Classical Music

The present release contains Hector Berlioz's complete concert overtures, including the one written for his early opera Les francs-juges, superbly performed by the SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg directed by the French conductor Sylvain Cambreling. French composer Hector Berlioz wrote a number of overtures, many of which remain concert staples. They include not only overtures intended to introduce operas, but also independent concert overtures. The album opens with one of the most popular overtures, Waverly, Op. 1. Composed in 1828, it was inspired by Sir Walter Scott’s Waverly novels. Also included are Le Carnaval romain, Op. 9, a standalone overture intended for concert performance made up of material from the opera Benvenuto Cellini, Le Corsaire, Op. 21, and others. This album is part of a new re-release series (Century Classics) consisting of SWR music bestsellers. The series is competitively priced, optically highly attractive and contains acclaimed SWR recordings mostly of the SWR orchestras and their chief conductors.

Classical Music

The Bringham Young University Wind Symphony presents the album Timeless, a collection of wind band dances and other concert favorites. Containing works by Ryan Nowlin, Dmitri Kabalevsky, and Henry Fillmore, the program for this album covers a wide variety of musical styles for wind band. The Bringham Young University Wind Symphony is currently under the direction of Donald Peterson.

Now and Forever! This is the show which launched the blockbuster musical movement and played 18 years on Broadway. The unsurpassed original Broadway cast recording features the sensational Betty Buckley and her unforgettable rendition of the worldwide phenomenon hit, Memory.

“I have always associated Vilnius with two things – the birthplace of the legendary Jascha Heifetz, and also a composer named Vytautas Barkauskas, whose best-known work for solo violin, Partita, I have loved since I was a teenager. When the opportunity came for me to give a concert in the Lithuanian capital, I went in search of both.” So said the enterprising violinist Philippe Graffin.

Philippe’s enquiring mind took him on a journey that led to this CD featuring works by Lithuania’s most notable living composer, including the world-premiere recording of the Duo Concertante for violin, viola and orchestra, with leading Japanese violist Nobuko Imai. Barkauskas’ music is bold and atmospheric, a compelling and powerful aural experience. He says, “Music is everything for me: miracle, mysticism, celebration, profession, pleasure, and ultimately – the reason for living!”

Vytautas BARKAUSKUS (b. 1931)
1. – 7. Jeux for violin and orchestra, Op. 117 (2003) dedicated to Philippe Graffin (20:51)
8. – 12. Partita for violin solo, Op. 12 (1967) (5:57)
13. – 14. 2 Monologues for viola solo, Op.71 (1983/2004) dedicated to Nobuko Imai (10:16)
15. – 19. Duo Concertante for violin, viola & orchestra, Op. 122 (2004) dedicated to Chiune and Yukiko Sugihara (28:29)

The remarkable Monks of the Desert, who spend their daily hours praying for peace, working and studying in silence, make their major label debut on Sony Masterworks with an album of Gregorian chant, Blessings, Peace and Harmony. Named after Pope Gregory I, Gregorian chant involves the early Christian liturgical music that originated in medieval times and forms the roots of Western classical music.

“The kind of singing that we do calms the spirit and helps us live in peace with our world and with one another,” says Abbot Philip Lawrence, a scholar of chant who also leads the monastery of Christ in the Desert. “According to various studies, chanting has some strange effect on brain waves,” notes Abbot Philip. In modern times, many people have been attracted to Gregorian chant – believer or non-believer. There is something ethereal and transcendent about the sound, not only as entertainment, but as a deepening of a life of prayer, inner peace and sharing with others. The Monks believe that Gregorian chant is a way of touching hearts and minds. With Blessings, Peace and Harmony they hope to bring others into a world in which peace, inner tranquility and an appreciation of beauty prevail.

With Just Wonderful, Duo Giovivo presents it's fourth album on the GENUIN label, showcasing both wit and remarkable versatility. Multi-instrumentalists Fabian Bloch and Muriel Zeiter bring together lively dances, jazz-inspired hits, well-known opera melodies, and freshly reimagined children's classics. Drawing on a total of seven instruments, they create an extraordinary sonic palette: Fabian Bloch effortlessly moves between euphonium, alphorn, bass trumpet, and Wunderhorn, while Muriel Zeiter impresses on piano, violin, and flute. Be it the Swedish "Vallflickans Dans" or the jazzy "What a Wonderful World," each piece is given it's own distinctive, highly personal character. A vividly crafted album that radiates joie de vivre-fresh, passionate, virtuosic, and just wonderful.

The once highly esteemed composer, conductor and teacher Friedrich Gernsheim can certainly be described as a 'missing link', because he managed the feat of forming friendly ties with both Johannes Brahms and his antipode Max Bruch without falling between two stools as a two-bit plagiarist. Whenever his music seems to lean towards the classicist from Hamburg or towards the more rhapsodic composer from the Rhineland, it is actually expressing it's own distinctive character. The eloquent piano concerto's mode of expression with it's wonderfully voluptuous dialogues is similar to that of the internationally celebrated concerto that Bruch completed in exactly the same year, 1868; the austere, concise cello concerto of 1903 and the tone poem Zu einem Drama from around the same period evoke moods that one only reaches after a very personal journey. Impressive!

Classical Music

This recording brings together music from some of Leonard Bernstein's best-loved scores with seldom heard occasional works and premiere recordings. From the iconic musical West Side Story, the hot-blooded dance number 'Mambo' embodies the show's dramatic tensions. 'Slava!' celebrates Bernstein's friend and colleague, the cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich, in music reworked from the daring show 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, from which the Suite rescues further highlights. 'CBS Music' has not ben heard since the broadcasting giant's 50th anniversary celebrations in 1978, while the 'Birthday Bouquet' takes the form of affectionate musical tributes from eight composer colleagues to one of the twentieth century's greatest musicians. Marin Alsop is an inspiring and powerful voice in the international music scene who passionately believes that "music has the power to change lives." She became music director of the Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra in 2012 and made history in 2013 as the first female conductor of the BBC's Last Night of the Proms, which she returned to conduct in 2015. As a student of Leonard Bernstein, Alsop is central to his 100th anniversary celebrations, conducting Bernstein's 'Mass' at the Ravina Festival, where she serves as musical curator for 2018 and 2019.

The son of a mill owner, Josef Myslivecek (1737-1781) was born in Prague. After a brief period as a student of literature and philosophy, he started to study organ with Joseph Seger and composition with the renowned Frantisek Vaclav Habermann. After his success with his first symphonies he decided to go to Venice to study voice and composition with Giovanni Battista Pescetti, not only to perfect himself as a musician but probably also to integrate himself into the great operatic tradition of one of the most productive and lively cities of the time. Myslivecek's first opera 'Medea' was a huge success and soon he became the first internationally renowned Bohemian opera composer. During a stay with Padre Martini, he met Mozart in Bologna, who was greatly fascinated by the Bohemian's musical qualities. This 2-CD set presents the works for keyboard and piano: two sets of six sonatas and a Divertimento. The title specifies "for harpsichord or pianoforte, with a violin part ad libitum", which means the violin part is optional, the main part being played by the keyboard. The music remains firmly anchored in it's period, exploring all the musical potential that classicism has to offer: strong structures, refinement and charm, as well as elegant and cantabile melodies. Played on a copy of a Walter fortepiano from 1792 by Marius Bartoccini and violinist Rossella Croce. Bartoccini successfully recorded the complete keyboard music by Myslivecek for Brilliant Classics.

Alongside Smetana, Dvorak, and Janacek, Bohuslav Martinu stands as one of the great pillars of Czech music. Born in Policka in 1890, he revealed his precocious talent early on, composing his first string quartet at just ten years old. His interest in France and it's music, particularly that of Debussy, developed quickly. As a second violinist of the Czech Philharmonic, Martinu also became well acquainted with the works of Ravel and Dukas. In 1923, he moved to Paris, where he studied under Albert Roussel. He would spend the next seventeen years in France, fleeing the German occupation in 1941 to take refuge in the United States. In 1953, he returned to Europe, dividing his time between Nice, Rome, and Switzerland, where he died in 1959. A composer of vast cultural horizons and innate cosmopolitanism, Martinu's music reveals a ceaseless curiosity for diverse styles. Though his early work is steeped in Czech folk traditions, his voice soon broadened to incorporate French clarity, the Renaissance English madrigal, and the baroque concerto grosso. Within his vast output, chamber music holds a central place. In 1946, while composing his Sixth String Quartet, Martinu wrote: "In pure chamber music, I always feel most myself." This new recording presents works written between 1937 and 1945: the famous Flute Sonata, Sonata for Flute, Violin & Piano, the Madrigal Sonata for the same instruments, and the Violin Sonata No.3, music of vibrant vitality and rich emotions. Played with strong commitment by Ambroise Aubrun (violin), Jocelyn Aubrun (flute) and Steven Vanhauwaert (piano).

The tracks of this disc contain equally as many sensitive palimpsests (elaborations on an earlier composer's style) through which other emotions vibrate. The transcriptions they present only depart from the letter to better reveal-and revere-it's spirit. Our greatest wish would be that what these admirable pieces lose in authenticity, they recover thanks to the enthusiasm, fervor, and love that have guided us throughout our work. Because, in this field precisely, it is less a question of proving than of experiencing.

28.0415

Largely forgotten today, the composer Charles Silver was one of the most promising students of Jules Massenet, whose elegant style and effective dramatic gestures he fully mastered. His opera La Belle au bois dormant (Sleeping Beauty), based on Perrault's tale, testifies to these skills with it's colourful, lively and surprisingly modern music: the influence of Puccini is evident. The libretto enriches the original story with delightful comic touches from the characters of Jacotte and Barnabe, who provide a light-hearted counterpoint to the fairytale plot. Although it enjoyed a successful first run in Marseille in 1902, the opera unfortunately never received a Parisian premiere, which hindered it's wider dissemination despite an acclaimed revival at the The�tre de la Monnaie in Brussels. Accessible, refined and treating a universal theme, this score deserves a second chance that just might - who knows? - earn it a place on the international operatic stage.

The Gemshorn is a medieval wind instrument belonging to the ocarina family, traditionally made from the horn of a chamois, goat, or ox. It produces sound through a fipple mouthpiece similar to that of a recorder, with finger holes along the front allowing for a diatonic scale. The Gemshorn's gentle, flute-like tone -mellow and haunting- made it particularly suited for both sacred and domestic music in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. This new recording presents the gemshorn in combination with lute and percussion instruments, in Dances, spanning from the 12th till the 17th century. A highly attractive program, ranging from melancholy musings to visceral, sometimes barbaric dances. Played by Simone Erre (gemshorn), Ugo Nastrucci (lute) and Ensemble Abelardus.

This recording is a live recording of Niccolo Jommelli's one-act opera La Critica from the Order Hall of Ludwigsburg Palace on November 20, 2016. The Austrian ensemble Concerto Stella Matutina, conducted by Thomas Platzgummer, presents the rediscovery of this brilliantly triumphant parody of opera seria with a cast of outstanding singers in fine form, including tenor Jan Petryka and soprano Marie-Sophie Pollak. It is a real pleasure to listen to them!

This CD represents pianist Violina Petrychenko's longstanding efforts to promote Ukrainian music in Europe. The program introduces two composers who represent both poles of Ukrainian musical life - Borys Liatoshynsky from central Ukraine and Vasyl Barvinsky from the west of the country. The recording presents two of the most ambitious Ukrainian piano quintets, which open up different perspectives on one of the most important genres of chamber music, each influenced by unique historical and artistic circumstances.

Fan favorite “Airs & Dances” is finally available physically! Enjoy our Altissimo! compilation featuring traditional Scottish and Irish music by the United States Military bands including the United States Air Force’s premier Celtic and folk ensemble Celtic Aire.

Bach's Goldberg Variations stands among the most profound works in the Western canon-an inexhaustible exploration of harmony, structure, and human expression. Originally written for harpsichord, this timeless masterpiece has inspired countless interpretations across instruments and generations. In this remarkable new arrangement by Caitlin Broms-Jacobs for oboe, English horn, and bassoon, the Tacamis Trio reimagines Bach's contrapuntal writing through the warm and expressive voices of the double reed family. Formed within the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, the Tacamis Trio [Caitlin Broms-Jacobs (oboe/arranger), Tracy Wright (English horn), and Allen Harrington (bassoon)] brings over a decade of shared artistry and ensemble unity to this recording. Their performance unites warmth and transparency, allowing each voice to emerge naturally within Bach's intricate counterpoint. This project, conceived during the stillness of the pandemic, grew from a period of isolation into a celebration of collaboration and renewal. Through the process of arranging and performing the work, the trio uncovered fresh dimensions of colour and dialogue in Bach's music, affirming it's boundless adaptability and emotional reach. Goldberg Variations for double reeds is at once a homage and a discovery-a return home through sound, guided by friendship, resilience, and Bach's enduring genius. About the Artists Caitlin Broms-Jacobs is principal oboist of the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, praised for her "gorgeous singing tone" and "sensitive musicality" (Winnipeg Free Press). She performs widely across Canada as a soloist and chamber musician and is one half of the oboe-piano duo Fierbois. Tracy Wright is the English hornist of the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra and a longtime member of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. Known for her expressive sound and collaborative artistry, she appears regularly in chamber, orchestral, and new-music performances across the Prairies. Allen Harrington is professor of woodwinds at the University of Manitoba's Desautels Faculty of Music, where he teaches bassoon and saxophone. A versatile performer, he appears frequently as a soloist and chamber musician and serves as principal bassoonist with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra.

Clifford Brown - "Memorial Album" / The incomparable trumpeter Clifford Brown recorded two leader sessions for Blue Note in 1953 (a co-led quintet date with Lou Donaldson and his own sextet date) that were compiled on the Memorial Album shortly after his tragic death in 1956. Brownie's star burns bright from the blistering "Cherokee" to the stunning ballad "Easy Living." Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180gram vinyl at Optimal : [Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series] [LP]

Few concerts in the world are awaited with as much excitement as the New Year's Concert from Vienna. Under the direction of Riccardo Muti, the Vienna Philharmonic ushers in the New Year with a concert in the magnificent Golden Hall of the Vienna Musikverein. Marking his seventh time conducting this prestigious event, Riccardo Muti leads the orchestra in a program that celebrates the 200th birthday of Johann Strauss II, exploring new perspectives on the musical world of the Strauss family. Riccardo Muti has played an exceptional role in the history of the Vienna Philharmonic for over 50 years. The artistic collaboration with Maestro Muti began in 1971. Since then, he has conducted over 500 concerts with the orchestra, including six New Year's concerts, Philharmonic subscription concerts, memorial concerts, annual orchestral concerts at the Salzburg Festival, guest performances and tours, and numerous opera productions. He has been an honorary member of the Vienna Philharmonic since 2011.

Classical Music

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