Bergmann, G.: Works for Piano and for Organ

Vocal Recital: Post, Andreas - SCHUMANN, R. / PFITZNER, H. /

COPIER, Claudia: Saudade mundial

Schnittke, A.: Violin Sonata No. 3 / Schumann, R.: Violin So

Where do piano music and the noblest of all diamonds meet? Nobility, technical finesse, and the beauty of reflection can only explain a part of our fascination for diamonds - there remains a mystery, an inexplicable depth. It's the same with the musical works that pianist Johannes Obermeier has brought together in his GENUIN album "Brilliants". Schumann's radiant "Carnaval", Ravel's sparkling "Valses nobles et sentimentales", Chopin's and Godowsky's dazzling etudes, and Obermeier's own variations on a Schumann motif are mirrors and reflections of each other. This CD production is part of the Carl Bechstein Special Prize of the ARD Music Competition 2022 - one of numerous awards the young exceptional musician has earned in the past two years. A promising debut album!

Embark on a captivating journey bridging time and soundscapes with Lithuanian pianist Guoda Gedvilaite's latest GENUIN album. Featuring works by Johann Sebastian Bach at it's core, this recording interlaces Bach's original compositions, his arrangements of other Baroque pieces, and romantic piano works by famous pianists such as Wilhelm Kempff and Egon Petri. The meticulously curated album is elevated by the ethereal works of Domenico Scarlatti, a contemporary of Bach, played with brilliance and profound depth, culminating in a masterful blend of artistry.

As 1st prize winner of the 2022 ARD Music Competition, the Barbican Quartet is one of the most sought-after young string quartet formations. The internationally composed ensemble is now releasing it's debut album on GENUIN: "Manifesto on Love", with works by Leos Janacek and Robert Schumann. The contrast between Schumann's expansive musical lines and Janacek's nervous surfaces and ecstatic outbursts could not be greater - yet the Barbican Quartet unites them as expressions of human need for love, for togetherness. Two works of the most intimate musical genre played at a phenomenal level!

Zhu Jian'er represents the first generation of Chinese composers of contemporary piano music. In honor of his 100th birthday in 2022, pianist Xie Yashuangzi, recognized as an expert in this repertoire, has recorded characteristic works from various periods of the composer's career for GENUIN. The composer, who also wrote ten symphonic works, had a particular fondness for the relatively small-scale piano pieces, which, like "small, fragile flowers," brought out his personal voice. Xie Yashuangzi plays with impeccable technique and great clarity; the inspiration flows directly from the piano keys, creating a natural unity of sound and musical phrases.

Experience a captivating juxtaposition of four distinct and mesmerizing compositions spanning a mere decade on the GENUIN CD recorded by violinist Friederike Starkloff and pianist Endri Nini. The duo has compiled works from 1913 to 1923 by Erwin Schulhoff, Claude Debussy, George Antheil, and Leoš Janácek — echoes of an era characterized by tumultuous innovation and pioneering spirit where artists across all genres laid the foundations for modernity. Starkloff, who embarked on her career as the youngest first concertmaster of a German radio orchestra, and Nini, esteemed internationally as a chamber musician, breathe life into these extraordinary, kaleidoscopic compositions with unparalleled intensity and technical mastery.

Peter Tchaikovsky's Testament: These are the 18 Pieces, Op. 72, which the great Russian composer crafted for the piano just a year before his death – and they transcend any sense of idealism or otherworldliness. They are vibrant, soulful musical character portraits, brought to life anew on a new GENUIN album and under the magical fingers of the internationally acclaimed pianist Evgenia Rubinova. This final, comprehensive piano opus by Tchaikovsky comprises a treasury of miniature masterpieces, unfairly overshadowed by the global fame of works like the "Pathétique" and the "Nutcracker", both of which emerged during the same period: from nostalgic reveries to homages to great colleagues and even to outright miniature ballets!

Arno Bornkamp, a maestro of the saxophone deeply rooted in the 20th-century French tradition, has been celebrated by audiences for over four decades for his energetic, impassioned interpretations. Now, he presents an album of works by the French composer Henri Sauguet under the GENUIN label. Sauguet's compositions embody a blend of styles from renowned composers like Erik Satie, Darius Milhaud, and Claude Debussy, yet are also marked by a playful spirit that defies any rigid categorization. Unique, vibrant, and above all, poetic—this is the essence of Sauguet's music, delivered with profound sensitivity by Bornkamp and his friends.

Natures is the second monographic album of composer David Chaillou and will be released at GENUIN. An illustrious group of internationally renowned musicians, including pianist Laura Mikkola and cellist Christoph Pantillon, dedicates itself to the French composer's expansive, shimmering, immersive sounds. In his works for cello, piano, string quartet, percussion, and natural sounds, Chaillou conjures a sonic journey through the course of a day, through imaginary landscapes and spaces. The compositions are impressionistic and suggestive, rich in detail, with sweeping lines, and filled with symbols and emotion.

The city of Petersburg has a complex history, merging diverse cultural influences into a distinct profile. The forces generated amid the constant interplay of repression and the yearning for freedom find expression in experimentation. This led the Günter-Kim duo to explore the cosmopolitan city in search of traces. In the process, the cello-piano duo has discovered various compositions related to Dmitri Shostakovich: Boris Goltz, Galina Ustvolskaya, Boris Arapov… and, as a world premiere recording, Leonid Gorokhov. The duo's arrangements of Shostakovich's Spanish and Jewish songs symbolize a thoughtful approach to foreign cultures. This stands in stark contrast to the current somber reality: Petersburg, once the gateway to Europe, is on the brink of closing itself off.

Pianist Sophia Weidemann and actress Tinka Kleffner present a musical-literary encounter with the exceptional composer Fanny Hensel in their new GENUIN album, "Das Jahr" (The Year). The album includes a remarkable piano cycle along with letters and diary entries to and by Hensel. Through their interpretation, these two highly acclaimed artists offer a high-level, intimate glimpse into the life and work of one of the most significant 19th-century female composers and enlightened thinkers, Fanny Hensel. Hensel's piano cycle covers a whole year, and the chosen and thoughtfully read excerpts mirror the emotionally rich and skillfully constructed music in the most delightful way!

François Couperin, one of the most significant and important composers of French Baroque music, composed fourteen concertos between 1714 and 1724, known as "Concerts Royaux" and "Les Goûts-réunis, ou Nouveaux Concerts." The fantastic oboist Emanuel Abbühl has selected five of these for his new GENUIN CD. For his album, he takes advantage of the composer's decision to allow performers the freedom to choose whether the main voice should be played with harpsichord, oboe, violin, flute, or bassoon. Abbühl collaborates with fellow musicians David Tomàs (bassoon), Carla Sanfelix (Baroque cello), Miklós Spányi (harpsichord), and Benoît Fallai (theorbo), combining modern and historical instruments with the utmost respect for style, colors, and tempi: truly ear-opening!