Classical Music

Classical Music

If the flamboyant guitarist who is Ga�lle Solal has grasped one truth above all, it is that some paths must wander before they arrive. Her devoted companionship with Brazilian musicians, whether in Rio or far beyond, has given her not only the language but also the effortless sway of the Carioca rhythms that have woven themselves into our musical imagination for more than a century. From Choro to Maxixe, these nostalgic or restless pieces carry us to a place on earth that never ceases to fascinate, precisely because it never ceases transforming. From the roots of Brejeiro to the Concerto of Heitor Villa-Lobos and through the luminous popular instinct of Chiquinha Gonzaga, Ga�lle Solal leads us toward an inspired celebration of the magical myth of the Saci. Here, through the voice of composer Clarice Assad, this mischievous spirit of Rio has become a Concerto for the sovereign instrument of a Brazil that we have long dreamed of hearing so closely.

Mosa�c is an ensemble made up of six musicians from Bulgaria, France, Portugal, and Tunisia. Their compositions are above all else a space for musical encounters at the crossroads of jazz and Mediterranean music. Their musical language is varied, combining Balkan ornamentation with the colours of Western European chamber music and the rhythmic essence of North African music. The ensemble explores imaginative worlds and interweaves traditions like a Mosaic, passing from energetic grooves to the breath of the Bulgarian kaval and the woody sonority of stringed instruments. Now that it's creations have been welcomed throughout the Mediterranean, Mosa�c presents a debut album inspired by the different places it has visited and the people it has met.

This recording brings together two late masterworks by Brahms: the Op. 120 Clarinet Sonatas and the Op. 117 Intermezzi for piano, written in the tranquil setting of Bad Ischl. The sonatas, full of tenderness and quiet intensity, were composed for clarinetist Richard Muhlfeld, whose warm, lyrical playing reignited Brahms's desire to compose after a period of silence. This is music of dialogue, not declaration. Nicola Boud and Anthony Romaniuk perform on instruments close to those Brahms and Muhlfeld would have known: a replica of Muhlfeld's 19th-century boxwood clarinet and an 1875 Steinway piano. These choices bring a soft, transparent quality to the sound, inviting a more intimate listening experience. Expressive tools of 19th-century performance: rubato, flexibility, arpeggiation, are used not as effects, but as natural extensions of the music's emotional landscape. Brahms once called the Op. 117 Intermezzi "three lullabies of my grief." These restrained yet luminous pieces distil his late style into elegiac monologues, offering quiet spaces where time feels suspended. Together, these warm, reflective and deeply emotional works offer a glimpse into Brahms' final years.

Violinist Alexandra Tirsu presents her debut album comprising concertos by Dmitri Shostakovich and Paul Hindemith. Shostakovich's music has resonated with her since childhood, it's atmosphere reflecting the war stories she grew up with. Violin Concerto No. 1 unfolds like a psychological journey-from a shadowy opening to a fierce scherzo, an emotionally charged passacaglia, and a wildly ironic finale. Hindemith's rarely performed Violin Concerto, which Alexandra first explored at the ARD Competition in Munich, reveals a different voice: clear, structured, and quietly expressive. Recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Vasily Petrenko, this album captures a moment of depth, identity, and emotional connection through two powerful 20th-century works.

Miriam Prandi's deeply personal interpretation of Bach's suites for solo cello reveals a musical personality shaped by freedom and reverence for the work; her phrasing recalls not only the elegance of line in Bach's arias and recitatives but also the intricate figuration of his keyboard works. She naturally embraces certain elements of historically informed performance practice, although she refuses to be confined by it's prescriptions. She allows the music to speak in a way that all today can understand: a way that transcends stylistic labels and so-called modernity and speaks with clarity, conviction, and from the heart.

Violinist Sylvia Huang has drawn inspiration from nature since her childhood, marvelling at it's beauty, it's cycles and it's subtle harmony. Her Ode to Mother Nature project is designed to raise awareness of the fragility of all living things. Pianist Boris Kusnezow partners Sylvia on this musical journey, which celebrates the cycle of the seasons with works by Gabriel Dupont, Lili Boulanger, Dora Pejacevic, Edvard Grieg, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Camille Pepin and Eugene Ysaye. Each piece highlights an aspect of one of the seasons, as well as the deep connection between music and nature. Through this music Sylvia invites us to appreciate the deep bond that unites humanity to it's environment, and the urgent need to protect it.

The works of Nikolai Myaskovsky, one of the major composers of the 20th century, remain largely unexplored. The Ural Youth Symphony Orchestra and Alexander Rudin continue their project of reviving the composer's unheralded masterpieces. His early symphonic poem Alastor embodies the aspirations of a lonely romantic hero towards an unrealisable ideal. The Seventh Symphony is a mature artist's contemplation of a man and of the world. The cantata The Kremlin by Night, composed late in his career, expresses Myaskovsky's love for his motherland and it's rich history. This is the first studio recording of the cantata. "Myaskovsky's works are very close to me," says Alexander Rudin, "his music is noble, darkened, philosophical and somewhat mysterious. Much in it remains unknown. Deriving from Tchaikovsky, Myaskovsky also inherits Mussorgsky's tragic disposition and premonition of catastrophe. His inherent awareness that life was restless, somewhat dangerous and unpredictable, was connected not only with his time but also with his perception of the world."

Vincent Segal and Stephane Kerecki, key figures on the Paris music scene for two decades, now present Ponticello, a project born of their impromptu meeting in the summer of 2022 and their desire to combine their instruments. Their duo, which they formed on the spur of the moment, quickly grew into an ambitious venture designed for the stage. Here the two musicians share their passion for the great classics (Bach, Messiaen, Faure), jazz standards (Hampton Hawes, Scott LaFaro) and their own compositions, blending classical, jazz, South American and American folk influences. The potential of this intimate but powerful group became clear from their very first sessions, with a richness of sound worthy of an orchestra. Since they regularly collaborate with Airelle Besson they invited her to enhance their duo. Her magnificent sound fits in perfectly and adds a new depth to the ensemble.

Alexander Gadjiev's album Legends takes listeners on a journey through the timeless legends and stories hidden within music, revealing it's power to conjure entire worlds. In Debussy's La cathedrale engloutie, ghostly bells rise from a submerged cathedral, bringing a Breton myth to life. Liszt's Funerailles rages with thunderous chords, evoking a battle against mortality, whilst Musorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition unfolds a vivid tapestry of Slavic folklore and European scenes. Prokofiev's Legende tells an enchanted tale of light and shadow, and Scriabin's Sonata No. 9 (Black Mass) immerses us in an eerie, otherworldly soundscape. Franck's Prelude, Fugue et Variation offers a sublime reflection on the soul's journey, while Bach-Siloti's Prelude in B minor resonates like a timeless, universal hymn. The Italian-Slovenian pianist has designed this programme to offer listeners a profound and mythical experience.

Everything in the world whether it is life, a piece of art, a scientific discovery, a revolution, or even a simple idea has it's own starting point. For composers, it is the work that marks their first step into the world. Opus 1 is an exploration of those beginnings, where ambition meets uncertainty and raw ideas take shape. In this album, pianist Anna Geniushene, whose career highlights include being a Silver Medalist at the 2022 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and being named Young Artist of the Month by Musical America, explores the early creative voices of great Romantic composers such as Chopin, Schumann, Brahms, Berg and Tchaikovsky, uncovering the ambition, curiosity, and individuality that shaped their musical identities. Was an Opus 1 a declaration of will or just a sketch of what was to come? This album delves into that question, offering a glimpse of great composers who were taking their first steps and searching for their true voice when everything was still possible.

In the first of several projects for Fuga Libera, Spanish double bassist Uxia Martinez Botana invites us to hear Mendelssohn as never before. By placing her instrument at the heart of the string quartet and replacing the traditional cello, she opens up a world of unexpected textures and emotional depth. Her brilliant career as a soloist and as principal double bass of Kremerata Baltica (at just 23) and the Weinberger Kammerorchester makes her the natural instigator of this innovative ensemble. Together with three exceptional musicians, she reshapes the balance of the ensemble with subtlety and imagination while remaining faithful to the spirit of the music. From the warmth of Mendelssohn's joyful moments to the raw power of his grief, the double bass becomes both foundation and voice. This is not only a tribute to a great composer, it is also an artistic statement, offering a fresh lens on this beloved repertoire, and a moving exploration of how tradition can evolve without losing it's soul.

This album pays tribute to the singular world of Valentin Silvestrov, a composer whose music gently reaches out to the past while also resonating with the voices of such contemporaries as Leonid Hrabovsky, Alexander Knaifel, Arvo Part, and Andre Volkonsky. Curated and performed by pianist Alexei Lubimov, the recording unfolds like an intimate uninterrupted journey; a musical dialogue among friends and fellow spirits united by admiration and shared feelings. Silvestrov's�Bagatelles�form the heart of the album, not miniatures in the traditional sense, but fleeting moments of music. Each piece is open-ended, flowing into the next and forming a delicate chain that gradually reveals a shimmering, larger form. A deeply personal listening experience, this album invites the listener into a space where every sound feels like a whisper across time: thoughtful, luminous, and quietly profound.

Cassandra is an opera about knowing what lies ahead yet not being able to do anything to prevent it, about sensing impending disaster, but not being heard. It's an opera about today. Two main characters, prophets in their time, are heralds of the world to come. Cassandra, daughter of King Priam of Troy, warns against the doom facing her people during the Trojan War. Her warnings go unheeded and the world, as it was then known, comes to an end. Sandra, a young modern-day climatologist and PhD candidate, has turned to comedy as a language through which she hopes to communicate her research on climate change and global warming, to no avail. Finally, the two meet: Cassandra from time immemorial, Sandra battling with the complexities of today. Perhaps it will be Cassandra's turn to make Sandra laugh

Manfred holds a special place in Tchaikovsky's oeuvre, as it is unique: a symphony composed on an extremely large scale around a wide-ranging literary programme. Manfred is the embodiment of several facets of Tchaikovsky's individuality: it presents both Russian and European features, Tchaikovsky's own talents as a psychologist and a shrewd judge of character, his abilities as a writer for the theatre, and his mastery in creating orchestral colours. The score itself dazzles with it's variety of images and sounds - from airy to grandiose and powerful, from pastoral and peaceful to dense and dark. The dramatic concept of the work as a whole, it's psychological portrayal of the protagonists and the vivid expression in their development all come to reveal the characteristic style of Tchaikovsky's late works. What is more, Manfred remains fascinating thanks to the fact that it emerged at the crossroads of various literary, philosophical and musical trends during 19th century. The album was recorded on the eve of the 185th anniversary of Tchaikovsky's birth.

This recital is a subtle fusion of classical and popular music from different eras and latitudes - a hymn of love to life itself. It reflects the multifaceted personal journey of mezzo-soprano Anne-Lise Polchlopek and transcends the boundaries between repertoires to explore the universality of human existence and it's relationship with time, with nature, and with other human beings. The programme moves from the modesty of a traditional lullaby to the poetic intimacy of a melodie or a Lied, from the lyricism of a simple song to the splendour of an aria from an opera or a zarzuela. The artist's imagination links pairs of composers together on each track of this album and sparks unique journeys for the listener: de Falla converses with Strauss and Messiaen, while Chaminade and Gimenez tease Mozart; Brel responds to Faure, while Parra sublimates Viardot. Gracias a la vida presents new arrangements for voice, guitar and piano and creates a musical odyssey in which all can share and find new connections.

For the second project in it's Meridiane series, Sjaella explores the music of cultures whose languages exist only as mother tongues for minorities. On this new album, spoken, the a cappella vocal ensemble shares it's fascination for cultural diversity and vocal sounds through new interpretations of traditional music. The arrangements of folk songs and dances, as well as new compositions, represent sound worlds that move between tradition and modernity. Sjaella's Meridiane series, which continues on Fuga Libera, is a succession of colourful musical treasures that strengthens the ensemble's connection to it's own cultural roots.

What does the German word Heimat mean? The place of one's birth, a place of initial socialisation, or a feeling of security and belonging? Many composers made the city of Vienna their Heimat. Beethoven, Schubert, Ernst, Vorisek and Mozart - all represented on this recording - were shaped by it's rich traditions and contributed to the style that we now call Viennese Classicism. The Austrian capital has always been a centre for the arts, and music in particular. It attracts creative minds and artists and is the embodiment of a bridge between tradition and modernity. This recording aims to take the listener on a journey of discovery through a pivotal period around the year 1800, in the form of a spontaneous and intimate chamber music concert. It combines masterpieces of the duo repertoire for violin and piano with little-known gems such as Vorisek's Sonata in G major.

A meeting between violinist David Haroutunian and Karen Khachaturian, son of the legendary composer Aram Khachaturian, inspired this new recording. Following their encounter in Paris at a concert marking the 40th anniversary of Aram Khachaturian's passing, Karen entrusted David with the score of an unpublished sonata for violin and piano, written by his father in the early 1930s. Avant-garde in style and structured in two unique movements, the sonata stands as a remarkable masterpiece, both profound and accessible to a wide audience. "My discovery of this sonata sparked an intense desire to record all of Khachaturian's works for violin, as no such comprehensive recording, to my knowledge, exists," David explains. Together with pianist Xenia Maliarevitch, he set out to capture not only Khachaturian's original compositions for solo violin and violin-piano duo but also selected arrangements of his most iconic works, including excerpts from Gayaneh and the Sabre Dance arranged by Jascha Heifetz. This album also features a previously unrecorded Dance from 1925, adding to the rich legacy of Khachaturian's music.

The Time of Our Singing, Kris Defoort's fourth opera, after The Woman Who Walked into Doors (2001), House of the Sleeping Beauties (2009) and Daral Shaga (2014), is the climax and culmination of twenty years of operatic composition. Richard Powers' novel contains themes that have always been important to the composer and gave him the opportunity to explore the history of Western music and jazz. It is fascinating to see how Power's poignant characters have found their musical and scenic incarnation in this work. Each of Kris Defoort's operas is an infinitely valuable account of our times and of the human condition today. Each of his works is a joyful, profound and intense combination of music and life. Bernard Foccroulle

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788) was regarded as one of the greatest theoretical and practical musicians of his time even during his lifetime; arguably the most famous son of Johann Sebastian Bach, he broke new ground in the concerto genre between the Baroque and Classical periods. His flute concerti are not only technically exceptionally demanding but are particularly challenging "in the art of expression", to quote one of his contemporaries. In this new recording of C.P.E. Bach's flute concertos in A minor (Wq 166 / H. 431), G major (Wq 169 / H. 445) and D minor (Wq 22 / H. 425) the Georgian Chamber Orchestra Ingolstadt and Ariel Zuckermann (solo flute and conductor) invoke the zartliche Empfindungen, the tender sentiments that the composer considered essential in order to reveal new aspects of music.

This recording is the first time I have immersed myself in the world of Sergei Prokofiev, a composer who has always held a special place in my life and in my repertoire. His Sixth and Seventh Piano Sonatas were written almost simultaneously at the start of the Second World War and are very similar in form and content. The conflict between man and machine, the individual and the collective, complexity and simplicity lies at the heart of their narrative. The music combines philosophical symbolism and almost orchestral polyphonic writing with brilliant piano technique and vibrant colouristic effects, making this pair perhaps Prokofiev's two most frequently performed works for solo piano. My connection with both sonatas began many years ago, so I was very interested in taking a quick snapshot of how this music resonates with me today, in the midst of these troubled times. Sergei Redkin

Music is not a hoax, it is a revelation... It reveals elements of beauty that cannot exist in any other sphere, the contemplation of which reconciles us to life not temporarily, but forever. It enlightens and brings joy." These words of Tchaikovsky can refer to both of the works presented here. Tchaikovsky called his Suite No. 3 the most successful of all his works performed abroad and successfully conducted many performances of it on tours. For Dmitry Liss, the chief conductor of the Ural Philharmonic Orchestra, "this is one of the most unexpected works by Tchaikovsky and my near-favorite. If you look at the final movement from a modern perspective, it's hectic stylistic diversity looks almost postmodernist and has been created with subtle and stylish use of irony. The theme of the Suite's finale is consonant with that of the Rococo Variations, hence our decision to include both works on this album." The world-renowned cellist Boris Andrianov performs the Variations on this recording. He considered it "a sacred duty for a Russian cellist who is also a winner of the Tchaikovsky competition not only to record this work, but also to look at it anew.

Medinea Session is a unique ensemble of 23 talented musicians, the majority of whom are from the Mediterranean. The group's particular character stems both from it's individual mix of instruments and it's innovative musical ideas; each player is not only a composer but also a soloist of the highest calibre, a combination that gives the ensemble's music an unparalleled richness and diversity. The players' cultural heritages range from jazz to Gnawa via Turkish, Arabic, and Balkan musical traditions, all of which are blended seamlessly into the ensemble's repertoire. The distinctive sound of Medinea Session conjures up emotions that range from the deepest melancholy to the most joyful exaltation, a reflection not only of the great migrations of souls that have marked the history of the Mediterranean but also of the luminous strength of hope. Whilst these talented young players embody the vitality of this region, they also pay homage to it's traditions and it's challenges.