“A heartfelt and joyous contemplation of the sweet Infant Jesus lying in the manger...“ - this quote by the songwriter Johann Rist gives us the theme for the collection of Christmas music by Werner Fabricius. The conductor of the ensemble La Protezione della Musica, Jeroen Finke, put together a cross-section of Werner Fabricius’ music focusing on Christmas music. Besides of a number of more intimate song settings for the Christmas festivities and some dance movements, he focuses on the two large vocal-instrumental compositions in Festo Nativitatis Christi from Fabricius’ most important work.

KATI RAITINEN (cello) and BENGT FORSBERG (piano) describe their approach to the three works on this disc as a ‘journey of discovery’. To quote them directly: ‘On this musical journey the dominant feeling was pleasure, together with a degree of astonishment that these compositions are not better known’. The cello sonatas by Emilie Maria von Bach (1896 – 1978), Henriëtte Bosmans (1895 – 1952) and Rita Strohl (1865 – 1941) are unknown even among lovers of cello literature – but wrongly so, as this recording shows. This is how the title of this album is to be understood: A TRIBUTE TO CURIOSITY.

The second album by the Danish recorder player Clara Guldberg Ravn completes the flute sonatas by Martinus Ræhs in a particularly exciting and colorful way. Together, the two albums represent the first complete recording of his flute sonatas. While a fortepiano was included on the first album (released in 2020), the ensemble decided to employ a completely original Swedish clavichord (Pehr Lindholm, Stockholm 1794) which, in contrast to the harpsichord, can produce crescendi, diminuendi and vibrato called bebung. Ræhs’ sonatas have many different style elements, rhythmical patterns and syncopated motives. He presents himself as a composer well versed in the styles of contemporary Europe.

With its first album, ‘In the Shadow’, the Trio Adorno consciously addresses three compositions, which have hitherto been overshadowed by more famous works and are therefore rarely heard in concert, with the aim of bringing them into the light and into the concert hall. Mozart’s piano trio in D minor, KV 442, is barely known, as the composer never completed it himself. Therefore, it still stands in the shadow of his other piano trios. Martinů’s chamber works – among them the piano trio in C Major – are even more rarely played as his orchestral works. And also Mendelssohn’s piano trio in C minor, op. 66, is much less often heard than its predecessor in D minor, Op. 49. All the more, it’s a pleasure to explore these works together with the Trio Adorno, which received tuition from important figures in the world of chamber music – like among others the Beaux Arts Trio and the Alban Berg Quartet – and which can now look back on a long lasting performing career.

For the 400th anniversary of Praetorius' day of death, the ensemble put together a collection of vocal and organ compositions quite representative for his ouevre. The recording was made at St. Mary's Church in Lemgo, using a Scherer organ dating from 1613. Founded by Jeroen Finke in 2015, La Protezione della Musica has quickly developed into a recognized ensemble for historically informed performance practice. The focus of our work is primarily on the music of the early baroque. Our audience is enthusiastic about virtuosity, coupled with the joy of playing and the commitment to not only (re-) perform well-known works.

Klaus Fischer-Dieskau, brother of the famous singer Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, was a long term leader of the well known Hugo Distler Choir he once founded. His string quartets encompass almost his entire creative life. The Albis string quartet indicates the place where the four ensemble members work: Magdeburg on the Elbe (lat. Albis). It was from there that concertmaster Sophie Tangermann, who graduated from the "Hanns Eisler University of Music", founded the quartet in order to record the works of her grandfather, Klaus Fischer-Dieskau, and to give them their world premiere in concerts.

This album is the musical calling card of a brilliant ensemble that has set itself the goal of making baroque music accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds. Presented as a homage to one of the most important German baroque composers the Bremen Baroque Orchestra under it's artistic director Néstor Fabián Cortés Garzón it's debut album with works by Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach's works in particular give the ensemble the opportunity to demonstrate the orchestra's creative and avant-garde spirit. An inquiring and innovative spirit aiming to incorporate the latest knowledge and explore new ways of interpretation.

Founded by Jeroen Finke in 2015, the Ensemble La Protezione della Musica has quickly developed into a recognized ensemble for the performance of music from the late 16th and early 17th centuries. With this double album, the musicians dedicate themselves to the St. Matthew Passion by Johann Cyriacus Kieling (1670-1727), a composer from baroque Saxony-Anhalt. This Passion is written in a mixed style between Schütz and Bach, which is partly very emotional, and contains many short, song-like, expressive arias, figuratively designed recitatives and virtuoso choirs. The Gospel text is very arios and is strongly reminiscent of the sound aesthetics of the histories of the 17th century. In it's musical structure with choirs, chorales, recitatives and commentary arias, the Passion also points in advance to the monumental, high baroque settings of the St. Matthew Passion, for example by Johann Sebastian Bach, which was composed around 20 years later. The very young musicians from the area, including the Thomanerchor in Leipzig and the music academies in Leipzig, Bremen and Weimar, play extremely lively and gripping music, and after listening to this world premiere you will be looking forward to further projects with this ensemble.

Played on historical instruments, alongside Schumann's "Adagio and Allegro", there are first recordings by unknown romantic composers from a collection of A. E. Fischer Verlag, Bremen, which was lost in World War II. The varied program transports the audience to the German salons of the late 19th century. With short preludes, the piano creates smooth transitions to the valve and natural horn repertoire. The beautifully designed, informative booklet with many illustrations provides insights into the flourishing music world of Bremen at the time, researched in terms of music history.

With the first 6 flute sonatas by Martinus Ræhs, the Danish recorder player Clara Guldberg Ravn brings a jewel of musical literature back to the attention of the interested public. The young flautist's debut album offers an exciting and varied listening experience. Each of the 6 sonatas gets it's own character through the different instrumentation, which is underlined by the sensitive and pointed playing. This recording more than lives up to it's title: "Who enchants this meeting so?"

The "Vespro della Beata Vergine" by Bonifazio Graziani opens an unexpectedly rich world of vocal music. In the whole 17th century, you'll hardly find another composer like Graziani who was able to use all the variety from soloistic passages to the full richness of double choir sound in order to illustrate the complexity and beauty of the texts. During the reign of the Welf Duke John Frederick, there was an intense exchange between Hanover and the important musical centres of the Jesuits in Rome. One result of this are the "Psalmi vespertini binis choris" by Graziani. They are dedicated to John Frederick, and a selection of them have been reassembled to the present Vesper. The live recording of the modern age premiere is presented on this disc as world premiere recording.

“They are the quintessence of Bach’s work as a composer - and Bach is the quintessence of all music. “ Pablo Casals said about the Cello Suites by Johann Sebastian Bach.

When these Suites are played in historically informed performaces by someone about whom The Strad said: “Her phrasing sounds as natural as breathing...”, you may be more than curious.

Through her playing Mime Yamahiro Brinkmann succeeds in touching the listeners hearts in a very unique way. Her interpretation of the Bach Suites has been shaped by her own musical life journey.

A specialist in historical performance for over 25 years and a soloist prize winner (Brugge and Brescia) she has been working in over 40 countries with both iconic pioneers and some of the most prestigious ensembles. As soloist and ensemble-partner she is in high demand by the international Early Music scene.

In her first solo album Annette John takes the listener on a journey across the flute music of the last 1100 years.

The CD starts with the “Da pacem Domine”, one of the earliest sacred melodies of the 9th century and draws the line further to Jacob van Eyck, Bach and Telemann (and others) to finally reach Violeta Dinescu. With all this Annette John shows an impressive versatility and a great security of interpretation. All works are played with the most suitable instrument for each work - a fascinating variety of recorder sounds.

Klangspuren - the debut CD of brass band Blechklang captivates with groovy beats and hot sounds. BlechKLANG is a brass band oriented to the English original setup.

The Brass Band formation enjoys a growing popularity in German-speaking countries. With this production the winners of the first German Brass Band Championship show the impressive range from the most tender pianissimo to the radiant, powerful brass band sound. The conductor Alexander Richter excels with a perfect intuition for musical nuances and subtleties of this exciting publication. Apart from classics of brass band music like “Legend in Brass”, “St l Himmel”, “Oregon”, the album includes the new Jena interpretation of the secret hymn of the brass band scene: “The Floral Dance”.

And the “African Odyssey” by Richard Grantham is an impressive world premiere recording.

This album is an exciting journey to the world of Spanish and Italian baroque music. Los Temperamentos, founded in 2009, embraces the music of the 17th and 18th centuries. Under the direction of Colombian cellist and arranger Néstor Fabián Cortés Garzón, the ensemble specializes in rediscovering and resonating the relationships between the seemingly opposing worlds of baroque music in Latin America and Europe. In their thematically diverse programs, the artists blend different styles, composers and cultures, thus repeatedly demonstrating the liveliness and immense richness of colors of what is now simply called "early music".