Following the release of the first three quartets of the Op. 33 set in May 2023 [BIS-2588], a recording that was hailed by critics for it's 'extraordinarily faithful reading that goes straight to the heart of the works' (Diapason) and won numerous awards (including a Diapason d'or, Choc from Classica and Supersonic from Pizzicato), the Chiaroscuro Quartet presents the last three quartets in this set. Having already recorded Op. 20 and Op. 76, this ensemble, whose unique sound has been described as 'a shock to the ears of the best kind' (The Observer) here continues it's historically informed and illuminating journey through Joseph Haydn's string quartets, a long- term project that started in 2020. Dubbed the 'Russian Quartets' and dedicated to the Russian Grand Duke Paul, the future Tsar Paul I, these works show Haydn at his most eccentric and non- conformist. For this set, Haydn felt the need to write music more in keeping with the public's lighter, more 'popular', less 'scholarly' tastes, with a livelier sense of rhythm. With their stylistic advance over the preceding quartets, it can be said that in real terms they mark the birth of the classical quartet genre. Mozart drew inspiration from them for his own quartets 'dedicated to Haydn'.

The first artistical cooperation and joined album release of Spanish violinist Francisco Fullana and German pianist Matthias Kirschnereit. They perform masterpieces of the Violin sonata repertoire by Claude Debussy, Ignacy Jan Paderewski (Sonata dedicated to Sarasate) and Leos Janacek. Francisco Fullana, winner of the 2018 Avery Fisher Career Grant, performed with Sir Colin Davis, Gustavo Dudamel, Alondra de la Parra and many more. Matthias Kirschnereit is the grand seigneur of German pianists, who still has recorded more than 50 albums in his 35-year career.

Observer l'histoire de l'humanite � partir des forets, c'est la perspective enthousiasmante que propose le journaliste, conferencier et essayiste Laurent Testot, qui s'inscrit dans le courant recent et novateur de l'histoire environnementale. L'auteur retrace l'histoire de l'humanite, depuis la formation des premiers empires de l'Antiquite romaine, chinoise et indienne, jusqu'aux societes medievales et modernes, en explorant le lien qu'elles ont entretenu avec leu environnement et leurs forets. On decouvre que, des les debuts de l'histoire humaine, des societes ont rapidement epuise leurs ressources, ce qui a souvent contribue de maniere significative � leur declin, voire � leur disparition. Les forets constituent des ecosystemes vivants d'une grande complexite, essentiels pour garantir l'habitabilite de notre planete. L'auteur prend le pari qu'un enseignement de l'histoire des forets nous permettra de relever les defis environnementaux contemporains. Claude COLOMBINI et Patrick FReMEAUX Journalist, lecturer and essayist Laurent Testot offers an exciting perspective on the history of mankind from the perspective of the forest, as part of a recent and innovative trend in environmental history. The author traces the history of mankind, from the formation of the first empires of Roman, Chinese and Indian antiquity, to medieval and modern societies, exploring their relationship with the environment and their forests. We discover that, from the very beginnings of human history, societies rapidly depleted their resources, often contributing significantly to their decline or even disappearance. Forests are highly complex living ecosystems, essential to ensuring the habitability of our planet. The author takes the gamble that learning about the history of forests will enable us to meet contemporary environmental challenges. Claude COLOMBINI and Patrick FReMEAUX CD1 : PARCOURIR LES FOReTS, LEUR HISTOIRE ET LEUR eCOLOGIE - LE MeTABOLISME DE L'ARBRE - L'EMPIRE MAURYA - LES ROMAINS ET LES THERMES - L'HISTOIRE CYCLIQUE CHINOISE - L'HISTOIRE DE L'AMAZONIE. CD2 : LES FOReTS MeDIeVALES - LA DYNASTIE SONG - LES FOReTS DU NOUVEAU MONDE - LES FOReTS ET LA DOMINATION MARITIME - LES FOReTS � LA VEILLE DE L'INDUSTRIALISATION CD3 - LES FOReTS SOUS LA ReVOLUTION ET LA RESTAURATION - REBOISER L'EUROPE, DeFORESTER LES TROPIQUES - L'EXPERTISE FORESTIeRE JAPONAISE - LES CHOIX POLITIQUES AUTOUR DE LA FOReT AU XXE SIeCLE - UN ENSEIGNEMENT DE L'HISTOIRE DES FOReTS. CONCEPTION COLLECTION : CLAUDE COLOMBINI & PATRICK FReMEAUX

2025 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Johann Strauss Sohn. An occasion for the Duo Praxedis (harpist Praxedis Hug-Rutti and pianist Praxedis Genevieve Hug) to rearrange selected compositions by the composer for harp and piano. The Baba Bussi album also includes works by other composers who have a close connection to Vienna and are firmly rooted in it's musical tradition. It is a tribute to Johann Strauss and to Vienna as the 'world capital of music' - and is being performed for the first time with this delightful instrumentation.

Fittingly titled With Affection, Nina Kotova's latest album for Delos is a glorious showcase of some superlative cello works that are close to her heart. Starting with Shostakovich's Cello Sonata, a work blending classical form with simplicity and clarity, the program moves on to Debussy's evergreen Cello Sonata, which in contrast is elusive and whimsical, and Nina's inspired rendition of a rarity, Shostakovich's Adagio from The Limpid Stream. Martinu's Variations on a Slovakian Theme and Variations on a Theme of Rossini are both virtuosic and playful, showcasing his distinct rhythmic and lyrical style. The recital concludes with Chopin's Introduction and Polonaise Brillante in an arrangement that blends expressive cello lines with brilliant piano passages - played by Nina's partner on this album Fabio Bidini - creating an exuberant and captivating work.

Tomas Louis de Victoria is one of the best Spanish composers of all time and his Officium Hebdomadae Sanctae is his most important major work. In this collection, Victoria sets the Holy Week celebrations from Palm Sunday to Good Friday to music. The monumental work includes eighteen responsories, nine laments of the prophet Jeremiah, two passions, motets, hymns and other liturgical texts in polyphonic vocal settings. The ensemble La Colombina, together with the Gregorian chant specialists of the Schola Antiqua, has the merit of having recorded this work for the first time in it's entirety and within it's liturgical context. This famous recording was made as a live recording in April 2005, was out of print in recent years and is now available again as a re-release on 3 CDs.

Besides being an engineer, a mathematician and a professor of geography, Luigi Hugues was also a flutist, a composer and an esteemed exponent of the nineteenth-century musical genre called Salon Musik. Born in 1836, he started and pursued his musical education together with his brother Felice. Both studied the flute and accompaniment piano; Luigi also proceeded with the study of composition. As we have already pointed out, music was not his only interest. He was also an eminent professor of geography and a scholar in that field. In 1859 he was a teacher at the Istituto Tecnico "Lerdi" of Casale Monferrato, and from 1875 onwards he was appointed professor of geography at the Regia Universit� of Turin. At the same time, in the years between 1863 and 1875 he was director of the Civica Scuola di Musica, a member of the board of directors of the Teatro Municipale, the conductor of the Corpo di Musica della Guardia Nazionale of Casale Monferrato, the organiser of the concerts of the Accademia Filarmonica of Casale Monferrato, and an organist first in the Chiesa di Santo Stefano of Casale, then in the Duomo of that city. Hugues, as previously stated, composed works of the Salon Musik genre: pieces that were suitable for everyday use and could be appreciated by a vast public, but at the same time were unmistakably characterised by didactic features. A careful analysis of his music, moreover, reveals a conscious, intentional use of the virtuosic style that was in vogue in the nineteenth century and was greatly loved by the public of concert halls: this feature is particularly noticeable in all the variations on operatic themes written for one or two flutes and piano accompaniment.

Dmitri Shostakovich is first and foremost known for his symphonies and string quartets - works that contain some humor, but even more darkness, brooding, and desolation. But there is the jaunty side of the great composer, too, and nowhere does it come to it's cheerful fore than in these works, the Jazz Suites, the Tahiti Trot, and his Ballet Suites. This set, accompanying Capriccio's boxes of Shostakovich's Symphonies, Film Music, Orchestral Songs, and Chamber Music, is rounded out with two concertos. In the playful Piano Concerto, that humorous side comes through in the many quotations of songs, own works, and Beethoven. Only the grim Violin Concerto, held back, like the 4th Symphony, for fear of retribution, offers no smile.

Les Presses Universitaires de France et Fremeaux & Associes proposent cette biographie de Leonard de Vinci, analysee et expliquee par Pascal Brioist, professeur d'histoire moderne � l'Universite de Tours et membre du Centre d'etudes superieures de la Renaissance. Leonard de Vinci est l'une des figures les plus emblematiques de la Renaissance. Fils illegitime prive de formation universitaire, son approche autodidacte dans quantites de domaines garantit l'originalite de cet esprit universel qui fut bien plus que l'auteur de La Joconde ou l'inventeur de machines volantes. Il fut egalement un anatomiste de renom, un ingenieur, un philosophe, un architecte et un inventeur. Sa capacite � exceller dans des domaines varies montre un esprit curieux qui transcendait les conventions de son epoque, remettant en question les certitudes et ne reconnaissant d'autre autorite que celle de l'experience. Pascal Brioist nous presente le parcours de ce personnage hors du commun, dans le contexte politique, culturel et scientifique de la Renaissance italienne. Leonard de Vinci nous a laisse un heritage qui va bien au-del� de ses oeuvres et don't la vision novatrice a influence des generations de scientifiques, d'artistes et de penseurs. Claude COLOMBINI FReMEAUX Presses Universitaires de France and Fremeaux & Associes offer this biography of Leonardo da Vinci, analyzed and explained by Pascal Brioist, Professor of Modern History at the University of Tours and member of the Centre d'etudes superieures de la Renaissance. Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most emblematic figures of the Renaissance. An illegitimate son deprived of a university education, his self-taught approach in many fields guarantees the originality of this universal mind who was much more than the author of the Mona Lisa or the inventor of flying machines. He was also a renowned anatomist, engineer, philosopher, architect and inventor. His ability to excel in a variety of fields demonstrates an inquisitive mind that transcended the conventions of his time, questioning certainties and recognizing no authority other than that of experience. Pascal Brioist presents the career of this extraordinary man, set against the political, cultural and scientific backdrop of the Italian Renaissance. Leonardo da Vinci's legacy goes far beyond his works, and his innovative vision has influenced generations of scientists, artists and thinkers. Claude COLOMBINI FReMEAUX CD1 : STATUT FAMILIAL - APPRENTISSAGES ET INFLUENCES EN INGeNIERIE - VOYAGE DIPLOMATIQUE � MILAN - TENTATIVE D'INTeGRER LA COUR DES SFORZA - DE L'ARTISTE ARTISAN � L'ARTISTE DE COUR - UN AUTODIDACTE INTeGRe DANS LES CERCLES SAVANTS ET LA MeTHODE EXPeRIMENTALE. CD2 : LE SUCCeS DES ANNeES 1490 - eTUDES DU CORPS HUMAIN, DE LA MeCANIQUE, DE LA PEINTURE, DES MATHeMATIQUES - ANNeES TROUBLES, ANNeES D'ERRANCES - INGeNIEUR DE CESARE BORGIA - LA JOCONDE - RELATION AVEC MICHEL-ANGE ET AUTRES TRAVAUX PICTURAUX. CD3 : LE TRAITe DES OISEAUX - DISPOSITIFS OPTIQUES ET AUTOMATES - SFUMATO, VIE DE L'ATELIER ET JOAILLERIE - CONTRIBUTIONS PHYSIQUES, ANATOMIQUES ET ASTRONOMIQUES - LES ACTIVITeS D'INGeNIERIE MILITAIRES ET CIVILES SUR FOND DE CRISE POLITIQUE - LES ANNeES ROMAINES - FRANcOIS IER - MYTHES ET POSTeRITe. DIRECTION : OLIVIER COQUARD, PRODUCTION : CLAUDE COLOMBINI FReMEAUX POUR PUF-FReMEAUX

Brilliantly stimulating, rich in allusions and a joy to listen to: Ulf-Guido Schafer's music was composed especially for his nearest and dearest chamber music partners, including top-notch woodwind ensembles Trio Rouseau and Ma'alot Quintett. The friends and highly experienced performers are sparked by their desire to share the diversity of colour, the immense virtuosity and sheer beauty of their instruments.

The Choir of New College Oxford's latest album on Linn explores the rich and complex world of William Mundy, a key figure in 16th-century English music. His compositions, shaped by the religious and political upheavals of his time, offer a fascinating mix of intricate harmonies and unexpected choral textures. From the expansive Vox patris caelestis - a monument of Renaissance English polyphony - to the more intimate O Lord, the maker of all thing, Mundy's music reflects both the compositional idioms of the day and it's many challenges. This most remarkable composer shines in a performance to match by the centuries-old Choir of New College and it's Director Robert Quinney. A must-hear for lovers of Renaissance choral music!

Jan H Borjesson - organ

I had been contemplating a 'Definitive' Eric Coates collection for some time but it was the discovery of Michael Payne's Ph.D. Thesis for Durham University "The Man Who Writes The Tunes" that encouraged me to start serious work on it. Michael has since turned this thesis into the definitive book on Coates, "The Life And Music Of Eric Coates" published by Ashgate in 2012, and I was delighted when he agreed to write the booklet notes. The track order: My original concept was to present the recordings in strict chronological order but it became apparent that, although this would be ideal for those wishing to analyse and study Coates' work, some pieces would appear twice on the same CD which would be frustrating for the normal listener. The approach therefore has been to make each disc a varied and enjoyable selection of his work. � Alan Bunting

Storyville Records is proud to present Danish pianist and composer Carsten Dahl's new album, In the Middle of Nothing - to Palle Mikkelborg, on April 11, 2025. In the Middle of Nothing is a deeply personal tribute to one of Scandinavian jazz's most visionary figures. This recording is both a celebration and a meditation, honoring the legendary Palle Mikkelborg, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and spiritual guide to generations of jazz musicians. The album consists of 7 tracks, all arranged and composed by Carsten Dahl. Mikkelborg's influence spans decades, transcending borders and genres. His sound is otherworldly, his approach both intimate and expansive. He has spent a lifetime exploring the space between sound and silence - seeking, as Dahl describes, "the sublime sound of nothing in everything and the sound of everything in nothing." With In the Middle of Nothing, Carsten Dahl channels this philosophy into a deeply atmospheric and immersive listening experience. The album carries a special dimension, as Mikkelborg himself participates alongside his wife, the renowned harpist Helen Davies. Together, they join Carsten Dahl Ensemble in a sonic exploration where the boundaries between composition and improvisation dissolve, creating a musical universe that is at once ethereal and profoundly grounded. The album also features contributions from a slew of prominent names in Scandinavian jazz, including saxophonist Fredrik Lundin, bassist Nils Bo Davidsen, drummer Thomas Pasborg, a string sextet, and BBC Children's Choir. Palle Mikkelborg's trumpet playing is deeply rooted in both jazz tradition and Nordic storytelling, drawing as much from American pioneers like Miles Davis and Louis Armstrong as from the legacy of Carl Nielsen, H.C. Andersen, and Soren Kierkegaard. His music is elusive, poetic, and rich with mystery, never adhering strictly to genre but instead embracing time, space, and silence as integral elements of musical expression. Carsten Dahl, one of Denmark's most innovative and adventurous musicians, is known for his boundless imagination and fearless exploration of sound. With an unparalleled sense of improvisation, he bridges the worlds of jazz, classical, and avantgarde, constantly searching for new expressions and emotional depth. In the Middle of Nothing - to Palle Mikkelborg is a testament to the power of listening, of presence, and of music's ability to transcend the tangible world. It's an album for those who seek music that exists beyond boundaries, where jazz meets folklore, and where silence meets sound.

It is a mammoth project that the Stuttgart International Bach Academy has undertaken: All sixty cantatas from Johann Sebastian Bach's first year in office as St. Thomas Cantor will be performed in a total of 23 concerts and recorded on CDs. Vol. 7 is now available should convince even skeptics. For what Hans-Christoph Rademann, his Gaechinger Cantorey and hand-picked soloists reveal here in terms of vocal-instrumental coordination, tonal differentiation and rhetorically trained creative artistry probably marks the pinnacle of historically informed performance practice at present. The choir presents itself extremely agile in fugal passages, but also with sufficient sonorous warmth in the chorales, and the orchestra with it's excellent soloists (trumpet!) matches this level. We can look forward to further releases in this series.