This new release opens with Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach’s Symphony in F major, Wq. 183/3. This symphony belongs to a group of four “Orchestral Symphonies with Twelve Obbligato Parts,” which were commissioned by an unidentified patron in 1775. Next, this release presents Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 39. This work is the first of Haydn’s minor key symphonies and is associated with his “Sturm und Drang” period. Finally, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 in C major rounds out this release. The work was dedicated to an early patron of Beethoven, Baron Gottfried van Swieten. This work is a clear indication of Haydn’s influence on Beethoven. The Chamber Orchestra of the Academy of Music in Gdansk has the opportunity to work under the best European conductors, and the ensemble regularly performs in the concert hall at the Academy of Music in Gdansk, as well as various stages throughout Poland.

This Dux CD of a son conducting the works of his father offers a selection of Marian Borkowski's work from the years 1966-2005, showing his compositional development from the end of study to the present. Borkowski first applied sonorism, aphoristic nature (inspired by Webern) in his music. In later years, he was using the new tonality and musical language like reductionism and looking for new forms of expression. His son Piotr made his conducting debut in 1986, and at that time his professional career began. He conducts regularly at home and abroad, and has taught conducting in South Korea.

Roughly translating to Praise Polish Martyrdom, this collection of sacred masses celebrates both ancient and contemporary sacred music traditions emanating from the foundation of spiritual martyrdom. Featuring the Mulierum Schola Gregoriana Clamaverunt Iusti ensemble along with the Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University Choir and "Nova et Vetera" Orchestra conducted by Michal Slawecki.

Founded in 2007, Gruppo Di Tempera came about through initiative of musicians who had been performing together for many years in various venues. The group includes members of the National Opera Orchestra, the National Philharmonic, Sinfonia Varsovia, Sinfonietta Cracovia, Ensemble de Narol, Leopoldinum Orchestra, and Concerto Avenna. The ensemble’s basic lineup is a woodwind quintet, with flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, and piano. For this album, the group has chosen works by Poulenc, Ibert, Milhaud, and Francaix.

Jean-Claude Henriot (b. 1949) was born into a family of musicians. As a child, Henriot fixated his conception of great music upon Beethoven. His first great musical experience was of listening to a recording of the ‘Emperor’ Concerto. For this album Henriot has opted to venture outside of the frequently performed piano sonatas by programming Beethoven’s Bagatelles, Fantasia in G minor, Andante Favori, and 32 Variations in C minor. All of the works on this release were composed between 1803 and 1825, during the composer’s late period when the fullness of his potential had been reached.

Maciej Miecznikowski, a magnificent musician with a unique voice that sounds optimum in the Romantic repertoire, along with Krzysia G�rniak, well known jazz guitarist who brings a delicate approach to her virtuosity, bring us this musical tribute on the 50th anniversary of Nat King Cole's death. These unconventional arrangements make the great American Jazzer's hits sound fresh and alive. Featured tracks include Unforgettable, Route 66, and When I Fall In Love. This tribute feels intimate- a performance "close to the ear and brimming with emotion."

This recording of Vienna based Classical era and little known Ignaz Ritter von Seyfried's sacred mass Missa Solemnis in B Minor is due to Herculean efforts of conductor and arranger Father Mieczyslaw Gniady. Father Gniady's tenacious efforts to transcribe the manuscript along with his efforts to produce this recording indeed underlines the 'labor of love' aspect of this release. With a double choir and orchestra, it's clear that von Seyfried's Missa Solmenis is a worthy addition to the sacred mass canon.

Arkadiusz Adamski is one of the most active clarinetists in Poland. He performs regularly as a soloist and chamber musician, and has an active teaching career. Thanks to many competition successes, which include first prize at the Polish Chamber Music Competition in 1983 and second prize at the International Competition for Karol Kurpinski, Adamski has been one of the most recognized Polish clarinetists from the very start of his career. The present album, presented alongside renowned chamber musicians Marcin Zdunik, Magdalena Wojciechowska and the Apollon Musagete Quartet, includes two works by Johannes Brahms: his Trio for clarinet, cello and piano in A minor op. 114, and Quintet for clarinet, two violins, viola, and cello in B minor, Op. 115.

Eugene Ysaÿe was considered to be one of the world's best violinists and was mentioned in one breath alongside such celebrities as Paganini, Vieuxtemps and Wieniawski. In the 1920's was when Ysaÿe wrote his best-known violin masterworks, the echoes of his fascination with impressionism and symbolism. "I allowed free improvisation to reign. Each sonata constitutes a kind of little poeme where I abandoned the violin to it's fantasies. I wanted to associate musical interest with grand qualities of true virtuosity". - Ysaÿe

Dariusz Przybylski’s compositions: more than fifty opuses, a number of performances and prizes - all that from a composer barely thirty years old - have been raising a growing interest for some time. The work Passio features an adaptation of the seven last words of Jesus and the St. John Passion. The cast of twelve voice parts made it possible for the composer to create the most varied mixes and combinations of voices. This large-scale work, and the smaller-scaled pieces rounding out Disc 2, are performed by the ensemble PHØNIX16 Vokalensemble (Berlin) led by Timo Kreuser.

The Folklorist and Ethnographic Polish 19th C. Researcher and Henryk Oskar Kolberg (1814-90) Composed, Between His Systematic Research Studies and Field Trips and More Mundane Desk Work, Enough of a Body of Music to Initiate a Series of Recordings Honoring His Output and Birthday Bicentenary. Volume 1 of This Two Disc Set Features Solo Piano Works, Played By Pianist Mariusz Rutkowski. Volume 2 Features a Full Disc of Songs, Again with Mr. Rutkowski at the Piano and in the Various Company of Four Singers, a Soprano and Three Tenors.

The typically English musical ‘phantasy’ form appeared near the end of the 16th c., prominently in the work of Byrd and Gibbons. Henry Purcell was one of the last of the 17th c. composers devoted to the genre before its decline. Its 19th c. rebirth led to works by, amongst numerous others, Frank Bridge. Olivier Penard’s (b. 1974) music is positioned at the crossroads of contemporary creativity, minimalist currents, jazz, and film music. Founded in 2000, the Ensemble Contraste aim for original programming of music from classical to tango, musical comedy, jazz, and contemporary creativity.

A film score is inextricably linked with the image, it is composed according to the wishes of the director; sometimes it becomes a separate sphere of art. The beauty of the intertwined, overlapped melodic lines spun from dreams and longings and the depth of the harmonic structures occasionally introduce the listener into an unreal, irrational world, a world of illusion, dreams... I couldn't resist them - Maksym Rzeminski

“My concerti grossi were created as the result of my interest in Baroque music, and inspired by the musicality of Corelli, Handel, Rameau, the versatility of Vivaldi and the surprising inventiveness of Jean-Féry Rebel.” (Sebastian Krajewski) Sieben Fragmente aus Michael Ende is a collection of seven miniatures illustrating selected scenes from the Neverending Story. Krajewski modeled his Concerto for Oboe and Strings, comissioned by soloist Marek Roszkowski, after the oboe concerto of Vaughan Williams. “There is no doubt about it: the Polish Radio Chamber Orchestra is one of the crack ensembles of our time.” - The Gazette, Montreal

The works on this album, all contemporary compositions by living composers including elder statesman Peter Maxwell Davies, invite quiet contemplation of worlds far removed from city-life distractions and sensory overload and, increasingly, of life lived before or behind screens. - The composers represented here all have Scottish connections, as do many of their compositions. - Recently compared to the Beaux Arts Trio by the Washington Post for their 'musical fire' and dedication to the genre, the Gould Piano Trio continue bringing masterpieces of their repertoire to a discerning public.