Jan Dismas Zelenka was born in Launowitz, Bohemia, in 1679 and died in Dresden in 1745. He had been a member of the court orchestra there since 1710, one of the best ensembles at the time, first as a double bassist and then as a church composer. From the 1720s, he stood in for the ailing court conductor Johann David Heinichen, who was then succeeded by the world-famous opera composer Johann Adolf Hasse. Zelenka's oeuvre - around 150 compositions have survived - includes symphonies, suites, overtures and, above all, sacred vocal music in addition to trio sonatas (which were written after studies with Johann Josef Fux in Vienna). Catholic church music in Dresden, with Zelenka as one of it's main representatives, is once again enjoying greater attention.

Since it's foundation in 2017 and it's inaugural performance on the occasion of the opening ceremony of the Carmen Wurth Forum, the Wurth Philharmonic Orchestra has been impressing audiences with a broad repertoire ranging from classical to contemporary compositions in it's role as the orchestra in residence. The orchestra is a further milestone in the Wurth Group's cultural commitment, in addition to it's artistic activities. Claudio Vandelli has been principal conductor of the Wurth Philharmonic Orchestra since 2020. With it's powerful sound and nuanced interpretations, the Wurth Philharmonic Orchestra brings music of exceptional quality to it's home region of Hohenlohe, making it unique in the region as a professional symphony orchestra.

PIANO SONATAS

Mendelssohn: Symphonies, Vol. 5

With one exception, this CD box contains my complete piano works from 2010 to 2020, which are being released on CD for the first time. Operas 76, 86 and 116 are dedicated to Ana-Marija Markovina, who also premiered them. (Stefan Heucke) This CD-Box is a great stroke of luck. Stefan Heucke's work is an impressive testimony to the musical interweaving of genres and themes, of new and historical forms and techniques of expression, of music and literature. The fact that Heucke's complete piano works from 2010 to 2020 are being released on CD for the first time with this CD box set makes one literally 'sit up and take notice'. The compositions are brilliantly performed by pianist Ana-Marija Markovina. Both Stefan Heucke and Ana-Marija Markovina have known one another for a long time; their collaboration is a stroke of luck for the music scene in this country and beyond.

Schubert Vol. 3 Looking ahead to 2028 and the 200th anniversary of the composer's death, the Alinde Quartet will annually release a disc of Schubert string quartets for the next eight years, alongside a specially commissioned work. Finding the ideal sound world for Schubert's quartets is by no means easy, yet the Alinde strikes a near-ideal balance between internal clarity and textural warmth, shone through by sparkling intonation.

An Ostdeutsche Rundschau report, dated the 19th of January, 1901, stated: "A new work by local composer Mathilde v. Kralik received great and, as we are pleased to note, well-deserved applause at it's first performance. Miss Kralik has worked diligently and with great success on her artistic perfection since her last appearance. In this new work, the highly talented composer, a pupil of Bruckner and Krenn no less, demonstrates complete formal confidence and thorough familiarity with both technique relating to the individual instruments and their use and the skill of blending them in order to achieve attractive and characteristic sound effects. We were particularly pleased with the clear structure, the beautiful, elegant lines in the main voicing, as well as the straightforward, dignified counterpoint and the graceful, fresh melody, the latter of which is the expression of a fine musical sensibility."

The Open Chamber Orchestra of Paris perform the concertos in chamber form, with Maestro Yair Benaim - who conducts the earlier concertos from the podium in the traditional manner - taking the first violin part, achieving a still closer assimilation with pianist Dana Ciocarlie, throwing into greater relief the spirited lucidity of her playing and demonstrating the versatility of these musicians, both individually and as an ensemble. The sound of the concertos when performed this way is at once slenderer and lither. What one may feel is lost when the works are divested of their mellifluous woodwind colours is more than compensated for by the greater clarity of the ingenious interplay of lines and voices in Mozart's conception

Kasparas Uinskas is an internationally acclaimed pianist, praised by critics for his virtuosity and romantic style. Mr. Uinskas is performing at most important world concert halls - New York's Carnegie Hall, Berlin Philharmonie, London Wigmore Hall, Madrid Auditorio Nacional, J. F. Kennedy Center in Washington, DC among others. "... great pianist and musician... " Carnegie Hall (New York Concert Review). "... his interpretations overcome all limits... " Berlin Philharmonie (Klassik in Berlin)

There were various reasons why we decided to combine works by Antal Dorati with those of Matyas Seiber on the present CD. Both attended Zoltan Kodaly's composition class at the Franz Liszt Music Academy in Budapest, both were highly regarded by their illustrious teacher. Kodaly passed on to his students a love of folk music and a particular appreciation of tradition through successive eras of music history. (Oliver Triendl)

A rather unique piano trio The repertoire for piano trios is plentiful and varied. Composers such as Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven preferred to write for piano, violin, and cello. The repertoire for the combination of piano and two saxophones is rather limited in comparison. This is mainly to do with the fact that the instrument was first developed around 1840 by Antoine Joseph Sax, who opened a workshop in Paris in 1842 and built saxophones in seven different sizes. His patron, Hector Berlioz, was one of the first to incorporate the instrument into his orchestral compositions, and Jules Massenet used it prominently in his opera Werther in 1892, but the saxophone became more popular in French military music and, of course, in jazz, where it has been used as a solo instrument since around 1920.

Eloise Bella Kohn is a rare artist: eclectic pianist, record producer, festival founder, committed to intercultural dialogue, her passion for music, dance and literature drives a creativity that nourishes her universe from baroque music to contemporary repertoire. Eloise Bella Kohn is one of the most promising artists on today's classical music scene, and performs all over the world in prestigious concert halls and festivals.

From the song cycle Die schone Mullerin, Op. 25, D. 795 ("The Fair Maid of the Mill"), the eighteenth lied titled Trockne Blumen ("Withered Flowers") served as inspiration for Schubert to compose Introduction and Variations, D. 802 for flute and piano. This piece was written in 1824 for Ferdinand Bogner, a flute professor at the Vienna Conservatory and one of Schubert's friends. Eventually, Bogner became head of the Gesellschaft der osterreichischen Musikfreunde (Austrian Philharmonic Society) and helped organize the premiere of several of Schubert's works. Deeply expressive and lyrical, the version for flute and string quintet in this recording was arranged by Rainer Schottstadt and is a technical tour de force for every flutist.

Polyphonic Dreams, Busoni II Victor Nicoara, piano After moving to Berlin in 1894 Busonis reputation as a pianistic titan was cemented: his encyclopaedic piano recitals, caused a stir with audiences and critics alike. His compositions were also starting to garner some notice as well as bemusement - Busoni, not neatly subscribing to any of the major musical camps from the turn of the century, was as difficult to categorise then as he is now. Astonishingly well read and cosmopolitan, Busoni t

A Woman's Life at the Dawn of a New Epoch Chamber Music by Vilma Webenau Vilma Webenau was, as far as we know, far from wealthy during most of her lifetime, and was hardly known, even in musical circles. That said, her image has in recent years been fleshed out a little more, not least due to the enormous interest in her most famous teacher: the hitherto most comprehensive account of her career was published in 2019 as part of a study by Elisabeth Kappel on the topic of "Arnold Schoenberg's female pupils". Some of the details were already in the public domain, and many gaps in the narrative still remain. All the same, we now have a relatively conclusive picture of a woman whose life and work can in no way be defined as the norm for an average citizen.