aug 28th classical wp

available August 28th, call-off August 17th

harmonia mundi UK Classical new releases

SEPTEMBER 2015

DISTRIBUTED LABELS:

ACCENT RECORDS, ACTES SUD, AGOGIQUE,

ALIA VOX, AMBRONAY, APARTE, ARTE VERUM, AUDITE, BEL AIR, BELVEDERE,

THE CHOIR OF KINGS COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE,

CONVIVIUM, CHRISTOPHORUS, CSO RESOUND, DELPHIAN, DUCALE, EDITION CLASSICS, EVIDENCE, FLORA, FRA MUSICA, GLOSSA, harmonia

mundi, HAT[NOW]ART, HERITAGE, KAMER, KML,

LA DOLCE VOLTA, LA MUSICA,

LES ARTS FLORISSANTS EDITIONS, LSO LIVE, MARIINSKY, MIRARE, MODE, MUSO, MYRIOS, MUSIQUES A LA CHABOTTERIE, NAÏVE, ONYX,

OPELLA NOVA, ORFEO, PAN CLASSICS, PARADIZO, PARATY, PHIL.HARMONIE, PRAGA DIGITALS,

RADIO FRANCE, RAM,

REAL COMPAÑIA ÓPERA DE CÁMARA,

RCO LIVE, SFZ MUSIC, SIGNUM, STRADIVARIUS,

TREASURE ISLAND, UNITED ARCHIVES,

WALHALL ETERNITY, WERGO, WIGMORE HALL LIVE, WINTER & WINTER, YSAYE

August Issues out nowGRAMOPHONE EDITOR’S CHOICEBEL AIR CLASSIQUESBAC118 Thierry Escaich ClaudeVarious soloists; Orchestra of the Opera de Lyon; Jeremie Rhorer

EDITOR’S CHOICEDELPHIAN DCD34157Eddie McGuire Entangled FortunesRed Note Ensemble

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE CONCERTO CHOICEharmonia mundi HMU807573 Vaughan Williams & MacMillan Oboe ConcertosNicholas Daniel; Britten Sinfonia

OPERA CHOICEharmonia mundi HMC902212/13Rameau Castor et PolluxEnsemble Pygmalion/Raphael Pichon

CHORAL & SONG CHOICESignum SIGCD408 In the midst of life/Baldwin PartbooksContrapunctus/Owen Rees

INSTRUMENTAL CHOICE Wigmore Hall Live WHLIVE0076/2Mozart Piano Sonatas Nos 6, 12, 14 &16; Fantasia in C minor, K457Christian Blackshaw (piano)

RELEASE DATE28TH AUGUST 2015

Label: harmonia mundiFile Under: Classical/InstrumentalCatalogue No: HMC902219Barcode: 3149020221921NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 CDPackaging: digipackIsabelle Faust [violin] Alexander Melnikov [piano]

BRAHMS: Violin Sonatas Op.100 & 108SCHUMANN: Romances Op.94Isabelle FaustAlexander Melnikov

A 19th-century ‘trio sonata’. Isabelle Faust and Alexander Melnikov have already given us an acclaimed versionBrahms’s First Violin Sonata, in 2007. They now complete the cycle with the other two sonatas of 1886 and 1888, andadd a fascinating rarity dating from 35 years earlier: the ‘F-A-E’ Sonata, a collaborative effort by three composers inhonour of the great violinist Joachim, who had to guess who had written which movement! He did so with ease, for theScherzo is as eminently Brahmsian as the Intermezzo and Finale are Schumannesque. Alexander Melnikov will be contributing his take on a score his mother gave him that belonged to Sviatoslav Richter in SeptemberBBC Music Magazine ADVERTISED IN GRAMOPHONE


Label: harmonia mundiFile Under: Classical/OrchestralCatalogue No: HMC902181/82Barcode: 3149020218129MID PriceFormat: 2 CDAndreas Staier [harpsichord]Freiburger Barockorchester

BACH: Harpsichord ConcertosAndreas StaierFreiburger Barockorchester

CD1:Concerto No.1 BWV1052 in D minor Concerto No.2 BWV1053 in E majorConcerto No.7 BWV1058 in G minor CD2:Concerto No.3 BWV1054 in D major Concerto No.4 BWV1055 in A majorConcerto No.5 BWV1056 in F minor Concerto No.6 BWV1057 in F major

The seven fabulously inventive concertos for solo harpsichord and orchestra mark a key stage in the history of theconcertante form. The set was compiled during Bach’s Leipzig years, when he directed the city’s Collegium Musicum,and requires unfailing virtuosity and imagination of its performers. The contagious, invigorating pleasure one feels in theinterpretations of Andreas Staier and the Freiburger Barockorchester restores the full range of meanings to the word‘play’! ADVERTISED IN GRAMOPHONE


Label: harmonia mundiFile Under: Classical/ChambermusicCatalogue No: HMC902207/08Barcode: 3149020220726MID PriceFormat: 2 CDJerusalem Quartet

BEETHOVEN: String Quartets Op.18, 1-6Jerusalem Quartet

CD1: String Quartet no.3 in D majorString Quartet no.1 in F majorString Quartet no.2 in G major CD2:String Quartet no.4 in C minor String Quartet no.5 in A major String Quartet no.6 in B flat major

"Only now have I learnt how to write quartets properly"So wrote Beethoven in 1801, having just finished his first set of string quartets at the surprisingly advanced age of 30: thecompetition of Haydn and Mozart must have been intimidating for the young composer. But these six Quartets Op.18,which cost him great effort and extensive revision, already display much boldness and originality, from the dramaticechoes of 'Romeo and Juliet' in No.1 to the astonishing programmatic finale of No.6, ‘La Malinconia’.The Jerusalem Quartet was founded in 1993, and began its training in Jerusalem, under the direction of the violinist Avi Abramovitch. From 1999 to 2001 the quartet received support from the BBC (as BBC New Generation Artists), then in 2003 it was the recipient of the first Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award. The Jerusalem Quartet is now a regular guest in the world’s leading concert halls, notably in the United States where it isincreasingly present. It performs with such artists as Alexander Melnikov, Lawrence Power, and Sharon Kam. The Jerusalem Quartet record exclusively for Harmonia Mundi and their discs have been awarded with numerous prizes. Their recording of Haydn’s String Quartets won the chamber category of the 2010 BBC Music Magazine Awards and theDiapason d’Or Arte, while their release of Schubert’s Death and the Maiden Quartet received an ECHO Klassik Award in 2009and was featured as Editor’s Choice in the July 2008 edition of Gramophone Magazine. The Quartet’s recording of Mozart’sString Quartets, released in March 2011, was Chamber Music Choice in BBC Music Magazine. The Quartet is very grateful to Daniel Barenboim who generously loans Jacqueline du Pré's ‘Sergio Perresson’ cello to Kyril Zlotnikov. ADVERTISED IN BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE


Label: harmonia mundiFile Under: Classical/ChoralCatalogue No: HMU807637Barcode: 093046763763NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 SACDPackaging: digipackConspirareChamber PlayersCraig Hella Johnson

Pablo Neruda, The Poet SingsConspirareCraig Hella Johnson

Cary RATCLIFF (b. 1953): Ode to Common Things (1996; chamber version, 2014)Shawn KIRCHNER (b. 1970): Tu sangre en la mía Soneto 53 (2009, rev. 2014), Tu voz Soneto 52 (2007) Donald GRANTHAM (b. 1947): La canción desesperada (2005, rev. 2014)

Craig Hella Johnson leads Conspirare in this vibrant tribute to revered Chilean poet and statesman Pablo Neruda(1904-1973), whose life-affirming poetry is the inspiration for these captivating choral settings by Donald Grantham,Shawn Kirchner and Cary Ratcliff, all recorded here for the first time.

"In this recording, Conspirare focuses its attention and exploration on the greatly revered Chilean poet Pablo Neruda(1904-1973), whose poems have stirred souls around the world. I have heard more than one passionate reader exclaim“Neruda IS music!” Neruda’s personal universe and the many realms of feeling, color and texture he envisaged with hiswords have inspired many artists to respond with new creations. It is our hope that the extraordinary musical settings byCary Ratcliff, Shawn Kirchner, and Donald Grantham can serve as a conduit for an ever deepening experience with thissublime and powerful poetry. For the uninitiated, may it serve as a portal to his art." Craig Hella Johnson

"So, through me, freedom and the sea will make their answer to the shuttered heart." PABLO NERUDA, transl. Alistair Reid


Label: harmonia mundiFile Under: Classical/InstrumentalCatalogue No: HMU907649Barcode: 093046764920NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 CDPackaging: ecopackPablo Villegas [guitar]

AmericanoThe Soul of the Spanish guitarPablo Villegas

Pedro ELIAS-GUTIERREZ arr. A. Díaz: Alma Llanera - JoropoVILLA-LOBOS: Prelude No. 1 Melodía lírica: Homenagem ao sertanejo brasileiro, Prelude No. 3 Homenagem à BachAntonio LAURO: Vals Venezolano No. 2 João PERNAMBUCO: Sons de Carrilhoes - Choro Roland DYENS: Tango en SkaïLuiz BONFA arr. by C. Barbosa-Lima: Passeio no Rio - Bossa Nova Agustín BARRIOS-MANGORE: Danza Paraguaya No. 1 2LAURO: Seis por derecho - JoropoBARRIOS-MANGORE: Un sueño en la florestaJohn WILLIAMS: Rounds World Premiere Recording* Agustín LARA arr. by J. Morel / M. Ubis: Granada BERNSTEIN: West Side Story - I Feel Pretty, Maria, America TRAD arr. by E. Scruggs / P. Villegas: Dear Old Dixie, Kansas City Kitty, Big Eared Mule

Made in America. This is a musical journey through different countries, aesthetics, composers, and styles of the greatAmerican continent. On this album, Pablo Villegas combines the emotions of sensual Brazilian music, the nostalgictango, vivid Venezuelan rhythms, the deep emotions of John Williams, and the exciting and colourful Americanbluegrass. Welcome on board!

"An exceptional and gifted performer” Classical Guitar


Label: Alia VoxFile Under: Classical/ChoralCatalogue No: AVSA9912Barcode: 8435408099127NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 SACDPackaging: cd bookHanna Bayodi-HirtMarianne Beate KiellandPascal BertinDavid SagastumeNicholas MulroyLluis VilamajóDaniele CarnovichAntonio Abete

Heinrich BIBER: Baroque Splendor - Missa SalisburgensisLa Capella Reial de CatalunyaLe Concert des NationsJordi Savall

FANFARA [Bartholomäo Riedl (ca. 1650-1688)]Motet: PLAUDITE TYMPANA, à 53 (1682) BATTALIA, à 10 (1673)Sonata, Die liederliche Gesellschaft von allerley Humor: Allegro, Presto, Der Mars, Presto, Aria, Die Schlacht, Lamento der Verwundten Musquetirer: Adagio SONATA SANCTI POLYCARPI, à 9 (1673) MISSA SALISBURGENSIS, à 53 (1682)Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei

The 'Missa Salisburgensis à 53 voci' (in comparison, 'Spem in alium' was written by Thomas Tallis for «only» 40 voices)is perhaps the largest-scale piece of extant sacred Baroque music, an archetypical work of the Colossal Baroque. It is apolychoral composition which takes advantage of the multiple organs and various locations available for groups of singers and musicians to perform in Salzburg Cathedral, probably for the 1682 celebrations marking the 1100th anniversary of the founding of the Archbishopric of Salzburg. This stunning recording features Jordi Savall’s ensembles at their best and fully reveals the «splendour» of this masterpiece. A recording of cosmic proportions that Jordi Savall has decided to illustrate with a celestial image of the Helix Nebula. Nothing less.

Recorded in Cardona (Catalunya) January 14-16, 2015 except for La Battalia à 10, recorded on February 11th, 2002


Label: OrfeoFile Under: Classical/OrchestralCatalogue No: C896152ABarcode: 40117908962292 FOR 1 PriceFormat: 2 CDPackaging: digipackBaiba SkrideTampere Philharmonic Orchestra, Santtu-Matias Rouvali

NIELSEN, SIBELIUS: Violin Concertos, 2 Serenades Op 69Baiba Skride

Richard Strauss premiered Sibelius' Violin Concerto and this concerto has enjoyed an unstoppable series of triumphsthrough the concert halls of the world since. Sibelius came from what was then a Russian province, the Grand Duchy ofFinland, and was younger than Strauss by just one year. It is worth noting here that there seems to be a particular affinity for this work among women violinists. The violinrepertoire is hardly small, but it tends to be one-sided in the works generally chosen by performers. In her recent CDreleases, however, Baiba Skride has endeavoured to offer carefully considered, stimulating programme combinationsthat can prompt a joy in discovery on the part of her listeners. For Baiba, coming from the Baltic, it was natural – both interms of her biography and her native geography – that she would want to place the Violin Concerto by Sibelius in this,his anniversary year, alongside the sole violin concerto by his exact Baltic contemporary Carl Nielsen (1865-1931). Andperhaps, above and beyond Baiba Skride’s own naturalness of manner, we can also hear a certain worldliness anddirectness here in her approach to the Sibelius Concerto – a work so holy to violinists – that allows us to discern aspecial familiarity with it on her part. Incidentally, both composers were trained violinists who earned their living for awhile from their instrument. Skride here also includes Sibelius’s two Serenades of 1912/13 for solo violin and orchestra –two similarly original examples of his art of composition that are cast in a very different tone and in a smaller-scale genre.

Santtu-Matias Rouvali is the July 2015 'Rising Star: Great Artists of Tomorrow' in BBC Music Magazine. Rouvali, now 29,made his conducting debut with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2009, and last season, took over from HannuLintu as chief conductor of the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra. There, his flamboyant performances and imaginativeprogramming have gone down a treat.

ALSO AVAILABLE:C873141A Szymanowski Violin Concertos/Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Vasily PetrenkoBBC Music Magazine Concerto Choice, Awards Nominee 2015, *****/*****Musicweb Recording of the MonthC854131A Schumann, Violin Concertos/Danish National Symphony Orchestral, John StorgardsGramophone Editor's ChoiceC849121A Stravinsky, Martin Violin Concertos/BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Thierry Fischer Gramophone Editor's ChoiceBBC Music Magazine Orchestral ChoiceC829112A Brahms Violin Concerto, Hungarian Dances/Royal Stockholm PO, Sakari Oramo Musicweb Recording of the Month


Label: LSO LiveFile Under: Classical/OrchestralCatalogue No: LSO0767Barcode: 0822231176725NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 SACDPackaging: cristalLondon Symphony OrchestraLondon Symphony ChorusSir Antonio Pappano

Sir Peter MAXWELL DAVIES: Symphony No. 10Sir Andrzej PANUFNIK: Symphony No. 10London Symphony OrchestraSir Antonio Pappano

LSO Live presents the world premiere recording of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies’s architectural 10th Symphony, alongsideSir Andrzej Panufnik’s Symphony No 10. This release showcases two of the 20th century’s most iconic symphoniccomposers, paired together here by their 10th Symphonies.Regarded as one of the foremost composers of our time, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies has made a significant contribution tomusical history through his wide-ranging and prolific output. Commissioned by the LSO and described by the composeras "the wildest music I’ve ever written", Symphony No. 10 tells the story of 17th century architect Francesco Borromini,who suffered much criticism for his idiosyncratic buildings and tragically committed suicide. Borromini’s architectural andmathematical principles permeate the symphony, a work that speaks of creativity, life, death and renewal.Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano has spoken of his admiration for the piece and its composer: "When he described thepiece to me and its dramatic content then I was drawn very strongly to it. Max wrote most of this piece in hospital. Hewas diagnosed with leukemia and was undergoing treatment for a long period of time, so the piece is very strong withtremendous pathos… it gives the piece a power and a sureness of knowledge."As with many of his other works, Panufnik’s succinct offering is influenced by geometry – the Fibonacci series in thisinstance. The sym-phony achieves its supreme sound quality through the combination of various groups of instruments,with Panufnik allowing each grouping to convey humanity and an intense, profound musicianship. This recording wasmade during Panufnik’s Centenary year and supported by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute.


Label: LSO LiveFile Under: Classical/OrchestralCatalogue No: LSO0779Barcode: 822231177920NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 SACDPackaging: cristalLondon Symphony OrchestraValery Gergiev

RACHMANINOV: Symphony No. 3, BALAKIREV: RussiaLondon Symphony OrchestraValery Gergiev

Following his acclaimed LSO Live recordings of Rachmaninov’s Symphony No 2 and 'Symphonic Dances', ValeryGergiev conducts a scintillating performance of the powerfully emotional Symphony No 3, framed with a work by one ofthe Mighty Five: Balakirev’s 'Russia'.Rachmaninov’s third and final symphony was composed nearly 20 years after the composer’s emigration from hishomeland. Often considered to be his most overtly Russian symphony, Rachmaninov makes subtle use of a motto themewhich appears throughout the work and can be heard in the finale as a variant of the Dies Irae plainchant – a melodic tagused in Rachmaninov’s music as a dark reminder of mortality.'Russia', an epic symphonic poem, is a reworking of an Overture on Russian Themes, collected during Balakirev’sexpedition up through the Volga. It was composed in 1864 and is based on three folksongs – a slow wedding song andtwo round-dances which are varied, fragmented and combined throughout the piece. Gergiev's Rachmaninov cycle isdue for completition in Spring 2016.


Label: MariinskyFile Under: Classical/OrchestralCatalogue No: MAR0587Barcode: 0822231858720NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 SACDPackaging: cristalDenis Matsuev [piano]Mariinsky OrchestraValery Gergiev

On October 4th Denis Matsuev will beperforming Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No 1 atthe Royal Festival Hall, London.

RACHMANINOV: Piano Concerto No. 1SHCHEDRIN: Piano Concerto No. 2, STRAVINSKY: CapriccioDenis Matsuev, Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev

The Mariinsky Label’s latest release showcases works for piano and orchestra by three of Russia’s great composers,with the celebrated Russian pianist Denis Matsuev featured as soloist. Renowned for his interpretations of Russianmusic, and affectionately known as ‘the Siberian bear with the fastest paws in the Arctic,’ Matsuev’s previous releases onthe Mariinsky label, including Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No 3 and 'Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini', havereceived widespread acclaim.Piano Concerto No 1 was written whilst Rachmaninov was still a teenager and though relatively playful in comparison tohis later piano concertos, its three movements are full of the showmanship, beautiful melodies and lush orchestralaccompaniment that were to characterise his music in the years to come. A similarly playful tone can be found in therevised 1949 version of Stravinsky’s 'Capriccio' for piano and orchestra, which was premiered in 1929 with the composerat the piano. Written as a virtuosic vehicle for Stravinsky himself, the piece is characterised by a dancing piano partwhich is full of leaps and bounding with energy. Completing the release is Shchedrin’s Piano Concerto No 2, recorded inthe presence of the composer, which was influenced by 12-tone techniques and jazz. Virtuosic writing is foundthroughout, and the final movement sees the surprise introduction of a jazz ensemble, including vibraphone and drum kit.Speaking about this release, Denis Matsuev says "we wanted to show great Russian composers from different periods.Rachmaninov’s First Piano Concerto is one of my favourites. It was written whilst he studied at the Moscow Conservatoryand despite his young age he managed to reveal himself as a great artist. Capriccio is a brilliant work with a wonderfulsense of humour. It is also very cinematic; one can envision this music whilst listening to it and we tried to communicateall of these features to the audience. Shchedrin is a very special composer in the Russian tradition. He takes an activepart in rehearsals; we have an opportunity to talk to him, to exchange ideas and to listen to his advice. It is a pricelessexperience."

Concert Reviews:"Playing with confidence, technical brilliance and great flair, the young Russian made the piece (Stravinsky’s Capriccio)sparkle, glitter, and dance, especially in the jazzy finale." Classical Source

Review of Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No 1 (digital release)"The live meeting of Denis Matsuev and Valery Gergiev in Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No 1 is electrifying… Thissupercharged version is carried by an incandescent Mariinsky Orchestra." Classica


Label: RCO LiveFile Under: Classical/ChoralCatalogue No: RCO15003Barcode: 0814337019150NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 SACDPackaging: cristalGenia Kühmeier [soprano]Gerald Finley [bass]Netherlands Radio ChoirRoyal Concertgebouw OrchestraMariss Jansons [chief conductor]

BRAHMS: Ein deutsches Requiem, Op. 45Royal Concertgebouw OrchestraMariss Jansons

Following the requiem masses of Dvorák and Mozart in previous seasons, this performance of Brahms's GermanRequiem would have been the third in a long series of Requiems conducted by Mariss Jansons. Unfortunately the 'newtradition' was cut short by Jansons's departure as the RCO's chief conductor during the 2014/2015 season. Theperformance was dedicated to Kurt Sanderling, one of the orchestra's most beloved guest conductors. He passed awaythe year before and would have turned 100 that very month. It proved to be a very moving performance, a fitting salute toa great conductor.

"Gerald Finley is a baritone that combines gritty presence and clarity of diction ... Soprano Genia Kühmeier moved theaudience with the purity of her timbre" Mischa Spel, NRC

“Perfectly proportioned strings, smooth as silk, yet capable of a devastating loudness, world famous wind soloists thattogether sound like an organ, crisp and warm at the same time. The RCO in Brahms leaves one speechless.” HildegartMaertens, Kwadratuur

“Kühmeier achieved an almost magical effect with her subdued timbre. And Finley ...enraptured the listener with hisimpressive voice” Frederike Berntsen, Trouw

"The Concertgebouw Orchestra sounded incredibly beautiful. Jansons managed not only to have the violins whispermysteriously about death, but also coloured all the separate wind parts in Brahms's masterful orchestral texture. Rarely achoir and an orchestra merge as well and rarely this Requiem is performed as beautifully as yesterday evening at theConcertgebouw." Roeland Hazendonk, Het Parool


Label: Bel Air ClassiquesFile Under: ClassicalCatalogue No: BAC105Barcode: 3760115301054NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 DVDPackaging: long box

RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: The Tsar's BrideOpera in 4 ActsStaatskapelle BerlinDaniel Barenboim

Vasily Sobakin: ANATOLI KOTSCHERGAMarfa: Olga PERETYATKOGrigory Gryaznoy: JOHANNES MARTIN KRÄNZLEGrigory Malyuta-Skuratov: TOBIAS SCHABELIvan Lykov: PAVEL˜ERNOCHLyubasha: ANITA RACHVELISHVILIBomeliu:s STEPHAN RÜGAMERDomna Saburova: ANNA TOMOWA-SINTOWDunyasha: ANNA LAPKOVSKAYAPetrovna: CAROLA HÖHN

Stage direction, Set design DMITRI TCHERNIAKOVEnregistrement HD / HD recording: Staatsoper im Schiller Theater, Berlin - 10/2013Opera sung in Russian

The argument is based on an historical case. In the suburbs of Moscow, reigned around 1571 Tsar Ivan IV, 'the Terrible'.Widowed, he is looking for a new wife for the third time. He chooses the young Marfa; she loves another man but bendsto the will of the Tsar and renounces her love.From this starting plot, the Russian director Dmitri Tcherniakov retains only the frame. A live competition is organised fora virtual monarch like in a reality show called «Joe Millionaire » where competitors attempt to marry a rich man. Here, thecharacters become the various players of the audiovisual industry bringing an acerbic criticism ofcontemporary TV.Daniel Barenboim conducts the Staatskapelle Berlin, with Olga Peretyatko, Anita Rachvelishvili and Johannes MartinKränzle. Recorded at Staatsoper, Im Schiller Theater Berlin, in October 2013.

1 DVD DIGIPACK Running time 152 minBooklet FR / ENG / DE, Subtitles FR / ENG / DE16/9, NTSC, Sound Dolby Digital 2.0, Dolby Digital 5.1


Label: Bel Air ClassiquesFile Under: Classical/Opera &VocalCatalogue No: BAC405Barcode: 3760115304055NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 Blu-rayPackaging: long box

RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: The Tsar's BrideOpera in 4 ActsStaatskapelle BerlinDaniel Barenboim

Vasily Sobakin: ANATOLI KOTSCHERGAMarfa: Olga PERETYATKOGrigory Gryaznoy: JOHANNES MARTIN KRÄNZLEGrigory Malyuta-Skuratov: TOBIAS SCHABELIvan Lykov: PAVEL˜ERNOCHLyubasha: ANITA RACHVELISHVILIBomelius: STEPHAN RÜGAMERDomna Saburova: ANNA TOMOWA-SINTOWDunyasha: ANNA LAPKOVSKAYAPetrovna: CAROLA HÖHN

Stage direction, Set design DMITRI TCHERNIAKOVEnregistrement HD / HD recording: Staatsoper im Schiller Theater, Berlin - 10/2013Opera sung in Russian

The argument is based on an historical case. In the suburbs of Moscow, reigned around 1571 Tsar Ivan IV, 'the Terrible'.Widowed, he is looking for a new wife for the third time. He chooses the young Marfa; she loves another man but bendsto the will of the Tsar and renounces her love.From this starting plot, the Russian director Dmitri Tcherniakov retains only the frame. A live competition is organised fora virtual monarch like in a reality show called «Joe Millionaire » where competitors attempt to marry a rich man. Here, thecharacters become the various players of the audiovisual industry bringing an acerbic criticism ofcontemporary TV.Daniel Barenboim conducts the Staatskapelle Berlin, with Olga Peretyatko, Anita Rachvelishvili and Johannes MartinKränzle. Recorded at Staatsoper, Im Schiller Theater Berlin, in October 2013.

1 Bluray DIGIPACK Running time 152 minBooklet FR / ENG / DE, Subtitles FR / ENG / DE16/9, Full HDSon/Sound PCM 2.0, DTS HD Master Audio


Label: Bel Air ClassiquesFile Under: Classical/Opera &VocalCatalogue No: BAC124Barcode: 3760115301245NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 DVDPackaging: long box

Jacques OFFENBACH - Les Contes d'Hoffmann Opera in 5 acts, Mise en Scène Gérard Mortier Orchestra & Chorus of the Teatro Real de MadridConductor: SYLVAIN CAMBRELING

ERIC CUTLER: HoffmannANNE SOFIE VON OTTER: La Muse/NicklausseVITO PRIANTE: Lindorf / Coppélius / Dr Miracle / DapertuttoCHRISTOPH HOMBERGER: Andrès / Cochenille / Frantz / PitichinaccioANA DURLOVSKI: OlympiaMEASHA BRUEGGERGOSMAN: Antonia / GiuliettaALTEA GARRIDO: StellaLANI POULSON: La Mère d’AntoniaJEAN-PHILIPPE LAFONT: Maître Luther / CrespelGERARDO LÓPEZ: NathanaëlGRAHAM VALENTINE: SpalanzaniTOMEU BIBILONI: HermannISAAC GALÁN: SchlemilStage director: CHRISTOPH MARTHALERHD recording: Teatro Real, Madrid - 05/2014

Although posthumous, 'The Tales of Hoffmann' is considered as the masterpiece of Jacques Offenbach’s work andmixes love, pain and whim.The intrigue settles around three stories about a broken love. Told by Hoffmann, narrator and hero, these tales paint aportrait of three feminine figures: Olympia the automaton, Antonia the dying operasinger and Giulietta the courtesan. This triptych allows the development of very different universes, and colour. It’s also adeclension of the image of woman and of evil.Christoph Marthaler signed this creation for the Teatro Real. This was Gerard Mortier’s last commission for this stage:the Swiss director has proven his ease in many different registers. An essential capacity needed for a work as rich andsubtle as 'The Tales of Hoffmann'. Music is conducted by Sylvain Cambreling and the cast includes Eric Cutler, AnneSofie von Otter, Measha Brueggergosman and Jean-Philippe Lafont.

1 DVD Running time 193 min.Booklet FR / ENG / ESP, Subtitles FR / ENG / DE / ES16/9, NTSC, Sound Dolby Digital 2.0, Dolby Digital 5.1


Label: Bel Air ClassiquesFile Under: Classical/Opera &VocalCatalogue No: BAC424Barcode: 3760115304246NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 Blu-rayPackaging: long box

Jacques OFFENBACH - Les Contes d'Hoffmann Opera in 5 acts, Mise en Scène Gérard Mortier Orchestra & Chorus of the Teatro Real de MadridConductor: SYLVAIN CAMBRELING

ERIC CUTLER: HoffmannANNE SOFIE VON OTTER: La Muse/NicklausseVITO PRIANTE: Lindorf / Coppélius / Dr Miracle / DapertuttoCHRISTOPH HOMBERGER: Andrès / Cochenille / Frantz / PitichinaccioANA DURLOVSKI: OlympiaMEASHA BRUEGGERGOSMAN: Antonia / GiuliettaALTEA GARRIDO: StellaLANI POULSON: La Mère d’AntoniaJEAN-PHILIPPE LAFONT: Maître Luther / CrespelGERARDO LÓPEZ: NathanaëlGRAHAM VALENTINE: SpalanzaniTOMEU BIBILONI: HermannISAAC GALÁN: SchlemilStage director: CHRISTOPH MARTHALERHD recording: Teatro Real, Madrid - 05/2014

Although posthumous, 'The Tales of Hoffmann' is considered as the masterpiece of Jacques Offenbach’s work andmixes love, pain and whim.The intrigue settles around three stories about a broken love. Told by Hoffmann, narrator and hero, these tales paint aportrait of three feminine figures: Olympia the automaton, Antonia the dying operasinger and Giulietta the courtesan. This triptych allows the development of very different universes, and colour. It’s also adeclension of the image of woman and of evil.Christoph Marthaler signed this creation for the Teatro Real. This was Gerard Mortier’s last commission for this stage:the Swiss director has proven his ease in many different registers. An essential capacity needed for a work as rich andsubtle as 'The Tales of Hoffmann'. Music is conducted by Sylvain Cambreling and the cast includes Eric Cutler, AnneSofie von Otter, Measha Brueggergosman and Jean-Philippe Lafont.

1 Bluray Running time 193 min.Booklet FR / ENG / ESP, Subtitles FR / ENG / DE / ES16/9, NTSC, Sound PCM 2.0, DTS HD Master Audio


Label: Signum ClassicsFile Under: Classical/InstrumentalCatalogue No: SIGCD426Barcode: 0635212042625NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 CDPackaging: cristal Alessio Bax [piano]

SCRIABIN: Piano Sonata No. 3 in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 23MUSSORGSKY: Pictures at an ExhibitionEtude in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 2, No. 1, Night on the Bare Mountain

Alessio Bax

Pianist Alessio Bax creates “a ravishing listening experience” with his lyrical playing, insightful interpretations, anddazzling facility. “His playing quivers with an almost hypnotic intensity,” says Gramophone magazine, leading to whatDallas Morning News calls “an out-of-body experience.”For his latest solo recording with Signum, Alessio Bax returns with a programme of rich and evocative works for piano byModest Mussorgsky and Alexander Scriabin


Label: Signum ClassicsFile Under: Classical/OrchestralCatalogue No: SIGCD431Barcode: 0635212043127NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 CDPackaging: cristalPhilharmonia OrchestraChristoph von Dohnányi [conductor]

BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, WAB109Live at the Salzburg FestivalPhilharmonia OrchestraChristoph von Dohnányi

Recorded in 2014 at the beginning of a series marking his 85th birthday season, Christoph von Dohnányi leads thePhilharmonia Orchestra in a rousing live performance of Bruckner’s monumental Ninth Symphony, which standsalongside the other epoch-defining Ninth symphonies of Beethoven and Mahler.


Label: DelphianFile Under: Classical/SecularVocal musicCatalogue No: DCD34169Barcode: 0801918341694NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 CDPackaging: cristalClare Wilkinson [mezzo-soprano]*Rose Consort of Viols

Mynstrelles with Straunge SoundsClare WilkinsonRose Consort of Viols

Anon: And I were a maiden*, De tous biens plaine, Fortuna desperata, Henry VIII: Helas madame*, van GHIZEGHEM De tous biens plaine*, JOSQUIN: De tous biens plaine, attrib. BUSNOYS: Fortune esperée*, JOSQUIN: Fortuna desperata, PENALOSA: Vita dulcedo / Agnus Dei II*AGRICOLA: Cecus non iudicat de coloribus, ENCINA: Triste España*, MARTINI: Des biens amors, La martinella, JOSQUIN: In te Domine speravi*, Anon: In te Domine sperabo, La quercia, Biblis, ENCINA: Fata la parte*, Anon: La Spagna, PONCE: La mi sola Laureola*, CORNYSH: Fa la sol, ANCHIETA: Con amores, la mi madre*, ISAAC: Agnus Dei II, JOSQUIN: Adieu mes amours*

A rapid transformation in musical tastes occurred in the years around 1500, with the relatively widespread distribution ofpart-music in the new medium of print – it was in this context that the consort of viols emerged. For their third recordingon Delphian, the Rose Consort use a set of instruments modelled on those depicted in an Italian altarpiece dating from1497 in Bologna. Peerless early-music mezzo Clare Wilkinson joins the consort in a sophisticated interweaving of voicesthat casts revealing light on the earliest music for this innovative ensemble.Rose Consort of Viols’ recent engagements have included performances at the BBC Proms Matinees at Cadogan Hallwith vocal ensemble Tenebrae, at the National Gallery in London and for Semana de Musica Religiosa in Cuenca, Spain.The Consort has received awards for its research and performance of newly devisedprogrammes, and has made a number of highly acclaimed recordings for Delphian and other labels, including mostrecently 'An Emerald in a Work of Gold: Music from the Dow Partbooks' (Delphian DCD34115), a disc of music by Byrdand his contemporaries in collaboration with The Marian Consort, and 'Serenissima' (DCD34149), a programme of musicfrom Renaissance Europe performed on instruments by Richard Jones copied from the earliest surviving viol, a Venetianinstrument by Francesco Linarol from c.1540. A second recorded collaboration with The Marian Consort, 'Loquebantur:Music from the Baldwin Partbooks' (DCD34160), will be released 28 September, 2015.


Label: MirareFile Under: Classical/ChoralCatalogue No: MIR283Barcode: 3760127222835NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 CDPackaging: digipackLa ReveuseBenjamin PerrotFlorence Bolton

PURCELL: Devotional Songs and AnthemsLa Reveuse

Purcell’s devotional songs for three male voices are still little known and shrouded in a certain mystery. Yet thesemeditations on the frailty of human existence are among his finest and most moving works. Gifted with profound intuitionof the emotions that can emerge from the union of text and music, this formidable composer, who understood and servedthe vocal music of his time so well, continues here the work begun by the masters of the preceding generation such asHenry Lawes. Hear me, O Lord, the great support Z133O, I'm sick of life Z140Since God so tender a regard Z143FINGER: Sonata Quarta in D min RI-148Plung'd in the confines of despair Z142Blessed is he that considereth the poor Z7The Aspiration: How long, great God Z189FINGER: Division No. 8 in G When on my sick bed I languish Z144With sick and famish'd eyes Z200FINGER: Division in G min RI-140I was glad Z19 [Harmonia Sacra version]Lonrd, not to us Z137


Label: StradivariusFile Under: Classical/ChoralCatalogue No: STR37004Barcode: 8011570370044NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 CDPackaging: digipackRosso PorporaWalter Testolin

BUXTEHUDE: Membra Jesu NostriRosso PorporaWalter Testolin

CANTATA I: AD PEDESCANTATA II: AD GENUACANTATA III: AD MANUSCANTATA IV: AD LATUSCANTATA V: AD PECTUSCANTATA VI: AD CORCANTATA VII: AD FACIEM

The work is dedicated to Gustav Düben, organist and Kapellmeister in Stockholm, who was not only a personal friend ofBuxtehude but also responsible for the preservation of many of his compositions which came together in the Dübencollection, today held in the library of the University of Uppsala. Buxtehude’s choice to write the first version of 'MembraJesu Nostri' in the form of tablature for the organ was a gesture that contributed to emphasising the closeness of the twomusicians. On the other hand, this composition was not only a declaration of affection and friendship but an authenticspiritual testament.'Membra Jesu Nostri' is a meditation on the seven parts of the Mystical Body, to which there correspond seven cantatas,each of which is divided into six episodes: a long progress which begins with an ascent (the two ascending 16ths of Eccesuper montes), and ends with an ascent. A gorgeous performance from Rosso Porpora under the directionof Walter Testolin.


Label: HeritageFile Under: Classical/InstrumentalCatalogue No: HTGCD302Barcode: 506033266144SPECIAL PriceFormat: 3 CDPackaging: cristalAndras SchiffEnglish Chamber Orchestra, George Malcolm

Andras Schiff: The Denon Recordings

J.S. BACH: Keyboard Concertos in D min BWV1052, A Major, BWV1055, F Minor, BWV1056,Two-Part Inventions for Keyboard BWV772a-786, Two-Part Sinfonias for Keyboard, BWV787-801SCHUMANN: Papillons, Op. 2, Arabeske in C Major Op. 18, Humoreske in B-Flat Major Op. 20HAYDN: Sonata in C Min Hob. XVI-20, Sonata in C Major Hob. XVI-50BARTOK: Dance Suite Sz. 77 BB 86a, Rumanian Folk Dances Sz. 56 BB 68Three Rondos on Folk Tunes Sz. 84 BB 92, Hungarian Peasant Songs Sz. 71 BB 79

András Schiff is a daring and adventurous pianist. He has a wide repertoire, but always remains loyal to the composersmost important to him. These are the composers represented in this collection of early recordings which first appeared onthe Denon label – Bach, Schumann, Haydn and Bartók. He has returned to each repeatedly throughout his career,fashioning innovative recital programmes around their works, and often recording individual pieces more than once as hisinterpretations develop. But at this relatively early stage in his career, from the late 1970s onwards, Schiff already had amature and distinctive voice, and his musical personality shines through in each of these recordings.Typically of Denon, the sound recordings presented here are of demonstration quality. The performances appear on theHeritage label courtesy of SLG.

PRAISE FOR THESE RECORDINGS:SCHUMANN – "His playing is truthful and sympathetic……….Schiff captures Schumann’s mercurial mood changeswithout drawing attention to an interpreter at work." Gramophone

HAYDN – "Schiff makes all these sonatas sound even more attractive than you remembered them being'. 'Schiff is aspolished as you could wish in the scintillating rondos……. but I cannot recall anyone else with the delicacy of touch andunderstanding that he brings to the other movements." Gramophone

"Schiff plays with an extraordinary refinement and delicacy; he is resourceful and highly imaginative in his use of tonecolour; his phrasing and articulation are a constant source of pleasure. Superb in every way and beautifully recordedtoo." Penguin Guide

BACH – "This record had me completely gripped." Gramophone


Label: HeritageFile Under: Classical/SecularVocal musicCatalogue No: HTGCD297Barcode: 5060332661435MID PriceFormat: 1 CDPackaging: cristalJohn Carol Case [baritone]Daphne Ibbott [piano]

John Carol Case sings Somervell, Butterworth and Elgar

Arthur SOMERVELL: MaudGeorge BUTTERWORTH: Six Songs from a Shropshire LadEdward ELGAR: Twilight, Op. 59 No. 6, Clapham Town End, The River, Op. 60 No. 2, The Shepherd’s Song, Op. 16 No. 1, Modest and Fair from The Spanish Lady, Still to be neat, Rondel, Op. 16 No. 3, O Salutaris Hostia

‘The aristocrat of English baritones’, said Michael Oliver. He was a versatile singer, with a repertoire that stretched fromFauré to Schoenberg, and his noble countenance made him perfect to sing Christ in Bach’s St Matthew Passion, hissignature role. But his eloquent and lyrical voice, combined with his impeccable enunciation, also made him the idealexponent of English song, qualities that are clearly demonstrated in these recordings of Elgar, Somervell andButterworth. These recordings are taken from an early SAGA LP of Elgar songs dating from 1969 and his farewell solorecording for Pearl in 1974 featuring Somervell’s 'Maud' and Butterworth’s Six Songs from ‘A Shropshire Lad’. Born in 1923, Case came relatively late to singing, only beginning his studies after his voice had broken at 14. In 1942,he became a choral scholar at King’s College, Cambridge, initially as a countertenor and later as a baritone. He wascalled up in 1943, but in 1945 returned to Cambridge, graduating two years later. Initially struggling to find work as asinger, Case took up an appointment as director of music at King’s College School in Wimbledon. There he met RalphVaughan Williams, and in 1948 sang his 'Fantasia on Christmas Carols' under the composer’s direction. This began aclose friendship and active musical collaboration, with Case recording many of Vaughan Williams’ works. After thecomposer’s death in 1958, Case gave the premiere of the last of his 'Songs of Travel', which had been discoveredamong his papers. From the late 1950s, Case devoted his energies exclusively to singing. The composer Gerald Finzi was a decisiveinfluence on Case’s early career, steering him in the direction of English song. Elgar was another important composer forCase. The songs featured here demonstrate a natural fluency in Elgar’s idiom, aided as ever by Case’s lyrical phrasingand immaculate diction. Arthur Somervell’s song cycle 'Maud' had fallen from favour in the years following the war, but Case was an ardentchampion of the work, and his regular performances brought it back to public attention.Case made a fitting farewell to the stage with a performance of the St Matthew Passion at Leith Hill in 1976. He thenturned his attentions to teaching, first at the Birmingham School of Music and later at the Royal Academy of Music inLondon. Among his pupils during this period was the soprano Lesley Garrett. He became involved in singingcompetitions, adjudicating for the English Song Award and the Kathleen Ferrier Awards.


Label: Praga DigitalsFile Under: Classical/ChambermusicCatalogue No: PRD250311Barcode: 3149028071726NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 CDPackaging: cristalPrazak QuartetMarc Coppey [cello]Pavel Hula [violin]

SCHUBERT: Quintet in C D956, String Trios D471, 581Prazak Quartet

Franz Schubert's lesser-known intimate string Trios, and his large and last score, the Quintet D 956 (1828). This quintetis Schubert’s farewell to chamber music and to life, contemporaneous with the 'Great 'C major Symphony, hereplayed by the Prazak Quartet and friends.


Label: Praga DigitalsFile Under: Classical/ChambermusicCatalogue No: PRD250312Barcode: 3149028071825NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 CDPackaging: cristalPárkányi Quartet

French-Hungarian Impressionism?DEBUSSY: String Quartet in G min, RAVEL: String Quartet in F, BARTOK: String Quartet No. 4 Sz91 Párkányi Quartet

This record is dedicated to the frequent association of two French scores, gems from la Belle Epoque, played by a stringquartet which, following their mentor Sandor Vegh's example, is undertaking a new career. After a first and brilliantappearance (1976-84) as the Orlando, the quartet returns as the Párkányí Quartet, from the name of the Hungarian-born'primarius' [leader], István Párkányí. Only one member has changed, the cellist Michael Müller replacing Stefan Metz.One fantastic bonus is the addition of Bartók's string quartet, the No.4, with similar attributes as the French.


Label: AuditeFile Under: Classical/ChambermusicCatalogue No: AUDITE23430Barcode: 40221432343082 FOR 1.5 Format: 2 CDPackaging: digipackJacques Thibaud String Trio:Burkhard Maiß [violin]Hannah Strijbos [viola]Bogdan Jianu [cello]

BEETHOVEN: Complete String TriosJacques Thibaud String Trio

String Trio in E flat major, Op. 3 Serenade in D major, Op. 8 String Trio in G major, Op. 9, No. 1 String Trio in D major, Op. 9, No. 2 String Trio in C minor, Op. 9, No. 3

The five String Trios are masterpieces of the young Ludwig van Beethoven as he travels towards the string quartet:however, many musicians and scholars have preferred the mature Trios Op. 9 to the subsequent String Quartets Op. 18.With their new double CD, the Thibaud Trio provide an opportunity to rediscover these milestones in the history of thestring trio.Prize-winners in the prestigious 1999 Bonn Chamber Music Competition, the Jacques Thibaud String Trio was foundedat the Hochschule der Künste Berlin (today: Universität der Künste) in 1994. In its early stages the ensemble was closelyrelated to Laszlo Varga (solo cellist of the New York Philharmonic, cellist of the Borodin Trio) and the pianist GyorgySebók. Later on important artistic impulses came from Adolphe Mandeau and Markus Nyikos. Today the trio consists ofBurkhard Maiß (violin), Hannah Strijbos (viola) and Bogdan Jianu (cello).


Label: AuditeFile Under: Classical/InstrumentalCatalogue No: AUDITE97719Barcode: 4022143977199NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 CDPackaging: digipackElisso Bolkvadze [piano]Unesco World Artist for Peace

PROKOFIEV: Piano Sonata No. 2 in D minor, Op. 14SCHUBERT: Impromptus No. 1-4, Op. 90 D899Elisso Bolkvadze

Prokofiev, the temperamental St Petersburg firebrand, and Schubert, the quiet revolutionary from Vienna – an intelligentand exciting combination. The pianist Elisso Bolkvadze, an UNESCO Artist for Peace and a superstar in her nativeGeorgia, presents Prokofiev’s Second Piano Sonata and Schubert’s Impromptus D899 in glowing and lyricalinterpretations.

With nine completed sonatas Prokofiev created a musical cosmos similar in range to Shostakovich’s string quartets.Elisso Bolkvadze has chosen the Second Sonata (1912), where Prokofiev adopted an incredibly delicate tone but whichreflects the modernist spirit of the Russian capital of St Petersburg before the First World War. Bolkvadze juxtaposes thiswith Schubert’s four Impromptus D899, a popular cycle whose innovation is often underestimated. Georgian pianist Elisso Bolkvadze was selected as a UNESCO Artist for Peace in January 2015. She has wonnumerous international piano competitions, including the Van Cliburn, Vianna da Motta and Dublin International PianoCompetitions. A superstar in her home country, she was awarded the prestigious national Medal of Honour of theGeorgian Government in 1993. In 2013, Elisso Bolkvadze founded her own charitable foundation, 'Lyra', which supportstalented young Georgian pianists. She is the Artistic Director of the Batumi Music Festival in Georgia.


Label: MirareFile Under: Classical/InstrumentalCatalogue No: MIR240Barcode: 3760127222408NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 CDPackaging: digipackShani Diluka [piano]

SCHUBERT: Piano Sonata D960 12 Ländler D970, Mélodie Hongroise D817Shani Diluka

Exploring the quintessence of musical folklore so dear to his heart, in the form of his still neglected ländler and waltzes,right up to the last notes of the Sonata in B flat on the eve of his death, Schubert takes us from the simplest language tothe innermost reaches of the soul. One can hardly dream of a more appropriate pianist than Shani Diluka to guide usthrough these works and offer us an interpretation shifting between shadows and light, touching on the mystery of theinvisible, as Novalis said. Here she performs some of the Viennese composer’s finest pieces.


Label: StradivariusFile Under: Classical/InstrumentalCatalogue No: STR37015Barcode: 8011570370150NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 CDPackaging: digipackFrancesco Parrino [violin]

VIEUXTEMPS: Le violon harmonique6 Études de concert Op.16, Adagio in E major, Étude No. 28 Op. 48, 6 Morceaux Op. 55Francesco Parrino

Vieuxtemps' way of playing fostered purity of intonation, total technical command, broad tone and a strong power ofexpression, all of which remain the representative qualities of the Belgian violin school. Contrary to Paganini, Vieuxtempsnever used virtuosity for its own sake. Ysaÿe used to stress that Vieuxtemps’ motto was not to play a stroke for its ownsake, but to sing, always to sing. When listening to the works presented here, we can appreciate Vieuxtemps' debt toMozart, Couperin, Bach and Haydn. His compositions combine Paganini’s virtuosity, Kreutzer’s classicism and Bach’spolyphony. Francesco Parrino’s main intention is to restore the brilliant character of Vieuxtemps’ works for solo violinwhich have hitherto been neglected heading a significant revival of the Belgian violinist’s music.


Label: StradivariusFile Under: Classical/ChambermusicCatalogue No: STR33967Barcode: 8011570339676NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 CDPackaging: cristalQuartetto Klimt

Morton FELDMAN: Piano, Violin, Viola, CelloQuartetto Klimt

'Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello' constitutes the last, memorable composition by Morton Feldman, which was completed in theyear of his death, 1987.This instrumental grouping reflects the two preferences of the American composer regarding timbre:the piano, to which very many pieces were destined, from 1950 to 1986, and the string quartet(here reduced to three instruments), used by Feldman both solely or with orchestra and other instruments The expanded dimension of the extraordinary 'Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello' is of the highest quality, written in the course ofthe 1980s, when Feldman's works were notoriously of extremely long duration: with the aim, according to Feldmanhimself, of avoiding the routine of the “usual twenty-minute piece”, even if such a temporal hypertrophy in chamberpieces, without the phonic resources of an orchestra, can sometimes present problematic aspects in terms of prolongedattention.


Label: WergoFile Under: Classical/OrchestralCatalogue No: WER7323-2Barcode: 4010228732320NORMAL PriceFormat: 1 CDPackaging: cristalLiepaja Symphony OrchestraAtvars Lakstigala [conductor]

Peteris VASKS: Sala, Musica Appassionata, CredoLiepaja Symphony OrchestraAtvars Lakstigala

Aesthetic games as ends in themselves are far from the mind of the Latvian composer Pēteris Vasks. He believesin 'Art for mankind' rather than ;Art for art’s sake'. He sees his music as a language of the soul: “Music is indefinable, it is true, but sounds are able to express spirituality. This cannot be expressed in words...This iswhy I try to preserve a ray of light in my sounds."'Sala – Island' was commissioned by the Magnum Opus Project of three orchestras in California. 'Musica appassionata' begins – which is unusual for Vasks – loudly and resolutely. The strings rise to a collective climax,which at the dynamic high point unexpectedly breaks off. All that remains is contemplation and a silent prayer.The composer wrote in the programme for the premiere of 'Credo' in 2010: “‘Credo’ is crowned by a hymn-like song ofpraise for the almighty power of love. After a high point, the intensity of the orchestral sound gradually recedes. [...]Slowly the mood becomes more peaceful, and the piece fades away with a radiant melody.”


Label: Convivium RecordsFile Under: Classical/ChoralCatalogue No: CR030Barcode: 0700153370134MID PriceFormat: 1 CDPackaging: cristalKaty Thompson [soprano], Claire Tasker [alto], Paul Bentley-Angell [tenor], Tom Herring [bass], Serafine Chamber Choir, Serafine SinfoniaManvinder Rattan [conductor]

Oliver TARNEY: MagnificatSerafine Chamber ChoirManvinder Rattan

Magnificat, Et exultavit, Quia respexit, Ecce enim, Quia fecit, Et misericordia, Fecit potentiam, Deposuit, Esurientes,Suscepit Israel, Sicut locutus, Gloria Patri

'My soul doth magnify the Lord' usually elicits the most exultant of musical reactions from the most noted composers.This one, however, offers a more human response and in a style which touches one's soul in an exceptional manner.Picture this: Mary is 16 and living in ancient Judea. Tarney is not convinced that the news that she was to be the motherof God, conceived out of conventional wedlock, would have necessarily made her heart leap with joy in the first instance.In this newly-commissioned work in 12 movements, Tarney has interpolated the conventional text from the Gospel ofLuke with apocryphal and old Testament texts as well as extracts from the Book of Maryam from the Qur'an. The fullerpicture this paints completely changes the way we think of this important bible story and Tarney sets the whole withmemorably exquisite musical colours which bow to no one. In a world riven with division and violence based on religiouslines, this piece reminds us of what we could have in common if we looked a little harder.Scored for string orchestra, choir, string quartet and soloists, Tarney’s 'Magnificat' was premiered in the chapel of KeeleUniversity, as part of Sing for Pleasure’s Golden Anniversary Summer School in 2014 and is to be published by Sing forPleasure this autumn (2015).

Oliver Tarney is currently head of Composition and Singing at Winchester College in Hampshire. He sings with theCollege Chapel Choir, Winchester Cathedral Choir and with Serafine. He also keeps up a busy schedule as a choraldirector and composer. Oliver now specialises in choral writing and has most recently written works for Sansara chamberchoir (Prayer of St Richard of Chichester), Chichester Cathedral Choir (Men’s voices responses) and for the St EndellionEaster festival (Fair is the Heaven).

aug 28th classical wp

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