HORN TRIOS from MOZART to PIAZZOLLA and beyond (Volume 2) is the second installment of a compendium of horn trios from the 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st centuries - an amazing "anthology" of original and arranged repertoire for the trio ensemble of horn, violin and piano. This is not the kind of recording project consisting of the "obligatory" Brahms Horn Trio in the company of 2 or 3 other much-recorded works. While the Brahms Trio is included (in Volume 1), the concept is a lot more ambitious. Presenting a 4-centuries, 2-volume collection where each album encompasses a double-disc compilation, the artists explore a strikingly-interesting array of diverse styles and genres, where even the sheer number of different nationalities of the composers (representing 12 different countries in Vol. 1 and 11 countries in Vol. 2) brings instant awe. In Volume 1 we heard trios by composers from the United States, Canada, England, Germany, Austria, France, Liechtenstein, Argentina, Estonia, Romania, Bulgaria and Morocco, while Volume 2 presents music by composers from the US, UK, Australia, Ukraine, Russia, Germany, Austria, France, Spain, Argentina and Czechia. Among the 15 works in Vol. 1 we heard 8 world-premiere recordings, while Vol. 2 is literally brimming with world-premieres: among the 13 works in Volume 2, there are 11 world-premiere recordings. The three artists offer breathtaking interpretations. Hornist Howard Wall, whose storied career includes not just his legendary reputation as a long-time member of two of America's most prestigious orchestras - the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra, but also an impressive discography of chamber and solo discs, brings a symphonic dimension to his own transcriptions of music by Piazzolla, Stravinsky, Bach and John Coltrane. Violinist Elmira Darvarova is equally "at home" in Mozart (as a former concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera, where she accompanied the world's greatest singers in a multitude of Mozart operas) and in Piazzolla (having attained a Grammy nomination for one of her many Piazzolla albums), as well as everywhere else (including world music, with her album based on Indian Ragas debuting as No. 3 on Billboard) and she possesses not just an incredibly strong and full tone, but also a magnificent level of sensitivity which fascinates with the limitless range of dynamics and sophisticated phrasing. Pianist Thomas Weaver, whose own horn trios (one in each volume) mesmerize with atmospheric moods, and whose translucently-textured playing has been hailed for his recent album of Hungarian composers (recorded together with Elmira Darvarova), shines in each piece with sublime virtuosity and fierce artistic commitment. This is a "not to be missed" album release, which has been eagerly anticipated in the "horn universe" and elsewhere, leaving open the possibility of a future Volume 3 as a conclusion to this terrific project.

Music From Five Centuries: 17th Century - 21st Century, is a kaleidoscopic presentation of short musical works belonging to a multitude of epochs, genres and styles, from J.S. Bach, Handel, Couperin and Biber, to Mozart and Beethoven, to romantic, contemporary, blues, folk, jazz and rock compositions. Violinist Elmira Darvarova (first and only woman-concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) and hornist Howard Wall (a New York Philharmonic member, formerly with The Philadelphia Orchestra) have selected, arranged and transcribed a number of compositions (some originals, some transcriptions), to compile a Double Album release, brimming with a large number of world-premiere recordings (40 out of the 45 tracks).

This album represents a trove of new and never-before recorded songs from the Kazuno region in northern Japan world premiere recordings. Many of the works by renowned local Kazuno children's song composers were largely unknown with beautiful melodies, even though the Japanese culture reveres children's songs, taught to children and sung often by both children and adults. The scores for these children's songs were not published for commercial sale and were believed to be inaccessible but were lent to soprano Wakako Kawasaki by two individuals residing in Kazuno who possessed complete children's songs collections of composers Jujin Odajima and Takatomo Kurosawa for this recording project, as these works of these great composers from Kazuno were not even being sung in their hometown. These collections were used as the base works for the album in addition to pieces composed by Sapporo composer Kyoichi Enda, inspired by Japanese author Ryusuke Saito's story of the Kazuno floods. The album also includes a revival performance of "Dainosaka," a song associated with the Kemanai Bon Dance not sung since the early Showa period (1926-1989), arranged with piano accompaniment by Dr. Akiko Hosaki. Today "Dainosaka" is performed only with flute, drum, and dance, but historical records indicate it was accompanied by song as well. "Dojokko Funakko," was discovered on an original song monument at a temple in Kazuno and added to the album. The album is the result of years of research and discussions with Japanese musicologists in order to create a collection which will be historical in the annals of Japanese music

Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937), one of the most influential French organists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, jokingly referred to himself as the substitute organist of the church of St. Sulpice, Paris, despite his 64-year tenure there. While best known for his ten organ symphonies, Widor composed in a wide variety of sacred and secular genres: chamber music, orchestral works, ballet, operatic music, works for piano, and most importantly for this recording, melodies. In his day, Widor won respect as a composer, organist, professor, and cultural ambassador of France. In 1890 he became Cesar Franck's immediate successor as Professor of Organ at the Paris Conservatoire, and, in 1896, he succeeded Theodore Dubois as Conservatoire Professor of Composition. Widor's students in organ and composition included such distinguished names as Marcel Dupre, Louis Vierne, Charles Tournemire, Darius Milhaud, Albert Schweitzer, and Edgard Varese. Widor composed over 100 songs which have been overshadowed by his immensely popular organ works. His genius with melody, comprehensive piano writing, and discerning poetic text settings distinguish him as a gifted song composer unusually sensitive to the capabilities of the voice. Throughout his extensive career, Widor was concerned with achieving the best possible musical result in his compositions and continually developed, revised, and republished his works. A publishing custom of the time was to group sets of six songs in a single opus number; however, the songs of each of Widor's sets are not necessarily related by poet or theme. The songs were not intended to be presented as a cohesive cycle. With that in mind, the songs in this recording are not presented by chronological opus numbers. Widor's melodies exhibit a wide variety of musical influences, from the works of the German lieder composers to French vocal genres, such as the bergerette and opera lyrique. His songs range from straight-forward strophic settings to intricate through-composed forms. Widor's harmonic language can find beauty in purely diatonic sonorities while others take advantage of the more remote modulations. Elements of Orientalism, popular in his day, color the exotic musical language and mood of several songs. Widor's songs represent his quest for a perfect marriage of music and text. His melodies feature the poetry of such beloved and respected literary figures as Victor Hugo, Theodore de Banville, Rene-Francois Sully-Prudhomme, Paul Bourget, and Pierre-Jules Theophile Gautier. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Widor - thrillingly - was inspired to include poems by women whose work he admired among his song settings. Some of them are contained in this album's offerings. To quote Widor biographer John Near, "We experience very great charm when happy fortune permits us to hear a page of Mr. Widor, harmoniously vying with Victor Hugo, Sully Prudhomme, or Paul Bourget."

HORN TRIOS from MOZART to PIAZZOLLA and beyond (Volume 1) is the first installment of a 2-volume compendium of horn trios from the 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st centuries - an amazing "anthology" of original and arranged repertoire for the trio ensemble of horn, violin and piano. This is not the kind of recording project consisting of the obligatory Brahms Trio Op. 40 in the company of two or three other much-recorded works. Presenting a 4-centuries double-disc album with just this First Volume, the artists explore a strikingly-interesting collection of diverse styles and genres, where even the sheer number of different nationalities of the composers (from 12 different countries) brings instant awe. Yes, the Brahms Horn Trio is included, as well as works by Mozart and Piazzolla (as the album's title proclaims), but we also hear trios by composers from the United States, Canada, England, France, Liechtenstein, Estonia, Romania, Bulgaria and Morocco. Presenting no less than 8 world-premiere recordings in just this Volume 1, the album brims with rarities and contrasts, showcasing many works written specifically for these artists. Hornist Howard Wall, whose storied career includes not just his legendary reputation as a long-time member of two of America's most prestigious orchestras - The New York Philharmonic and The Philadelphia Orchestra, but has also produced an impressive discography of chamber and solo discs, brings a symphonic dimension to his own arrangement of Piazzolla's "Oblivion", and an excitingly speedy rendition of the Brahms Trio, as well as breathtaking interpretations of all other works. Violinist Elmira Darvarova is equally "at home" in Mozart (as a former concertmaster of The Metropolitan Opera, where she accompanied the world's greatest singers in a multitude of Mozart operas) and in Piazzolla (having attained a Grammy nomination for one of her many Piazzolla albums), as well as everywhere else, possessing not just an incredibly strong and full tone, but also a magnificent level of sensitivity which fascinates with the limitless range of dynamics and sophisticated phrasing. Pianist Thomas Weaver, whose own horn trio mesmerizes with atmospheric moods (and is narrated by himself, reading Edgar Allan Poe's Stanzas) and whose translucently textured playing has been hailed for his recent album of Hungarian composers recorded together with Elmira Darvarova), shines in each piece with sublime virtuosity and fierce artistic commitment. This is a "not to be missed" album release, anticipating the upcoming Volume 2 which will conclude this terrific project.

Gunter Raphael (1903-1960) was a prolific and versatile composer from a musical family, but because his music was banned in his lifetime due to his Jewish ancestry, his music did not gain commensurate recognition to the canon. Though he wrote for viola and other members of the string family, he is better known for his orchestral, choir, and organ works. As a performer, he was an organist, pianist, violist, and violinist. Gregory K. Williams first encountered the viola music of Gunter Raphael in 2012 at a used bookshop in Dresden, Germany, where he discovered Raphael's first unaccompanied viola sonata, op. 7, no. 1. Over the course of his career, Raphael wrote three unaccompanied viola sonatas, two romances, two sonatas for viola and piano (opp. 13 and 80), a Concertino for Viola and Chamber Orchestra, and duos for violin and viola as well as for viola and cello. Raphael's works are compelling due to their provocative and wide-ranging harmonic language and their technical complexity. What makes his viola works fascinating is how the styles evoked reflect the works' historical context and at the same time reveal a clear stylistic arc across his compositions. Shadows: The Unaccompanied Viola Sonatas of Gunter Raphael is the American premiere recording of these works, as they have only been recorded and released in Germany to date. This recording also represents the first time that all three of Gunter Raphael's unaccompanied viola sonatas have been recorded and presented together.

By the end of his life in 1970, the British composer Cyril Scott had sunk into obscurity save for a few pieces that dangled tantalizingly on the fringes of classical repertory. The advent of the 21st century has ignited a rediscovery of this iconoclastic composer, and 'Dawn and Twilight' is a part of this movement premiering his first and last violin sonatas played with sensitivity and fantastic musical engagement with Andrew Kirkman on violin and Clipper Erickson on piano. Composed in 1910 and 1956 respectively, the sonatas permit a 'bookend' glimpse into Scott's musical development in the context of a classical music world almost completely transformed during this period. The first composed with a predictably youthful swagger premiered to accolades by Claude Debussy and Sonata Nr. 4 composed as Scott neared his eighth decade is permeated by the contemplative and mature perspectives of a lifetime of tenaciously prolific work despite the public acclaim that eluded him.

Lenoriana, featuring the baritone Elem Eley and pianist J.J. Penna, consists entirely of recording premi�res. An eight song cycle on poetry of Poe, Benjamin C.S. Boyle's Lenoriana is divided into two halves, revolving around the central axis of the poem Lenore, a paean for a love lost too early and misunderstood by most. Laurie Altman's settings of two Frost poems were composed at the request of Mr. Eley. A Time to Talk attempts a tightness of structure, moving forward both quickly and conversationally; the Sound of the Trees is far more languid and restrained. Daron Aric Hagen's Larkin Songs cycle works very hard to be as simple as possible. The poems are like a portrait of a man looking back over the course of his life; the music gives you the interior material. Martin Hennessy's Three Dickinson Songs closes the program. I TASTE a liquor never brewed) was written for Mr. Eley. Elem Eley enjoys a remarkably varied career, from opera, oratorio and recital to premi�res of contemporary vocal music. He is Prof. Of Voice at Westminster Choir College of Rider University. J.J. Penna has premiered song cycles by William Bolcom, Ricky Ian Gordon, Richard Hundley, and Lowell Liebermann. A frequent recital pianist for top-echelon singers, he has been a Julliard School faculty member since 2006.

American-based concert violinist Elmira Darvarova teams up for this album with world-renowned masters of the Sarod - brothers Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan - who represent the seventh generation of a musical lineage known as the Senia Bangash School. The concept of this collaboration (precipitated by a live performance at NYC's Symphony Space) is to preserve the essence of both Indian and Western traditions so that they are able to partake of each other without artistic compromise, engaging and celebrating both the shared and discrete musical "DNA" of both traditions. The music, composed by Amjad Ali Khan, father of Amaan and Ayaan, as well as disciples of the elder Khan, is based on traditional Indian ragas. The album also includes "Rock Ethic" by Norman Zocher and Mimi Rabson - a solo violin composition based on a different cross-fertilization - inspired by both Bach and Led Zeppelin. All tracks are world premiere recordings. Former concertmaster at NYC's Met Opera, Ms. Darvarova became the first woman in the organization's history to attain that post.

This new release from Affetto Records features fantastic renditions of timeless masterpieces, Presented by Grammy-nominated violinist and former MET Opera concertmaster (the first and only woman to ever hold the job) Elmira Darvarova and internationally acclaimed pianist Shoko Inoue. Clara Schumann’s magnificent Three Romances Op. 22, Beethoven’s immortal “Spring” Sonata, and Cesar Franck’s universally beloved Violin Sonata in A Major are interpreted here with breathtaking excitement, immense passion and marvelous poetry. An unusually intense and deep artistic connection between the two instrumentalists brings out the multifaceted dimensions and sparkling brilliance of these eternally beautiful gems.

Music by Women presents 14 world premiere recordings (out of 16 tracks) in this album with music by female composers. A varied program which includes the 17th C. French composer Elizabeth Jacquet de La Guerre, and the 20th C. British-American composer Rebecca Clarke, as well as a number of contemporary female composers from several different countries, some of which have been commissioned by the performers: Chinese composer Wang Jie, Japanese composer Yui Kitamura, Russian-born Elena Firsova, Canadians Elizabeth Raum and Erika Raum, Belize-born Errollyn Wallen, and the American composers Lydia Lowery Busler, Alice Gomez, Laura Kaminsky, Dolores White, Francine Trester (whose compositions also feature her own original poetry). Violinist Elmira Darvarova (first and only woman-concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) and hornist Howard Wall (a New York Philharmonic member, formerly with The Philadelphia Orchestra) offer splendid interpretations.

Baritone Elem Eley describes this very personal album in this way: "Some of the most magical moments of my childhood were the eager tearing-away of the plastic wrap from the annual Christmas album, just purchased from the Firestone dealer in our little hometown! It was through these "Stereophonic LP" albums (devotedly and regularly brought home by my father) that I was introduced to much of the classic holiday repertoire, both sacred and secular. Burl Ives, Robert Goulet, Leontyne Price, The Brothers Four, Mahalia Jackson, Isaac Stern, of course, the New York Philharmonic, Mitch Miller and his chorus - these artists, plus many others, each year brought us much other-worldliness of the holiday season - often with an entertaining this-worldliness of musical style! Christmas Day is not consciously modeled after the Great Songs of Christmas serials, but the comparison is inescapable. We hope that this album may provide a measure of nostalgia, "Christmas magic," and inspiring reflection on the true meaning of the season. My own voice is complemented here by a host of outstanding artists - adult and children's choirs, orchestra, and brilliant instrumentalists. We offer you beloved carols, some composed or newly-arranged especially for this project. Join us on our journey to the cradle."

"Songs of Darkness and Hope" was the culmination of a project conceived and created by choral music teacher Pam Rhein of the Meesalonskee Public Schools - Rural School Unit #18 in Oakland Maine for the “Shoah Student Education Initiative” of the Maine State Holocaust and Human Rights Center in the state capital of Augusta. The songs are composed from poems written by interred children found on the walls of concentration camps after WW2, along with a few camp work songs found in the Center’s historical archives. Sung by over 400 students from 5th grade through high school, combined choirs and select auditioned choirs conducted by high school choral teacher Kevin Rhein, the creation of this album was a moving experience in education which changed the lives of those involved, students and teachers alike, many of whom were moved to tears upon hearing the pre-production master.

The germ of the concept of this album for Ellen Rose, the recently retired first chair violist of the Dallas Symphony, and Kristin Ditlow, conductor, piano accompanist extraordinaire and vocal coach, came due to a musician-colleague's invitation to the duo to perform during the 2012-2013 season at the National Theater in Kunming, China, and the multi-city tour formed around that. The three-week tour of Beijing, Shanghai, and Kunming became the framework represented by this duo's debut album name, Providence. What followed immediately was the weaving together of three continents and years of planning out of the repertoire of that tour. Boccherini's Sonata No. 5 in A Major is representative of the composer's bringing violincello writing into more melodic and virtuosic milieu, here represented so wonderfully by a viola. Vaughan Williams' "Romance" is among several pieces discovered after the composer had passed, but thought to have been composed in 1914. "Whither Must I Wander", originally for piano and Baritone from his song cycle Songs of Travel, was arranged for the duo on this album by Ellen Rose and Kristin Ditlow, and is therefore a premiere recording. Enescu's "Concertpiece" is a combination of his native Romania and Paris where he lived much of his life, with traces of Debussy and French impressionists and the theme from a lively Romanian folk dance. Messiaen's "Louange" uses religious quotes as well as bird calls, Messiaen being both a devout Catholic and an enthusiastic ornithologist. Rebecca Clarke's Sonata was the largest work on the China tour, her best-known work, and was written for a 1919 competition, in which she tied Ernest Bloch for first place with it's combination of whole tone, octatonic and pentatonic scales as well as piano and string writing which shows great admiration for Debussy. Ending the album with a Puccini aria from Tosca coincides with using this piece as the encore from the China tour. There is no doubt that this album musically soothes and excites the soul with a vast combination of exquisite musical textures and stunning performances!

Voices of Women: From Unknown to Renowned began as an idea in a workshop soprano and album producer Heather Fetrow attended called The Twenty-first Century Singer with Soprano Susan Mohini Kane in Los Angeles in the summer of 2016. The focus of the album grew further to encompass the goal of honoring female composers as a result of collaboration with renowned soprano Dr. Julianne Baird in Philadelphia in December of 2016. These events coincided with the Women's March in Washington DC the next month in January of 2017, lending a sense of timeliness to the project. The focus of an album of songs by women composers and other songs about women is unique, and brings to the fore the vast social change the world is undergoing with respect to women in our society, both in the United States and elsewhere around the world. Each piece addresses this separately from different points of view, in some cases from a previous age where the standards of women's expectations were very different than today. The World Premiere of "Still" by outstanding and innovative composer Paola Prestini, sung as a duet by sisters, brings the album's concept full circle with a song composed for and dedicated to this album. Also included are two piano pieces performed by Mila Henry, both by female composers, "Light" by Iranian composer Gity Razaz and "No. 2" from "Nine Short Piano Pieces" composed by Ms. Henry's mother-in-law. In all, this is an album for the age of the woman and about the age in which we live.