Dramatic secular cantatas from the early Italian Baroque, revived for the first time in the modern age by an acclaimed and enterprising early-music ensemble. 'This is a disc well worth obtaining,' reported Fanfare of the previous Colista album by Ensemble Giardino Di Delizie on Brilliant Classics (96033). Recorded for the first time complete, the trio sinfonias gathered there are 'a collection of fine works that seem to foreshadow Corelli almost half a century later. Of course, much of the ability to make these works come alive is due to the Giardino de Delizie under that capable direction of violinist Ewa Augustynowicz... The sound is extremely good and live.' The ambitions of the ensemble now extend further still, into the entirely unknown vocal output of this important figure from 17th-century Rome. Born in 1629 to a scribe for the papal Curia, Lelio Costa demonstrated musical and theatrical talent in childhood and soon won the admiration of his contemporaries as both a performer and composer; one of them called him 'Lelio Amato'. He rose effortlessly through the ranks of the Papal court, becoming in time the equivalent of the Keeper of Pictures. And theatrical talent in childhood and soon won the admiration of his contemporaries as both a performer and composer; one of them called him 'Lelio Amato'. He rose effortlessly through the ranks of the Papal court, becoming in time the equivalent of the Keeper of Pictures. Colista's sacred music has entirely disappeared, but ten secular cantatas survive, and six are presented here. They revolve around the conventional theme (for such works) of lost and frustrated love in pastoral and marine contexts: doleful shepherds and fishermen, inconstant shepherdesses and poor Europa, faced with appearance of Jupiter as a bull, in Europarapita. Colista proves himself a master of dramatic and picturesque imagery to illustrate his texts, as well as underscoring them with inventive counterpoint, much varied in texture between light and dense according to the context. The result is a significant addition to any library of Baroque vocal works, performed with a full understanding of the required style.

The name of Friedrich Berr (1794-1838) is well known to young clarinettists across the world, as the author of solos, duets and methods for students to learn the instrument. His more elaborate pieces have largely been forgotten, except for a Rossinian fantasia which has often been mistaken for the work of his more illustrious friend. Now Luigi Magistrelli sets the record straight with a collection of fantasias and arrangements, most of them taking operatic pieces by Auber and Rossini for their subjects, a set of 'Instructive Variations' and an arrangement of the Overture to Rossini's L'assedio di Corinto, for two clarinets, where he is joined by his sister Laura Magistrelli. The album opens with a fantasia on Auber's La muette de Portici, and continues in similarly spectacular vein with a fantasia on Rossini's William Tell. Luigi Magistrelli explores the significance of Berr's arrangements in a booklet essay: 'Examining the many clarinet compositions of Berr, nowadays completely forgotten, I selected the most interesting ones. Most of them are structured with a typical form involving introduction, theme and variations of both well-known and less known operas of his epoch. The Solos and Fantasies have appealing melodies and quite demanding technical passages well-conceived for the clarinet's expressive resources.' As an experienced soloist, teacher and chamber musician, Luca Magistrelli has led several albums of clarinet-centred chamber music for Brilliant Classics. 'This offbeat disc

New recordings of early-Romantic quintets by the supreme clarinet virtuoso of his day, an inspiration to Weber and Mendelssohn but also an accomplished composer in his own right.

Heinrich Baermann's career took off once he met Carl Maria von Weber in 1811. Weber was immediately taken with the French-accented brilliance and German richness of tone which Baermann drew from his instrument, and began to write a series of works – including two concertos and a concertino – which still rank among his most inspired instrumental pieces, as well as defining a new sound and reach for the clarinet as a solo instrument The clarinet, now thanks to Baermann, could take on multiple roles, as leader, jester, and magus-like figure to complement the likes of Paganini on the violin and Giuliani on the guitar.

Weber pushed Baermann’s technique to new heights of facility and eloquence, which in return inflected Baermann’s own works for his instrument with comparable ambition. He wrote three quintets for clarinet and string ensemble, the first of them more concerto-like in character, the latter two full-scale chamber works. They have been recorded complete only once before, making this new album from a fine team of Dutch musicians all the more welcome.

Especially impressive are the slow movements of the quintets, cast as arias without words in order to capitalize on the fluid legato of Baermann’s playing, but formed with an economy of means which leaves their themes lingering in the mind’s ear. The Adagio of the Op. 23 Quintet was misattributed to Richard Wagner for many years, which speaks for Baermann’s craftsmanship, even if its harmonic language evidently belongs to a generation or two after Mozart. Now restored to its rightful place, the Adagio is the crown jewel, but there are treasures in store throughout Baermann’s clarinet quintets.

There is scarce information available on Charles Duvernoy – not to be confused with Jean Baptiste Duvernoy (1802–1880), a French composer and pianist of the later romantic period, author of many studies and didactical works for piano. Charles was born in Montbéliard, France, and began clarinet studies in Strasbourg while playing in a military band. In 1790 he moved to Paris where he improved his playing – first as a member of the National Guard Band along with his brother, hornist Frédéric-Nicolas, and then achieving the posts of principal clarinet with the orchestra of the Monsieur Theatre and then the Feydeau Theatre of Saint-Germain, a position he held until 1824. He was also a professor at the Conservatory of Paris from 1800–02 and from 1808–16.

The Quartet No.1 is an unpretentious but enjoyable composition with well-conceived themes in all three movements and strong connections to the classical Viennese period. The 3 Themes and Variations employ simple themes with an introduction (in a minor key for No.1 and 2) before developing them in five variations (No.1 & 2) and three variations (No.3). The two Airs varies (chosen from the 6 Airs varies) were also conceived in theme and variations form. The style is purely classical and resembles other Airs (or Sonatas) written by French composers such as Lefevre, Devienne or Buteaux. Originally written for C clarinet and bass, this recording uses a B flat clarinet and basset horn for a better timbral match. For authentic colour, the clarinet is an early, original Lefevre six-key boxwood instrument from the early 19th century.

Frédéric-Nicolas’s Trio No.1 is the work of a virtuoso hornist. In 1788 he went to Paris and joined the Orchestre de la Comédie italienne. Two years later he became hornist of the Orchestre de la Guarde National and later was a professor at the Paris Conservatory, where he served until 1815. He also played in the Orchestre de l’Opéra de Paris from 1796–1817. He left a great number of horn pieces including 12 horn concertos, trios, nocturnes, quintets, etc. The Trio recorded here features a well-developed first movement and a second movement consisting of a short theme with four carefree variations ending in a brilliant coda. The horn is substituted with the more velvety, nasal colour of the basset horn, creating a new, interesting timbral combination.

Mozart wrote the Divertimento K247 in June 1776 for the name-day of Countess Maria Antonia Lodron, a family friend whose two daughters were pupils of the composer. He went on to write the Concerto for Three Pianos with the countess and her daughters as the intended soloists. Meanwhile K247 displays the 19-year-old composer's lyrical gifts but also his structural sophistication and his unerring feel for instrumental sonorities. K287 followed in 1777 as a direct sequel, composed for the same occasion and the same forces, and cast in comparably expansive terms across six movements. The intervening year seems to bring a refinement of both craft and humour, for K287 is one of the miracles of Mozart's lighter music, touched with high contrasts, memorable themes and sturdy developments. The second movement is a genial Andante and Variations which instantly transcends it's 'occasional' context. The heart of the work is the Adagio, placed fourth, where the solo violin outlines a melody cast from the same mould as the slow movement of the G major Violin Concerto K216 from two years earlier. But then Mozart comes up with a genuinely funny musical joke at the start of the finale, where the strings paint a recitative without words, like a virtual soprano on an empty stage. Testifying to their adaptability, these divertimenti have attracted performances and recordings by forces ranging from the one-per-part Vienna Octet to Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic. This new recording presents an attractive middle way, infused with vigour and charm by the Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra of Pardubice under the baton of the Armenian conductor Vahan Mardirossian. Mardirossian and his Czech colleagues have made several successful albums together, including the serenades by Dvorák on Brilliant Classics (97030). Their recording of these perennially appealing early-Mozart works is accompanied by a new essay from Mark Viner.

18th-century sonatas by a pair of musical brothers, in stylish historically informed performances from 1994. Very little music by the brothers Groneman is known in modern times beyond the pieces on this album, which have survived simply because of their popularity with flautists of their day. Pleasing both to hear and to play, these sonatas exert an additional fascination today for the insights they give into the taste and technique of the 18th-century flautist. Johannes Albertus Groneman (c.1708-1781) and Johannes Fredericus Groneman (1711-1778) were both probably born in Cologne, where their father was a military-band musician. Albertus developed his skill as a violinist beyond mere proficiency, and left to ply his trade as a jobbing musician in what is now the Netherlands. Having settled in Leiden around 1731, he wrote virtuosic pieces for violin and flute which proved popular enough to be published and republished in London and Paris. He performed throughout Holland, and then moved from Leiden to The Hague, where he was awarded a lucrative and coveted position as church organist. This career of steady accomplishment and gathering renown came to a sudden and tragic end in 1756 when he was committed to an asylum, where he lived out his days in penury. Meanwhile Fredericus is a much more shadowy figure to us: the three books of his flute sonatas listed in contemporary publishers' catalogues have disappeared, as have any details of his life and career. Of his gifts as a musician, there can be no doubt, to judge from the sonatas presented here, showing as they do an up-to-date knowledge of the latest musical trends set by masters such as Tartini and Geminiani, and yet display an expressive style entirely their own. Likewise, the two flute duets by Albertus Groneman demonstrate why his music proved to be so popular during his lifetime: they are in turn gracious, surprising, virtuosic and sweetly-singing, and display the full range of the flute's possibilities. Like Telemann's duets of the same period, they are full of fantasy and.wit and testify not only to the worthiness of their creator, but also to the taste of the 18th century flutist who loved them so well. Originally issued on the Dutch label NM Classics, this reissue restores a valuable window into the vibrant culture of chamber music in 18th-century Holland, performed by specialists in the field. - Johannes Albertus Groneman (baptized 1711-1778) and his brother Johannes Fredericus were born in Hamm (Germany) into a musical family. They enjoyed an education typical of musician's sons in the 18th century, learning from their father the trade, playing several instruments and instructed in composition, harmony and singing. Through his teacher Carl Rosier Albertus was introduced in the Netherlands, where he settled in Utrecht in 1729, later moving to Leiden. It is during this Leiden period that most of Groneman's music which survived, and indeed probably all of the music of this recording, was composed. Upon his arrival in the famous university town, Groneman was able to establish himself with ease in the highest social circles, enjoying the friendship and patronage of patricians and professors, while wealthy merchants and musicians of international repute became godparents to his children. He bought a Stradivarius violin and an especially beautiful harpsichord made by famous Flemish harpsichord maker Ruckers. He published virtuoso music for violin and flute which proved popular enough to be published and republished in London and Paris. - The Flute Sonatas consist of three movements, brilliant allegros framing a melancholy and moving andante full of bold harmonies. The style is gracious and sweetly-singing, displaying the full range of the flute's brilliant possibilities. - Performed by Jed Wentz, a pioneer in the performance practice of notably French Baroque music for his instrument. His many recordings for Brilliant Classics (J.S. Bach and C.P.E. Bach, Blavet, Couperin, Boismortier, Braun, Roman) have established him as one of the foremost interpreters in this field. - Recorded in 1994, a reissue from the NM Classics catalogue, the label for music from the Netherlands.

The lyre-guitar was a fascinating, upmarket instrument that originated in Paris. It's inventor, luthier Pierre-Charles Mareschal, dated it's creation to around 1780. It was very popular in the elite salons of Napoleonic era-Europe, between the late 18th and early 19th century. It's refined, elegant shape recalling the ancient Greek lyre, made it a much-vaunted status symbol among women, who believed it enhanced their grace and beauty. As well as being played by noblewomen, it was also used by musicians to accompany singers, including the French tenor Joseph Dominique Fabry-Garat and the Austrian baritone Johann Michael Vogl, a close friend of Franz Schubert. The lyre-guitar used on this recording comes from Domenico Lafasciano's private collection. It was built in Paris in 1806 by Henry Lejeune, part of an important dynasty of luthiers dating back to the 18th century. Lafasciano's lyre-guitar is an original and very rare instrument: it has only 12 frets, and they are made of gut like on the lute or baroque guitar, making it suitable for playing works from the early 19th-century guitar repertoire. It is a brilliant example of the transition between the 18th and 19th centuries, a period when guitarists were still playing instruments with five double or single courses of strings, as well as six-string models. It appears that the lyre-guitar, which had six single strings from the outset, gave a definitive push to the addition of the sixth string to the guitar. This album contains some lovely musical gems written in the early 19th century by guitar-playing composers who remain largely unknown today. The first French publications, including the pieces featured on this recording, all contained the words 'pour Lyre ou Guitare' or 'pour Guitare ou Lyre', indicating very clearly that the works could be performed on either a lyre-guitar ('Lyre') or a five- or six-string guitar ('Guitare'). Other information: - Recorded November 2023, Milan, Italy - Booklet in English contains liner notes by the artist and a biography - Lafasciano plays a lyre-guitar by Henry Lejeune (Paris, 1806) strung with Aquila Ambra 800 strings - The Italian liner notes are available for download at www. Brilliantclassics. com - An exclusive and fascinating instrument, the lyre-guitar was created in Paris by the luthier Pierre-Charles Mareschal, who claimed to have invented it around 1780. It shone in the noble salons of Europe during the Napoleonic Age, between the end of the 18th century and the first decades of the 19th century. - The lyre-guitar, with it's refined and elegant shape reminiscent of the ancient Greek lyre, was at that time a 'status symbol' instrument much loved by the fairer sex, as it enhanced their grace and beauty. It was often played by noble ladies, but also by musicians who used it to accompany singing, such as the Austrian baritone Johann Michael Vogl, a great friend of Franz Schubert. Even the great guitarist Mauro Giuliani performed a few times with this instrument. - This new recording presents works written for Lyre-guitar by French composers Charles Doisy (?-1807), Alexandre Alfred Rougeon-Beauclair (?-1829), Pierre Joseph Plouvier (1750-1825) and Jean-Antoine Meissonnier (1783-1857): a feast of lighthearted, charming and enchanting music! - Domenico Lafasciano is one of the very few lyre-guitar concert performers of today. Graduated with top marks at Padua Conservatory, he perfected himself with Alirio Diaz, Alexandre Lagoya, Siegfried Behrend and Jose Luis Lopategui. He met with Andres Segovia, who let him play his own guitar, and with John W. Duarte, who dedicated one of his compositions to him.

A diverse survey of Mozart's 'occasional' music, including his grandest serenade as well as one of his earliest and strangest works, alongside two late and powerful masterpieces. The 'Posthorn' Serenade of Mozart has been recorded on many occasions, but perhaps never with such stimulating and contrasted couplings as this new recording from the Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice under their Armenian music director, Vahan Mardirossian. These forces recently made an attractive album of Mozart's 'Lodron' divertimenti (97307); now they turn to the grandest of the serenades which Mozart composed while still in the service of the Prince Archbishop of Salzburg. The 'Posthorn' Serenade dates from 1779, and the harmony of it's grand introduction immediately belongs to the richly ambivalent world of mature Mozart. Everything here is calculated to entertain, such as the graceful pairs of minuets, and the extensive 'concertante' movement featuring a cadenza for solo winds, but beyond that there is a uniquely Mozartian pathos which emerges most strongly in the D minor Andantino. Little within Mozart's output could present a stronger contrast than the patchwork of dances and tunes compiled by the 10-year-old composer while convalescing after a serious illness in The Hague. Commissioned for a piece to celebrate the accession of William V as Prince of Orange, he produced this 17-movement 'Gallimathias Musicum'. By turn, the album then makes a characteristically Mozartian shift to the grave tread of the Masonic Funeral Music composed in memory of the composer's Masonic brothers in 1785. No less imposing in it's way is the Fugue in C minor which Mozart originally wrote for two pianos in December 1783. Rescoring it for strings in June 1788, he added a stern and prefatory Adagio. Known as the Adagio and Fugue K546, this has been recorded by forces ranging from string quartet to full symphony orchestra; the Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra presents a compelling middle way. - A substantial part of Mozart's oeuvre consists of works that may be called 'entertainment music'. Most of these pieces were composed for festive occasions in Salzburg, such as name days, birthdays and other festivities. There are indications that a number of them were meant to be played out-of-doors, in a rustic garden setting with party guests enjoying a drink or a meal. Many of the easy-going works were labelled 'Divertimento', others 'Serenade', 'Cassation' or 'Notturno'. - Mozart's Posthorn Serenade, composed in 1779, is one of his best known and most successful Serenades. The serenade's name is derived from the prominent solo for posthorn, a valveless brass instrument used in postal services during Mozart's time. It's five movements blend elegance with lively rhythms. From the graceful Andante to the spirited Menuetto, it abounds in melodic richness, charm, infectious brilliance and wit. - Also included in this recording are the lighthearted Gallimatthias musicumKV32, the moving Maurerische Trauermusik KV477 and the Adagio & Fuga KV546. - Played in Historically Informed Performance Practice on modern instruments by the Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice, conducted by Vahan Mardirossian.

Johann Ernst, the third-born son of Johanna Sophia Siefer and Johann Bernhard Bach, was a musician and organist at the Georgenkirche in Eisenach. He was taught first by his father and then, from January 1737 in Leipzig by his uncle and godfather Johann Sebastian Bach, when he moved there to attend the Thomasschule and later to study law. He was forced to abandon his studies there in 1741 upon being called back to Eisenach to help his ill father, and though Ernst missed the musical activity at Leipzig he was persuaded by Johann Sebastian to remain by his father's side. He eventually succeeded him in the organist post at Eisenach in 1749. J.E. Bach's 6 Sonatas for fortepiano & violin are among the few works the composer managed to have published during his lifetime: the first three in 1770 and the remainder in 1772. Although critics deemed them to be 'too modern', they were received so well by the public that a new edition was released in 1775. Their title does not bear the designation 'with violin accompaniment' typical of the time but rather 'sonatas for fortepiano and a violin': the two instruments are afforded equal importance. In the final three sonatas, the structures become more complex and reveal inspiration from early proponents of classicism like C.P.E. Bach. Although Johann Ernst was known as an organist and harpsichordist, the writing in the fast movements and the lyricism of the slow sections, as well as his inclusion of dynamic markings, suggest that these works were designed for the newly invented fortepiano. All six sonatas are divided into three movements, alternating fast-slow-fast in line with Italian symphonic style. Other information: - Recorded July 2023, Capranica, Italy - Bilingual booklet in English and Italian contains liner notes by the artists, as well as their biographies - Susanna Pisana plays a violin by Bernardo Calcagni (c.1740); Maurizio Paciariello plays a fortepiano built by Ugo Casiglia, after a model by Anton Walter (1798) - Johann Ernst Bach (1722-1777) was a distinguished composer of the Bach musical dynasty, though less recognized than his famous relatives. As the youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach's half-brother, he inherited a legacy of musical genius. In his early life, Bach studied at the Lateinschule in Eisenach from 1732 to 1735. On 16 January 1737 he entered the Thomasschule in Leipzig, where he then became a pupil of his uncle Johann Sebastian Bach. Being a student of J.S Bach, he assisted his uncle in copying his music. Later he became Hofkapellmeister in Eisenach. - Johann Ernst's compositions, spanning vocal works, chamber music, and keyboard pieces, shows his innovative approach, blending the Baroque style of his family with emerging Classical elements. - This new recording presents 6 sonatas for violin and fortepiano. The writing of the fast movements and the cantabile of the slow ones, as well as the presence of dynamic indications, suggest that these works are aimed at the new piano, not the harpsichord. - Played by Maurizio Paciariello and Susanna Pisana.

This first recording of a selection of Gervais-Francois Couperin's keyboard works aims to give an overview of the youngest member of the Couperin family with works that have survived to the present day. The son of Armand-Louis Couperin (1727-1789), to whom Brilliant Records has also dedicated a release featuring his complete harpsichord works (see BC 95459), G.-F. Couperin (1759-1826) is the last known musician in the line of the greatest French musical dynasty of it's time. The selection of pieces presented here is meant to demonstrate his compositional exploration of the fortepiano. The four most employed forms in Couperin's keyboard oeuvre are the variations, the sonata, the rondo, and the piece in free form. This programme features the most important examples of these four types. The Two Sonatas Op.1, issued in 1788, were most probably intended to officially present the young composer to the French connoisseurs. They were conceived pour le clavecin ou forte-piano, with accompaniment of violin and cello ad libitum. Both sonatas consist of three movements, the first one in a large sonata form. A slower movement follows, the one in the second sonata consisting of a theme with 7 variations. A final movement in rondo form closes both sonatas. Stylistically, they are relatively close to other sonatas of the time, although they feature quasi-symphonic writing in the first movements. The highly virtuosic style exemplified in the two Sonatas Op.1 becomes even more evident in two single pieces, strictly related to one another: Les Incroyables Op.6 and Les Merveilleuses Op.7. The two pieces refer to adherents of a fashion trend highly favoured by the aristocracy in Paris during the French Directory (1795-99). The men were called Incroyables ("incredible") and the women Merveilleuses ("marvelous"), and they greeted the new regime with an outbreak of luxury, decadence, even silliness, perhaps as a reaction to the Terror period. The two pieces are in free form, with a ritornello in the first, shorter part. However, this form actually owes much to the rondo, which Couperin had already proved to master, both in his sonatas and in a short individual Rondo presented here, published in the Journal de Clavecin in 1782. This short and elegant piece, which may possibly be the first piece ever published by Couperin, is the closest one to the classical period, with it's almost-Viennese flavour. Two sets of variations both published in 1790, together with the slow movement of the Sonata Op.1 No.2, show Couperin's adeptness with this genre. It is worth noting that while the first set is based on one of the most emblematic of Revolutionary songs, 'Ah! Ca ira', the second is based on a royalist song, the Complainte bearnoise, a troubadour's protestations at King Louis XVI being housed in the Palais de Tuileries at the beginning of the revolution. Other information: - Recorded September 2023, Monte Compatri, Italy - Booklet in English contains liner notes by the artist, as well as his biography - Simone PIerini plays an original fortepiano by J. Haselmann (c.1800-10), tuned to A=430 Hz in the Young 1 temperament (1800) - This premiere recording of a selection of Gervais-Francois Couperin's works aims to give an overview of the latest member of the Couperin family whose works has survived to the present day. Son of Armand-Louis Couperin (1727-1789), Gervais-Francois Couperin (1759-1826) was the latest known musician of the greatest French musical dynasty of the time. He was a highly esteemed composer and musician, who played for Napoleon, and was organist of several important Churches in Paris (Saint-Gervais, St. Sulpice and others). - The four most employed forms in Couperin's keyboard oeuvre are the variations, the sonata, the rondo, and the piece in free form, each of which is represented in this new recording. The highly virtuosic style of the two sonatas Op.1 becomes even evident in Les Incroyables Op.6, and Les Merveilleuses Op.7. The two pieces refer to the followers of a fashion highly favoured by the aristocracy in Paris during the French Directory (1795-1799). The followers of this new fashion, the Incroyables (i. e., the "incredibles") as concerns men, the Merveilleuses (the "marvelous women") for the women, greeted the new regime with an outbreak of luxury, decadence, and even silliness. - Played on the fortepiano by Simone Pierini Born in Rome in 1996, Pierini began studying music at the age of eight. Aged eighteen, he graduated in piano at S. Cecilia Conservatory of Music, Rome, with highest honors. He afterwards grew interest in historically informed piano practice, attending masterclasses led by Alexei Lubimov, Andreas Staier, Tobias Koch, Stefano Fiuzzi. Subsequently, his interest about historical keyboards in general grew further, and he began studying harpsichord and basso continuo with such teachers as Andrea Coen and Giovanni Togni. His recordings with music by Cherubini and the complete piano sonatas by Helene de Montgeroult were very positively received by the press. Classic FM nominated him as one of the 30 best musicians under 30 in 2024.

Rome to Vilnius is a new investigative insight into the cultural heritage of Lithuania: the music at he Vasa Court in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It reflects the influence of the greatest masters of the Roman polyphonic school in the musical world of Poland and Lithuania and shows the Vasa Court as a place of advanced music-making in 16th- and 17th-century Europe. At the end of the 16th century, during the time of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Sigismund III Vasa was the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. Each year he spent a few months in Vilnius, and it was reported that he always travelled with his musicians. Sigismund III, who was himself a musician and a lover of music, was not happy with the standard of the music in the Royal Chapel, and decided to invite Italian musicians to improve the musical life of his court. Italy was the main influence in music in Europe at that time, not only because of the different styles that originated there (polyphony, poly-choral music, monody, opera, etc), but also because of the achievements of the composers who wrote in these styles. We can distinguish clearly two main schools of music in Italy: the Venetian school, created by Adrian Willaert, with the new poly-choral style that was performed in the Basilica of San Marco; and the polyphonic Roman school of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, one of the most influential musicians of the 16th century, and one of the great masters of the art of polyphony of all time. Sigismund III decided to hire the best musicians from Rome, and from 1595 to 1649 all the Kapellmeisters at the Vasa Court in Poland and Lithuania were Italians. Most of them were not only prominent members of the Roman school, but also former pupils of Palestrina. The composers represented on this recording were among them, with the exception of Giovanni Battista Cocciola, who was kapellmeister at the Vilnius court under Lew Sapieha. At the beginning of the 17th century, the Vilnius court was presided over by Lew Sapieha (Leonas Sapiega), Sigismund III Vasa's crown chancellor (the highest official in the country after the King himself). Sapieha was an expert in music and was entrusted with the position of administrator of the Royal Chapel. He had his own chapel attached to his residence in Vilnius. The 'Sapieha' album is a compilation of pieces with a sacral function. It does not mention the compiler or the composers but is a testimony to the vitality of the musical culture in Lithuania in the first half of the 17th century. Other information: - Recorded October 2023, Vilnius - Booklet in English contains liner notes by the director, as well as his biography and one of the ensemble. - Rome to Vilnius is a new investigative insight into the cultural heritage of Lithuania: the music at the Vasa Court in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It reflects the influence of the greatest masters of the Roman polyphonic school in the musical world of Poland and Lithuania, and shows the Vasa Court as a place of advanced music-making in 16th and 17th-century Europe. At the end of the 16th century, during the time of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Sigismund III was the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. Sigismund III, who was himself a musician and a lover of music, was not happy with the standard of the music in the Royal Chapel, and he decided to invite Italian musicians to improve the musical life of his court. He hired the best musicians from Rome, and from 1595 to 1649 all the Kapellmeisters at the Vasa Court in Poland and Lithuania were Italians. Most of them were not only prominent members of the Roman school, but also former pupils of Palestrina. - The composers presented on this new recording include Palestrina (presumably 1525-1594), Merula (1595-1665), Marenzio (1553 or 1554-1599), Cato (after 1560 until after 1618), Pacelli (ca. 1570- 1623), Anerio (1560-1614), Cocciola (2nd half 16th century until after 1625) and Pekiel after 1600 until ca. 1670). - Beautiful performances by Lithuanian soloists, including Renata Dubinskaite (mezzo-soprano), whose previous recording for Brilliant Classics with works by Barbara Strozzi (BC 96436) received 5 star reviews in the international press. The instrumental group includes cornetto, sackbut and organ.

Bernardini meets Dreyer: a distinguished period-instrument oboist explores the music of a little-known Florentine forebear. Domenico Dreyer was born in Florence in 1701 to an Italian mother and German father, at a time when Italy was experiencing a golden age for the oboe, led by technical innovations in the design of the instrument. The family was musical, but why he picked up the oboe is unknown, as is most of his early life. At any rate, these sonatas are preserved in manuscript form under his name - his only surviving music - and may have been published in 1727. What we do know is that Dreyer travelled with his brother, a singer and impresario, across Europe and as far as St Petersburg. In the early 1730s Dreyer was playing in Venice, where he most likely met Vivaldi, and a musical link between the two men is illustrated by these six appealing sonatas. At any rate, Bernadini is drawn to these sonatas, as he explains in a booklet introduction, 'because they combine ornamented and very expressive slow movements with fast movements of great virtuosity, using the possibilities of the two-key oboe to the extreme.' Bernadini draws out various thematic correspondences between particular movements of the sonatas and various parts of Vivaldi's output, while observing a more general Vivaldian flavour to the writing. We might know more but for Dreyer's sudden and unexplained death at the age of 34, 'due to an unfortunate event,' according to the best historical record available. The sonatas may be enjoyed on their own terms, however, as stylish examples of Italian Baroque chamber writing at it's zenith. They are performed here by Bernadini on a copy of a 1730 instrument by Giovanni Maria Anciuti (1674-1744), the most important Italian wind instrument maker of the time. Not only is this the closest available instrument to Dreyer's sonatas in terms of place and date, but it is also one of the few 18th-century oboes to feature the low C sharp, which Dreyer notates at the end of the Fourth Sonata. He is joined by a quartet of fellow Italian period- instrument specialists, who supply a richly varied continuo section. - Domenico Maria Dreyer (ca. 1680 - ca. 1740) was the son of the German tenor Johann Conrad Dreyer, born and raised in Florence. His life was closely linked to that of his younger brother Giovanni Filippo Dreyer, a castrato, impresario and opera composer. The brothers worked for a long time at the courts of Moscow and St. Petersburg and later in Italy. - Six oboe sonatas and two recorder sonatas have survived from his oeuvre. The oboe sonatas are of great musical beauty and stylistically belong to the Venetian High Baroque period of his contemporary Antonio Vivaldi. It is assumed that they were composed around 1725. - Each sonata typically follows a four-movement structure, alternating between slow, lyrical passages and lively, dance-like sections. This format allows for a rich exploration of the oboe's tonal capabilities, from it's warm, mellow low registers to it's bright, penetrating highs. Dreyer's sonatas often feature elaborate ornamentation and intricate melodic lines, demanding both technical proficiency and expressive nuance from the performer. - Played by the famous Italian oboist Alfredo Bernardini (founder of the Zefiro Ensemble) and a continuo group consisting of cello, archlute and harpsichord/organ.

There are many reasons to consider Carl Friedrich Abel (1723-1787) one of history's most unique musicians. He was a gambist, a player of an instrument long associated with an aristocracy that was then at the height of it's decadence. But today he would be labelled "avantgarde" as one who embraced the newest musical styles and indeed genres, playing a key role in the development of the symphony. This album opens with the Symphony in C from his Opus 10 set of six symphonies. Featuring an instrumentation of two oboes, two horns, two violins, viola and basso, the score has all the hallmarks of the era's symphonic music. Abel's only vocal work of note is the aria "Frena le belle" which he contributed to the pastiche opera Sifare. So inspiring is the music, it is regrettable that Abel did not find greater repute in the vocal repertoire. Abel's updated catalogue (AbelWV, publ. Gunter von Zadow, 2023) includes 420 works, of which 29 are concertos for solo instruments. These follow the typical pattern, with three movements (first and third played fast in the home key, the second more slowly in a separate albeit related key) starting and ending in orchestral ritornellos, which are also interposed between each solo. That notwithstanding, the Flute Concerto in E minor has a very particular structure consisting of three movements all in minor keys. The viola section was reconstructed by Wolfgang Kostujak. The Harpsichord Concerto in D Guntersberg, 2022) derives from a manuscript produced by two unidentified copyists. This score, bearing an Italian title without reference to the pianoforte, suggests it was composed while Abel was still in Germany. Of the numerous concertos Abel himself performed as solo gambist during his life in London, tragically, none remain. The two on this album (Guntersberg) therefore merit some explanation. The Concerto in A comes to us from an unfinished manuscript by an unknown copyist, with no mention of the work's composer, but a comprehensive analysis of the music has led Thomas Fritzsch to attribute it to Abel. Kostujak has reconstructed the parts for first and second violins, viola, and a few passages for basso. The Concerto in G is none other than the Cello Concerto in B flat, in turn the same as the Flute Concerto in C. Such repurposing of works is not exceptional in Abel's catalogue, and a detailed analysis provides ample evidence that this was intended for viola da gamba in the original version. Other information: - Booklet in English contains liner notes by the director, Alejandro Marias, and profiles of the soloists and the ensemble - The Spanish liner notes are available for download at www. Brilliantclassics. com

Laments of lost and betrayed love from 17th-century Italy: musical portraits to be set beside contemporary paintings by Gentilesschi in their contained power and violence. While the featured composers in this recital were born and worked in contrasting provinces of Italy, most of them shared common goals and aesthetic principles. The text came first, and the music was always servant to it. The sweet torment of a broken heart drew from them long-breathed melodies, supported by spare but painfully chromatic harmony. The melody itself was always articulated according to the shape of the text, fitting one to the other like a hand in a silk glove. Eleni Lydia Stamellou and Konstantin Shenikov have made their own selection from a rich treasury of available repertoire in this vein. The album takes it's title from the final track, 'Oblivion soave', drawn from Monteverdi's final opera, 'L'incoronazione di Poppea'. The aria exemplifies Enlightenment values of humanism which inspire self-examination as well as 'sweet oblivion'.They include perhaps the most famous lost-love song of all, at least until the age of Lieder, Caccini's 'Amarilli, mia bella', and comparably familiar masterpieces in the genre such as Monteverdi's 'Si dolce 'l tormento' and Peri's 'Tora, deh torna'. There is also space for the no less subtle art of Andrea Falconieri, as well as several songs by Barbara Strozzi, one of the most successful women composers of the time; indeed, she was the most prolific composer - of either gender - of printed secular vocal music in Venice around the middle of the 17th century. Eleni Lydia Stamellou is a Greek soprano, specialising in this Renaissance-era repertoire as well as new music and Lieder. As a member of Music Aeterna, she has sung operatic roles conducted by Teodor Currentzis including Despina (Cosi fan tutte) and Pierrot in Schoenberg's cabaret-monodrama. The lutenist Konstantin Shenikov has been a regular member of early-opera productions led in Russia by Andrew Lawrence-King. - A beautifully conceived program of Renaissance and early Baroque songs and arias, sung by Greek soprano Eleni Lydia Stamellou, accompanied on the lute by Konstantin Shenikov. - The featured composers are Monteverdi (1567-1643), Frescobaldi (1583-1643), Caccini (1551-1618), Strozzi (baptized 1619-1677), Peri (1561-1633) and Falconieri (ca. 1585-1656). The secular texts deal with Love, in both it's sublime fulfillment and it's melancholy abandonment. - Greek soprano Eleni Lydia Stamellou won Second Prize at the Ferruccio Tagliavini Competition in Austria, with Dame Joan Sutherland as the president of the jury. She subsequently attended masterclasses given by Teresa Berganza, Edda Moser and Christa Ludwig. She sang in opera productions with MusicAeterna conducted by Teodor Currentzis. Her specialization is Renaissance/Baroque and Contemporary Music. She sang in productions of Berio and Hersant.

A unique take on Mozart's music from the organ loft. Mozart wrote sparingly for the solo organ - a relatively early collection of short Epistle Sonatas for liturgical use, and later on a few more individual pieces for a new mechanical organ. In neither case was he using the full extent of a large instrument as exploited by his Baroque predecessors. At the same time, Mozart himself was no stranger to the organ loft; he would have been regularly playing the instrument at St Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna had his plans come to fruition and he had lived long enough to attain the post of Director of Music there. Manuel Tomadin has imaginatively filled in this gap in the Mozart catalogue, as it were, with his own transcriptions of pieces particularly well suited to the soundworld of the organ. The A minor Sonata K310 shares a surging, Sturm und Drang sensibility with the two fantasias, in C minor and D minor. In turn this character lends itself to the Gothic grandeur of the 'king of instruments', when sensitively registered and nimbly executed. The coloristic possibilities of the organ, it's dynamic range and effects of perspective, are also put to dramatic use in bringing to life two of Mozart's opera overtures, from Cosi fan tutte and Die Zauberflote. Tomadin does not neglect the roots of Mozart's music in the Baroque, with a transcription of the rococo G major sonata K283 which he wrote at the age of 18, plus a much less familiar Preludio and Capriccio in C K394. In both of these pieces, Mozart was drawing on the legacy of CPE Bach, who had given him lessons as a child - a period to which Tomadin pays tribute with another rarity, one of the 'London Sketches' preserved in notebook form from the family's stay in the English capital. Tomadin has chosen an original and historically appropriate instrument for this fascinating exploration of Mozart on the organ, built in the late 1780s by the Montesanti firm for the parish church of Governolo in the province of Lombardy. The booklet includes a full specification of the organ, plus Tomadin's own introduction to the repertoire and his approach to it as a transcriber and performer. - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) had a profound connection with the church organ, an instrument that played a significant role in his musical development. As a child prodigy, Mozart was exposed to the organ in church settings, where he often performed. The organ's grandeur and complexity influenced his compositional style, particularly in his sacred music. - Although Mozart called it "The King of instruments" he wrote comparatively few works for the organ. Organist Manuel Tomadin professes his love for the composer and his considerable skill as an organist by transcribing several works for the organ: the overtures Cosi fan tutte and Die Zauberflote, two piano sonatas K 283 and 310, and several small keyboard works, perfectly suited for performance on the organ. - Played on a historical instrument: the 1788-1790 Andrea & Luigi Montesanti organ of the Parish Church of Governolo, Italy. - A feast of colours and timbres, celebrating the genius of Mozart's eternal music!

Coming into French and English from the Greek elegos ('lament'), an elegy (elegie) is a poetic or musical composition expressing sorrow or lamentation, typically mourning the loss of a loved one or reflecting on themes of grief and melancholy. Massenet's famous 'Clair de lune', presented here in an arrangement by the composer himself, envelops us in a dreamlike atmosphere, with the piano painting a delicate lunar landscape permeated by a subtle melancholy. The original is one of the most touching scenes in the opera Werther, when the protagonist feels his love for Charlotte rising within him. Contrary to popular belief, Ravel's Pavane pour une infante defunte is not dedicated to a departed soul. Rather, it is a nostalgic evocation of an imaginary childhood, rich in charm and mystery. Joseph Jemain's orchestration adds, if possible, further depth and suggestiveness to Ravel's music by introducing the piano into the ensemble, the protagonist of Ravel's original version. The violin and piano engage in a dialogue of deep contemplation in Saint-Saens's elegie in D, Op.143. The poignant melody and refined harmony express feelings of loss and consolation. This very intense and moving piece has secured an important place in the violin repertoire. The cello assumes the role of narrator in Faure's elegie, Op.24 recounting a story of pain and hope with great expressive intensity. A highly lyrical and touching piece, it is distinguished by it's expressive writing and singable melody. Debussy's Suite bergamasque transports us to a world of dreams and suggestions. Through four evocative dances with a Renaissance and Baroque flavour, the orchestra leads us on a musical journey rich in charm and delicacy. Wilhelm Renz's orchestration makes Debussy's picturesque music even more vivid. Renz is also the arranger of the Saint-Saens Carnival of the Animals featured here. His orchestral version adds brilliance and colour to the composer's music while maintaining it's original spirit of fun and irony, streamlining the orchestration in some places and adding elements for a richer, more layered sound in others. Other information: - Recorded August 2023 in Anzio (Italy) - Booklet in English contains liner notes by Valerio Vicari and profiles of the orchestra and conductor - A beautiful program featuring French music from the turn of the 19/20th century, evoking a late-romantic and mildly impressionistic atmosphere in elegiac mood. - The works presented are Elegies by Saint-Saens (1835-1921), Faure (1845-1924), Vieuxtemps (1820-1881) and Massenet (1842-1912), the Suite Bergamasque by Debussy (1862-1918), Pavane by Ravel (1875-1937) and, to conclude in a more spirited mood, the Carnaval des Animaux by Saint-Saens. Several of the works are transcribed for an instrumental ensemble featuring flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, violin, viola, cello & double bass. - Sensuous and evocative performances by the Roma Tre Orchestra, conducted by Sieva Borzak.

Così fan tutte, a comic opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with a libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, is noted for it's sophisticated ensemble writing and Mozart's nuanced portrayal of the characters' emotional journeys. The opera's overture, and arias such as "Come scoglio" and "Un'aura amorosa", showcase the composer's melodic genius and ability to convey complex psychological states through music, making it one of Mozart's most performed and beloved operas, celebrated for it's wit, intricate musical textures and insightful commentary on the human condition. This great opera is here arranged for wind quintet by Ulf-Guido Schafer, a multiple Echo-Klassik award-winning clarinettist who has held principal posts with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie (1989-94) and the NDR Radiophilharmonie (1994-present) and boasts a distinguished career as a soloist and chamber musician (in ensemble acht, the Trio Roseau, the NDR's Arte-Ensemble, and the Ma'alot Quintett). Schafer has also made a name for himself as an arranger and composer. He was twice awarded the Echo-Klassik for CDs with the Ma'alot Quintett featuring his arrangements of Dvorak (2006) and Rossini (2010), respectively. Other information: - Recorded May 2024 in Trivolzio (Italy) - Booklet in English contains liner notes by Lorenzo Fazzini and a profile of the ensemble - Mozart's operas enjoyed such success and popularity in their time, that tunes from them were whistled in the street and arrangements of them were widely spread. - One of the most popular forms of arrangement was for Wind Ensemble, and already during Mozart's life these were often performed on all kind of occasions. - This new recording presents an arrangement for wind ensemble by Ulf-Guido Schafer, a highly successful clarinetist, composer and arranger, winner of several ECHO Klassik Awards. - Founded in 2019, the Spiritum Wind Quintet consists of Lorenzo Fazzini, Luca Etzi, Riccardo Nanni, Vincenzo Riccio, and Giacomo Alfano. All of them have won prizes in (inter)national competitions, and each enjoys a successful individual solo career.

This recording fills a gap in our understanding of Sebastian Raval (c.1550-1604), a composer who has proved elusive to posthumous fame. Of noble origin, he was born on an unknown date in the region of Murcia (possibly in Cartagena). He fought in the Siege of Maastricht (1579) with the Spanish Tercios in Flanders, and, severely wounded, retired to Italy where he became a friar and worked as a musician. Although musician-nobles were abundant in the 16th century, the presumption of a certain amateurism has marginalized them in the gene- ral historical narrative. Additionally, following a musical argument with Sicilian composer Achille Falcone, Raval was painted unfairly by partisan critics as arrogant and untalented, a view that persisted in Italian historiography, whereas in Spain he was largely ignored (most likely due to a career spent outside his home country). Yet the canzonette on this album dispel any doubts about Raval's talent. A light genre setting anonymous texts inspired by Petrarch in a madrigalian vein, canzonette - and particularly Raval's - abound with themes of love. Although this genre was not inclined towards musical experimentation, there is a certain evolution from the classic canzonette of Orazio Vecchi (in the 1580s) to later examples by Luca Marenzio; Raval's compositions, created in his pre-Roman period, fall at an intermediate point therein. The choice of four voices with high tessituras and a baritone follows Vecchi's style. Raval however uses a more imitative language, and in this aspect he is closer to Marenzio without reaching the latter's declamatory style. Not only is Raval's book of ricercari the only one composed by a Spanish musician; it's content reveals a rare contrapuntal ingenuity and a restless, innovative spirit that cannot go unnoti- ced. The volume reached us by sheer good fortune. Only one copy of each part-book was preserved in the archive of the cathedral of Valladolid. Thanks to this, today we can enjoy this rare music, not just for it's artistry but also for it's delicacy.

A new recording of Paganini's eccentric 'diary of invention' for guitar by a young Italian musician with a fast-growing reputation in both rock and classical genres. Giacomo Carletti took up the guitar at the age of 13, initially playing electric. Impressed by his talent, the composer Edoardo Catemario encouraged Carletti to take up the classical guitar. He now makes his career as a busy recitalist with the classical instrument while keeping up his pop and rock connections by playing electric guitar in several bands. As Carletti remarks in his booklet essay for his debut album on Brilliant Classics, the 43 Ghiribizzi by Paganini stand as a testament to his musical ingenuity and sense of fun. They present a showcase for his technical prowess but also reveal a lighter side to the virtuoso often caricatured as a dark and forbidding figure. The term Ghiribizzo is defined in Italian as an 'Idea bizzarra, capriccio improvviso'. Many less than a minute long, the 43 sketches sometimes start and stop abruptly; some are hardly more than tunes, others are eccentric fantasies. Many of them are based on existing material - not only the Mozart aria 'La ci darem la mano' from Don Giovanni, which Paganini acknowledges in the score, but other tunes he picked up on the way, popular and folkloristic, often anonymous in origin. No.37 of the collection has an esspecially rich back-story: a fond musical memory of Paganini's meeting with Rossini in Naples, in 1820. The piece, divided into two parts, bears Rossini's name at the bottom of the first 16 bars, and Paganini's at the bottom of the next 16, perhaps as a recollection of a game where they improvised together. 'in recording the Ghiribizzi,' says Carletti, 'I wanted to bring out the eccentric and eclectic character of the composer. I try to imagine Paganini as a rock virtuoso of nowadays and treat his music accordingly.' - Niccolo Paganini (1782-1840) is perhaps best known for his 24 Caprices for Solo Violin which granted him the fame as the diabolical virtuoso of his age. However, his contributions to the guitar world are equally fascinating, particularly his 43 Ghiribizzi. - In the dictionary of the Italian language the word Ghiribizzo is described as follows: "Idea bizzarra, capriccio improvviso" (bizarre idea, capricious improvisation). The artist Giacomo Carletti about the recording: "Bearing this precise and unequivocal definition in mind, in recording the 43 Ghiribizzi for guitar I wanted to bring out the eccentric and eclectic character of the composer. I try to imagine Paganini as a present day rock virtuoso and treat his music accordingly. Every rhythmical variation, every single notation has been studied, evaluated and decided in the awareness of wanting to make this integral as realistic as possible to what could have been a performance by Paganini himself. On this album you can hear hilarious tunes alternating, even in the same piece, with thoughtful, profound parts. Although there is no evidence of concerts held by the Italian maestro with the guitar, it is well known that Paganini studied and knew how to play the guitar with great mastery." - Giacomo Carletti plays in a wide variety of genres and styles, alternating performances in rock and pop bands with classical guitar solo and chamber concerts.

- The trumpet concertos by Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) and Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778-1837) are two of the most celebrated works in the trumpet repertoire, showcasing the instrument's evolving capabilities in the Classical period. Haydn's Trumpet Concerto in E-flat Major was composed in 1796 for Anton Weidinger, a Viennese trumpeter who developed a keyed trumpet capable of playing chromatic notes. This innovation allowed Haydn to explore a wider range of expressive possibilities, incorporating lyrical melodies and rapid passages previously unattainable on the natural trumpet. - Similarly, Hummel's Trumpet Concerto in E-flat Major, composed in 1803, was also written for Weidinger and the keyed trumpet. Hummel, a prominent composer and pianist of the time, crafted a work that emphasizes virtuoso technique and lyrical expression. The concerto opens with a grand, dramatic Allegro, followed by a lyrical Andante, and concludes with a lively Rondo, which tests the soloist's agility and technical prowess. Hummel's concerto reflects the transition from the Classical style of Haydn to the more elaborate, early Romantic idiom. - Played by the young, gifted Italian trumpet player Marianne LI Gregni, accompanied by the Orchestra da camera Domenico Mazzocchi del Civita Festival, conducted by Martin Sieghart.

William Byrd (c.1540-1623) was an English composer who wrote in every genre prevalent in his day and displayed proficiency in each musical category he attempted. Whether it was sacred or secular vocal music, his consort writing for viols, or his music for the keyboard, Byrd was a supreme musical architect. His writing reached the height of musical sophistication in England during his lifetime. In Byrd's day, virginals, harpsichords and all manner of plucked-string keyboard instruments were widely played throughout England. Organs, both large and small, were also in wide use throughout the country. Byrd held an important position as organist at Lincoln Cathedral, and it is certain he would have played many of his keyboard compositions on the organ. Like his contemporaries, he rarely specified the particular keyboard instrument to be used. The uncomplicated reality of the period was that players simply used what was available to them at the time. Byrd's keyboard compositions fall broadly into four categories: fantasias, settings of popular songs, variations, and dance pieces. The middle half of the 16th century saw this first genre evolve from a work for lute or viol consort into a keyboard piece. The developing Tudor fantasia featured continuous imitation, rapid figurations and hitherto unknown displays of virtuosity. Above all, it was keyboard writing which was decisively idiomatic. Byrd's compositions of this type are sectionalized works and are, more often than not, somewhat formulaic. Customarily beginning in the style of a cantus firmus choral motet with long note values, musical ideas are exposed and heard in various registers of the keyboard. This was typically followed by an answering phrase with shorter note values and a sharply contrasted character. New ideas continue to emerge and the writing becomes increasingly more complex and virtuosic. There is habitually a tripla section and a codetta notable for it's brilliant scalic writing. Thus, the Byrd fantasia is a clever and distinctive amalgam of the ancient motet style, with it's overlapping entries, and the emerging features of idiomatic keyboard writing formulas. His unique approach to rhythm, which puts his keyboard music in a class of it's own, features cross-rhythms, hemiolas, polyrhythms, frequent changes of meters, outrageous syncopation and even jaunty jig-like episodes. Other information: - Recorded April 2024 at the University of Birmingham - Booklet in English contains liner notes by the organist, a description of the organ with stop list, and a profile of the artist - William Byrd was an English composer of late Renaissance music. Considered among the greatest composers of the Renaissance, he had a profound influence on composers both from his native England and on the continent. On his death, he was reported in the records of the Chapel Royal as 'father of Music'. He wrote in many of the forms current in England at the time, including various types of sacred and secular polyphony, keyboard (the so-called Virginalist school), and consort music. - Unlike the more formal structures of his contemporaries, Byrd's Organ Fantasias exhibit freedom and fluidity, often moving between contrasting sections that vary in texture, tempo, and mood. This variety allows the pieces to shift from reflective, meditative passages to lively, rhythmic episodes, creating a dynamic and engaging listening experience. Byrd's use of dissonance, chromaticism, and unusual harmonies gives his fantasias a unique emotional depth, setting them apart from other keyboard works of the time. - It would be difficult to think of an instrument in the United Kingdom today better suited to William Byrd's music than the St Telio organ in the vicinity of Cardiff, Wales. Built by the English organ builders Martin Goetze and Dominic Gwynn in 2001, this chamber instrument is based on a remarkable discovery - a soundboard unearthed in 1977 in Suffolk. It's pipes are constructed on the only pipes surviving from the mediaeval West Country tradition from John Loosemore's 1665 organ for Nettlecombe Court. The extremely narrow scaling produces a sound which is surprisingly rich with a somewhat sibilant trait. It works with hand-operated bellows. This gives rise to very subtle surges and dips in sound pressure and volume as well as the occasional rattle and creak, adding an extra layer of authenticity. - Jangoo Chapkhana is an organist and harpsichordist of international standing, as well as an orchestral conductor. His career highlights include organ recitals in Westminster Abbey (London), St Mary The Virgin (New York City) and two recitals in Washington National Cathedral (USA).

This third instalment in Brilliant Classics' French Cello Sonatas series features the phenomenal composer Louise Farrenc (1804-1875), who is enjoying a much deserved revival amid contemporary focus on women composers, and the enigmatic and formidable Charles-Valentin Alkan (1813-1888), renowned for his complex compositional language and extreme piano virtuosity. Farrenc was a French composer, virtuoso pianist and a teacher of the Romantic period. Her compositions include three symphonies, a few choral works, numerous chamber pieces and a wide variety of piano music. Her Cello Sonata in B-flat, Op.46, in three movements, was one of her last compositions (1859). The treatment of the two instruments, especially the piano, with it's extensive use of tremolo, broken octaves and scale passages, indicates inspiration taken from Beethoven's cello sonatas as a model. The opening movement, Allegro moderato, glides along effortlessly. A lovely Andante sostenuto, full of ornamentation serves as the middle movement. The finale is a lively Allegro. The work of French composer and virtuoso pianist Charles-Valentin Alkan possesses a unique blend of complexity, innovation and emotional depth, positioning him as one of the most distinctive Romantic composers. Known for his formidable technique and reclusive nature, Alkan's compositions were marked by their technical demands and unorthodox structures, attracting both admiration and mystique. His Cello Sonata in E, Op.47 stands out as an example of his flair for blending instrumental colour and thematic development. Composed in 1856 (three years before Farrenc's), this piece is an intriguing exploration of the cello's expressive range, juxtaposed with the piano's virtuosic potential. It is structured in four movements, each showcasing the composer's penchant for unexpected turns and rich harmonies. The first movement introduces a lyrical yet intricate dialogue between cello and piano, establishing an interplay that continues throughout the sonata. The third movement, marked Adagio, highlights Alkan's capacity for profound, almost spiritual expressiveness, contrasting the vigorous and playful nature of the final Allegretto. This combination of heartfelt emotion and formidable technical demands makes the work a true test for performers. Though not as frequently performed as mainstream Romantic sonatas, Alkan's Cello Sonata has been rediscovered for it's inventive composition and serves as a testament to his ingenuity and the depth of his often-overlooked musical legacy. Other information: - Recorded 2024 in Moscow - Booklet in English contains liner notes and profiles of the artists - This third CD in a unique series of "French Cello Sonatas" presents two works from the Romantic period, the cello sonatas by Louise Farrenc and Charles-Valentin Alkan. - The sonata by Alkan is a bold, substantial work in rich romantic idiom. Alkan's superhuman pianism is reflected in the challenging piano part. The works of female composer Louise Farrenc receive more and more recognition nowadays. Her Cello Sonata is a full blooded romantic work, a gem in the genre. - Marina Tarasova is one of the most renowned cellists of today: 'Her playing is generous in tone, full-blooded in expression, passionate and confident, evidently fired by love for and commitment to the music.' Gramophone. She is winner of international competitions in Prague, Florence, Paris, and a laureate of the Tchaikovsky competition in Moscow. She began playing the cello at the age of six and studied at the Gnessin School with Alexander Fedorchenko and at the Moscow Conservatoire with Natalia Shakhovskaya. Her vast repertoire spans the 17th century to the present day. She has worked with many renowned musicians, such as Mikhail Pletnev, Mariss Jansons, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Kurt Masur, Eduard Grach and Yuri Bashmet. - Marina Tarasova's piano partner is the excellent Ivan Sokolov. - The first volume of French Cello Sonatas (BC96566) presented works by Gabriel Piernei (1863-1937), Eidouard Lalo (1823-1892) and Charles Koechlin (1867-1959); the second volume... Vincent D'Indy (1851-1931), Leon Boellmann (1862-1897) and Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937) (BC 96821).

On the English musical landscape of the second half of the 18th century, the name Elizabeth Turner stands out as a rare example of a female musician flourishing on British soil. She was successful singer on London's stages between about 1740 and 1756, as well as a composer and harpsichordist. Few of her biographical details have come down to us: her date of birth is unknown, and her year of death (1756) is inferred from reports in English newspapers of the time. The number and dates of printed references to her singing (the earliest is from March 1744) suggests a premature passing that interrupted an acclaimed vocal career. Rivalled only by her fellow singer-composer and contemporary Elisabetta de Gambarini (1731-1765, a Londoner of Italian descent), Elizabeth Turner alternated her activity on the stage with composition, publishing two volumes. The first, Twelve Songs, With Symphonies and a Thorough Bass for the Harpsichord (London, 1750), is a collection of English folk songs; the second, A Collection of Songs With Symphonies and a Thorough Bass. With Six Lessons for the Harpsichord (London, 1756), places 19 songs on texts by British poets alongside 6 lessons for harpsichord. The 'Lessons' genre was one very much in vogue in mid-18th-century England, as evidenced by Purcell's A Choice Collection of Lessons for the Harpsichord or Spinnet (1696), the aforementioned Gambarini's Six Sets of Lessons for the Harpsichord (1748), and Thomas Arne's VIII Sonatas or Lessons for the Harpsichord (1756). Turner's Six Harpsichord Lessons here receive their first complete recording. Each is divided into several movements, in the manner of a sonata. The style is often similar to that of the companion songs in her volume, whose melodies refer distinctly to the models of the tradition (from Purcell down to Boyce, via Thomas Arne and Maurice Greene). This is music intended for refined and cultured amateur performers, whose performances were moments of social conviviality where playing constituted pure pleasure. Yet in a society, such as England's, that relegated the role of women in music to the horizon of amusement, entertainment and domestic pastime, the figure of Elizabeth Turner emerges with disruptive and revolutionary force. Her sort of revolution is not one that demands a paradigm shift, it does not aspire to break the mould, it does not have a vocation for destruction: it is a gentle revolution, made up of elegance and grace, and precisely in it's gentleness it calls out to be heard, an invitation we cannot decline. Other information: - Recorded March 2024 in Silvelle (Italy) - Booklet in English contains liner notes by Maddalena Bonechi, as well as a note from the performer and her biography - Costanza Leuzzi plays a French double-manual harpsichord (anon. , after Pascal Taskin; renovated 2020, Andrea Di Maio) tuned to the Young II temperament at a=415 - Italian liner notes available at brilliantclassics. Com - Elizabeth Turner's (?-1756) Six Lessons for Harpsichord, published in 1756, the year of her death, is a significant contribution to 18th-century keyboard music, reflecting the stylistic characteristics of the time. Little is known about Turner herself, but her work stands as one of the few harpsichord collections by a female composer during that era, making it a valuable historical artifact. The Six Lessons are structured as suites, each consisting of multiple short movements, such as minuets, and gigues, which were popular dance forms in Baroque music. - Turner's compositions exhibit a blend of French and Italian influences, which were prevalent in English harpsichord music of the period. The pieces are characterized by their elegant melodic lines and ornamentation, typical of the French style, alongside rhythmic vitality that hints at Italian practices. The works are accessible for amateur performers, suggesting they were intended for domestic music-making rather than professional concert settings. - The Six Lessons offer insight into the musical tastes and domestic entertainment practices of 18th-century England, particularly for women, who were often encouraged to learn keyboard instruments. Turner's work is a rare example of a published female composer in a male-dominated field. - Costanza Leuzzi, a pupil of Roberto Loreggian, wrote a dissertation on the life and work of Elizabeth Turner. With the purpose of giving new life to Turner's music, Costanza also founded an ensemble of young musicians and gives concerts where she combines the musical performance and the storytelling of the English composer's life. - The interest in unknown authors and forgotten musical literature is the main focus of Costanza's musical career, which aims to share lost masterpieces that deserve to be rediscovered in our time.

As is the case with so many 18th-century composers, Giuseppe Sarti (1727-1802) enjoyed fame in his lifetime to rival W. A. Mozart's but is scarcely known today. Some might remember him as the author of the aria "Come un agnello", borrowed by Mozart in Don Giovanni. After all, Sarti's arias were in his lifetime regarded as true models of Italian style. Even after his death, they were regularly performed in the salons of the nobility. But by about 1840 the memory of the man and his works had largely faded. In recent decades, however, there has been a renewed focus on Sarti; not only for his compositions, but also for his merits as a pedagogue and theorist. The 6 Sonate a Flauto Traversiero solo e Basso Continuo were published in Paris by Christophe Le Menu. The date of publication, 1772, can be deduced from an advertisement that appeared in a periodical late that year. It is a collection of sonatas definitely conceived for an audience at a more professional than amateur level, with writing decidedly suited to the instrumental peculiarities of the transverse flute, which, according to the taste of the time, took as it's model the singing qualities of the human voice. This allowed Sarti to take advantage of his skill at composing operas in order to write particularly touching, even dramatic melodies, with typically theatrical affects such as in the Largo and Cantabile of the First Sonata or the Andante of the Fourth Sonata, both in the key of G minor, which on the transverse flute is, with it's veiled timbre, delicately affectionate. In the context of what is one of the main characteristics of flute (and violin) writing by Italian composers, Sarti employs an articulation dominated by legato, clearly diversifying himself, as did the French composers, from the predominantly articulated style that prevailed with German composers. The remarkably flautistic writing, for a composer who did not play the instrument nor wrote much instrumental music in general, suggests he may have been in contact with a flute virtuoso who either advised or inspired him. A credible hypothesis is that a collaboration with the orchestra of the Grand Duchy of Florence led him to work closely with it's principal flautist, the virtuoso Niccolo Dôthel. Other information: - Recorded December 2023 in Florence - Booklet in English contains liner notes by the harpsichordist, Giacomo Benedetti, along with profiles of all three players - Liner notes and biographical information in Italian available at brilliantclassics. Com - Giuseppe Sarti (1729-1802), an Italian composer primarily known for his operatic works, also contributed significantly to instrumental music. His flute sonatas exemplify the elegance and refinement of late Baroque and early Classical styles. - Sarti's flute sonatas are characterized by their lyrical melodies, which reflect the influence of vocal music, a hallmark of his operatic background. The sonatas typically follow the three-movement structure -fast-slow-fast- that was common in the 18th century. The first movements are often lively, with energetic, flowing lines for the flute, while the middle movements tend to be more expressive, allowing the instrument to display it's capacity for emotional nuance. The final movements bring a spirited conclusion, often featuring dance-like rhythms. - These sonatas were likely written for amateur musicians, given the rising popularity of the flute in domestic music-making circles of the time. As a result, they strike a balance between technical accessibility and artistic depth. - Played by Giovanni Miszczyszyn (Traversiere flute, made by Luca Ripanti in Turin/ Italy 2023, after Carlo Alberto Felice Palanca around 1760), Valeria Brunelli and Giacomo Benedetti. Giovanni Miszczyszyn studied with Peter Lucas Graf, and followed Master Classes with Aurele Nicolet and Jean-Pierre Rampal. At the same time he specialized in Baroque flute in seminars and classes with Barthold Kuijken and Pierre Sechet.