Cinema enthusiasts all over the world will have no difficulty recalling some of the wonderfully circus-like melodies of Federico Fellini's films. The suggestive power of this music is irresistible, and made its composer Nino Rota (1911-1979) an instant classic. But Rota not only left his mark on the soundtrack of over one hundred and fifty films, he also left behind a multitude of other pieces: Operas, symphonies, concertos for orchestra and various solo instruments, and chamber music - all of the highest quality. A never-ending wealth of ideas and deep emotionality can be regarded as the common denominator in Rota's highly individual work.

The many Rota interpretations and arrangements are joined by a very special line-up in this recording. The musicians David Sautter (arrangements, guitar) and Murat Cevik (flute) have put together 23 little-known pieces and "gutter hits". Rota's compositions appear to only have been waiting for the congenial performance of these two instrumentalists: the feather-light, sparkling, sometimes darker playing of Murat's flute, and David's guitar, which sets the beat and suddenly starts swinging. The excerpts from the "15 preludi per Pianoforte" form the enchanting prelude - flute and guitar in dialogue, dancing on the high wire -, followed by a musical bouquet in all its colorful facets until the concluding "Notti di Cabiria"; here the duo casually lives out its jazz affinity and harmoniously rounds off the homage.

The guitarist Michael Winkler is internationally known as a musical frontier crosser, especially through the Eos Guitar Quartet. After his debut LP, the highly acclaimed Bach album and the album midlife with original compositions, he now presents his fourth solo album with original compositions by Tárrega. Francisco Tárrega 1852-1909, was a Spanish guitarist and composer. He is still considered the founder of modern guitar playing and the most prominent guitarist and teacher of his era. "When I first heard Tárrega's music as a young man, I was immediately in love with the melodies, harmonies and elegance of his waltzes. I played the pieces at every opportunity until they became "my" pieces. Later I discovered polyphony and forgot about Tárrega's music, until finally in 2019 I dared to reinterpret it with a grasp of my eyes. I interpreted many things more slenderly and rhythmically tighter than at that time, thought phrasings larger, but also took more time. The beautiful spatial sound of the band supported my joy of playing, stimulated my creativity and fulfilled my wish to record the album in a natural acoustic.”

“La Santa Allegrezza,” a tradition of the heart .. From the tradition of Advent and the Novena, the nine days before the birth of Christ, Letizia Fiorenza and David Sautter have collected songs from Campania and Sicily. Striking in these songs are the simplicity and the directness of the lyrics and the music. The story of Jesus' birth, for example, as narrated by the blind Cantastorie in Palermo, is dramatically staged with the same intensity as the famous Rider epics portrayed on the streets of Palermo with the gold-brained Pupi. These songs depict the human side of the Christmas story that is comprehensible to everyone, a dimension that appeals to the heart. We suffer with Mary, fear the shepherds and rejoice with the kings when they finally discover the promised child. A special position is given to Mary, who is shown as a dignified expectant mother, who commands over the water and the serpent, who in her paces the way, crushed with his foot. The selected classical pieces for guitar in contrast to the drama of the songs a contemplative pause.

This release features Christmas carols from all over the world. From South American rhythms to silent nights, from Italy, England, Germany, Sweden, Poland, Russia, France, Spain, USA, Uruguay and Argentina. Together we want to immerse ourselves in a joyous Christmas season. Everyone connects during this time with their own memories and sensory impressions. In addition to family encounters and festive food, it is also the music that lets us sensually capture the emotions of this time and awaken childhood memories. The spectrum is wide: from soulful, deep intimacy to merry cheering. If we are looking for Christmas carols around the world, the range will be even wider. So we have compiled a variety of Christmas carols, sung in 10 languages, and this edited for the simple cast of vocals and classical guitar. This is a beginning of our "world collection", which will be expanded with songs from other regions of the world. As different as the songs of all the nations on this album are, the content, Christ's birth, brings everyone together. We want to emphasize this solidarity and tolerance during the Christmas season and to revive it. With these songs we wish you a Merry Christmas.

It doesn’t take much to image that the material on this album could be an initiative launched by Swiss diplomats: A Swiss guitar quartet playing compositions by a Cuban and a American. For many years, relations between Cuba and the USA were not particularly friendly – until Barack Obama opened a new era of diplomacy between the two nations in 2016. As a neutral country, Switzerland has often erved as an intermediary between the United States and other countries. But this is not about diplomacy. The Eos Guitar Quartet often performs works by Leo Brouwer and Ralph Townwe and has commissioned these artists to compose original music for the quartet. Everyone knows and appreciates each other. And as a highly specialized chamber music ensemble, the Eos Guitar Quartet naturally tries to help expand the repertoire for such a formation. This Performance of Gismontiana is a live recording of a concert featuring the Eos Guitar Quartet together with the Musikkollegium Winterthur conducted by composer Leo Brower. The Concert took place in the Stadthaus Winterthur, Switzerland.