Our complete recording of Felix Weingartner's symphonic works is now finally available at a top price in a box. The press has confirmed that our edition of these symphonies is �a must for all those interested in top-class symphonic music� (Partituren). Marko Letonja and the Basel Symphony Orchestra set out on this adventurous journey of discovery with great devotion and virtuosic skill. Felix Weingartner was not only an internationally acclaimed conductor and a highly influential figure in Basel's music world; he also bequeathed to posterity an extensive compositional oeuvre marked by timeless freshness.

Andrey Osipovich Sychra (1773-1850) was born in Vilnius in 1773. As a nobleman, he was well-educated and played the guitar, harp, violin and piano masterfully. Sychra concentrated most of his creative energy on developing a playing technique and a repertoire for the seven-string guitar (tuned to a G major chord), which became known as the Russian guitar. No later than 1810, Sychra moved to St Petersburg, where he found fame and left a mark on history as the patriarch of the Russian guitar. In 1817-1845, when Sychra was at his most prolific, he created his masterpieces Four Exercises, Grand Fantasia on Motifs from the Opera Der Freischutz, Fantasia Dedicated to Count Lunin and Variations on the Russian Folk Song "Amidst the Flat Valley", among others. Another important contribution Sychra made to the seven-string guitar repertoire was through his transcriptions of widely popular Western European and Russian music by Mozart, Pleyel, Haydn, Beethoven and etc. These played an important role in the creation of the general concert repertoire in 19th-century Russia. Sychra's transcriptions for ensembles with guitar were very popular among amateur musicians. The second section of this programme mainly contains Sychra's transcriptions for various instrumental ensembles. Ensembles of two identical guitars, and those with violin or flute, were most popular in Italy, Austria, Germany and other European countries of the 19th century. Sychra's contribution was that he also introduced guitars tuned up by a second, minor third (terz) and fourth (quart), which then became a guitar consort commonly used by Russian performers and composers. Today, the uniquely rich Russian culture of the 19th century is an integral part of the cultural heritage of modern civilisation, in which the Russian seven-string guitar occupies it's well-deserved place. The rich and diverse legacy of A.O. Sychra, as part of this culture, largely reflects artistic trends of his time, while his personal influence on the history of the guitar in Russia was as significant and important as the artistically valuable repertoire that he created for the seven-string guitar. - Recorded MONTH YEAR in Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia - Booklet in English contains liner notes by Aynur Begutov and profiles of the musicians - Aynur Begutov plays seven-string guitars by Ivan Krasnoshekov (1855), Fedor Arhuzen (1890, 1891), Michail Eroshkin (1909) and Igor Budantsev (2021) - Andrey Osipovich Sychra (1773-1850) was an important figure in the history of classical guitar, particularly within the Russian Empire. Born in Vilnius, he began his musical journey as a harpist before turning his focus to the guitar-a relatively new and evolving instrument at the time. Sychra became one of the first virtuoso guitarists and composers to adopt and promote the seven-string Russian guitar, which distinguished itself from the more common six-string Spanish guitar by it's tuning and resonant sound. - Sychra wrote over a thousand pieces for the seven-string guitar, including preludes, etudes, variations, and arrangements of popular melodies and folk tunes. His works combined technical sophistication with lyrical expressiveness, helping to establish a serious repertoire for the instrument. As a performer, he was highly respected for his virtuosity and expressiveness, and his concerts contributed significantly to the guitar's popularity in 19th-century Russia. - As an influential teacher Sychra laid the foundation for a Russian school of guitar playing. His method books and pedagogical approach influenced a generation of guitarists, and he played a crucial role in legitimizing the guitar as an instrument suitable for concert performance and academic study. - Played by Russian guitarist Aynur Begutov, seconded by singers Julia Ziganshina and Anna Halldorsdottir, Asiya Gareeva and Valeriy Ksenofontov. - Aynur Begutov successfully recorded a 3-CD set with guitar music by Sergei Rudnev.

I will always remember Johannes Martin Kranzle�s and Hilko Dumno's Winterreise journey as the most vivid I have experienced. A Winterreise of the now, where one had the feeling of actually accompanying the journey. A Winterreise in which one had the distinct feeling of walking arm in arm with the artists, in which the boundary between stage and auditorium had been removed - not through contrived pathos or deliberate artistry but through the sheer authenticity and forthright passion of these two supremely generous artists. Victor Medem, Director of the Schubertiada Vilabertran

With the new GENUIN album featuring Atsuko Koga, Georgiy Lomakov, and Marianne Le Mentec, we soar across time and space. At the heart of this recording are works by Claude Debussy for flute, cello, and harp, which adorn the nymphs, naiads, and nature gods of ancient Greece in twentieth-century musical attire. This unusually configured ensemble constructs a temporal bridge spanning from antiquity through Impressionism to the present day - featuring works by Andre Caplet, Claude Debussy, and Toru Takemitsu and culminating in the premiere recording of Fuminori Tanada's Trio.

This new album by Gavle Symphony Orchestra and conductor Jaime Martin includes two perhaps finest orchestral works by Max Reger (1873-1916) written towards the end of his life, the Four Tone Poems after Bocklin and the Romantic Suite, both sensous and poetic works suggesting a loose connection with Debussy. Reger's 150th anniversary of birth was celebrated in 2023. Yet, much of Reger's music appears on concert programmes only very occasionally. During his own lifetime Reger was highly admired: Paul Hindemith described Reger as "the last giant of music," and when Schoenberg founded his Society for Private Musical Performances in 1918, Max Reger, along with Debussy and Bartok, was one of the most frequently performed composers. Admiring Reger as an important innovator, Schoenberg promoted his music because "he still remains unfamiliar" and "I consider him a genius". Reger's Four Tone Poems after Bocklin and the Romantic Suite are sufficient to prove that Schoenberg was totally right.

SOMM Recordings' fruitful collaboration with Leon Bosch, renowned double bass player and director of I Musicanti, has recently produced a group of world premiere recordings, which consist of four delightful and interestingly disparate British Piano Quintets. The two quintets by Percy Godfrey (1899-1945) and Richard Walthew (1872-1951) fall within a post-Romantic idiom reminiscent of Rachmaninoff's music, while those of John McCabe�(1939-2015) and Ivor Hodgson (b.1959) share terrific rhythmic vitality and modern harmonies whilst remaining entirely accessible. Although the music of Percy Godfrey is little known these days, he received two notable awards around the turn of the last century. In 1902, he won a competition for a Coronation March for King Edward VII and, in 1899, he was awarded the prize for a newly-announced chamber music competition. That winning piece was his Piano Quintet in E flat major heard on this release. The quintet by Richard Walthew is titled Phantasy Quintet. Walthew was an important figure in English�chamber music�during the first half of the 20th century, having a natural affinity for the genre. His single movement Phantasy Quintet is his most successful chamber work, and it recreates the spirit of the Elizabethan consort through a varied statement-counterstatement-restatement format. John McCabe produced works in virtually every genre, including music for television. His theme tune for the 1973 family drama series, Sam, became a huge hit and was the inspiration for his 1989 chamber work, Sam Variations. As McCabe noted, "The theme itself is never heard direct - the nearest we get to it is in the rather enigmatic coda... But all of the material is taken from the theme and transformed in a variation-like way... " Among the varied works by the prolific composer and double bass player, Ivor Hodgson, is a set of nine concerti-including one he wrote for the pianist, Peter Donohoe, who is featured on this release. Hodgson's first Piano Quintet, featured here, was inspired by four Derbyshire inns, as indicated by the names of the four movements: The Quiet Woman, Earl Sterndale, Buxton; The Waltzing Weasel, Hayfield; Moonlight over Mount Famine, The Lamb Inn, Chinley Head; and The Oddfellows, Whitehough, Chinley. The mixed instrument chamber ensemble I Musicanti-hand-picked by the group's artistic director, international double bass virtuoso Leon Bosch-comprises some of the most experienced and respected musicians in the UK. Their previous collaborations with SOMM include Giovanni Bottesini: String Quintets, SOMMCD 0645 ("vivacious, colourful, flowing and finely nuanced accounts" -BBC Music Magazine) and Nimrod Borenstein: Piano Concerto, Shirim, Light and Darkness, SOMMCD 281 ("dramatic and energetic accents from the orchestra" -Pizzicato.) This recording features pianist, Peter Donohoe; violinist, Zsolt-Tihamer Visontay; violist, Robert�Smissen; cellist, Ursula Smith; and double bassist, Leon Bosch.

It is a rather widespread opinion that the genesis of musical compositions intended to positively impress the listener's soul is often connected to an initial illumination that expands within a creative process that is per se rather ordinary. It is that creative spark constituting the generating principle which, as it unfolds, gives form and narrative cohesion to the sound archetype. This is the premise underlying the album by the duo Cardinali-Redorici, the realisation of a project that presents itself as a refined exploration of soundscapes delineated by the poietic encounter between viola and piano, through a dialogue aimed at capturing the most varied emotional nuances. In the panorama of string instruments, the viola is characterised by a highly suggestive timbral eloquence stemming from the range of frequencies within which it moves - an extension that makes it possible to perceive, at opposite extremes, sensations of both a lyrical luminosity typical of the violin and dark tones attributable to the gravitas of the cello. This contributes to making this medium ideal for translating into sound an expressiveness of musical thought drawing it's quintessence from a persistent search for intimacy, oscillating between lightness and depth. In this sense, the listener of InCanto Notturno is projected into an intense and exciting sound journey - ranging from the exploration of affections ascribable to a certain romantic lyricism to the stylistic refinement typical of Impressionism -, also reaching suggestive incursions into less beaten territories of the repertoire with the proposal of rarely performed compositions.

David Price and the Choir of Portsmouth Cathedral present a selection of traditional and contemporary Christmas carols. They are joined by organists Sachin Gunga, Kim Chin and The Band of His Majesty's Royal Marines Collingwood.

Samuel Lord Kalcheim composes in a variety of styles, old and new, and is dedicated to writing music both emotionally and intellectually satisfying, balancing tender lyricism with tight, complex formal architecture. Building on an expertise in 18th and 19th c. styles and forms, Samuel writes expressive new music for today's sensibilities.

Fanny Mendelssohn composed a diverse oeuvre that includes organ, piano and vocal works. Her organ pieces reflect the Protestant tradition and demonstrate her contrapuntal mastery. The piano works are lyrical, technically demanding and often designed as character pieces. Her vocal works are particularly numerous, including over 250 songs, which are characterized by fine word-sound combinations and romantic expressiveness. This 6 CD box allows an insight into the composer's creativity.

At just ten years old, Helene Liebmann, nee Riese, made her public debut as a pianist in Berlin, marking the beginning of a remarkable career. Soon thereafter, her first compositions followed - understandably, works primarily dedicated to her own instrument. Shortly after her marriage in 1814, the young artist relocated to London with her husband, where she studied under Ferdinand Ries, a friend and student of Beethoven. During this time, her earliest chamber music works came into being, followed by additional compositions while in Britain, including the two duo sonatas and the first of two piano trios recorded here. These are all elegant and distinctive works, shifting from the spirit of late Classicism toward the Biedermeier era with a delicate Romantic touch, making them both accessible and enduringly appealing to listeners.

What comforts the soul? The various settings of the 42nd Psalm and other spiritual works that are brought together on this recording provide different answers to this central human question. It's always about a path between complaint and hope. The juxtaposition of the solo bass voice, which represents the human soul, and a string ensemble offers exciting opportunities for composers like Knupfer, Schulze and Briegel to show not quick answers, but strong emotional developments. Other spiritual and instrumental works, primarily from Central Germany, show other aspects of this affective search for reliable values and are all first recordings by the Kirchheimer DubenConsort with Dominik Worner as bass soloist and directed by Jorg-Andreas Botticher.

David Conte's Intimate Voices presents a deeply personal journey through a decade of his chamber music, with works recorded between 2014 and 2024. Celebrating the composer's 70th birthday, this album reflects his belief in the continuity of musical culture, shaped by his studies with the legendary pedagogue Nadia Boulanger. As one of her last students, Conte embraces her wisdom that "true personality in music is only revealed through the deep knowledge of the personalities of others." His compositions resonate with this philosophy, drawing inspiration from past masters while forging his own expressive voice. Highlights include the quietly intense Elegy for Violin and Piano and the dynamic Piano Trio No. 2, whose four movements pay tribute to Erich Korngold, Stephen Sondheim, Frank Martin, and Beethoven. Also featured are the Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Sonata for French Horn and Piano, and Aria and Fugue for Cello and Piano, each showcasing Conte's mastery of instrumental color and structural clarity. His works seek to engage listeners beyond chronological time, instead creating musical narratives that feel eternal in their emotional depth and artistic intent. Marking his debut on PENTATONE, Intimate Voices is a testament to Conte's evolution as a composer and his deep reverence for the past. Performed by an ensemble of distinguished musicians including Samuel Vargas, Kevin Korth, Emil Miland, Miles Graber, Kevin Rivard, Jerome Simas, Eric Zivian, and Matthew Linaman, this album offers an essential listening experience for lovers of contemporary chamber music.

SOMM Recordings celebrates the wealth of popular concert music produced in Vienna in the 19th and early 20th centuries with a release called Dancing in Vienna, an exhilarating collection of waltzes to set your feet tapping. The Philharmonic Concert Orchestra is led by the versatile Scottish conductor, Iain Sutherland, whose previous, wide-ranging collaborations with SOMM have received enthusiastic critical response: "strong and trenchant, often exhilarating, never sentimental, " Gramophone; "getting pretty much everything right, every nuance and subtle rhythm, " Amazon USA. Einzi Stolz, widow of one of the last masters of Viennese light music, Robert Stolz, wrote to Sutherland, "You have a Viennese heart with the golden arm for Viennese music." Robert Stolz's rousing march, Greetings from Vienna, opens this collection, which also includes his Viennese Cafe Waltzes. Dominating the light music programmes of Vienna for almost a century was the Strauss family-Johann I and his three sons Johann II, Josef, and Eduard. They composed dances and conducted their own orchestras for all the grand balls and concerts almost every day of the week in Vienna, as well as all over the world. Among the works by Johann Strauss II included here is his famous Emperor Waltz, commissioned in 1889 for a state visit by Emperor Franz-Joseph I of Austria-Hungary to Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. Reflecting the rise of popular Hungarian gypsy music at the time is his Salute the Magyars polka, along with the Trisch Trasch, Thunder and Lightning, and Champagne polkas, and the overture to his operetta masterpiece, Die Fledermaus. Johann II was the most famous of the family of musicians, though he once said of his younger brother, Josef Strauss, that he was "the more gifted of us two; I am merely the more popular..." From Josef Strauss we have the Chatterbox Polka, Dragonfly Polka-Mazurka, Jockey Polka (incorporating the international trumpet call marking the opening of the racing season), the Feuerfest! Polka to celebrate the Wertheim company's 200, 000th fireproof safe, and the beloved Pizzicato Polka, on which he collaborated with popular brother. The youngest of the Strauss brothers, Eduard Strauss, was better recognized as a dance music conductor than as a composer. Still, this release includes his Clear Track Polka, heralding the opening of a new railway company in 1869. Johannes Brahms greatly admired the melodic genius of Johann Strauss II. Their respect was mutual, and Strauss often included his good friend's Hungarian Dances on his programmes. This present collection includes Nos. 1, 5, and 6 from Brahms's collection of 21 dances. The lesser-known composer, author, and musical administrator Richard Heuberger is represented on this CD of Dancing in Vienna by the overture to his light opera, The Opera Ball.

The second album from the Choir of St John's with their new music director - Christopher Gray. At the centre of the programme are the atmospheric Quatre Motets pour le temps de Noel by Francis Poulenc, and the heartfelt Three Carol-Anthems by Herbert Howells who directed the Choir here at St John's during the Second World War. Other items include the beautiful carol John Rutter wrote for the Choir in 1985, There is a flower, and the haunting Peace on earth by Master of the King's Music, Errollyn Wallen. "My aim with this album has not been to break new ground with repertoire, but to ensure that classics remain fresh for the current generation" - Christopher Gray