Goldberg Variations (Arr. for String Trio by Dmitry Sitkovet
Evil Penguin
CD
$16.99Feb 06, 2026
In Dmitry Sitkovetsky's transcription, Bach's Goldberg Variations are revealed in a new light: a refined dialogue between violin, viola and cello, where each voice breathes and listens to the others. TrioFenix delivers a strikingly clear interpretation, combining architectural rigour, expressive freedom, and sonic poetry. Backed by nearly twenty years of musical complicity, these three chamber musicians breathe new life into one of the masterpieces of the Baroque repertoire, in a version that is as vibrant as it is intimate.
In 1775 Leopold Mozart made an offer to publisher Breitkopf in Leipzig: to print an opus of keyboard sonatas by his son mit veranderten Reprisen, following the famous example set by C. P. E. Bach. Breitkopf declined, but after 250 years the idea still resonates: what might Wolfgang Amade´ Mozart's Sonatas with Varied Reprises have sounded like? Played on a highly responsive Stein fortepiano, Tom Beghin's reconstituted score of K. 279-284 (Munich, 1775) provides a captivating answer-one that challenges our familiarity with six classics of the repertoire, while also paying tribute to Mozart's supreme improvisational skills.
Bacewicz: String Quartet No. 4, Piano Quintet No. 1
Evil Penguin
CD
$16.99Oct 17, 2025
This recording marks an important addition to the discography of Grazyna Bacewicz, a composer whose growing recognition stems from the exceptional quality of her music and it's direct resonance with listeners. The String Quartet No. 4 (1951) and Piano Quintet No. 1 (1952) embody these qualities, offering a clear testimony to such qualities and an ideal path to approach Bacewicz's distinctive voice. The performances are no less than idiomatic, delivered with conviction and freshness by a young, leading Polish-Belgian string quartet: the inspiring enthusiasm conveyed by the members of the Karski Quartet has a communicative drive that inevitably infects the listener. From the journal of Maria Modlinska: "11 December 1951, Warsaw, Tuesday. O joy! Wonderful weather for Grazyna's return from Belgium. [...] I waited at home with tea and cake. The table set, the apartment decorated with flowers. The plane was two hours late, they arrived at home around six. Grazyna, though very tired and slimmed down, was in an excellent mood. [...] She told us about performing in the embassy in Brussels, in Liège and in other cities. Recording for the radio. 8 concerts in total. Everywhere huge success, and award ceremony on the 8th. [...] her 4th String Quartet, awarded with the 1st prize at the international competition in Liège, played at every concert by the Quatuor Municipal de Liège. [...] She was received very enthusiastically, cordially, and they expressed much interest in her compositions - they will play them."
Evil Penguin is proud to present the first recording by Joshua Brown, Second Prize at Queen Elizabeth Competion 2024. Joshua Brown chose a Schumann programme for his debut: the two Sonatas and the rare and tricky late Fantasie. A perfect match was established between him and the much experienced and great piano partner Paolo Giacometti
Close your eyes and surrender to Hypnos, god of sleep. Zefiro Torna pours a hallucinatory elixir of dreams, solitude, secret fantasies, and soothing whispers. Baroque masters like Kapsberger, Dowland, Moulinie´, and Huygens drew inspiration from night and sleep. The enchanting voice of Lore Binon pierces the darkness, carried by Jurgen de bruyn's theorbo and lute. Lean back and drift away into... Somnia.
Sixth volume of the commendable series devoted by Dionysos Now! To the figure of Adrian Willaert. The centerpiece of this recording is the Missa Laudate Deum, a so-called parody mass based on Johannes Mouton's motet. This remarkable mass showcases Willaert's masterful command of polyphony and serves as an homage to his mentor. In addition to the mass, the album features a selection of Willaert's madrigals and motets. These dramatic madrigals highlight Willaert's sensitivity to text interpretation and his contribution to new musical forms.
Second instalment in the ongoing symphonic cycle Scriabin/Ono. The grandiose and particularly colourful Third Symphony by Alexander Scriabin in an opulent and gorgeous account by Kazushi Ono conducting the Brussels Philharmonic. This music demands the highest possible degree of sheer beauty of tone by the orchestra. Here it is achieved thanks to the musicians and the conductor, but also thanks to the avantgarde Dolby Atmos/Immersive recording by MotorMusic studio. EPRC 0061, Scriabin: Symphony no.2 was 2024 Critic's Choice by American Record Guide. Classic Voice (ITA): "The outcome is no less than overwhelming." BBC Music Magazine (UK): "The Brussels Philharmonic strings relish Scriabin's ardent and sensuous melodies."
What does it mean for Schumann's Kreisleriana to be Romantic? Is it the violent contrasts, the mercurial shifts in mood, the fragmentary architecture, the raw and unfiltered expression? Is it the breathtaking lyricism? Or is it the spectre of the tormented kapellmeister Kreisler haunting this work that dissolves the boundaries between music, literature, and psychological portraiture? Acclaimed virtuoso Paolo Giacometti brings both poetry and psychoanalysis to Kreisleriana and Kinderszenen, performing them on a resplendent 1838 E´rard born in the very year these works first saw the light.
Franco-Swiss violist Mathis Rochat presents British repertoire for viola and orchestra, pairing William Walton's well-known concerto with rarely recorded works by Herbert Howells and Arthur Benjamin. Featuring violinist Abigel Kralik, and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales under the direction of Howard Griffiths, the program highlights romantic styles and lesser-known voices within the first half of 20th-century British music.
J.S. Bach: Sonatas for Violoncello Piccolo & Fortepiano
Evil Penguin
CD
$12.99$16.99Save 25%Nov 08, 2024
This recording emerged from a quest to explore new rhetorical and poetic spaces, timbres, and dynamics, aiming to reveal the soul of J.S. Bach's splendid sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord. The cello piccolo, an instrument similar in size and texture to the viola da gamba, proves ideal for capturing the lyrical quality of some movements and the virtuosity of the more intricate and faster passages. The fortepiano, an English instrument beautifully restored, was chosen to emphasize the contrapuntal nature of the three trio sonatas, particularly in the continuous duetting of the right hand with the cello.
Chopin's nocturnes are widely regarded as some of the finest works for solo piano and continue to hold a prominent place in today's concert repertoire. He composed 21 of them between 1827 and 1846, and they have become a cen- tral part of the repertoire. Many of his compositions began as improvisations - musical ideas discovered at the piano and later carefully crafted into written works. There is so much more to say about it - but for me, it was partially through studying and playing it over time that I have come to understand it better. From the beginning, the goal was never to just record these nocturnes. I wanted to learn and grow as a pianist and mostly as a musician. I wanted to understand how to shape storytelling at the instrument, to create a musical narrative through phrasing, colour, timing, and silence. And there is no better repertoire to explore that with, than with these nocturnes. - Marie Francois
Smetana's two string quartets could be said to be the first programmatic chamber music pieces ever written. The first quartet is a remarkable work with a very strong connection to Czech musicians. It belongs among the real treasures of Czech chamber music. The main characteristic of the second quartet is it's intensity of musical ideas, as the composer was deaf and close to the end of his life. The Dance of Comedians illustrates the famous era of Smetana ´s being considered the Czech national composer. An idiomatic account by one of Czech leading string quartets.
With his second disc Cristian Sandrin enters a ruthless competition: Beethoven's last three Sonatas. He does it with his modesty and humility - and with his individual (if not unique) sensibility and vision. A new version of these masterpieces that is not a standard addition to the catalogue, but a very personal view of a mature artist. Under the sister label Antarctica, Cristian already released a concept disc with music by Enescu, Scott and Ravel - Correpsondances - unanimously acclaimed by international specialized media.
An outstanding release, both in musical and technical terms. This live recording is a showcase for the Brussels Philharmonic and it's conductor, Kazushi Ono, while giving a rare energy and drive to scores which demand them. The immersive Dolby Atmos recording emphasizes the virtuoso and spectacular side of Strauss' gorgeous orchestration. Kazushi Ono: This recording tells the story of not just one hero, but two. It's interesting to compare their lives. Don Juan takes off like a rocket going to another planet, blazing a trail. Ein Heldenleben describes the hero climbing and then descending a mountain that is both real and metaphorical. That is the wonderful duality of Strauss as a composer.
First time collaboration between the Zemlinsky Quartet and Paolo Giacometti. A must for anyone interested in the great tradition of Mitteleuropa chamber music. A unique coupling of two beautiful works rarely recorded and underrated by discography. The two Quintets were composed within a ten year span (1904-1914), a period of fantastic musical flourishing. Zemlinsky Quartet belongs to the glorious tradition of Centre-European string quartets, characterized by nobility and spontaneity of expression, flawless technique, lack of mannersisms, profound and humble insight of the score.
BBC Music Magazine: Roth sustains his flawlessly smooth, luxurously toned sonority, so that each movement emerges in terms of its majestic formal perfection. The Strad: This is a fundamentally lyrical account, imbued with grace and beauty. Pizzicato Supersonic: The great realization of this CD by the technicians and the carefully edited booklet complete this outstanding recording. Just listen and enjoy.
Can a composer like Alexander Scriabin be associated with any tradition at all, given the uniqueness of his musical language? Initially focusing on piano compositions, Scriabin later expanded to larger orchestral works, crafting five symphonies between 1899 and 1910. A noticeable evolution in composition unfolds, transitioning from a late Romantic style to a more modernistic approach. Evolving from late Romanticism to modernism, Scriabin drew inspiration from symbolist poetry and philosophical figures. Envisioning himself as a musical messiah to change the world, his Second Symphony provides a glimpse of this eccentric vision.
Dionysos Now! Contributes to the preservation of cultural heritage by presenting musical works that have not been widely heard or performed for centuries. ore Tom Denys, the artistic leader of the ensemble, has done a scholarly exploration of the compositions that pay tribute to Adriaen Willaert to creatate this collection of musical pieces.
Eroica/Erard - Music of Beethoven, Haydn & Gluck on Piano / Montebugnoli
Evil Penguin
CD
$18.99Feb 09, 2024
The performance is inspired by a significant historical moment, where Beethoven played the"Eroica" Symphony on his Erard Frères piano, evoking the idea of a musical experience so powerful that "Heaven and Earth must shake." Luca Montebugnoli has created a brand-new arrangement of this iconic symphony, tailored for a replica of Beethoven's Erard piano. This unique arrangement offers a fresh perspective on a classical masterpiece.The event contributes to the revival of the often overlooked art of piano arrangement. It showcases the skill of adapting orchestral works for solo piano performance, breathing new life into this artistic tradition.
Raphaël Feye and the Karski Quartet have collaborated on an exhilarating new album, paying a tribute to Luigi Boccherini's string quintets. These selected quintets showcase the composers exceptional ability to craft melodies that are both elegant and emotionally resonant while maintaining a graceful interplay between the instruments. To enhance the recording's excitement, the musicians decided to vary the distribution of the parts, ensuring each piece possesses a unique and distinct character.
