Classical Music

Giacinto Scelsi was one of the most fascinating composers of the Italian Avant Garde. He experimented with the essentials of sound, sometimes writing music based around only one pitch, subjecting it to micro-oscillations, extreme dynamics and changes of timbre. This set contains the complete music in which the flute is featured: from flute solo, duos with different instruments (clarinet, piano, oboe) and ensemble music with two gongs and cowbell. Claudia Giottoli is one of the foremost flautists of Italy. A winner of several international competitions, she specializes in unusual and contemporary repertoire.

Le Nuove Musiche, a vibrant young ensemble from the Netherlands, specializes in music from the first half of the 17th century. While seeking to maintain authentic performance standards, the ensemble brings the music very much into the present, arguing that artistic questions of the past still permeate the musical landscape today. Featuring a captivating group of solo singers, who between them have performed with the Amsterdam Baroque Choir and The Bach Choir & Orchestra of The Netherlands, the ensemble is headed by Krijn Koetsveld, leader and harpsichordist, who has previously collaborated with the Groot Omroepkoor and the prestigious Netherlands Chamber Choir. This is the second of a planned release of Claudio Monteverdi's complete madrigals. The fifth and sixth book - already released on Brilliant Classics as 93799 - were the first to break with tradition and herald 'la seconda pratica', the era of the basso continuo. From then on, the publication of Monteverdi's innovative settings were eagerly awaited, as they set the stage for more instrumental ritornellos, a newly important basso continuo and the addition of ornamentation around the bass and vocal parts. The book finishes with a ballo, Tirsi e Clori, a love duet with a five-part accompaniment, highly elaborate, with a chatty Tirsi contrasting with a sweet and melodic Clori. When the two singers come together with the rest of the ensemble, the listener is treated to the pinnacle of the madrigal era. This new installment of the Monteverdi Complete Madrigals contains the complete Book VII, on two CD's. Monteverdi is the Master of the Madrigal, the unaccompanied vocal composition for up to 5 voices, on secular texts. Monteverdi developed the Renaissance form of a static, strictly polyphonic setting into a dramatic work in which the expression of feeling is prominent, paving the way for the Baroque Monody, the setting of a solo melody to the accompaniment of the other voices. The range of sentiments, the boldness of harmony and counterpoint and the dramatic impact of these works mark Monteverdi as one of the first geniuses of Western Music. In the 7th Book Monteverdi breaks away from the traditional Madrigal. The set contains vocal duets with more instrumental ritornellos in concertante style, a complex worked-out bass and highly developed ornamentation of the vocal lines. The vocal ensemble Le Nuove Musiche consists of the elite of Dutch Early Music vocalists, led by eminent conductor and scholar Krijn Koetsveld. Their first Monteverdi recording, the Books 5 & 6 (BC93799) received excellent reviews in the international press, among which a "5 star" in the French Diapason. The extensive booklet notes include texts on the works as well as the complete sung texts in Italian and English.

The Concerto Grosso is a popular Baroque form, in which two instrumental groups complete against each other: a small group of soloists and the tutti of the orchestral group. It is the forerunner of the solo concerto form, which features only one solo instrument. This set present the complete Concerti Grossi by Pietro Antonio Locatelli, modelled on the popular concerti grossi of his teacher Corelli. The writing, as might be expected from Locatelli the devil violinist, is highly virtuosic and brilliant, inventive in harmony and counterpoint, written to impress and entertain. This set is part IV of the Locatelli Edition, the complete works by Locatelli, as performed by Igor Ruhadze and his early music band Violini Capricciosi, playing with great gusto, zest and dazzling virtuosity. Virtuosity, showy improvisation and stratospherically high violin playing are the characteristics of Baroque composer Pietro Antonio Locatelli's theatrical concerti grossi for soloists and ripieno. While concerti grossi from this time could usually be divided into two types, 'da camera' and 'da chiesa' - with the former containing more dance movements - Locatelli went down his own distinct path, creating a new model more like that of Torelli. His ripieno section was larger than the traditional accompanying group, and his slow movements contained drawn-out notes over which the first violinist or harpsichordist was free to improvise. Indeed, one harpsichord passage in Op.7 is so extraordinarily virtuosic that Locatelli labelled it 'ad libitum', presumably to avoid frightening the amateur musician. Only the most consummate and accomplished musicians can perform works of this calibre. Igor Ruhadze and his ensemble Violini Capricciosi have spent years recording Locatelli's works, having previously released his violin concertos and trio sonatas, described by Gramophone magazine as 'brilliantly and at times breathtakingly performed'. They bring their expertise to this release once more, with a tight and supple ripieno section supporting the sumptuous, virtuosic solo playing.

Verdi begun composition on his Messa da requiem on the occasion of Gioachino Rossini's death and finished it following the death of nationally revered writer Alessandro Manzoni; It received a full performance in 1874 and was an instant triumph. The work itself is stylistically varied, dramatically operatic in some parts and tending toward sacred polyphony in others. This classic recording features the excellent Rundfunkchor Leipzig conducted by the famed operatic and symphonic conductor, Giuseppe Patane.

Giuseppe Maria Cambini was probably active in Naples in the mid-1760s, but nothing certain is known of him until his move to Paris in the early 1770s, where his Op.1, a set of string quartets, was published shortly afterwards. Within the next 35 years upwards of 600 instrumental works had appeared under his name - enough to stretch even the famous Brilliant catalogue of 'complete' composer boxes... But Cambini's well-crafted melodies and good-humored charm are well worthy of investigation, and from this set of quartets with flute, it is easy to see why his music was so popular: he was the gallant Parisian composer par excellence. His life was even more anonymous than his music, and his death still more so; he may have died in Paris in 1825, or perhaps a decade earlier in the Netherlands. The structure of these quartets is generally in no more than two movements, often both quick and in the same key. The themes are easy on the ear, with a natural, simple, unsurprising language and characterized by part-writing of unfailing sympathy. There is a strong stylistic elegance, touching inspiration and pre-Romantic feeling with hints of proto-Schubertian inspiration. In these historically informed performances, Stefano Parrino plays on a modern Yamaha copy of a Classical-model wooden flute. He is himself a graduate of the Paris Conservatoire, where he studied with Patrick Gallois. This music is not otherwise available on CD: another Brilliant original, and a disc of guaranteed if undemanding pleasure. Giuseppe Cambini was born in Naples, but settled early in his life in Paris, where he became a well known musician, teacher and composer of an astonishing quantity of works, mainly of instrumental chamber music. His flute quartets are delightful works, light, sprightly, charming, full of good tunes and interesting instrumental flourishes. A true composer of the Galant Style, in Parisian spirit. Played by a young and enthousiastic Italian ensemble DuePiuDue, playing original instruments, obviously enjoying these highly entertaining works. World premieres!

Brahms' Op. 34 is one of the many attempts of the young composer at a large symphonic form. First conceived as a string quartet his friend the great violinist Joseph Joachim found it not suited for strings, so Brahms wrote a setting for two pianos, which her premiered himself with Carl Tausig. Again on advice of a close friend, this time his beloved Clara Schumann, who found the work too grand in scope to be limited to two pianos, he wrote a version for piano and strings, the piano quintet Op. 34a. However Brahms still favored the version for 2 pianos, which indeed is a master piece in it's genre. The Haydn variations Op.56 were simultaneously composed for 2 pianos and for orchestra. This ever popular work is often heard in concert, and shows Brahms as the genius of the variation form, transforming the popular St Antoni Chorale into variations of great invention and different characters, from tenderness, playfulness to the joyful maestoso finale. Excellent performances by a young Italian duo, Michele Benignetti and Eleonora Spina, winners of several international chamber music competitions.

Classical Music

The reissue of a glorious recording of Bach�s sacred masterwork, the St. Matthew Passion! This performance from the 70ties brings together two of the most esteemed choirs of Germany: the Thomanerchor Leipzig and the Dresdner Kreuzchor, both with traditions going back to the times of the great Cantor Johann Sebastian. The Leipzig Gewandhausorchester and the choirs are conducted by the two brothers Mauersberger, Rudolf and Erhard, both famous for their deep understanding of the Baroque musical language. An excellent line up of soloists: Peter Schreier, Theo Adam, Hermann Christian Polter, Hans Joachim Rotsch. �Deeply moving�, the Gramophone wrote of this performance at the time of release, indeed a set to treasure as the testimony of a deeply felthistorical tradition of Bach performance.

J.S. Bach composed his St John Passion during his first winter in Leipzig, in advance of the Good Friday Vespers service of 1724. It is written for an intimate ensemble (much more modest than the scoring of his later St Matthew Passion) and was originally to be performed in the Thomaskirche, being moved to the Nikolaikirche at short notice. The music is a vivid representation of Christ's Passion as told in St John's Gospel, constructed of recitatives and choruses, with commentary in reflective chorales, ariosos and arias. The music is, by nature of the story, inherently dramatic, and tells the story of Jesus' death through the words of the Evangelist (tenor), Christ (bass) and a number of smaller roles including Pilate and Peter. Few who attended the service in the Nikolaikirche can have experienced, outside of the opera house, a work on the scale of the St John Passion, one that included such a large proportion of recitative. Today it, together with the St Matthew Passion, is regarded as a masterpiece of devout Lutheran church music, but in it's day it must have sounded radical. That being said, the chorales (or "hymns") within the work were designed to involve everyone in the performance, and these would have been familiar to the congregation (Melchior Vulpius's melody, for instance) - whether or not they ended up singing them. Some of the most affective moments of the work occur in these chorales as well as in the arias, which are remarkable for their range of expression as well as their instrumentation. Take, for instance, the poignant use of the bass viol in the accompaniment of Jesus' last words on the cross in the expressive aria 'Es ist vollbracht'. A masterpiece of expression and theatricality such as the St John Passion requires a masterful interpretation; in this recording, under the baton of Ludwig G�ttler - who shot to fame as a Baroque trumpeter - the Hallenser Madrigalisten and Virtuosi Saxoniae rise to the challenge, giving a "technically accomplished and expressive" performance (Gramophone). They are joined by acclaimed tenor Christoph Genz in the role of the Evangelist and Egbert Junghanns as Jesus. Bach's Johannes Passion may be on a smaller scale than the Matth�us Passion, it is by no means less monumental or dramatic. This reissue of a Berlin Classics recording achieves with it's relatively small ensemble and choir an intimate yet powerful performance in which the drama of Christ's suffering is presented in deeply moving arias and chorales. Played on modern instruments the Virtuosi Saxoniae under Ludwig G�ttler adhere to the principles of Historically Informed Performance Practice. The soloists include Christoph Genz, Christiane Oelze and Egbert Junghanns.

Prolific recording artist with a growing discography of over 100, often groundbreaking CDs, to his name, Brilliant Classics mainstay and promoter par excellence of Minimal Music Jeroen van Veen now finds himself and the music he champions so effectively the focus of six concurrent Brilliant Classic audiophile, 180g 33 1/2 rpm double-LP releases, amongst the label’s first forays into the re-awakened vinyl market. The six albums, each devoted to the piano works of a single composer, feature the music of Phillip Glass, Arvo Pärt, Simeon Ten Holt, Ludovico Einaudi, Yiruma and Erik Satie.

The piano is a beautiful instrument, and this special release brings together some of the most moving and romantic classics in the piano repertoire. With over two hours of this enchanting music to enjoy, sit back, relax and lose yourself in the timeless melodies of masters including Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Liszt, Mendelssohn, Scarlatti, Schubert and Schumann. Savour the tender lyricism of Liszt's famous 'Liebestraum', Debussy's elegant Arabesques and evocative 'Clair de lune', the emotional drama of some of Beethoven's best-loved Adagios for the piano, and the beguiling melodies of Schubert's Impromptus and Chopin's 'Raindrop' Prelude - to name but a few of the many wonderful moments in this collection. These captivating piano works are performed by Misha Goldstein, who has made many acclaimed recordings for Brilliant Classics.

Both works heard on this new recording by the Daniel Quartet are from Robert Schumann’s significant chamber music œuvre. + Remarkably, it was within a single year (1842), at the start of his career, that Schumann composed his three String Quartets, op.41 and the Piano Quintet, op.44; both are now considered pillars of the chamber music repertoire. + The Daniel Quartet is renowned for its performances of chamber music at major venues in the USA and across Europe. + Hungarian pianist Klára Würtz – one of Brilliant Classics’ most prolific and recognized artists – joined them for the Piano Quintet.

Every now and again a piece of music comes along that captures the public’s attention and imagination on account of the enjoyment or interest we continue to derive from it upon repeated listening, and is catapulted into the classical canon where it assumes the status of a permanent fixture. + Such is the case regarding the pieces brought together on this CD album: ‘chart-topping’ tunes that are among classical music’s most loved and celebrated works. + The set traces over 200 years of Western musical composition to present a program diverse in both style and mood and never fails to entertain.

Classical Music