The year 2012 marks the Wergo label's 50th anniversary. For half a century, Wergo has been synonymous with contemporary music. The label's catalog reads like a virtual who's-who of modern music, both in terms of composers and performers. From the beginning, the intent of founder Werner Goldschmidt (from whom the label derives it's name) was to provide listeners with a snapshot of current musical activity and innovation. Goldschmidt's label and mission, now managed by the publisher Schott, is maintained to this day by a dedicated staff that is constantly striving to bring the best new music to the attention of the world. This specially-priced commemorative set features five discs, with one from each from the label's five rich decades. Featured composers include Cage, Nono, Schnebel Stockhausen and Stravinsky.

The Intimacy of Creativity is a first of its kind, an annual partnership devoted to promoting an intimate dialogue between composers and performers. Distinguished composers, together with selected composer fellows from Hong Kong and around the world, present and revise their compositions after in-depth discussions with world-renowned performers during public open discussions. The revised compositions are presented at preview concerts on the campus of HKUST and world premiere concerts in downtown Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is recognized as Asia's foremost classical orchestra. Jaap van Zweden, one of today's most sought-after conductors, has been the orchestra's Music Director since the 2012/2013 concert season.

Der Rosenkavalier, the most successful opera of Strauss and von Hofmannsthal's partnership, is a story of love, lust and human frailty. The story is not complicated but it soars and dips on Strauss' music with Hofmannsthal's expressive libretto. With Barker in the role of the Marschallin, who can fail to be moved by her poignant portrayal of facing the final loss of youth and her young lover? Count Octavian, (Carby), is a young man who has his life to enjoy with no thought of anything but pleasure and the Marschallin's company - until he meets the beautiful and innocent Sophie von Faninal (Pearson). The boorish Baron Ochs auf Lerchenau is superbly exposed by Hemm, his Viennese accent lending authenticity. Led by conductor Litton and staged by Oberle.

Duke Pearson -"Wahoo! (Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series)" (180g Heavy) Duke Pearson's great 1964 album Wahoo! Was a perfect encapsulation of his talents as a pianist, composer and bandleader. Writing for a sextet featuring Donald Byrd (trumpet), James Spaulding (alto sax), Joe Henderson (tenor sax), Bob Cranshaw (bass) and Mickey Roker (drums), Pearson presents evocative originals including "Amanda," "Bedouin" and "ESP." This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series stereo edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal. Capitol Music Group; Blue Note; Jazz; Catalog.

Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing housed in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket. Duke Pearson's 1967 album The Right Touch is perhaps the finest of his career and a showcase for the breadth of his talents as a pianist, composer, and arranger. Six memorable originals are performed by a dynamic 8-piece band including Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax) and James Spaulding (alto sax). Blue Note Tone Poet Series is remastered from the original analog tapes.

The two compositions of the pastor and professor for experimental music, Dieter Schnebel, which have already been published on LP in 1976 - which was awarded the Prize of the German Phonographic Academy - are examples for different conceptual areas, and hence for different reaction possibilities of the listeners. "Choralvorspiele" realize as the instrumental counterpart to Schnebel's choir pieces "Missa est" the most general ensemble instructions imaginable. The composition does not close the door of the church to any sound phenomenon, but it fetches into the interior of the church everything that sounds and produces noise. "Atemzuge", basic course of "Maulwerke" for several articulating organs and reproduction devices from the open work group "Produktionsprozesse", could stimulate independent production by the listener himself as musical reflections on the "language" of the own vital process and its manifestations. This CD was awarded the German Record-Award (German Phono-Academy). coproduction with Hessischer Rundfunk and Westdeutscher Rundfunk