Violinist Livia Sohn is the featured soloist on this recording of Benjamin Britten's Violin Concerto - a landmark of the repertoire, unbridled in it's lyricism and constituting a poignant commentary on the devastating brutality of war. Composer Jonathan Berger, dismayed by the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, also wrote a violin concerto, Jiyeh, to express his frustration with the senselessness of war. Sohn, for whom the work was written, is partnered with cimbalom soloist Jan Roykta on this world premiere recording. Accompaniment for the Britten is provided by the Orchestra Sinfonica del Teatro Marrucino di Chieti conducted by Luigi Piovano and the Banff Centre Chamber Orchestra conducted by Henk Guittart for the Berger.

This new release features renowned guitarist Georg Gulyas, and vocalist Ivonne Fuchs. The program presented includes works by Benjamin Britten, as well as John Dowland’s Come, Heavy Sleep. This album was produced by Torbjorn Samuelsson, who has received critical acclaim for his previous recordings of Gulyas.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

British Cellist Jamie Walton explores the unique atmosphere of Holy Trinity Church, Blythburgh to perform Britten's Three Solo Suites for Cello. The Suites are the summation of the long-standing friendship between Britten and Rostropovich, with the passionate third in particular inspired by the Russian cellist's rich and romantic performances of Bach's unaccompanied suites.

Classical Music

These works show some of the breadth and range of Britten's choral writing, embracing the masque from his opera Gloriana, his own take on the English part song tradition in Five Flower Songs, and his last work for unaccompanied voices, Sacred and Profane. The latter sets medieval texts described herein as 'a mixture of the devotional and the rumbustiously secular'.

Classical Music

This recording brings together three youthful masterworks all composed by Benjamin Britten before his 30th birthday. Originally released in 2005 'Britten: Les Illuminations' has been re-issued as part of Linn's ECHO series which offers a second chance to enjoy the best of the label's award-winning catalogue. These are highly insightful performances, widely considered to be modern reference versions to set next to Britten's own. Clio Gould and the ensemble demonstrate playing of impressive unanimity of purpose, joyous intensity and clarity of detail. The ensemble is joined by the Royal Philharmonic Society's 2012 'Singer of the Year' Toby Spence, for two of Britten's most popular song cycles. Toby Spence's voice is ideally suited to the wide-ranging demands that Britten makes on it; his tonal freshness and acutely observed articulation of the words are absorbing. Martin Owen, whose horn playing has drawn comparisons with Dennis Brain, is equal to every one of the near-impossible tasks set him by Britten in the Serenade. Re-defining the string orchestra, Scottish Ensemble inspires audiences with vibrant and powerful performances. Scottish Ensemble is the UK's only professional string orchestra, built around a core of twelve outstanding string players. The ensemble is known both in the UK and internationally for it's versatility and ambitious programming. Performing standing up, the individual layers bring an energetic and passionate dynamic to every performance.

The greatly sought-after tenor James Gilchrist pairs with pianist Anna Tilbrook to continue his highly acclaimed exploration of British song with a new recording of Benjamin Britten works. As stated by the times following his work with Finzi, Leighton, Vaughan Williams, Gurney, Bliss, and Herbert, "As an interpreter of English song, Gilchrist is often in a class by himself."

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Variations on a theme of Frank Bridge/Lachrymae/Two portraits/ Simple Symphony. This programme is largely devoted to striking works of a youthful Britten, the great British composer. The extremely talented European Camerata orchestra is conducted by violinist Laurent Qu nelle, and has only been recorded once before.

This collection consists of George Benjamin and Martin Crimp's two award-winning full-length operas, in visually stunning productions by critically acclaimed director Katie Mitchell. Written on Skin has been hailed as 'magic and irresistible... The best opera written over the last twenty years' (Le Monde). It tells the story of a cruel and powerful Protector who asks a mysterious Boy to create an illuminated book to celebrate his wealth and family. He invites the Boy into his home, little realizing that this will lead to a journey of startling, joyful and ultimately tragic self-discovery for his oppressed and much younger wife Agn�s. Drawing on the real-life relationship between Edward II and Piers Gaveston, Lessons in Love and Violence explores how personal relationships can have fatal political consequences. The King lives in a close but uneasy relationship with his wife Isabel, their two children and his lover Gaveston. When the King banishes his military advisor Mortimer, he sets off a chain of devastating events. The composer conducts two superb international casts, including soprano Barbara Hannigan, who appears in the leading roles of Agn�s and Isabel.

Also available on Blu-ray

George Benjamin and Martin Crimp’s second full-length opera – following the acclaimed Written on Skin – draws on the real-life relationship between Edward II and Piers Gaveston to explore how personal relationships can have fatal political consequences. The King lives in a close but uneasy relationship with his wife Isabel, their two children and his lover Gaveston. When the King banishes his military advisor Mortimer, he sets off a chain of devastating events. Benjamin’s richly-orchestrated score perfectly captures the drama’s intense emotions, while director Katie Mitchell provides a visually stunning contemporary staging, highlighting the timelessness of the opera’s main themes. The composer himself conducts a superb international cast. "… the music, written and compellingly conducted by Mr. Benjamin, is unapologetically modernist, while the libretto, by Mr. Crimp, is often cryptic. Without pandering, they’ve made another significant contribution to the art form. In the queen, Mr. Benjamin has created another remarkable role for Ms. Hannigan’s immense vocal gifts and comprehensive musicianship. He writes lines that shift from earthy emotionalism to angelic purity, knowing that this artist can handle those pivots. He takes advantage of her focused intonation and rhythmic precision to lend even anguished passages structural strength. But it’s Mr. Benjamin’s remarkable music that gives the work its charge: The writing is so lush, haunting and detailed — radiant one moment, piercingly dissonant the next — that you are continuously enveloped by the raucous beauty of the sounds." (New York Times)

Classical Music

Melly Still's production for Glyndebourne finds the "delicate balance between whimsy and mysticism" (Daily Telegraph) at the heart of the opera, which Vladimir Jurowski conducts "with lustrous style: you can hear the birds in the score, feel the sunshine and thrill to the starlit night sky in the final scene" (Opera Today).

Directed by Robin Lough. Starring Jeremy Carpenter, Clive Bayley, Mark Stone.

Part of Royal Opera's Britten centenary celebrations � 'Susan Bullock is an awe-inspiring Gloriana... Toby Spence, as Essex, has regained all his pristine vocal lustre' The Independent � 'Director Richard Jones... staging... is both moving and surprising... ' The Daily Telegraph � Extra features: Inside Rehearsals, Gloriana Behind the Scenes, cast gallery.

Wallfisch: Escape Velocity

Also available on Blu-ray

This collection consists of George Benjamin and Martin Crimp’s two award-winning full-length operas, in visually stunning productions by critically acclaimed director Katie Mitchell. Written on Skin has been hailed as ‘magic and irresistible … the best opera written over the last twenty years’ (Le Monde). It tells the story of a cruel and powerful Protector who asks a mysterious Boy to create an illuminated book to celebrate his wealth and family. He invites the Boy into his home, little realizing that this will lead to a journey of startling, joyful and ultimately tragic self-discovery for his oppressed and much younger wife Agnès. Drawing on the real-life relationship between Edward II and Piers Gaveston, Lessons in Love and Violence explores how personal relationships can have fatal political consequences. The King lives in a close but uneasy relationship with his wife Isabel, their two children and his lover Gaveston. When the King banishes his military advisor Mortimer, he sets off a chain of devastating events. The composer conducts two superb international casts, including soprano Barbara Hannigan, who appears in the leading roles of Agnès and Isabel.

Classical Music

Classical Music