An album dedicated to Johann Sebastian Bach piano solo, follows Alexandre Tharaud's very original Four Hands project. The protean French pianist brings a programme concentrating on Bach on the piano - in this instance mostly in his own transcriptions such as the Lute Suite BWV 996, the Johannes-Passion BWV 245 and many others. The album also features a few Bach HITS: Sicilienne BWV 1031, the famous Bach/Gounod Ave Maria and the Adagio from the Keyboard Concerto BWV 974, after Alessandro Marcello Adagio.

#LetsBaRock is the new surprising, artistic project by Jakub J�zef Orlinski and Aleksander Debicz, the artists created "cover-versions" of baroque pieces, anchoring them in the 21st century. Aleksander Debicz gives an example: "In our version, Baroque pieces sound decidedly modern but retain their character, even if we've shifted some accents. For instance "Oblivion" based on "Oblivion soave" from Monteverdi's L'Incoronazione di Poppea, remains a sort of lullaby, yet in our version, it has the qualities of a trance-like, dreamlike club track." Repertoire features well-loved pieces from Purcell, Monteverdi, Vivaldi and Handel.

An album dedicated to Johann Sebastian Bach piano solo, follows Alexandre Tharaud's very original Four Hands project. The protean French pianist brings a programme concentrating on Bach on the piano - in this instance mostly in his own transcriptions such as the Lute Suite BWV 996, the Johannes-Passion BWV 245 and many others. The album also features a few Bach HITS: Sicilienne BWV 1031, the famous Bach/Gounod Ave Maria and the Adagio from the Keyboard Concerto BWV 974, after Alessandro Marcello Adagio.

#LetsBaRock is the new surprising, artistic project by Jakub J�zef Orlinski and Aleksander Debicz, the artists created "cover-versions" of baroque pieces, anchoring them in the 21st century. Aleksander Debicz gives an example: "In our version, Baroque pieces sound decidedly modern but retain their character, even if we've shifted some accents. For instance "Oblivion" based on "Oblivion soave" from Monteverdi's L'Incoronazione di Poppea, remains a sort of lullaby, yet in our version, it has the qualities of a trance-like, dreamlike club track." Repertoire features well-loved pieces from Purcell, Monteverdi, Vivaldi and Handel.

Deluxe edition includes five additional tracks. 2015 release, the fourth studio album by Canada's multi-platinum, Juno Award-winning vocal group. Under One Sky is a 13-track album that combines a mix of originals with new interpretations of familiar favorites. Highlighting their signature blend of classical and contemporary pop, the record includes the popular hits "Lean On Me" (Bill Withers) and "Who Wants To Live Forever" (Queen) as well as the soaring original title track "Under One Sky" and the inspirational "New Day's Begun". The foursome dedicates the classic Joe Cocker track "You Are So Beautiful" to their mothers and all mothers around the world, while "My Father's Son" pays universal homage to dads. Collaborating with The Tenors on Under One Sky are Grammy-Award winning producer David Foster (Michael Bubl�, Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli), renowned producer Bob Ezrin (Kiss, Pink Floyd, Johnny Reid, Alice Cooper) and Grammy Award-winning producer Keith Thomas (Gladys Knight, Blake Shelton). Over the past several years, The Tenors have been selling out concerts across Canada, the U.S. and UK while performing over 500 live shows on five continents.

2023 release. Grammy-winning composer Eric Whitacre releases a new album with world-renowned VOCES8 - his 'dream vocal group' - for the first time. With Eric conducting throughout, it includes a world premiere recording of his new piece, All Seems Beautiful to Me, as well as a new recording of one of his most popular pieces - The Seal Lullaby. The album also features the 12-movement cantata, The Sacred Veil, with text by Eric's long-time friend and collaborator, Charles Anthony (Tony) Silvestri.

Cecilia Bartoli - "Casta Diva" / A new collection of Cecilia Bartoli's finest recordings, including two unreleased arias from Handel's Alcina. Featuring beloved arias and duets stretching from Handel and Porpora, through Gluck and Mozart, to the Three Kings of 19th-century Italian song: Rossini, Bellini and Donizetti. Featuring guest appearances from Sir Bryn Terfel, Alessandro Corbelli, Sumi Jo, Juan Diego Florez and Luciano Pavarotti.

An unrivalled and towering figure on stage and in the studio, Jessye Norman was unquestionably one of the exceptional sopranos of all time. Decca Classics proudly presents a collection of six unreleased Philips recordings of works by Britten, Haydn, Berlioz, R. Strauss & Wagner.

'I Will Breathe a Mountain' is a new cycle of songs from William Bolcom, written for Marilyn Horne as part of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of Carnegie Hall. Bolcom sets eleven poems by eleven women, including Emily Dickinson and Elizabeth Bishop, in a variety of styles ranging from ragtime and cabaret oriented numbers to straightforward art songs. The result is impressive and is minutely tailored to Horne's particular vocal and interpretive strengths.
Horne has always been a distinguished interpreter of Bernstein. Here she sings excerpts from his theater and concert works to great effect, including the number from 'Songfest' intended for her as well as a song from the elusive '1600 Pennsylvania Avenue,' his final musical. Although recorded a bit late in the singer's career, it is good to have Horne's thoughts on the music of Samuel Barber. The songs are among the most beautiful of American art songs. This is an important addition to the legacy of recorded American song.

For this box, ALTO has compiled ten albums by as many outstanding pianists of the 20th century. These include both exemplary recordings and new compilations by ALTO as well as live recordings from the catalogs of the great labels. The entire 20th century is covered from Artur Schnabel and Artur Rubinstein to Marta Argerich with works by composers they were highly celbrated for. The interested enthusiast doesn't get a random grab bag here, but rather a well-thought-out program that also impresses connoisseurs. 10 Giants of the Keyboard: Marta Argerich; Chopin, Brahms, Liszt, Ravel, Prokofiev Vladimir Ashkenazy; Chopin Alfred Brendel; Schubert including complete Impromptus Emil Gilels; Schumann, Chopin, Tchaikovsky GLenn Gould; Bach 1955 Goldbergs, Partitas, Fugues Vladimir Horowitz; Mozart, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Liszt, Scriabin, othrs Wilhelm Kempff; Mozart concerti Sviatoslav Richter; Iconic Schubert Artur Rubinstein; Chopin Favourites Artur Schnabel; Beethoven collection

A scintillating achievement... Sabina Cvilak's soprano has the focus... Bostridge brings piercing sincerity... Keenlyside - sonorous, commanding... an important issue: Noseda's judgement of pace is unerring, and the orchestra and chorus simply superb. (BBC Music 4). "LSO and Chorus are on cracking form, the soloists are as good as you will get... No one should be without (Britten's) but 50 years later, Noseda's dramatic, pulsating account represents another landmark." (Financial Times). "Noseda seeks to take the audience from the edge of consciousness to the blazing fires of the battlefield... Bostridge spins a beautiful line... Keenlyside is excellent throughout... Decisive and confident, Sabina Cvilak has the Slavic edge that has seemed hard-wired into the part since the incomparable Vishnevskaya." (Gramophone). "[Noseda] brings a strong sense of Italianate lyricism to bear on the score, reminding us of Britten's debt to Verdi... choral singing is fervent and intense, the playing fierce and sensitive." (The Guardian). "Another essential recording." (The Times).

Combine the stirring sound of a large smooth choir, with balalaikas, and great Russian baritones with the varying rhythms of folksong and marches and you have a worldwide success, as the legendary Alexandrov realised in the 1930's

'Sir Colin Davis conducts the Requiem with a judicious mix of fire and meditative calm' (Gramophone) 'a strong set of soloists... Every note fills me with affection and wonder, and that's rare... his performance really feels like a live one as if we're hearing this glorious score straight out of the crucible in which it was forged... From the Domine Jesu Christe onwards everyone seems gripped by the unfolding drama, prompting them to give of their individual and collective best... there's a tension in the orchestra a sense of approaching finality... that dark, tolling figure in the Lux Aeterna is unforgettable, the soloists singing with a liberating loveliness that's equally memorable... Dies irae is (another) case in point... Sir Colin's performance�is in another league entirely' (MusicWeb)

20 tracks of Leontyne Price's own personal favorites spanning Passionate Opera, Classic Gershwin, Traditional Spirituals and Sacred Songs

(His) Symphony is a very likeable discovery. Both middle movements display a disarming melodic felicity and assurance, and admiring glances towards Dvor�k, although Stanford (his teacher) was never happy with the finale. It was first played by RCM students in 1896 (including Holst and Vaughan Williams !). Although it went down well, it gathered dust for over a century. Bostock's alert and affectionate lead enjoy making it's acquaintance... crisp and clear sound for this world premiere recording. In every respect, a solid thumbs-up [Gramophone] "The much-loved Hiawatha's Wedding Feast recalls the extraordinary excitement of it's first performance. Coleridge-Taylor was then 23 and the work an immediate and wild success. Parry suggested that because of the composer's West African father, "he loved plenty of sound, plenty of colour, simple and definite rhythms and, above all, plenty of tune". All these qualities kept it popular, and are admirably captured here: the Philharmonia provide the orchestral colour, and Sir Malcolm keeps the admirable Royal Choral Society on their rhythmic toes. Richard Lewis gives a suitably romantic Onaway! Awake, beloved ! Hiawatha's Wedding Feast has been done proud in every way" [Gramophone]

(Hickox) "fine digital collections sung with fervour and discipline... zestfully infectious... shaped beautifully... brass resonantly sonorous... fully in the demonstration bracket" (Penguin Guide)

(This) is an overlooked masterpiece of the Russian music literature... and I hope our disc will bring the recognition which it well deserves." (Mikhail Pletnev) "Psalm 50 made a deep impression on Alexey Khomyakov, whose 1856 poem develops the idea that outward forms of religion are as nothing beside truth and brotherly love... (his) poem inspired Taneyev... a summation of Taneyev's life and work... (bears) comparison with Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, especially use of fugues... a compelling piece which Pletnev does well to clarify so successfully... includes a fine solo warmly sung by Marianna Tarassova." (Gramophone)

Benjamin Britten had a rare genius for setting words to music, becoming one of the most successful choral composers of the 20th Century... Voices and organ make a mystical union, spotlighting their sonorous incompatibilities... Rejoice: Once again the composer extracts a first-rate performance" "Gloriana Dances: choral singing of such quality... balance of the recording... exceptionally life-like and satisfactory, and the sound as good as I have heard... no carol is more perfect in it's simplicity than his Hymn to the Virgin... I also enjoy Britten's church music from New College, Oxford, directed by David Lumsden. This includes the Hymn to St Cecilia." (Gramophone)

although the best-known Rachmaninov works are not uncharacteristic, they represent only one side of his musical personality. Some of his finest scores have nothing to do with the piano, or the orchestra, and ranking high among them are his two major religious pieces, the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom, and the Vespers... The culmination of 100 years of effort by Russian composers to fuse liturgical and art music. Certainly they were not unexpected for Rachmaninov, because the tones of Russian religious choirs - dark, rich, sonorous - haunted his inner ear as much as the sound of piano (Gramophone)

'Colin Davis leads a superb quartet of soloists and brings out all the humanity and tenderness of the music with his customary skill. The LSO Chorus responds brilliantly.' (Classic FM). 'Colin Davis who meets the work on it's own particular ground with such imagination and style in this version. The great fugal perorations are crisper under Davis - more Haydnesque, you might say.' (Gramophone). BBC Radio 3 CD of the Week. 'This has impressed everyone... a feeling of immediacy and drama tempered with vision and maturity.' (BBC). 'Feel the warmth of Finley's opening bass solo, marvel at the open throats of the LSO Chorus.' (The Times).

This is a grandly scaled, nobly contoured reading, by turns monumental and ferociously dramatic. With biting choral attack, searing, spitting strings and scything trumpets, the Dies irae has a terrifying intensity I have rarely heard equalled. The Rex tremendae, too, is overwhelming in it's desperate fervour and grimly sustained impetus, with the inexorable dotted rhythms hewn from granite... If you want a traditionally conceived budget-price Requiem, well sung, superbly played and vividly recorded, Davis's performance has much to commend it." (Gramophone)

Classical Music

Marlow articulates the music so coherently that he neatly side-steps any impression of aimlessness.... carefully graduated dynamics, close attention to the meaning and spirit of the text and disciplined singing result in readings which sparkle with life.

The choir of Trinity College, Cambridge under Richard Marlow add substantially to their reputation.. strong in rhythm as in full-bodied tone.. skilful in shaping, secure in intonation, sensitive in balance. Marlow gets good results from his singers anthems are eloquently done and beautifully recorded.

Classical Music