The once highly esteemed composer, conductor and teacher Friedrich Gernsheim can certainly be described as a 'missing link', because he managed the feat of forming friendly ties with both Johannes Brahms and his antipode Max Bruch without falling between two stools as a two-bit plagiarist. Whenever his music seems to lean towards the classicist from Hamburg or towards the more rhapsodic composer from the Rhineland, it is actually expressing it's own distinctive character. The eloquent piano concerto's mode of expression with it's wonderfully voluptuous dialogues is similar to that of the internationally celebrated concerto that Bruch completed in exactly the same year, 1868; the austere, concise cello concerto of 1903 and the tone poem Zu einem Drama from around the same period evoke moods that one only reaches after a very personal journey. Impressive!

A new era in church music dawned with the creation of German-language sacred songs functioning as the counterpart to Latin Gregorian chant. The WESER-RENAISSANCE ensemble under its experienced conductor Manfred Cordes is now presenting a colorful selection of the most beautiful hymn settings from the Wittenberg first edition of 1524-25. The Urkantor Johann Walter was a close associate of Martin Luther and the founding father of the important institutional and artistic tradition of the Protestant cantorate. In his music Walter followed the model of the German tenor song, a genre important in the development of German music history and of secular orientation in its principal variant. The melody is in the tenor part of the song settings, all of them in four parts, and in formal respects differs only slightly from the monophonic tradition. With his Gesangk Buchleyn Walter marked the beginning of the significant tradition of Protestant chorale settings that would reach its artistic high point in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Anett Fritsch is dignified as Heinrich’s betrayed wife Catharina, but Julia Sophie Wagner is the pick of a more than passable bunch in the trouser role of the page Eduard. The choral singing has spirit, the recording (in Munich’s Prinzregententheater, though it doesn’t sound live) is nicely balanced, and it’s all swept cheerfully along by conductor Ulf Schirmer. - Gramophone

There are such defining moments in life. On the path towards one's own calling, there is an encounter with one of the greats, and everything is suddenly different. For the young Robert Kahn, the moment came on one day in 1886 when he met Johannes Brahms. The maestro from Northern Germany was apparently able to put many sympathetic strings in motion upon meeting the young composer from Mannheim. This resulted in an oeuvre in which his chamber music from duo to quintet often strikes a tone that we recognise from his role model. Without ever copying his mentor, Kahn thrives on his full-bodied and opulent voice leading, which gives the three piano quartets in particular a symphonic dimension. Next to these is the spirited transparency of the Serenade for string trio from 1933, when the music world congratulated Johannes Brahms on his 100th birthday. Robert Kahn is not afraid to occasionally take the master at his word

In contrast to his first two quartets, the third quartet, which Marteau composed towards the end of the First World War, is of a completely different nature and presents itself as a strongly biographical work, to which Marteau wrote in 1918: "My new String Quartet No. 3 was composed under the impression of the terrible events of which my wife was the innocent victim. There are sections of life, parts of the soul, which express themselves in this piece. The Scherzo is a Viennese mood piece, memories of the city in which we felt so comfortable and happy." But he also processed in this largely melancholy quartet that he was no longer in demand or wanted as a violinist. The CD is supplemented with the "Eight Songs with String Quartet Accompaniment," op. 10 speak, written in 1905. In these songs Marteau is far ahead of his time, because it is the first string quartet of its kind in which the human voice also has its say. Until then, the string quartet was considered the royal genre of pure, abstract and absolute music. Marteau is the first composer to establish completely new connections between the strings and the voice, which is quite fascinating and has not yet been properly appreciated by music history.

The name Johann Stamitz is so inextricably linked to the legendary "Mannheim School" that the title of this production might be viewed as a misprint. In fact, however, there is nothing wrong with the Bohemian musician's "Darmstadt Symphonies," as their name merely refers to the place where the performance material was archived. The parts were prepared by Christoph Graupner, the Kapellmeister of the Darmstadt Court Orchestra at the time. It cannot be determined exactly where and when Stamitz wrote this lively, concise, and innovative music; however, there is no doubt that these compositions take us back to the earliest years of a genre that, despite countless changes, has remained a creative touchstone to this day. To sense the spirit of the birth of the symphonic tradition is a refreshing experience: at the beginning of all things, the power of simplicity reigns.

Anyone interested in Romantic music will inevitably come across the name Carl Reinecke. Countless aspiring composers from Germany and Scandinavia went to him to learn their craft. To those who wanted to make it in the city of the famous Gewandhaus Orchestra, he was an institution. Reinecke the composer enjoyed great success during his lifetime. However, as a preservationist of musical traditions, he was quickly forgotten after his death. The inevitable course of musical development swept him out of the way. This was not due to the quality of his music. Not only does his compositional technique stand up to scrutiny, but also his music as a sonic experience. This is particularly true of his three symphonies, all of which are now available in our catalogue with the release of the powerful Second in C minor

Led by the excellent and award-winning mandolinist Anna Torge, the ensemble on this album is dedicated to the small but exquisite legacy of a musician about whom, apart from his name and the key dates of his life, almost nothing is known - Abbate Ranieri Capponi (1680-1744). And even this incredibly modest proof of existence would have disappeared if his brother Ruberto Capponi, after Abbate's death in Florence, had not printed twelve of his sonate da camera for several instruments and dedicated them to the Archbishop of Cologne Clemens August. And so, in the endless expanse of history, the delicate traces of a man were preserved. He was clearly well versed in the instrumental forms of his time and had mastered the art of intellectual entertainment, as Anna Torge and her colleagues from Continuo enjoyably demonstrate with six of Capponi's delightful chamber sonatas.

Neither Friedrich nor Alexander Fesca lived to an old age. The father reached 39, while his son barely made it to 29. Yet, in the short years they had, both made significant contributions, particularly in the field of chamber music, both in terms of quantity and quality. While Friedrich earned his reputation primarily through his excellent string quartets, Alexander became known for his numerous works for piano and small ensemble. Among these are the six trios that Trio Paian recorded for cpo - lyrical creations that flirt with the stylistic elements of Romanticism, full of beautiful melodies, spiced with a hint of folk influences, and overall so successful that, during their composer's lifetime, they likely held great appeal for the growing number of amateur musicians. Many tender bonds were likely formed as these works were played in salons.

In the first half of the 20th century, we encounter a number of luminaries who in a peculiar way are reincarnations of late medieval architects - although the compositional fabric they created is completely different from solid matter. Paul Hindemith was one such guild member, as was his Austrian contemporary Johann Nepomuk David. This recording of David's symphonies works is a further step in producing a first complete recordings of his symphonic works. The Third of eight symphonies from 1940-41 as well as the Seventh, completed in 1956 are on the program. The artist's virtues are obvious. Sometimes they are like painted woodcarvings, sometimes like neat blueprints of motivic connections, using folk song elements even in the most advanced structures. These fascinating works invite the listener to sit down to this compelling music.

Friedrich Eck, eleven years younger than Mozart and three years older than Beethoven, caused a sensation in the music capitals of Europe towards the end of the 19th century. The press gushed about the quality of his sound and praised the ample, beautiful tone of the man who without a doubt would have enjoyed an even more successful career if he had not suddenly put down his bow and hung up his instrument on the wall for reasons that are still unknown. In 1800, he retired to France with his second (noble) wife. This sudden departure from the concert stage may have also contributed significantly to the fact that the virtuoso concertos he wrote for himself disappeared into obscurity, although they were printed by renowned publishers during his lifetime. This was presumably due to the enormous technical playing difficulties in the solo part, since the enchantingly melodic, intuitive and beautifully sounding music of the unknown Eck are in no way inferior to the five Mozart concertos. Listen for yourself!

Our third album with symphonies by Louis Glass features his Fourth Symphony - a large-scale work with a playing time of about one hour. It calls for triple woodwinds as well as six horns and the strongest wind section that Glass used in his symphonies. And the composer also works here with tighter thematic structures than in the three earlier symphonies. The piece immediately attracted attention and was not only performed repeatedly in Copenhagen from 1912 to 1933, but also abroad. After the composer's death, it was performed three more times; since then, however, it has probably not been performed in public. But with this large-scale symphony, Louis Glass had consolidated his position as one of the most important Danish symphonic composers of his time.

According to the thoroughly credible words of his contemporaries, Johannes Bernardus van Bree, the long-time musical director of the Felix Meritis Society of Amsterdam, was not only an extremely talented violinist and composer. He was also, to the delight of those around him, a very pleasant, flexible character who strove all his life to please others. This made him shy away from tormenting the conservative capital of the Netherlands with avant-garde provocations. However, it did not stop him from skilfully and sensitively composing unusually appealing works in the conventional vocabulary of the early Romantic years. His highly dramatic overture in the "unfinished" key of B Minor and his original Symphonic Fantasy, which is a mere stone's throw away from Robert Schumann, are particularly surprising.

Following the first volume in this series, which charted Franz Schreker's developmental path up to the success of his dance-pantomime�Der Geburtstag der Infantin�(The Birthday of the Infanta; 777 702-2), this second album focuses primarily on the triumphant years that followed the premiere of his opera�Der ferne Klang�(The Distant Sound) in 1912. The�Vorspiel zu einem Drama (Prelude to a Drama) from 1914 and the�Chamber Symphony, composed in 1916, are among the gems of musical Jugendstil (Art Nouveau). Originating as offshoots of contemporary stage projects, these two captivating works display a mastery of sound, harmony, and melody that was unparalleled at the time. The�Four Small Pieces for Large Orchestra�(1931), which separate these older "siblings" on this recording, speak in a new language. These abstract contributions to film music, presented as a compact and multifaceted concert suite, hint at powerful new directions - plans that, sadly, Franz Schreker could never fully realize.

Hjalmar Borgstrom has been well on the way to being rediscovered since the beginning of the new millennium. Several of his most important works were performed in his native Norway until the Second World War, after which his name long disappeared from public consciousness. Until his death in 1925, he had also played an important role as a critic. With the premiere of his two operas and above all the rediscovery of his extraordinarily picturesque symphonic tone poems, a new page has turned. This contemporary of Richard Strauss who studied with Johan Severin Svendsen and Carl Reinecke among others, proves to be a legitimate descendant of Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner; it is difficult to escape the captivating boldness of his programmatic concepts and their unconventionally beautiful realisation.

After George Antheil had earned his reputation in Europe as the self-proclaimed "Bad Boy of Music" and caused plenty of scandals with his avant-garde experiments, he made a dramatic shift upon returning to his native America. This change in direction led to a significant number of important compositions, including his later symphonies and a series of one-act stage works, where Antheil dramatized a wide range of themes and situations. The final work in this series is�Venus in Africa, a charming, touching, and highly amusing piece for five characters, in which the ancient goddess of love helps an American couple forge a lasting relationship. The music, oscillating between operatic turbulence, impressionistic refinement, and musical-style tunes, is further proof that Antheil had successfully shed his early rebellious image.

Emmerich Kálmán: Countess Maritza. “When the evening falls, when the sun sets, when the song of the violin is heard from the puszta …” or “I too was once a fine csárdás cavalier.” The operetta and the Munich Radio Orchestra – now that is a passionate relationship that has grown over many years. Now we are releasing one of the most performed works in German-speaking Europe: Emmerich Kálmán’s successful operetta (with which he rounded off the dozen) Gräfin Mariza (Countess Maritza), which according to the German Music Information Center in 2016 was No. 10 on the operetta hit list. For the conductor’s job the Munich Radio Orchestra once again sought out a proven operetta specialist: Ernst Theis. The work tells the story of a countess who amidst much confusion finds her true love in an impoverished count. The music with hits like “Komm mit nach Varazdin,” “Komm Zigan, spiel mir was vor!,” and “Wo wohnt die Liebe?” made the operetta famous and a favorite with the public.

A compendium of North German organ baroque on 22 CDs with a total playing time of over 24 hours. Between 2005 and 2013, organist Friedhelm Flamme recorded the complete organ works of 38 composers, thus providing an almost complete overview of the oeuvre of this genre. In the 230-page booklet (German and English), the histories of the organs, including their dispositions, are described in detail. Short biographies of the composers and explanations of the recorded works round off this unique edition.

Johann Kuhnau-Bach's immediate predecessor as Thomaskantor-in an 8-CD box that offers more than a mere collection of works: the individually issued recordings from 2013 to 2022 by Opella Musica, Camerata Lipsiensis, and Gregor Meyer are brought together as a complete sacred corpus with editorial coherence, making audible how Leipzig's church music takes shape at the threshold of the eighteenth century and beyond. From intimate, chamber-scaled pieces to representative festive compositions, one can trace how compositional technique, the relationship between voices and instruments, and the overall sonic architecture gain definition in the early decades of the eighteenth century-a sounding point of reference for what Bach would later adopt and develop in Leipzig.

Our complete recording of Felix Weingartner's symphonic works is now finally available at a top price in a box. The press has confirmed that our edition of these symphonies is �a must for all those interested in top-class symphonic music� (Partituren). Marko Letonja and the Basel Symphony Orchestra set out on this adventurous journey of discovery with great devotion and virtuosic skill. Felix Weingartner was not only an internationally acclaimed conductor and a highly influential figure in Basel's music world; he also bequeathed to posterity an extensive compositional oeuvre marked by timeless freshness.

This unique box set explores the deep bond between Ludwig van Beethoven's music and literature-from Schiller and Goethe's poetic inspiration to Beethoven's theatrical scores like The Ruins of Athens, Egmont, and Fidelio. New text versions and insightful interpretations breathe fresh life into rarely heard works, highlighting Beethoven's belief in music as a moral force. A powerful journey through music shaped by words, and words inspired by music.

Christianity, in all it's forms, excels through it's high degree of adaptability. We encounter one of the more fascinating examples of adaptation in Latin American Catholicism that developed in the colonies of "New Spain." Not least did the veneration of Mary find an especially receptive genius loci here, whose musical disposition soon wedded to an artistic concept that was the non plus ultra for the rulers of the Old World. For some composers, the transatlantic regions thus had such appeal that they abandoned their traditional sphere of activity. One of them was the Italian Ignacio de Jerusalem, who worked at the cathedral in Mexico City; he was joined by the Mexican "home-grown talent" Manuel de Sumaya, as well as two Spanish musicians who were known and beloved in the land of the Aztecs only for their printed works. This yields a truly exquisite mix for Christmas.

In 1919, the cellist Marix Loevensohn commissioned a duo sonata from Henriette Bosmans for one of his recitals. Bosmans delivered-and in doing so, opened the "cello-focused" chapter of her early oeuvre, soon followed by two concertos, a Po�me with orchestra (555 694-2), and several works with piano accompaniment. Inspired partly by Loevensohn and partly by her friend Frieda Belifante, what emerged was a collection that testifies to a talent as self-assured as it is sensitive: The sonata's imposing outer movements frame tender lyricism in the spirit of Brahms and Debussy-like splashes of color; the three Impressions flirt with various eras and landscapes; the Nocturne for cello and harp luxuriates in dreamy excess-and the sensitive spirit melts away in blissful surrender

Fritz Kauffmann was a composer who never fully realised his natural potential because he "suffered" from so many different talents. Specifically, this son of a Berlin businessman, after completing his studies and spending some time as a private tutor, worked to reform musical life in Magdeburg from 1889 onwards, performing there as a conductor and pianist while neglecting his own creative work. The regret expressed by some contemporaries is easy to understand when listening to the two piano trios from the 1880s recorded here. He was a powerful romantic who expressed subtle originality within familiar forms. His expression and creativity range from dramatic force to subtle humour, and - as can be heard in the "Barcaruola" from Opus 20 - he was not above the use of catchy tunes.

Antonia Bembo's opera L'Ercole amante waited nearly 340 years for it's premiere. This delay may have been due to the subject matter, as her teacher, Antonio Cavalli, had already composed a festival opera based on the same tragedy for the wedding of Louis XIV and Maria Theresa of Spain in 1660. Although the Sun King, reportedly an admirer of her compositions, had taken the Venetian singer under his wings following her separation from her husband and relocation to France, he was already by then quite familiar with the tragic tale of Hercules. And so, he allowed the enchanting and emotionally stirring music, rich with arias, to pass him by. Finally, on May 26, 2023, Jorg Halubek and Il Gusto Barocco brought this long-overlooked masterpiece to it's well-deserved breakthrough at Stuttgart's Liederhalle.