Behzod Abduraimov's performances combine great musical depth with phenomenal technique: 'He has a magical touch,' wrote The Times. This recital is yet another illustration of his many talents: it begins with variations by Carl Czerny, a pupil of Beethoven and a teacher of Liszt. Next, the famous Apr�s une lecture de Dante (whose title is borrowed from a poem by Victor Hugo) represents Liszt's Ann�e de p�lerinage en Italie (1846-1849). The title is borrowed from a poem by Victor Hugo... Another era, another poetic inspiration (Verlaine), with the Suite Bergamasque, an allusion to the festivals of the Lombard commedia dell'arte, which Debussy composed between 1890 and 1905... Still celebrating, this time in Saint Petersburg, with 'it's crowds, it's shacks and it's small traditional theatre, the character of the magician and conjurer... and the animation of the dolls, Petrushka, his rival, and the ballerina', notes Stravinsky, who in 1921 wrote a piano transcription of his ballet Petrushka, composed ten years earlier. Brahms and a peaceful Intermezzo from his Klavierst�cke Op. 119 conclude this infernal programme.

Zarzuela Viva is a vibrant, direct, and deeply engaging celebration of Spain's most beloved lyric genre. This album brings together a carefully curated selection of the most popular and instantly recognisable zarzuela numbers, designed to connect immediately with a wide audience while fully preserving artistic and musical excellence. Under the direction of Alejandro Mu�oz, the C�rdoba Orchestra and the C�rdoba Opera Chorus deliver a performance full of energy, colour, and stylistic authenticity. They are joined by two highly charismatic soloists, soprano Luc�a Tavira and baritone Javier Povedano, whose voices add warmth, expressiveness, and brilliance to each piece. The programme spans zarzuela's golden age, from the late nineteenth century to the early decades of the twentieth, featuring romanzas, choruses, and orchestral interludes that form part of Spain's collective musical memory. Love, humour, passion, jealousy, and popular life unfold in a lively and accessible recording, ideal both for seasoned listeners and for newcomers discovering zarzuela for the first time. Zarzuela Viva is not only a tribute to this national genre, but also an invitation to enjoy it today with freshness, rhythmic vitality, and genuine emotion-making this album an especially attractive and highly commercial title for a broad international audience.

Curiosa is conceived as a personal "cabinet of curiosities" by violinist Jorge Jim�nez, bringing together music that entered his life through years of travel, collaboration, and discovery. The album spans laments, dances, preludes, fugues, and songs from both renowned and anonymous sources, ranging from the Middle Ages to the Baroque and beyond. Each piece is selected for it's emotional depth, strangeness, and expressive power, forming a living repertoire shaped in rehearsals, late-night conversations, concerts, and recording sessions. Central to the project is Jim�nez's fascination with unaccompanied music and historical instruments, particularly the baroque violin and vielle, whose raw and earthy sound transports the listener into earlier sound worlds. Throughout Curiosa, Jim�nez weaves together personal heritage, musical memory, and imaginative storytelling. His own arrangements connect Bach, Dowland, Strozzi, Gaspar Sanz, and traditional tunes with vivid images. Joined by Joy Smith on early harps and Daniel Garay on historical percussion, and performing with his ensemble Tercia Realidad, Jim�nez blends historical insight with spontaneity and improvisation. The result is an album that feels both intimate and expansive-music passed "between hands, ears, and hearts," constantly transforming while remaining deeply rooted in shared curiosity and human connection. Jorge Jim�nez: "These pieces entered my life through the extraordinary musicians and ensembles I've been fortunate to work with across Europe. They form a living repertoire shaped in rehearsal rooms, late-night conversations, recording sessions, and concerts."

The album features a sonata written especially for Arto Noras, one of today's greatest cellists, presented as a gift for his 80th birthday. The violin sonata is likewise dedicated to it's performer-an exceptional Korean violinist held in high esteem by Krzysztof Penderecki, Ryu's mentor and artistic patron. The Korean composer's music speaks in a highly personal voice, blending echoes of Romanticism and Impressionism. Together, these two works invite listeners to savor the sheer beauty of sound and the dazzling virtuosity that define the artistry of all four performers.

This two-disc album brings together archival recordings of works composed over a span of 43 years. Performed by outstanding artists, the collection invites listeners on a journey through the stylistic transformations of 20th- and 21st-century music as reflected in the output of one of Poland's most eminent composers-from early avant-garde, sonoristic experiments to a deeply personal renewal of traditional musical languages. Excerpts from symphonies, chamber works, piano and cello concertos, and songs offer just a glimpse into a rich creative legacy, in which refined form becomes a powerful vehicle for emotional expression.

French Cello Sonatas, Vol. 4 - Magnard & Vierne

Black Mountain features original compositions by Alexej Gerassimez and Gordon Hamilton, who also conducts this recording with the NDR Radiophilharmonie. The program explores the dynamic interplay between orchestral sound and percussion, with a highlight being the work Leviathan by John Psathas-a powerful composition for percussion and orchestra, written specifically for Alexej Gerassimez.

Since relaunching Sinfonia of London in 2018, John Wilson's hand-picked orchestra has attracted the highest critical acclaim from both national and international press, performed at the BBC Proms every year since 2021 (their live d�but), and made their international d�but at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam in 2025. Regularly touring in the UK, they have also released 25 albums (this is the 26th), covering a wide range of repertoire, including works by Korngold, Respighi, Ravel, Strauss, Rachmaninoff, Britten, Walton, Bliss, and Rodgers & Hammerstein. The album opens with Dukas' The Sorcerer's Apprentice, followed by Debussy's Clair de lune (orchestrated by John Wilson). Chabrier's Joyeuse Marche and Ravel's Une Barque sur l'oc�an (orchestrated by their composers) are followed by Saint-Sa�ns' symphonic poem Danse macabre. The programme ends with all of the movements from Bizet's two Carmen Suites, but in John Wilson's preferred order!

With this new recording, Fernando de Luca fills a significant gap in the catalogue of French Baroque music. While sonatas of Tapray have been recorded on a modern piano, there is no recording of them on the harpsichord; all the more significant because Tapray stands as a pivotal figure in the history of French keyboard music, positioned at the crossroads between the harpsichord and the fortepiano. Born in 1738, Jean-Fran�ois Tapray worked in Paris, Besan�on, and elsewhere as an organist, until ill health forced his retirement in 1786. However, he continued to compose, at least until the turn of the century, and died in 1822. From 1773 onwards, he had embraced the new technology of the fortepiano and published a Keyboard Method (Op. 25) for the instrument. All the same, he continued to write specifically for the harpsichord too, such as a Symphony Op. 12 for harpsichord and orchestra, from 1780. Thus his works, such as the sonatas presented here, reflect both the culmination and the last flowering of the harpsichord tradition in France. The Variations on Les Sauvages is often cited as one of the last great virtuoso works for the harpsichord in France. Tapray's piece is both a transcription and a reworking of a famous air by Rameau, taken from his op�ra-ballet Les Indes galantes (1735). The four variations embrace a diverse array of styles, from the cascades of the modern galant style to the unstable rhythms of the French Baroque, and finally a synthesis of both German and Italian style in the last variation. In this sense, the Variations do not so much look back on the Baroque era as absorb it's style within a rapidly evolving culture. The sonatas, likewise, capture a galant aesthetic with their alternation between spirited Allegro movements, graceful airs, and highly stylized dances. For this recording, Fernando de Luca has chosen a harpsichord modelled after a Blanchet instrument of 1754, facilitating a precise articulation, expressive touch, and dynamic responsiveness well-suited to Tapray's music.

Freedom is a deeply atmospheric ambient harp album, exploring the instrument's natural resonance and spacious textures. It blends acoustic purity with subtle electronics, creating soundscapes of stillness, openness, and release. The album reflects on themes of inner peace, letting go, and the search for personal and artistic authenticity. Margaret Hermant, known from Echo Collective, brings her unique sensitivity for tone, layering, and emotion into a solo context.

Mort au Printemps is a compelling journey through some of the most powerful musical visions of death from the early twentieth century, explored through the intense and versatile language of the piano duo. In this album, the Anton & Maite Piano Duo bring together three works that are deeply connected by aesthetic affinities, personal links between their composers, and a shared creative response to the tragic. At the heart of the programme lies Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, presented in the composer's own four-hand piano transcription. Far from being a reduction, this version retains all the work's primal energy, revealing with striking clarity it's rhythmic drive, structural ingenuity, and ritualistic character rooted in archaic and ancestral imagery. Alongside it stands El D�a y la Muerte by Fernando Remacha, a two-piano work that remained hidden for decades. Inspired by the tragic death of the composer's grandson, the piece unfolds in a sombre, deeply moving musical language situated between Impressionism and Expressionism, marked by tension, dark colours, and emotional intensity. The album is completed by Claude Debussy's en blanc et noir, one of the most distinctive works of his final period, permeated by the oppressive atmosphere of World War I despite the composer's reluctance to make explicit references. Mort au Printemps powerfully reclaims the expressive depth of the piano duo repertoire, offering a recording of exceptional intensity, precision, and artistic vision.

Freedom is a deeply atmospheric ambient harp album, exploring the instrument's natural resonance and spacious textures. It blends acoustic purity with subtle electronics, creating soundscapes of stillness, openness, and release. The album reflects on themes of inner peace, letting go, and the search for personal and artistic authenticity. Margaret Hermant, known from Echo Collective, brings her unique sensitivity for tone, layering, and emotion into a solo context.

Bruckner 5 for Organ "Bruckner is most enthusiastic about the instruments built by Cavaill�-Coll. This enthusiasm is something I share without reservation. The impressively monumental sound, the vast colour spectrum and diversity of the stops and, what is more, the simply unlimited qualities of sound that distinguish the Cavaill�-Coll organs - all this enthralled Anton Bruckner then, and it is these same characteristics that fascinate me now. When you play on such an instrument, you revive the sound world of the 19th century." Gerd Schaller

Bach's 15 two-part Inventions and the 15 three-part Sinfonias played an important role in Bach's teaching. These pieces, although today mainly associated with basic keyboard training, are not at all easy and in fact are sophisticated, small-scale masterpieces. They were not composed simply to provide technical training in keyboard playing but, perhaps more important, to teach keyboard players how to compose. In 1720, Bach's oldest son Wilhelm Friedemann (1710-84) was already of an age appropriate for introducing him into the family trade of musician. So Bach started for him a music notebook: a Clavierb�chlein which included these Inventions and Sinfonias. In learning and playing these works, Bach affirmed, a diligent student would be taught "a clear manner for playing not only in two voices but also in three obbligato parts and, furthermore, not only how to invent good musical ideas [inventiones] but also how to develop these well. And above all, how to achieve a cantabile manner of playing, and additionally to obtain a strong foretaste of Composition. " Wolfgang R�bsam is internationally known as an authoritative Bach interpreter, from recordings of the organ and harpsichord on several different labels. This new recording is played on a lute-harpsichord, an instrument that Bach would have had at home for both music-making in the family and for teaching. The touch required and the sonority produced is delicate, subtly shaded, and closely related in it's effect to the music of Bach's French contemporaries, whose music he knew well, such as Fran�ois Couperin, Jean-Philippe Rameau, and Louis Marchand. The sound is warmer, as it has gut strings and no dampers. "These lovely performances memorably showcase R�bsam's sensitive and poetic side. Recommended. Performance: 9," wrote Jed Distler of ClassicsToday. Com about the earlier issue of R�bsam's recording of Bach's French Suites (BC 96227).

Kirnberger Symphoes: World Premiere Recordings "His early acquaintance with the great school of Sebastian Bach, as well as his perspicacity, which enabled him to discover at an early stage the depth and incalculable richness in the works of this great master, unfathomable to so many others, and which had endeared him to this school, an institution which also demanded high precision and refinement in it's practice, something far more difficult to achieve than the glittering lustre of more recently founded schools, as well as for the harmonic part of the art, which it's master fathomed and exhausted as no one before him had ever done, all the more passionately and exclusively, since nature seemed to have denied him the delicate feeling for melodic beauty." - AMZ III, December 1800, p. 506

E. T. A. Hoffmann is rightly regarded as one of the great writers of German Romanticism, rather than as one of the major composers of the period. Nevertheless, the trained jurist and later Prussian judge repeatedly sought to earn his living as a composer and conductor, since he considered music to be the most romantic-and therefore the highest-of all the arts. That he was thoroughly versed in the craft of composition is evident from the more than seventy works he wrote in almost every musical genre.

This album brings together three landmark works for string orchestra from the 20th century by B�la Bart�k, Paul Hindemith, and Manuel Castillo, performed by Camerata Gala under the direction of Alejandro Mu�oz. The programme offers a compelling and well-balanced journey through three highly individual and stylistically "unclassifiable" voices, each representing a distinct historical and aesthetic context while remaining firmly outside rigid compositional schools. Bart�k's Divertimento for Strings, one of his last works composed in Europe, blends neoclassical clarity with the rhythmic vitality and modal language of Hungarian folk music, resulting in a score of striking energy, expressive depth, and technical brilliance. Hindemith's F�nf St�cke, Op. 44 No. 4, written within the framework of Gebrauchsmusik, stands out for it's formal precision, contrapuntal craftsmanship, and pedagogical intent, while maintaining a strong and unmistakable musical personality. The programme concludes with Cuatro cuadros de Murillo by Manuel Castillo, a work of profound spirituality and refined orchestral colour, inspired by the religious iconography of the Sevillian painter and a cornerstone of the Spanish repertoire for string orchestra. Recorded at the Auditorio del Rectorado of the University of C�rdoba, this release presents a thoughtfully curated programme of major interest to general audiences, specialists, programmers, and advocates of 20th-century string repertoire.

A vibrant collection of chamber works spanning different periods of Alberto Ginastera's career, written for piano with strings or voice. Rooted in the rhythms and colors of traditional Argentine music yet infused with the bold spirit of cosmopolitan modernism, these pieces strike a compelling balance between heritage and innovation. Inspired by the lifelong passion of acclaimed Krak�w pianist Andrzej Pikul for Argentina's most celebrated composer, this album highlights the expressive range, technical brilliance, and imaginative power of Ginastera's music, offering each performer a chance to shine with virtuosity and creative flair.

This program, dedicated to the melodies of Ernest Chausson (1855-1899), celebrates the music of this worthy representative of the French m�lodie style. Cyril ACHARD (guitar and adaptations) and Kevin Norwood (vocals), two musicians with diverse influences (jazz, classical, early music, etc.), share a predilection for musical expression in it's purest and most unadorned form. Their passion for the beautiful melodies and harmonic soaring characteristic of this bygone musical movement led them to pay tribute to the most enigmatic and misunderstood of all "melodists." As jazz musicians who practice improvisation and readily engage in reinterpretation, they find this program an ideal playground. The unique character of this duo is based on a work of adaptation, even "reinvention" in places, interspersed with improvised sections, allowing the listener to oscillate between two musical universes. Nostalgie du Ciel offers a unique take on the composer's melodies through this original arrangement for guitar and vocals. The album, recorded in an Alpine church, strives to recreate the natural acoustics of the setting, allowing the listener to perceive the sound as it was generated at the source.

Encounter brings together two towering works of contemporary chamber music that speak across cultures, histories, and inner worlds. Osvaldo Golijov's The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind and Peteris Vasks' String Quartet No. 6 arise from profoundly different traditions-Jewish mysticism and Baltic spirituality-yet meet in a shared search for truth, memory, and transcendence. Both works are intensely personal, rooted in lived experience and belief, and animated by music's power to give voice to what lies beyond words: longing, suffering, hope, and illumination. In this recording, these worlds do not merely coexist; they listen to, reflect, and transform one another. Performed by the Arethusa Quartet with clarinetist Chen Halevi, Encounter is also a meeting of artistic journeys. Golijov's ecstatic, ritual-like score unfolds as a spiritual ascent through dreams, prayers, and blindness-understood as deeper inner vision-while Vasks' Sixth Quartet traces a life's arc from farewell and remembrance to a final, hushed encounter with transcendence, illuminated by echoes of Beethoven. Across both works, vulnerability and intensity are balanced by stillness and song, darkness by light. What emerges is an album that feels at once intimate and universal: an affirmation of shared humanity, and a reminder of music's enduring ability to connect past and present, earth and spirit, performer and listener. = Curiosa is conceived as a personal "cabinet of curiosities" by violinist Jorge Jim�nez, bringing together music that entered his life through years of travel, collaboration, and discovery. The album spans laments, dances, preludes, fugues, and songs from both renowned and anonymous sources, ranging from the Middle Ages to the Baroque and beyond. Each piece is selected for it's emotional depth, strangeness, and expressive power, forming a living repertoire shaped in rehearsals, late-night conversations, concerts, and recording sessions. Central to the project is Jim�nez's fascination with unaccompanied music and historical instruments, particularly the baroque violin and vielle, whose raw and earthy sound transports the listener into earlier sound worlds. Throughout Curiosa, Jim�nez weaves together personal heritage, musical memory, and imaginative storytelling. His own arrangements connect Bach, Dowland, Strozzi, Gaspar Sanz, and traditional tunes with vivid images. Joined by Joy Smith on early harps and Daniel Garay on historical percussion, and performing with his ensemble Tercia Realidad, Jim�nez blends historical insight with spontaneity and improvisation. The result is an album that feels both intimate and expansive-music passed "between hands, ears, and hearts," constantly transforming while remaining deeply rooted in shared curiosity and human connection. Jorge Jim�nez: "These pieces entered my life through the extraordinary musicians and ensembles I've been fortunate to work with across Europe. They form a living repertoire shaped in rehearsal rooms, late-night conversations, recording sessions, and concerts." = During the darkest of the lockdowns, I took my daughter to an open field near our home. In a time when the world felt shuttered and small, walking was our only escape from the suffocating stillness. As we reached the field, a sudden sensation washed over me-a quiet awakening. It wasn't just the spring breeze or the scent of the grass; it was a sudden reminder of what being alive meant. I felt I had been touched by Zephyr, the Greek god of the west wind, sparking a renewed wish to create and perform for the world once more. Liberte�: A piece exploring and searching for emotional freedom. Zephyr: Named after the gentle west wind, this track served as the primary source of inspiration for the entire album. Fushigi no Kuni: Translating to "Wonderland" in Japanese, this piece was inspired by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland written by Lewis Carroll. A Troubadour in the Moonlight: A composition and improvisation depicting a minstrel serenading a loved one beneath the moon. For Misato: A heartfelt dedication to Misato-san, my dear friend who departed too young. The five songs above are composed by Yukari. Eurus, Suibokuga, Pandora's Box, Don't Follow the Piper, and Au cr�puscule are collective improvisations. = "We can imagine some eyebrows being raised at the description of Dora Pejacevic as a contemporary of Brahms; the two composers were born more than fifty years apart, and their lives only overlapped by twelve years. Yet both works by Pejacevic are unmistakably from the same compositional lineage as that by Brahms; and both are works written early on in Pejacevic's remarkable (and, sadly, all-too-short) life. Both pieces belong clearly to the romantic tradition, displaying no hint of the more modernist directions which her later works would take. We were immediately intoxicated by the passionate sweep of Pejacevic's Piano Quartet, but also the tenderness of it's slow movement, and felt it would make the perfect bedfellow for the First Piano Quartet of Brahms, a piece to which Tom has felt particularly close since student days. Brahms's Piano Quartet is justly one of the best-loved of all chamber works, and few works are more exhilarating to perform: the first movement offers an abundance of glorious themes; the second takes us to a mysterious dreamworld; the third luxuriates in expansive lyricism; then the fiery virtuosity of the gypsy finale sends us headlong to the finish line. This album brings us to the end of our recorded journey through Brahms's three piano quartets, and it has been the greatest privilege and joy to record these works, alongside three major piano quartets by composers who deserve to be far better known. However, we are pleased to say that the series does not end here: looking beyond the piano quartets, we have further albums in preparation, pairing Brahms with his brilliant and lesser-played contemporaries." -Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective

Alessandro Longo (1864-1945) was an influential Italian composer, pianist, and musicologist whose legacy is often linked to his scholarly editions of Domenico Scarlatti's keyboard works. Yet his own compositions reveal a refined musical voice shaped by late-Romantic lyricism, classical balance, and Italian melodic elegance. Central to Longo's style is a clear, singing melodic line, often entrusted to the violin while the piano provides a harmonically rich and supportive texture. His works frequently employ a warm tonal language, with occasional excursions into modal or chromatic inflections that reflect the broader European trends of his time. Rather than pursuing virtuosic display for it's own sake, Longo typically emphasizes expressive nuance and poised interaction between the two instruments. Among his most representative compositions for this ensemble are his character pieces and salon-style works, which combine lyrical charm with formal clarity. These include graceful miniatures such as the Romanza, shaped by a cantabile violin line and elegantly crafted accompaniment. In these pieces, Longo demonstrates his gift for shaping compact musical forms that evoke atmosphere and emotional depth without excess. His more expansive works-such as the larger-scale multi-movement suites-display a broader architectural sense, often organizing thematic materials through subtle variation and motivic development. Played by the Gran Duo Italiano, Mauro Tortorelli (violin) and Angela Meluso (piano), whose previous recordings for Brilliant Classics (Saint-Sa�ns, Milhaud, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Scalero, Santoliquido, Caetani, Fano) were highly praised in the international press. "Tortorelli is equally impressive on viola and on violin... On both instruments he spins a flawless, silky line with perfect intonation." (Fanfare, May 2017 - Milhaud). "This release is not just for violinists and lovers of violin music; it's for everyone. Urgently recommended." (Fanfare, July 2021 - Scalero), "Sympathetic performance... employing many idiomatic (at least to the period) expressive devices." (Fanfare, May 2015 - Saint-Sa�ns)

Shostakovich's Sixth and Ninth Symphonies stand as sharply contrasting yet deeply connected reflections of a century scarred by violence, fear, and forced optimism. The Sixth Symphony, composed in 1939 at the height of Stalin's Great Terror, opens with a vast, searing Largo that unfolds like a requiem for a silenced society-mourning lost friends, broken lives, and collective suffering. It's bleak introspection is followed by movements of icy detachment and grotesque parody, where frantic energy and empty cheer mask a profound spiritual void. Through this unsettling trajectory, Shostakovich speaks with "secret freedom," revealing a truth that words could not safely express: a tragic meditation on human dignity under oppression. Written in 1945, the Ninth Symphony defies expectations of monumental victory music. Instead of triumphal bombast, Shostakovich offers a compact, ironic, and life-affirming work, brimming with wit, clarity, and subtle defiance. Beneath it's Haydnesque lightness and carnival spirit linger shadows of war, grief, and memory-solemn brass rituals, elegiac melodies, and moments of fragile reflection. In this recording, the Jan�cek Philharmonic Orchestra and Daniel Raiskin illuminate the symphonies' dual nature: tragedy entwined with irony, joy haunted by loss. Together, these works form a powerful portrait of resilience, humanity, and artistic truth in the face of history's darkest pressures.

A first-ever complete recording for collections of Baroque chamber music which capture the elegance, formality, and lively culture of London in the 1710s. London in the early 18th century was a city animated by music: Italian opera dominated the newly built theatres, French-style dances brought refinement to the salons, and the English cathedral tradition had fully adapted to a native style of text setting. It was from within this vibrant soundscape that William Babell (c. 1690-1723) emerged-an English musician of remarkable versatility, whose keyboard brilliance and expressive chamber works captured the spirit of his place and time. Babell's first teacher was his father, a bassoonist in the orchestra of the Drury Lane Theatre. He rapidly followed in his father's footsteps, playing in the private band of King George I, and was appointed organist of All Hallows, Bread Street, a position he held until his untimely death. His reputation as a keyboard virtuoso was widespread; Johann Mattheson extolled his organ playing as even superior to Handel's. As for his own music, it's principal surviving remnants are these two collections of sonatas dating from 1716 and 1720. They were conceived for oboe or violin with continuo; the musicians of Cappella Musicale Enrico Stuart have taken a fairly liberal approach, by sharing the melody part in the different sonatas between violin, flute, and oboe, which are supported by a rich continuo group of bassoon, cello, and harpsichord or organ. Not the least attractive aspect of this solution is it's variety across the sequence of 24 sonatas. The influence of Arcangelo Corelli-the Roman violinist-composer whose Op. 5 sonatas (published in 1700) shaped much of 18th-century chamber style across Europe-is evident in Babell's approach. Babell's sonata structure-especially the slow-fast alternation, proportions of movements, and rhythmic gesture-bears the stamp of this Corellian model, though with English lightness and a flair for ornamentation. This arrangement not only showcases the instrumental diversity at the heart of the two volumes of sonatas, but also evokes the experience of an 18th-century London salon, where violin, oboe, and flute might seamlessly succeed one another in an evening of chamber music.

This second volume of Johannes Brahms: Complete Works for Viola continues Mikhail Zemtsov's deeply personal exploration of Brahms's late chamber masterpieces, heard through the warm, human voice of the viola. Centered on works originally inspired by clarinetist Richard M�hlfeld, this album reimagines the Trio Op. 114, Quintet Op. 115, Zwei Ges�nge Op. 91, and the Scherzo from the FAE Sonata from a new sonic perspective-one that reveals an intimate, unified string sonority and an expressive depth uniquely suited to the viola. Particularly striking is Brahms's instinctive use of the viola's lowest register, drawing the listener immediately into a world of introspection, tenderness, and inward poetry. More than a scholarly project, this recording is a heartfelt artistic statement, born from Zemtsov's conviction that the viola holds a special affinity with Brahms's musical language. By pairing the instrument with kindred voices-strings, piano, and the human voice-the album invites listeners to rediscover these iconic works as profoundly vocal, homogenous, and emotionally resonant creations. As the second chapter (Volume 2) in a complete cycle commemorating Brahms's legacy, this release offers not just an alternative version of familiar masterpieces, but a compelling re-illumination of their inner soul.

Vincenzo Maltempo's considerable catalogue of recordings for Piano Classics includes a much-admired set of the two concertos by Brahms. According to Fanfare, 'Maltempo... plays with commanding technique, grand gestural sweep throughout, and real tonal bloom.' For this second volume of the composer's solo output for the piano, Maltempo has devised a compelling journey for the listener, from the noble and often heroic profile of the Ballades Op. 10 to the late and distilled collections Opp. 116-119, taking in en route the Variations on an Original Theme Op. 21 No. 1 and the eight Klavierst�cke Op. 76. In his performances, Maltempo brings out this stylistic evolution of both piano-writing and harmony, enabling us to appreciate for ourselves the degree to which Brahms continually challenged himself to enrich and experiment with his style, as well as ruthlessly exercising on himself the red pen and the sharp ear which made him so shrewd a critic of fellow composers. The scholar Denis Matthews identified three phases, or styles, in Brahms, not necessarily equating to the conventional division of early, middle, and late: the architectural, contrapuntal, and lyrical. On the surface, beyond a more intense chromaticism and openness to dissonance, there is relatively little to separate the Ballades from the late works. Much the least-often heard piece in this collection is the Variations Op. 21, and the teasing ingenuity of Brahms's treatment of his theme - initially quiet and introspective - is based on a rigorous exploration of contrapuntal possibilities. The Variations date from a period immediately after his fateful meeting with Robert and Clara Schumann in Dusseldorf, when he found himself stretched to live up to the Schumanns' extravagant praise of him as the pre-eminent successor to Beethoven. They and others were captivated by the composer's own mastery of his instrument as a performer, too, and the Op. 21 Variations show Brahms moving on from the extrovert keyboard lionism of works such as the First Concerto while still using the variation principle to celebrate virtuosity as both a composer and a pianist.