Mirror in Mirror is one of the most personal recordings to date by best-selling violinist Anne Akiko Meyers, a reflective and spiritual journey that weaves a beautiful story through commissions and arrangements by Philip Glass, John Corigliano, Jakub Ciupinski and Morten Lauridsen, alongside works by Arvo Pärt and Maurice Ravel.

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REVIEW:

The American violinist Anne Akiko Meyers has always had a distinctive programming sense to go with her lush tone. But she has perhaps never been more original than on this, her 33rd album. Meyers calls the album one of her most personal projects, and the description holds up even though the recordings were made at several different times. The album is at once intelligently thought out, sensuously beautiful, and deeply spiritual. Highly recommended.

– All Music Guide (J. Manheim)

As one of the top 10 highest-grossing film composers of all time, Brian Tyler has an impressive resume that includes The Avengers, Furious 7, Truth, Iron Man 3 and more, and is credited with scoring 3 out of 10 of the highest-grossing films of all time in global box office sales. On his musical contribution to Yellowstone, Brian Tyler says, "It has been incredible working with amazing director Taylor Sheridan on this project. His artistic vision encouraged an unbounded approach to composition. The visual canvas and thematic narrative of Yellowstone inspired me to create music that is intimate, tragic, and impressionistic in ways I have never before thought possible. I worked with so many phenomenal musicians from around the world ranging from the London Philharmonia Orchestra to superb soloists on viola, cello, and fiddle to capture the human soul behind the story. I strove for composing music that would support the complexity of the story and it's characters. The tone of the music needed to reflect melancholy, joy, regret, intensity, revenge, love, tragedy, and beauty all at the same time. The music echoes tones throughout by use of thematic melody that feels it is at the heart of an epic yet intimate saga, while at times creating atmosphere that pushes the boundary of where music and sound converge. Taylor created a magnificent world and music was a central part of his overall vision to give Yellowstone a unique identity. It was a true challenge, and one that I am eternally grateful to be a part of."

Sony Classical is pleased to announce another ten releases in its increasingly comprehensive series of Classical Masters. These new budget-priced releases contain classic recordings, many of them newly remastered, by some of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century. “Claudio Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic once again defy the inexorable progress of period performance in exhilarating accounts of Mozart using modern instruments,” opined Gramophone. The new reissue of these recordings from the early 1990s includes several favorite symphonies, the Sinfonia Concertante for violin and viola, the Masonic Funeral Music, a serenade and divertimento as well as the C minor Mass, of which “Abbado’s performance is wide-ranging, delivering most satisfyingly on every aspect of this hugely varied score. He has an impressively unified team at his disposal, with a superb quartet of singers: in fact Bonney and Auger are as well matched as you could reasonably expect to find in the impossibly demanding Domine Deus duet” (Music-Web International).

In her twenty years with The Royal Ballet, Argentine dancer Marianela Nu�ez has excelled in iconic ballet classics, Company heritage works and modern creations. A Company Principal for 16 years, she has performed all the leading roles in the classical, dramatic and contemporary repertory. This collection showcases her exceptional mastery in four quintessential roles. In Swan Lake, she brings to life the beautifully tragic Odette and her rival Odile. She perfectly portrays the young lover Lise in La Fille mal gard�e, and brings bravura and vivacity to the role of Kitri in Carlos Acosta's production of the classical Don Quixote. She is transcendent as Giselle, one of the most challenging and demanding roles in the repertory. With peerless technical skill and compelling performances by the whole Company, this collection celebrates an exceptional dancer in her prime. ".. a jovial and entertaining showcase for classical dancing at it's most demanding and exuberant. One of the pleasures of this ballet is to be tickled by Minkus's infectiously melodious score... Marianela Nu�ez and Acosta delivered sparky, engaging performances" (The Times (Don Quixote)) "If the acting is superb, it's given real authority by the dancing. Muntagirov and Nu�ez are technically thrilling; she, at her finest moments, can combine an absolute mastery of the choreography, with the illusion that she's dancing it for the first time." (The Guardian (Giselle))

Classical Music

Today, it is difficult to imagine a world without the music of Handel. His operas, however, were already looked over even in the composer’s lifetime. Virtuosic and bristling with difficulties, his multithreaded works in the Neapolitan style quickly went out of fashion, and over time they have been almost completely forgotten. Only the twentieth century cracked open the doors to this extraordinary music, whetted the appetites of music lovers with performances of the most daring arias. There is nothing surprising in this- Handel’s sense of opera was incomparable, as evidenced by not only the ease of writing subsequent stage works, but also an exceptional talent for portraying human emotions with music. What we find so attractive in the music of Handel is the powerful emotional charge, making it timeless. What are actually the most successful arias from his operas, if not the musical essence of various shades of infatuation, hatred, despair or joy? Even though characters of the tacks mentioned in this recording come from distant times and spaces, their feelings still resonate with contemporary listeners, allowing a deeper insight into the full mysterious dynamics of love. These arias are performed by Natalia Kawalek and Jakub Jozef Orlinski, two young opera stars.

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REVIEWS:

This recording announces exciting new talents on several fronts. First is that of countertenor Jakub Józef Orlinski, a colorful, expressive singer endowed with plenty of power. Also to be noted is the spectacular Natalia Kawalek, who’s classed as a mezzo-soprano but runs the whole gamut from a low growl to light agility at the top, in many pieces that would generally be considered soprano arias. Complaints? Poorly edited translations in the booklet.

– All Music Guide (James Manheim)

It is the nuanced singing of countertenor Jakub Józef Orlinski that is fully to the fore in a recital partnered with mezzo-soprano Natalia Kawalek and their Polish compatriots Il Giardino d’Amore. Orlinski’s intuitive phrasing, sweet precision and sense of dramatic moods are consistently appealing.

– Gramophone

Call Me by Your Name (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Music is vital to director Luca Guadagnino's films, but he normally doesn't hire composers, and instead makes selections from pre-existing music. While the soundtrack for CALL ME BY YOUR NAME is a compilation of tracks by numerous musicians, Guadagnino decided he wanted to approach American singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens to create a song especially for the film. "An artist for whom I have enormous admiration is Sufjan. His voice is fantastic and angelic, and his lyrics are so sharp and deep and full of sorrow and beauty. The music is so haunting. All these elements were the ones I wanted to envision in the film." - The soundtrack for CALL ME BY YOUR NAME also includes tracks by John Adams and Ryuichi Sakamoto as well as pieces written by Erik Satie, Maurice Ravel and Johann Sebastian Bach. As the film is set in the 1980s, Guadagnino chose period Italian pop music (including Giorgio Moroder & Joe Esposito's "Lady Lady Lady") for the radio, but particularly spotlights The Psychedelic Furs' anthem "Love My Way". "I love The Psychedelic Furs," says Guadagnino. "It's kind of autobiographical, because I remember listening to that song when I was seventeen and being completely affected by it. I wanted to pay homage to myself then." - CALL ME BY YOUR NAME is a sensual and transcendent tale of first love, based on the acclaimed novel by Andr� Aciman, written by Oscar� nominee James Ivory and starring Armie Hammer (The Social Network) and Timoth�e Chalamet (Interstellar, Homeland).

Vintage Christmas Trio is David Ian’s long-awaited full-length follow up to his debut success Vintage Christmas. His purest release to date, this album features instrumental-only jazz trio interpretations of Christmas favorites using the most minimal elements--highlighting Ian’s craft as pianist and arranger. David Ian’s delightful performances transport you to an era that birthed the most sentimental songs of this season. The opener, “Deck the Halls” welcomes in the Christmas spirit with a swinging trio. David Ian’s signature sound shines throughout the album as he transforms the often stately “Joy to the World” into a jazz/blues injected festivity and then carries the listener into a dreamier state with the ever-loved classic “White Christmas.” The lyrical bass solos of Jon Estes tastefully splash their way on numerous tracks supported by the clever drumwork of Josh Hunt, who together comprise a perfectly ornamental rhythm section. “We Three Kings” takes on a new form with a reflective mood; an unexpected arrangement of a Christmas classic, more forgotten in recent years. In “Silver Bells,” Ian masterfully and fluidly switches back and forth from swing to straight time. The close of the album is a solemn “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” stripped down to just piano and percussion. If you listen closely, your ears might catch the chirps of a winter bird complementing this moving musical performance.

The King’s Singers celebrate their 50th anniversary with a celebratory 3-album set, combining three complete programs of Close Harmony, Spiritual and Secular pieces. The King's Singers write: “The current incarnation of King’s Singers approached this 50th Anniversary release with great excitement – albeit with some trepidation! How could we possibly create an album (or, as it turned out, three albums!) that would reflect all the group’s work over five decades, honoring its history and the achievements of our predecessors? In the end, we decided to go back to basics. We spent months trawling through programs and recordings to finalize this selection of music: old favorites that the group has performed for decades jostle for position with more recent additions (both classical and pop), and compete with brand new works commissioned especially for this project. A long-list of well over a hundred pieces has been whittled down to a final track-list of around sixty that, we feel, represents all the styles and musical epochs that The King’s Singers have championed across five decades of performance and recording.”

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REVIEW:

Looking back over 50 years of performances and recordings by the King;s Singers, it's hard to think of a group whose music-making has aged so well. The joy, generosity, and the eclecticism of their earliest recordings are all still the defining qualities of their latest. Here's to 50 more years.
– Gramophone

“I devote my new Portrait album to Max Richter and his impressive body of powerful and original works. I have selected sixteen works with his unique signature, which I revisit here with my violin and my orchestra, La Pietà.” - Angele Dubeau O.C., C.Q., DFA.

Max Richter is one of the most influential composers of his generation. Inspired by Bach, punk rock and ambient electronic music, he has composed works for more than 50 films, including Waltz for Bashir, Shutter Island by Martin Scorcese and Arrival by Denis Villeneuve, as well as HBO's The Leftovers television series.

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REVIEW:

The playing and recording standards are absolutely top-notch. It’s essentially easy, pleasant – and, yes, introspective – listening that will be warmly welcomed by Dubeau’s many regular admirers.

– The Whole Note

Yuko Mabuchi moved to the United States from her native Japan only recently, but when she plays American jazz she speaks the language perfectly. We love Yuko’s sense of rhythm and melody, and her improvising feels like she was born in Detroit or New York City. Her technique reminds one of some of Yuko’s music idols like Oscar Peterson, Herbie Hancock and Monty Alexander. But beyond her talent for traditional jazz, one can also hear flavors of American R&B, Hip-Hop and Blues, which Yuko loved as a teenager. This album’s associate producer and Yarlung special advisor Billy Mitchell describes Yuko’s playing as “funky from the heart,” and he means that as an enormous compliment. Yuko was born in Fukui, on the west coast of Japan, north of Kyoto. She studied classical music and the piano starting at age four, and continued her studies at the AN Music School in Kyoto, where she was a jazz piano student of Kunihiro Kameda. Yarlung first heard the Yuko Mabuchi Trio at Catalina Bar and Grill in Hollywood and offered to record their debut album the next day. This live concert recording session took place in Cammilleri Hall, the same concert venue designed by Yasuhisa Toyota, where Yarlung recorded Sophisticated Lady jazz quartet in 2014. Jazz pianist and educator Billy Mitchell served as associate producer.

Sony Music Masterworks is thrilled to announce it's first release from Nigel Stanford, the creator behind the viral "Cymatics" video that visualized a brand-new synthesis of music, art and physics. Accompanied by a new title-track video that's sure to amaze, Automatica will be released on September 15, 2017 Automatica is the New Zealand artist's first album since 2014's Solar Echoes, which featured the "Cymatics" single. Automatica takes Stanford's trademark synthesis of dance-pop, electronica, and technological innovation to a new level. It's also his first album with vocals, featuring guest singers Catey Shaw, Elizaveta, and Dallin Applebaum, and rapper Noah Caine. "I've done the instrumental thing my whole life, but I've always loved pop music, loved rap, " Nigel says, "and 'Cymatics' gave me a bit more exposure and allowed me to meet some more talented people and not do everything my own self!" Still, he does play all the instruments - not just electronics but also guitar, bass, and drums. "Most of the drums were real at one point, " he adds with a laugh, "before getting processed and sampled and chopped up."

Award-winning violinist Christian Tetzlaff continues his highly successful series of chamber music recordings on Ondine continues with a new recording of Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin (BWV1001–1006) by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750). Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas have an iconic status in the violin repertoire. Yet, little is known about the background of these fascinating works. Bach’s autograph manuscript is dated in Köthen in 1720, and it is commonly considered as the year when the cycle was completed. In his booklet notes Christian Tetzlaff offers fascinating perspectives to these masterpieces. Christian Tetzlaff is considered one of the world’s leading international violinists and maintains a most extensive performing schedule. Musical America named him ‘Instrumentalist of the Year’ in 2005 and his recording of the violin concertos by Mendelssohn and Schumann, released on Ondine in 2011 (ODE 1195-2), received the ‘Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik’. Gramophone Magazine was choosing the recording of the Schumann Violin Sonatas with Lars Vogt (ODE 1205-2) as ‘Disc of the Month’ in January 2014. In addition, in 2015 ICMA awarded Christian Tetzlaff as the ‘Artist of the Year’. His recordings on Ondine with Brahms’ Trios (ODE 1271-2D) and Violin Concertos by DvorAk and Suk (1279-5) released in 2015 and 2016 earned GRAMMY nominations.

On a distant island, a man waits. Robbed of his posiiton, power and wealth, his enemies have left him in isolation. But this is no ordinary man, and this is no ordinary island. Prospero is a magician, able to control the very elements and bend nature to his will. When a sail appears on the horizon, he reaches out across the ocean to the ship that carries the men who wronged him. Creating a vast magical storm, he wrecks the ship and washes his enemies up onto shore. When they wake, they find themselves lost on a fantastical island where nothing is as it seems

Fusing a modern-day pop sensibility with sleek and timeless jazz chops, singer, trumpeter and songwriter Bria Skonberg returns with her second album for OKeh Records, With a Twist. The album is a collection that pays tribute to legendary ladies of song while offering her take on songs by Leonard Cohen and Ed Sheeran, along with three of her own compositions.

John Rutter’s Magnificat for soprano soloist, choir, and orchestra was written in 1990. The text, based on the prayer ascribed by St. Luke to the Virgin Mary on learning that she was to give birth to Christ, is extended by the interpolation of Marian prayers and poems chosen by the composer. This album is a re-issue of the original recording featuring The Cambridge Singers, the City of London Sinfonia, soprano Patricia Forbes, and John Rutter conducting. While the canticle Magnificat has often been set to music as it is a regular part of Catholic vespers and Anglican evensong, this particular work is one of a few extended settings- this work has seven movements. Rutter drew influence from J. S. Bach’s Magnificat, which also structures the text in movements of different character. Rutter’s Magnificat was composed on commission by MidAmerica Productions, a concert organization in New York performing in Carnegie Hall with a choir of 200 selected voices from all over the United States. The piece has a distinct Latin flair, as Rutter was also inspired by “jubilant celebrations of Mary in Hispanic cultures.”

Also available on Blu-ray

Named All-Time Best Recording of the All-Night Vigil by BBC Music Magazine!

Gloriae Dei Cantores releases All-Night Vigil, Op. 37 by Sergei Rachmaninoff, conducted by Peter Jermihov (internationally recognized specialist in Russian and Orthodox Liturgical music). Rachmaninoff’s All Night Vigil is made up of texts taken from the Russian Orthodox All-night vigil ceremony. Critics praised the work as Rachmaninoff’s finest achievement and “the greatest musical achievement of the Russian Orthodox Church.” It was also one of the composer’s favorite compositions, and the fifth movement was sung at his funeral. Gloriae Dei Cantores is joined by members of the St. Romanos Cappella, The Patriarch Tikhon Choir, and The Washington Master Chorale. Protodeacon under the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, Vadim Gan, sings the clergy exclamations as well as Dmitry Ivanchenko. Soloists, Dmitry Ivanchenko and Mariya Berezovska, from the National Opera of Ukraine in Kiev, join the choir of 77 singers for this landmark collaboration and recording.

REVIEWS:

This new recording has the essential sound of the Russian choirs, with their bass-centered sonority, and tempos which allow the music to unfold in the measured pace of a devotional service. Better yet, the text-based spiritual approach to the music...stirs at least as deeply as [the] ...Russian recordings. While referring to the texts, you will have the pleasure of seeing the gorgeously illustrated booklet, with a background on each hymn and photographs of Russian churches, countryside and icons. The result is one of the very finest recordings this work has ever received.

--Ronald E. Grames, Fanfare

A landmark recording, one that is destined to become the new standard for this work. And if you don't know the Rachmaninoff "All-Night Vigil " yet, THIS is the recording you should get to begin your acquaintance. You will have to wait a long time before something better comes along!"

-- Vladimir Morosan, Musica Russica

We are invited to lift our spirits through a deeply inspired performance of Rachmaninoff's All-Night Vigil. This performance rings with devotional majesty . . . The stunning surround sound comes to us through the combined efforts of Keith O. Johnson and Sean Royce Martin.

-- Gary Lemco, Audiophile Audition

"Recording of the Month... A splendid achievement."

-- MusicWeb International

"An exemplary performance... a superlative recording... beyond glorious."

-- The Buffalo News

Hamlet has the world at his feet. Young, wealthy and living a hedonistic life studying abroad. Then word reaches him that his father is dead. Returning home he finds his world is utterly changed, his certainties smashed and his home a foreign land. Struggling to understand his place in a new world order he faces a stark choice. Submit, or rage against the injustice of his new reality. Simon Godwin directs Paapa Essiedu as Hamlet in Shakespeare's searing tragedy. As relevant today as when it was written, Hamlet confronts each of us with the mirror of our own morality in an imperfect world. "... an utterly engaging performance by Paapa Essiedu." (The Times) "This is a landmark production; Paapa Essiedu is the first black actor to play Hamlet for the RSC in it's 55-year history. He is charismatic, capricious and compelling: an impulsive, arresting presence at the heart of a production that reframes the dilemmas in the play by setting it in an unnamed African state." (The Financial Times)

Vaughan Williams withdrew or destroyed many works from his earliest period, but with its haunting opening and luminous polyphonic textures he considered The Solent as amongst his ‘most important works’. The Fantasia is his earliest known piece for solo instrument with orchestra and contains some of his most bravura writing, contrasting with the graceful geniality of the Suite. Depicting a sublimely pastoral scene and now one of the best loved pieces ever written, Vaughan Williams called The Lark Ascending a ‘romance’, a term reserved for his most profoundly lyrical utterances.

Sony Music and Madison Gate Records proudly announce the release of the soundtrack for season 1 of The Crown, the Netflix original series, available on November 4, 2016. All 10 episodes of the first season of the series will premiere the same day on Netflix. The album features Hans Zimmer’s main title theme for the series as well as Rupert Gregson-Williams’ original score.

For as long as I can remember, music has been part of my life. Through music, I have expressed myself and travelled the world; it nourishes me every day. 2017 marks both the 40th year of my musical career and the 20th anniversary of La Pietà. This recording is also my 40th. With so many round and festive numbers, and after so many musical encounters with you, I owed this recording to you. I therefore thought I would listen to the many requests I get to record another album of film music – and in fact go one better and do a double album. There is so much incredible material to choose from, but I found myself drawn to music that is at once beautiful, powerful, and evocative, even when removed from its original context. Some of these melodies are rather sweet; others are more salty. Together, they cover an entire range of emotions. I personally researched this repertoire and selected a variety of fi lm score excerpts with the notion of taking a fresh look at the original versions and adding a new dimension with my violin and the wonderful musicians of La Pietà. I also worked closely with arrangers and composers of this new recording. They have my gratitude and admiration. I also wish to thank the team at Analekta for their trust over the years, their support, and their world-class expertise. But my raison d’être as a musician is my audience, and it is to you that I dedicate this 40th – though I guess since it’s a double, 41st – album. Thank you for listening all these years! Angèle Dubeau, O.C., C.Q., DFA

This new release is a collection of ethereal and passionate Gregorian chants performed by Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola. The ensemble is made up of women and men who live in the Benedictine tradition and dedicate themselves to the study and performance of Gregorian chant. The three disc set includes The Chants of Mary, The Chants of Angels, and The Chants of the Holy Spirit. Each album is accompanied by full-color art booklets which give full texts and informative historical context to each chant.

"Three of the finest chant CDs have been released by Gloriae Dei Cantores. Be transported to a timeless place of eternal beauty."
—Kansas City Star
Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola has been praised by the New York Times for "expert renditions of Gregorian Chant" and "excellence of interpretation" by Fanfare Magazine. Their daily singing of Gregorian chant brings this vibrant and living form of sung prayer to life in these three stunning SACD's. These ancient chants still speak volumes today in this essential collection by the Schola that sets the example time and again. . . Not even the most seasoned monastic group delivers it better than the Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola.
—American Record Guide (About The Chants of Angels)
"This is yet another superb production from a source that sets the example time and time again. Do delve into the clear, cool waters of Gregorian chant – and this is a perfect place to start."
—Audiophile Audition (About The Chants of Mary)

REVIEW:

The contents of this set are identical to RCA’s previous Previn RVW reissue, and the discs do not appear to have been remastered. André Previn’s Vaughan Williams symphony cycle arguably is the best such offering on the market today, particularly given the difficulty of finding the similarly fine Handley and Slatkin sets domestically (or at all!). In contrast to Boult’s famous EMI set, where his all-knowing conducting (he was a lifelong friend of the composer) occasionally takes on a relaxed and autumnal air, Previn’s consistently vibrant renditions reflect his fresh encounters with the music.

Not to say that he’s always faster–Boult is noticeably quicker in many instances–yet, especially in the case of Nos. 3 and 5, Previn sounds more energized and involved despite his slower tempos. Previn also has at his disposal the London Symphony, which provides exceptionally robust playing throughout. Case in point: compare the LSO’s playing in Previn’s potent and dramatic No. 6 with Boult’s generally listless London Philharmonic in the same work.

Previn’s gripping Sinfonia Antarctica and his profoundly atmospheric A London Symphony rank among the finest versions available. However, Previn must yield to Boult in A Sea Symphony, where Boult’s grandiose vision and EMI’s ravishing recording make a tremendous impression. RCA’s sound, except for a dry and edgy No. 8 (did the master tape deteriorate?) is generally clear and well-balanced, with plenty of impact. Factor in the bonus works–the Violin concerto “Concerto accademico”, the Tuba Concerto, and the “Three Portraits” from The England of Elizabeth–and you’ve got a handsome package of memorable, recommendable performances. The bargain price makes it all the more irresistible.

-- ClassicsToday (Victor Carr, Jr.)

The 1921 musical comedy, Shuffle Along, was a soaringly successful Broadway show. Contained inside this show are songs that would eventually become staples in the repertoire, such as “I’m Just Wild About Harry” and “Love Will Find A Way.” This musical also served a civil purpose. As an all black musical, the show desegregated theaters all across the country. This album is being release alongside the April 2016 revival of the show, and features Tony Award-winning stars such as Brian Stokes Mitchell and Audra McDonald.

REVIEWS:

This fascinating release combines original recordings made in the acoustic era by members of the Shuffle Along company in conjunction with later performances, primarily by Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake, who wrote all the music and lyrics. It is, of course, by no means perfect, but it is representative of what was considered a landmark show in the history of black theater and the first “jazz” musical to hit Broadway...

Singer and lyricist Sissle was originally a drum major and vocalist for Lieutenant Jim Europe’s “Hellfighters” 369th Infantry Band in World War I...not even the Original Dixieland Jazz Band had yet made an appearance in New York. To them, jazz was what we now call “hot ragtime.”

Nevertheless, Shuffle Along remains a vitally important historical moment in the history of black entertainment. It was the first all-black show to have a wide appeal to white audiences, first gaining attention at the Howard Theatre in Washington for two weeks, then moving to the 63rd Street Theater in New York City in May before racking up 504 performances(!) at the Cort Theater on 48th Street. The cast included several names that would become famous over the next few years such as Adelaide Hall, Florence Mills (who replaced Gertrude Saunders after the first year), Fredi Washington and Paul Robeson—none of whom recorded anything from the show!—and a very young Josephine Baker in the chorus line.

-- The Art Music Lounge