Three World Premiere Recordings! The Boulder Philharmonic, conducted by Michael Butterman, performs exciting music by renowned Cuban pianist and composer Aldo L�pez-Gavil�n. This new album contains these works: EMPORIUM for Piano and Orchestra, CONCERTO for Clarinet and Orchestra, and HECHIZOS (SPELLS) for solo piano. The soloists are Aldo L�pez-Gavil�n on piano and Ricardo Morales on clarinet. Praised for his "dazzling technique and rhythmic fire" in The Seattle Times and dubbed a "formidable virtuoso" by The Times (London), Cuban pianist and composer Aldo L�pez-Gavil�n excels in both the classical and jazz worlds as a recitalist, concerto soloist, chamber-music collaborator, and performer of his own electrifying compositions. Recorded live in superb audiophile sound.

REFERENCE RECORDINGS� proudly presents the beloved Requiem of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, in a very special interpretation. Academy Award� and Golden Globe� winning film and Broadway star F. Murray Abraham joins Manfred Honeck, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh and the Westminster Choir for Honeck's dramatic conception of "Requiem: Mozart's Death in Words and Music." This album was recorded live in 2023 in beautiful and historic Heinz Hall, home of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, in superb audiophile sound.

Ukrainian and American Music for Piano Duo, performed by Ukrainian artists Anastasiia Larchikova and Mykhailo Diordiiev. These two young pianists perform a splendid program of half Ukrainian/half American compositions, all contemporary and all very accessible. On the American side the album has John Corigliano's "Gazebo Dances", Ricky Ian Gordon's "Ring-A-Ding-Ding", and a world premiere recording of Lowell Liebermann's "Romance, Etude and Chorale, Op. 134". This is the centerpiece of the album, and it is a stunning work that was commissioned by Steinway as a wedding present to Lang Lang. The Ukrainian music features "Carpathian Song" by Zoltan Almashi, composer, cellist and winner of the Lev Revultsky Prize in 2003; "Three Extravagant Dances" by the late Myroslav Skoryk, who was awarded the titles "The People's Artist" and "Hero of Ukraine", and whose music contains stylistic traits from Ukrainian folk music; and lastly "Ru-um-bambar" by Bohdan Sehin, who studied with M. Skoryk and whose music is highly textured, with Eastern European expressiveness. Proceeds from this album will be donated to Ukraine humanitarian aid organizations.

Reference Recordings proudly presents our 6th release with the outstanding, multi-Blues Music Award winner Doug MacLeod. Internationally acclaimed for his original songwriting, warm, soulful vocals, guitar wizardry and witty storytelling, Doug teamed with producer Andreas Werner and engineer Joe Funderburk in Nashville's Creative Workshop studio for "Between Somewhere and Goodbye". Supported by Nashville notables, drummer Lynn Willaims, Mark T. Jordon on piano, Wurlitzer electric piano and B3 organ, and bassist Paul Ossola plus the vocal harmonies of The Shoals Sisters: Cindy Richardson Walker, Marie Tomlinson Lewey and Carla Russell, Doug offers up a collection of eleven of his compositions presented in both solo and ensemble settings. "A Sublime Masterpiece... MacLeod's playing carries the weight of a lifetime-and the fire of someone just getting started. It's the blues of wisdom. And it's never sounded better"- Living Blues. "his talents as a storyteller, his extraordinary guitar playing, and his signature vocals, are present from the opener onwards... another wonderful and unique journey with DOUG MACLEOD as your guide, who treats you to extraordinary stories." - Roots Time - BE. Between Somewhere and Goodbye is the sound of someone who is comfortable in his skin and comfortable with how his life turned out. It's someone you'll want to listen to. -Blues Music Magazine. Five stars: A peerless new album from one of today's most important blues artists. -FANFARE. Between Somewhere and Goodbye is yet another terrific journey from Doug MacLeod, who, in the best of blues' traditions, brings his heart and soul to every song. -Blues Blast

Saxophonist Anton Schwartz brings music for the serious jazz lover, but is also fun and accessible to all. With classic holiday songs and compelling arrangements, this is a perfect stocking stuffer for any music lover!. Anton Jazz.2004.

Anton Schwartz (tenor sax) Peter Bernstein (guitar) Taylor Eigsti (piano) John Shifflett (acoustic bass) Tim Bulkley (drums) Produced by Bud Spangler and Anton Schwartz. Recording and Mixing Engineer: Dan Feiszli. Mastering engineer: Paul Stubblebine. 'Radiant Blue' had a long run on the US jazz radio charts, peaking at number four and earning a JazzWeek cover story. 'Much like Chris Potter, Anton Schwartz is a nice and unassuming guy to talk to, yet both turn into modern day tenor titans as soon as they put the mouthpiece between their lips... There's a lot to like here with sharp arrangements and crisp straight ahead playing that seems to hit all the right notes.' - Tad Hendrickson, JazzWeek Magazine '... this is a first-class audiophile product.' - John Henry, Audiophile Audition 'Anton Schwartz and his sidemen are deadly serious about their fun... they are all adept at staying in the pocket while stretching it. As for Schwartz, he has a classic clear-throated tenor sound and kicks like a mule. His zeal to communicate is fervent yet sophisticated... Radiant Blue could make an excellent introduction to jazz for someone on the outside looking for a way in.' - Thomas Conrad, Jazz Times Magazine 'This is grade 'A' 'all-killer-no-filler'... The five musicians are virtuosos, endowed with temperance, eschewing gratuity for the greater good of the music... Schwartz' compositions are engaging and sophisticated... these are truly unique musicians of the highest order.' - Jan-Mikael Erakare, Abstract Logix 'Schwartz blows with a warm, fluid tone, and great economy... his decisions all sound right... This ensemble shines.... The music bins are full of bluesy jazz albums; this one brims with optimism and intelligence.' - Ed Kopp, JAZZIZ Magazine The liner notes from the CD: THE BLUES IS A FEELING THE BLUES IS A FORM The blues is a feeling. The blues is a form. Two statements about music. You've likely heard the first one at some point, but perhaps not the second. So I'd like to explain a bit. Music is nothing without feeling, and nowhere is this more true than in blues music. Blues greats such as Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and B.B. King have been masters at conveying emotion, and they passed down as their legacy an emotional vocabulary of musical riffs, stylings, phrases and techniques that form the vernacular of blues music. But no less a part of their legacy is a contribution of a different nature: the blues *form*. In poetry, a sonnet is distinguished by it's form - a particular fourteen-line structure. So, too, much of blues music conforms to a particular structure - a distinct sequence of chords twelve measures in length. That structure has come to permeate popular music far beyond the genre of blues. 'Rock Around the Clock' is, structurally, a perfect blues. So is the theme from *Batman*. And Charlie Parker's 'Now's The Time.' But none of these would be called blues music. So when jazz musicians say, 'let's play a blues,' what they are proposing is not a song with a certain feeling, but a song with a certain structure. Radiant Blue is a collection of ten blueses - which is to say, ten songs based on the blues form. To be sure, there are stylistic elements of the blues in many of the songs (check out 'Sneaking Suspicion' and 'Blues for Now'). But most of the music is not particularly bluesy. The grooves run a wide gamut, from fast straight ahead jazz to New Orleans to Afro-Samba to feel-good South African to angular funk. _Radiant Blue_ is a CD of blueses, but it is not a blues CD any more than The Who's rock opera, *Tommy*, is an opera CD. If you're familiar with music theory, you'll know that I've taken many liberties with the blues form throughout the CD. But my hope is that, regardless of your musical knowledge, with a few listenings of the CD you will be able to 'squint your ears' and make out the shape of a blues, in the same way you might recognize an old friend at a distance by just their silhouette and their walk. For jazz musicians, the blues form is such a friend. - Anton Schwartz, June, 2006, Oakland.

Flash Mob

When Music Calls

The followup to Schwartz's acclaimed debut album, 'When Music Calls'. 'The Slow Lane' is 70 minutes of dynamic, acoustic jazz! 'Schwartz savors the implications of each note, allowing the listener to delight in the endless melodies created by his stirri.Independient.2005.

The fourth and final volume in this important series! This new album showcases guitarist Roberto Moronn Perez performing works that are fundamental milestones of the guitar repertoire of the 20th century. Included are works by Alexandre Tansman, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Hans Haug, Joan Manen and Federico Mompou. These works were also performed by Segovia himself during his lifetime. The genesis for this unique series is a collection of pieces recovered in May 2001 at Segovia's archive in Spain. All pieces in the archive were dedicated to Segovia or commissioned by him, involving composers from eight countries. This new album was recorded in the lovely acoustics of Holy Trinity Church, Weston, Hertfordshire, U.K. It was produced, recorded, edited and mastered by the outstanding U.K. engineer John Taylor.

The six suites for solo cello are frequently considered to be Bach’s greatest masterpieces and are a pinnacle of the Baroque cello repertory. This new album of Bach’s complete Cello Suites has the unique feature of being performed using two different historic cellos, one of them being a rare five-string instrument from the 17th century, which is used on Suite 6.

Cellist William Skeen is one of the world’s premiere Baroque cellists. He serves as Principal Cellist with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Voices of Music, and was Principal Cellist of the American Bach Soloists for nearly two decades. Mr. Skeen taught Baroque cello and viola da gamba at the University of Southern California for two decades. Mr. Skeen has received two GRAMMY® nominations for previous albums. He continues to perform regularly with major orchestras and Baroque groups around the world.

This new release of the Six Cello Suites was beautifully recorded by famed multi-GRAMMY®-winning engineer Leslie Ann Jones at Skywalker Sound in Marin County, California. It was mastered by RR's own multi-GRAMMY®-nominated engineer, Sean Royce Martin. The album was produced by the outstanding San Francisco-based Lolly Lewis, who in recent years has been particularly focused on period instrument performance and has produced six albums with the New Esterházy Quartet.

Doug MacLeod is known for his superb songwriting, guitar wizardry, warm soulful vocals, wit and unforgettable live performances. Over 26 years, 16 studio albums, several live records, compilations, and two DVDs, MacLeod has consistently earned rave reviews, his songs being covered by many artists including Albert King, Albert Collins, Joe Louis Walker and Eva Cassidy. MacLeod wrote all the songs on Brand New Eyes with the exception of the co-written Midnight in Memphis. For ten years running, MacLeod penned "Doug's Back Porch," a regular feature column in Blues Revue Magazine.

Mortiz Moszkowski (1854-1925) is most known for his scintillating piano compositions. He also composed an opera, a full-length ballet, three orchestra suites, a symphony, songs, concertos and chamber music - almost all of which remain neglected or forgotten. The San Francisco Ballet Orchestra is internationally recognized as one of the foremost ballet orchestra in the world. Over the years, the orchestra has accompanied such prestigious ballet comapnies as American Ballet Theatre, The Royal Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet and many others.

All tracks have been digitally mastered using HDCD technology.

The great baroque composer George Frideric Handel’s final masterpiece!

Recorded live in September 2022 by multi-GRAMMY®-award winning engineer Christopher Willis, JEPHTHA is performed by Music of the Baroque - Chorus & Orchestra, conducted by acclaimed British conductor Dame Jane Glover, who has been its music director since 2002.

Now in its fifth decade, Music of the Baroque is one of the leading professional ensembles in America devoted to 17th and 18th-century works. The Chicago Sun-Times writes, “Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra may be the big guys on the local classical music scene, but in terms of sheer quality of performance… Music of the Baroque inhabits the same stratosphere.” Andrew Megill directs the Chorus and six outstanding vocal soloists in this definitive performance of Handel's sublime oratorio JEPHTHA."

REVIEW:

The recording is present and vibrant. The balance of the harpsichord seems particularly right here. The solo voices are placed forward, but not excessively so. All told, this exciting release presents as compelling and dramatic a performance of Handel’s Jephtha as one could want. Urgently recommended.

— Fanfare

This enterprising and exceptionally well-played CD contains the world premiere recording of a charming suite arranged from Candide, Bernstein's wittiest musical. When combined with the overture from the same show, as it is here, the result is a marvelous twosome that ought to appear together often. The Five Songs also are receiving their premieres in new orchestrations by Sid Ramin, a regular Bernstein collaborator. Mezzo-soprano Beth Clayton sings them beautifully. Add to these enterprising items a sparkling performance of the Divertimento (every bit as good as the composer's version) and the Three Meditations from Mass, originally arranged for Rostropovich (but here excellently played by cellist Anthony Ross), and the result is probably the most important Bernstein recording since Lenny's own. And of course, sonics are state of the art. Terrific. [10/19/1999] --David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

This disc was nominated for the 1998 Grammy Award for "Best Choral Performance."
REVIEWS:
American Record Guide (11-12/97, p.167) - "...James Paul obviously feels this music very deeply; if the pulse occasionally quickens, or the soloists begin to take on near-operatic intensity, it is all of a piece--a youthful ardor and radiant complexion that make the music glow....It is a beautiful recording..."

This selection is also available on Walking Frog (distribution) 406.

This selection is a High Definition Compatible Digital (HDCD) recording.

The Hermitage Piano Trio is distinguished by its exuberant musicality, interpretative range, and sumptuous sound. Following a recent performance, The Washington Post raved that “three of Russia’s most spectacular young soloists… turned in a performance of such power and sweeping passion that it left you nearly out of breath.” Reference Recordings is proud to present their debut album as a Trio. A rarity in the chamber music world, this elite trio is comprised of three musicians who are noted soloists in their own right.

In a performing career spanning forty-five countries on five continents, violinist Misha Keylin is attracting particular attention with his world-premiere series of the seven Henri Vieuxtemps violin concertos. Hailed as “a brilliant cellist” by the legendary Mstislav Rostropovich, Sergey Antonov went on to prove his mentor’s proclamation when he became one of the youngest cellists ever awarded the gold medal at the world’s premier musical contest, the quadrennial International Tchaikovsky Competition. Pianist Ilya Kazantsev, a fresh and exciting presence on the international music scene and a passionate interpreter of his native Russian repertoire – hailed by The Washington Post as “virtually flawless” – has performed as recitalist and soloist with orchestras in Russia, Canada, Europe, and the United States. Among his many awards and honors, Mr. Kazantsev received first prize at the Nikolai Rubinstein International Competition (Paris) and won the International Chopin Competition (Moscow) and the 2007 & 2008 World Piano Competitions (Cincinnati).

REVIEWS:

Striking the right balance between interpretative nobility and expressive candour is particularly challenging in music of such claustrophobic intensity, yet the Hermitage Piano Trio proves fully equal to the task.

-- The Strad

The recording is truly splendid, with all three members of the trio and their recording producer collaborating to present us with a superbly effective aural rendering of these early indications of Rachmaninoff's slowly blossoming compositional mastery.

The booklet accompanying the CD deserves special comment. The program notes, in English only, are by Victor and Marina Ledin, who are also listed as the producers of the recording. I have rarely read such comprehensive and detailed essays, lavishly accompanied by old, sepia coloured photos as well as full-colour modern ones.

-- MusicWeb International

This selection is a HDCD (High Definiteion Compact Disc) recording.

All tracks have been digitally mastered using HDCD technology.
All tracks have been digitally mastered using 24-bit technology.

Winner of the 2014 Blues Music Awards' 'Best Acoustic Artist' and 'Best Acoustic Album,' Doug MacLeod is a unique, powerful guitarist with a rich and soulful voice, singing original songs based on his own life. This is 'Genuine Original Acoustic Music' at it's very best!

Jean-Philippe Rameau’s Pièces de clavecin en concerts features the new and exciting period-instrument ensemble Baroque Nouveau (Charles Sherman, harpsichord; Anthony Martin, violin; Stephen Schultz, baroque flute; and Josh Lee, viola da gamba). All of these superb musicians perform with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and other specialist groups.

This repertoire is a collection of Rameau's most appealing, tuneful compositions with improvisational embellishments galore! We recorded this project in June 2008 at famed Skywalker Sound. - Reference Recordings

An adventurous program of European masterworks for flute and guitar from scintillating young artists Viviana Guzman and Jeremy Jouve, captured brilliantly by Grammy®-winning recording engineer Keith O. Johnson. A winner for all audiophiles and music lovers! This album is a musical journey full of emotion, from the soothing and mellow music of Fauré and Satie, and the driving excitement of “Bolero” and “Carmen,” to thrilling modern music by Dyens, Duplessy, and Ourkouzounov.

Described by the New York Times as “an imaginative artist,” Chilean-born flutist, Viviana Guzmán performs over 80 concerts a year throughout the world. She has been featured on programs for PBS, NBC, and NPR, seen on the cover of Latina Style Magazine, and in COSMOPOLITAN en Español and has played in 118 countries including South Africa, Ireland, Spain, Brazil, Bali, India, Peru, and Greece featuring flutes from her collection of over 100 gathered from concert tours.