World premiere recordings of three new important choral works by American composers Richard Einhorn, Gilda Lyons and Joseph Turrin. The Musica Viva NY Choir and Orchestra make their Naxos debut with these recordings, conducted by their artistic director Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez.

Deutsche Oper Berlin's production of Massenet's four-act version of Herodiade features an outstanding cast, including the Australian soprano Nicole Car and Canadian baritone Etienne Dupuis. This live recording from June 2023 is conducted by Deutsche Oper Berlin's principal guest conductor, Enrique Mazzola.

Busoni's operatic masterpiece, Doktor Faust, was left unfinished on his death in 1924. A DVD (37998) and Blu-ray (57998) of this performance was released on Dynamic in March of this year, receiving much critical acclaim. Cornelius Meister conducts the orchestra and chorus of Maggio Musicale Fiorentino with Dietrich Henschel in the title role. This release marks the 100th anniversary of the composer's death. May 2025 will be the 100th anniversary of the opera's premiere performance.

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James Whitbourn is a Grammy® nominated composer whose music is internationally admired for its direct connection with performers and audiences, The Observer describing him as "a truly original communicator in modern British choral music." Carolae is a fusion of the great Christmas traditions at King’s College Cambridge and Princeton University Chapel, with the Missa Carolæ at its heart. Whitbourn’s love of medieval musical language is reflected in his clever use of original melody with famous carols such as Noël Nouvelet, combined with skillful new arrangements of seasonal favorites such as The Coventry Carol.

As revered as Vaughan Williams is among choral music fans, it's remarkable that none of his original Christmas pieces has achieved the kind of popularity or concert-ubiquitousness you might expect (on the scale of, say, Darke's In the bleak midwinter, or on a larger scale, Britten's A Ceremony of Carols), especially considering the significant number of Christmas-themed works he wrote and his expertise as a composer for voices. The Fantasia on Christmas Carols might have been such a work, and it's certainly attractive enough, full of wonderful tunes, scored to maximize a festive mood. Perhaps it is that very scoring--for orchestra and requiring a baritone soloist--that prevents more frequent programming; or perhaps it's the style, which is formulaic (especially for the chorus) and, especially in the big, recurring climaxes, seems too heavily orchestrated, losing both the choir and--except for the opening "The truth sent from above"--the essentially simple character of the carols.

That's not to say the Fantasia isn't a good piece or that it doesn't accomplish its purpose--to reflect and celebrate the wonder, mystery, and joyful spirit of Christmas; but its success depends largely on a strong baritone soloist and a first-rate orchestra, as well as achieving good balances among the three performing components. And that's mostly what we have here, save for baritone Stephen Gadd's tendency toward a wide vibrato that obscures pitch, and balances that invariably favor the orchestra in louder sections. The chorus certainly conveys the "joyful spirit" mentioned above, and the orchestra is undeniably "first-rate". However, there are better overall renditions of the Fantasia on disc, namely the Corydon Singers on Hyperion and Cambridge Singers on Collegium, both of which accomplish the festive mood with better sound, more judicious balances, and better soloists.

For many listeners, however, the reason to own this recording is the Hodie, which is virtually non-existent in the catalog (apparently only one other version--the one from King's College on EMI, recorded in 1965--is currently available). This nearly hour-long work follows the essential parts of the Christmas story, using choruses, vocal solos, and a periodic "narration", sung in unison chant by a children's choir accompanied by organ, which lends a "church-y" aspect to this "Christmas Cantata". The choruses represent some of Vaughan Williams' more engaging efforts in the genre, and a few of these--particularly the a cappella The blessed Son of God--are often sung separately as concert pieces.

Several of the solo songs show why Vaughan Williams is justly famed for his skill in the genre--It was the winter cold; The shepherds sing; Bright portals of the sky--and these are expertly sung (respectively) by soprano Janice Watson, baritone Stephen Gadd, and tenor Peter Hoare. Again, the choruses and orchestra are top-notch, and if the orchestration can be more than a little Hollywood-ish at times and the narrations somewhat meandering, overall this is a very satisfying work that truly fills the concert hall with the sense of occasion that the real Christmas story deserves.

--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com

Pianist Klaus Simon's advocacy for Erich J. Wolff and his Lieder continues with this third volume. Wolf is arguably one of the 20th century's most neglected composers, and his virtually unknown songs are overdue for rediscovery. Simon is joined by baritone Hans Christoph Begemann.

Though he composed in a variety of genres - choral and orchestral works and an opera among them - Erich Zeisl was a consummate Lieder composer whose songs are richly melodic, inventive, and cast in a late Romantic idiom. In his settings he responded to a range of ideas - the subjects of the night and light were potent ones, and he mined a vein of irony and humour. Forced from Austria in 1938 he did not write any Lieder after settling in America but arranged some Spirituals, drawing on the music of a people similarly oppressed as his own.

The six piano sonatas by Brazilian composer Claudio Santoro document the evolution of his creative and formal development, from twelve-tone technique to Brazilian nationalism. The sonatas are performed by the composer's son, Alessandro Santoro.

French music specialist Jean-Luc Tingaud conducts the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland in this album of favourites and rarities by Faure. Includes the first movement of the unfinished Violin Concerto, the prelude to the opera Penelope, Henri Rabaud's orchestration of the popular Dolly suite, and more.

Volume 13 is the final instalment in Wolf Harden's series of Busoni's piano music, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the composer's death in 2024. It features selections from the multi-volume Klavierubung ('Piano Exercise') as well as some early miniatures, and more.

Goran Filipec is renowned for his exceptional interpretations of the works of Franz Liszt. His four previous recordings can be heard on 8.573705,8.573794,8.573866 and 8.574095. With this new album he presents a selection of the composer's most popular pieces featuring several of his own arrangements and adaptations.

These world premiere recordings of Rieti's Piano Concertos Nos. 1-3 are performed by the award-winning pianist Alessandro Marangoni, accompanied by the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano and conducted by Guiseppe Grazioli. Marangoni is joined by Orazio Sciortino in the first stereo recording of the Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra.

Classical guitarist emilie Fend and clarinettist Andreas Hermanski share an ambitious artistic vision to promote their relatively unusual instrumental combination through the commissioning of new repertoire. Including world premiere recordings, this programme presents neo-Classical dark and light contrasts in Giacomo Susani's Sonata, and striking evocations of nature in Antonio Giacometti's The Prideful Cry of Amazonian Forest. Psychological landscapes can be found in Jan Freidlin's Kafka Sonata alongside Roberto Sierra's Duo-Sonata, with all works exploring the diverse expressive potential of this exciting ensemble.

Travel Notebook, Suite for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 by Ukrainian composer Alexey Shor is cast in a neo-Classical vein. It offers personal impressions of places he has visited, with music that is harmonically traditional and melodic. Violin Concerto No. 4, composed during the Covid pandemic, is a restless, passionate and romantic work, displaying Shor's trademark lyricism. Both works are heard in the composer's versions with string orchestra.

Giuseppe Martucci was one of the formative figures in the re-establishment of Italian instrumental music in the second half of the 19th century. His orchestral music had advocates as powerful as Mahler and Toscanini, and his piano concertos won admirers. His solo piano music was performed mostly by him, and today remains virtually unknown. These compositions offer verdant, colourful melodies, striking dance themes, and elegant music crafted for the salon. There are also some flamboyant and virtuoso challenges, tracing a lineage back to Scarlatti.

Having sustained an injury to his left hand, Artur Malawski had to abandon his career as a virtuoso violinist and went on to become a successful teacher and composer in his native Poland. The Symphonic etudes of 1947 brought him international recognition with it's unorthodox design and powerful expression. The Overture shares something of his younger contemporary Lutoslawski's resourcefulness, while the Toccata shows a similar adventurousness of spirit. The manuscript of Mountaineers' Triptych has not survived complete - it is heard here in a realisation by Kazimierz Wilkomirski.