Johann Sebastian Bach is revered by musicians and music lovers around the world. The German weekly Die Zeit has described him as the “fount of all music,” and violinist Yehudi Menuhin had a very simple explanation for our continuing fascination with Bach’s works: “He represents something greater within us.” Classical saxophonist Asya Fateyeva has engaged with Bach’s oeuvre since her youth, albeit at a disadvantage to many of her colleagues- the Thomaskantor wrote no works for the saxophone. This has not put off the young musician, who was voted Best Female Newcomer at ECHO Klassik 2016: her latest release “Bachiana” featuring works by J. S. Bach and Heitor Villa-Lobos prove her to be not only a virtuosa of her instrument but also a gifted arranger. She is ably supported by the inspired Wurttemberg Chamber Orchestra of Heilbronn under its principal conductor Ruben Gazarian. Asya writes: “Even when I was a child, I was really inspired by the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. That was when I began to play the piano, later I switched to the saxophone- and his music was simply always there. I think every musician feels the same; Bach’s universal language knows no frontiers and when you come into contact with his music, you sense that you are in touch with eternity.”
In celebration of their 20th Anniversary, ground-breaking classical crossover group Il Divo, perform a very special evening of music at the Taipei Music Center, Taiwan. Delivering timeless pop classics and traditional standards, Il Divo raise the bar, reinforcing their status as performers and vocal power-houses. Comprising Urs Buhler (tenor) of Switzerland, Sebastien Izambard (tenor) of France, David Miller (tenor) of America, and new member Steven LaBrie (baritone) of America, the quartet present a truly cinematic musical experience that will remain a bench mark in audio visual performance for decades to come. Complementing the music, Il Divo also document the first 20 years of their career, set against the modern cosmopolitan metropolis of Taipei, as they take us through the journey so far and future aspirations. Presented in glorious 4k video and 5.1 audio.
2024 release. Beloved tenor Andrea Bocelli, the most celebrated classical singer in modern history celebrates his 30th anniversary as a global icon with a brand new album 'Duets'.This definitive collection features all the classic duets with Ed Sheeran, Celine Dion, Sarah Brightman, Dua Lipa, Jennifer Lopez, Giorgia & Edith Piaf alongside new collaborations with Shania Twain, Chris Stapleton, Gwen Stefani, Luciano Pavarotti, Marc Anthony, Matteo Bocelli & Hans Zimmer, Karol G, Sofia Carson & Elisa.
Michael Haydn did not achieve the same exorbitant quantity of instrumental music as his older brother, since he had to compose a large amount of sacred music because of his position; but the surviving symphonies and chamber music in particular are not lacking in novel and "original" character traits. This becomes clear, for example, in the six string quartets recorded here, which he wrote sometime in the 1770s or 1780s. Here, personable elegance and subtle humour are combined with a quiet touch of tragic drama to create a very unique candour that reveals a world view that is as moving as it is entertaining, somewhere between the masterpieces of his brother Joseph and Amadeus, who was around twenty years younger.
To acclaimed pianist Christopher O'Riley, experimentation and eclecticism are second nature. Known for his sensitive piano arrangements of alternative music, he returns with LOTUSLAND: a riveting collection of popular hits, imbued with classical profundity and romantic pianism. The selection is highly diverse. To name but a few, O'Riley rubs shoulders with John Coltrane, Erik Satie, Joni Mitchell, Duke Ellington, and even Radiohead - the latter being a particular favorite of the pianist, who made a name for himself with classical arrangements of the band's hits some 20 years ago. It's important to note that O'Riley's music transcends mere homage; rather, he effortlessly infuses the material with late Romantic grandeur and brilliance. O'Riley has taste, and the listener benefits: this is enrichment of the material, in the truest sense.
Since the Baroque revival of the late 1980s, Iphigenie en Aulide is Gluck's only French opera to have remained unrecorded on period instruments. To celebrate it's 250th anniversary in 2024, Julien Chauvin, Le Concert de la Loge, Les Chantres du Centre de musique baroque de Versailles and a top-flight cast led by Judith van Wanroij, Stephanie d'Oustrac, Cyrille Dubois, Tassis Christoyannis, Jean-Sebastien Bou and David Witczak have filled that gap with a new recording of the work which revolutionised the aesthetics of French opera. It is underpinned by in-depth musicological and stylistic research carried out by the Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles in collaboration with Julien Chauvin, in this, his first operatic recording.
Step into a world of musical elegance with this release featuring solo piano interpretations of the most famous compositions by J.S. Bach. This album is a celebration of Bach's genius, showcasing the intricate beauty and emotional power of his work through the expressive medium of solo piano. Performed by Tim Allhoff who has collaborated with an impressive array of musicians and ensembles, including Larry Grenadier, Jeff Ballard, Robbie Williams, Jules Buckley, Vision String Quartet, and many more, this collection promises to deliver a rich listening experience that bridges tradition and innovation. Each piece is thoughtfully crafted to highlight the depth and complexity of Bach's compositions, making them accessible and captivating for both seasoned listeners and newcomers alike.
Even their genesis seems mysterious: manuscripts of Johann Sebastian Bach's toccatas have not survived. However, it is assumed that the works were composed in the years of his Arnstadt and early Weimar period, when Bach was gradually working his way up to become a renowned organist. And it is no wonder that he chose the toccata as the playground for his development: since the days of the Roman Girolamo Frescobaldi, the toccata was a kind of musical laboratory in which one could try out anything with impunity. There are virtuosic, glittering improvisations next to strict but extremely energetic fugues, expressive arias next to lively, folksy dances. Bach has thus compiled entertaining suites and potpourris with great freedom, but always allowing them to breathe under great dramatic arcs. Jonathan Ferrucci is certain that the toccatas are among Bach's most interesting piano works. 'He is bubbling over with ideas and always creates abrupt contrasts when you least expect them. There is this wild, youthful energy with which he explores all the affects and formal possibilities of the music of the time. And when I play, I feel as if I'm composing the music together with Bach in the moment - that's because of this incredible spontaneity and his delight in invention.' Born in Florence to Italian-Australian parents, Ferrucci's childhood was already characterised by the glorious history of the Renaissance and Baroque periods and the vast Australian landscape.
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the internationally acclaimed German Brass ensemble, the album "Overtures" is set to release this September. This milestone collection features a captivating program of opera overtures, showcasing the ensemble's extraordinary talent and versatility. Listeners will be treated to stunning renditions of Verdi's "Nabucco," Mozart's "Le nozze di Figaro," Shostakovich's "Festive Overture," and many more timeless masterpieces. Each performance captures the grandeur and emotion of these beloved works, brought to life by the ensemble's impeccable artistry. In recognition of their outstanding contributions to classical music, German Brass was awarded the prestigious ECHO-KLASSIK in 2016. To mark their 50th anniversary, the ensemble will embark on a special anniversary tour in 2024, bringing their celebrated performances to audiences around the world.
'Close Harmony' is the latest musical offering from Grammy Award winning and internationally acclaimed vocal group The King's Singers. Accompanying the new album, this limited edition LP features a selection of the newly recorded tracks, recorded in 2020 and 2024.
Johann Wilhelm Hertel is one of the
lesser-known composers of the late
baroque and early classical era. Born in
Eisenach in 1727, as a young man he
travelled to the north of Germany with
his father, who was a viola da gamba
virtuoso engaged as a Kapellmeister at
the court of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Already
as a young man Johann Wilhelm showed
a remarkable talent for music. He
excelled on the harpsichord and violin,
but his father wanted him to additionally
study law. However, a trip to Berlin and
contact with Berlin court musicians Carl
Philipp Emanuel Bach and Franz Benda
pushed the young Johann Wilhelm to
devote his life primarily to music. In
particular he studied the harpsichord with
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, the violin with
Franz Benda and composition with Karl
Heinrich Graun. He spent his life in the
service of the Mecklenburg-Strelitz and
-Schwerin courts, and he was also music
director in Stralsund. It was during this time
that he had many opportunities to meet
authorities from both the musical and
scientific worlds.
His oboes concertos are exemplary
compositions of these times. The autographs,
which are preserved in the Library of the
Royal Conservatoire of Brussels (Sig. No. B-Bc5562 and B-Bc-5563), together contain 10
oboe concertos in various keys. Nine of them
are collected (and numbered by librarians) in
Sig. No. B-Bc-5562 ,and one is separately
placed as B-Bc-5563. As there is no catalogue
of Hertel’s works, the numbers given for the
concertos are taken from the manuscript Sig.
No. B-Bc-5562. Some of the pieces are dated
1749 (Concertos Nos. 3 and 9) and others
1756 (Concerto No.2). All the concertos were
prepared for this recording by Katarzyna
Pilipiuk, copying with a focus on accuracy;
only minor mistakes were corrected so as to
give the most faithful transmission of the
composer’s ideas. The material is very clear,
with all the pieces noted by the composer in
score form. All of them have signs of stylistic
inspiration from the works of Carl Philipp
Emanuel Bach, in particular Concerto No.5,
which is an excellent work in the
Empfindsamer Stil.
Other information:
● Recorded March 2023 in Kraków, Poland
● Pilipiuk plays a Baroque oboe by Randall
Cook (2019), after Jonathan Bradbury (c.1720)
● Booklet in English contains liner notes by the
artist, and biographies of her and of the
ensemble
Mozart, Bach & Beethoven: Violin Concertos / Frank Peter Zimmermann
Haenssler Classic
CD
$32.99Jul 05, 2024
Frank Peter Zimmermann is widely regarded as one of the foremost violinists of his generation. He has been performing with all major orchestras in the world, among which the Berliner Philharmoniker with whom he made his debut in 1985 with Daniel Barenboim; the Wiener Philharmoniker with whom he played a first time in 1983 with Lorin Maazel in Salzburg; the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, all London orchestras, as well as all big American orchestras. Frank Peter Zimmermann is a regular guest at all major music festivals of among others Salzburg, Edinburgh and Lucerne. Over the years Frank Peter Zimmermann has built up an impressive discography: He has recorded virtually all major concerto repertoire, ranging from Bach to Ligeti, Dean and Pintscher; the six solo sonatas of Ysaÿe; the 24 Caprices of Paganini and the complete Violin Sonatas of J.S. Bach and Mozart. Born in 1965 in Duisburg, Germany, he started learning playing the violin with his mother when he was 5 years old. He studied with Valery Gradov, Saschko Gawriloff and Herman Krebbers. He plays on the 1711 Antonius Stradivari violin "Lady Inchiquin", which is kindly provided by the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Dusseldorf, "Kunst i'm Landesbesitz".
Brahms, Janacek, Beethoven, Lutoslawski & Schumann: In Memor
Haenssler Classic
CD
$32.99Mar 01, 2024
Vol. 2 of the portrait of the exceptional cellist who died far too young. Francoise Groben's fascinating dedication to music, her large number of international concerts and her encounters with the most prominent artists of her time - that is what this collection shows par excellence.
Blu-ray. To celebrate their 15th Anniversary and the release of their Timeless album, the groundbreaking classical crossover group Il Divo embarked on their 6-continent tour in 2018 bringing them to Tokyo's Budokan Stadium for this magical concert. The songs are a classic mix of favorite pop and traditional standards in four languages including 'Regresa a Mi (Unbreak My Heart)', 'What A Wonderful World', 'Smile', 'All Of Me', 'Angels', and their acclaimed cover of Adele's smash hit 'Hola (Hello)'.
Standard Version - The internationally renowned and beloved Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli releases his breathtaking new album, Believe, celebrating the power of music to soothe the soul. It follows his record-breaking 'Music for Hope' performance at Easter from the historic Duomo cathedral in Milan which was watched live by millions around the globe. It features a previously unreleased track from the late, great Italian composer Ennio Morricone, as well as 'Gratia Plena' - from the critically acclaimed new movie, Fatima -, two duets with award-winning mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli, and for the first time ever Andrea Bocelli has recorded his own interpretations of 'Ave Maria' and 'Padre Nostro' along with familiar favourites such as 'Hallelujah', 'You'll Never Walk Alone' and 'Amazing Grace'. Believe, co-produced by Steven Mercurio and Haydn Bendall, is a collection of uplifting songs that have inspired and sustained Bocelli over the years
