, piano vintage virtuoso ophicleide solos + two contemporary compositions |
| Wolgrub W001 Wolgrub, Unit One, 30 Maple House, Idonia Street, London SE8 4LS |
Sporting & Military;
Alligator Horses, including Andrew Lamb, Russian Bassoon Russian Bassoon used only on 'British Grenadiers' track |
| The Madding Crowd TMC-002-CD | Hark, Shepherds, Hark;
The Madding Crowd, Mike Bailey, director; Peter Hackston,
serpent traditional period versions of English Christmas songs and carols, done in the style of a village band and choir, nice earthy performances that really sounds '"right" for the material. |
| CPO 777 221-2 |
Ferdinand Ries: Die
Könige In Israel; Rheinische Kantorei and Das Kleine
Konzert, Hermann Max, director; Erhard Schwartz,
ophicleide ophicleide is present 'in the mix' but it does not have any solos or prominent parts |
| Enja ENJ-9494 2 |
Songs for Sad Women;
Rabih Abou-Khalil, oud & composer; Gevorg Dabaghyan,
duduk; Michel Godard, serpent wonderful improvisations on the serpent bass line |
| Intuition INT 3415 2 |
DEEP; Gavino Murgia,
voice & soprano saxophone; Michel Godard, serpent
& tuba free improvisations of an almost spiritual and mesmerizing sort |
| Angel S-37091 (LP from 1974) reissued on CD as Virgin Veritas #7243 (5 61289 2) 7 |
Music of Praetorius
(Dances from "Terpsichore" 1612 & Motets from "Muses
of Zion" 1605-10); The Early Music Consort of
London, David Munrow, director; Alan Lundsen, serpent
(Alan also plays sackbut, etc; and former London
Serpent Trio member Andrew van der Beek also plays many
non-serpent instruments) serpent is heard only on track 2 of side B (track 11 on CD), "Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort" |
| CAM Production CAMJ 7806-2 |
Archangelica; l'Atelier des Musiciens du
Louvre (a baroque orchestra), directed by Mirella
Giardelli; Maria Pia de Vito, vocals; Freddy Eichelberger,
harpsichord; Michel Godard, serpent baroque & jazz fusion with lots of expert serpent playing |
| RCA Red Seal 2
CD 88697 (27155 2) |
Robert Schumann: Das Paradies und die Peri;
Bavarian Radio Orchestra and Choir (Symphonieorchester des
Bayerischen Rundfunks), directed by Nikolaus Harnoncourt;
Erhard Schwartz, ophicleide |
| Nonesuch H-71313 (LP) |
19th Century American Ballroom Music;
Smithsonian Social Orchestra & Quadrille Band,
directed by James Weaver; Robert Eliason and Robert Kraft,
ophicleides, Robert Sheldon, quinticlave |
| Ligia Digital LIDI 0202196-8 | Jean Gilles: Requiem & motet Cantate Jordanis
Incolae; Orchestre Les Passions & Choeur de
chambre les elements, directed by Jean-Marc Andrieu; Volny
Hostiou, serpent serpent is audible throughout doubling the voices, the portative organ bass line, and the small orchestra's single string bass...on a few tracks the serpent has a very obvious solo line. This is an excellent recording for hearing a well-played serpent in an authentic period music ensemble. The CD booklet is in French only. The Serpent Newsletter editor, in collaboration with the group Orchestre Les Passions, has prepared a separate booklet in English, which may be downloaded here Gilles CD Booklet in English |
| EMI Classics / Capitol 0777
7 54529 2 1 reissued as disk 1 of the 4 CD set "Christmas Carols" Musical Heritage Society 5489976 [this set also referenced above] |
The Christmas Album: Festive Music from Europe
and America;
The Taverner Consort, Choir & Players, directed by
Andrew Parrott, Stephen Saunders, ophicleide ophicleide is very audible, with solo lines, in track 13, "Gloria" by Edmund Pascha |
| Carpe Diem CD-16274 | Tre Bassi: De Profundis; bass vocalists Alain Buet, Paul Willenbrock, Philippe Roche, with Hille Perl , viol/lirone; Lee Santana, chitarrone; Michel Godard, serpent |
| EMI/Angel SLS 988 or SAN
391-392 (2 LPs) reissued on CD as Virgin Veritas 0946 (3 85811 2) 3 |
Instruments of the Middle Ages and Renaissance;
The Early Music Consort of London, directed by David
Munrow; Alan Lunsden, serpent serpent is used on the track "Canzona Quarta for 'basso solo'" by Girolamo Frescobaldi, which is track 5 on side B of record 2, aka Side 4 (LP version) or track 20 of CD2 (CD version) |
| Le Couvent K617215 | Pierre Robert: Grands Motets; Les
Pages & les Chantres du Centre de Musique Baroque de
Versailles, the orchestra ‘Musica Florea’, directed by Olivier Schneebeli; Volny Hostiou, serpent serpent is present but understated in the mix, and is nowhere prevalent |
| Hortus Editions Hortus 060 | Charles Levens: Te Deum; Ensemble
Sagittarius, the combined choirs Ensemble Baroque Orfeo
and Groupe Vocal Arpège, Orchestre Baroque Les Passions,
directed by Michel
Laplénie; Volny
Hostiou, serpent serpent is quite audible throughout on some fairly active musical lines |
| Entheos
CD005 |
Requiem pour Claude de Lorraine; Ensemble
Entheos, directed by Benoît
Damant; Volny
Hostiou, bass cornett the bass cornett is quite audible throughout, with its serpent-like sound (the bass cornett is related to the serpent, albeit in a parallel branch of the brass instrument family) The CD booklet is in French only. The Serpent Newsletter editor has prepared a separate booklet in English, which may be downloaded here Requiem Claude Lorraine CD Booklet in English |
| Gimini
Music GM 1016 |
En ces jours-là, je répandrai mon Esprit; Mario
Hacquard, Gregorian chant, Volny Hostiou, serpent the serpent is quite audible throughout in its role as echo and answer, and sometimes as accompaniment to to solo voice's chant The CD booklet is in French only. The Serpent Newsletter editor has prepared a separate booklet in English, which may be downloaded here En ces jours CD Booklet in English |
| Bandleader
Recordings/Modern
Publicity BNA 5196 |
The Music of Christopher Eley; The Duke of
York's Band of the Coldstream Guards, directed by Major Graham O Jones; Stephen Wick, serpent the serpent is very audible as the bass of the band |
| Triton
TRI 331139 |
Messe de Bordeaux (anon)
& Concerto en ré majeur by Claude Balbastre; Vox Cantoris, directed by Jean-Christophe Candau; Michel Nègre, serpent the serpent is quite audible on fairly active musical lines |
| Serpent Press SER 010 |
The Leaves of Life; The Mellstock Band,
Phil Humphries, serpent Songs, carols, spoken word from Christmas and the wintertime in the rural England of Thomas Hardy the serpent is prominent on most tracks and has multiple solos |
| Le Couvent K617224 | André Campra: Messe de Requiem; Les Pages & les Chantres du Centre de
Musique Baroque de Versailles, the orchestra ‘Orchestre
des Musiques Anciennes et à Venir’, directed by Olivier Schneebeli; Volny Hostiou, serpent album includes the Messe de Requiem as well as the Grant Motet 'In Convertendo' the serpent is prominent in the opening of the Mass on the 'cantus firmus' solo, and also in the 'Communion: Requiem Aeternam' section, and can also be heard easily in the Motet on the continuo |
| Winged Lion Records/ Signum Records SIGCD280 |
Berlioz: Grande Messe des Morts (Requiem);
Gabrieli Consert & Players, Wroclaw
Philharmonic Orchestra, Chetham's School of Music
Symphonic Brass Ensemble, Wroclaw Philharmonic Choir, directed by Paul McCreesheli; John Elliott, Phil Humphries, Stephen
Wick, Andy Kershaw, ophicleides the ophicleides are present in the mix of sound from the large orchestra and massive choir, about 400 persons strong, although their own contribution is not obvious |
| Carpe Diem CD-16286 | Monteverdi: A Trace of Grace; Guillemette Laurens,
voice; Gavino Murgia, saxophone & throat singing;
Fanny Paccoud, violin; Bruno Helstroffer, theorbo; Steve
Swallow, bass; Michel Godard, serpent This album is a mixture of renaissance and modern instruments and voice in performances of both Monteverdi selections as well as contemporary ones that are written with an appropriate sensibility and tonality, overall quite soulful; the serpent shares the bass with the theorbo and Swallow's bass, plus it has some solo lines |
| Revels Records CD 1078 www.revels.org |
The Christmas Revels: In Celebration of the
Winter Solstice;
The Revels Chorus, The Cambridge Symphonic Brass Ensemble,
Alexander's Feast renaissance band with soloists Marshall
Barron, Jerry Epstein, Lisle Kulbach, Frank Epstein; David
Gay, serpent A collection of 30 traditional songs and verse related to Christmas and the Winter Solstice, performed by modern and period instruments plus voice; serpent is clearly heard on track 27 "Apple Tree Wassail" |
| Serpent Press SER 011 | The Sound of Leather; The Lost Chord,
Dave Townsend, concertina; Phil Humphries, serpent This album is a collection of 14 eclectic music-hall songs, Victorian & Edwardian ballads and showpieces, and popular songs. All selections are played exclusively on concertina and serpent; the virtuoso serpent playing is very prominent throughout |
| Hybrid Music H1827 |
Le Serpent Imaginaire (The Imaginary Serpent);
Francois Menissier, organ; Thomas van Essen, baritone; Eva
Godard, cornetto; Volny Hostiou, serpent This recording imagines what a solo serpent concert during the first 100 years of the instrument's history would be like |
| Harmonia Mundi-World Village 479078 | Hungry People; Rabih Abou-Khalil, oud;
Gavino Murgia, soprano saxophone and voice; Luciano
Biondini, accordion; Jarrod Cagwin, drums; Michel Godard,
tuba, electric bass & serpent Not much serpent on this CD, but what's there is good |
| DML Records CD 017 | Point of View; Patrick Bebelaar, piano;
Frank Kroll, saxophone; Pandit Prakash Maharaj, tabla;
Pandit Vikash Maharaj, sarrod; Subhash Maharaj, tamboura;
Michel Godard, tuba & serpent 'World Music' merger between western European jazz and traditional Indian music. Only one track with noticable serpent on this CD |
| CamJazz CAMJ 7792-OD | ImpertinAnce; Franck Tortiller,
vibraphone; Patrice Heral, percussion, vocals and
electronic sampling; Michel Godard; tuba & serpent Note intentionally misspelled album title. Showcase for mallet percussion virtuoso Tortiller, this is a long free-form jazz improvisation. Godard mostly plays the tuba on this CD, but there are serpent solos on the tracks "Luiza Blanca", "Archangelica", and "Serpent et Sonnailles" |
| Music Center Lissone BA 301 CD | Le Sonnet Oublié; Roberto Martinelli,
soprano & alto saxophones; Francesco D'Auria,
percussion; Michel Godard; tuba, electric bass &
serpent This is a long free-form jazz improvisation. There are serpent solos on the tracks "Le Sonnet Oubliè", "Sur l’èchelle des spheres", "Ferma l’ali", and "In Paradisum" |
| Winged Lion/Signum Classics SIGCD 300 | Felix Mendelssohn: Elijah 1846; Gabrieli
Consert and Players & Gabrieli Young Singers Scheme
& Wroclaw Philharmonic Choir, with Simon Keenlyside,
baritone (Elijah), directed by Paul McCreesh;
Nicholas Perry & Phil Humphries & Carl Woodcroft,
serpents; Stephen Wick & Andrew Kershaw, ophicleides;
Tony George, contrabass 'monstre' ophicleide Recreation of the premiere performance of this classic oratorio, and the only commercial recording to include a contrabass ophicleide, not to mention such a large assembly of serpents and ophicleides |
| DML Records CD 015 | You Never Lose an Island; Patrick
Bebelaar, piano; Frank Kroll, soprano saxophone, clarinet
& bass clarinet; Herbert Joos, trumpet; Michel Godard,
tuba & serpent Serpent only used on one track, "Maienlied" |
| CamJazz CAMJ 7770-OD | Cousins Germains; Franck Tortiller,
vibraphone & marimba; Christof Lauer, soprano and
tenor saxophones; Wolfgang Puschnig, alto saxophone &
flute; Herbert Joos, trumpet; Wolfgang Reisinger, drums;
Michel Godard; tuba & serpent As a serpent recording, it contains several extended sequences that show off Godard’s virtuosity. |
| no catalog number,
available from Feeling Musique (Paris) www.feelingmusique.com |
Le Désir; Laurent Vadrot, euphonium
& ophicleide; Marc Girardot, ophicleide; Sébastien
Jaudon, piano Primarily a solo recording featuring Vadrot on euphonium with piano accompaniment. One track, "Introduction et Polonaise, Op.30" by Jules Demersseman features solo ophicleide, and two short tracks are ophicleide duets with Girardot The CD booklet is in French only. The Serpent Newsletter editor has prepared a separate booklet in English, which may be downloaded here Le Désir CD Booklet in English |
| Dreyer Gaido CD 21075 | Renaissance Goes Jazz - Live; Markus
Becker on piano; the
renaissance wind ensemble Capella de la Torre, directed
by Katharina Bäuml on shawm; Michel Godard;
tuba, electric bass & serpent Modern jazz fused with traditional Renaissance music, this has significant amounts of serpent playing |
| Yellow Bird 7718 | Ivresses; Franck Tortiller, vibraphone
& marimba; Patrice Heral, percussion, vocals and
electronic sampling; Michel Godard; tuba, electric bass
& serpent A jazz meditation on wine and its intoxicating properties, this has some nice exposed serpent solos |
| MegaSound label, unknown
catalog number, available only as an MP3 download from
numerous websites |
Megalitico 5tet; Gavino Murgia, soprano
saxophone, flute, voice; Franck Tortiller, vibraphone;
Luciano Biondini, accordion; Pietro Iodice, percussion;
Michel Godard; tuba & serpent Easy jazz genre, dominated by Murgia’s saxophone solos underlaid by Godard’s bass lines. Serpent is used only on the track "Luna Antica" |
| Outhere Music/Alpha
Productions Alpha 538 |
Love I Obey; Rosemary Standley, voice;
Helstroffer's Band; Michel Godard; serpent and flugelhorn 14 balads and folk songs from the 16th through 19th centuries. Serpent is used only on track 9 "Jack Hall", although the flugelhorn used with a serpent mouthpiece (sounding like a soprano serpent) is heard on track 8 "What If a Day" and track 13 "An Evening Hymn" |
| Aparte Music/Harmonia
Mundi AP097 |
Polyphonies Oubliées: Faux-bourdons XVIe - XIXe;
Ensemble Gilles Binchois, Dominique Vellard directing;
Maîtrise de Toulouse children's choir; Bernard Fourtet,
serpent 27 tracks of rearely heard and previously unrecorded "fauxbourdons" three-part polyphonic singing/improvisation of music from the 16th through 19th centuries. This is a 2-CD set, and the serpent is heard only on the second CD, and then only when the adult male chorus is singing, but what is there is a fine example of the serpent in its original application |
| Pianissimo Musik PM0927 |
Frames and Drums; Murat Coskun, frame
drums and other ethnic percussion; Giora Feidman,
clarinet; Michel Godard; tuba, electric bass & serpent Exploration of ethnic and indo-asian percussion instruments and styles in a jazz-influenced style. Serpent is heard on tracks 4, 5, 7. |
| HGBS 20039 | Three Seasons; Günter "Baby" Sommer,
drums; Patrick Bebelaar, piano; Michel Godard; tuba,
electric bass & serpent Serpent and other bass instruments bounce off the percission, with some help from the piano. Serpent appears on tracks 1, 4, 7, 11. Track 11 is an extended serpent solo from the start until about the 5 minute mark, then the track goes to silent ambience until the 21:46 mark, at which time the serpent resumes until the end at the 24:34 minute mark. |
| Quinton Q-1402-2 |
L'Ultima Mattanza; Gavino Murgia,
saxophones and throat-singing; Patrice Heral, percussion
and vocals; Michel Godard; tuba, electric bass &
serpent Serpent is heard on track 3 (an extended serpent solo) and track 8. |
| Schott/Intuition INT
3440 2 |
A Serpent's Dream; Katharina Bauml,
shawm; Bruno Hellstroffer, theorbo; Lucas Niggli,
percussion; Michel Godard; serpent & electric bass Unique "Villefranche Serpent" is pictured on cover and heard on tracks 8 & 13 |
| Naxos 8.573105 | William Perry: Music for Great Films of the
Silent Era - Part 2; RTE National Symphony
Orchestra (Ireland); Paul Phillips, conductor; Nick Byrne,
ophicleide "Brass From the Past: Concerto for Ophicleide and Orchestra" is on tracks 10 - 13, other tracks do not include serpent or ophicleide |
| Outhere Music/Ricercar
RIC 362 |
The Virtuoso Ophicleide; Trio Ænea
(Aenea); Patrick Wibart, ophicleide; Corentin Morvan,
ophicleide; Oscar Abella Martin, ophicleide; Adrien Ramon,
cornet; Lucie Sansen, piano vintage virtuoso ophicleide solos, duets, and trios with piano accompaniment or with voice or with cornet |
| Serpent Press SER012 |
The Thomas Hardy Songbook; The Mellstock
Band, Dave Townsend, voice & concertina; Phil
Humphries, serpent & trombone & voice; Tim Hill,
clarinet; Charles Spicer, spoken word; Caroline Butler,
violin, voice This album is a collection of 14 songs known to author Thomas Hardy, often taken from his family song-book, plus four spoken word segments taken from books by Hardy. Serpent is heard on tracks 1, 2, 10, 15, 18 |
| Biscoito Fino (Brazil)
BF390-2 MP3 downloadable from iTunes or Amazon |
Irineu
de Almeida e o Oficleide 100 Anos Depois (Irenaeus
de Almeida and the Ophicleide 100 Years Later); Everson Moraes,
ophicleide; Aquiles Moraes, cornet; Leonardo Miranda, flute;
plus guitars and percussion wonderful and captivating modern performances of tunes by a master of Brazilian "choro" music; high level ophicleide playing on all tracks |
| The Bate Collection of
Musical Instruments CCL CD8077 www.oxforduniversitystores.co.uk |
Music of the Allies: From the
Peninsula to Waterloo; The Bate Military
Ensemble, The Duchess of Richmond's String Band; Mark
Robbins, director; Major Richard Powell, narrator;
Carl Woodcroft & George Haggett, serpents 26 tracks of instrumental and vocal music plus spoken narration, using period instruments from the Bate Collection - not too polished, sounds authentic for what was probably heard in the military of the time - most tracks include one or two military serpents, plus flutes & fifes, bassoon, natural horns, oboe, keyed bugles, clarinet, trombone and percussion |
| Nimbus / Alliance NI 6342 (2-CD set) |
David Ponsford -
Nicholas de Grigny: Premier livre d'orgue (aka David
Ponsford - French Organ Music from the Golden Age,
Volume 5);
David Ponsford
(organist), L'école de Nivers (vocal ensemble); Phil
Humphries, serpent This is primarily a solo organ album, recorded on the Organ of Sarlat Cathedral. Many of the organ selections are based on earlier plainchant, and the male vocal ensemble L'école de Nivers sings the original chants prior to the organ version performance; the serpent accompanies the singers. Although the amount of serpent playing on this album is not very extensive, it remains a fine example of the serpent's original purpose, and is a very good performance. Note that the vocal/serpent performance was recorded in a church in England, while the organ performance was recorded in France; the singers & serpent do not perform at the same time as the organ. The album has been edited to make it seem that the singers are in the same acoustical space as the organ, which seems to play immediately after the planchant. |
| Carpe Diem Records CD-16313 | En El
Amor; Natasa
Mirkovic, vocals; Jarrod Cagwin, percussion; Michel
Godard, serpent Ethnic southern and eastern European songs of love, marriage, longing, desire, betrayal and war. Serpent appears on all tracks except one. |
| Dodicilune DISCHI Ed362 | Doux Dèsirs; Ihab Radwan,
oud and vocals; Michel Godard, serpent, tuba and
electric bass Serpent appears on most tracks, often with doubled tuba and/or electric bass lines (via looping/overdubbing) |
| Musièpoca MEPCD-006 | Quatuor
da
Forestier
a Verdi (Quartets from Forestier to Verdi); featuring
the period instrument brass quartet Ensemble Ottoni
Romantici (Romantic Brass Ensemble); Jonathan Pia and
Michele Santi, cornets and trumpets; Mauro Morini,
trumpet and trombone; Corrado Colliard, trombone and
ophicleide Beautifully performed brass quartet transcriptions of romantic opera arias and duets. The ophicliede is well played and appears on nearly all tracks. Includes the Johann Kaspar Kummer Variations for Ophicleide. |
| Paraty 918174 | Les
Messes retrouvées de Jehan Titelouze – Hymne,
Magnificat & Pièces d’orgue, Volume 1; featuring the vocal
ensemble Les
Meslanges; Eva Godard
and Sarah Dubus, cornetts; Claire McIntyre, Abel
Rohrbach, Christiane Bopp and Arnaud Brétécher,
sackbutts; François Ménissier, organ; Volny Hostiou,
serpent ** See Volume 2 below ** Excellent performances of two masses by Jean Titelouze, a 17th C. French composer and organist, thought lost and only discovered in 2016, plus two organ works by the same composer 'in alternatim' with plainchant verses by Jean de Bournonville. Serpent appears throughout the masses and on the plainchant verses of the organ pieces. |
| Abeat
Records ABJZ 195 |
Amor Sospeso; featuring Francesco
D'Auria, drums, percussion
and hang; Michel
Godard, serpent & electric bass Duet collaboration between varied percussion and serpent bass line. Multiple looping or overdubbing to get additional textures. Almost a trance-inducing 'mood music' style. Serpent appears throughout. |
| Dreyer
Gaido (Eastern Voices) CD 21110 |
Morgenland All Star
Band: Live in Beirut; featuring the Dima
Orsho, vocals; Ibrahim Keivo, vocals and bouzouki;
Frederik Köster, trumpet; Ziya Gückan, violin; Moslem
Rahal, ney (Persian end-blown flute); Kinan
Azmah, violin; Salman Gambarov, piano; Andreas Müller,
bass; Rony Barrak, percussion; Bodek Janke, drums;
Michel Godard, serpent and tuba Live recording of a concert at Global Week for Syria, this is mostly avant-garde jazz, meditative and soulful solos, and frantic middle-eastern vibes. Godard plays mostly tuba, but there is some serpent playing. |
| The
Serpent Press SER014 |
Christmas Frolics
(Dancing, Carolling and Carousing in English
Tradition); featuring The
Mellstock Band; Dave
Townsend, concertina & vocals; Caroline
Butler, violin & vocals; Tim Hill, clarinet &
vocals; Phil Humphries, serpent & vocals Excellent, authentic and enjoyable performances of songs, poems, dances and other traditional Christmas and New Years related English tradition. Serpent appears prominently throughout, a fine example of the instrument in its use in English folk music. |
| Dreyer
Gaido / Duda Musique 860347 |
Awakening; featuring Azerbaijani
vocal legend Alim Qasimov; Salman
Gambarov, piano; Rauf Islamov, kamancheh; Michel
Godard, serpent and electric bass Excellent performances by several leading ethnic musicians, especially phenomenal singing by Qasimov . Godard's serpent appears throughout, often prominently. |
| Colonial
Williamsburg WS101 |
The Fifes & Drums and The Band of
Musick; featuring two bands from Colonial
Williamsburg; Richard
Haas, serpent (LP album, out of print, check
libraries) Authentic period instrument performances by the 'house bands' of Colonial Williamsburg . The serpent appears on alternate tracks with The Band of Musick, and is featured on "Rule Britannia" |
| Alpha
Classics, Alpha 597 |
Akoé; featuring the Spanish
trio Taracea with Rainer Seiferth on vihuela (Spanish
guitar/lute); Belén
Nieto, recorders and flute; Miguel Rodrigáñez, double
bass, plus guests Isabel Martín, vocals; David
Mayoral, percussion; Michel Godard, serpent Enjoyable jazz-fusion arrangements of well-known Renaissance selections and traditional Spanish tunes. Godard's serpent appears on tracks 3, 6, 9, 11. |
| Paraty 100273 |
Les Messes retrouvées de Jehan Titelouze –
Hymne, Magnificat & Pièces d’orgue, Volume 2; featuring the vocal
ensemble Les
Meslanges; Eva Godard
and Sarah Dubus, cornetts; Claire McIntyre, Christiane
Bopp and Arnaud Brétécher, sackbutts; François
Ménissier, organ; Volny Hostiou, serpent ** See Volume 1 above ** Excellent performances of two masses by Jean Titelouze, a 17th C. French composer and organist, thought lost and only discovered in 2016, plus two organ works by the same composer 'in alternatim' with plainchant verses by Jean de Bournonville. Serpent appears throughout the masses and on the plainchant verses of the organ pieces. |
| Harmonia Mundi 902377.79 |
François Couperin
L’Alchimiste, 2. Les Années de Jeunesse (F. Couperin
the Alchemist, Volume 2 - The Years of Youth/The Early
Years);
featuring
harpsichordist
Bertrand Cuiller, organist Jean-Luc Hoa, and
a male vocal quartet drawn from the vocal ensemble Les
Meslanges; Volny
Hostiou, serpent Combination of full performances on solo harpsichord of Couperin's First Book of Pièces de Clavecin, with two organ masses written in the composer's teenage years, which are performed 'in alternatim' with verses of Gregorian plainchant accompanied by serpent. Serpent appears on the plainchant verses of the organ pieces. |
| Alpha Classics, Alpha 562 | Ravel, 'Valse & Rapsodie Espagnole I' and Attahir, 'Adh-Dhor';
featuring the Orchestre National de Lille, directed by
Alexandre Bloch; Patrick
Wibart, serpent Besides fine performances of two orchestral works by Maurice Ravel, his "La Valse" and "Rapsodie Espagnole", this album includes a modern serpent concerto by contemporary French composer Benjamin Attahir, "Adh-Dhor", in its first recording. |
| Dreyer Gaido CD21127 |
Risplendenti, riversi; featuring vocalist Nataša
Mirković; Luciano
Biondini, accordion; Jarrod Cagwin, percussion; Michel
Godard, serpent and electric bass A good 'serpent album', having the instrument on most tracks, and easily heard in the mix, often soloing, and in different musical styles |
| Desuonatori Music DES 008 |
Ferma l’Ali; featuring vocalist Anita Piscazzi; Michel
Godard, serpent A good 'serpent album', having the instrument on most tracks, very prominent, demonstrates different 'voices' of the instrument. The poetry readings are quiet and absent much of the time, leaving just the serpent |
| Paraty 321262 |
Grands Motets; music by Joseph Valette de Montigny,
featuring the vocal group Ensemble Altiphona and
baroque orchestra; Lilian Poueydebat, serpent Two motets, Surge Propera & Salvum me fac Deus, previously unrecorded and not performed in nearly 300 years. The serpent generally follows the bass line of the 'basso continuo', often mirroring parts played on the string bass, or bassoon, or the organ, and while it is audible it does not stand out clearly in the mix. |
| Dodicilune Dischi ED556 | Astrolabio Mistico; featuring Roberto Ottaviano, saxophone;
Luca Tarantino, theorbo; Ninfa Giannuzzi & Anita
Piscazzi, vocals; Michel Godard, serpent Light jazz-improv, primarily saxophone and serpent duets over a theorbo continuo, sometimes with sung or spoken poetry. Serpent can be heard on all tracks except 4, 6, 7, 9, 14. NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH SIMILARLY-NAMED ALBUM CATALOG # ED346 (BELOW) |
| Encore Music BD 1784 |
Twisted; featuring Cristina Zavalloni, vocal;
Michel Godard, tuba, electric bass and serpent Two musical friends 'jamming' in an improvisational situation; a short album of diverse styles, including poetry. Highlight is probably their 'cover' of the 1952 jazz number "Twisted", which was originally by jazz singer Annie Ross, done over a 1949 saxophone solo by Wardell Gray, here the saxophone 'part' is done on serpent. |
| Dodicilune Dischi ED346 |
Astrolabio; featuring Roberto Ottaviano, saxophone;
Gianluigi Trovesi, alto clarinet; Glenn Ferris,
trombone; Michel Godard, serpent and tuba Light jazz-improv "ambient" stylings. Serpent is heard only on track 5. NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH SIMILARLY-NAMED ALBUM CATALOG # ED556 (ABOVE) |
| ECM Records ECM 2782 |
Florian Weber: Imaginary Cycle; featuring Florian Weber, composer &
piano; Anna-Lena Schnabel, flute; "Quatuor Opus 333",
euphonium quartet; Michel Godard, serpent and tuba 'Song cycle' dominated by piano, with other instruments coming and going in the distance. Serpent seems to be audible only on track 11. |
Copyright Paul Schmidt 1997
revised September 2024