Commemorating the 270th anniversary of Mozart's birth in 2026, the "MOZART COLORS 100" collection by Deutsche Grammophon and Decca is a masterful fusion of high-fidelity audio and innovative visual curation. By organizing 94 essential recordings and six genre-specific masterpieces into a spectrum of 12 thematic colors, the series transforms the act of listening into a mood-based experience, allowing the "jacket color" to guide the listener through Mozart's immense versatility-from his precocious childhood works to his universally beloved classics. The technical presentation is equally impressive, featuring the SHM-CD format for superior sound resolution housed in elegant, color-coordinated cardboard sleeves that appeal to tactile collectors. With insightful new commentary by Mai Takano and approachable branding by Toshiyuki Hirata, this 100-title series successfully modernizes a historical legacy, making the 2026 anniversary both a luxury for audiophiles and a welcoming entry point for new fans of the "Wunderkind."

Commemorating the 270th anniversary of Mozart's birth in 2026, the "MOZART COLORS 100" collection by Deutsche Grammophon and Decca is a masterful fusion of high-fidelity audio and innovative visual curation. By organizing 94 essential recordings and six genre-specific masterpieces into a spectrum of 12 thematic colors, the series transforms the act of listening into a mood-based experience, allowing the "jacket color" to guide the listener through Mozart's immense versatility-from his precocious childhood works to his universally beloved classics. The technical presentation is equally impressive, featuring the SHM-CD format for superior sound resolution housed in elegant, color-coordinated cardboard sleeves that appeal to tactile collectors. With insightful new commentary by Mai Takano and approachable branding by Toshiyuki Hirata, this 100-title series successfully modernizes a historical legacy, making the 2026 anniversary both a luxury for audiophiles and a welcoming entry point for new fans of the "Wunderkind."

BERNHARD LANG: HERMETIKA IX

LONG LONG TIME

Commemorating the 270th anniversary of Mozart's birth in 2026, the "MOZART COLORS 100" collection by Deutsche Grammophon and Decca is a masterful fusion of high-fidelity audio and innovative visual curation. By organizing 94 essential recordings and six genre-specific masterpieces into a spectrum of 12 thematic colors, the series transforms the act of listening into a mood-based experience, allowing the "jacket color" to guide the listener through Mozart's immense versatility-from his precocious childhood works to his universally beloved classics. The technical presentation is equally impressive, featuring the SHM-CD format for superior sound resolution housed in elegant, color-coordinated cardboard sleeves that appeal to tactile collectors. With insightful new commentary by Mai Takano and approachable branding by Toshiyuki Hirata, this 100-title series successfully modernizes a historical legacy, making the 2026 anniversary both a luxury for audiophiles and a welcoming entry point for new fans of the "Wunderkind."

I'M MAD: THE EARLY YEARS COLLECTION 1953-62

VIEWPOINT

Commemorating the 270th anniversary of Mozart's birth in 2026, the "MOZART COLORS 100" collection by Deutsche Grammophon and Decca is a masterful fusion of high-fidelity audio and innovative visual curation. By organizing 94 essential recordings and six genre-specific masterpieces into a spectrum of 12 thematic colors, the series transforms the act of listening into a mood-based experience, allowing the "jacket color" to guide the listener through Mozart's immense versatility-from his precocious childhood works to his universally beloved classics. The technical presentation is equally impressive, featuring the SHM-CD format for superior sound resolution housed in elegant, color-coordinated cardboard sleeves that appeal to tactile collectors. With insightful new commentary by Mai Takano and approachable branding by Toshiyuki Hirata, this 100-title series successfully modernizes a historical legacy, making the 2026 anniversary both a luxury for audiophiles and a welcoming entry point for new fans of the "Wunderkind."

Commemorating the 270th anniversary of Mozart's birth in 2026, the "MOZART COLORS 100" collection by Deutsche Grammophon and Decca is a masterful fusion of high-fidelity audio and innovative visual curation. By organizing 94 essential recordings and six genre-specific masterpieces into a spectrum of 12 thematic colors, the series transforms the act of listening into a mood-based experience, allowing the "jacket color" to guide the listener through Mozart's immense versatility-from his precocious childhood works to his universally beloved classics. The technical presentation is equally impressive, featuring the SHM-CD format for superior sound resolution housed in elegant, color-coordinated cardboard sleeves that appeal to tactile collectors. With insightful new commentary by Mai Takano and approachable branding by Toshiyuki Hirata, this 100-title series successfully modernizes a historical legacy, making the 2026 anniversary both a luxury for audiophiles and a welcoming entry point for new fans of the "Wunderkind."

Discover the allure of Gran Teatro La Fenice, one of Italy's most iconic theatres and among Europe's grandest opera houses. Known for hosting groundbreaking opera premieres in the 19th century, La Fenice has staged legendary works from the masters of the Bel Canto era-Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, and Verdi. Each year, a quarter-million visitors from around the globe are drawn to this historic venue, while the Orchestra and Chorus of Teatro La Fenice now perform worldwide, including a celebrated appearance at Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie in July 2024. Now, Teatro La Fenice proudly presents a collection of it's finest opera recordings from the past 30 years, available for the first time on CD. Featuring between 10 and 15 carefully selected operas each year, these recordings bring the magic of La Fenice's world-renowned performances to your home. Indulge in the timeless beauty of Italian opera at it's best.

Commemorating the 270th anniversary of Mozart's birth in 2026, the "MOZART COLORS 100" collection by Deutsche Grammophon and Decca is a masterful fusion of high-fidelity audio and innovative visual curation. By organizing 94 essential recordings and six genre-specific masterpieces into a spectrum of 12 thematic colors, the series transforms the act of listening into a mood-based experience, allowing the "jacket color" to guide the listener through Mozart's immense versatility-from his precocious childhood works to his universally beloved classics. The technical presentation is equally impressive, featuring the SHM-CD format for superior sound resolution housed in elegant, color-coordinated cardboard sleeves that appeal to tactile collectors. With insightful new commentary by Mai Takano and approachable branding by Toshiyuki Hirata, this 100-title series successfully modernizes a historical legacy, making the 2026 anniversary both a luxury for audiophiles and a welcoming entry point for new fans of the "Wunderkind."

The Original Five Blind Boys of Mississippi were one of the premier gospel groups of what was a golden age for gospel in the immediate post-war decades, as the music developed it's more commercial stylings and positioning from it's traditional roots. Acrobat already has on catalogue a 2-CD set devoted to the group's earlier career ("The Five Blind Boys Of Mississippi 1943-54" Acrobat ADDCD3003), and this collection picks up the story from that point with only a couple of titles duplicated on the two collections. This 48-track 2-CD collection comprises just about all the A&B sides of their singles on the Peacock and Vee Jay labels from these years, plus the tracks from their Peacock album "Precious Memories", not otherwise featured on singles, and their Checker album "I'll Go". It features performances in what was known as the "hard gospel" style of the day, with the line-up including renowned lead singer and songwriter Archie Brownlee, fellow songwriter Lloyd Woodard, and after Brownlee's tragic death from pneumonia in 1960 at the age of 34, another distinctive lead voice of Roscoe Robinson. They were a hugely popular and influential group, and this collection captures them at the height of their powers.

Mozart Colors 100 Series - Released to commemorate the 270th anniversary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's birth (1756-1791), this special series from the legendary classical labels Deutsche Grammophon and Decca presents 100 carefully selected titles showcasing the breadth of Mozart's music. The collection includes 94 classic recordings from the labels' catalogs, along with 6 best-of compilations organized by genre such as symphonies, chamber music, opera/vocal works, orchestral works, concertos, and instrumental music. Each release features a distinct color-themed jacket design, with 12 core colors representing different moods and musical impressions, allowing listeners to choose music that matches their mood, while the full series showcases 100 unique color variations in it's artwork. Presented in paper sleeve packaging with SHM-CD format for enhanced audio quality, the series also includes new liner notes and commentary on the color themes by writer Mai Takano, along with a friendly series logo illustrated by Toshiyuki Hirata, offering both longtime fans and newcomers a visually striking way to explore Mozart's timeless music.

Solo Motions is a deeply personal solo guitar album from Phil Sargent, presenting the instrument as a complete musical voice through unaccompanied performance. Recorded entirely without accompaniment, the album explores counterpoint, harmony, and improvisation with a focus on clarity, space, and emotional presence. Drawing inspiration from Bach's contrapuntal writing alongside modern harmonic language, Sargent reimagines jazz standards and original material through layered voices and inner motion. Influences from modern jazz and classical traditions are woven seamlessly into performances that balance structure with spontaneity. The album includes one original composition, "Kelita," alongside fresh interpretations of well-known repertoire, all shaped by a reflective and intimate approach to solo playing. Rather than emphasizing virtuosity for it's own sake, Solo Motions invites focused listening and rewards repeated engagement, highlighting nuance, restraint, and the expressive power of a single instrument. Solo Motions offers a quiet, immersive listening experience that captures stillness within motion and depth within simplicity.

In the Netherlands in the first half of the 19th century, musical life was still in it's infancy. There were no orchestras of international stature, and the dividing line between the inspired amateur and the professional musician was as yet unclear. Two musicians, Johann Wilhelm Wilms (1772-1847) and Johannes Meinardus Coenen (1824-1899), played an important role in the gradual establishment of a professional musical life. Johann Wilms may be counted among the leading Dutch composers of his generation. His many activities as a composer, musician, organist, and organizer have been of invaluable importance to musical life in the Netherlands. Wilms is chiefly remembered as the composer of Wien Neêrlands bloed, which served as the Dutch national anthem before Wilhelmus. Wilms' compositions were published in Germany, Britain, and Denmark, as well as the Netherlands. In his Concertino in G minor for flute and orchestra (c. 1814), Wilms balances on the borderline between the classical and the romantic. At times, the piece displays a Beethovian flair. Theodoor Verhey (1848-1929) seems to have been of a somewhat less ambitious disposition than Johann Wilms or Johan Coenen. After attending the School of Music in his home town Rotterdam and the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, Verhey studied for four years with Woldemar Bargiel, a stepbrother of Clara Schumann and a member of the Leipzig circle around Schumann, Brahms, and Joachim. Verhey's music moves comfortably within the musical conventions of his day. He preferred to use classical forms and harmonies. The strength of his flute concertos lies in their almost disarming simplicity and in the efficient vehicle they provide for the flute to show off it's expressive powers through the registers in a virtuoso display. The gypsy manner ('alla zingara'), which Verhey often uses, naturally invites such a display. Played with great virtuosity, flair, and sensitivity by Jacques Zoon, one of the world's foremost flute players. He was solo flutist of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Luzern Festival Orchestra (handpicked by Claudio Abbado), and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Mozart Colors 100 Series - Released to commemorate the 270th anniversary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's birth (1756-1791), this special series from the legendary classical labels Deutsche Grammophon and Decca presents 100 carefully selected titles showcasing the breadth of Mozart's music. The collection includes 94 classic recordings from the labels' catalogs, along with 6 best-of compilations organized by genre such as symphonies, chamber music, opera/vocal works, orchestral works, concertos, and instrumental music. Each release features a distinct color-themed jacket design, with 12 core colors representing different moods and musical impressions, allowing listeners to choose music that matches their mood, while the full series showcases 100 unique color variations in it's artwork. Presented in paper sleeve packaging with SHM-CD format for enhanced audio quality, the series also includes new liner notes and commentary on the color themes by writer Mai Takano, along with a friendly series logo illustrated by Toshiyuki Hirata, offering both longtime fans and newcomers a visually striking way to explore Mozart's timeless music.

ACROSS ... IN GRIEF AND DETAIL

The artists in Chimera - violinist Iva Bittova, bassist-composer Michael Bisio, flutist Steve Gorn, and singer-guitarist-composer Timothy Hill are all master musicians, innovators, and improvisors. They have deeply immersed themselves in multiple traditions and genres: streams of avant-garde jazz, Indian raga, Moravian folk music, overtone singing, as well as early and modern European classical and American folk music. Individually they have performed with a stunning array of influential creative artists, such as Fred Frith, Bang-on-a-Can All-Stars, ETHEL, Paul Winter, Jack DeJohnette, Paul Simon, David Hykes, Pauline Oliveros, Bill Frisell, Matthew Shipp, Tani Tabbal and Joe McPhee, to name a few. All this they leave at the door as they enter the shared space to meet in the moment, sharing a deep respect of each other's experience and perspective, anticipating fresh expressions of deep feeling, awestruck beauty and sheer delight. Together they explore new territory to create music that defies description.

Commemorating the 270th anniversary of Mozart's birth in 2026, the "MOZART COLORS 100" collection by Deutsche Grammophon and Decca is a masterful fusion of high-fidelity audio and innovative visual curation. By organizing 94 essential recordings and six genre-specific masterpieces into a spectrum of 12 thematic colors, the series transforms the act of listening into a mood-based experience, allowing the "jacket color" to guide the listener through Mozart's immense versatility-from his precocious childhood works to his universally beloved classics. The technical presentation is equally impressive, featuring the SHM-CD format for superior sound resolution housed in elegant, color-coordinated cardboard sleeves that appeal to tactile collectors. With insightful new commentary by Mai Takano and approachable branding by Toshiyuki Hirata, this 100-title series successfully modernizes a historical legacy, making the 2026 anniversary both a luxury for audiophiles and a welcoming entry point for new fans of the "Wunderkind."

With this fifth volume, Jonathan Biss concludes one of the most ambitious and innovative Beethoven release series of the 21st century. Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto is many things, but foremost, it is a thrillingly taut construction, grabbing the listener by the collar and not letting go. It is the first work to take full advantage of the dramatic potential inherent in the concerto genre, pitting the soloist against the orchestra in often uneasy confrontation. In it's slow movement, it becomes something completely different, the tonality transporting us to a faraway place, time suddenly elastic, ferocity giving way to spirituality. The whole piece is a marvel. It is therefore very exciting to hear a voice as singular as Caroline Shaw's grapple with Beethoven's concerto and the process through which it was conceived. Shaw writes that her Watermark is "woven from strands and patches and patterns" of the earlier work. She imagines Beethoven imagining it, and in doing so, creates something wholly original. "This album brings to a close the Beethoven/5 project, which has challenged and stimulated me for the past decade. I look forward to spending the rest of my life with the ten remarkable pieces that comprise it."

MADLI MARJE GILDEMANN: DREAM SEQUENCE OF AN

Gobi Canticle brings together eleven works for solo violin, violin and viola, and violin duo by ten composers of Asian heritage, many presented here in first recordings. Performed by Natalie Lin Douglas and Patrick Yim, longstanding advocates for new music with extensive experience commissioning, premiering, and recording contemporary repertoire, the album spans a wide expressive range from ritual and folk-derived sound worlds to contrapuntal studies and contemporary virtuosity. At it's centre is Lei Liang's Gobi Canticle, shaped by Mongolian musical traditions, microtonal inflection, and percussive string techniques. Zhou Tian's Duo provides a compact, high-energy showpiece, while Chen Yi's Energetic Duo distils rhythmic drive and color into a striking miniature. Several works draw on literary and seasonal imagery: Kai-Young Chan's Echoes of the Autumn Night reflects Tang-dynasty poetry through Cantonese speech rhythms, and Jungyoon Wie's Dan Poong traces the quiet transformation of autumn leaves. Across the program, composers engage imaginatively with string technique-scordatura, harmonics, ricochet bowing, hocketing, and microtonal tuning-creating a palette that is both refined and immediate. The result is a coherent collection that highlights individual compositional voices while revealing shared concerns with timbre, gesture, and cultural memory. Recorded in Watertown, Massachusetts, Gobi Canticle documents a significant body of contemporary duo repertoire and showcases two performers deeply committed to new music and collaboration.

Commemorating the 270th anniversary of Mozart's birth in 2026, the "MOZART COLORS 100" collection by Deutsche Grammophon and Decca is a masterful fusion of high-fidelity audio and innovative visual curation. By organizing 94 essential recordings and six genre-specific masterpieces into a spectrum of 12 thematic colors, the series transforms the act of listening into a mood-based experience, allowing the "jacket color" to guide the listener through Mozart's immense versatility-from his precocious childhood works to his universally beloved classics. The technical presentation is equally impressive, featuring the SHM-CD format for superior sound resolution housed in elegant, color-coordinated cardboard sleeves that appeal to tactile collectors. With insightful new commentary by Mai Takano and approachable branding by Toshiyuki Hirata, this 100-title series successfully modernizes a historical legacy, making the 2026 anniversary both a luxury for audiophiles and a welcoming entry point for new fans of the "Wunderkind."

MANY MOODS OF BUDDY COLE: SEVEN CLASSIC ALBUMS

Guitarist Mike Clement returns to Cellar Music with his new album Polka Dots and Ray Bans. Living in New Orleans, Clement is well aware that jazz has no fixed borders. For this project, he has set out to honor that idea by creating a body of original genre-transcendent compositions rooted in jazz yet free to roam. Clement uses this recording as an opportunity to feature some of the incredible local musicians and friends he has encountered along the way, whose voices and perspectives continually shape his own. Drawing from bebop, echoing the Great American Songbook, and weaving in tasteful elements from across the musical spectrum, the original compositions function as open vehicles for improvisation, capturing a wide range of moods-sometimes swinging hard, sometimes deep in the pocket, sometimes smooth, sultry, or quietly sensual-much like a night in a New Orleans club where the music shifts with the room and the energy in the air. Clement is joined by Tris Duncan on Hammond B3 organ and Gerald Watkins Jr. On drums, as well as guests Julian Lee, Miles Berry, Connor Stewart, and Leroy Jones.