When the 18-year-old Georg Friedrich Handel arrived in Hamburg to immerse himself in the dazzling world of opera, he sat in the violin section as though he could not count to five, according to his friend Johann Mattheson. A year later, he presented his first stage work, and by the age of 21, he had already won the hearts of the Italians - a prodigy of boundless versatility to whom no task was too difficult. Even where the clergy prohibited opera performances, the "dear Saxon", as they called him, ignited dramatic sparks. The two cantatas - one about the sorceress Armida, abandoned by her beloved, and the other about Emperor Nero's mother, condemned to death - are intense monodramas that continue to spellbind audiences today, especially when staged by an artist like Amanda Forsythe. One is grateful for the instrumental interludes that provide moments of respite between these captivating "pocket operas".

Today, his work "has no significant presence in recordings or concert life," states the boundless internet for those seeking information on the life and work of composer, pianist, and priest Johann Franz Xaver Sterkel (1750-1817). This perception, however, will have to change in the foreseeable future, for what has recently resurfaced from the legacy of this versatile Wurzburg-born musician awakens a curiosity that deepens with each encounter and is rewarded with ever-surprising creations. Now, alongside the three highly acclaimed chamber works released by cpo in November (555 499-2), two of his once widely performed symphonies join the spotlight, as well as one of the six piano concertos he composed - pieces that served both to showcase his classically refined, virtuosic eloquence and to bring universal delight in his presence.

Around the same time that Michael Korstick caused a sensation with the first and, to date, only recording of all Beethoven piano concertos (555 447-2), these recordings were also made. They shed light on the life of the "Titan" from the opposing perspectives of fashionable accessories and clever miniatures. These two aspects interweave in reverse chronological order: the Variations in C Minor from 1806 serve as the prelude, while the 24 variations on Righini's�Venni Amore�from 1791 conclude the portrait. In between, musical snapshots of the Bagatelles Op. 33 (1802) and Op. 119 (1822) frame the variations on an original theme, Op. 76 (1809), which would later become the�Turkish March.�In every piece, from the smallest vignette to the most intricate keyboard trick, the boundless imagination of one who set out to instill fear is at work.

On August 15, 1684, the Sun King's war against Emperor Leopold I and King Charles II of Spain reached a temporary end. Louis XIV had secured the advantage, and so several influential gentlemen sought to delight His Majesty with extravagant tributes. One of them was the Marquis de Seignelay, who spent the staggering sum of 100, 000 livres on illuminations, lavish banquets, and a concert at his Ch�teau de Sceaux on a summer evening. In doing so, he sparked a sensation that echoed for years: the Idylle sur la Paix (Idyll on Peace), featuring music by the court composer Lully and poetry by the court poet Racine. The Duke of Richelieu (the great-nephew of the legendary Cardinal) could only remain in second place. He, too, had planned a grand f�te at his estate, with music by Marc-Antoine Charpentier and the unveiling of an equestrian statue of the king. But the devil lurked in the details, and the F�te never came to pass. Now, 340 years later, the Boston Early Music Festival brings this long-lost vision to life.

Julius Otto Grimm was born in the Estonian port city of Parnu, studied at the Leipzig Conservatory, and, after several stops, arrived in Munster, where he played such an outstanding role until his death in 1903 that the city's symphony orchestra could not deny him the recognition he deserved in anticipation of his 200th birthday (2027). This recording showcases two of the most significant works from Grimm's concise catalog: the youthful, passionate Symphony composed in Leipzig in 1852, paired with the second Canonical Suite from 1870, which the composer dedicated to his lifelong friend Johannes Brahms. This miniature masterpiece forms a bridge back to Johann Sebastian Bach, who undoubtedly inspired the refined contrapuntal artistry without ever relegating the self-avowed Romantic Grimm to the background.

Born just months before his father's early death, Franz Xaver Mozart represented the great hope of his mother, Constanze, who envisioned the continuation of the musical lineage in the younger of her two surviving sons. She, therefore, ensured that he received a first-class education, and he strove with all his might to prove himself worthy of the trust placed in him. He became a distinguished and recognized pianist, while over the years he created a small but refined body of work dominated by intimate ensembles ranging from lieder to chamber music. His character, as revealed through his compositions, is not unlike that of his father: behind the classically elegant and occasionally humorous language lies a quiet, touching melancholy, which in his piano quartet presses stormily into the world of the Romantics.

Deutscher Schallplattenpreis - The jury's statement: "Comprehensive and highly "Comprehensive and interpretatively high-ranking insight into the central creative field of an unjustly forgotten composer of the Schonberg generation, who stood in the Reger tradition and continued it not without a pronounced will to experiment. The edition of a young label enriches the record repertoire in an exemplary way and has a high information value." (Orgelwerke); "Excellent performance." (American Record Guide)

Elsa Barraine (1910-1999) must have been a musical prodigy. At 18, she placed second in the competition for the coveted Prix de Rome; by 19, she had it in the bag. While studying under Paul Dukas in the Eternal City, she composed, among other works, a first symphony of remarkable quality and individuality, unmistakably neoclassical. There is no question that this was no mere talent but the manifestation of an outstanding figure. And she lived up to the high expectations placed upon her: The "symphonic illustration of Andre Spire's poem Pogrom" proves to be a gripping tone poem, and the second symphony from 1938 unleashes a force one neither wants nor can resist. And there remains La Mise au tombeau du Titien (The Entombment of Titian") from 1953 - a passacaglia whose expressive power and intensity take one's breath away.

Tommaso Traetta was 39 years old when he was appointed choirmaster of the Venetian Ospedaletto dei Derelitti in 1766, which was one of those "homes" for orphan girls in which music played a central role. At that time, this Bari native had enjoyed an international reputation for his opere serie. In his new post, which he was to hold for around ten years, he was able to increase his own renown and that of his patrons - particularly with the oratorio recorded here and it's subject of King Solomon and his worship of the Ark of the Covenant in the temple. Traetta based the sacred work on a Latin text on the legendary ruler of the Israelites, in which the Queen of Sheba, Zadok the priest and Adon, the Lord of the Ammonites, play the leading roles so elegantly that the work takes on the melodious grace of an Italian singspiel. The success was noticeable and, thanks to this recording, remains true to King Solomon.

Over the course of his life, Einojuhani Rautavaara's work has developed like a microcosm of the history of music since 1950. His break with the bonds of serialism and a commitment to his own unique ideals were of crucial importance to his international reputation - a courageous step that manifested itself in unmistakeable creations. Rautavaara demands extreme intimacy and immediate, vivid empathy from his listeners, but rewards them with a spiritual wealth that leaves an indelible impression. The 50-year old violin concerto with it's delicate reminiscences of Sibelius, the poignant declaration of love in the Serenade from the year of his death, 2016, and his beautiful Autumn Gardens written just before the turn of the millennium are impressive examples of his intelligibility and are for good reason the most often performed works of the Finnish master.

Ferdinand Hiller was the son of a wealthy industrialist from Frankfurt. He studied with Johann Nepomuk Hummel in Weimar from the age of ten, lived for several years in Paris and finally settled in Cologne in 1850. He took over the direction of the Gurzenich Orchestra and the municipal conservatory, organised twelve instalments of the Lower Rhine Music Festival and played an outstanding role in Cologne's music scene. Nevertheless, the oeuvre of the precocious composer Ferdinand Hiller still requires careful review and evaluation. To this end, the two symphonies in F minor (1832) and E minor (1848) recorded here are revealing - these are two fiery, dramatic works of a vivacious temperament. He took audible pleasure in forcing his ideas into classical forms and rejoicing in the fact that they clearly embraced the boundaries.

By modern standards, Thomas Muntzer might be described as a liberation theologian. A few years before his violent death, the ordained priest married a former nun (like Martin Luther), devoted himself to helping the needy, and ultimately became actively involved in the Peasants' War-actions that alienated him from both the secular authorities and Luther himself. Muntzer, an impassioned advocate for the oppressed, met his end on the executioner's block in 1525. On May 27, 2025, the 500th anniversary of his execution will be commemorated. To mark the occasion, the vocal ensemble Amarcord presents two works Muntzer created as part of his liturgical reforms: the first German-language Christmas Mass and the�Amt�(Office) and Matins for Easter. Muntzer translated the texts from Latin into German, aligning them with traditional chorale melodies. The result is a deeply contemplative experience, lasting over 75 minutes.

Even today, there are those who want to hear the same "female Beethoven" in Emilie Mayer that contemporaries of the Prussian composer believed to recognise in her works. The label of course does not explain the artist's notable successes. She had a classically informed but romantically inspired temperament and was successful in negotiating the balance between both worlds. The blurring of boundaries she creates is not intrusive, but is hidden among other places in her individual treatment of the large orchestra she calls for. This was a very special challenge for the orchestrator Andreas N. Tarkmann when he reconstructed the lost score of the B minor Symphony from the piano reduction for this recording. A highly dramatic panorama that results is a convincing connection to the Symphony in E major written two years later, creating a further journey of discovery through the world of Emilie Mayer.

Emanuel Moor (1863-1931) was the son of an opera singer and cantor from Kecskemet, Hungary. He studied in Budapest with Robert Volkmann and then in Vienna with Anton Bruckner and the pianist Anton Door. And there is no doubt that the city on the Danube left it's musical mark on his work, as the three piano trios presented here reveal. However, the point of departure for this trilogy does not start with his composition teachers, but with another famous counterpart, Johannes Brahms, who inspired not only Moor but also many of his younger compatriots. The chamber music of Bela Bartok and Erno Dohnanyi also led him down a path to produce a wide spiral of unique structures and modes of expression with the piano always to the fore. The composer's brilliant mastery of this instrument is combined with the two string instruments to create exciting constructions.

This chamber music recording features two important anniversaries - the 150th anniversary of the death of French composer Louise Farrenc, who died on 15 September 1875 after a successful career in Paris and the 75th birthday of her Russian colleague Elena Firsowa, who was born on 21 March 1950 in Leningrad in the late-Stalinist Soviet Union. She had every reason to be glad at the "mercy of a late birth", since she was among the rebellious who bristled against the long-established standard-bearers very early on. Her piano quartet, now ten years old, is the centrepiece of this recording. Louise Farrenc once again demonstrates her impressive creative powers with her first piano quintet, and her compatriot Mel (anie) Bonis (1858-1937) deserves admiration for her first quartet, whose almost Art Nouveau-like melodies and sonorities are without question some of the most beautiful chamber music written after the turn of the century.