{"title":"One-Day Sale | August 25th, 2026","description":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOur \u003cstrong\u003eOne-Day Sale\u003c\/strong\u003e is back and better than ever — \u003cstrong\u003eover 300 hand-picked titles\u003c\/strong\u003e are \u003cstrong\u003e50% OFF\u003c\/strong\u003e now at \u003cem\u003eArkivMusic!\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShop from iconic labels such as \u003cstrong\u003eSono Luminus\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eAzica Records\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eGrand Piano\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eUNITEL Edition \u003c\/strong\u003eand more!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhile supplies last — no backorders at these prices!\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShop the sale before it ends at\u003cstrong\u003e 9:00am ET, Thursday, August 27th, 2026\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"a-scarlatti-concerti-da-camera-musica-pacifica-247121","title":"A. 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Schwab's piano shimmers with a delightful tone, like a parlor with a fireplace on a snowy day.\u003cbr\u003eThough the album is entirely instrumental, the traditional hymns, carols, and spirituals were meant to be sung. To that end, the producers have included lyric sheets, giving families the opportunity to gather around the piano once again to experience a Christmas tradition.","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44626689720554,"sku":"053479027528","price":9.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/184386.jpg?v=1786767996"},{"product_id":"bach-j-s-christmas-oratorio-053479318329","title":"Bach: Christmas Oratorio \/ Funfgeld, Bach Festival Orchestra","description":"Classical Music","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44624001466602,"sku":"053479318329","price":13.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/272249.jpg?v=1786768563"},{"product_id":"palmgren-complete-piano-works-vol-5","title":"Palmgren: Complete Piano Works, Vol. 5 \/ Somero","description":"\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFor many years the Busoni student Selim Palmgren was the most frequently performed Finnish composer after Sibelius. With a portfolio of nearly 400 piano works, his contribution to the prestige of the Nordic repertoire was significant both in scope and creative artistry. This fifth volume of Palmgren’s complete solo piano music explores oriental moods in Exotic March, Op. 46, and includes two of his best-known and most beautiful pieces, Aftonröster, Op. 47, No. 1 (‘Evening Whispers’) and the winter magic of Snöflingor, Op. 57, No. 2 (‘Snowflakes’). The Sonatine in F major, Op. 93 marked Palmgren’s return to composition after the death of his wife five years earlier and enshrines nostalgia whilst hinting at neo-Classicism.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"Grand Piano","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012434383082,"sku":"747313990825","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4092673-2836412.jpg?v=1786691426"},{"product_id":"elmas-complete-piano-works-vol-1-747313991426","title":"Elmas: Complete Piano Works, Vol. 1 \/ Ayrapetyan","description":"\u003cp\u003eArmenian pianist and composer Stephan Elmas was a child prodigy who met Franz Liszt and became closely acquainted with Rubinstein and Massenet. Elmas’s life was darkened by illness and the tragedy of his homeland, but his music reflects the ease and facility of his technique, harking back to the Romanticism of Chopin, Liszt and Schumann, rather than the challenging times in which he lived, and with a quality of craftsmanship that gives his music a magnetic attractiveness. Mikael Ayrapetyan continues his acclaimed exploration of rediscovered Armenian piano repertoire with the first in this series of Elmas’s complete works for piano.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEWS:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAll in all, this was a highly enjoyable recital…What Elmas, and in turn Ayrapetyan, prove throughout this recital is that there is still quite a bit to say in these styles and musical language.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e-- Fanfare\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethis first volume in a complete series is to be welcomed. Mikael Ayrapetan’s performances bring this music to life and make for a very enjoyable collection. This volume places the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eSeven Nocturnes\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e together with a number of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eBallades\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eBarcarolles\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eRomance in Eb Major\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e-- Lark Reviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Grand Piano","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012436840682,"sku":"747313991426","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4129396-2886732.jpg?v=1786632562"},{"product_id":"20th-century-foxtrots-vol-5-switzerland-gottlieb-wallisch","title":"20th Century Foxtrots, Vol. 5 - Switzerland \/ Wallisch","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis acclaimed edition covering the early 20th century’s fashionable wave of hot dance music from America into Europe now takes us to Switzerland. 20th Century Foxtrots - 5 presents more evocative piano rarities from this decadent era, performed with panache and grace by Gottlieb Wallisch, and features numerous world premiere recordings and a plethora of rarely heard pieces. Volunes 1–4 can be heard on GP813, 814, 854 and 855.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Grand Piano","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012440150250,"sku":"747313992225","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4207038-3126994.jpg?v=1786658079"},{"product_id":"albanesi-piano-works-vol-2","title":"Albanesi: Piano Works, Vol. 2","description":"Carlo Albanesi was an Italian composer-pianist who moved to London in 1882. He balanced a career as a piano soloist with that of professor of piano at the Royal Academy of Music. Acclaimed pianist Julia Severus continues her survey of works by this unjustly forgotten composer-pianist. World premiere recordings. Volume 1 can be heard on GP924.","brand":"Grand Piano","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012442444010,"sku":"747313992522","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4335111-3177988.jpg?v=1786713631"},{"product_id":"kara-murza-korganov-melikian-secrets-of-armenia-piano-works-ayrapetyan","title":"Secrets of Armenia - Piano Works \/ Yulia Ayrapetyan","description":"\u003cp\u003eSecrets of Armenia presents a selection of delightful piano works reflecting the dances and folk songs from everyday Armenian life. Performed by pianist Yulia Ayrapetyan, a specialist in the music of Armenia.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Grand Piano","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012454699242,"sku":"747313994519","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4290016-3143611_7c6b4e8e-84c2-4248-87dd-8c81e1bdd6b6.jpg?v=1786636829"},{"product_id":"khachaturian-piano-transcriptions","title":"Khachaturian: Piano Transcriptions \/ Ayrapetyan","description":"These idiomatic piano transcriptions of Khachaturian's ballet scores and incidental music are performed by Armenian music specialist Mikael Ayrapetyan. 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Volumes 1 and 2 can be heard on GP833 and GP871.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Grand Piano","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012456403178,"sku":"747313994717","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4322714-3143612.jpg?v=1786636586"},{"product_id":"carmichael-toward-the-light-morley","title":"Carmichael: Toward the Light \/ Morley, St. Paul's Sinfonia","description":"\u003cp\u003eDivine Art presents the enchanting compositions of Australian maestro John Carmichael in this extraordinary collection. Carmichael's distinctive neo-Romantic style, an exquisite fusion of originality with echoes of Rachmaninov, offers a lush musical journey that will resonate with a broad audience, particularly those less inclined towards avant-garde new music.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis album boasts a diverse selection of duos, solos, and a Piano Concerto characterised by exuberant pianism harmoniously paired with a string orchestra, culminating in a Caribbean-flavoured final movement. Carmichael's compositions extend to a Piano Trio, Towards the Light, spotlighting the viola in works designed to elevate this often-overlooked instrument. The collection is further enriched by a Divertimento for flute, oboe, clarinet, and piano, giving the listener a varied repertoire where melodic elements take centre stage. Collaborating with Carmichael are some of highly talented artists, including acclaimed pianist Antony Gray, whose recent Divine Art recordings of Saint-Saëns piano music have earned glowing praise, making them the label's top sellers of 2022. Join us in this celebration of the potential in new orchestral and chamber music, where Carmichael's melodic brilliance and the artistry of our distinguished performers converge to create a truly remarkable album.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJohn Carmichael was born 1930 in Melbourne, Australia. He studied piano and composition at the University Conservatorium there, followed by two years piano studies with Marcel Ciampi at the Conservatoire National in Paris. Further composition studies followed with Arthur Benjamin and Anthony Milner in London while Carmichael joined the first group of musicians working for the newly established Council for Music Therapy, for whom he introduced music therapy programs at Stoke Mandeville Hospital and Netherden Mental Hospital, Surrey. In 1960 he became musical director of the Spanish Dance group Eduardo Y Navarra touring extensively with them both abroad and in Britain; foreign languages are one of his passions – the latest challenge being Chinese.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Divine Art","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012478980330,"sku":"809730110320","price":10.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4290006-3144057.jpg?v=1786636814"},{"product_id":"britten-finzi-gurney-quilter-vaughan-williams-the-english-tenor","title":"The English Tenor - Songs of Vaughan Williams, Quilter \u0026 More \/ Shaw","description":"\u003cp\u003eScott Robert Shaw's debut \"The English Tenor\" takes us on a beautifully performed journey through a who's who of great English composers and their vocal works. The names Ivor Gurney, Benjamin Britten, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Gerald Finzi and Roger Quilter are synonymous with English Song, and a Golden Age of British music. The wide variety of accompanying instruments and artists, the broad range of text settings and the mix of cornerstone works of the repertoire alongside lesser-known cycles make \"The English Tenor\" a thrilling debut album.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA product of the English church music tradition, Australian born Scott Robert Shaw has been performing works in this oeuvre since childhood. Whether on the operatic or oratorio stage, as an ensemble singer or soloist, his deep cultural roots to the British music world are laid bare for all to see. This deeply personal album stands as testament to his background, and as a homecoming to his earliest steps as artist.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeginning his career and training as a boy soprano at the St George’s Cathedral Perth Choir, Scott attended the McDonald College of the Performing Arts in Sydney, studying music and acting in the Stanislawksy\/Laban tradition, awarded a full scholarship for Excellence in Performance. He then attended the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and was given the Most Exceptional Contribution to the Arts award from Wesley College, University of Sydney. In London he continued his studies with the English National Opera’s Baylis Programme for young performers and was regularly engaged to perform as a recitalist and operatic tenor in festivals and opera companies in both the United Kingdom and France. He then completed his studies at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague where he studied Early Music and Classical Singing, and now based in Düsseldorf, is regularly engaged as a soloist in The Netherlands and Germany, with a particular focus on Bach oratorios and Evangelist roles in the Passions.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Divine Art","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012483404010,"sku":"809730111020","price":10.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4235496-3144061.jpg?v=1786633141"},{"product_id":"johnson-12-preludes-fugues-for-solo-piano","title":"D. Johnson: 12 Preludes \u0026 Fugues for Solo Piano \/ Guild","description":"\u003cp\u003eDr. David Charles Johnson (27 October 1942 in Edinburgh – 30 March 2009 in Edinburgh) was a Scottish composer and a scholar of 18th-century Scottish music. Johnson was 'an internationally recognized scholar' whose work significantly contributed to rediscovering and redefining 18th-century Scottish music within its historical context. His research focused on the music and social life of lowland Scotland during the 18th century, exploring influences, tastes, and key musical figures of the era.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJohnson’s 12 Preludes and Fugues are among the few significant pieces he composed for the piano, alongside a five-minute Sonata. Written in the early to mid-1990s and published in 1995, these compositions are notable for their unique blend of sound, reminiscent of 20th-century composers like Hindemith or Prokofiev, while incorporating elements such as quotations from Bach and references to Hugh MacDiarmid's work. They also feature direct quotations of popular tunes like 'Johnny Cope' and 'The Animals Went Marching Two by Two', infused with a distinct Scottish flavor. The thematic backbone of the suite is borrowed from Aberdonian composer Shaun Dillon, using the Scots-Gaelic word bheatha, ‘life’, represented musically by the notes B-flat, B, E, A. Johnson masterfully employs this motif to form a tone row, guiding the keys across the 12 works in the suite, making his Preludes and Fugues a unique and distinguished addition to Scottish piano music.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChristopher Guild is making waves on the international music scene for his exceptional work with British, particularly Scottish, piano music. He has recorded numerous albums for esteemed labels such as Toccata Classics, Piano Classics, and Champs Hill Records, featuring works by renowned composers like Ronald Stevenson, Francis George Scott, and Bernard van Dieren. His upcoming recording for Divine Art marks another milestone in his career, further solidifying his reputation as a prominent interpreter of British piano repertoire.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Divine Art","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012494184682,"sku":"809730112423","price":10.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4313790-3144067.jpg?v=1786633307"},{"product_id":"sonnabend-instrumental-chamber-works","title":"Sonnabend: Instrumental \u0026 Chamber Works","description":"Dr. Joseph Sonnabend: A Musical Journey Reflecting a Life of Compassion and Innovation    Renowned AIDS researcher and clinician Dr. Joseph Sonnabend, who was known for his groundbreaking work in HIV\/AIDS research, had a hidden facet of his extraordinary life - as a composer.  Despite his illustrious medical career, Joseph Sonnabend's passion for composition remained largely concealed from the public eye. However, with this album, we are invited into his world of instrumental and chamber works, showcasing his exceptional talent and profound musical sensibility.    The collection of pieces featured on offers a glimpse into Dr. Sonnabend's rich musical landscape. From piano solos to chamber works, each composition bears the mark of his deep appreciation for chromatic melodies and harmony, influenced by composers such as Alban Berg and Arnold Schoenberg.    Collaborator Dr Andrew Toovey, who played a pivotal role in bringing Dr. Sonnabend's compositions to life, reflects on the process: \"Working with Joseph on his compositions was certainly a fascinating journey for both of us.\" Together, they meticulously curated a selection of works, refining unfinished pieces and even commissioning new ones, resulting in a cohesive representation of the Sonnabend soundworld.    Listeners can expect to be delighted by the diverse range of compositions, each offering a unique musical experience. Highlights include the Piano Trio, which weaves a chromatic melodic line throughout it's entirety, and \"Fluctuations,\" a mesmerizing solo violin piece that oscillates between reflective and virtuosic passages.    In addition to instrumental works, the album features poignant vocal pieces such as the Three Songs for soprano and piano accompaniment, which set a collection of haiku poetry to melodic and emotive music, creating a deeply resonant listening experience.    Reflecting on his late-in-life debut as a composer, Dr. Sonnabend's journey comes full circle, encompassing a lifetime of compassion, innovation, and artistic expression. His compositions serve not only as a testament to his musical talent but also as a poignant reminder of his profound response to the HIV\/AIDS pandemic, which he tirelessly battled throughout his career.    This album is not only a celebration of Dr. Sonnabend's musical legacy but also a tribute to his unwavering commitment to humanity. As listeners embark on discovering this music, they are invited to experience the depth of emotion and the enduring legacy of a remarkable individual.    Dr. Joseph Sonnabend (1933-2021) was a pioneering AIDS researcher and clinician, widely respected for his compassionate approach to patient care and his groundbreaking contributions to HIV\/AIDS research. In addition to his medical career, Dr. Sonnabend was a prolific composer, whose debut album, \"Thoughts and Programme Notes,\" offers a glimpse into his remarkable musical talent and creative vision.","brand":"Divine Art","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012496576746,"sku":"809730112829","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4335098-3177931.jpg?v=1786713825"},{"product_id":"kakabadse-kefi-choral-chamber-works","title":"Kakabadse: Kefi - Choral \u0026 Chamber Works","description":"British born composer Lydia Kakabadse enjoys a multi-cultural heritage (Greek\/Austrian mother and Georgian\/Russian father) which deeply informs her musical output. Her new album, recorded in London, features an even more diverse range of music than her previous albums, incorporating ethnic instruments into Western music. Making much use of the 'alternative string quartet' (violin viola, cello and double bass), the title track Kefi also introduces the Greek Bouzouki and 'Greek oud' or politiko laout. While demonstrating a wide diversity of textures and styles, overall the music is coloured by use of the double harmonic scale. As well as a number of chamber works the highlight of the album is the choral work Thirty Steps commissioned by the Hellenic Institute at Royal Holloway whose choir, widely regarded as among the best mixed-voice choirs in Britain today, perform the work here. The other performers here are all experienced and very well regarded in their own fields.    Lydia Kakabadse, celebrated for her diverse music, specialises in choral, chamber, and vocal compositions. Influenced by her multicultural background and upbringing in Greek and Russian Orthodox traditions, she draws inspiration from Orthodox Church music, medieval melodies, and Greek and Middle Eastern dance. Trained in piano and double bass from a young age, she pursued music studies at Royal Holloway, University of London. Her works, including string quartets, choral pieces, and concert requiems, have garnered critical acclaim and have been featured on recordings by labels such as Naxos and Divine Art. Notable commissions include \"I Remember\" for Forest Preparatory School and \"Odyssey\" for The Hellenic Institute. Her compositions have been performed internationally at festivals and by esteemed ensembles, and her string quartet \"Russian Tableaux\" has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3. Currently pursuing a PhD in ethnomusicology, Lydia continues to enrich the musical landscape with her distinctive and vibrant creations.","brand":"Divine Art","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012497363178,"sku":"809730112928","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4344146-3187759.jpg?v=1786713268"},{"product_id":"elly-ney-plays-brahms-schubert-fiedler-melichar","title":"Elly Ney Plays Brahms \u0026 Schubert \/ M. Fiedler, Melichar, Berlin Philharmonic","description":"\u003cp\u003eGerman pianist ELLY NEY’s posthumous reputation has, perhaps justifiably, been tarnished by her links to the Nazi regime, but 80 years on it’s easier to focus on her pianism and acknowledge she was one of the finest pianists of her generation. A previous APR release (APR7311) presented her interpreting a wide range of composers, but she came to be regarded as one of the great interpreters of the Austro-German repertoire and here she tackles two of the masterworks, including a monumental performance of the Brahms Second Piano Concerto with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the first version recorded by a woman. Brahms specialist, Max Fiedler, ostensibly conducts, though our booklet note reveals Alois Melichar as the uncredited conductor who completed the project after Fiedler’s sudden death. The suite of Schubert dances which completes the release appears never to have been reissued before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"APR","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012511092970,"sku":"5024709156399","price":9.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4408833-3332385.jpg?v=1786690195"},{"product_id":"ek-stasis-dionysus-nymphs-satyrs","title":"Ek-Stasis - Dionysus, Nymphs \u0026 Satyrs","description":"\u003cp\u003eExperience the captivating journey of Ek-stasis, presented by Divine Art Recordings. Delve into the world of myths reconstructed in music by celebrated composers from different cultures and times. This unique album features three world premiere recordings, bringing fresh and exciting music to the programme. Greek pianist and professor Zoe Samsarelou has expertly curated a selection of works that weave together an interconnected narrative, taking you on a journey through the myth of Dionysus. From the works of Couperin, Rameau, Dandrieu, and Daquin to the eminent Greek composers of the 20th and 21st centuries and the Late Romantics in between, each piece is thoughtfully selected and presented. The album is divided into themes of seduction, pathos, illusion, metamorphosis, transcendence, instinct, catharsis, mythos, paradox, and transition. This creates an immersive experience that guides the listener through the various stages of the myth and offers a musical perspective on the story. Accompanied by Zoe Samsarelou's insightful prose on the collection and notes on the Greek composers featured in the program, Ek-stasis is more than just a listening experience. It's a celebration of the Greek spirit that has influenced humanity for over 2,500 years, highlighting the creativity and ingenuity of these wonderful composers.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Divine Art","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012514500842,"sku":"809730123726","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4207033-3144068.jpg?v=1786657526"},{"product_id":"decca-solo-recordings-1941-1945-kathleen-long","title":"The Decca Solo Recordings, 1941-1945 \/ Kathleen Long","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn unobtrusive figure in the British music scene and despite her self-stated lack of ambition, KATHLEEN LONG (1896–1968) was a musician of the highest order. She taught for 44 years at the Royal College of Music and was a major Decca artist for two decades, having recorded for several other labels before that. Her first recording was made in 1928, and her first Decca recordings (of Mozart’s Piano Concertos K449 and K450) were made in 1935. Her first Decca solo recordings are those on this release. On disc, she made premiere recordings of several Mozart concertos and sonatas and was renowned for her Scarlatti and Fauré. For her service to French music, she was made Honorary Member of the Académie de France.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"APR","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012516958442,"sku":"5024709160419","price":10.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4202351-3141703.jpg?v=1786670918"},{"product_id":"shura-cherkassky-the-complete-78-rpm-recordings-1923-1950","title":"Shura Cherkassky - The Complete 78 RPM Recordings, 1923-1950","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn his later years, SHURA CHERKASSKY (1909–1995) was regarded as one of the last ‘Romantics’ – a throwback to the so-called ‘golden age’ of pianism in the first decades of the 20th century. As a pupil of Josef Hofmann, he had an impeccable pedigree, but we tend to forget his long career meant he was already playing and recording in that ‘golden age’. Here then are these early recordings, complete for the first time, starting in the acoustic era with the young prodigy’s 1923 Victor discs. Much of the repertoire is unique in his discography, including his only recording of chamber music – the Rachmaninov cello sonata. The Tchaikovsky 2nd Concerto, Cherkassky’s earliest concerto recording, has never previously been reissued and reveals the 36-year-old artist at his virtuoso peak.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEWS:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan id=\"ctl00_MainContent_gvReviews_cell0_12_ASPxPopupControl1_ASPxLabel2\" class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\"\u003eIt is a joy to have all these recordings available together. Cherkassky was a supremely gifted and communicative pianist and there is something to admire in every piece in this collection. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\"\u003e-- MusicWeb International\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf special note are the many Chopin pieces and a smashing performance of the Fantasy in F minor from 1950. The latter has reasonably decent sound and gives us the opportunity of hearing what Cherkassky can do with one of Chopin’s masterworks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOutstanding in-depth notes are supplied by Jonathan Summers, and special praise must be given to Seth B. Winner for his detail about restoration techniques. No lover of the art of the piano can afford to be without this set.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- American Record Guide\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"APR","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012522791146,"sku":"5024709173167","price":16.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4408834-3332387.jpg?v=1786690545"},{"product_id":"prokofiev-rachmaninoff-scriabin-vladigerov-a-slavic-heart","title":"Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin \u0026 Vladigerov: Slavic Heart \/ Petrova","description":"\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn her New York orchestral debut with conductor Philippe Entremont, Anna Petrova was praised for her \"ultra-smooth playing style\" [New York Fine Arts Examiner]. She is an assistant professor of piano at the University of Louisville, KY, holds a PhD in musicology from the Manhattan School of Music, and performs frequently as a soloist and chamber musician. The album presents the music of four composers: Sergey Rachmaninoff, Sergey Prokofiev, Alexander Scriabin, and Pancho Vladigerov. Three Russians and one Bulgarian, the music of whom spans a total of 50 years, from 1892 to 1942. “The heart is an ancestral metaphor… For example, it has been sometimes thought as the secret seat of courage or of intelligence; or as a hiding place for emotions; or as a breakable, fragile and precious object that we treasure; as a place from which sincere feelings emanate; as the locus of romantic desire; as the deep, summarizing content of a person… Also, in many languages, the word \"heart\" comes from either the Latin root cor\/cordis, or from the Greek root kardia. That is, Spanish (corazon), French (coeur), and Italian (cuore), to give an example, take the Latin root, while German (Herz) and English (heart) take the Greek one (kardia). But what is most important for my present purposes here, and what these two roots share amongst each other, is their connection to the Indo-European root kr, which has the original sense of \"vibrating.\" Indeed, the two consonants sound like that when pronounced together, like a gentle vibration. Krrr.... In this very sense, too, a heart is a vibrating object, a vibrating, secret, treasured place - just like I wanted the piano and my playing of it to be in this album - a dear object that secretly vibrates with the sounds of my music.” (Anna Petrova)\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"Solo Musica","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012551528682,"sku":"4260123643836","price":10.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4057445-2795607.jpg?v=1786693961"},{"product_id":"eberl-rediscovered-3-string-quartets-op-13","title":"Eberl: Rediscovered - 3 String quartets, Op.13 \/ casalQuartett","description":"\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn the course of their research for the five-part recording production \"Beethoven's World 1799-1851\" (2020), the casalQuartett came across not only Carl Czerny, one of Beethoven's two pupils, represented by his 28th String Quartet in A flat major, but also the Viennese composer Anton Eberl (1765-1807), who was Mozart's friend and pupil. As an outstanding pianist and composer, he achieved great popularity and, after returning to Vienna from St. Petersburg, had even more prominent supporters than Beethoven. His life ended unexpectedly at the zenith of his success in 1807. His music, as can be seen in the excellent recordings of the symphonies by Concerto Köln and the piano sonatas by Luca Quintavalle, is often surprisingly modern for its time. Like Mozart's late works and those of the new Beethoven, they augur the revolutionary dawn of Romanticism. The casalQuartett has received numerous awards, including the ECHO KLASSIK 2010, 2015, 2017, the Pizzicato Award Luxembourg, the DIAPASON Decouverte, the DIAPASON d'Or, the German Record Critics' Award and has been nominated three times for the ICMA Award and the American Grammy.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"Solo Musica","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012556148970,"sku":"4260123643911","price":10.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4069411-2804896.jpg?v=1786690923"},{"product_id":"j-s-bachchopin-schumann-burkard-schliessmann-live","title":"Burkard Schliessmann - Live","description":"\u003cp\u003ePTR1124\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Divine Art","offers":[{"title":"SACD","offer_id":46012557885674,"sku":"809730575525","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4257629-3144078.jpg?v=1786633032"},{"product_id":"lilienstern-couture-4010228643923","title":"Lilienstern: Couture \/ Vargas, Elbers, Chiacchiarini, Volkov, SWR Symphony Orchestra","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe fact that Genoël von Lilienstern's childhood falls in the 1980s is proven by his portrait album in many ways: On the one hand, it is synthesizers such as the Yamaha DX7 that shape the aesthetics and sound of his works; on the other hand, the radio, as the supplier for countless mixtapes at the time, is the focus, sometimes directly, sometimes more hiddenly. Booklet author Julian Kämper refers to their special quality when he describes von Lilienstern's recourse to pop cultural artifacts and practices of the Eighties: \"Thanks to the new studio facilities of that decade, a distinctive sound was newly defined and perfected, a sound which, von Lilienstern maintains, has ‘never mouldered away’ and has remained all-pervasive to the present day through ceaseless daily bombardment on radio and television, in department stores and on the internet.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn “Voz Comercial”, for example, the Berlin composer uses transcriptions of radio commercials from Mexico and Peru; in “Big Picture”, in turn, a one-hour recording of worldwide Internet radio stations serves as the source material. In both works, the vocals of Johanna Vargas respectively Soetkin Elbers, take on a central role and, in their interplay with the Ensemble Garage, evoke an image that oscillates between excessive consumer society and acoustic reflection. In the two other pieces on the portrait album – “Couture” and “Top” - synthesizers dominate: von Lilienstern uses them as sound generators of a bygone era. In the case of Couture, they mix with the SWR Symphony Orchestra, so that the individual musical sources are sometimes no longer discernible.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wergo","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012561064170,"sku":"4010228643923","price":9.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4179826-2957072.jpg?v=1786683567"},{"product_id":"bogacz-viscera","title":"Vladimir Guicheff Bogacz: Viscera","description":"\u003cp\u003eVladimir Guicheff Bogacz's music thrives on surprises. Behind every note, there are unexpected twists and turns, which in turn lead to an exuberant sea of sound. Genre boundaries are deliberately crossed or not recognised at all. New music meets jazz meets South American folklore. Booklet author Rainer Nonnenmann summarises Guicheff Bogacz's musical approach as follows:\"Hardly anything in his music is what one would expect from a particular instrumentation, genre, section or style. Existing traditions and narratives are questioned anew, turned around or dissolved.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn “encuentros casuals”, for example, the Uruguayan-born composer draws on the music of jazz saxophonist Eric Dolphy or makes the cello in “igualito, igualito, igualito” sound like the guitar of Chilean singer Violeta Parra. “Vos, seguime” – recorded by Ensemble Musikfabrik – reflects on the classical piano trio, with its expansion simultaneously leading to its deconstruction. Finally, the members of Kollektiv3:6Koeln are allowed to complete an almost 35-minute tour de force in the ensemble composition “Heimlich”: In it, Vladimir Guicheff Bogacz explores the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, in order to develop a grab bag of artistic possibilities.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wergo","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012561785066,"sku":"4010228644029","price":9.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4387452-3295067.jpg?v=1786668643"},{"product_id":"nikodijevic-absolutio-abgesang-da-ispravitsja","title":"Nikodijevic: Absolutio; Abgesang; Da ispravitsja","description":"\u003cp\u003eMarko Nikodijevic presents himself on this portrait with three large orchestral works interpreted by the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin (RSB) and the hr-Sinfonieorchester Frankfurt. The pieces look back to the past in different ways: sometimes they tie up with musical or cultural traditions, sometimes with personal memories. Like most of the composer's works “ABSOLUTIO“ unfolds from a simple but strict formal principle, in this case a three-note chord. Later, a spiral-like, whirling construction of ever-increasing gravitational pull arises, with the remote outlines of a ‘sonata form’. \"abgesang\", in turn, has very personal references to the composer's past. The work sets to music a symmetrically constructed poem by his former piano teacher Mátyás Molcer, which describes an autumnal cemetery landscape. It was written in 1995 when the composer's homeland, the former Yugoslavia, was in civil war. In \"da ispravitsja \/ gebetsraum mit nachtwache\" the composer goes back even further in his memories and deals with the cultural heritage of his homeland, with the music and liturgy of the Serbian Orthodox church. Using his characteristic, electronically inspired means such as reverberation, resonance and echo, he creates a dark, church-like acoustic space in this work.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wergo","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012563325162,"sku":"4010228644227","price":9.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4387454-3295069.jpg?v=1786676574"},{"product_id":"etkin-flores-blancas-4010228740622","title":"Etkin: Flores blancas \/ Ensemble Aventure","description":"\u003cp\u003eOnce again, Ensemble Aventure presents a jewel of new music that has so far been little known in Europe within its series of works by Latin American composers on WERGO: \"Flores blancas\", chamber and ensemble music by the Argentine composer Mariano Etkin. Listeners are captivated by the raw power of “La naturaleza de las cosas”, the title of which is an apt characterization of Mariano Etkin’s compositional language, which is a celebration of the sensuous nature of sounds and of the human senses as a source of knowledge without illusions, realized with a small number of “sound objects” that appear and fade away with a sense of both beauty and pain. Each of the eight works (from 1992 to 2016, Etkin’s late compositional period) on this recording focuses in its own way on the physicality of sounds and the foundations of human existence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn his last years, Etkin’s musical language became more densely lyrical, introspective, and focused on fundamental elements of human existence such as dreams (“Sueños olvidados”) or blood (“Le sangre del cuerpo”) and, above all, tears (“Estudios para lágrimas”). Mariano Etkin creates authentic crystals of intensity – an unflinchingly existential music that looks into the eye of darkness, but nevertheless spreads its wings. 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In their playing, one can feel their mutual appreciation and their joy in making music together, and, coupled with their unique technical and musical skills, as well as their chamber music experience, this enables the musicians to merge into a single unit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe players that form this top-class quintet come together from a variety of European countries: Jeroen Berwaerts hails from Belgium and as a former principal trumpeter of the NDR Symphony Orchestra is a much-sought-after soloist who now teaches at the Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media. The Dane, Lasse Mauritzen, who was knighted to the Order of Dannebrog by Queen Margarethe II, is first principal horn of the Copenhagen-based Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra (DRSO). Although Ian Bousfield is British, he now lives in Switzerland and is accustomed to performing around the world as a former principal trombonist with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as being a soloist and a conductor. Fundamental to the quintet is the Norwegian Thomas Røisland, who now lives in Sweden and is principal tuba in the DRSO, as well as playing in other renowned European orchestras.These five musicians are united by their desire to set new standards in brass chamber music for their audiences and to present premiere recordings and commission arrangements of classics that have not yet been recorded at a world-class level.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Solo Musica","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012578791658,"sku":"4260123644383","price":10.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4313847-3141530.jpg?v=1786632603"},{"product_id":"j-s-bach-dayer-jaz-westhoff-ysaye-echo-of-bach","title":"Bach, Dayer, Jaz, Westhoff \u0026 Ysaÿe: Echo of Bach \/ Raatz","description":"\u003cp\u003eOne of the most fascinating challenges that any violinist can face is the repertoire for solo violin. In this genre of music, both the musician and the listener can encounter polyphonic masterpieces performed with minimal means - with only four strings. These pieces often carry as much emotional and musical meaning as works composed for a large orchestra. This rarely represented category in musical literature has always excited the artist Agata-Maria Raatz. She wondered how Bach managed to create such a remarkably complex and demanding harmonic as well as formal structure in his sonatas and partitas for solo violin, which are considered timeless masterpieces of extraordinary brilliance in every detail. Where did he draw his inspiration from? What music did he listen to? And who was he as a person? Bach was not only a genius, but also a human being. Monuments created to honour personalities of genius often obscure their humanity, which encompasses not only the outstanding and special, but also the mundane and prosaic of life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe album \"Echo of BACH\" is her personal exploration through the history of solo music for violin, tracing its origins from the early Baroque period to the present. It is a musical journey centred on J. S. Bach, an inspiration to many generations of composers. On this unique path, the great master not only inspires, but is also influenced by the works of other musicians. Among them is a composer who might have been a guidepost for Bach on his musical path. It is the composer and violinist Jean Paul von Westhoff. Bach was 18 years old at the time, while Westhoff died only two years later at the age of 49. The probability is high that they met at that time and the young Bach became familiar with Westhoff's work. For her album she has chosen the Suite No. 5 in D minor. In addition to a piece composed by the artist especially for this CD under the pseudonym Clara Jaz, we also find the work \"Cette âme a six ailes tout comme les Séraphins\" (This soul has six wings like the Seraphim) composed by the Swiss composer Xavier Dayer especially for Agata-Maria Raatz.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Solo Musica","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012579545322,"sku":"4260123644390","price":10.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4226912-3141531.jpg?v=1786640504"},{"product_id":"brahms-the-piano-concertos-kauten-wurttembergische-philharmonie-reutlingen","title":"Brahms: The Piano Concertos \/ Kauten, Wurttembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen","description":"\u003cp\u003eIt has long been my wish to record both of Johannes Brahms’s piano concertos for CD. In doing so, I have been able to build upon many experiences that allow me at this point in time to open myself up even more to the essence of these works, which move me to the depths of my being. Both works offer me something incredibly great, something that in my conception of things can hardly be further enlarged. Each of the two concertos fascinates me with its vast wealth of sound, its intensity, above all with its simply infinite emotional range. Highly dramatic developments open out into playful lightness of being. Time and again there are sincerely thoughtful moments, marked by deep serenity. The slow movements of these two concertos particularly fascinate me on account of those passages, which give us a glimpse into what is above and beyond the world we know. The Magyar in me senses many Hungarian influences. My engagement with the two concertos in the course of making the present recordings together with the Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen has enabled me to look at the above aspects with new eyes. These are insights that go ever deeper throughout one’s whole life. The process is never complete. The cathedral is too big for that. Andrea Kauten\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Solo Musica","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012580266218,"sku":"4260123644413","price":16.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4389323-3299560.jpg?v=1786709236"},{"product_id":"the-bruckner-symphonies-vol-6-4260034864825","title":"The Bruckner Symphonies, Vol. 6 \/ Albrecht","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis series marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Anton Bruckner, which falls in 2024. It’s dedicated to Bruckner’s symphonies, most of them recorded in new transcriptions for organ by Hansjörg Albrecht. The 7th recording was made on the church organ of Hofkirche in Luzern with the transcription of Bruckner’s 6th Symphony by Eberhard Klotz. The bonus track on this volume is the composition “Andrea Lorenzo Scartazzini” for organ by the Italian composer Andrea Lorenzo Scartazzini.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Oehms Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012602024170,"sku":"4260034864825","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4182473-3141435.jpg?v=1786635738"},{"product_id":"chopin-piano-favourites","title":"Chopin: Piano Favorites \/ Furuhata","description":"\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSachiko Furuhata was born in Yokohama, Japan, and completed her piano studies at the Tokyo Conservatory. Further studies took her to Germany at the Detmold University of Music and the Robert Schumann University in Düsseldorf. Her teachers include Roberto Szidon, Detlev Kraus, Naoyuki Taneda and Willem Brons. Her concert activities have taken her to Germany, Holland, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Japan. With this third recital album, Sachiko Furuhata takes up selected works by Frédéric Chopin. With the famous etudes, the nocturnes and waltzes, different moods are singled out and compare so that an independent Chopin portrait is drawn.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"Oehms Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012608282858,"sku":"4260034864955","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4096185-2842990.jpg?v=1786646471"},{"product_id":"chapi-string-quartets-vol-2","title":"Chapi: String Quartets, Vol. 2 \/ Cuarteto Latinoamericano","description":"\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSaúl Bitran writes of the present release: “Ruperto Chapí’s String Quartet No. 3 could well be subtitled Tragic Quartet. Here’s a work of a stormy nature, containing atmospheres of drama, anguish and loneliness. Out of the four quartets written by the composer, this is perhaps the one which has the least Spanish features… String Quartet No. 4, in B minor, was premiered by the Cuarteto Francés on February 22nd, 1907, and was dedicated by the composer to “my very dear friend and disciple Manuel Manrique de Lara”. On that evening’s printed program it was mentioned that “Chapí continues with the aesthetic tendency shown on his previous quartets. Without resorting to specific popular forms, the composer manages to give his work a genuinely national character, picturesque and free, dressing his own thoughts with rhythms and procedures of natural and traditional harmonies. The form matches, in general terms, that of a traditional string quartet but, within it, the composer is able to transit with absolute independence, and to present the thematic elements according to his own phantasy and to the whims of his personal temperament.”\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012657664234,"sku":"053479225429","price":7.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4041859-2786679.jpg?v=1786693889"},{"product_id":"songs-of-love-despair-boyd-metcalf","title":"Songs of Love \u0026 Despair \/ Boyd, Metcalf","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eRupert Boyd writes: “This is an album of love. But also of despair. And some things in between. Largely conceived, arranged, rehearsed and recorded during the Covid-19 pandemic, \u003cem\u003eSongs of Love \u0026amp; Despair\u003c\/em\u003e contains the music that we were drawn to during this time -- a time of unprecedented stillness and solitude, traveling at most a few miles from our home for months on end. As a married couple we were fortunate to be able to play music together every day, and this collection of repertoire is half love, half longing; from the delicate beauty of Debussy and the joyousness of Boccherini, to the anguish of Messiaen and heartbreaking Appalachian folk songs, which tell the stories of love, life and loss. The album is a testament to this time, and we welcome you to join us as we traverse the emotions that have enveloped us all.” The album encompasses music from Luigi Boccherini to The Beatles to Beyoncé, from Franz Schubert to Florence B. Price to Radiohead.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEW\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGuitarist Rupert Boyd and his wife, cellist Laura Metcalf, have released their second recording and it includes transcriptions of well-known pieces such as Debussy’s ‘Arabesque No. 1’ with delicately articulated arpeggios by the guitar providing a graceful accompaniment to the lyrical cello melody. Schubert’s ‘Gretchen am Spinnrade’ is delivered fluidly with deep romantic passion in an arrangement by Napoleon Coste (1805–83).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘A New York Minute’ by Marian Budos, is bursting with energy and close coordination between the two players. Metcalf’s sense of drama and razor-sharp intonation combine to achieve a powerful delivery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo arrangements by Lennon and McCartney are pleasantly performed and would be crowd pleasers in concert.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe recorded tone of each of the two instruments is realistic, but the cello is somewhat overpowering on some tracks. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLiner notes are informative and entertaining. All in all, this is an effective project, mixing known works with the new ones—always a plus!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- American Record Guide (Jim McCutchen)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012658286826,"sku":"053479225528","price":9.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4063903-2802904.jpg?v=1786648666"},{"product_id":"i-lift-my-lamp-schwab","title":"I Lift My Lamp - Immigrant Songs for Piano \/ Jacqueline Schwab","description":"\u003cp\u003e“Let me invite you to listen to this potpourri of favorite musical stories spotlighting some of the rich contributions from American immigrants and other countries. Laden with cultural pride, they celebrate people like my Scottish friend Stuart, who capped a fulfilling international career with retirement to Cape Cod but never forgot his roots–and would sing the old song I Belong to Glasgow, at the drop of a hat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cem\u003eI Lift My Lamp\u003c\/em\u003e pays musical homage to his Glaswegian pride—and the pride of so many other immigrants for their homelands. In a conversation between old and new, it honors living, community traditions not set in stone. Influenced by my work with storyteller Ken Burns, I feature vintage immigrant songs and dances from my Pittsburgh childhood, later life in Boston and travels–my own arrangements of American standards, lesser-known gems, and imported and homegrown creations, from countryside to Tin Pan Alley...” (Jacqueline Schwab)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEWS:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond performances that are engaged and expressive, what distinguishes\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eI Lift My Lamp\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis its programme. On this sixty-five-minute collection, pianist Jacqueline Schwab presents songs from numerous countries, some familiar and some not but all performed with deep feeling. As the songs are associated with the American immigrant experience, many are filled with longing for the countries left behind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis isn’t the first time Schwab, a graduate of Boston’s New England Conservatory who lived for many years at Cape Cod before returning to Boston, has given her attention to such material; in fact, much of her career has been devoted to projects celebrating the American experience in one form or another...None of the material was written by her, but the songs feel no less like personal expressions in her hands.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDances and ballads consistently alternate, with examples of each coming from various parts of the world and Schwab executing them all with equal attention to detail and tone. Adding to the release’s appeal, in-depth liner notes presenting background for each composition were written for it by Stephanie Smith, one-time Archives Director of the Smithsonian Centre for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. Many of these tunes—what Twain called “remembrancers,” apparently—were written long ago, but the feelings they express and the message they impart transcend time and resonate afresh in Schwab’s inspired readings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- Textura\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012659728618,"sku":"053479225726","price":9.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4105805-2852400.jpg?v=1786657295"},{"product_id":"the-year-that-never-was-matei-varga","title":"The Year That Never Was - Piano Music \/ Matei Varga","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMatei Varga writes: “To paraphrase Tolstoy, all happy memories feel more or less the same; but the unhappy times are experienced differently by each one of us. We’ve all had some really tough weeks, which sometimes turned into months, and (with a bit of bad luck) into years… I like to think that “off” years help us grow and prepare for the beautiful things that will undoubtedly come our way (I am an optimist at heart), but living through dark times is a complicated process. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe year 2020 was complicated indeed. The world was put on hold and we hardly remember what we did in February, or May, or September… Many suffered from isolation and the inability to socialize - and they probably prefer to think back to 2020 as a year that never happened… I, on the other hand, felt liberated by the lack of schedules, appointments and the pressure to be productive - that horrid word which is killing our souls, slowly but surely. Instead I embraced seclusion and enjoyed the time off which was forced upon us. Yes, I did miss performing in front of a live audience and traveling to beautiful places, but I found that staying home, with my piano, offered me a better view towards my inner self and a chance to experience the joy of a new discovery. That was for me the Cuban master Ernesto Lecuona…Two years later, the pandemic isn’t over and neither is the collective anxiety- but at least I can offer you this very personal recording, which I hope will take your mind away from current realities. This is music’s most phenomenal power- to bring joy when we really need it!...”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEW\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\" id=\"ctl00_MainContent_gvReviews_cell3_12_ASPxPopupControl1_ASPxLabel2\"\u003eThe Year That Never Was in Romanian pianist Matei Varga’s title here is 2020; he writes of how he came to embrace the COVID-era isolation and explored the work of Ernesto Lecuona, a composer about whom he had previously known little. The output of Cuban composer Lecuona is sometimes categorized as salon music, and while it includes a few classical hits like the opening Andalucía (from the Suite española), much of his large production of some 600 works remains little explored. Here, the excerpts from the Danzas cubanas del siglo XIX and Danzas Afro-Cubanas will be worth the price of admission for Lecuona fans. He wants to expand the notion of salon music to include some of its predecessors, not only Chopin but going back as far as Domenico Scarlatti. That pandemic seems to have produced a boomlet in recordings of salon music, which is probably understandable, and Varga’s release is a novel take on the idea.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\"\u003e-- AllMuic.com (James Manheim)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012660482282,"sku":"053479225825","price":9.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4096203-2842883.jpg?v=1786642403"},{"product_id":"gudmundsson-windbells-reykjavik-chamber-orchestra","title":"Gudmundsson: Windbells \/ Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra","description":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote: this double-disc release contains both a CD and a Blu-ray Audio disc. The latter will only play on devices with Blu-ray read capability.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHugi Guðmundsson writes: “The title piece, Equilibrium IV: Windbells, was the seed this whole album grew from. It was premièred under rather unusual circumstances at the 2005 World Expo in Japan in a venue that more closely resembled a stadium than a concert stage for classical music. I was an integral part of the performance due to the interactive electronics in the piece. We had practiced that I would maintain eye contact with the musicians during performances, just a few meters from the stage. However, the mixer I was operating at the concert was housed in something that resembled an air traffic control tower some 100 meters away from the stage. Or at least it felt that way. From my perspective, the musicians were like tiny ants in one corner of the enormous stage and they could not see me at all. Despite these outlandish circumstances, we somehow managed to perform the piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"It has since become one of my most performed chamber pieces and has received several awards and recognitions. It has never been recorded in a studio up until now. So, after a recent performance with Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra, where it received very warm reviews, we decided it was time to do something about it. That snowballed into what is now this album…”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEWS\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan id=\"ctl00_MainContent_gvReviews_cell6_12_ASPxPopupControl1_ASPxLabel2\" class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\"\u003eIcelandic composer Hugi Guðmundsson has crafted an idiom combining neo-tonality and modernist inflections, with deliberate rhythms often based on slowly evolving ostinatos. Aspects of rhythmic construction loom large here on this portrait CD for Sono Luminus, as well as Guðmundsson’s incorporation of electronics into chamber works.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\" id=\"ctl00_MainContent_gvReviews_cell6_12_ASPxPopupControl1_ASPxLabel2\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGuðmundsson’s inclusion on the label is most welcome. He has a distinctive creative voice, and \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWindbells\u003c\/em\u003e is a thoroughly persuasive recording. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- Sequenza21.com\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan id=\"ctl00_MainContent_gvReviews_cell3_12_ASPxPopupControl1_ASPxLabel2\" class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\"\u003ePerformances throughout are distinct and characterful, but the bold musicianship of flautist Áshildur Haraldsdóttir deserves special mention; her playing is assertive and daring in its breathy ferocity, while equally capable of singing with the sweetest clarity\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- BBC Music Magazine\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray + CD","offer_id":46012661137642,"sku":"053479225924","price":10.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4123027-2878639.jpg?v=1786635652"},{"product_id":"a-baroque-christmas-at-sono-luminus-felipe-dominguez","title":"A Baroque Christmas at Sono Luminus \/ Dominguez","description":"\u003cp\u003eFrom the pipe organ at the Sono Luminus studio in Boyce, Virginia, we are pleased to present a fine selection of baroque organ music for the Christmas season. Felipe Dominguez (b. 1983) is a Chilean\/American organist, harpsichordist, clavichordist, and musicologist. A graduate of Brigham Young University (B.M. 2010, M.M. 2012), he studied organ and harpsichord with Douglas Bush and Don Cook. He has pursued further postgraduate organ instruction in Europe with Edoardo Belotti, Hans Davidsson, Harald Vogel, and Leon Berben. Mr. Dominguez has performed as a soloist and in ensembles in Chile, Argentina, the United States and Europe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNun komm der Heiden Heiland (Oh, Come thou Savior of the Gentiles) is a German chorale normally sung during advent, and is a call for the Lord to come to Earth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLo, How a Rose E’er Blooming is a well known and beloved traditional chorale on the original harmonization by Michael Praetorius.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe chorale Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich, (Praise God, you Christians, All Together) is set in verse 1 with the melody in the soprano and counterpoint in the two lower voices, and in verse 2 with the melody in the pedal and two lines in imitation on top.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNoël cette Journée (Christmas day today) imitates the French musette with a sustained pedal note, a sweet melody and elegant ornaments, painting an image of the French countryside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZipoli’s Pastorale also centers on the image of countryside landscape, which was a popular Christmas theme at the time in the spirit of the biblical annunciation to the shepherds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMichau qui causoit ce grand bruit is a traditional French Noël treated in a very common structure of variations with different character, the first with a royal feel and the second with a courtesan air.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA ricercar is an imitative form that uses a melody as its main source of material for development. In the case of the Ricercare on “Ave Maria Klare”, a hymn for the Virgin Mary is used as the main source material.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBuxtehude’s Fantasia on “Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern” (How brightly Shines the Morning Star) is one of his greatest masterpieces. He uses small phrases of the chorale melody to develop contrasting sections full of color, energy, and beauty, which also provide an opportunity to highlight the wonderful colors of the organ.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLouis-Claude Daquin wrote a large collection of Noëls and his own performances were legendary in 18th Century Paris. His Noël variations normally present the melody first, followed by variations, at times very virtuosic as it is in this case.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSelections from the Oratorio “The Messiah” by Handel have long been a staple of the Christmas repertoire. This version of the pifa transcribed for the organ is highly ornamented and with its triple meter and dance character intends to take the listener back to the annunciation to the shepherds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBöhm’s setting of “From Heaven Above,” a popular Christmas chorale, sets the melody as a solo, largely unornamented so it is easy to recognize, against a contrapuntal backdrop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVoluntary V, Op. 6, by John Stanley though not a Christmas piece has all the hallmarks of a royal entrance. It begins with a contrapuntal section similar to a string ensemble, followed by a virtuosic trumpet solo (Oboe 8’).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis second setting of “From Heaven Above,” by Pachelbel is much different than the previous one, the melody being in the pedal with a Principal 8’ against Koppel Flute 4‘ and Quint 1 1\/3‘ in the Swell that dance in counterpoint above the melody.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis 18th Century setting of a pastorale by Bernardo Pasquini is much more elaborated, making more use of counterpoint and varied harmonies throughout the piece. However, it stays true to the countryside character of pastorals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Sweet Rejoicing! (In Dulci Jubilo) Is a popular upbeat Christmas hymn. The first 16th Century version from the Fridolin Sichers Tablature is highly imitative, with phrases overlapping over each other very actively. The second version by J.S. Bach, written in his youth, is a highly ornamented version of the hymn that works in scales and arpeggios with a majestic end only as Bach can deliver.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEW\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat distinguishes this release (other than the fine playing and sound) is the inviting combination of a few absolute Christmas classics with a treasure trove of lesser-known but vibrantly lively period works. In the end we get a good listen to the newly installed Sono Luminus organ, which sounds just right. And then the program scores big to my ears with a wide-ranging, musically ravishing collection of Baroque gems for the season. Highly recommended.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- Gapplegate Classical Modern Music Review\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012661858538,"sku":"053479226020","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4144584-2911315.jpg?v=1786657303"},{"product_id":"mozart-part-vasks-sonic-alchemy","title":"Sonic Alchemy - Mozart, Part, \u0026 Vasks","description":"\u003cp\u003eHow do we even measure time? It is sometimes said that time is as old as humankind, but of course it isn’t. It’s just something we created out of a need for... what exactly? Earliest known evidence suggests we were measuring time already 5000 years ago. That way we could create predictability, for example concerning planting and harvesting. From there on we could more easily schedule and organize, which then helped us building a more sustainable life. When we had found a mutual understanding of what we would call time then other systems could be developed, kind of like a third-party software.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMusic notation works as a fine example. Today our life is synchronized “to the beat.” Not only is every single footstep kept track of by our telephones or every breath by our smart wrist watches – even our thoughts are as good as monitored as we scroll casually through advertisements on social media. Without us even realizing, the idea of time and synchronicity is apparently encrypted so deep in our consciousness that the thought of viewing the world without it is beyond our comprehension. That doesn’t change the fact that time as we understand it has not always been the same. Our ideas on time have changed throughout the centuries and will most probably continue to do so. The works on Sonic Alchemy are of composers who offer a new perspective on how we can perceive time, each in their own way. - Páll Ragnar Pálsson\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012662448362,"sku":"053479226105","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4389345-3299534.jpg?v=1786690302"},{"product_id":"sheehan-a-christmas-carol-walker-skylark","title":"Sheehan: A Christmas Carol \/ Walker, Skylark Vocal Ensemble","description":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis is a Blu-ray Audio disc, playable on Blu-ray players only.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“In the Summer of 2019, we recorded our album Once Upon a Time, our first recorded version of a “story concert.” Although we had explored this concept for several years prior with storyteller Sarah Walker, Once Upon a Time was our first collaboration with Benedict Sheehan, who composed incidental music (almost like a choral movie score) to accompany Sarah’s dialogue and to connect the musical dots between existing works by an array of composers. That summer, it became clear that we had stumbled onto something unusual and special. First, the idea of a continuous choral story score – combining elements of classical performance, storytelling, film scoring, and theatricality – seemed to be a rich new idiom for choral performance art. Second, the collaborative team of the project seemed like a dream come true – there was a strong sense of mutual respect for everyone’s unique talents, and a rare ability for creative push and pull…” (Matthew Guard, Artistic Director)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46012663169258,"sku":"053479226204","price":9.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4123028-3139365.jpg?v=1786827087"},{"product_id":"marrow-the-6-suites-for-cello-by-j-s-bach-saeunn-thorsteinsdottir","title":"Marrow - The Bach Cello Suites \/ Thorsteinsdóttir","description":"\u003cp\u003eThere is an Icelandic saying, “mergur málsins”, which directly translates to “the marrow of the matter,” and these Suites, to me, speak directly to the essence of being human. As for many cellists, these Suites have been my steady companion throughout my life with the cello, first as a vehicle to learn counterpoint, style, and harmony, then as material with which to explore personal expression and interpretation, and today they are a mirror, reflecting the deeper truth of the human experience, revealing more layers of meaning each time I come back to them. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs far as we know, these Suites were not written for the church, and by 1720, they were not written for people to actually dance to, but rather as forms with familiar rhythms and style. In contrast to the Violin Sonatas and Partitas which were written around the same time, the Cello Suites each have the same movement structure, which includes a Prelude and two pairs of dances (Allemande and Courante, Sarabande and Gigue) with an added “wildcard” of pairs of Menuets, Gavottes, or Bourées. Rather than hindering expression, this structure seems to enable more creativity to flow, as Bach pushes the boundaries of the expressive and technical possibilities of the instrument with each succeeding Suite.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring the heart of the pandemic of 2020, I found comfort and refuge in these Suites. As I began to play them not just individually but as a set, an arch started to emerge, a true Hero’s journey: starting with the innocent 1st Suite in G major, the first taste of bitter disappointment in the d minor 2nd Suite, a renewed optimism in the 3rd Suite in C major, the bold and brash 4th Suite in Eb Major, the dark tragedy of the 5th Suite in C minor, and finally the glorious redemption of the 6th Suite in D Major. My hope in presenting these Suites without repeats is to more clearly illuminate this arch of their presented order so that we may more closely follow this universal storyline. - Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEW\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRecordings of Bach’s six Cello Suites aren’t in short supply, so what does this latest new one have going for it? Icelandic-American cellist Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir is known as a contemporary music specialist, returning here to what she describes as “mergur málsins” (“the marrow of the matter” in Icelandic), a constant companion throughout her musical life. Thorsteinsdóttir found solace in the suites during the pandemic and celebrated the 2020 summer solstice by playing each suite in a different church in Iceland’s remote Westfjords region. Thorsteinsdóttir views each work as part of a sequence, “a true hero’s journey” which takes the listener from innocence to redemption, tasting disappointment, optimism and tragedy along the way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKnowing this isn’t a prerequisite for enjoying the performances, and Thorsteinsdóttir’s poised, lyrical playing makes this set a front runner among recent recordings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- The Arts Desk\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012663922922,"sku":"053479226303","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4211173-2991121.jpg?v=1786635353"},{"product_id":"boulder-bach-festival-053479226501","title":"Boulder Bach Festival","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis album is the culmination of an extraordinarily fruitful artistic collaboration that took place at the 2022 Boulder Bach Festival in Boulder, Colorado. The recordings were made immediately after the public concerts concluded. They document four of the many memorable musical interpretations at the Festival, which occurred not just because of the many talented artists, but also thanks to the kindness and generosity of countless members of the community and region. Although many musicians converged on Boulder from all over the globe, the Festival also featured several remarkable local artists. The entire project took place against the backdrop of some of the most majestic natural scenery in the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEW\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan id=\"ctl00_MainContent_gvReviews_cell0_12_ASPxPopupControl1_ASPxLabel2\" class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\"\u003eUnder artistic director Mina Gajić, and music director Zachary Carrettin, the Boulder Bach Festival of Colorado has progressed steadily in its artistic aims as well as providing an attractive setting for music lovers. The present recordings, made immediately after the public performances in the 2022 Festival, bear witness to this, in sparkling accounts of two concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach and two choral settings by Johann Christian Bach, an earlier sprig on a very prolific family tree.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\"\u003e-- Audio Video Club of Atalnta (Phil Muse)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"CD + Blu-Ray","offer_id":46012664676586,"sku":"053479226501","price":11.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4182501-2949365.jpg?v=1786680310"},{"product_id":"atmospheriques-vol-1-bjarnason-iceland-symphony","title":"Atmosphériques, Vol. 1 \/ Bjarnason, Iceland Symphony","description":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote: this double-disc release contains both a CD and a Blu-ray Audio disc. The former will play on any CD player, and the latter will only play on devices with Blu-ray read capability.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDaniel Bjarnason writes: \"at the risk of getting canceled by my musician colleagues, I’m going to divulge a dark truth about classical music: it’s never as captivating or molecule-altering for anyone as it is for us on stage. Which is why I often find classical records, especially those of the orchestral persuasion, so underwhelming. So not … immediate. Which is why I am approaching zealot status in my admiration for Sono Luminus and the way in which it submerges listeners within reach of the Atlantis that is the on-stage experience. Which is why, save for live performance, the often inimitable new-music originating in, or in proximity to, Iceland (homeland to an unreasonable percentage of the composers living rent-free in my headphones for more than a decade) has found its most ardent advocate and most clarion amplifier in Winchester, Virginia. Certainly its exceptional national orchestra has. Despite a bewildering insistence by journalists to characterize music written by those with Icelandic surnames as a monolith, the entries on this tracklist are as singular as hand blown glass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"The inclusion of American sonic clairvoyant Missy Mazzoli is a helpful geographic foil here, but there is one element fusing all of these inventions: Your person is about to feel minuscule or massive, by contrast to – or motivated by – these sounds. Anna Thorvaldsdottir’s music is often intimidatingly cyclopean, and Catamorphosis at times mimics the cosmic indifference of Lovecraftian deities, but it simultaneously introduces an iridescent hope I have not encountered before in her music. Mazzoli’s Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres) catapults us from one end of a pulsing solar system to the other while Daníel Bjarnason’s From Space I Saw Earth improbably stretches perspective from earth to the moon and back, seeming somehow both terrestrial and paranormal within a single phrase. Maria Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir's Clockworking bridges a similar expanse, coexisting within the measurable realm of time-keeping … and the immeasurable realm of what occurs as the seconds tick by. Is Bára Gísladóttir's ÓS gasping in air, or desperately exhaling? Whatever your observation, and as with every waypoint on this illusory itinerary, the answer is likely: both.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEWS:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe range of sonorities they [the Iceland Symphony Orchestra] bring out in Gísladóttir’s ÓS is viscerally gripping – rushing strings, apocalyptically deep wind notes and percussion fusillades…Mazzoli’s engaging Sinfonia and Sigfúsdóttir’s Clockworking provide textural, stylistic and expressive contrast. Sono Luminus’s sound is top-notch. Enjoy!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- Gramophone\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI listened to these two discs one after another: the first is a normal CD, which I listened to to familiarize myself with this music. This is all definitely in my wheelhouse: Anna Thorvaldsdottir’s\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eCATAMORPHOSIS\u003c\/em\u003e, from 2020; Missy Mazzoli’s\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eSinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres)\u003c\/em\u003e, from 2014; Daníel Bjarnason’s\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eFrom Space I Saw Earth\u003c\/em\u003e, from 2019; Maria Sigfúsdóttir’s\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eClockworking for Orchestra\u003c\/em\u003e, from 2020; and Bára Gísladóttir’s ÓS, written for the Iceland Centenary in 2018. It’s beautifully played by the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, directed by Daniel Bjarnason.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnly a few months ago I reviewed Missy Mazzoli’s latest album, Dark With Excessive Bright, which also includes her\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eSinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres),\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ewith Tim Weiss conducting the Arctic Philharmonic. It seems like high-latitude orchestras are best situated to play this piece about the Music of the Spheres, situated as they are far from the noise of the world’s cities, and closer to the light show of the Aurora Borealis. I prefer the performance of the Iceland players by the narrowest of margins in this important work, helped as it is by the sound engineering of Sono Luminus.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd it’s the audio that brings us to the second disc: a Pure Audio Blu-ray disc with the identical repertoire, totalling just under an hour, in remarkable Surround Sound. As I’ve mentioned a few times in my reviews, I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about the audiophile component of recording, but listening to this Blu-ray knocked me for a loop. This will surely become a demonstration disc for high-end Surround Sound systems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIceland is a small country, but its music, both classical and popular, has the huge scope and universal appeal of the Sagas. This is a distinguished addition to a long and distinguished artistic tradition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- Music for Several Instruments\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodytext\"\u003eBoasting a formidable ensemble of ninety full-time musicians, Iceland's national orchestra is the perfect conduit for these composers's bold imaginings. \u003cem\u003eAtmospheriques\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis an apt title given how much its oft-ethereal material imposes itself. Melody is downplayed in favour of mood, texture, and presence, the latter qualities architecturally established in the form of grandiose blocks of sound. The music at times plays like the slow, heaving movements of an enormous geological mass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodytext\"\u003eAll five works are immersive and dynamic creations, yet there are critical differences between them, something Bjarnason emphasizes in asserting that each of the five is “as singular as hand-blown glass.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodytext\"\u003eThat said, one description applied to Thorvaldsdottir's music, that it's “an ecosystem of sounds, where materials continuously grow in and out of each other,” is one that could as easily be applied to some of the other works. At twenty-one minutes, her \u003cem\u003eCATAMORPHOSIS\u003c\/em\u003e, first up on the hour-long release, is epic on purely temporal grounds, let alone structural. Such durational expanse grants her a huge canvas upon which to paint, which she does using flurries of glissando-swooping strings, rumbling sonorities, and orchestral micro-chatter. The music convulses and broods, but there are also lyrical episodes that allow for peaceful contemplation. As the piece advances towards its conclusion, it begins to suggest the disturbed sleep of some soon-to-be-awakened behemoth, with all the imminent activity that entails.\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eCATAMORPHOSIS\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eflows seamlessly into Mazzoli's\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eSinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres)\u003c\/em\u003e, whose shimmering strings and muted horns exude a starry-eyed quality that positions it far from the geological ruptures that ground Thorvaldsdottir's piece. Mystery permeates\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eSinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003etoo, but in this case it's the kind of mystery one associates with ineffable extraterrestrial expanses. The ethereal character of her piece carries over into Bjarnason's\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eFrom Space I Saw Earth\u003c\/em\u003e, whose sweeping tonal masses are so toweringly large it seems as if they're extending from one planetary realm to another.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodytext\"\u003eSigfúsdóttir's reputation precedes her on the recording. In addition to establishing herself as a composer, she's a violinist well-known for her membership in the band amiina and for touring with Sigur Rós from 2000 to 2008. Compared to the other works,\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eClockworking for Orchestra\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis dramatic but also a tad less tumultuous; its keening strings are also explicitly grounded by chiming mallet patterns whose interlock lends the piece a stability less defined elsewhere.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodytext\"\u003eLike Sigfúsdóttir, the Copenhagen-based Bára Gísladóttir is a composer and musician, her instrument the double bass. Gísladóttir's contribution to the album,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eÓS\u003c\/em\u003e, picks up where her recent Sono Luminus album\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eSILVA\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eleft off with a blistering textural exploration where strings swarm, horns groan in anguish, and percussive surfaces are violently battered. One of the more impressive things about\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eAtmospheriques\u003c\/em\u003e, music aside, involves sequencing. While there is a dramatic shift in tone and style from the penultimate piece to the closing one, the album generally advances smoothly from one setting to the next, which makes the recording register as a cohesive singular statement as opposed to a compilation of unrelated works.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodytext\"\u003e-- Textura\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"CD + Blu-Ray","offer_id":46012666151146,"sku":"053479226709","price":11.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4196668-2975986.jpg?v=1786675326"},{"product_id":"mendelssohn-walden-without-words-bruce-levingston","title":"Mendelssohn \u0026 Walden: Without Words \/ Levingston","description":"\u003cp\u003eMendelssohn’s \u003cem\u003eSongs without Words\u003c\/em\u003e simply defy ordinary description. Refined and nuanced, they constitute some of the composer’s finest and best-known works. For nearly two hundred years, they were regarded as charming relics, select romantic gems performed in small concert halls and salons. While their subtle, ornamental qualities certainly shine brightest in more intimate settings, closer inspection reveals an unexpected depth and complexity to these miniature masterpieces. Their interpretive and technical demands are considerable, requiring sensitivity to voicing, pedaling and dynamic control. Meant to enchant rather than dazzle, they evoke myriad dreams revealing some of the composer’s innermost reflections. Like private entries in a musical diary, they offer a rare glimpse into this reserved but passionate artist’s thoughts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEW\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Mendelssohn gems of course I was familiar with and very fond of, while Price Walden’s music was a most rewarding discovery of compositions that reflect keen sensitivity, a delicate overall feel, and expansive melodies underpinned by equally clear and open harmonies that never muscle into the crystalline quality of the melodies. These are intensely American works and a joy to listen to.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBruce Levingston’s insights into Mendelssohn provide many moments of delight – his ever-sensitive approach bringing out everything that is joyful about that chapter of Mendelssohn’s oeuvre.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs is always the case the engineering of the album is peerless and the album itself well annotated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA winner through and through.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- All About The Arts (Rafael de Acha)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012667592938,"sku":"053479226907","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4389346-3329840.jpg?v=1786709028"},{"product_id":"fung-insects-machines-jasper-string-quartet","title":"Fung: Insects \u0026 Machines \/ Jasper String Quartet","description":"\u003cp\u003eVivian Fung has long been a friend and admired composer of the Jasper String Quartet. The Quartet first performed one of her works in 2019, and we were immediately captivated by the visceral energy and impeccable craft of her writing. Vivian’s String Quartets Nos. 1–4 span 18 years of her career and reflect a remarkable journey of absorbing, integrating, and synthesizing a unique spectrum of influences into her compositional voice. Unwavering in all of the works is a fierce heart, instrumental fearlessness, and an amazing instinct for texture. We are incredibly grateful to have recorded these works with Vivian in the studio and for the growth we experienced in the process. – Jasper String Quartet\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis album is a testimonial to my lifelong adoration of strings, dating back to my beginning cello studies as a middle school student. My cello teacher introduced me to a wide-ranging repertoire and opened up my sonic world with the sound of string quartets, concerti, and Baroque instruments. The string quartet format, in particular, has gripped my imagination since writing Pizzicato, which I originally wrote as a standalone work and later incorporated as the third movement of String Quartet No. 1 and continues to be one of my most performed pieces. Many thank yous to the Jasper String Quartet for their dedication to this CD project; to my husband, son, and parents for their support; and to everyone at Sono Luminus for producing this wonderful album. – Vivian Fung\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012668346602,"sku":"053479227003","price":9.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4389347-3299535.jpg?v=1786671304"},{"product_id":"handel-oguz-rachmaninoff-solace-053479227201","title":"Solace \/ Korkmaz Can Sağlam","description":"\u003cp\u003eTurkish pianist KCS is the Grand Prize winner of the 2022 Alexis Gregory Vendome Prize, where he was also awarded the Recording Prize.   has performed in concert halls such as the Morgan Library \u0026amp; Museum’s Gilder Lehrman Hall in New York, Wiener Saal in Salzburg, Verbrugghen Hall in Sydney and in other venues in cities such as Paris, Nice, Brussels, Cleveland, Verona and Istanbul. He has appeared in festivals such as the Gümüşlük Classical Music Festival, Antalya Piano Festival and Bellapais Music Festival. This season, he will appear at the 2024 Sydney Festival as the winner of The Rex Hobcroft People’s Choice Prize at the Sydney International Piano Competition, as well as in concerts with the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by James Judd and New Manhattan Sinfonietta conducted by Gürer Aykal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBorn in 1999 in Ankara, he began his musical education with Gamze Kırtıl at the Bilkent University’s Music and Ballet Primary School at the age of seven. After studying with Antonio Pompa-Baldi and Sergei Babayan at the Cleveland Institute of Music, he received his bachelor’s degree from The Juilliard School, where he was a recipient of the Ahmet Ertegün Memorial Scholarship and the Susan W. Rose Piano Fellowship twice. In 2018, he was accepted as a scholar of “Young Musicians on World Stages” (YMWS), led by Güher-Süher Pekinel. During his studies, he has had the chance to work with musicians such as Jacques Rouvier, Pavel Gililov, Boris Berman, Ilya Itin, Michel Beroff, Jean-Francois Heisser, Gabriela Montero and Emanuel Ax. He is currently pursuing graduate studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music under the direction of Maestro Babayan.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012668969194,"sku":"053479227201","price":9.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4389348-3320910.jpg?v=1786669122"},{"product_id":"bach-uncaged-sonolum","title":"Bach Uncaged \/ Gajić, Carrettin","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis recording is a reflection of several performances that took place over time and in varying acoustic environments, including collaborations with contemporary and aerial\/vertical dance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Cage works tend to be binary in form, and while meditatively free flowing in spirit, the architecture is clean and easily understood. The Bach works—four movements that make up a sonata—offer a multitude of interpretive options, including an approach that wanders through the harmonic labyrinth without regard to pulse and traditional notions of time, magnifying minute rhetorical statements along the way. It can be such that the Bach works represent the dreamscape while the atonal prepared piano pieces of Cage represent structure. This might be in opposition to many listeners’ expectations. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012669755626,"sku":"053479227300","price":9.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4313850-3139367_4517d0b4-4c65-41d6-a5e7-d453b021c014.jpg?v=1786646524"},{"product_id":"dreamspace","title":"Dreamspace","description":"SOME NOTES ON THE AUDIO\/RECORDING PROCESS WE USED  The singular sound of \"Dreamspace\" comes from fusing two sonic goals. By using a number of different microphones in various positions and distances, we create a comprehensive perspective on the piano and Michael Mizrahi's dynamic approach to performance, as well as a  realistic and life-like final \"image\" of the piano and Mizrahi's playing. The listener is situated in a specific place in the performance space while simultaneously experiencing sounds that could be heard from a number of listener positions. Bringing those two goals into harmony, aiming for both a multi-perspective and realistic soundworld, is what leads to the sounds you are hearing.     NOTES ON DREAMSPACE  Dreamspace is a destination and state of mind.   Give dreams space.  This record gives space for dreaming.  Keep dreaming.","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012671295722,"sku":"053479227607","price":9.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4335174-3177891.jpg?v=1786713793"},{"product_id":"sono-luminusclear-voices-in-the-dark","title":"Clear Voices In The Dark","description":"\u003cp\u003eAfter a pilgrimage to Rocamadour I had the idea of composing a clandestine work which could be prepared in secret and then performed on the long-awaited day of liberation. With great enthusiasm I began Figure Humaine and completed it by the end of the summer. I composed the work for unaccompanied choir because I wanted this act of faith to be performed without instrumental aid, by sole means of the human voice.” \u003cbr\u003e– Francis Poulenc\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The day the Americans arrived, I triumphantly placed my cantata on the studio desk, beneath my flag, at the window.” \u003cbr\u003e– Francis Poulenc\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Francis, I never heard myself. \u003cbr\u003eFrancis, I needed you to understand me.” \u003cbr\u003e– Paul Éluard\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI believe that great art is often the product of great difficulty and tribulation, in many cases for the artist themselves. I also think art borne out of a time of societal turmoil can be even more profound, and can shed light today on what it was like to live and endure through tragedies of the past.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFigure Humaine is one of the ultimate artistic achievements from a time of turmoil. Composed by Francis Poulenc in 1943 in occupied France, it was composed in secret, inspired by the resistance poems of the surrealist poet Paul Éluard (poems that were distributed under plain cover during the occupation). It is one of the most profound pieces in the a cappella choral repertoire, if also one of the most difficult. Scored for double choir in six parts each, it is a vocal gauntlet which requires unmatched concentration and musicianship from every singer involved to mount a successful performance. Given that the piece was written at a time when victory was by no means assured, I believe that the difficulty of the work was intentional; to be worthy of the expressive task of communicating Éluard’s wartime thoughts, I think Poulenc believed that a choir must possess outstanding commitment, dedication, and skill. \u003cbr\u003eBecause of its challenges, Figure Humaine is rarely performed. Soon after founding Skylark, I began to feel that this was a piece we simply had to share. But at only 20 minutes in length, I struggled to find the appropriate way to present it to allow people to truly engage with the work. While on a walk in 2014, I realized that we were approaching the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War, as well as the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, occasions that presented a unique opportunity to share music of both time periods. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI set out on a journey to find the appropriate Civil War-era songs to pair with the Poulenc movements. Figure Humaine sets forth an intense emotional progression, cycling between despair and optimism against a backdrop of gathering madness. It was critical to find pieces that would make sense musically and textually in the context of Poulenc’s work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was a fascinating journey. Through exploring my own musical heritage, I soon discovered that Alice Parker arranged Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye for the Robert Shaw Chorale in the late 1960s. Consultation with other Skylarks revealed several brilliant arrangements from Ron Jeffers, and a search through the Duke University Historical Sheet Music Archives uncovered several pieces that I never knew existed. The discovery that Abide with me (one of my favorite hymns) was written during 1861 was particularly poignant. Where no appropriate arrangement existed, I filled in myself with very simple editions. In all cases, the goal was to create as simple and honest an expression of the songs as possible. Against the foil of Poulenc’s monumental achievement of the choral art, we aim to juxtapose the simple, the familiar, the universal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrough sharing this program, we hope to take you on an emotional and historical journey, a journey that we hope will illuminate the struggles of people who endured these two great wars, a journey that can shed light on nightmares of the past through the art that emerged from them, and most importantly, a journey that will affirm the incredible power of the human spirit to endure in times of tragedy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e– Matthew Guard, Artistic Director\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012672082154,"sku":"053479227805","price":9.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4327453-3147994.jpg?v=1786654347"},{"product_id":"sono-luminusmanuscripts-dont-burn","title":"Manuscripts Don't Burn \/ Inna Faliks","description":"\u003cp\u003eManuscripts Don’t Burn is a famous line in Bulgakov’s Master and Margarita – the retelling of Faust, the 20th-century cult novel of an artist surviving in a Totalitarian regime, the love story, the burlesque with giant, vodka-drinking cats, and vampiric theater administrators.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eI first read the book as a kid, growing up in Soviet Odesa. I took it with me when my parents and I immigrated, as Jewish refugees running from antisemitism, through Austria and Italy, to the United States.  Crossing the border, I worried that guards would discover my book, and I would be severely punished. Throughout the years, the book played a role in my life. My childhood best friend from Odesa reread the book in adulthood and decided to find me - we are now together for 20 years, with two kids.  I read the book to my mother as she was dying from brain cancer. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBulgakov’s novel weaves through my own newly published memoir, Weight in the Fingertips - A Musical Odyssey from Soviet Ukraine to the World Stage (Backbeat Books, October 2023). I consider this very personal recording to be something of a mirror image to my memoir, as it intertwines the literal images from Master and Margarita with more autobiographical themes and layers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe five premieres, written for me and recorded here, are vastly different in styles and aesthetic. The understated, elegant Master and Margarita Suite by Veronika Krausas complements the wild, theatrical, brooding and extended techniques-filled “Manuscripts Don’t Burn” by Maya Miro Johnson.  Mike Garson’s Psalm to Odesa, an improvisatory ballad, with bits of my own improvisation based on a well-known Odesan song, sets off “Voices” by Ljova, a piece for piano and historical recordings of Jewish cantorial and klezmer music. Both take me back to my home city, currently under vicious attack, like the rest of Ukraine. The poetry I recite, sing and hum while performing the four-movement Godai - the Four Elements - is rounded off by the propulsive bravura whirlwind of Hero.  Fasil Say’s Black Earth takes the listener on a journey from Odesa across the Black Sea - a Turkish ballad and jazzy beats alternate with improvisatory melisma of a Turkish lute, played on muted strings of the piano. The rarely heard Notturno of Fanny Mendelssohn connects a gifted female voice to the others on this disc, as well as, perhaps, to the dark, impassioned character of Margarita. In Master and Margarita, “Manuscripts Don’t Burn” is spoken by Satan when he retrieves the manuscript of a novel presumed burnt – and in Clarice Assad’s “Godai”, Steve Schroeder’s poem depicts the loss of a manuscript in a fire.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe lieder of Schubert, transcribed for solo piano by Liszt, riffs on the mythical and the Faustian lore found also in Master and Margarita: Gretchen (Margarita) at the spinning wheel, a mystical love story by the sea, a monstrous Elf King and the death of a child, of innocence, of joy - one’s worst fear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis collection of music speaks to my love of dialogue between music and words. As in my Music\/Words series, where I pair poets with musical programs in the form of a recital\/reading, the connections between text and sound here are not just literal but emotional, based on memory, intuition, dreams, and hopes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e- Inna Faliks\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012672770282,"sku":"053479227904","price":9.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4327454-3147995.jpg?v=1786713797"},{"product_id":"thorvaldsdottir-aerial","title":"Aerial \/ Anna Thorvaldsdottir","description":"\u003cp\u003e“I am really excited about our upcoming release of Aerial on Sono Luminus this year! The album was originally released in 2014 on Deutsche Grammophon and now the journey of the album continues with Sono Luminus in a remastered version by their very own Daniel Shores. The orchestra piece Aeriality is at the center of the album which also features Into Second Self, Ró, Tactility, Trajectories and Shades of Silence. It was quite a personal journey to record these pieces in Iceland, working with long time collaborators such as the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Caput Ensemble and Nordic Affect. It is such a joy to continue the collaboration with Sono Luminus that we have grown for many years now with releases of, now, all my portrait albums to date! The new release of Aerial will also feature percussion quartet Aura performed by the LA Percussion Quartet.” (Anna Þorvaldsdóttir)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEW\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Icelandic composer Anna Thorvaldsdottir has emerged as one of the most talented Nordic composers in recent years. Her voice is quite different from that of other contemporary composers, and thankfully her orchestral music has become widely performed and recorded by the leading orchestras world-wide and acclaimed by reviewers and the musical public alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe opening work on this disc - Into-Second Self - is for seven brass instruments and percussion. It opens with rumbling, whistling effects as if we are in a dark threatening tunnel, creating an atmospheric roar of sound with the percussion generating what is like an ancient Celtic chant on the horns and trombones. This is heard in an unearthly harmony by evoking sounds of aircraft and loud thuds on the drums, a shimmering of bells becoming increasingly loud then settles into silence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWritten for flute, bass clarinet, piano, percussion, two violins, viola and cello, Rö, opens with a jangle on percussion and piano chords aided by the bass clarinet and the strings harmony. We hear sudden noises against the wind of the flute and bass clarinet with a hint of an idea on the wind against the loud disharmony on the percussion - all broken by a bagpipe-like noise and a twanging idea, all of which creates a world of mystery, yet is brought to a terrible halt with thuds on the keyboard before a slow descent into quiet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnder the baton of Ilan Volkov, Aeriality opens with a loud chord from the orchestra offering exciting harmony, and the entry of the piano is heard against strings and woodwind babbling in a dynamic pulse - as if we are hearing the movement of great bodies in space, or on the earth - is this the cosmos? There is a constant flow of sound and dissonance with occasional noises and murmuring on the strings, growing steadily louder with roars from the brass and a shrill woodwind theme emerge together in a great potent idea leading to a low-pitched drone of noise against a twitter of woodwind invoking birds calling out in the wind, yet the sudden crashes on the percussion are like chains breaking against rocks then disappear into silence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTactility opens with a mysterious hovering sound on harp and percussion and a dull throbbing sound, yet the harp hints at Japanese music, interrupted by thuds on the drums, and a rustling sound pattering away in the background, then we hear the effect of the wind blowing against the window ending with an inflection on the harp.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eComposed for piano and electronics, Trajectories opens with a stirring rise in noise and an enormous build in tension with chimes of momentous chords on the piano, lending the impression of ‘something trying to escape’, all in dreadful harmonies, dissonance and a ripple of piano chords repeated amid the chime of a clock, rippling and tapping on the keyboard and an all-powerful throbbing noise before suddenly dying away.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composer uses an ensemble of baroque instruments for her Shades of Silence, which opens with high shrill notes on strings, creating an amazing acoustic effect enhanced by the pizzicato strings in rising and falling dissonance, of sharply brutal music on the harpsichord that strangely creates an almost magical effect.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAura, the final piece here, written for four percussionists, starts with an eerie atmosphere of a strange whispering ringing on the percussion with a chiming xylophone and ringing tubular bells, creating an amazingly catatonic effect, against a rustling, loud throbbing noise ‘like whales in the sea.’ For anyone unaware of this young Icelandic composer, this disc will prove an enlightening experience, and can only whet one’s appetite for her more recent compositions. Thorvaldsdottir herself was responsible for the engineering on four of the seven recordings, adding another credit to her talents; the sound quality is splendidly ambient throughout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- MusicWeb International (Gregor Tassie)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sono Luminus","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012679848170,"sku":"053479702524","price":9.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4085600-2830731_2192e077-87a4-4409-8227-a06ced4d4e85.jpg?v=1786690934"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/collections\/3_e33863a3-6e15-46dc-8bd6-075b1b4c6f66.png?v=1787687104","url":"https:\/\/arkivmusic.com\/collections\/one-day-sale-8-25.oembed","provider":"ArkivMusic","version":"1.0","type":"link"}