Perfectly Free brings together two contemporary cello concertos-Osvaldo Golijov's Azul and Anna Clyne's DANCE-in a live recording that cellist Maja Bogdanovic describes as a deeply personal journey of discovery. Both works received their Dutch premieres during the Stift International Music Festival with the Phion Symphony Orchestra, under the batons of David Cohen (Azul) and Xandi van Dijk (DANCE). Golijov's Azul is portrayed as a poetic, otherworldly tapestry of colors and styles, ranging from Baroque influences to Piazzolla-inflected rhythms, enriched by an unusual orchestration featuring a prominent accordion and a wide spectrum of exotic percussion. The concerto unfolds like a cosmic vision-at times improvisatory, at times prayerful-culminating in sound worlds that evoke radio signals, stardust, and distant galaxies. Clyne's DANCE, inspired by Rumi's poetry, contrasts this with a five-movement exploration of raw emotion and virtuosity, stretching the expressive and technical boundaries of the cello. Moving from fragility to rhythmic intensity, from Baroque purity to diabolical energies, the work blends folk elements, lyrical lines, and personal nostalgia-including a final, haunting dedication to the composer's father. Bogdanovic emphasizes the profound artistic partnerships behind the recording, noting the rare creative "telepathy" experienced with Golijov and the intuitive collaboration with van Dijk. Golijov says: "Perhaps the greatest joy I know in music is telepathy between composer and performer. I am beginning to get used to it when I experience it with life-long collaborators who instantly understand the music I only understand myself after months of working on it. But I am startled when telepathy happens with a musician I have just met. This is what happened with Maja: No need for words to explain anything. Maja understands Azul better than I understand it myself. This gives me a great sense of relief. I know I don't need to be present for my music to live in the world. I am grateful to Maja for that. David Cohen and the Phion Symphony Orchestra prove to be ideal shipmates in this Azul recording that I love dearly. To have it paired with Anna Clyne's gorgeous music makes the recording even more special and closer to my heart." The project reflects the "Perfectly Free" spirit of the Stift Festival-fearless, generous, and adventurous-capturing not only two landmark contemporary concertos but also the shared inspiration of the musicians who brought them to life.

AMETSAK places the listener at the heart of an intense and highly evocative listening experience. Devoted to the music of Gabriel Erkoreka, one of the most respected voices in contemporary Spanish composition, the album offers a journey through the realms of the mind, memory, and the perception of time, articulated through a musical language that is both sophisticated and immediately engaging. Performed by Zahir Ensemble under the direction of Juan Garc�a Rodr�guez, AMETSAK brings together seven works composed between 2001 and 2023. At it's core lies the Ametsak cycle, inspired by the dream state, in which sound becomes a flexible substance and time is experienced as a subjective dimension. This approach results in an immersive and emotionally resonant listening experience that appeals not only to contemporary-music specialists but also to curious listeners seeking new sonic perspectives. The programme combines landmark works such as Trance with pieces of strong symbolic and narrative character (Izaro, Orreaga, Tomba del tuffatore), creating a coherent and varied album with clear artistic identity. Recorded in Seville in 2024, AMETSAK stands out for it's artistic depth, sonic clarity, and communicative power, making it a strong and attractive release for audiences interested in meaningful, exploratory contemporary music.

Vinyl LP pressing. There are perhaps few characters in the history of popular music who were as mysterious, as they were brazen than Aleck Ford, AKA Sonny Boy Williamson II. The true story of Sonny Boy Williamson II remains shrouded in mystery and uncertainty, and it seems this was Ford's intention, but to what ends, nobody can say. One thing is certain though - he was one of the all-time greats of the harmonica, a bone fide bluesman, talented and charismatic in equal measure. His influence cannot be overstated. The first incarnation of the band that would become the Rolling Stones was named after him: Little Boy Blue and the Blue Boys; B.B King described him as "the King of the harmonica"; and maybe there would have been no Howlin' Wolf, or Elmore James without Williamson's mentorship and support. The British Blues explosion of the late 1960s certainly owed much to Williamson and his compatriots. This carefully curated collection of this colourful and charismatic performer's work showcases just why he was one of the true legends of blues music. Interestingly, he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980, the same year as Sonny Boy Williamson I. It seems fitting that even in death and in honours they were inextricably linked. This collection hones in on his work that took the world by storm during his tenure with Trumpet and Checker in the 1950's and early 60's from his iconic "Eyesight For The Blind" through to "One Way Out". It is a true celebration of one of the most mysterious characters in music.

Vinyl LP pressing. Dinah Shore was one of the USA's most popular and successful entertainers, her peak recording career spanning the war years and the immediate post-war decades, when she also became a high-profile TV host with her own weekly Chevrolet-sponsored show, which more or less defined the USA in the 1950s. She was one of the very first female singers to come to prominence purely as a solo artist, rather than as a big band singer, and was such a prolific chart performer that, having had her first hit in 1939, she had racked up more than 50 hits by the end of the '40s, including memorable No.1s like "I'll Walk Alone", "Anniversary Song", "The Gypsy" and "Buttons And Bows". She continued scoring hits through what was often called the "Golden age of popular music" in the early '50s, scoring her final chart entry in 1960, by which time the rock 'n' roll and teen revolution had largely superseded artists of her generation. This fantastic 15 track LP provides a great introduction to Shore's prolific success by featuring the recordings which brought her greatest popularity. On top of her huge hits already mentioned, it also includes "Candy", "Dear Hearts & Gentle People", "Baby It's Cold Outside" and "Sweet Violets", all showcasing her distinctive style and talent and provides an entertaining and nostalgic celebration of an artist who was such a glamorous icon of her era.

Vinyl LP pressing. Aficionados of Doo-wop will have long been acquainted with the heavenly harmonies of Johnny Maestro and The Crests, and yet this sublime group has often been overlooked in retrospectives of the genre. Ground-breaking from the very start, this was the first racially-mixed group to hit the big time. Their hits included uptempo pop songs, to dreamily-rendered love ballads, and they enjoyed significant success in the late 1950s and early 1960s. However, theirs is a story of a band ahead of it's time, in a country that was much divided in terms of race and ethnicity, and it was this that ultimately led to it's demise. This stunning collection showcases the talents of Johnny Maestro and The Crests; classic songs, effortless harmonies, possessing a rare timeless quality that still sound fresh today. This sumptuous collection features 18 of their most beloved and beautiful releases when at the height of their fame including the huge singles "Sixteen Candles", "Sweetest One", "The Angel Listened In", "Trouble In Paradise" and the timeless "I'll Remember (In The Still Of The Night".

Memphis Minnie - The Queen Of Country Blues: Selected Recordings 1929-53 Lizzie Douglas, otherwise known as Memphis Minnie, was a blues guitarist, singer and songwriter from Mississippi, born in 1897, who ran away from home when she was 13 to start playing on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee. She started performing with her second husband Kansas Joe McCoy and they made their first records in 1929 - she remained active as a performer and recording artist until the 1950s. She was without doubt one of the true pioneers among female country blues artists. This 99-track 4-CD collection comprises selected A and B sides from her releases on the Columbia, Vocalion, Decca, Bluebird, Okeh, Regal, Checker and J.O.B. labels covering the spectrum of her career - she recorded over 200 titles, so this set offers a representative selection. It Includes classics like "Bumble Bee", "When the Levee Breaks, "Me And My Chauffeur Blues", Nothing in Rambling" and many more. Apart from the recordings with Kansas Joe McCoy, it also features performances with Casey Bill Weldon, Little Son Joe and others. Among the blues artists of her era, she was particularly influential, not least as her career spanned a crucial quarter century in the genre. This collection offers a substantial and nicely representative showcase for her distinctive style of blues.

Teddy Wilson - All The Hits And More 1935-39 Teddy Wilson is often referred to as the definitive swing pianist, stylish, elegant and technically and artistically brilliant, and adept in any setting, be it solo, small bands or orchestras, as a leader or sideman. He was renowned as one of the most sensitive and sought-after accompanists, especially by female vocalists of the day, and is particularly celebrated for his work with Billie Holiday. In the era before the introduction of the Billboard charts in 1940, Joel Whitburn's respected book "Pop Memories 1890-1954", which lists artists hits based on various sources, and also the Your Hit Parade chart published by the popular radio show, are treated as the most reliable guides as to what were "hits". This 47-track 2-CD collection comprises all Teddy Wilson's 38 career hits based on those sources under his own name, along with selected A & B sides from this era. It Includes the No. 1 hits "Carelessly" and "You Can't Stop Me From Dreaming", and other Top 3 hits with "The Way You Look Tonight", "Pennies From Heaven" "There's A Lull In My Life" and "Remember Me". It includes performances by featured vocalists Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Helen Ward, Red Harper and others, and recordings with major jazz names likes Roy Eldridge, Lionel Hampton, Ben Webster, Cootie Williams, Harry Carney, Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa, Cozy Cole, Harry James, Buck Clayton and more, featured in his ensembles. Looking at his career from a particular angle, his hits, it's a great showcase for an important and influential artist.

Thelonious Monk was one of the most innovative and influential of the pioneering bebop pianists and composers with a uniquely distinctive and idiosyncratic style characterised by an angular, percussive and occasionally dissonant approach. He came to the fore in the 1940s, so when the era of the vinyl long-playing album dawned in the 1950s, he was ideally placed to take advantage of it. This 38-track 2-CD collection comprises the titles from his first 10" LPs on Blue Note and Prestige. The first two on Blue Note, ", "Genius Of Modern Music Vols. 1 & 2", combine titles from sessions in the late '40s which were released as singles with some from 1951 sessions, while the Prestige titles from the albums "Thelonious", "Thelonious Monk Quintet Blows for LP", "Thelonious Monk Quintet" and "Thelonious Monk Plays", were conceived as album projects, featuring extended performances, for which dedicate sessions were done from 1952 through to 1954. We also include bonus titles from a solo session in Paris in 1954. It features performances in the various Trio, Quartet, Quintet and Sextet line-ups with noted musicians of the day, including Gene Ramey, Milt Jackson, Sonny Rollins, Gary Mapp, Art Blakey, Max Roach, Percy Heath, Al McKibbon, Ray Copeland, Frank Foster, Curley Russell and more. It's a set which captures one of the true greats of the genre at a key period of his career.

The Summer Night Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic is the world's biggest annual classical open-air concert that takes place in the magical setting of the Sch�nbrunn Palace Baroque park in Vienna. This year marks the first time that Maestro Tugan Sokhiev will conduct the Summer Night Concert. The vocal soloist is world-renowned tenor Piotr Beczala, who will perform three iconic arias from: Georges Bizet's Carmen, Giacomo Puccini's Turandot and Emmerich K�lm�n's Gr�fin Mariza. With this open-air concert in Sch�nbrunn, the Vienna Philharmonic wishes to provide all Viennese, as well as visitors to the city, with a special musical experience in the impressive setting of Sch�nbrunn Palace and it's beautiful baroque gardens, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. Since 2004 the Vienna Philharmonic has provided an outstanding experience for the audience. The focus of this year's program is on well-known melodies from opera and operetta that lead us on a musical journey through various European landscapes und milieus.

Emanuel Ax, Leonidas Kavakos, and Yo-Yo Ma announce the fourth album in their Beethoven for Three series, featuring Symphony No. 1 (Op. 21) and the "Gassenhauer" (Op. 11) and "Ghost" (Op. 70, No. 1) piano trios, three works that span more than a decade of the composer's output. From Beethoven's cheerful "Gassenhauer" trio and the symphony that gave the world it's first glimpse of his revolutionary voice, carefully reinterpreted for piano, violin, and cello by Shai Wosner, to the singular "Ghost" trio, this recording marks another milestone in three friends' journey through the marvels of one extraordinary composer. Beethoven for Three: Symphony No. 1 and Piano Trios Nos. 4 & 5 is slated for release August 22, 2025, on Sony Classical

PHILADELPHIA LABELS HITS COLLECTION 1957-62 / VAR

HITS COLLECTION 1924-32

KING OF JAZZ ACCORDION: FIVE EARLY ALBUMS 1947-54

Global cello sensation Hauser returns with Cinema - a sweeping new album of iconic melodies from the silver screen. Bringing his signature romantic flair and expressive cello playing to the world of film music, Hauser curates a stunning collection of timeless movie themes that span generations. From the nostalgic beauty of the "Tara's Theme" from Gone with the Wind to the haunting tenderness of Billie Eilish's Oscar�-winning "What Was I Made For" from Barbie, Cinema captures the emotional essence of some of film's most iconic moments. With richly orchestrated arrangements, Hauser breathes new life into works by the greatest composers in film history John Williams, Ennio Morricone, Henry Mancini, and John Barry as well as beloved ballads like Sam Smith's "Writing's on the Wall" (Spectre) and "The Music of the Night" from The Phantom of the Opera. The album also features the ultra-romantic theme from An Affair to Remember, a melody rediscovered by a new generation in Sleepless in Seattle. Cinema is more than a tribute it's a reimagining of these classic themes through the voice of the cello, transporting listeners into the heart of each story. With passion, elegance, and cinematic grandeur, Hauser once again redefines the possibilities of his instrument and deepens his connection with audiences around the world.

CD + DVD. Jonas Kaufmann's latest album brings together two of Schumann's most profound song cycles-Dichterliebe and Kerner-Lieder-performed with exceptional sensitivity and vocal finesse. Accompanied by pianist and long-term collaborator Helmut Deutsch, Kaufmann explores the emotional and poetic nuances of these Romantic masterpieces. These works are complemented by "Doppelg�nger", a strikingly original stage adaptation of Schubert's Schwanengesang (Swan Songs), directed by Claus Guth. This production reimagines the cycle through a contemporary theatrical lens, adding a powerful visual and narrative dimension to Schubert's final songs. As a special bonus, the release includes six previously unreleased recordings from Kaufmann's private archive: selections from Dichterliebe recorded in 1994 during his student years. The DVD features the acclaimed theatrical production of Doppelg�nger, directed by Claus Guth and staged at the Park Avenue Armory in New York. Taking it's name from the final song, "Der Doppelg�nger"-in which a soldier confronts the haunting realization that he did not survive the war-this Armory commission poignantly explores the longing for life's beauty and the idea that death is not an abrupt end, but a final, reflective journey.

CHOPIN ORBIT The eagerly anticipated second album by celebrated Japanese pianist and composer Hayato Sumino (aka 'Cateen') Available on CD & Vinyl. - Following the success of his acclaimed Sony debut Human Universe, Hayato Sumino-known globally as 'Cateen'-returns with Chopin Orbit, a conceptually rich and emotionally resonant album that places the music of Fr�d�ric Chopin at it's center. - Chopin, Sumino's favorite composer, has long been a gravitational force in his artistic life. That connection was first spotlighted during his standout performances at the 2021 International Chopin Competition and now takes full flight in Chopin Orbit. This unique collection features Sumino's original compositions inspired by Chopin's masterpieces, not as imitations but as creative echoes-melodies and motifs reimagined through the lens of a 21st century classical artist. - Included are pieces such as Chopin's Polonaise-Fantasie op. 61, Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Berceuse, and Raindrop Prelude, alongside Hayato's original works White Keys and Post Rain. Also featured are works by Thomas Ad�s, Leopold Godowsky, and Leo� Jan�cek-highlighting Chopin's influence across generations

Masterworks Wiener Philharmoniker & Yannick N�zet-S�guin Neujahrskonzert 2026 / New Year'S Concert 2026 / Concert Du Nouvel An 2026.

The annual New Year's Concert in Vienna has been a major event for more than eight decades, since 1939, broadcast on television and radio. The concert has so far been conducted by world-famous maestros such as Herbert von Karajan, Lorin Maazel, Claudio Abbado, Carlos Kleiber, Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Muti, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Seiji Ozawa, Mariss Jansons, Franz Welser-M�st, Gustavo Dudamel, and others. As Austria's musical ambassadors, the Vienna Philharmonic sends people around the world a New Year's greeting in the spirit of hope, friendship, and peace - with lively and carefree yet nostalgic and profound music from the great repertoire of the Strauss family and their contemporaries.

Recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Long Yu, the repertoire is centered on Bernstein's Serenade (after Plato's Symposium). The album also features a chamber arrangement of the Adagietto from Mahler's Fifth Symphony, "Never Enough" from the film The Greatest Showman, and Vaughan Williams's The Lark Ascending.

Isata has a longstanding love for the music of Prokofiev and performed his Piano Concerto No. 3 for her solo debut at the BBC Proms in 2023. Now she explores the music of this great composer further, on this electrifying new album. As with her last solo album, celebrating Mendelssohn, here Isata offers a rounded portrait of Prokofiev: original solo piano compositions, piano transcriptions by the composer of his most beloved ballets scores - Romeo & Juliet and Cinderella - as well as the opera 'The Love for Three Oranges' with it's famous March.