La Nativit� du Seigneur, neuf m�ditations pour orgue (The Nativity of the Lord, nine meditations for organ or The Birth of the Saviour) is a testament to Olivier Messiaen's Roman Catholic faith, being divided into nine "meditations" inspired by the birth of Jesus. As the composer notes in his preface, he sought "the emotion and sincerity first". The work was written by the composer at the age of 26 years during the summer of 1935 while he was in residence at Grenoble near the French Alps. Messiaen wrote that in addition to theology, the movements were inspired by the mountains, as well as the stained glass windows in medieval cathedrals. The work's premiere on 27 February 1936 on the organ of La Trinit�, Paris, where Messiaen was titular organist; had the work split among three players: Jean-Yves Daniel-Lesur (1-3), Jean Langlais (4-6), and Jean-Jacques Grunenwald (7-9). The American organist Mark Steinbach (Brown University, Providence) travelled through France in the summer of 2022 to find the most suitable organ for the recording of this cycle: he found it in Lyon. The Cavaill�-Coll instrument there is similar in size and character to the Cavaill�-Coll organ Messiaen had at his disposal in the 1930s in the Eglise de la Trinit� in Paris. This allows the music to be presented with the greatest possible authenticity. It is also, in our opinion, the first recording of Messiaen's organ works in surround sound.

The Bremen-born painter and sculptor Hugo Körtzinger (1892 - 1967) was a close friend of his much more famous colleague Ernst Barlach. Both were in the favor of the well-known Hamburg art patron Hermann F. Reemtsma. In 1937, Reemtsma financed a new workshop for Hugo Körtzinger in the small town of Schnega (Wendland), where he saved sculptures of his friend Barlach, which were considered "degenerate art", from being melted during the Nazi era. In 1937, Germany's most important organ-building company at that time, E.F. Walcker, built a new 3-manual instrument for Körtzinger's studio as their Opus 2576 - at the request of the customer with many unusual timbres. The instrument was continuously extended in individual construction steps until 1947.

A few years ago, the studio and the organ, which had been completely unplayable for many decades, were renovated thanks to the support of the Hermann F. Reemtsma Foundation. Martin Schmeding presents the instrument on a double SACD with music by baroque composers, played in the style of the 1930s aesthetic, as well as with original works from the time the instrument was built. This program gives an impression of the works that may have been played in the Körtzinger atelier between 1937 and 1967. The program is supplemented by Schmeding's improvisations on sculptures by Ernst Barlach.

USP: the first recording of an organ that is probably one of the largest private organs in Germany. Very comprehensive booklet (48 pages) with many illustrations and descriptions of Körtzinger and the recorded music. Double SACD in stereo and 5.1 surround sound. Rarely heard works from the 1930s and 1940s.

The new organ system in Mainz Cathedral, inaugurated in August 2022, is internationally unparalleled in terms of its conception, construction, innovation, quality of craftsmanship and tonal nobility: an absolute centenary project of organ building for the thousand-year-old Mainz Cathedral! The present programme, some of which was produced as a live SACD (stereo and 5.1 surround), was assembled on the basis of the works performed at the inaugural concerts. At its centre is the nearly 30-minute organ sonata in C minor "Der 94. Psalm" by the Liszt pupil Julius Reubke. Cathedral organist Daniel Beckmann, a decisive contributor to the concept of the new instrument, brilliantly demonstrates the new possibilities of this fascinating cathedral organ.

Zuzana Ferjencíková starts her complete recording of Jean Guillou's organ works with AEOLUS with this recording of symphonic poems. The Slovakian concert organist studied for many years with Jean Guillou (1930 - 2019) and performed his complete organ works in several concerts at the Saint-Eustache church in Paris a few years ago. The 5-manual instrument there was conceived by Jean Guillou in the late 1980s and built by the firm Van den Heuvel (NL) in 1989. Fortunately, we were able to make the recordings for this double SACD (stereo and 5.1 surround) on precisely this spectacular instrument. In addition to Jean Guillou's own symphonic poems, Zuzana Ferjencíková has also recorded here all the transcriptions of works by Franz Liszt that Guillou made. His arrangement of Liszt's "Tasso" is available as a world premiere recording.

Jan Albert van Eyken studied at the Leipzig Conservatory from 1845 to 1846 and became organist at the Remonstrants Church in Amsterdam in 1848, at the Zuiderkerk in Rotterdam from 1853 and at the Reformed Church in Elberfeld from April 1854. Among his admirers was Robert Schumann. Schumann later wrote to Joseph Joachim: "He plays quite splendidly; in Rotterdam I heard him play fugues by Bach, also BACH fugues [by Schumann], the first and the last, on an organ worthy of him." Not far from Van Eyken's later place of work in Elberfeld was the headquarters of the organ-building firm of Richard Ibach (Oberbarmen), which built the magnificent organ for Bergen op Zoom four years before Van Eyken's death: a great early Romantic instrument on which Ute Gremmel-Geuchen brings out the best in the three great organ sonatas and other works by the composer.

The Antwerp cathedral organist Peter Van de Velde gathers almost exclusively world premiere recordings on this new album.

L�on Berben can be considered a master of his craft on the harpsichord and organ. In addition, his extensive knowledge of music history and historical performance practice make him one of the leading figures of his generation in the "early music" scene. His repertoire includes keyboard works between 1550 and 1790. He also wrote as a co-author for the encyclopedia Music in History and Present. Intensive study of sources and constant research give L�on Berben's art of interpretation a special status. His solo recordings on historical organs and harpsichords have been highly praised by the specialist press and have received several awards, including the "Diapason d'Or", the "Choc" from Le Monde de la Musique and the German Record Critics' Quarterly Prize. On his newest release, he presents hymns and organ studies by Jehan Titelouze.

Daniel Roth, widely acclaimed as one of the leading French organ virtuosos, has held several prestigious positions as both performer and teacher.

Onward and upward! Andreas Böhlen's interpretation of Giuseppe Sammartini's rarely played recorder sonatas (Vol.1, released in 2020) was not only veritably celebrated in the early music scene, but he has now even been appointed professor at the famous Schola Cantorum in Basel. Listeners can therefore expect the highest standards from this second and final volume of Sammartini's sonatas. This music played is from manuscript sources, for there is no comprehensive modern edition of these scores. Sammartini's music often surprises with unusual ideas, and Andreas Böhlen, who also performs as a jazz saxophonist, amazes again and again with sovereign improvisational playing. The rich continuo sound is provided by international specialists from Italy, Switzerland, and Germany.

The Fourth Book of Violin Sonatas by Jean-Marie Leclair is considered the pinnacle of French Baroque violin artistry. Leclair pushed the development of violin playing further and further until hardly anyone could follow him. Accordingly; these sonatas are played by only a few and are unfortunately rarely heard. Hélène Schmitt; herself celebrated as an exceptional violinist; has for many years intensively studied the life and work of the great musician; whose career repeatedly took unexpected turns and whose life ended abruptly with a murder that is still unsolved today. On this CD she shows not only the virtuosity but also the many amazingly different colours of the sonatas. She is supported by her top-class continuo group in various instrumentations. The album is the first part of a complete recording of the twelve sonatas of the Fourth Book. The booklet contains an extensive text penned by the artist; who thus shares her personal insights into Leclair's life.

Finnish harpsichordist Aapo H�kkinen plays Book I of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier on the Christian Vater harpsichord preserved in Nuremberg and on an equally historic clavichord. Two of the 24 pairs of Preludes and Fugues are even presented in an alternative instrumentation on the historic North German organ of Backemoor. Aapo H�kkinen, not least through his acclaimed AEOLUS recordings of Bach's harpsichord concertos, continues to reveal the richness and expressive possibilities of these masterpieces.

Zuzana Ferjenc�kov� presents Colors and Shadows, the second double SACD in her complete recording of Jean Guillou's organ works. This second volume was also recorded on organs on which Jean Guillou played for many years: the Kleuker organ at the Church of Notre-Dame de Gr�ce du Chant d'Oiseau in Brussels and the Danion-Gonzalez organ (1966) at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de la Treille in Lille. A special feature of this recording is the numerous world premiere recordings of organ works by Jean Guillou, which were previously only available in manuscript form and are currently being prepared for publication. The recording was produced in stereo and 5.1 multichannel surround sound.

The new program by French baroque violinist H�l�ne Schmitt moves along a French-American axis and features six violin sonatas by female composers from both sides of the Atlantic. These are small-scale works, full of warmth and sensitivity, ranging from pure Romanticism to the cautious breaking away from tonality. The instruments are played with gut strings, and the Steinway grand piano is a historic model made in New York; pianist Antoine de Grol�e accompanies eloquently and sensitively.