Aspiring to Parnassus, the mythological mountain home of the Muses, Jean Rondeau explores the possibilities of the harpsichord in music composed over more than 400 years - much of it for the piano. He pays tribute to the Austrian composer Johann Joseph Fux, who in 1725 published the original Gradus ad Parnassum, an influential treatise on counterpoint, and to Muzio Clementi, whose similarly titled collection of piano studies came a century later. The theme continues with Debussy's Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum, an affectionate parody of Clementi from the Children's Corner suite. The album's scope extends to the renaissance (Palestrina) and to works conceived for the piano by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. Rondeau's Gradus ad Parnassum sensitizes us to what repertoire written for the piano can reveal about the harpischord - and to what the harpsichord can reveal about repertoire written for the piano.

Quatuor Ebene welcomes a favourite colleague, viola player Antoine Tamestit, for two of Mozart's six string quintets - No 3 in C major, K 515 and No 4 in G minor, K 516. Their last joint album, 'Round Midnight, won a 2022 Gramophone Award for it's thrilling exploration of diverse strands of 20th century music. .When a fifth member joins the ensemble it is always cause for celebration," explains Pierre Colombet, first violinist of Quatuor Ebene,.especially if it's an additional viola to bring further roundness and warmth to the middle voices: the sound grows in substance and vibrancy - the quartet gains a marvellous complement. And a musician like Antoine always brings new ideas and wisdom to refresh or expand our vision of a work." Colombet describes K 515 as.radiant and energetic, exuding elegance and grace," a work in the life-affirming vein of Die Zauberflote, while K 516 offers.perfection in it's counterpoint and the dialogue between the five instruments... already Romantic in spirit, tragic and sometimes sceptical. We all see it as a peak of achievement in chamber music."

Handel: Messiah (2xCD + Bonus DVD) / "A lifetime of performing Messiah has brought me enough courage to record this singularly famous piece of music. With the finest musicians and soloists on the planet surrounding me, I'm finally ready to lay down my personal interpretation for posterity." The American conductor John Nelson, especially famed for his interpretations of Berlioz, conducted Handel's most celebrated oratorio at Coventry Cathedral in the heart of England in November 2022. "In today's turbulent world, I hope that this concert of Messiah in this symbolic location can be a powerful message of hope." The performance is now released as a three-disc set - comprising the audio version (2 CDs) and the video (1 DVD). Nelson's chosen version of the score reflects Messiah's evolution over the period from 1741 (the original autograph) to the early 1750s, when a 'standard' version of the oratorio took shape. In addition, the CDs offer eight bonus tracks - alternative versions of now-familiar arias. Joining John Nelson are the historically informed orchestra and choir of The English Concert, soprano Lucy Crowe, countertenor Alex Potter, tenor Michael Spyres and bass Matthew Brook. As the Times wrote of the performance: "From shadowy strings in 'For behold, darkness shall cover the earth' to gilded trumpets and exuberant timpani in the final chorus, this was Handel straight from the opera house: dramatic and eloquent."

Michael Spyres is a singer who challenges and reshapes perceptions - as his albums BariTenor and Contra-Tenor have shown. Now, preparing for his debut at the Bayreuth Festival in Summer 2024, he searches In the Shadows to reveal more about Wagner and the origins of his music dramas. "Wagner evokes a varying spectrum of emotions - awe, ecstasy, even trepidation," explains Spyres. "This album endeavours to illuminate the composers who languish in the shadows, who formed the foundation of Wagner's compositions and sculpted the framework of vocal writing for the Wagnerian tenor." In the Shadows culminates with three arias by Wagner - from Lohengrin and the lesser-known Die Feen and Rienzi. Preceding them are early 19 th century arias by composers of the French, German and Italian schools: Mehul, Beethoven, Rossini, Meyerbeer, Weber, Auber, Spontini, Bellini and Marschner. Spyres' distinguished companions in his exploration are the players of Les Talens Lyriques and their conductor Christophe Rousset. Michael Spyres's new album seeks to illuminate the composers who "languish in the shadows": those who formed the foundation for Wagner's compositions and sculpted the vocal writing framework of the Wagnerian tenor. In performing and exploring works by pre-Wagnerian composers such as Auber, Bellini, Berlioz, Mehul, Meyerbeer, Rossini, and Spontini, he shines a light on the influences that shaped Wagner into the legendary composer he became. For Michael Spyres, Mehul and Spontini laid the groundwork for Wagner's orchestral and dramatic palette; Meyerbeer, Halevy, and Rossini shaped his understanding of compositional form, overtures, and the structural nuances of storytelling. On the his most recent album, Contra-Tenor, Gramophone wrote: "... it's an enthralling disc as one might expect, and the best of it is sensational indeed."

AGNUS DEI 1 & 2

LA RESURREZIONE

.. this young musketeer of the bow has been captivating all of his audiences. He is the rising star of the French cello. -LE FIGARO Recorded with Luzerner Sinfonie Orchester and conducted by Michael Sanderling, Edgar's new album features a key piece in the cello repertoire: Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations. The short pieces with piano, here played with the brilliant David Kadouch, give opportunities to release multiple tracks on DSP's and multiply chances to get playlisted. Telerama wrote about the artists: "Both known as outstanding soloists, David Kadouch and Edgar Moreau also form a close-knit, well-balanced chamber duo, playing with passion and commitment.". Moreau was awarded at the Victoires de la Musique Classique in 2013 and 2015, and was named an ECHO Rising Star in 2017. He has been a Cello Professor at the Paris Conservatoire National Superieur since fall 2023. He plays on a David Tecchler cello from 1711.

Rameau is one of the universal geniuses in European musical history, on the same level as Bach, Mozart and Haydn", asserts conductor Gyorgy Vashegyi. With this recording of Les Boreades Vashegyi completes an ambitious 10-year Rameau project, run in collaboration with the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles. The cast of Sabine Devieilhe, Reinoud Van Mechelen, Tassis Christoyannis, Thomas Dolie, Gwendoline Blondeel, Benedikt Kristjansson and Philippe Estephe is joined by the Orfeo Orchestra and Purcell Choir - both ensembles founded by Vashegyi. Devieilhe - who made her Erato debut with a Rameau recital - takes the central role of Alphise, Queen of Bactria, who must defy the traditions of her country if she is to marry the man she loves. The theme of freedom, 'la liberte', is important in the opera; conceived in 1763 to mark the end of the Seven Years' War, it had to wait more than 200 years for it's first full staging. When the performers on this recording appeared in a concert version of Les Boreades at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees in Paris, Concert Classique declared that "Rameau's genius shines through at every moment.

The production takes itself none too seriously, the Baroque absurdities of the plot enhanced by absurd costumes... Fagioli rises to the challenge, as he offsets vocal pyrotehcnics with poignancy... - BBC Music Magazine.

The sixteen lullabies - or berceuses - that pianist Bertrand Chamayou has chosen for Good Night! Form a captivatingly varied album. His programme embraces a diversity of eras and musical cultures: Chopin, Liszt, Grieg and, of course, Brahms through Balakirev, Lyapunov, Alkan, Bonis, Busoni, Janacek, Martinu and Villa-Lobos to Helmut Lachenmann and a world premiere, Bryce Dessner's Song for Octave. "The lullaby's place is halfway between dream and reality," says Chamayou, "There is that special moment as you are falling asleep and you experience all kinds of emotions." A satisfying recital that will also enrich digital playlists, Good Night! #has been recorded in Dolby Atmos immersive sound.

The unique radiance of traditional English choral singing that made Agnus Dei such a phenomenon is displayed in this set of international Christmas music by Higginbottom & The Choir of New College, Oxford. Mixing familiar tunes with less frequently heard gems, the carol texts take the listener from Annunciation through Epiphany with music from around the world - including the eloquent Poulenc Christmas Motets and Herbert Howell's haunting carol-anthems.

To celebrate the centenary of the composer's death, this compilation offers a journey through Erik Satie's unusual and distinctive piano works, by three of his greatest performers: Anne Queffelec, Bertrand Chamayou and Aldo Ciccolini. Bonus: his third Gnossienne orchestrated by Francis Poulenc, under the baton of Michel Plasson.

Initiated by the visionary musicologist and organist Olivier Alain - brother of Marie-Claire Alain - this monumental "Encyclopedie de l'orgue" series presents an unparalleled panorama of organ repertoire. It offers a detailed exploration across diverse regions, historical periods (from the 16th century to the contemporary) and stylistic approaches. Recorded between 1958 and 1975, this comprehensive collection features several first-time releases on CD, providing a vibrant testament to the art and spirit of the organ. Major composers are represented by their complete works, while lesser-known figures are highlighted through a carefully curated selection of significant pieces. Each recording was meticulously made on an instrument truly representative of it's repertoire - one whose construction and tonal character authentically correspond to the original aesthetic of the work. The interpretations consistently pursue musical, historical, and stylistic authenticity, entrusted to some of the most distinguished organists of their era.

Schubert: Piano Trios marks the first official album of Trio Moreau, uniting Edgar, David, and Jeremie Moreau in their personal statement of identity as an ensemble. The program combines Schubert's Piano Trios No. 1 & 2 with Lieder arrangements for piano, cello and violin. The two Schubert Piano Trios stand as cornerstones of the chamber music repertoire, as they reveal an extraordinary sense of space, emotional depth and melodic richness from a composer celebrated above all as a master of song. To frame these trios, the Moreau brothers have created their own arrangements of some of Schubert's most beloved Lieder (Du bist die Ruh, and the celebrated Hirt auf dem Felsen). In these versions, violin, cello and piano share the melodic line, each taking turns to "sing" in a dialogue of lyricism and color.

A cinema project for the Insula orchestra conducted by Laurence Equilbey, 'Musiques de Cinema' showcases classical music masterpieces by Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Purcell, Handel, and others. These iconic pieces have been featured in films such as Stanley Kubrick's 'Barry Lyndon' and 'A Clockwork Orange', Wes Anderson's 'Moonrise Kingdom', David Fincher's 'The Social Network' and 'Seven', and Martin Scorsese's 'The Wolf of Wall Street...'

A brilliant line-up for this new recording by Marc Minkowski and Les Musiciens du Louvre, made during lockdown. The album stars Michael Spyres, Sabine Devieilhe, and Elsa Dreisig. It also features Julie Fuchs, Paul-Antoine Benos-Djian, Cyrille Dubois, and Adriana Bignani Lesca. This is the first recording of this opera of Mozart on the Warner Classics & Erato labels.

David Fray adds a landmark of the solo keyboard repertoire to his Bach discography: the Goldberg Variations. "The Goldberg Variations are a real test," he says. "They are the work of a lifetime, perhaps a work about life itself... a kind of rite of passage, a journey. Every element of human life is in them... When you play the theme again after the 30 variations, in it's original purity, it is as if you're at the end of your life, looking back over everything that has happened in the last hour-and-a-half. Few works give such a sense of eternity".

Christina Pluhar, L'Arpeggiata and eight guest singers explore the musical highways and byways of Naples, the most intoxicating and idiosyncratic of Italy's large cities. Alla Napoletana, a double album, expresses the city's mercurial personality in music from the 17th to the 20th centuries, embracing the operatic style of the so-called Neapolitan School, which rose to prominence in the late 1700s, and popular songs and dances. Among them are several examples of the tarantella, the lively, sometimes frenzied dance that epitomizes southern Italy.

This richly varied collection of meditative sacred music takes it's name, Agnus Dei, from the opening item, a setting for voices of Samuel Barber's celebrated and deeply expressive Adagio for Strings. The hauntingly melodic choral masterpieces that fill these two vinyls span five centuries and are the work of such composers as Bach, Mozart, Allegri, Albinoni, Faure, Rachmaninov, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Elgar and, from nearer our own time, John Tavener and Henryk Gorecki. They are performed by the choir of New College Oxford, an exemplar of Britain's great choral tradition.

2018 release. Recorded live at London's celebrated Wigmore Hall, this captivating recital by Joyce DiDonato and the Brentano Quartet was conceived around Jake Heggie's song cycle Camille Claudel: Into the Fire, a work written for DiDonato - she describes it as "one of most moving projects I've ever been part of". Songs by Debussy and Strauss and a quartet movement by Guillaume Lekeu complete the program, which prompted the Financial Times to write that "the beauty and range" of DiDonato's singing "are surely now at their impressive peak."

Diana Damrau and Jonas Kaufmann, reigning stars of opera, are also consummate interpreters of song. In early 2018, with master pianist Helmut Deutsch, they performed Hugo Wolf's multi-faceted Italienisches Liederbuch in 12 cities around Europe. "One couldn't ask for more," wrote the Telegraph after their London concert, which took place two days before this live recording was made in the German city of Essen. - Acclaimed as the "leading coloratura soprano in the world" (New York Sun), Diana Damrau continues to amaze audiences with her unique voice and arresting stage presence. A regular guest at the most renowned opera companies and concert halls, she was awarded the titleBayerische Kammersangerinin 2007 and named "Best Female Singer" at the 2014International Opera Awards.

HANDEL: AMINTE E FILLIDE LUCREZIA ARMIDA

BRAHMS: STRING SEXTETS NOS 1 & 2 LIVE FROM

Tharaud records Beethoven for the first time! Beethoven's last three sonatas, Nos. 30, 31, 32, composed 1820-22 They are considered some of the most difficult works in the repertoire The NY Times said "[Alexandre Tharaud] imbued the opening of Beethoven's Sonata No.31 (Op. 110) with a poetic introspection..." Arte broadcast of Alexandre performing Beethoven In advance of the Beethoven 2020 anniversary year

The first joint album from countertenor Philippe Jaroussky and guitarist Thibaut Garcia, A sa guitare takes it's name from a song by the 20th century French composer Francis Poulenc. But it's frame of reference is extraordinarily wide - both culturally and stylistically. It's 22 tracks range across 400 years and music by composers and songwriters from France, Britain, Austria, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Argentina and the USA. "The album is a journey between different cultures, different continents and different languages," says Philippe Jaroussky, "but each piece is a world in itself. The idea was to take some risks... sometimes moving to a completely different world between one track and the next." "We can evoke hugely different colours as we juggle between renaissance music and a song by Barbara," explains Thibaut Garcia. "It's our job to play with a palette of colours to produces something unique... We put a great deal of thought into the album, but we also put our hearts into it."