Ingrid Fliter thrills her fans with her second recording of piano concertos; she performs with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, with whom she recorded her Linn debut of Chopin concertos. Fliter performs repertoire that is very close to her heart: concertos by two nineteenth century heavyweights, Schumann and Mendelssohn. Fliter brings the lyrical romanticism of Schumann’s iconic Piano Concerto to life whilst perfectly navigating the shifting colours and technical demands of this brilliant showpiece. The sparkling passagework and charming melodies which characterise Mendelssohn’s innovative G minor concerto demonstrate Fliter’s innate skill and pianistic instinct. Following Fliter’s live performance of the Mendelssohn concerto one critic wrote: “In the beautiful second movement, time stood still.” With both composers giving equal focus to soloist and orchestra, the musicality of the SCO’s award-winning musicians shines through as they partner Fliter perfectly. This also marked the recording debut of Antonio Mendez, who is fast becoming one of the most exciting conductors of his generation following engagements with a host of international orchestras.

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REVIEWS:

In both the Mendelssohn and Schumann, Fliter plays with tautness and energy, fitting hand-in-glove with the smaller chamber-orchestra forces of the SCO and drier recorded sound. Heartfelt and intelligent, this is life-enhancing music, and as a bonus there's The Fair Melusina Overture.

– BBC Music Magazine

A beautiful fit with the expressive world of pianist Ingrid Fliter. Several factors combine to make this an unusually satisfying Romantic piano concerto offering, but among them is the high-contrast approach of Fliter herself, really capturing the listener's attention. A standout recording.

– All Music Guide

The Mendelssohn concerto suits Fliter particularly well; she alive to the impetuosity of the outer movements, as well as to the work's more poetic elements. Fliter's command of the drama is second to none.

– Gramophone

World-renowned Baroque guitarist William Carter presents an appealing collection of early works by Spanish guitar virtuoso and composer Fernando Sor. Carter believes Sor’s guitar music is some of the finest ever written for the instrument. Fernando Sor: Early Works includes three large-scale works, interspersed with shorter pieces, which are charming and intimate with a strong Spanish flavor. Carter employs a performance practice endorsed by Sor himself- playing without fingernails- making this a truly unique recording. Carter’s use of his fingertips delivers wider dynamic contrasts and a softer, more subtle sound. This is the premiere recording of Sor’s early works to explore this performance practice. Carter’s recording is a blend of his incredible knowledge of the instrument and composer, his extensive research and endless hours of perfecting his technique.

In this pioneering recording Dunedin Consort presents a brand new performing version of one of Handel’s greatest dramatic works, Samson. For the first time listeners can enjoy an authentic Handelian chorus, comprising both solo sopranos and boy trebles – a sonority largely unheard in the modern age. The singers available to Handel for the work’s first set ofa performances in 1743 varied considerably, leading many researchers to speculate upon the composer’s own preferences. But new thinking by director John Butt has led to the evolution of this recording and to what he considers to be the definitive performance in line with Handel’s intentions. This powerful oratorio – an opera in all but name – features soloists Sophie Bevan, Matthew Brook, Mary Bevan, Hugo Hymas and Jess Dandy, with Joshua Ellicott in the title role. Matching the revelatory historical practice begun in its award-winning recording of Messiah (Dublin Version, 1742), the soloists lead their sections to unite the solo and choral forces, creating a highly effective and cohesive sound. With rich orchestration and highlights such as ‘Let the bright seraphim’ and ‘Total eclipse’, Samson is Dunedin Consort’s most ambitious undertaking to date.

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REVIEW:

This new Samson now becomes the top recommendation: for its uniformly excellent soloists, its excitingly ‘present’ choral singing and, above all, its more urgent sense of theatre. Sophie and Mary Bevan, both natural Handelian stylists, are well-nigh ideal. Jess Dandy, a true contralto, is the oratorio’s voice of balm, singing the sublime prayer ‘Return, O God of hosts’ with warm, even tone and broad phrasing.

– Gramophone

Named a 'Choice' recording by BBC Music Magazine upon release, this popular recording of seventeenth century vocal music features mezzo-soprano Catherine King and lutenist Jacob Heringman with tenor Charles Daniels. Originally released in 1999, 'Airs de cour' has been re-issued as part of Linn's ECHO series which offers a second chance to enjoy the best of the label's award-winning catalogue. The listener is transported to the French court in a program of courtly airs and solo lute pieces, the latter a suitable complement to the airs and the lost ideals of the courtly society they reflect. Both the self-indulgent texts of these songs and their suave and rhythmically evasive melodies, reflect a society rich in excess, intrigue and dissembling, all the more fascinating for being so distant, no less impressive for being so introverted. Well schooled in period performance, all the performers pay due attention to the authenticity of pronunciation and ornamentation for which scant records remain. 'O dieux je ne s�ais pas' is a rare example where an ornamented variant of the melody is included in the manuscript revealing a further level of riches in these songs. Catherine King is acknowledged as one of the most versatile mezzo-sopranos of her generation with an impressive breadth of repertoire. Jacob Heringman has established himself as one of the world's most respected and most innovative solo lute players. Catherine King and Jacob Heringman have made numerous appearances together in festivals throughout Europe, as well as broadcasting frequently for the BBC and for WDR in Cologne. Charles Daniels is an English tenor, particularly noted for his performances of baroque music. He is a frequent soloist with The King's Consort, and has made over 25 recordings with the ensemble.

Opus 2 & 4: Chamber Sonatas is the third in The Avison Ensemble’s celebration of Corelli’s chamber music and the fifth album in their critically acclaimed series of recordings with Linn. Released to mark the 300th anniversary of the death of the composer, the ensemble’s greatly anticipated series explores the six opera of the eminent Italian’s chamber music: the concerti grossi, violin sonatas, chamber sonatas and church sonatas. Popular since their publication, Corelli’s two sets of chamber sonatas are a pinnacle of Baroque Italian instrumental music. They demonstrate a superior level of craftsmanship; they are of the highest quality, exquisitely refined and a good example of perfection in music. Corelli’s contribution to the history of violin performance was immense: all six of his published collections of instrumental music demonstrate his exceptional skill as a violinist and composer, but it was in his chamber sonatas that he first used what was to be known as the ‘Corelli clash’.

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REVIEWS:

These performances occupy fresh ground. Beznosiuk and the Avison Ensemble have clearly given much thought and attention to their performances: beautifully understated, and allowing the music to speak for itself.

– Gramophone

The Avison Ensemble captures their essence in graceful, finely controlled performances - by turns lyrical, fleet, playful, imbued with an effortless style that eschews mannerisms and fireworks but rather lets the music speak for itself. The string sound is silky and clean; the ensemble neat and subtly articulated.

– BBC Music Magazine

Phantasm explores the music of John Jenkins, one of the most refined and accomplished composers of the seventeenth century. These compositions are from the height of Jenkins compositional career where he created experimental works which test the perceptive powers of players and listeners alike. Phantasm has been widely acclaimed for their previous recordings in 2015, 2001 and 2004.

Lutoslawski: Grave for cello and piano - Webern: Three Littl

Make This City Ours

OFFBEAT

Purcell: The Indian Queen

NEW FOLK SONGS

Phantasm showcases time and time again their musical dexterity and ability to produce rich, unified sounds. John Ward was an acclaimed madrigalist and a contemporary of Orlando Gibbons. His music is known to have hidden historical references to pavans, Italian "madrigalisms" and plainsong.

It's a Nice Thought

In both the Mendelssohn and Schumann, Fliter plays with tautness and energy, fitting hand-in-glove with the smaller chamber-orchestra forces of the SCO and drier recorded sound. Heartfelt and intelligent, this is life-enhancing music, and as a bonus there's The Fair Melusina Overture.

– BBC Music Magazine

A beautiful fit with the expressive world of pianist Ingrid Fliter. Several factors combine to make this an unusually satisfying Romantic piano concerto offering, but among them is the high-contrast approach of Fliter herself, really capturing the listener's attention. A standout recording.

– All Music Guide

The Mendelssohn concerto suits Fliter particularly well; she alive to the impetuosity of the outer movements, as well as to the work's more poetic elements. Fliter's command of the drama is second to none.

– Gramophone

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