Conducted by Ruben Gazarian, the Georgisches Kammerorchester Ingolstadt (Georgian Chamber Orchestra Ingolstadt) presents itself in this recording as a subtly formative body of sound that convinces in the experimental joy in the string symphonies of the young Mendelssohn as well as in the orchestral version of Arensky's darkly timbred second string quartet or the expressionism of the works of Hindemith and Schreker. Since it's move to Germany in 1990, the Georgian Chamber Orchestra has been based in Ingolstadt. The former orchestra-in-exile, with the support of the City of Ingolstadt, Audi and the Ingolstadt Sparkasse, has become a fixture in cultural life both locally and further afield. The ensemble's concert series, which have taken place in Ingolstadt since 2001, enjoy consistently high attendance rates. The group considers itself an ensemble not only responsible for a significantly broad repertoire, but also as a cultural ambassador for the City of Ingolstadt. This involves activities beyond their regular concerts, including appearance at music festivals and concerts abroad.

The French composer, pianist, organist, conductor and music critic Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns was one of the major figures of nineteenth-century musical life, a fact that was disputed until recently even in his home country. The recent increase in attention paid to Saint-Saëns’ oeuvre is at least in part due to the wealth of recordings that are available today. His musical language combined the formal rigor of the German tradition, from Bach to Schumann, with a deep knowledge of the music of his native country from the Baroque period onwards and the clarity, elegance and esprit that only a French composer is capable of. Not without reason, he has been described as a classicist who knew how to entertain in a stimulating fashion. On the third volume of the complete recording of Saint-Saën’s piano works, Vilija Poskute and Tomas Daukantas play pieces by the composer as well as authorized and self-edited orchestral works. Many first recordings turn this volume in a true musical expedition.

"Danae Dörken is one of the most extraordinary young artists I have had the pleasure to meet. Her absolute devotion to music, paired with a breath-taking talent for musical expression and tone color, turns her performance into a truly unique experience..." - Lars Vogt

Despite being only 24 years old, Danae Dörken has already performed in numerous concert halls around the world with the highest calibre of ensembles. This recording is Danae Dörken's third release with ARS Produktion, following the ICMA Award nomination that she received for her second album.

The debut release of coloratura soprano, Charlotte Sch�fer accompanied by the D�sseldorfer Hofmusik led by Michael Preiser in a collection that focuses on the bravura arias written in the period between the Baroque and early Classical eras. With many of these arias being released for the first time, Sch�fer's sublime performance invites us to consider the prescience of the young Mozart with "Sol Nascente" meaning rising sun written at the advent of the new Classical era.

There is no doubt that Antonio Vivaldi's instrumental compositions are not only one of the most outstanding examples of his time, but their influence on musical history was of the utmost importance. Not only his musical ideas were innovative, the choice of instruments also stands out from the masses of violin concertos of the time, with concertos for mandolin or even for bassoon or oboe. In fact, Vivaldi provided the world with an enormous treasure trove of solo concertos for oboe and bassoon. Due to their exceptional quality, these works have lost none of their appeal- they represent a pinnacle of the solo concerto genre and are considered among Vivaldi’s most influential contributions to the entire repertoire of instrumental music. Oboist Simon Fuchs completed his musical studies under his father, Peter Fuchs, in 1983. He has won numerous prizes, and his recordings of Mozart’s oboe quartets have received outstanding reviews from the international press. He is joined by bassoonist Matthias Racz, who is currently a professor of bassoon at the Zurich University of the Arts.

Classical Music

The CD was recorded on a historic Blüthner grand piano from 1874, imparting a particular charm and authenticity to the music.As much as these three romantics – Schubert, Chopin and Brahms – of course differ from one another, one does nevertheless discover in the moment of their creative maturity, and in view of their impending deaths, several common features, such as light and shadow effects, meditativeness, and spirituality.Their final piano compositions are intimate and highly personal statements, seemingly perched on the threshold to another, more spiritual world.

Following early childhood music instruction in her native Japan, including study at Jo-Gakuin College of Music in Fukuoka, Hiromi Ikei (b. 1983) enrolled in 2001 at the Musikhochschule, Lu�beck, where she developed her interest in ancient music. + "Aspects", her latest CD release, hosts a selection of J.S. Bach's music including the Toccata in e, BWV914, Six Preludes, BWV933-38, the French Suite in c, BWV813 and the Overture in French Style, BWV831, played by Ms. Ikei on a modern, concert grand in a way reflective of a personal style that is informed by historical consideration and scholarship.

The violin virtuoso Heinrich Anton Hoffmann (1770-1842) was a member of the Kurmainzer Hofkapelle until 1799. Later he moved to Frankfurt, where he became concertmaster of the theatre orchestra and vice music director. His string quartets Op.3 (1795) astound with their modernity, which despite their proximity to the models of the Viennese Classical period already show the style of later decades. They are characterized by formal variability and harmonic flexibility with a special preference for chromaticism. The Ensemble Alte Musik Köln, playing on historical instruments, lets us discover this amazing Beethoven contemporary.

Classical Music

• First solo CD from coloratura soprano Marie Friederike Schöder. • Trained intensively from a young age, as both parents were themselves opera singers. • Aria selections range across eras and nationalities. • First prize winner – Int'l J.S. Bach Competition, Leipzig, 2008. • Has toured across Europe and internationally.

Both composers on this recording, Johann Benjamin Gross (1809-48) and Julius Rietz (1812-77), belonged to the artistic circles around Robert Schumann and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. This recording presents a selection of cello concertos, a genre that experienced a significant upturn during the 19th century. The two Rietz pieces at the center of this recording, the Fantasy for Violoncello and Orchestra, op. 2 and the Violoncello Concerto, op. 16, likely date back to the mid-late 1830’s.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music