It’s not often that one hears recorded organ transcriptions of major works originally composed for symphony orchestra. But that’s what we get here, in a transcendental program of orchestral favorites played to breathtaking perfection by Thomas Murray, an internationally renowned organist and Yale professor.

Murray is the latest in a long line of top-ranked players who have made outstanding solo recordings in keeping with Delos’s long-standing tradition of legendary organ albums. He is held in particularly high regard among his fellow virtuosos for his mastery of the grand “symphonic style” of organ playing.

Fans of great orchestral classics will immediately recognize both of the works featured here: Edvard Grieg’s ever-popular Holberg Suite and Ce?sar Franck’s monumental Symphony in D Minor – in stunning transcriptions for organ: the instrument best suited to recreate an orchestra’s power, nuance, and variety of sonorities. Murray plays the magnificent Schoenstein Gloria Dei Organ, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, Houston, Texas.

Continuing his long tradition of outstanding recordings with Delos, organist Thomas Murray presents this album of symphonic masterworks by Edvard Grieg and Cesar Franck. These outstanding arrangements of orchestral classics are performed beautifully on the organ- the instrument best suited to reconstruct the orchestra’s variances, nuances, and power. “…consummate skill and artistry in treating the organ as a great orchestra.” (High Fidelity)

-----

REVIEW:

The playing of Thomas Murray is faultless; his clear belief in these arrangements carries them through coupled with his sensible choices of tempo and his clear understanding of the Franck Symphony’s musical processes. Sonically, the disc is a treat.

– Fanfare

‘… a score truly inspired by a tragic event (9/11) and one that is likely to transcend it.’ – Peter G. Davis, New York Magazine Thus did a leading critic sum up the remarkable Concerto for Clarinet (chamber orchestra version) by Ellen Taafe Zwilich, one of America’s cutting-edge contemporary composers. And this is but one of this release’s four vibrant modern chamber works for clarinet and various chamber ensembles by major composers: music that greatly enriches the modern chamber repertoire. Filling out the fascinating program are Aaron Copland’s brisk and brainy Sextet for Clarinet, Piano and String Quartet, Stephen Hartke’s delightfully wacky The Horse with the Lavender Eye, and Aaron Jay Kernis’ richly evocative Trio in Red. The performers – all among the finest soloists and chamber artists anywhere – are drawn from the ranks of Chamber Music Northwest and its legendary director, renowned clarinet virtuoso David Shifrin.

This long-overdue tribute to the French Romantic-era virtuoso cellist and composer August Franchomme brings to light many of his long-neglected original compositions and arrangements for cello(s), most of which have remained unpublished and unheard for well over a century. This release thus fills a longstanding gap in the annals of music history, revealing fresh perspectives on an important and influential figure of his day whose significant role has long been underappreciated. As Chopin’s close friend, confidante and musical partner, Franchomme transcribed many of the Polish master’s famous piano works for cellos in various combinations and/or with piano; he penned many remarkable original compositions as well. Some of the best of both are recorded here for the first time. This project is the culmination of years of research by distinguished cellist Louise Dubin, who is also perhaps the world’s leading scholar of Franchomme’s life and work. She performs here as lead cellist, with the sonorous collaboration of fellow cellists Julia Bruskin, Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir and Katherine Cherbas as well as pianists Hélène Jeanney and Andrea Lam.

Virtuosi Ilya Gringolts, violin, and Dmitry Kouzov, cello, perform three great duos- two from the 20th century and one from the 21st. The graceful, expressive and witty Duo for Violin and Cello by Hanns Eisler, written when the composer was 26 years old, is a multifaceted work showcasing the composer’s brilliant intellect. Best-known for his long artistic association with playwright Bertolt Brecht, Eisler always took care to make a deep connection with his audience. In Jorg Widmannn’s 24 Duos for Violin and Cello, from 2008, the two instruments approach the sound of a string quartet at times. “They attract each other, reject each other, love and hate each other,” the composer writes. These performances are the world premiere recording of the entire set of both volumes of Widmann’s 24 Duos. The album concludes with Maurice Ravel’s great Sonata for Violin and Cello. Dedicated to the memory of Claude Debussy, the sonata is always a favorite with audiences. Gringolts and Kouzov form a superb duo. Both are highly sought-after soloists and consummate chamber musicians. They perform with precision and excitement, undaunted by challenging music.

-----

REVIEWS:

These gripping and beautifully played duos demand committed listening.

– The Strad

Gringolts and Kouzov are impressive, leaving their mark on all three works; warm, resonant, perfectly balanced, natural set-it-and-forget-it sound leaves one free to concentrate on the music.

– American Record Guide

The young Polish pianist Martin Labazevich has teamed up with his compatriot, the emerging conductor Ewa Strusińska to record their debut Delos disc: a highly appealing all-Polish program of beloved musical gems for piano and orchestra as well as engaging orchestral selections. Add the young virtuosos of the Beethoven Academy Orchestra to complete a supremely gifted and accomplished musical team. “… a pianist with great audience appeal and virtuosity…” (Horacio Gutierrez) “Ewa Strusinska left an indelible impression … with her dynamic and incisive direction.” (The Northern Echo)

... a work written by a young, ebullient, but quite mature talent, and distinguished, beyond it's broad scope and youthful freshness, by a remarkably unified conception. Thus did Russian master P.I. Tchaikovsky describe the long-neglected "Ocean" Symphony (Symphony No. 2 in C Major, Op. 42 - Original Version) by Anton Rubinstein, his composition teacher at (and the founder of) the St. Petersburg Conservatory. His "Ocean" symphony is a bold and highly original programmatic work that convincingly evokes the struggle of man against the elemental forces that rule the seas. Echoes of composers like Mendelssohn and Schumann are heard in the work, no doubt the result of Rubinstein's European training and exposure - yet there remains a certain Russian pathos and earthiness. Also heard here is a colorful suite of dances from Rubinstein's oriental-flavored opera, Feramors. Igor Golovschin and his Russian State Symphony Orchestra provide skillful and idiomatically true performances.