An American Tapestry

The Acrobat catalogue contains a wealth of blues collections by artists from across the spectrum of the genre, and this fantastic-value 100-track 4-CD set comprises recordings selected from just about every artist represented in the catalogue, and offering a rich cross-section of the finest blues of the 20th century. Inevitably it draws on every strand of the blues and just about every regional variation, from country blues from the Delta, to electric blues from Chicago, post-war California blues, New Orleans blues, Piedmont blues, New York Blues and more. The genre's most influential luminaries and it's biggest stars are all here - B.B. King, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Bill Bill Broonzy, Charley Patton, Howlin' Wolf, Bessie Smith, Lightnin' Hopkins, Ma Rainey, and dozens more. Presented more or less in chronological order, it offers an extraordinary feast of music which provides not only a window on the development of the music of the African-American population of the USA, who provide the vast majority of the recordings here, but an anecdotal social commentary on their lives and observations which are the subject of many of the songs. It's a collection which anyone with the remotest interest in the blues will undoubtedly enjoy.

Classical Music

This selection of Armenian piano music reflects the national characteristics, influences and technical developments of its composers over a 70-year period. The colourful dance element spiced with Armenian modes that is so distinctive is contrasted by Tigran Mansurian’s courageous avant-garde Three Pieces from 1971. The Armenian ‘Mighty Handful’ are represented by quintessential works by Mirzoian and Sarian, while several world première recordings expand an appreciation of the national style’s variety and versatility with music couched in ethereal depth and lyric virtuosity. HAYK MELIKYAN is recognised internationally by classical music audiences and critics alike as one of Armenia’s most versatile and imaginative musicians and among today’s most engaging virtuoso pianists. He studied at the Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan and leads an active concert life. Melikyan is a laureate of numerous international piano competitions, including the Orléans Concours International and the IBLA Grand Prize. In 2013, he received the title of Honored Artist of the Republic of Armenia. His solo album Arutiunian: Complete Piano Works (GP718) received The Best Classical Album prize at the annual 2018 Swallow Music Awards in Armenia. Hayk Melikyan has given premières of numerous works by contemporary composers and a number of pieces have been specially written for him.

An der schönen blauen Donau: Walzer und Polkas der Strauss-F

An die Geliebte

This unique programme of four works for cello and piano by significant twentieth-century composers is a reflection of the greater interest in writing for the cello that the inspiration of two highly gifted instrumentalists was to have during that period. Thereby raising the importance of the instrument to a higher level in public appreciation than was previously the case, and bringing to attention music that would otherwise have remained largely unknown.

Viol consort Fretwork and mezzo soprano Helen Charlston explore the more reflective and sombre Christmas celebrations of Elizabethan England, in a collection of works by William Byrd, Anthony Holborne, Orlando Gibbons and Martin Peerson. With celebrations confined strictly to the 12 days from Christmas Eve to Epiphany, the preceding Advent was regarded as a time of religious introspection, with music composed to mark both fasting and feasting. Byrd’s consort songs for voice and 5 viols encompass this range, from the joyous Out of the Orient Crystal Skies – ending with an exuberant ‘Falantidingdido’, a word whose meaning is lost to history – to his Lullaby, a ‘song of sadnes and pietie’ that became one of Byrd’s most enduringly famous songs.

In 2021, Fretwork celebrates its 35th anniversary. In the past three and a half decades they have explored the core repertory of great English consort music, from Taverner to Purcell, and made classic recordings against which others are judged. In addition to this, Fretwork have become known as pioneers of contemporary music for viols, having commissioned over 40 new works. Acclaimed for her musical interpretation, presence and “warmly distinctive tone” (The Telegraph), Helen Charlston is quickly cementing herself as a key performer in the next generation of British singers. Helen won first prize in the 2018 Handel Singing Competition and was a finalist in the Hurn Court Opera Competition, and the Grange Festival International Singing Competition.

An Enchanted Evening with Jose Carreras

The Sixteen has long been hailed for it's championing of Tudor music, especially that of the Eton Choirbook, as well as for choral treasures of 20th century and it's work with 21st centuries composers. And so to mark it's 40th year the group has return to it's grass roots in a album that celebrates those passions. An Enduring Voice brings together some of the most glorious music from the past and present. It contrasts a new commission by award-winning composer Sir James MacMillan with music from the 15th and 16th centuries by Fayrfax, Wylkynson and Sheppard. These fine examples of English polyphony are juxtaposed with stunning music by Tavener, Gabriel Jackson and Eric Whitacre.

An English Christmas from Westminster Choir College Recordings, is the perfect way to “ring in the holidays” with the joyous sounds of Christmas, the album’s arrangements of holiday favorites being performed on the world’s largest range of handbells. The Westminster Concert Bell Choir is considered to be America’s leading handbell ensemble. Hailed for its virtuosity, the Westminster Concert Bell Choir performs on the largest range of handbells in the world. The choir has appeared on Public Television’s Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and several holiday broadcasts of NBC’s Today show. Recent performances include joining Josh Groban to perform The Bells of New York for the national broadcast of the Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center, as well as having performed at Carnegie Hall twice during the Christmas season. Kathleen Ebling Shaw is in demand as a conductor and handbell clinician worldwide. She has conducted ensembles and led symposia throughout the US, Japan, England, Korea and Australia. - Naxos

Matthias Hofs (trumpet) and Matthias Janz (organ) present a program of works by English masters from the Renaissance to the late Baroque. The instrumental combination of trumpet and organ let this repertoire resound in festive splendor. The musical performance is historically informed and played on modern instruments. Among the works on this album are songs from “The Musical Entertainer 1737”, English Dances and Trumpet Voluntaries by George Frideric Handel, John Stanley and many more.

Trio Settecento, the “superlative Chicago-based early music ensemble” (Gramophone) completes its grand tour of the European Baroque with An English Fancy, its highly anticipated survey of English Baroque chamber works. It is the final leg of a musical journey that has delighted record collectors and critics alike. Early-instrument enthusiasts will be intrigued by the prominent role of the viola da gamba in this repertoire. Previous installments include An Italian Sojourn, A German Bouquet, and A French Soirée.
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In it's latest release, SOMM Recordings focuses on Ivor Gurney, Arthur Bliss, and Gerald Finzi who, each in their own distinct way, played a pivotal role in the rapid transformation of English pastoralism in early twentieth-century British Music. Ian Venables' music, also included on this disc, draws on a lineage that includes Gurney, Bliss, and Finzi, yet it incorporates modernist elements, creating a style that is uniquely his own. The seven works for violin and piano by Ivor Gurney-appearing here for the first time-come from 1908-1909, pre-dating his studies in London with Sir Charles Villiers Stanford. They include the poignant Elgarian Chanson Triste; In September and In August; a Romance; a Legende; a melodic Folk Tale; and a rare attempt at a lighter mood with a Humoreske. Arthur Bliss was wounded in the Battle of the Somme, and his single-movement Violin Sonata marks a transition in his musical style in response to the emotional and cultural upheaval of the War. Bridging the pastoral warmth of his early influences with the bold innovations that would soon define his voice, the sonata captures the last traces of English pastoral romanticism in Bliss's output. The Elegy for Violin and Piano by Gerald Finzi exudes a pastoral tranquillity, but beneath it's serene surface lies a complex emotional landscape shaped by the personal grief of losing his three brothers and his beloved teacher, Ernest Farrar, in World War I. This present performance also emphasises the Elegy's contrapuntal texture and rhythmic precision, which show the influence of Bach, a cornerstone of Finzi's musical inspiration. The recital opens and closes with works by Ian Venables, widely regarded as one of Britain's most accomplished living composers. His two-movement Sonata from 1989 begins with a melancholic dialogue of introspective lyricism between the violin and piano. By contrast, the second movement exhibits a virtuosic interplay of the instruments. The Three Pieces for Violin and Piano come from 1986, shortly after Venables moved to Worcester, and they capture his response to the Severn Valley landscape. The opening Pastorale conveys a tranquil yet expressive simplicity; the Romance is more reflective and introspective; while the final Dance showcases Venables's ability to inject energy and playfulness into his music. The award-winning Taiwanese violinist Joe Chu-Yu Yang, whose career in Britain is beginning to flourish, is a passionate advocate for British music and founder of the British Music Festival in Taiwan. He performs in recital as a duo with Eric McElroy, described by Musical Opinion as "one of the leading composer-pianists of his generation." Eric's debut CD, Tongues of Fire, featuring his own works for piano and tenor, was released on SOMMCD 0665.

Trumpeter Jonathan Freeman-Attwood and pianist Daniel-Ben Pienaar continue their 'ear-ticklingly imaginative' series of musical reinventions with a celebration of the golden era of English music. Featuring heavyweights of the 16th and 17th centuries, such as Byrd, Gibbons, Tomkins, Lawes and Locke, the pair inspire arrangements by Timothy Jones which bring this music alive in a thrilling, entertaining and intimate chamber medium. Performing on modern trumpet and Steinway piano, Freeman-Attwood and Pienaar relish the opportunity to challenge the established interpretation of these works. They succeed by drawing on interpretative instincts, inclinations, and inflections gleaned from their wide performance experience, whilst deliberately referencing their accumulated knowledge of performance practices of the period. Comprising mesmerizing dances, songs, fantasies and variations, this is a journey that re-ignites our appreciation and love for forgotten gems from the Elizabethan, Jacobean and Caroline worlds. This is another must-have recording in Freeman-Attwood's critically acclaimed 'boundary-busting' series.

The latest release from renowned period ensemble La Serenissima celebrates the life and work of Nicola Matteis the Younger. Born in London to an Italian father and English mother, Matteis was immersed in the style of Henry Purcell before leaving England in 1700 for the Imperial Court in Vienna. All of the music on the album is – rather fortuitously – Carolean; either written for Charles II of England, or for (or in the realm of ) Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI. It is all too easy to think that the English style and English musicians were unknown on the continent in the early C18, but this selection of music shows that this wasn’t (always) the case. There are some jubilant dances and dance suites featured here as well as a ravishingly beautiful Vivaldi concerto and two superb Chaconnes, one by an Englishman, and one by an Italian.

REVIEW:

The strings of La Serenissima – notably young in personnel here – show evident enthusiasm for Chandler’s direction throughout, and respond with precision and clarity...Listening to this Englishman and his ensemble is always refreshing.

-- Gramophone

Put on this 1954 all-Paganini recital from the Library of Congress and you'll be awestruck at the sheer musicality, proportion, and taste behind Zino Francescatti's staggering technical command of his violin. His intense vibrato never veers off the correct intonational mark, and even the fleetest scales, runs, and roulades are purposefully articulated, never sketchy. Then there's his amazing palette of bow strokes and slides, effortless double-stops, skips, and arpeggios. In the D major concerto's third movement, for example, as you listen to the double-stop harmonics you sense that Francescatti knew exactly how they would sound before he played them. Although the violinist follows the now-antiquated practice of adding piano accompaniments to both the concerto and the selection of Caprices, Artur Balsam's full-bodied, bedrock support proves much more than mere accompanying. In short, Paganini's music seldom has been so lovingly and intelligently served, and the archival recording boasts ample bloom and presence for its time and place. An absolute must for violin fans.--Jed Distler, ClassicsToday.com

Prior to 1991, students at Westminster Choir College organized services of lessons and carols during the season of Advent. Inspired by the famous Service of Nine Lessons and Carols from King's College, Cambridge, these services were held in Bristol Chapel under the leadership of Sacred Music students and accompanied by student organists. Each year, for the past 30 years, we have gathered to witness this familiar tradition and to be moved by sound and word. This evening brings stability, beauty, and comfort to all who experience the music in this great space. This 30th Anniversary live recording at the Princeton University Chapel includes the Westminster Alumni Choir, Westminster Chapel Choir, Westminster Choir, Westminster Concert Bell Choir, Westminster Jubilee Singers, Westminster Symphonic Choir, Timberdale Brass, and alumnus Robert McCormick on organ.

TRACKLIST OF WORKS:

Disc 1:

• Who is This King of Glory?
• Nata Lux
• Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)
• Angel Tidings
• Toccata on Veni Emmanuel
• I Wonder as I Wander
• Missa Carolae
• Come, O Come Emmanuel
• Handel: Messiah, HMW 56
• Organ Improvisation
• In Splendoribus Sanctorum (Strathclyde Motets)
• Dame Russa Trepak
• Betelehemu

Disc 2:

• Come, All Ye Faithful
• In the Bleak Midwinter
• On This Day Earth Shall Rise
• Dona Nobis Pacem
• Hark the Herald Angels Sing
• Festival First Nowell
• Silent Night
• Ringing in the Season
• Joy to the World
• L’année d’or
• The Lord Bless You and Keep You
• Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella

Dave Grusin's musical career has been distinguished by a mastery over a diverse range of styles, counterbalanced by a touch at the piano which makes his keyboard signature totally unique. His award-winning film scores include ON GOLDEN POND, TOOTSIE, THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS, GOONIES, and more, along with tributes to the music of George Gershwin, Henry Mancini and Leonard Bernstein. His first jazz-related release in seven years, AN EVENING WITH, features Patti Austin, Jon Secada, Monica Mancini, Gary Burton, Arturo Sandoval, Nestor Torres, Sammy Figueroa and the 75-piece Mancini Orchestra.

Joe Albany (1924 – 1988) was one of the handful of bebop pianists who re-emerged to the world stage in the 70s. Although there exist no official recordings with Charlie Parker, Joe Albany was one of the few white pianists who played with Bird. Albany’s troubled life seen from his only daughter’s perspectives were made into a film entitled “Low Down” which has recently been premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to critical and public acclaim. One of the music used in the movie was from Joe’s SteepleChase first release SCCD 31003 Birdtown Bird” (1972). Joe Albany’s sensational moment captured here in this recording from a solo concert at Copenhagen’s famed Montmartre club serves as the testimonial of an extraordinary artist.

SteepleChase’ 1973 release Birdtown Birds (SCCD 31003) by Joe Albany trio recorded live at Copenhagen’s famous Jazzhus Montmartre took the world’s jazz fans who have all but forgotten about this bebop piano legend by surprise. Joe Albany not only existed but still performed with vigor and authority. Albany concluded his engagement at Montmartre with solo recital which is presented here following the first volume SCCD 31794. “…In this previously unreleased solo set, recorded in 1973, the ideas come tumbling out so copiously that they sometimes fall over one another - but they’re all his own ideas and there’s nothing glib about them. He was a genuine original.” (Dave Gellt – The Guardian) “…this is a rare glimpse of Albany, and it may appeal both to completists and general listeners.” (Andy Boeckstaens – London Jazz News)

AN EVENING WITH ORNETTE COLEMAN 1

AN EVENING WITH ORNETTE COLEMAN PART 2

2021 release form this collaborative project featuring Bruno Mars and Anderson. Paak. The seeds of the collaboration were planted in 2017 when the two stars toured together in Europe. One late-night jam session on the road unlocked immediate chemistry. Just before the world slipped into quarantine, Bruno called Anderson: "Remember that idea we had back in 2017? Let's do it. " One studio session grew into to a months-long collaboration, culminating the "setlist of doom. " Legendary Bootsy Collins christened Silk Sonic and came in as the "special guest host" for An Evening With Silk Sonic, their debut album.

Vinyl LP pressing. The seeds of the collaboration were planted in 2017 when Anderson. Paak and Bruno Mars toured together on the European leg of his 24K Magic World Tour. One late-night jam session on the road unlocked immediate chemistry. Just before the world slipped into quarantine, Bruno called Anderson: "Remember that idea we had back in 2017? Let's do it. " One studio session grew into to a months-long collaboration, culminating the "setlist of doom. " Legendary Bootsy Collins christened Silk Sonic and came in as the "special guest host" for An Evening With Silk Sonic, their debut album. Silk Sonic was finally set free on March 5th, 2021. Within less than a month, their debut single "Leave The Door Open" cracked over 230 million streams, and currently sits at 1. 2 billion streams with over 346 million official video views. It reeled in rave reviews, including Variety who noted it "could be a Best R&B Song Grammy winner from 1974."

An Evening with the Royal Ballet brings together a fabulous collection of some of the world's most beloved ballets. This disc showcases the outstanding productions from the stage of the Royal Opera House including Coppelia, Giselle, La fille mal gardee, Romeo & Juliet, Swan Lake, Sylvia, The Firebird, The Nutcracker, and The Sleeping Beauty.

Featuring Carlos Acosta, Tamara Rojo, Lauren Cuthbertson, Marianela Nunez, The Royal Ballet.

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: LPCM 2.0 / DTS 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Running time: 95 mins
No. of DVDs: 1

Take a seat in the stalls at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, for an unforgettable evening of ballet and opera highlights performed by world-renowned stars of The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet past and present. This special video release features opera arias, duets, and choruses, as well as ballet solos, pas de deux and ensembles, drawn from the repertory of two of the world's greatest artistic companies and performed in one of the world's most loved opera houses. Ballet features include selections from Romeo and Juliet, The Sleeping Beauty, The Firebird, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Giselle, and others, and opera features include selections from Il barbiere di Siviglia, La traviata, Carmen, Don Giovanni, Die Zauberflote, and many more.

Adam Falckenhagen (1697-1754) could very well have produced a great deal of compositions. Unfortunately, these six sonatas are the only works left intact. In these works, the flute and the lute are treated equally, performing a dialogue that is rarely seen in music from this period. Performers on this album include John Schneiderman on the baroque lute, Jeffrey Cohan on the baroque flute, and William Skeen on the baroque cello.

During the 2005-6 season, Gwyneth Walker traveled across the US working with a variety of musicians as they premiered and recorded her works. During a week spent in Walla Walla, WA, she worked with the choirs at Whitman College as they rehearsed and recorded this new program of choral music, which employs evocative texts by Langston Hughes, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, and Virginia Hamilton Adair, among others. Booklet notes include the full song texts. 17 World Premiere Recordings! "Gwyneth Walker is a master composer with a fertile imagination..."

16th century England was a place of much religious change. It was a dangerous and confusing time and it is testament to their incredible skill and musical mastery that composers like Tallis and Byrd were able to produce such magnificent works in such troubled times. Their music left a lasting legacy, influencing some of our most celebrated 20th- and 21st-century composers and surviving over half a millennium to be performed as widely today as they have ever been. This disc features some of the best-loved classics of Tudor and Jacobean church music together with madrigals by Tallis, Byrd and Gibbons. They are performed alongside pieces by Britten, Tippett and MacMillan including the Five Spirituals from A Child of Our Time and the 'Choral Dances' from Gloriana. The Sixteen has performed this repertoire around the world over the last eight years and is one of the ensemble’s most popular concert programmes.