On the 1710 Stradivarius known as the "Vieuxtemps, Hauser", violinist Ning Feng plays two monumental Russian violin concertos with the Bochum Symphony Orchestra conducted by Tung-Chieh Chuang. In the First Violin Concertos of Prokofiev and Shostakovich, the soloist is confronted with technical acrobatics and many contrasting moods, all of which Ning Feng navigates expertly and interprets in such a way that "the more you listen, the more you want to listen", as Gramophone put it.

Paolo Giacometti presents the complete piano music of Gioachino Rossini, originally released as eight albums on Channel Classics between 1998-2007. Rossini's Peches de vieillesse, a collection of pieces largely for piano, from which the pieces recorded here were sourced, were composed in the final decade of his life, entirely for his own amusement and for those of the guests who flocked to his famous samedis soirs . These works showcase the ageing composer, who in his final happy years can look back on a full life, a man with a razor-sharp sense of humour, never pedantic and always ready with a wink. Typified by their great diversity, they are the expressions of an exceptional talent who had broken free of musical dogma: ironic, meditative, personal, and unafraid of disapproval or self-deprecation.

Robert Schumann called Mendelssohn the Mozart of the 19th century given his mastery of both the keyboard and composition at such an early age. On "Wunderkind Felix" conductor Patrick van der Linden and Ars Musica pay tribute to the precocious work of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy with this album of pieces the young master wrote between the ages of 14 and 19. Ars Musica presents a reorchestration of the 1st Symphony for chamber orchestra which explores the flexible orchestral settings of Mendelssohn's youthful compositions. This is paired with the equally youthful String Symphony No.10 and his Kyrie, which is performed by the Ars Musica Chorus and Orchestra. Soprano Nanette Mans and the Ars Musica Chorus join the orchestra to perform the Cantata 'Wer nur den lieben Gott lasst walten' and his setting of Ave maris stella, both written in 1828 when he was a mere 19 years old.

Anna Fedorova explores the Intrigues of the Darkness in these programmatic and extremely virtuosic works for solo piano. The journey from darkness to light begins with Scriabin's terrifying "Black Mass" Sonata. The work represents a satanic ritual that is possessed by the spectre of the Mephistophelian Liszt. de Falla's Suite from El Amor brujo conjures a mysterious world, full of magic, rituals and ghost visitations. Ravel described his Gaspard de la nuit as "romantic and of transcendent virtuosity". These highly evocative pieces are based on Aloysius Bertrand's prose poems depicting scenes of a hanged man sighing on the gallows and a devilish dwarf. Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition portrays many scenes of darkness but emerges into light with the Great Gate of Kiev, in which triumphant episodes alternate with moments of religious contemplation.

"Flutist Ashley Solomon and Florilegium continue the Spohr Collection project with Volume 3. Ashley plays nine original exquisite 18th century flutes from Peter Spohr’s private collection, which can now be heard around the world for the first time. They are made from various materials including solid ivory, ebony and ivory, and boxwood and ivory. These historical instruments possess a beautiful and unique sound, making them most desirable to play.

This new recording explores repertoire from Italy, Germany and England written by composers including Vivaldi, Mozart, Clagget and Locatelli. Each work matches historically and geographically with the flute Ashley plays. Soprano Rowan Pierce joins them for two songs by Chilcot and Lampe."

Dutch violinist Niek Baar joins the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie under the direction of Christoph Poppen to perform two classic violin concertos from the mid-19th century: Robert Schumann's Violin Concerto in D minor and Max Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor. Both of these violin concertos were written for the legendary Joseph Joachim, who had a hand in shaping the final form of both pieces, although ultimately his changes to the Schumann were rejected by the composer. The highly original, introverted and melancholic concerto is a moving self-portrait of the 43-year-old Schumann a few years before his death, and Bruch's No. 1 is one of the most beloved concertos of the entire repertoire.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

2013 marks the centenary of the birth of composer Benjamin Britten, and this fascinating collection from Channel Classics features a selection of works that demonstrate perfectly his brilliant manner of writing for string orchestra, unique treatment of text and rich palette of musical colors. Amsterdam Sinfonietta, led by Candida Thompson, are joined by soprano Barbara Hannigan, tenor James Gilchrist and horn soloist Jasper de Waal in a program that includes Les Illuminations, the Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, the Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge and the rarely-heard Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal. Recorded in high-resolution surround-sound, this disc presents Britten's music in the finest audio quality available.

Since the release of her spectacular set of Vivaldi's La Stravaganza concertos back in 2003, Rachel Podger's recording agenda has been focused on music by Mozart and Bach. This release of the La Cetra concertos marks her very welcome return to music by Venetian maestro, a composer with whom the violinist has a clear affinity. As with La Stravaganza, there are many jewels in this set, some of which place even higher technical demands on the soloist. Several of the concertos also include fascinating and exotic experimental effects. Podger is supported here by the young and energetic Holland Baroque Society, whose innovative performance style and keen scholarship makes them a perfect partner in this repertoire. Bringing together some of Vivaldi's best music, played by some of the world's finest performers, this Channel Classics disc offers listeners a joyful, energetic and inspiring musical experience.

Classical Music

Classical Music