It may come as a surprise but one of the leading creators of Keyboard music in the twentieth century is a composer by the name of John Cage. Cage's reputation is so deeply associated with the avantgarde, with chance music, graphic notation, performance art, technology and Zen Buddhism that is early, conventionally-notated music for percussion ensemble and keyboards is sometimes neglected. Or was until recently. In the last few years - with the advent of performances and recordings like this one - there has been a renewed appreciation of Cage's achievements in the earlier part of his creative life. Of course, Cage's keyboard music is not just keyboard music. Cage's once infamous "prepared piano" - born out of need as well as desire - is a keyboard instrument unto itself, as different from the romantic piano as that instrument is from the baroque harpsichord. But even in his "unprepared" piano music, Cage shows his individuality and distance from European tradition. This production received the quarterly German Record Critics' Award.

VERY BEST OF CHOPIN

Classical Music

4 SCHERZOS AND OTHER WORKS FOR

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Carl Stamitz's Clarinet Quartets Op. 8 and Op. 19 are amongst the earliest compositions for clarinet and string trio and document the increasing significance of the clarinet in the second half of the eighteenth century. These quartets demonstrate Stamitz's profound understanding of the instrument and also allow an illuminating insight into his idiom. With his sensitive interpretations, Arthur Campbell manages to emphasise the cantabile quality of the clarinet, which dominates all the quartets recorded on this SACD.

Arthur Campbell was born in Canada and studied at the Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, USA, where he was taught by the renowned clarinetist and pedagogue Robert Marcellus. He has won numerous international and national competitions, including the International Clarinet Competition and the National Music Festival of Canada. An internationally sought-after clarinet virtuoso, Arthur Campbell has toured throughout the USA, Canada, Europe and Asia. He regularly presents international master classes at universities, conservatoires and conventions. Arthur Campbell was appointed professor at the Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids Michigan, where he has been teaching a class of clarinet students from across the globe.

Includes work(s) for organ by César Franck. Soloist: Joris Verdin.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Complete recordings of Liszt’s organ works, containing both original works and organ arrangements, performed by Hungarian organist István Ella, who received the Liszt Award in 1999.

This set is offered at a special price: 5 discs for the price of 4.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Dobrzynski, Kilar & Lessel: Polish Chamber Music for Wind In

Some 40 years ago, following a decades-long precipitous drop in reputation and performance frequency of his once-heralded 19th c. Grand Operas, a Giacomo Meyerbeer revival or reassessment of him and these works took hold, which also arose with his other œuvre, including his 83 art songs, 25 of which are presented here by soprano Andrea Chudak and German-Kazakh pianist and conductor Andreas Schulz. With a knack for lilting melodies and the occasional rousing tune, Meyerbeer was equally at home with a fast gallop tempo, sentimental romances as well as little waltzes.

Chopin; Scriabin; Bill Evans; et al Kevin Kenner, piano Chopin Resonances

Classical Music

Despite differing stylistic and geographical backgrounds, Constantin Homilius, Gioachino Rossini, Antonio Richter, Wilhelm Albrecht Lütgen, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, and Jacques-François Gallay set their unique sound worlds dealing with the technical possibilities of the French horn of their times, thus challenging and furthering the development of it's technical standard. This kind of literature represents a great opportunity for the Leipzig Horn Quartet to once again prove it's unique and celebrated musical quality!

TOCCATA

V11: COMPLETE WORKS FOR ORGAN

Franz Danzi was an important figure in the early years of Romanticism. In his tuneful, emotionally charged and dance-like instrumental music we also meet the visionary exponent of music theatre who left a lasting mark on his pupil Carl Maria von Weber. In this album we encounter Danzi's well crafted and engaging chamber music

A product of the Mannheim School, he was extensively involved in orchestral advances in Munich, Stuttgart and Karlsruhe. In particular the two Clarinet Potpourris featured on the present CD are performed by Dieter Klöcker and his colleagues with a virtuoso delight in the composer's melodic vein, which ranges from songlike simplicity to elaborate examples of variation form. Danzi reveals himself as a true master in his two Septets which explore a wide expressive range between strings and winds and between dance-like rhythms and lively hunting fanfares. In recording these works the Consortium Classicum render outstanding service to a composer whose works are unjustly neglected but deserve to be far better known.