Trois Grands Trios Op. 86

Complete Piano Works, vol. 5

Alle Mine Kilder, 48 Danish Mo

Wandererfantasie, Der Wanderer

Jeux d'Enfants, Ma M較e l'Oye,

Partitas for Organ

Memoria Mortis

Composer Kuno Kjærbye (b. 1959) belongs to the younger generation of composers educated at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen. His teachers include Ib Nørholm, among others. Kuno Kjærbye is also active as a violinist and his compositions are often inspired by the instrument’s natural traits. About this CD the composer comments: “All the music on this CD is built on certain quarter-tone modes. It comes naturally to me as a violinist; your everyday scale study provides you with a sensitivity to hearing the small differences between, for example, a G sharp and an A flat. All the duos have a fundamental tonality which is extended by means of quarter-tone.”

St. Petersburg Chamber Orchestra under baton of Edward Serov had made series of superb recordings during the communist regime. Those recordings had unfortunately not been widely available even after the dissolution of USSR. Kontrapunkt in collaboration with Petersburg Recording Studio and Maestro Serov has restored and released many of those legendary recordings on CD. This latest release features two now deceased leading string players of Russia Victor Liberman (violin) and Yuri Krammarov (viola). The viola concerto by contemporary Russian composer Vladimir Tsytovich has never been available on CD before.

The collaboration between Armenian violinist Nikolai Madojan and Danish pianist Elisabeth Westenholz produced a series of outstanding CDs starting with the Prokofiev Sonatas and Five Melodies (32185) in 1994. The Madojan/Westenholz duo has since been performing and recording to critical and popular acclaim. The world’s press wrote of their performances: “…Madojan…has a natural feel for the right inflexion…his is the more thought-provoking…Westenholz refreshingly tender-hearted and imaginative.” (Gramophone) “…Madojan is superb in capturing the expressive, genteel nature of the music. …His intonation is superb as well as timbre, and carefully balanced with the partnership of Westenholz.” (Intune) “…Madojan and Westenholz are a strong, articulate, well-proportioned and mutually reciprocal partnership.” (Gramophone)

Cathedral

Denmark’s leading composer of sacred music Bernhard Lewkovitch dedicated the 6 Partitas and the 12 Chorales recorded here for Royal Danish Brass. One of the most prominent ensembles of Denmark Royal Danish Brass has a long standing collaboration with Lewkovitch, which culminates in this brilliant CD of strong spirituality.

Poul Schierbeck (1888 – 1949) studied composition with Carl Nielsen. Unlike his vocal works which are relatively known, the piano works recorded here have been unjustly neglected. The major part of the piano music is from the early years of Schierbeck’s career as composer, who otherwise studied law and served as an artillery lieutenant under the First World War. Some of the works here have never been in print and all of the works are recorded for the first time. Denmark’s foremost pianist Tove Lønskov made a thorough research of Schierbeck’s piano works and presents here her superb interpretation of them. Unlike his vocal works which are relatively known, the piano works recorded here have been unjustly neglected. The major part of the piano music is from the early years of Schierbeck’s career as composer, who otherwise studied law and served as an artillery lieutenant under the First World War. Some of the works here have never been in print and all of the works are recorded for the first time. Denmark’s foremost pianist Tove Lønskov made a thorough research of Schierbeck’s piano works and presents here her superb interpretation of them.

Denmark’s leading instrumentalists in the classical field, Toke Lund Christiansen (flute) and Elisabeth Westenholz (piano) have been performing together for a number of years. One of their favourite repertoires is German-born Danish composer Kuhlau’s works for flute and piano, which the duo has been recording for Kontrapunkt. This is a sequel to the highly acclaimed first volume of Variations & Divertimenti (Kontrapunkt 32237) featuring works from Kuhlau’s later years. Toke Lund Christiansen has been the principal flutist in The Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra and teaches at the Royal Academy of Music in Copenhagen. Elisabeth Westenholz is one of the most sought after concert pianists in Europe and her numerous recorded performances on Kontrapunkt have been received enthusiastically by critics and public alike.

Nine Soli, Works for Solo Inst

Sings Danish Hymns

Missa De Beate Virgine, Motets

One of the most prolific composers of this century Niels Viggo Bentzon’s works from the last seven decades are superbly presented here by Ensemble Nord with a few guest artists including the composer himself who performs a series of attractive solo piano works.

Complete String Quartets

Symphony 4, Tragic Overture

Symphony 3, Haydn Variations

Symphony 6, Symphony 8

The Danish Song Treasury, Vol.

György Ligeti’s Études redefined the piano’s tonal possibilities and are considered one of his major creative achievements, as well as being one of the most significant sets of piano studies of the 20th century. They inevitably draw on influences from the past such as Chopin and Debussy, but avoid any sense of eclecticism. Ligeti’s often spectacularly virtuoso use of complex rhythms and geometric patterns proceeds from simple core ideas to create music that is ‘neither “avant-garde” nor “traditional”, neither tonal nor atonal’, and always backed by that glint of humour in the composer’s eye.

Elverskud