2006 4 X CD collection of recordings in Munich & Baden-Baden, Germany & Basel, Switzerland conducted by the late Swiss conductor Paul Sacher. Includes pieces by composers Stravinsky, Haydn, Bartok, Milhaud & more.

In Switzerland, 1915, as WWI raged beyond its borders, Igor Stravinsky, unfit to fight, and the writer Charles Ferdinand Ramuz created the basis for their future joint works, first and foremost A soldier’s tale, an early example of a multifaceted, highly vital music culture that knows no borders. The works on this Grammont Sélection, 12 world premières from 2013, offer contemporary examples of these open boundaries. Featuring composers born between 1931-79 and a slew of artists and ensembles, the diversity of works, sounds and styles makes for a most enticing 2 ½ hours of listening.

Classical Music

“Altfrentsch” is a rarely used concept in Appenzell dialect that has its origins in the German expression “altfrankisch” (“old Franconian”), which itself derives from the Middle High German “altvrenkisch”, thus “in the manner of the old Franks.” It means roughly “old fashioned” or “in the old manner.” “Altfrentsch” is also used to denote the original forms of Appenzell string music. “Altfrentsch” is thus the name given to the oldest collection of dances from Canton Appelzell. The dances in this collection, dating from the late 18th century, were only discovered in Gonten in 1998, and have thus not been frequently recorded or performed.

Classical Music

Robert Oboussier was born in Antwerp and spent much of his youth in Germany. As a staunch opponent of National Socialism he emigrated to Zurich in 1939 where he held a number of important musical positions. However, the circumstances of his death in 1957 served to plunge his name into immediate obscurity and only now is his music being revived. This selection of mostly world premiere recordings demonstrates his personal use of twelve-tone rows, abrupt contrasts and a fondness for fantasia patterns. Oboussier's radical piano miniatures, 25 Abreviations, are heard here in their original versions and in excerpts arranged for plucked string ensemble by Christian Wernicke.

Classical Music