The Accademia Arcadia was flourishing in Rome at the time Andrea Stefano Fiore, one of Italy's true child prodigies, was there. The wide variety of stylistic influences and superlative quality of his cantatas, from lyrical simplicity to daring harmonic experiment, are confirmation of Fiore's uniquely poetic talent. Giovanni Antonio Giay succeeded Fiore in service at the royal court in Turin, and these world premiere recordings together reveal musical treasure of great value, sublimely documenting the extraordinary musical sensitivity of these rarely heard composers.

The works on this album take us on a journey exploring Mozart's diverse musical horizons. It opens with the dramatic Adagio and Fugue, K. 546, a work with an almost primeval expressive power that can still shock today. The Sinfonia Concertante is one of Mozart's greatest masterpieces, it's luminous world of elegance and clarity delivering a message of hope amidst the most profound melancholy. The programme ends with Mozart's youthful Symphony No. 27 in which an intensity of expression and air of enigmatic mystery hides behind a gloss of graceful playfulness.

VIOLA MUSIC (20th Century): BRITTEN: Lachrymae / SHOSTAKOVIC

PAGANINI: Trios for Strings and Guitar (Complete)

Viotti: Violin Concertos (Complete), Vol. 1

VERDI: Trouvere (Le) (Il Trovatore) (1857 Paris Version)

TARTINI, G.: Violin Concertos, Vol. 5 (L'Arte dell'Arco) -

Melani: 6 Cantatas for Soprano

V 2: BEST OF LA CETRA - 6 VIOL

THREE DUETS FOR VIOLIN AND VIO

The 18th century was one of the most important periods for Portuguese music. This amazing series of compositions were considered European musical heritage yet today are nearly unknown and missing from the discography and the concert venues. Divino Sospiro is one of Europe’s leading ensembles for Baroque and pre-Romantic music performed on period instruments.

Francesco Cavalli was the most successful Venetian opera composer of the mid-seventeenth century. This new production is orchestrated and conducted by the internationally reputed baroque specialist Federico Maria Sardelli. It is directed by the young Frenchwoman Mariame Clement, who is currently making a name for herself with her infectious directing in German and French opera houses. The title role is sung by the promising counter-tenor Christophe Dumaux.

Thanks to Karajan's charisma, he was able to give impressive performances with the Turin and Rome RAI Symphony Orchestras, performances that are indelibly marked by his strong personality. Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 was recorded at the RAI Auditorium in Turin on 1st March 1953, when Karajan was making his first LP recording of this work with the Philharmonia Orchestra, which he began in July 1952 and completed in the autumn of the following year. Also included is a triumphant performance of Sibelius's Finlandia, one of the orchestral works most loved by Karajan.

Mercadante: Flute Concertos Nos. 1, 2, 4 and 6 / Theme and V

Cavalli: 5 Magnificat and Other Sacred Works