Louis Ferdinand Prince of Prussia (1772-1806) was not only heir to the Prussian throne, but also a talented composer. Inspired by the music of his time, especially Beethoven and Mozart, he created a series of works characterized by great emotional depth and melodic elegance. His oeuvre mainly comprises piano pieces, chamber music and songs that reflect both courtly refinement and personal sensitivity. Despite his early death, Louis Ferdinand left behind a remarkable contribution to German music of the early Romantic period, which is still recognized today.

Rheinberger's chamber music work bears witness to his deep roots in the classical tradition, particularly in composers such as Mendelssohn and Brahms. His compositions are characterised by clear formal structures, melodic elegance and harmonic richness.

The arrangement of Schubert's songs on this album does not correspond to the order we know from conventional editions or from most recordings. Although often referred to as such, Schubert's Schwanengesang is not his third song cycle. It is, in fact, a collection of 14 of his late songs. What particularly motivated us as performers was finding a new, individual approach that is expressed not only in the order of the songs as we chose them, but also in our personal emotional response to each of the songs. We wanted to convey this individuality to you, our listeners, as vividly as possible, so you could experience the emotion and atmosphere of each song as directly as Schubert and his singing colleagues did in the bourgeois salons of Vienna at the time." Kresimir Strazanac In addition to Schubert's Schwanengesang, the album includes three thematically related songs by the British composer Mary Frances Allitsen.

It is a mammoth project that the Stuttgart International Bach Academy has undertaken: All sixty cantatas from Johann Sebastian Bach's first year in office as St. Thomas Cantor will be performed in a total of 23 concerts and recorded on CDs. Vol. 7 is now available should convince even skeptics. For what Hans-Christoph Rademann, his Gaechinger Cantorey and hand-picked soloists reveal here in terms of vocal-instrumental coordination, tonal differentiation and rhetorically trained creative artistry probably marks the pinnacle of historically informed performance practice at present. The choir presents itself extremely agile in fugal passages, but also with sufficient sonorous warmth in the chorales, and the orchestra with it's excellent soloists (trumpet!) matches this level. We can look forward to further releases in this series.

The recording breathes the playful spirit of Mozart's time - Goebel's expertise in the repertoire of this period combined with the technical refinement of the ensemble guarantee a musical finest hour. "By means of lucid sound design, coherent phrasing and a style-conscious use of ornamentation, Goebel succeeds in giving the altogether rather lightweight works back their dignity, so to speak." concerti

The special vibrations that the Hohenstaufen Chamber Music Festival generates are directly audible in the contents of this anniversary CD box, which consists solely of live performances. The choice of music ranges far and wide through all periods and genres: from Johann Sebastian Bach through key works of the Viennese Classical school and the German Romantics to French Impressionist compositions and classics of the Modern era. There are jazz numbers and contemporary works too, a further pointer to the ethos of the Hohenstaufen Chamber Music Festival, which does not call for tradition to be upheld on principle but aims at a constant rediscovery of the world and it's inhabitants through their sounds and timbres, no matter whether they come from "old" or "new", "serious" or "light" music. Hohenstaufen doesn't pigeonhole things like that; it believes in taking your partners to make "good" music. Music is good, quite simply, when it moves us, uplifts us, challenges us. "Music must never be comfy," to quote the pithy conclusion that Helmuth Rilling, to whom the Festival is greatly indebted, once drew. "It must stir people, touch them personally, give them food for thought." If the pieces brought together here can achieve this, the Hohenstaufen Chamber Music Festival will have received the biggest twentieth birthday present it could have.

SILENCE IS GOLDEN ist ein Dramedy-Album. Die Aufnahmen haben etwas gemein: sie bergen tonnenschwere Inhalte, die durch Humor leicht verdaulich werden. Musikalische Gesellschaftssatire von Schubert bis Ligeti.

New: supplemented and completed! "The recordings are of the highest quality throughout! The different interpretations are also convincing, original sound ensembles underline the mastery of Bach's son! A must for every music lover!" "The CPE Bach Edition brings together beautiful music played by outstanding musicians. Ideal for anyone who wants to get to know the work of this composer at an affordable price."

Max Reger Complete Works of Piano solo 12 CD "Reger was, after all, a concert pianist, and he clearly had a good ear for the instrument's capabilities. Working in the 20th century meant that the instrument he had in mind was closer to today's grands than anything Beethoven, Schumann or even Brahms would have known. So when he wants to put some weight into climaxes, or even sudden sforzandos, he can rely on the instrument itself to provide the drama. He often helps it out by adding octave doublings, but these are always skilfully integrated into the contrapuntal textures. Markus Becker gives excellent performances of these works." Music Web International

'With this edition, Julia Fischer sets a new standard for Ysaye. This cycle has never been heard with such expressive truthfulness and technical flawlessness. It is a referential thing in purely musical terms. Added to this is brilliant sound engineering and a rarely flawless pressing quality. Bravo.' (onlinemerker)

Anton Bruckner is most impressed by the instruments made by Cavaille-Coll.

Highly virtuosic, intense and passionate: Gran Caprice - these are works for violin written by violinists for violinists. Maxim Brilinsky shows lyrical lines - with the possibilities of bowing and fingering technique utilised to the utmost.

Julian Jaeyoung Kim, a South Korean-born pianist, is hailed as a marvelous virtuoso. His performances embody a deep sense of commitment and a relentless curiosity about uncovering the true essence of music. "Julian's flexible and intelligent interpretations reflect his command over rhythmic tension and tonal detail, evoking echoes of masterful pianists like Nelson Freire." Gramophone "Julian Kim's technical brilliance shines in every piece as he draws out the full richness of the piano's sound. With style, precision, and sensitivity, he navigates dramatic, heroic, entertaining, and humorous moods with ease and elegance." Klassik Heute

With their new album, the Berlin Baroque Soloists take us again (also available Cremona I HC22084) to Cremona, one of the important Italian centers of violin making and technical developments in the 16th/17th centuries. Composers were only too happy to make use of the many innovations, as they opened up unimagined possibilities for them to add additional colors and accents to their musical art. This wonderful recording gives a lasting impression of how different these can be. Reinhard Goebel and his Berlin Baroque Soloists find exactly the right tone for each of the recorded concerti. Pizzicato

I see the future of Baroque orchestral music in the hands of modern ensembles - the fetish of the 'original instrument' has had it's day, but not the profoundly trained professional who guides an orchestra into the deeper dimensions of the composition. For it isn't the instrument that makes the music, but the head! (Reinhard Goebel "the icon of early music" - Suddeutsche Zeitung)