Guillaume Coppola continues his original and personal survey of the piano music of Franz Schubert. This recording pairs two collections of waltzes - delicious and colorful miniatures - with a darker and more substantial work of true genius, the Piano Sonata D537. The waltzes demonstrate Schubert's melodic genius, while the sonata is a three movement, twenty-five minute romantic drama. Coppola's fascinating program concludes with the cheerful tones of the Ungarische Melodie D817.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Enrique Granados was one of the great composer-pianists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. A deeply nationalist musician, his works primarily mine the rich heritage of Catalan and Spanish folk music for their inspiration. Today, Granados is best remembered for his evocative solo piano works; however his output also includes a great deal of orchestral music and six operas. Many of his piano compositions, due to their rich Spanish flavor, have been transcribed for the classical guitar - including the work recorded here by the young French virtuoso Guillaume Coppola, the Danzas espanolas. In preparing for this recording, Coppola carefully studied original manuscripts and critical editions. In this powerful and insightful recording, his piano shimmers with the colors and the warmth of Spain.

Although much of the repertoire on this disc was originally conceived for large orchestra, the chamber versions offered here shed new light on familiar territory. In 1918, Arnold Schoenberg founded his Verein fur musikalische Privatauffuhrungen (Society for Private Musical Performance), whose mission was to promote contemporary works. A great admirer of Mahler, Schoenberg created a chamber version of the Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen for the Society, while his student Erwin Stein penned a reduction of Busoni's Berceuse diagiaque. Reiner Riehn, who completed Schoenberg's chamber version of Das Lied von der Erde, wrote this arrangement of Mahler's Kindertotenlieder for chamber orchestra. The disc is completed by Mahler's rarely heard Quartettsatz for piano and string quartet. Contralto Sara Mingardo is accompanied by Musica Aurei conducted by Luigi Piovano.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Nigeria-born Omo Bello first got a university degree in cell biology before she decided to devote herself to music and study in France. Winner of many international competitions, Bello has performed as a soloist as well as in operas, oratorios and chamber music. For her first album, she chose the songs of Mahler's Des Knaben wunderhorn, some of which are rarely recorded. The last movement of the fourth symphony is also included here in a version for piano for four hands. Omo Bello displays a full range of talent on this debut release, experimenting with satire, petulance, melancholy and magic.

Recorded in Naples at the church of Sant'Anna dei Lombardi in July 2011, this live album from the Neapolis Ensemble presents a selection of Neapolitan music spanning four centuries. The music on Lo Guarracino ranges from traditional melodies and dances of the 15th and 16th centuries to an 18th century Classical aria by Leonardo Vinci. In pursuit of an ideal mix classic and traditional music, the Neapolis Ensemble performs on both classical instruments like the violoncello and baroque flutes and popular instruments like the tambourine, mandolin and guitar. The group performs in a wide range of venues - from opera houses to ethnic music festivals - ever reinventing the traditional Neapolitan musical repertoire.

Violinist Livia Sohn is the featured soloist on this recording of Benjamin Britten's Violin Concerto - a landmark of the repertoire, unbridled in it's lyricism and constituting a poignant commentary on the devastating brutality of war. Composer Jonathan Berger, dismayed by the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, also wrote a violin concerto, Jiyeh, to express his frustration with the senselessness of war. Sohn, for whom the work was written, is partnered with cimbalom soloist Jan Roykta on this world premiere recording. Accompaniment for the Britten is provided by the Orchestra Sinfonica del Teatro Marrucino di Chieti conducted by Luigi Piovano and the Banff Centre Chamber Orchestra conducted by Henk Guittart for the Berger.