Violin duets generally have the reputation of being grateful playing literature for teachers and gifted students, but of giving the listener only limited pleasure. With the violin duets Opp. 39 and 67, however, Louis Spohr (1784-1859) presented several works that require two virtuoso players due to their high demands on playing and compositional technique. Ursula Schoch and Tjeerd Toch are both members of the famous Concertgebouw Orchestra and let us get our money's worth in the second installment of their complete recording of the two collections.

After Louis Spohr with the violin duets op.9 and op.13 had rather met the demand of the publishers for conventional teacher-pupil-play literature, he presented with the following duet collections opp. 39 and 67 clearly more demanding works, which have it not only play- but also movement-technically in itself. The two violinists Ursula Schoch and Tjeerd Toch present here the first installment of their complete recording of the duets opp.39 and 67. The members of the Concertgebouw Orchestra show that in these pieces the listener also gets his money's worth.

This new release presents Chinese poetry in song. The Polish mezzo, Anna Krawczuk, a fellow of the Ministry of Culture and National Legacy of Poland, graduated "with distinction" in singing and choral conducting from the Warsaw Academy of Music Frederic Chopin. Anxious to perfect herself in the world of Lied, she has been studying at the Musikhochschule Karlsruhe since 2010 in the Lied class of Mitsuko Shirai and Hartmut Höll. Tenor Andreas Kalmbach received his musical training at the University of Music in Würzburg, where he studied singing with Prof. Christian Elsner. In addition, he attended master classes with Michael Volle, Prof. Helmut Deutsch, Prof. Siegfried Jerusalem, and Gerold Huber, among others. For some time he has been artistically supervised by Prof. Siegfried Jerusalem and Prof. Henriette Meyer-Ravenstein. Tenor Shichao Cheng was born in Zhang Pu, China in 1990. He started his musical education at the China Conservatory of Music from 2008 to 2013 and received his Bachelor of Music there. From 2015 to 2017 he studied singing at the Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe with Prof. Stephan Kohlenberg. The vocalists are beautifully accompanied here by pianist Fan Yang.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Johannes Brahms exhibited a noticeable disposition to paired works, composing 2 serenades, 2 piano concertos, 2 sonatas for cello and clarinet and likewise 2 string sextets. The first sextet, in B flat major, op. 18 reflects the work-filled time he spent in Detmold. Brahms began working on the second sextet in G, op. 36 in September 1864. That Christmas, he sent Clara Schumann it's first three movements, completing the work in May 1865. On this record, the soloist ensemble of the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam plays both sextets.

As a master student of Arnold Schönberg, Walter Goehr was particularly fond of New Music, but as a conductor he devoted himself to compositions from previous centuries. The present recording of a concert from 1955 with Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, which he recorded with the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, documents that he did this very successfully. Goehr was born in Berlin, but, being a Jewish man, he was forced to seek employment outside of Germany after working for Berlin Radio in 1932. He was invited to become music director for the Gramophone Company, and thus moved to London. It was during this time he conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra in the premiere recording of Bizet’s Symphony in C. He was in high demand as a guest conductor for orchestras all across Europe, including the ensemble heard in this historic recording.

Classical Music

The soprano Angelika Huber has made a considerable name for herself in the field of art song in recent years. One of the main focuses of her song recitals is the presentation of unusual repertoires. The present production documents exemplarily her commitment to the rediscovery of composers who have unjustly fallen into oblivion. The German soprano, Angelika Huber, sang for several years with the children’s choir of the Bavarian State and continued her musical education at the Bayerische Singakademie (a scholarship system of the Bavarian State). After graduating from high school, she studied singing at the Munich Academy for Music and Theater as a student of Silvia Greenberg, Thomas E. Bauer and Christian Gerhaher as well as in the courses for Lied offered by Fritz Schwinghammer. She also received important impulses from Tanja d’Althann as well as master-courses held by Christoph Prégardien, András Schiff and Brigitte Fassbaender.

While the horn may be considered the emblematic instrument of the Romantic period, among string instruments this honorary title clearly belongs to the viola. Vidor and Péter Nagy provide striking evidence in their present recording with original works and successful arrangements of some classics of Romantic and late Romantic literature. Vidor Nagy was born in Budapest where he studied with Prof. Pál Lukács at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest. In 1965 he won first prize in the academy’s viola competition. He went on to achieve his diploma there in 1967. Subsequently he studied at the Northwest German Conservatory in Detmold with Prof. Bruno Giuranna. Vidor Nagy was born in Budapest where he studied with Prof. Pál Lukács at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest. In 1965 he won first prize in the academy’s viola competition. He went on to achieve his diploma there in 1967. Subsequently he studied at the Northwest German Conservatory in Detmold with Prof. Bruno Giuranna.

When Lajos Lencsés learned by chance of some of Gluck's oboe quintets, the manuscript of which was in the Este Library in Modena, nothing held him back from looking at them himself as soon as possible. The delightful pieces are successful arrangements of Gluck's operatic melodies, which represent a veritable enrichment of the repertoire.

Lajos Lencses is generally considered one of the most talented oboists in Europe. He has appeared on over 30 recordings and has actively promoted contemporary music for the oboe. Lencses is not only a virtuoso oboist but is equally talented on the oboe d'amore and English horn. While he has attained nearly the level of acclaim of iconic oboist Heinz Holliger, Lencses has chosen to balance his career as a soloist by remaining the first chair oboist in the Stuttgart Radio Orchestra. His repertory is amazingly broad, taking in works by J.S. Bach, Vivaldi, Cimarosa, Handel, Rosetti, Mozart, Dittersdorf, Bellini, Koechlin, Nielsen, Françaix, Martinu, and contemporary Hungarian composers Sandor Balassa, Frigyes Hidas, and Josef Soproni. Stylistically, he is known for his ingratiating tone, lyrical sensibilities, and brilliant technique.

Anton Beer-Walbrunn (1864-1929) was a teacher of counterpoint, harmony, composition and piano at the Royal Academy of Music in Munich, where he was one of the leading figures in the music scene, but his work is almost forgotten. To change this is the aim of a series at BAYER RECORDS, the third part of which presents the piano cycle Reisebilder Op.21 as well as selected songs. The German soprano, Angelika Huber, sang for several years with the children’s choir of the Bavarian State and continued her musical education at the Bayerische Singakademie (a scholarship system of the Bavarian State). After graduating from high school, she studied singing at the Munich Academy for Music and Theater. Born in Venthône (Switzerland), Lauriane Follonier studied piano in Neuchâtel with Marc Pantillon and in Munich, where she graduated in 2011 with the piano master class with Prof. Gitti Pirner. Currently she is studying to receive her Master of Early Music with emphasis on fortepiano with Prof. Christine Schornsheim.

Oboist Lajos Lencsés has conceived an amazingly diverse program here, ranging from Hungarian folk songs to canzonas and original vocalise compositions. All of the titles are his own transcriptions, with the vocal part taken over by the various members of the oboe family. Lajos Lencses is generally considered one of the most talented oboists in Europe. He has appeared on over 30 recordings and has actively promoted contemporary music for the oboe. Lencses is not only a virtuoso oboist but is equally talented on the oboe d'amore and English horn. While he has attained nearly the level of acclaim of iconic oboist Heinz Holliger, Lencses has chosen to balance his career as a soloist by remaining the first chair oboist in the Stuttgart Radio Orchestra. His repertory is amazingly broad, taking in works by J.S. Bach, Vivaldi, Cimarosa, Handel, Rosetti, Mozart, Dittersdorf, Bellini, Koechlin, Nielsen, Françaix, Martinu, and contemporary Hungarian composers Sandor Balassa, Frigyes Hidas, and Josef Soproni. Stylistically, he is known for his ingratiating tone, lyrical sensibilities, and brilliant technique. Lencses has recorded for a variety of labels, including Hänssler Classics, Hungaroton, MD&G, Capriccio, CPO, and Bayer.