After the release of their first CD "White", which received an ECHO Klassik award, the Amaryllis Quartett continues it's successful CD series with "Blue". This time, alongside the shimmering magic of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel, the young, internationally acclaimed and award-winning musicians perform the world premiere of a quartet by the Chinese composer Lin Yang, who has dedicated the work to them. It is impressive how the tonal concentration of contemporary music and the richness of impressionistic works unfold when juxtaposed. State of the art quartet playing at the highest level!

Claude Debussy was profoundly permeated by his French roots. However, his Ballad demonstrates that Russian influences from Tchaikovsky also played an important role in his compositions. In works such as the Danse bohemian and the Arabesques, the fusion of both French and Russian inspiration comes together for a unique aural experience.

Winner of the 2015 German Music Competition, clarinetist Bettina Aust presents this new release alongside her brother, pianist Robert Aust. For Bettina’s debut album, she has chosen a varied programs, immersing the listener in a kaleidoscope of styles, including pieces from composers Francaix, Burgmuller, Widmann, Bernstein, and Brahms. “The two young musicians supply from a performance that is a huge thunderstorm of sound feels…they mingled rapid pace with crystal-clear sound…” (Der Tagesspiegel)

Played with intensively close listening and feeling the inner essence of the music: this is how Japanese pianist Nami Ejiri approaches the late works of Schubert on her GENUIN debut CD. + Alongside the great Sonata in B-flat major, she plays the Four Impromptus, D. 899 and the more rarely played Allegretto in C minor, D. 915. + Winner of the prestigious Vianna da Motta Int’l Piano Competition, Lisbon, amongst other competition successes, Ms. Ejiri has been teaching piano at the Hochschule for Music in Frankfurt, Germany since 2006.

This new release on the Genuin label is the introduction to a 4 CD Blüthner-Debussy collection. Praised by the critics for her fiery temperament, exceptional charisma and great command of her instrument in the romantic and modern repertoires, Brazilian-born pianist Juliana Steinbach is considered as one of the most gifted artists of the young generation.

This third release on Genuin marks the Quintessenz 20th anniversary. The program chosen for this album includes works by Rossini, Debussy, Doppler, Saint-Saens, and more. Incantations also includes two world premiere recordings: Anze Rozman’s Medusa, and Ian Clarke’s Spells.

As a tribute to Alexander Baillie on his 60th birthday, he and John Thwaites join together to create an outstanding release of cello and piano music by Brahms. The Brhams Sonatas have formed part of many a recital by Baillie and Thwaites over the years but what makes these so special are the pianos. The pianos for this release were chosen specifically for each sonata and are authentic to the time of the composition.

Catherine Kautsky is professor of music and chair of keyboard studies at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, and boasts an enviable multi-faceted resume of performing and writing credits. Nearly everything about her recording of Debussy’s 24 Preludes is just right, from the relaxed animation and subtle gradations of tone throughout Danseuses de Delphes to Feux d’artifice’s combination of neo-Lisztian bravura and dry wit. The flickering quality of Voiles’ double notes somehow lightens the static whole-note-scale harmony.

Kautsky ‘s intimately scaled reading of Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l’air du soir brings out the music’s implicit minuet feeling that we don’t hear in heavier interpretations. In Des pas sur la neige, Kautsky not only makes the soft left-hand triplets and expressive right-hand melody timbrally distinct, but her faster than usual tempo also conveys a lighter, more floating ambience than today’s solemn, bleaker norm. Kautsky also communicates the ragged dance qualities of La serenade interrompue, La danse de Puck, Minstrels, and General Lavine–eccentric to perfection, although La puerta del vino moves too fast and impatiently for its habañera rhythms to seduce.

While many pianists make mush out of Brouillards’ middle-register chords, Kautsky clarifies their inner rhythms, although her very capable handling of Book 2 No. 10’s alternating thirds yields to Steven Osborne’s brisker, more shimmering rendition. Her lovely account of La cathedral engloutie observes the unmarked yet implied tempo changes Debussy made in his 1913 Welte-Mignon piano roll recording (as do Osborne and Paul Jacobs, but not, interestingly enough, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli). If the tumultuous Ce qu’a vu le vent d’ouest lacks Osborne’s super-precise dynamic calibration and surface sheen, the sensitively nuanced Ondine and La terrasse des audiences du clair de lune compensate. The engineering’s warm piano sonority and discreet resonance befits Kautsky’s intelligent and insightful Debussy artistry.

-- Jed Distler, ClassicsToday.com

The only winner to take home both the First Prize and two special jury prizes at the Rostropovich Competition, Marie-Elisabeth Hecker is one of an elite number of cellists who are truly making their mark on the world of classical music.; This is her very first sonata recording, and she is joined by pianist Martin Helmchen for these performances of Brahms’ sonatas.; With playing which has been described as “moving and instinctively beautiful” (Die Zeit) Marie-Elisabeth provides a charming programme in this recording.