'Breathe Freely' is a new opera by contemporary Scottish composer Julian Wagstaff. Written for three singers and piano trio, it is a chamber opera in two acts set in 1943 against the backdrop of the Second World War. At it's heart Julian Wagstaff's opera is a manifold celebration of human endeavor, history, interest, compassion, and, of course, chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. It recounts the semi-fictional story of several real and extraordinary chemists who helped to make the Chemistry department the extraordinary institution it is today: Romantic pragmatist Stanislaw Hempel, endearing perfectionist Chrissie Miller and Professor James Kendall FRS, whose book is the basis for the synopsis. 'Breathe Freely' was premiered in 2013 to celebrate the tri-centenary of the appointment of the first Chair of Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. Also included on the recording is Wagstaff's piano trio 'A Persistent Illusion' commissioned to celebrate the International Year of Chemistry, 2011. The title refers to Einstein's observation that the distinction between the past, present and future is merely a 'stubbornly persistent illusion'. Julian Wagstaff first came to public attention in 2001 with the musical John Paul Jones, based on the life of the Scots-born sailor and hero of the American Revolution. The musical was revived in 2010 in association with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. A specific interest in German history is reflected in 'Treptow' for string orchestra (2005), Wagstaff's most-performed work. Wagstaff enjoyed a sell-out success on the 2007 Edinburgh Festival Fringe with his opera 'The Turing Test', about the quest to build a truly intelligent machine. The Breathe Freely Ensemble is Paul Curievici (tenor), Phil Gault (baritone) and Laura Margaret Smith (mezzo-soprano) with Pete Furniss (clarinet), Mark Bailey (cello) and Andrew Johnston (piano). The Scottish mezzo-soprano Laura Margaret Smith was the Scottish Opera Robertson Scholarship Trust Emerging Artist, 2014-15. Paul Curieveci is the proud winner of Scottish Opera's John Scott Award and the Basil A. Turner Prize awarded by British Youth Opera. Welsh baritone Phil Gault has performed with the Scottish, Buxton Festival and Northampton Festival operas and is principal baritone for Opera on a Shoestring. Derek Clark's career spans forty years and includes conducting engagements with Welsh National Opera and Scottish Opera ranging from Monteverdi to Maxwell Davies.

Renowned for her unique style, radical approach to arranging, and interpretation of contemporary music, Barb Jungr is one of the UK’s finest arrangers. Shelter From the Storm not only includes several original arrangements of contemporary American songs, but also features three brand new songs composed by Jungr and pianist Laurence Hobgood. “So persuasively did Jungr inhabit the songs that… one entertained the thought that she might have understood them better than their author.” (Record Collector)

The Big Screen trio explores the worlds of stage and screen, swinging through a selection of timeless melodies that enjoy universal appeal. A heavyweight of British jazz, pianist David Newton is joined for this project by bassist Tom Farmer (from Empirical), and drummer Matt Skelton. Opening with a rendition of the small-screen theme 'Bewitched', most of the action takes place on the big screen, with 'Heather On The Hill', Toy Story 2's 'When Somebody Loved Me', My Fair Lady's 'Get Me To The Church On Time' and 'On The Street Where You Live', among other numbers.

Jose Serebrier is a conducting legend, and one of the most recorded classical artists of all time. He has received forty-five Grammy Award nominations, and eight Grammy wins. Along with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Serebrier presents works by Samuel Adler. The compositions chosen include Adler’s Symphony No. 6, Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, and Drifting on Winds and Currents. Cellist Maximilian Hornung, who has already been recognized for his recordings, joins the orchestra for the cello concerto. “Jose Serebrier is a top rate conductor/composer with a sense of choice and judgement second to none. He gets the very best from a youthful RSNO.” (MusicWeb International)

I Like This One' launched Joe Stilgoe's recording career and established him as a performer and songwriter of considerable skill. An exceptional pianist with formidable technique, Stilgoe has drawn comparisons with the great Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans, whilst his voice has seen him likened to Harry Connick Jr, Michael Bubl� and Jamie Cullum. Stilgoe's inimitable sense of humour is also in evidence throughout the many original songs (listen to the downright funny 'I really shouldn't be allowed to speak') and the sleeve notes, which boast a foreword by John Dankworth. A Dudley Moore sketch provides the inspiration for 'Mr Spiggott', whilst fans of comedy duo Flanders and Swann will recognise the classic 'Slow train' which Stilgoe gives a contemporary twist. Stilgoe includes his take on the standards with the Rodgers & Hart classic 'The lady is a tramp' and the Rodgers & Hammerstein toe-tapper 'The surrey with the fringe on top'. This hand-picked selection of songs combined with Stilgoe's great charm and wit ensures fans will conclude: 'I Like This One'. Joe is a singer, pianist and songwriter, touring constantly around the world with his band and as a solo act, having appeared at Ronnie Scott's, the Royal Festival Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Barbican, the London Jazz Festival, the Royal Albert Hall, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Edinburgh Festival (Time Out award), Henley Festival, Barbados Festival, Sardinia Jazz Festival, Sicily Jazz Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, Dubai Jazz Festival and in jazz clubs from New York to Berlin to Kuala Lumpur. He has appeared as featured soloist with orchestras including BBC Concert Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the Northern Sinfonia, Lahti Symphony, Finland and the RTE Orchestra in Dublin.

Joe Stilgoe’s blend of imaginative song choices and virtuosic pianism are showcased in this live album recorded at the 2013 London Jazz Festival. With a voice that has attracted comparisons with Harry Connick Jr, Michael Buble and Jamie Cullum and a playing style likened to the great Oscar Peterson, Joe displays charm, wit and sincerity as he tackles a diverse selection of songs linked by the theme of film which The Sunday Times described as ‘a touching yet quirky selection of stardust memories.’ A fast-paced romp through well-known cartoon theme tunes opens the show before Joe turns his attention to numbers as varied as You Give A Little Love from Bugsy Malone, S’Wonderful from An American In Paris and If I Only Had A Brain from The Wizard Of Oz. Joe’s song-writing skills are in evidence on Gold On Silver, Popcorn and his wistful ballad (That's The Way It Crumbles) Cookie-Wise, inspired by Billy Wilder’s The Apartment.

Cappella Nova, the esteemed Scottish vocal ensemble that specializes in early and contemporary choral repertoire shared a long working history with the contemporary sacred choral composer Sir John Tavener and have assembled nine premiere recordings along with re-recordings of Tavener compositions in this luminous and moving tribute to the legacy of Sir John.

The Neoclassical Trumpet' poses the question: what if the chromatic trumpet and the modern Steinway Grand had existed a good century or so earlier and composers had recognized their duo potential? For this Linn release Mr. Freeman-Attwood reimagines works by Stravinsky, Leigh, Faure and Respighi in new arrangements by pianist Daniel-Ben Pienaar. Each of the composers represented here wrote significant parts for the trumpet in various chamber and orchestral contexts. Jonathan broadcasts regularly for BBC Radio 3 and is in demand as an essayist for many major record labels.

'Brahms & Schumann: Lieder' sees Dame Ann Murray, one of the great vocal artists of the past decades, return to the recording studio to perform a personal selection of Lieder. 'Brahms & Schumann: Lieder', Ann's first solo album in over a decade, will be her final Lieder recording and a fitting way to draw her long and distinguished recording career to a close. Still a regular fixture on the opera circuit, Ann's voice remains impressive. Following a Brahms recital at Wigmore Hall in 2014, the Times stated: 'Her still-penetrating mezzo was the highlight of the evening. Murray really sings through Brahms's cantabile lines while losing nothing in theatrical awareness.' It is difficult to imagine a singer who inspires greater affection and admiration than Ann Murray DBE. With Malcolm Martineau at the piano, this beautifully balanced programme sees Ann perform some of her favourite works by Schumann and Brahms. The recording features Malcolm Martineau (piano) Benjamin Appl (baritone), John Mark Ainsley (tenor), Johnny Langridge (tenor & Ann's son) and Hester Dickson (piano & Malcolm's mother). Ann Murray has been acclaimed for her performances at the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, the Vienna State Opera and the Salzburg Festival. A founding member of Graham Johnson's organization, the Songmaker's Almanac and a Jury member for the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2009 and Song Prize, Ann Murray is a lover of song and has been acclaimed worldwide for her own performances. In the 2002 Golden Jubilee Queen's Birthday Honours Murray was appointed an honorary Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. She is an Honorary Doctor of Music at the National University of Ireland and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music.

Upon release Joe Stilgoe’s second studio album, 'We Look To The Stars', went straight to the top of the UK jazz charts while pulling in rave reviews from the national press and attracting new fans. The album of (mostly) originals showcases his expressive, charming voice, trademark catchy hooks and instant familiarity. A swinging band of strings, brass, saxophone and trio adds a traditional jazz sound to his contemporary songs. Mr. Stilgoe worked with three-time GRAMMY-nominated, BRIT Award-winning producer, trumpeter and mixer James McMillan in creating the album’s sound.

Classical Music

Trumpeter Jonathan Freeman-Attwood and pianist Daniel-Ben Pienaar continue their 'ear-ticklingly imaginative' series of musical reinventions with a celebration of the golden era of English music. Featuring heavyweights of the 16th and 17th centuries, such as Byrd, Gibbons, Tomkins, Lawes and Locke, the pair inspire arrangements by Timothy Jones which bring this music alive in a thrilling, entertaining and intimate chamber medium. Performing on modern trumpet and Steinway piano, Freeman-Attwood and Pienaar relish the opportunity to challenge the established interpretation of these works. They succeed by drawing on interpretative instincts, inclinations, and inflections gleaned from their wide performance experience, whilst deliberately referencing their accumulated knowledge of performance practices of the period. Comprising mesmerizing dances, songs, fantasies and variations, this is a journey that re-ignites our appreciation and love for forgotten gems from the Elizabethan, Jacobean and Caroline worlds. This is another must-have recording in Freeman-Attwood's critically acclaimed 'boundary-busting' series.

Richard Tunnicliffe's recording of the Bach cello suites was released in 2012; the culmination of many years of study and countless performances, it has been very warmly received by critics: The Sunday Times praised it's "clear-sighted, intelligently informed yet emotionally engaged performances" and The Independent chose the album as one of the 'best classical releases of 2012.' Performing Bach's iconic suites has become a rite of passage for many cellists and Tunnicliffe's extensive experience and virtuosity has allowed him to create a recording that highlights the distinct personality and individuality of each movement. Tunnicliffe's chosen instruments (a four-string attributed to Leonhard Maussiell and a five-string piccolo by Pierre Malahar) add a welcome authenticity to his performance since both are contemporaries of Bach's suites. His concert performances of the six works have been acclaimed in Europe and Australia as well as at numerous venues in Great Britain, including Wigmore Hall and the Purcell Room in London.

The Chamber Orchestra of Europe performs Stravinsky's Apollon musagete and Pulcinella Suite, repertoire that demands the fresh and energetic delivery for which the COE is renowned. The COE deliver the 'wonderful freshness' Stravinsky himself envisioned in Apollon musagete with their bright and spirited performance. The Guardian commented: "In Stravinsky's Apollon musagete each and every player contributed to the distinctive, rich-toned sonority." The Pulcinella Suite is a ballet based on some of Pergolesi's most memorable music. The COE has recorded the more unusual 1949 'revised' version of the 1922 concert suite which is in eight sections and performed without voices. The Independent commented: "Stravinsky's Pulcinella Suite brimmed over with the energy and insight of first-rate musicians discovering every opportunity such sunny music offered them." The COE recorded this album at eglise Maronite Notre-Dame-du-Liban, Paris, in November 2008. They performed this Stravinsky programme at Cite de la musique, Paris, Konzerthaus, Vienna and Philharmonie, Luxembourg to widespread critical acclaim.

Thomas S�nderg�rd's sophomore album as Music Director of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra marks his first recording devoted to the symphony with the orchestra. S�nderg�rd conducts an all-Prokofiev programme juxtaposing two contrasting symphonies: Symphony No. 1 in D major 'Classical' and Symphony No. 5 in B flat major. Prokofiev delights in paying homage to Haydn in his neo-classical masterpiece; it's characterful melodies, freshness and overall joie de vivre have established Symphony No. 1 as enduringly popular. The Scotsman awarded the concert performed live in the 2018/19 season five stars, commenting that 'the detail in this performance was breathtaking'. In contrast the Fifth Symphony was forged in the flames of war, and dedicated, Prokofiev said, to 'the greatness of the human spirit'. Following a concert performance, The Herald commented, 'This was the conductor at his most energetic and impassioned, and it drew a corresponding performance from the orchestra.' Prokofiev has been a key focus for S�nderg�rd since 2016 and the conductor has announced plans to complete a symphonic cycle over four seasons with his orchestra.