It’s easy to hear the opening of Frank Martin’s Mass and think–Vaughan Williams, as in his own setting for a cappella double choir, composed in the early 1920s, just a year or two before Martin’s work. Not to say there’s any direct connection, but that beginning Kyrie chant-like theme and the gradual addition of voices strikes a more than casual note (or notes) of similarity. It’s interesting, that’s all, but as in the Vaughan Williams, it definitively marks the stylistic sensibility of the whole work. And it’s a beautiful and eminently moving work, not heard often enough (nor is the Vaughan Williams, for that matter). The disc’s title refers to the fact that Martin kept his Mass from performance–or even from view–for more than 40 years after its composition in 1922.

But of course, Martin is not Vaughan Williams, and very quickly we realize that the similar musical setup is taking us into an entirely different world–harmonically for sure, but also in its more immediate, dramatic expression of the text, all the while remaining firmly in a tonal context–albeit a more adventurous one. The comparison is useful, as it so strikingly shows how two contemporaries differently–completely differently–treated the same material, with the same performing forces (also observable in the two composer’s settings of the Shakespeare/Ariel song, “Full fathom five”).

You might think it was just a clever gimmick to juxtapose Martin and Martinu–close contemporaries (Martin was 10 years older) with closely similar last names, who just happen to have composed sets of a cappella choral songs–but actually their music is quite compatible and the programming proves to be not a gimmick at all, but a happy association. It’s interesting to compare how these two composers, subject to the influences of their similar time yet quite different circumstances, approached the setting of secular choral works–texts from Shakespeare’s The Tempest, in the case of Martin, and Czech folksong in the case of Martinu. The former texts are fairly familiar, but the Czech songs are, at least in English translation, almost strange in their depiction of Mary, her (instantly, fully functional) child, her dreams (an apple tree sprouting from her heart), her encounters with angels, and her fierce protection from highwaymen of a painting by St. Luke. But the music in both cases is superb–often challenging, but always easy on the ears and compelling, invigorating, inspiriting.

You’ll be sure to go back just to listen again to Martin’s depictions of the bonging bells (Full fathom five) and burling bees (Where the bee sucks…), not to mention return visits to Martinu’s Our Lady’s Breakfast (you have to hear it). You also have to hear Martinu’s Romance from the Dandelions–another one of those very particular old-world, romantic, folktale-like stories of hopeless love and sacrifice, of a young woman and her long-lost soldier/lover–a hard-to-classify setting of a Czech poem for a cappella choir and solo soprano–unusual and oddly affecting.

The singing is exceptional–this choir, as we’ve heard on earlier recordings, is one of the world’s finest, and here the singers are constantly challenged with prickly technical details and are offered many chances–perfectly realized–to deliver those ringing, resonant harmonic gestures that all choral singers live for. Their Czech pronunciation/enunciation is, how shall we say it, rather “soft”–the delicious richness of those special consonants tends to be rounded off–and unfortunately the translations, attempting to be poetic rather than literal, are often just corny. The English and Czech are printed on completely separate pages in the booklet (which otherwise contains very informative and well-written notes), which is useless if you’re trying to follow along. But, as you’ve gathered from the rest of this review–it ultimately doesn’t matter. This is a lovely recording of worthy music–great music, in the case of the Mass–in performances that are as good as you will hear anywhere.

– ClassicsToday (David Vernier)

Classical Music

Messiaen's most famous work, Quatuor pour la fin du temps (Quartet for the End of Time), was composed while a captive in a German prisoner of war at Stalag VIII A, located near the town of G�rlitz-Moys in Silesia, Germany. Messiaen met there three fellow prisoners who were also accomplished musicians: Etienne Pasquier, a world-class cellist who had already secured an international reputation as a member of the Pasquier Trio; Jean Le Boulaire, a violinist who had studied at the Paris Conservatory; and Henri Akoka, a clarinetist who was a member of the Paris-based Orchestre National de la Radio. Together, this unusual ensemble formed the basis for one of the most extraordinary works of the 20th century. Rooted in his deeply Christian faith, the Quatuor is inspired by the 10th chapter of the Book of Revelation. It was also Messiaen's first composition to include bird song, in addition to his developing use of color imagery, and his continuing exploration of many interesting and novel ways of rhythmic organization to create a feeling of timelessness. Two of the most highly esteemed classical musicians in Denmark, violinist Christina �strand and pianist Per Salo (AKA Duo �strand/Salo) are joined by two colleagues from The Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Johnny Teyssier, clarinet, and Henrik Dam Thomsen, cello for a performance as pure as crystal and as immense as space.

Classical Music

Composer Axel Borup-Jorgensen never held a high-profile post as an academic or performer. Rather, he chose to live a quiet life composing and teaching piano. With an intensely personal style, Borup-Jorgensen was a scrupulous modernist. His music has a concentrated language and an advancement of expression. Although Borup-Jorgensen was an adept pianist, he did not write a great deal of literature for the instrument. The works on this release are an overview of his piano output, and span almost five decades. Interpreting this demanding repertoire is pianist Erik Kaltoft. Kaltoft is a contemporary music specialist, and was also a friend, colleague, and collaborator with the composer for forty-five years.

This new release is the fourth installment in the contemporary “Concertos” project. After a long retirement from the concert stage, the recorder has once again found its place in today’s repertoire, as can be seen with thesethree concertos. Composers featured on this album include Markus Zahnhausen (b. 1965), Fabrice Bollon (b. 1965), and Gunter Kochan (1930-2009). This is the world premiere recording of all three works. Michala Petri has endeavored to extend the recorder’s presence as a modern instrument capable of performing contemporary works. Petri is joined for this project by the Odense Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Christoph Poppen.

• Axel Borup-Jørgensen's catalogue amounts to more than • 180 opus numbers. • He was a seminal figure in contemporary Danish musical life and recipient of a number of the country’s most distinguished awards. • His work is thoroughly “modern”, organic, expressionist, aphoristic – even “painterly,”. • This recording presents Borup-Jørgensen’s complete works for recorder. Each work carefully explores the recorder's potential as a melody instrument and as a source of new forms of acoustic expression.

After a long absence, jazz patriarch Palle Mikkelborg, one of the undisputed founders of the Nordic Sound, returns with a full-length composition featuring the artistry of Helen Davies, Michala Petri and the strings of the South Jutland Symphony Orchestra conducted by Henrik Vagn Christensen. Going to Pieces reflects his life-long journey, through the sonic realms of progressive jazz, contemporary classical and world music idioms. The recording concludes with a special Bonus Track; 'Afterthoughts' - a live improvisation on themes from Going to Pieces featuring Mikkelborg's trumpet and live electronics by master producer Thomas LI.

Axel Borup-Jørgensen (1924-2012) was a meticulous modernist who followed his own distinctive path. His works exude distinctive and intense nature mysticism. The five works presented here – including three world premiere recordings – span the most important period of the composer’s artistic development, from Music for percussion and viola, op. 18 (1956) to his cathartic Periphrasis, op. 156, (first version, 1977) and all feature the full array of percussion instruments found in 20th c. music, bringing Borup-Jørgensen’s exquisitely crafted sound universe to life. Standing at the center of this universe is Gert Mortensen, one of the world’s leading scholars and performers of music for percussion. Mortensen’s ensemble partners, representing some of Denmark’s greatest musicians, including the incomparable Michala Petri (recorder), Tim Frederiksen (viola), The Percurama Percussion Ensemble, the Danish National Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet and his regular duo partner, Prof. Qiao Jia Jia (Duo Crossfire), ably match Mr. Mortensen’s artistry.

For this CD a program of some of the most popular Danish folk songs is selected, and Michael Bojesen arranged them anew for recorder and choir. Even if you do not know the Danish language you will feel the atmosphere of the Danish homeland. Recorded in DXD soundformat.

For this very special collaboration, Ghita Nørby selected six of her favorite fairy tales from the pen of Hans Christian Andersen. The music of Michala Petri and her friends, Chen Yue, Lars Hannibal, Carolin Widmann, Ula Ulijona and Marta Sudbraba provide the perfect atmosphere of enchantment to frame Ghita’s voice.

Classical Music

George Bernard Shaw used to say the only things worth hearing on a pipe organ were Bach and Wagner. There’s no Wagner here but the spirit of arranging works from other media for the “King of Instruments” dates back to... Bach himself! (It’s been suggested that even the famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor was originally a violin solo)!

The symphonic rock music of the 1960s and 1970s aspired to great things and often drew upon classical tropes, particularly those suggesting the gravitas of J.S. Bach, sometimes using direct Bach quotes, while at others, as in "Penny Lane" by The Beatles, suggesting the sound of the Baroque masters.

In these arrangements, the connection between Bach and Rock is underlined by a direct interweaving of rock music with quotations from Johann Sebastian Bach, with the result that the music flows together in a patchwork of Baroque organ, Bach, and symphonic rock: "STAIRWAY to BACH – Rock classics with a hint of Bach".

Organist Sven-Ingvart Mikkelsen is one of the most versatile musicians on the Danish music scene, renowned for his surprising and frequently unconventional programs. Sven-Ingvart is a graduate of the music conservatories in Esbjerg and Copenhagen and is Professor and Head of Department for Organ and Church Music at The Royal Danish Academy of Music. Sven-Ingvart performs extensively throughout Europe, North and South America, and Asia.

Featured on this delightful genre-blending program is the glorious Marcussen organ in the Concert Hall of The Royal Danish Academy of Music.

Axel Borup-J�rgensen was by any definition, a singular figure in Danish music. Despite several major successes, he remained somewhat of a beloved outsider, embracing the modernist ideal throughout his career. Yet, there is an organic lyricism in his music which has been identified as uniquely "Scandinavian" in nature. The guitar provided Borup-J�rgensen with an ideal medium for musical expression offering both an intimacy and an ephemerality that complimented his increasingly inward looking aesthetic. The current program, meticulously played by Frederik Munk Larsen provides an overview of the composer's guitar music, from his first major composition, the dramatic and gestural Praeambula, Op. 72, (1974-1976) to the late, aphoristic cycle floating islands, Op. 169, (2002), unique in the instrument's literature for being composed entirely in harmonics. Borup-J�rgensen worked closely with musicians at every phase - from pre-compositional strategies to performance - among them, guitarist Frederik Munk Larsen, whose extraordinary virtuosity and attention to the most fragile nuance, draw out the deep melancholy and organic beauty of this fearsomely difficult music. There is little doubt that this new recording will become an extraordinarily important document of 20th Century Guitar music.

Unlike the other landmark collections that came from Bach’s pen, the six flute sonatas all appear to have been "one offs" with no particular plan for publication as a set. Further, in contrast to the collections for solo strings, Bach's chamber music for flute was written comparatively late in his career, the earliest, the Sonata in E minor BWV1034, probably a product of Bach’s early Leipzig years (mid-1720s) and the latest, the Sonata in E major for flute and continuo BWV1035, is believed to have been written during the last decade of composer’s life for Frederick the Great.

In honor of OUR Recordings' 40th Release, Michala Petri could scarcely choose a more exciting program than a return visit to Bach’s Flute Sonatas; Michala’s famous 1992 recording with Keith Jarrett has long since attained legendary status. Just as her collaboration with Jarrett unveiled a 'new-born' approach to Bach, this new recording is likewise revelatory and… transcendent.

Joining Michala on this journey is an early music dream team: harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani, rightly regarded as one of the fiercest of the younger generation of clavecinistes, playing his new Jukka Ollikka harpsichord, and Hille Perl, one of the world’s leading and most beloved viola da gambists rounding out the continuo unit. As we’ve come to expect from OUR Recordings, the sonics and packaging are as extraordinary as the performances thanks to the Wizard of Sound, Preben Iwan and booklet notes by Mahan Esfahani. This new recording of the Bach “Flute” Sonatas is destined to become a reference edition of this famous works.