Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto is the quintessential national virtuoso showpiece, but other Russian composers have contributed strongly to the genre of works for solo violin and orchestra. Tchaikovsky's student Taneyev, who rose to eminence in Moscow, wrote a memorable Suite de Concert that followed the model of the Baroque suite while infiltrating it with warm lyricism and brilliant variations. Earlier, Rimsky-Korsakov had written a Fantasia on Two Russian Themes that explored virtuoso potential in a concerto form that is both seductive and vibrant.

Acclaimed violinist Ellen Jewett’s explorations of Turkey’s musical traditions led to her discovery of Saygun’s Partita, a dense and expressive sister to Bartok’s solo sonata that weaves a beautiful tapestry of colors by combining a rich Romanticism with traditional folk elements. Onur Turkmen’s Beautiful and Unowned is inspired by the unique dreamlike atmosphere of Cappadocia, while Mahir Cetiz’s Soliloquy is a monologue that ranges from cries to whispers. Both of these recent works were commissioned by Ellen Jewett, and the entire programme was recorded in the unique acoustics of a hand-carved Cappadocian cavern. Ellen Jewett has enjoyed a varied career, performing in major concert halls worldwide. She was a member of the prize-winning Audubon Quartet for eleven years, which was critically acclaimed by The New York Times. As an advocate for new music, Jewett has worked with many composers and performed countless premieres. Other chamber music collaborations include performances with Yo Yo Ma, Maxim Vengerov, Colin Carr, Johannes Moser and Idil Biret.

This new IDIS releases presents a series of rare Narciso Rodriguez recordings performed before the international definitive affirmation of his career that made him the most famous guitarist in the world after Segovia. The album is opened by a real pearl: Bach Ciaccona studio recorded in 1959 and presented in a personal transcription done by Rodriguez which is entirely different from Segovia's rendition. The present release also features the Haydn Quartetto in Re maggiore recorded in 1960 alongside the Quarteto Clasico de Madrid and a rare and wonderful interpretation of Manuel Palau's Concierto levantino. This is truly do not miss album for any true fans of Spanish guitar.

Twice a laureate of the International Smetana Piano Competition and a winner of the Bedrich Smetana Prize, Johanna Hanikova studied piano playing at the Janacek Conservatoire in Ostrava with Professor Monika Tugendliebova. During her conservatoire studies she already made her name at national as well as international competitions- 1st prize at Prague Junior Note, 1st prize at Pro Bohemia, and laureate title at the Prague Conservatoire Young Pianists Competition. She is developing her concert activities as a soloist regularly with renowned Czech symphonic orchestras. For this release, she has chosen a programme of well-known composers Ludwig van Beethoven and Sergei Rachmaninoff, Czech composers Bedrich Smetana and Leos Janacek, and contemporary composer and pianist Adam Skoumal.

The publication of Vivaldi's Opus 3, 'L'estro armonico' - 'the Harmonic Inspiration', was the international breakthrough of Vivaldi that spread the composer's name and reputation across Europe. Although one would be hard-pressed to claim that none of the essential features of this collection of 12 concertos was unfamiliar to professional musicians of the day, the fact of their appearance in print at that time took Vivaldi's name throughout the musical world of his contemporaries including, of course, to JS Bach. The concept of transcriptions and differing instrumental timbres a day-to-day occurrence across Europe in the early 18th-century, but also the application and revivification of the music itself by modern-day performing musicians constitute a demonstration of the continuing validity of the practice, a relevance today wider in scope than the efforts, admirable though they be, of the historically informed performance practice of today's ensembles. It follows, therefore, that Armoniosa are at one level merely continuing a practice known and encouraged by Vivaldi and his contemporaries, a practice which, in many ways, would seem to have died out in our society's wider attempts at historical recreations of how music must have first appeared to our predecessors. Music is not similar to an immobile object in a museum. It music remains, as it has always done, a living organism in time, and it is this living quality that Armoniosa seek to revive for modern ears, mindful and always respectful of the originals, which are heard almost daily throughout the world, but which demonstrate that these living organisms can also be reborn through 21st-century ears in a manner which concentrates upon the essential qualities of Vivaldi's great music, and which is not hidebound by the straightjackets of history.

Based on Shakespeare’s most famous romantic play, Prokofiev’s realization of Romeo and Juliet as a full-length narrative ballet was audacious in its day. It was written during a period of artistic turmoil under a Soviet regime in which arguments raged over such fundamental aspects as the choice between a happy or tragic ending. Famous movements such as the ‘Dance of the Knights’ have helped maintain Romeo and Juliet as Prokofiev’s best-loved stage work. Marin Alsop’s acclaimed cycle of Prokofiev’s Symphonies has been described as “an outstanding achievement” by BBC Music Magazine. Alsop is an inspiring and powerful voice in the international music scene who passionately believes that “music has the power to change lives.” She is recognized across the world for her innovative programming and for her deep commitment to education and the development of audiences of all ages.

REVIEW:

This recording is typical of Alsop’s clear-headed approach, revealing her thorough mastery of details, balanced phrasing, close attention to the orchestral sound, and fidelity to the score, which provides many challenges in its episodic structure. This first-rate performance may remind listeners of the classic complete recordings by Previn and Ozawa, and even though those recordings are still readily available, Alsop’s shows that Romeo and Juliet can still inspire a fine interpretation in the digital era, making this recording essential listening for Prokofiev fans.

– AllMusicGuide.com (B. Sanderson)

Monteverdi's Ninth Book of Madrigals, published posthumously, and the 1632 Scherzi musicali ('Musical Jokes') are thematically linked by the recurring theme of war for the sake of love. Prefaced with a Sinfonia by Biagio Marini and featuring one of Monteverdi's towering masterpieces, Zefiro torna, the Ninth Book comprises the few remaining late madrigals, a number of canzonette, as well as works with the same titles and verses from the earlier Eighth Book, here performed in completely different musical settings. Recorded complete, and in historically informed fashion, this is the final volume in the series. Italian early music ensemble Delitiae Musicae was established in 1992. The ensemble has been making recordings for over 20 years, and significant projects include Verdelot's Missa Philomena praevia, and four widely acclaimed albums dedicated to masses of Palestrina that were awarded the Choc du disque and the 9 de Repertoire in France.

At the beginning of the Fifties Philippe Entremont appeared on the international musical stage with the enthusiasm of critics and audience. He was born in Reims - France - im 1934 from a family of musicians, in 1952 he won the the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition Award; and this fact opened him a real international career,and, after having listened him the famous conductor Eugene Ormandy cast him for performing with the Philadelphia Orchestra one of most famous Orchestra in the world. Entremont began recording his first album when he was just twenty and were unforgettable performance specially his 1955 and 1959 Chopin recordings; performance that IDIS re-present in this CD after fifty years of inexplicable silence. It is enough consider the Ballades at the beginning of the CD or the Nocturne op 15 no 1 to realize what a wonderful performer he had been when he was just twenty. He had a wonderful and perfect virtuosity combined with a gift to tell through the music still unmached.

“The Turkish pianist Idil Biret celebrated her 75th birthday in November 2016. To approach and honor this milestone, her own label (IBA), distributed by the now-venerable Naxos, has been releasing a series of comprehensive sets traversing her entire career. The word “comprehensive” is not used lightly; in this set alone, the ninth in the series, we hear performances from her earliest radio broadcasts in 1949 to July of 2016, allowing Biret’s changing approaches to these composers’ works full documentation and exploration; it’s quite a journey, and I have heard no other pianist that has made the complex but still intuitively simple interpretive decisions Biret has made. With these enduring compositions as multisided sculptures to be reexamined, the set constitutes a voyage through the developing art of a child prodigy. It goes a long way toward answering questions about where the preternaturally gifted interpreter goes when convention and career opportunity become subservient to artistic pursuit. May it be an example to those embarking on a similar journey.” (Prof. Marc Medwin)

Sergey Taneyev was a distinguished pianist and influential educator, succeeding Tchaikovsky as professor at the Moscow Conservatory and counting Scriabin and Rachmaninov among his students. The Piano Trio, Op. 22 is a demonstration of Taneyev's technical skill, filled with subtle use of counterpoint, lyrical expressiveness and virtuoso fireworks. Alexander Borodin was a leading member of the "Mighty Handful", and his incomplete but brilliant Piano Trio was seen by Glinka as setting a precedent in teh genre for its deeply Russian character.

In this seventh volume of Music for Brass Septet, Septura survey two of America’s greatest and most representative composers. Gershwin’s An American in Paris charts a visitor’s stroll around the French capital, absorbing the city’s atmosphere and charm, whereas the synergy of classical form and jazz animates Gershwin’s unique Preludes. Copland’s Quiet City depicts a contrasting and more understated cityscape, while the suite from the ballet Appalachian Spring displays Septura’s luminous virtuosity.

REVIEW:

This disc is a quite remarkable achievement of adaptation. The recording, made in 2019, is of outstanding quality, and is a ‘must have’ for all lovers of brass music.

– David's Review Corner (David Denton)

Debussy's richly evocative 'Estampes' takes us through exotic gamelan-like sonorities from East Asia and the strumming guitars of Spain, to end amid the bracing excitement of a violent rainstorm in Normandy. Alexander Panfilov was a laureate at the Premio Jaen competition in 2016, at which Manuel Seco de Arpe's elegantly constructed and complex 'Anamorfosis' was the mandatory work. He concludes this recital with Mussorgsky's supremely descriptive 'Pictures at an Exhibition,' one of the great works of the Russian piano tradition. Alexander Panfilov was born in Moscow and gave his debut recital for the Moscow Philharmonic Society in 2010, and in the US at the Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall in New York. Since then, he has performed extensively around the world, in venues including the Musikverein in Vienna, the Zurich Tonhalle, Wigmore Hall, and others. As a soloist he has performed with orchestras all over Europe.

There was controversy when Alessandro Taverna won bronze at the Leeds International Competition in 2005 - many people thought he should have been awarded the gold. Since then, he's gone from strength to strength, as amply proved by this Medtner album on Somm, which features three of the composer's 14 sonatas - the Reminiscenza, the Romantica and the Minacciosa. The Reminiscenza and Romantica are both exemplary in their dynamic, emotional and architectural control. The Minacciosa's climactic fugue is breathtaking.'' (The Guardian, February 2015) The Guardian's was one of many warm reviews for Alessandro Taverna's debut album on SOMM. His playing on this second album attests to Taverna's close affinity to the music of Debussy and Ravel. He possesses a mesmerising palette of colors ranging from a seductive, ethereal touch in Ondine to ferocity and thrust in Scarbo - and what great brilliance and dynamism he brings to La Valse and I'isle Joyeuse!

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REVIEW:

The Debussy Images are beautifully paced. This is utterly unshowy playing too, which suites the Images well. His L'isle joyeuse is impressive, his technique again utterly in service of the music, resulting in playing that is both lithe and transparent. His Ravel La valse makes a fine finale, full of shimmering delicacy and filigree (with some fantastic glissandos), alive to the darkness of this corrupted dance.

– Gramophone

Saint-Saens’ travels often resulted in geographically themed works, such as the Suite algerienne: this exotic musical picture postcard- full of perfumed sensuality and the brazen confidence of march themes- reflects the composer’s visits to colonial North Africa. The two suites on this recording are both structured around dance movements and were originally scored for different forces- the Suite in D major, Op. 49 for harmonium, the Suite in D minor, Op. 16 for cello and piano. The engaging Serenade, Op. 15, rarely performed with its original, exotic scoring, is heard here in an orchestral transcription.

Antonio Pappano, Music Director of The Royal Opera, conducts Rossini's epic final masterpiece of French grand opera with an all-star cast that includes Gerald Finely in the title role, alongside John Osborn, Malin Bystrom and Sofia Fomina. The story of the legendary Swiss patrio Guillaume Tell, determined to free Switzerland from Austrian rule, is told through magnificent arias, ensembles and choruses, atmospheric musical evocations of the Swiss landscape, particularly in the famous overture, and dramatic episodes of great emotional power.

One of the great violinists of the twentieth century, Henryk Szeryng was an artist greatly celebrated during his lifetime, but is sadly known only to experts today. Looking back, his reputation may have been overshadowed by some of his contemporaries, but in terms of his flawless technique and the power and beauty of his tone, Szeryng unquestionably remains one of the great masters of his era. These two live concert recordings from December 7, 1969 feature performances by the South West German Chamber Orchestra Pforzheim. Szerying, as both soloist and conductor, stamps his natural authority on the music from the very first note, with his straightforward approach and clear sense of direction driving the entire ensemble. The soloist’s idiosyncratic nuances of tempo infect the whole structure, while his exuberant playing dominates the entire performance. In Vivaldi’s ever-popular Four Seasons, Szeryng applies clear and often abrupt contrasts: heavy marcato, lively staccato, flawlessly balanced legato and, above all, his consummate tenuto, which seamlessly links every bow change. This last trait also thoroughly distinguishes his Mozart playing from almost anything to which our ears are accustomed today. When it comes to Mozart, we can admire the naturalness of his interpretation and his choice of tempi, which are not adopted merely for effect, but govern the logic and clarity of the articulation.

Gioachino Rossini was summoned to Paris in 1824 to breathe new life into its opera culture, and one of his most exciting innovations in this period was the creation of an entirely new genre of opera comedy. The risqué tale of Le Comte Ory had its origins in vaudeville theatre and is based on the story of a villainous Count who attempts the seduction of Countess Adele as she awaits the return of her husband from the Crusades. ‘Le Comte Ory’ is the last of Rossini’s comic operas, making full use of the libretto’s farcical disguises and humor in one of his most colorfully orchestrated scores. This production, staged by Linda Mallik, features the Malmo Opera Orchestra and Chorus with world renowned soloists Leonardo Ferrando as Count Ory and Erika Miklosa as Countess Adele. Linda Mallik made her directorial debut in 2012 and received unanimous praise in the Swedish and international press, making her one of the most sought-after opera directors in Sweden. She has also staged ‘Le Nozze di Figaro’ at NorrlandsOperan, ‘M/S Aurora’ at the Berwaldhallen, ‘Faust’ and ‘Mayday Payday’ at Folkoperan in Stockholm, among others.

Born in L’Aquila in 1992, Davide Ferella obtained his degree in mandolin performance from the Conservatory “A. Casella of L’Aquilla” under the tutelage of M. Fabio Giudice. He was ranked first in the chamber music categories of the national competitions “Urania” and “Marco Dall’Aquila.” He also won the special “Piero Farulli” prize. He has performed in numerous Italian festivals, and has collaborated with the Baroque Ensemble “Luca Marenzio,” Ensemble “Ianua,” and “Virtuosi Italiani.” On this, his new release, he presents a program of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Concertos for Harpsichord, masterfully transcribed for mandolin. Ferella himself transcribed these pieces. He is joined by Profili Barocchi, the extraordinarily capable Italian Baroque ensemble.

Hans Rosbaud was greatly admired for his discipline, a capacity for enthusiasm, detailed knowledge of orchestral instruments and his faithfulness to the scores. He did not consider himself a champion exclusively of modern music, but rather of the entire repertoire. While he conducted many Mozart operas, he also gave equal attention to the works of Richard Wagner, Anton Bruckner and Gustav Mahler. This release, which contains several unpublished recordings, surveys a different Rosbaud from the new music specialist. We discover his interpretations of overtures from the early Romantic period, plus concert pieces by Carl Maria von Weber and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. Weber’s overtures are considered virtuosic orchestral “treats.” Rosbaud puts his own distinctive slant on the music even during extrovert passages. He doesn’t exaggerate speeds, allowing the different instrumental groups to develop the themes to the fullest extent; the bolero and polonaise rhythms of Preziosa and the ultra-romantic sound of the horns in Der Freischutz are showcased to maximum effect. The flowing passages in Mendelssohn’s overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream Op. 21 are executed with precision and without pedantry. Rosbaud imbues the 17-year-old Mendelssohn’s masterpiece with dreamlike, intangible qualities that make this music truly unique. The scherzo and the nocturne of the incidental music Op. 61 are performed with equal care and precision.

The legendary conductor Kurt Sanderling has always been a great admirer of Rachmaninov’s music. This is a recording form 1995 of Sanderling conducting Rachmaninov’s 3rd Symphony. The eminent German conductor, Kurt Sanderling, was born to a Jewish family in Arys in East Prussia and took piano lessons as part of a private education. For his further studies he moved the short distance north to Königsberg (now Kaliningrad) and then to Berlin. When the Nazis rose to power, Sanderling’s world was turned upside down. He left for Moscow to live with an uncle, and it was there that he made his mark in a debut concert with the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra. It is therefore no surprise that Rachmaninov’s music spoke so deeply to him. He led a seven decade career, and passed away in 2011.

This recording project was created to celebrate the tenth anniversary of concerts by the John Hackett and Marco Lo Muscio Duo. As in their concerts, the pieces suggest a musical journey between ancient and modern music alternating between duo and solo compositions. The repertoire starts with music from the baroque era up to the present day with the duo's original compositions. Their musical journey includes music of contemporary classical composers and ventures into the world of progressive music. The album includes three exceptional guests who have made a difference in the history of modern music: John's brother. Steve Hackett, the Genesis guitarist; David Jackson, the Van Der Graaf Generator saxophonist; David Cross, the King Crimson electric violinist.

I Musici ensemble musicale was founded after WWII in Rome and for several years it was known as I Musici of Rome. It was an ensemble of young people that, for the first time in the last century, had a modern approach to the baroque music. For that time this approach had an extraordinary value because the musicology did not follow the original practice. Arturo Toscanini was enthusiastic about the interpretations of I Musici. This album contains the best Italian repertoire recordings that the ensemble did for British Columbia and are previously unpublished.

Also available on Blu-ray

L’Étoile did much to establish Chabrier as a major force on the Parisian stage and his contemporary Henri Duparc praised him specifically for creating a French comic genre, both funny and musical – described as something of a French Die Meistersinger. The fanciful story is set in an imaginary kingdom and all, naturally, ends well. However, despite the slight plot line L’Étoile is something of a pivotal work, a unique example of French 19th-century light opera, orchestrated with great sophistication and flooded with gossamer wit. This production, featuring Stephane d’Oustrac, Christophe Mortagne, and Helene Guilmette, is a co-production of the Dutch National Opera, Amsterdam and Francois Roussillon et Associes.

Tarquinio Merula, born in 1595, moved to Cremona at a very early age where he spent the better part of his life. His fame as organist and composer brought him to work in other important Italian cities (he was organist in Bergamo and Lodi and active in Venice and Warsaw), but always with appointments lasting only a few years: evidently the musical climate in Cremona had nothing to envy far more important cultural centers. A highly respected musician, he was a prolific writer of collections of madrigals, organ pieces and instrumental music. The wonderful sonatas of op. XII, some recorded for the first time on this release, are played by Ensemble L’Aura Soave on original instruments.

Six Sonatas or Trios for three Violoncellos or two Violins and a Bass, is the title of op. 1, published in London by Giacobo Basevi Cervetto between 1741 and 1745 circa. To the modern ear, it is curious to hear the terms sonata and trio referred to as synonyms: in fact, the genre – which in effect did experience a certain confusion regarding the terminology – is known today as the sonata a tre. As Cervetto was a cello concert musician, it is not surprising that his sonatas were composed for three violoncellos (two cellos and bass); the alternative of playing them with two violins was probably dictated by commercial reasons in order to interest a vaster public. We maintain that it is important to rediscover these sonatas who are little known to the public of today. These wonderful and unusual Sonatas are played on original instruments by Martin Zeller & Marco Frezzato.