'Every few years I bring out both sonatas and observe with interest how my approach to them shifts slightly each time, while my enthusiasm remains unaltered. So this recording too (essentially like any fixed record of music that is in itself fleeting) can only be seen as a progress report, which will be followed by updates. Both works reveal their mastery by rewarding every rediscovery of them.' Kathrin Isabelle Klein

Star conductor Herbert von Karajan is best known today for his studio recordings. However, although as a media pioneer he recognised the technical possibilities for creating recordings, he always considered the live concert to be the ideal. The radio recordings with the Berliner Philharmoniker, which were made in Berlin between 1953 and 1969 and which we present to you in this edition - mostly as first releases - represent an exciting paradox in this respect: they are snapshots that capture the spontaneity of the live performance, the magic of the unique musical moment. Never before has it been possible to experience Karajan the live artist and his joint work with the Berliner Philharmoniker as vividly as in this comprehensive edition.

The freshly launched Colburn Collection is already expanding with a second volume: 'Conversations' by Colburn's inaugural Honors Chamber Music Ensemble, Trio Caspar. The trio was awarded the Gold Medal at the 2026 Fischoff Competition; as such Delos is thrilled to release it's debut album. Though the four works presented here inhabit strikingly different musical worlds, together they reveal the remarkable expressive range of the clarinet-violin/viola-piano trio. Schumann's Marchenerzahlungen unfolds with poetic lyricism and Romantic intimacy, while Stravinsky's L'Histoire du soldat brims with rhythmic vitality and neoclassical wit. Schoenfeld's Trio draws on the exuberance and emotional depth of the klezmer tradition, and Libby Larsen's Slang blends jazz, boogie, funk, and contemporary classical idioms into a vibrant and unmistakably American voice. Each composer approaches the ensemble from a unique perspective, blending the distinctive character and expressive identity of each instrument into a single musical conversation.

Mezzo-soprano Christina Baader, known for her work in opera and concert performances, and the sensitive Viennese pianist Ingrid Marsoner present an unusual program: in addition to Robert Schumann's famous song cycle 'Frauenliebe und -leben,' (Woman's Love and Life) the program features songs based on texts by the same poet (Adelbert von Chamisso) set to music by the legendary friend of Brahms, his estate administrator and editor-Eusebius Mandyczewski. A line from the sixth song reads 'What do you want to ask?' and, for Christina Baader, forms the heart of her program: the women and young female characters in the songs on this recording have much to tell. Also featured are two further song cycles by the outstanding Croatian composer Dora Pejacevic-long forgotten after her early death and now rediscovered-one of which is set to poems by Rainer Maria Rilke, whom she met in Vienna in 1916. Pejacevic was deeply rooted in and well-known within the cultural life and musical circles of Central Europe, allowing her to witness numerous performances of her works. Schumann's 'Frauenliebe und -leben' was composed in 1840, the year he was finally able to marry Clara Wieck and composed no fewer than 140 songs. This is the carefree backdrop for the song cycle, which spans the arc from early love to the man's death. It is a thoroughly self-assured and strong woman who narrates the story; at the same time, gender roles here remain within the framework of the 19th-century bourgeois milieu.

Born in Chile, Claudio Arrau (1903-1991) was one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century, an artist who was totally serious about his role in life, a man completely dedicated to the music of the great composers who shared his insights and understanding of their work with his public. Where other famous pianists play the piano for excitement, power or display, Arrau plays to probe, to divine, to interpret. Says Arrau, 'An interpreter must give his blood to the work interpreted.' Arrau is definitely not onesided or without spiritual grandeur. Having won particular fame as a great Beethoven interpreter, he is no less celebrated for his Mozart, Schubert, Chopin, Liszt, Schumann, Brahms and Debussy. Among the famed peers of his generation, it is a range without equal. Located on the campus of Ambassador College in Pasadena, California, the 1262 seat Ambassador Auditorium was a major West Coast concert hall between 1974 and 1995 presenting around 2500 concerts, and attracted the greatest instrumentalists and orchestras. role in the musical life of our ensemble. It's musical complexity and the depth of expression which Mozart achieves through only three voices are seemingly miraculous: it is one of those pieces which constantly rewards rehearsal. One simply never gets tired of playing it! When the opportunity to record this masterpiece arose, we were faced with the challenge of what to play alongside it. Our dear friend Rob Fokkens had written two short movements for string trio which seemed to fit beautifully with Mozart's music: Rob's translucent harmonic and rhythmic style offers unique expressive possibilities. The chance to commission the great Julian Joseph was not to be missed, and his work, Bring it!, wonderfully demonstrates his brilliance and lyricism, and the subtly of his harmonic language. We sincerely hope you enjoy listening to the music on this album as much as we loved preparing it! to Islamic Iberia or the Al-Andalusian era of Spain between the 8th-15th centuries. Yet the fi rst men? on of Flamenco by name is not un? l 1774, where it appears in an epistolary novel, Cartas Marruecas, by the playwright and soldier, Jose de Cadalso y Vazquez. In collabora? on with soparno Victoria Couper, kanun player, Konstan? nos Glynos, and oud/Flamenco guitarist, Ignacio Lusardi Monteverde, this album seeks to explore this ques? on by tracing the infl uences on Flamenco through Arabic music alongside Sephardic song and the Spanish composers of the late-16th to 18th centuries. What happened in these intervening centuries?

Two renowned tenor greats go on a special discovery: Rene Kollo and Jay Alexander sing evening songs by Schubert, Brahms, Mendelssohn and Schumann. The well-known songs from the Romantic era have all been newly arranged for string orchestra and produced in the studio for the first time in this form. The unique album, which will be released on February 11, 2022, combines two renowned voices that complement each other exquisitely in their diversity. The two singers can be heard in duet and solo, creating a whole new listening experience of these songs. Both tenors have sung an enormous range of repertoire. Rene Kollo is not only one of the most legendary Wagner tenors of the 20th century, he also opens himself to the so-called lighter muse. "Romantic Evening Songs, " recorded with the Central German Chamber Orchestra, delights with songs such as Schubert's "I'm Abendrot, " "An den Mond, " Mendelssohn's "Nachtlied" and "Der Mond, " as well as Schumann's "Mondnacht" and Brahms' "Wiegenlied." For Jay Alexander, the collaboration with the orchestra was particularly intense: "You are able to immerse yourself in these songs in a completely different way and embed your voice; it was a beautiful atmosphere. The orchestra interpreted in such a differentiated and sensitive way - you could feel that the musicians also put their heart and soul into it." The result is an album with music that resembles a dreamlike walk on a starry night

With works by Franz Schubert and Robert Schumann, this CD is dedicated entirely to the magic of musical romanticism. Two composers, two worlds of sound - united by emotional depth, imagination and a love of the piano. Lei Meng interprets Schumann's filigree Arabesque op. 18 and his passionate C major Fantasy op. 17, a musical confession full of inner drama. Schubert will perform the intimate Allegretto in C minor D 915 and the powerful, visionary Wanderer Fantasy D 760 - an orchestral masterpiece for piano. Lei Meng, born in 1991 in Harbin (China), studied at the Mozarteum Salzburg and the CNSMD in Paris, among others. She has won prizes at international competitions and has performed in Europe, China, Brazil and the USA. She has been Professor of Piano and Piano Didactics at the Mozarteum Salzburg since 2024. Her artistic versatility is reflected in numerous solo and chamber music projects. Pure romanticism - full of longing, melancholy and expressiveness. An invitation to listen and dream.

Divine Art proudly introduces Burkard Schliessmann's distinctive interpretation of Robert Schumann's inner world through the groundbreaking recording project, "Fantasies." At Berlin's Teldex Studios, Schliessmann, having immersed himself in Schumann's oeuvre, sought to reveal the inner germ cells of the music, pushing expressive and explosive boundaries. Collaborating with producer Julian Schwenkner and engineer Jupp Wegner, he employed 14 microphones for a Dolby Atmos experience, capturing the intricacies of Schumann's compositions on 3 SACDs, including an alternative interpretation of Fantasiestücke Op. 12.

Revisiting the Fantasia in C Op. 17, Schliessmann accentuates structural complexities, drawing parallels to Wagner's Tristan, and presents rhythmic and technical extremes in the second movement. The 'Fantasies' recording unfolds a slower tempo in the third movement, providing a genuine listening experience with heightened poetry and explosive electricity. As Burkard Schliessmann navigates Schumann's intricate musical world in "Fantasies," this release stands as a landmark in classical piano recordings, complementing his previous album, "Live & Encores." A must-have for true collectors of excellent piano recordings, "Fantasies" continues Schliessmann's legacy of delivering extraordinary interpretations that resonate with the discerning classical music enthusiast.

Sebastian Klinger and the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie under Marzena Diakun bring together a compelling selection of Romantic works for cello and orchestra: Schumann's deeply expressive Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129, alongside Max Bruch's lyrical pieces Kol Nidrei, Canzone, and Ave Maria. Schumann's concerto, born from a moment of creative exhilaration, unfolds with poetic intensity as it's movements flow seamlessly into one another, illuminated by the cello's warm, human voice. Bruch's works, by contrast, shine with heartfelt melody and emotional immediacy - music that speaks directly to the soul. Sebastian Klinger, one of the outstanding cellists of his generation, combines technical brilliance with a uniquely rich tonal palette. Together with the DRP, he brings Romanticism to life in it's most compelling form: intimate, passionate, timeless.

Greatest ever Danish pianist in rare releases. With this eighth volume, Danacord's series The Great Danish Pianist Victor Schioler is brought to it's conclusion. The series contains the greater part of Schioler's studio recordings, supplemented by a selection of live performances and productions made for Danish Radio, and it encompasses, with a single exception, all the works he recorded in the studio. Where he recorded the same work on more than one occasion, one version has sometimes been included and in other cases two or three. Volume 8 presents Schioler in three capacities: as solo pianist, chamber musician and concerto soloist. CD 1 opens with Beethoven's Cello Sonata Op. 69 and Brahms's Cello Sonata in F major, both featuring Schioler in inspired and sympathetic partnership with the 22-year-old Erling Blo¨ndal Bengtsson, who had by 1954, when these recordings were made, already established a considerable reputation. The two cello sonatas are followed by solo piano music, again by Beethoven and Brahms. First comes the Moonlight Sonata, which Schioler recorded no fewer than three times: in 1929, 1942 and 1951. The first and last of these recordings-both outstanding performances-are interpretatively quite close to one another: a slow and dreamlike first movement, a restrained and delicately played middle movement taken at a moderate tempo, and finally a dramatic and stormy yet perfectly controlled finale. The 1942 recording presented here is no less masterly, but differs markedly from the 1929 and 1951 versions in it's more classical approach, with a considerably faster and far less inflected first movement. Fu¨r Elise, which follows immediately afterwards, is not generally counted among Beethoven's major works, popular though it is. Yet Schioler's delicate touch and poetic phrasing elevate this modest work into a little masterpiece. Victor Schioler Volume 1 DACOCD 491-492 Victor Schioler Volume 2 DACOCD 782-783 Victor Schioler Volume 3 DACOCD 832-833 Victor Schioler Volume 4 DACOCD 867-868 Victor Schioler Volume 5 DACOCD 872-873 Victor Schioler Volume 6 DACOCD 962-963 Victor Schioler Volume 7 DACOCD 987-988

A recognised specialist in the music of Robert Schumann (he recorded the complete works for solo piano between 2000 and 2010 for Alpha Classics), the French pianist eric Le Sage has devised this programme as a tribute to those who loved Schumann and to the woman he loved: Clara Wieck, of course - who would go on to become Clara Schumann despite her father's opposition to their marriage - but also Johannes Brahms, Gabriel Faure and Camille Saint-Saëns. Alongside their Variations on a Theme by Schumann, we find music by Robert, who also wrote Variations on a Theme by Clara Schumann, as well as two piano transcriptions of his Lieder, including the famous Du bist wie eine Blume, completed the day before their wedding.

In their new album 'DNA' Anouchka & Katharina Hack explore life in artistic families, deep connections and the passing down of musical language, placing creativity and humanity at the center of their work. They created an intimate duo programme that brings artistic heritage, inspiration and personal identity to life with works by Dvorak, Janacek, Schumann, and the Boulanger family. It is a rich blend of classical music, film music ('Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella') and chanson ('La Boheme')?, expanded with contemporary works, solo cello pieces, and improvisational elements.

The idea for a series of recordings devoted to the music of Robert Schumann arose from Pierre and Theo Fouchenneret's work on the Sonatas for violin and piano, and from a desire to expand the project by exploring the rest of his chamber music as well as his concertos - for Schumann treats the orchestra in a very chamber-music-like manner in his concertante works. Following the complete chamber music of Johannes Brahms, recorded on the same label, Pierre and Theo decided to launch this Schumann Collection, with the support of their long-standing collaborators in the field of chamber music: the Strada Quartet, Victor Julien-Laferriere, Florent Pujuila, Philibert Perrine, Felix Roth, Caroline Sypniewski, Sarah Fouchenneret, and Hortense Cartier-Bresson. All are soloists, quartet players and chamber musicians who also perform with orchestras, driven by a shared passion for Schumann's music, which lends itself particularly well to a series of live albums: there is a warmth, an urgency and a passion in the concert experience that are essential to performing this music well. Each concert was recorded by the b. records team with a view to this ambitious complete collection that you now hold in your hands.

The Places
The Canton of Ticino (German Tessin) is the only Swiss canton to have Italian as its official language. It is bounded on three sides by Italy and boasts spectacular mountain scenery, with waterfalls, rivers and lakes. The capital of the canton is now Bellinzona, but was earlier shared with Locarno and Lugano. A feature of the landscape lies in the great lakes that are within its territory, including part of Lago Maggiore, into which the Ticino and Maggia flow.

The Music
Robert Schumann was born in 1810 in Saxony, studied in Leipzig, lived in Dresden and, in 1850 moved to Düsseldorf as director of music to the city. He died in 1856, after a severe mental breakdown, from which he never recovered. In 1840, in spite of the objections of her father, he married the young pianist Clara Wieck, daughter of his former teacher. It was particularly after this marriage that he turned his attention to larger scale compositions, of which his Piano Concerto is an example, inspired by his wife. The other work heard here, the Intermezzi, Op. 4, dates from an earlier period, devoted in particular to the composition of shorter piano pieces, when a career as a pianist still seemed possible for him.

Picture format: NTSC 4:3
Sound format: PCM Stereo
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Running time: 51 mins
No. of DVDs: 1

The tour takes US first to the carnival celebrations in Basel, with it's elaborate displays. There follows a visit to Vigeland Park in Oslo, with it's characteristic figures, the work of Gustav Vigeland. The music chosen for this tour is by Schumann. His Carnaval accompanies the carnival in Basel, flowers in the countryside are depicted in Blumenstuck and the granite figures in Vigeland Park, in Oslo, are matched with Scenes of Childhood.

Schumann at Pier2 is not a usual documentary, it explains the whole idea behind the project and it contains footage from rehearsals, comments from Paavo Järvi about the symphonies and the interpretation, biographical information about R. Schumann and footage of musicians who explain and play key themes and more. Stars of the film are the conductor Paavo Järvi and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and it´s filmed at „Pier2“, a former dockyard in the harbour of Bremen.

“Järvi's Schumann is most notably extremely exciting, performed with a lot of enthusiasm.“ -- Fono Forum

"Since their great Beethoven-Cycle Paavo Järvi and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie are one of the top ensembles." -- Crescendo

Repertoire:
Excerpts from
Symphony No. 1, Spring, Op. 38
Symphony No. 2, Op. 61
Symphony No. 3 Rhenish, Op. 97
Symphony No. 4, Op. 120

Bonus:
- The making of Schumann at Pier2

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: PCM Stereo (whole DVD) / DTS 5.1 (concert film only)
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: English (whole DVD) / German, French, Spanish, Korean, Chinese (concert film only)
Booklet notes: English, German, French
Running time: 98 mins (concert film) + 18 mins (bonus)
No. of Discs: 1 (DVD 9)

The three string quartets of Robert Schumann were composed in 1842 and I believe, are often overlooked and underrated, despite them being from his remarkable ‘chamber music year’, in favour of his Piano Quintet completed a few months after these three wonderful examples of quartet writing. In the same way that he studied the symphonies of Beethoven before he composed any of his own orchestral works, the year began with both Clara and Robert totally immersing themselves in the string quartets of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven making a thorough study of form and structure. He had toyed with composing a quartet previously, but had discarded any musical plans a few years previously. He began to seriously contemplate their composition in February of 1842 but then suffered a severe bout of depression, with work only beginning on the A minor Quartet on the 4th of June and, after a remarkably creative period, he had completed all three by the 22nd of June, with Clara writing in their joint marriage diaries on the 29th that “ Robert has been very busy, completed 3 quartets … let us drink to the health of these 3 children, barely born and already completed and beautiful.” They were performed on the 13th September as a present for Clara who was celebrating her 23rd birthday, they were later published the following year.

All three quartets are in four movements, with Schumann striving to write pure music rather than any idea of programmatical music such as he employed in his Spring Symphony of the previous year, the result being beautiful examples of his art. The opening of the A minor Quartet reminds us that whilst he had studied the quartets of his great predecessors, Bach’s ‘48’ was never too far from his side, with its richly contrapuntal first theme a sort of homage to his hero. In the F Major Quartet, the opening slow introduction to the first movement leads into the first main theme that dominates the whole movement and almost pushes the second theme into the background. I particularly like the second movement which is a set of variations based upon the Larghetto from his Albumblätter of 1832. The Quartet in A Major is my favourite of the three and once again begins with a slow introduction, but here the it presents the music that will be developed later into the main theme of the movement. The final two movements are linked in the way that Schumann employs the dotted rhythm from the Adagio molto and develops it in the Allegro molto vivace to underpin the music of the rondo, the only time he uses a rondo as a finale in his chamber music, with its gavotte-like final theme or episode being an apt finale to Schumann’s quartet output.

I have greatly enjoyed the performances of the Engegård Quartet, they have a drive and enthusiasm that is infectious; these are performances that firmly place them near the top in my collection and well ahead of some highly respected and much vaunted performances including the Zehetmair Quartet (472 169-2) and the Melos Quartet (423 670-2) which was the performance through which I got to know the works back in the early 1990s. Their performance is a little brisker than my favourite performance by the Eroica Quartet (HMU 907270), whose period performance wins through for me, but when it comes to a modern version this has quickly become my favourite recording. This is helped by an excellent recorded sound and very good and informative booklet notes.

– MusicWeb International (Stuart Sillitoe)

This album centres on Ravel: Ravel the composer with Ma Mere l'Oye - originally a suite for piano four hands composed in 1910, orchestrated the following year to become a ballet and Ravel the arranger with Mussorgsky's famous Pictures at an Exhibition, as well as his orchestration of Schumann's Carnival, an embryonic project begun in 1914 for the great Nijinsky, who would ultimately never dance it. Only four excerpts were transcribed, and they were not published until 1975, on the centenary of Ravel's birth. Joseph Swensen, conducting the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine, brings them back to life and infuses this colourful programme with his passion and infectious enthusiasm.

In this album two Swiss musicians - the cellist Andreas Graf and pianist Evelyne Grandy - transform what is essentially a song recital into a programme of lyrical miniatures for cello and piano. They thread their own arrangements of melodies by five fellow Swiss composers through some unfamiliar versions of well-known tunes, casting some long-standing favourites in new light and setting them alongside new delicacies.

The prizewinning guitar duo Bluvenduo present a versatile selection of transcriptions for two guitars, several of which have never previously been arranged for this format. The freshness and sense of discovery in Schubert's Sonata in A major is a product of the music's inherent songful lyricism, perfect material for a guitar duo. So, too, is Franck's Prelude, fugue et variation, a work of variety, elegance and light textures. The three Rachmaninov Preludes provide subtly contrasting moods, while Schumann's Kinderszenen offers a wealth of intimacy, excitement and expressive refinement.

With her debut album, Julia Lozowska compellingly affirms her place among the most distinctive pianists of her generation. This recording is far more than a display of virtuosity-it is a finely shaped artistic statement of remarkable depth, clarity, and refinement. Lozowska combines technical brilliance with a rare intellectual and emotional insight into the music, illuminating it's hidden structures-tonal relationships, motifs, and compositional sources of inspiration-with exceptional sensitivity and precision. The selection of well-known, large-scale works unfolds in her interpretation with an almost narrative force. Within expansive, imaginatively shaped forms, the album guides the listener through a deeply immersive emotional journey: from romantic unrest and longing, through moments of introspection and reflection, to a state of calm resolution and an ultimately hopeful, forward-looking perspective.

A generation before the now iconic Dinu Lipatti died of cancer at the age of 33, a much less remembered Polish pianist, Karol Szreter (1898-1933), died of the same disease at almost the same age. A pupil of Egon Petri, so of the Busoni school, his brief career began in central Europe and by the time of his death he was becoming acknowledged as a major figure in the pianistic world. His first recordings were made acoustically for VOX, where he recorded both as accompanist and soloist, and we have included one example. He was then taken up by the sister labels Parlophon and Odeon and the majority of these recordings are presented here. Of note is the first electrical recording of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No 4 and three further sonatas, and - reflecting a different side of his art - five brilliant Strauss transcriptions where he reveals his stupendous technique.

This album brings together piano sonatas by Mendelssohn, Beethoven, and Schumann that reflect a specifically German approach to the form, distinct from the Viennese Classical tradition. Pianist Tianxu An explores works composed within a 26-year span, a period in which composers redefined the sonata through structural experimentation and greater performative expression. Central to the recording is a focus on the composers' detailed markings, including dynamics, pedalling, and phrasing, and how these shape interpretation in performance. Recorded in 2024, the release presents An's considered engagement with this repertoire and his interest in it's intellectual rigour and expressive breadth.

The Landscape of Clara Schumann unfolds like a finely drawn musical panorama: a recording that combines historical resonances, personal perspectives, and contemporary sound to create a multi-layered overall picture. Pianist Heike-Angela Moser - a descendant of Clara Schumann- dedicates herself here in a special way to the legacy of her ancestor; not in the form of a nostalgic retrospective, but as a lively, artistic exploration of origins and the future. A central element of this recording is the 1859 Schiedmayer fortepiano, whose historical character and fine timbre allow the repertoire to shine with a rarely heard authenticity. The Landscape of Clara Schumann is a poetic journey of sound: a dialogue between generations, between memory and renewal, between the historical breath of an instrument and the living voice of it's contemporary interpreter.

The fourth installment of Rendez-vous with Martha Argerich brings new fascinating recordings from the international Festival Martha Argerich in Hamburg, showcasing a superb lineup of soloists among which Lily, Sascha and Mischa Maisky, Edgar Moreau, Rosanne Philippens, Akane Sakai, Michael Volle and Sergio Tiempo. Particularly noteworthy are the highlights of a Chopin evening showcasing some of the most remarkable laureates of the Chopin Competition (Warsaw). This box set is a triumphant celebration of Martha Argerich's incomparable artistry and of the remarkable circle of musicians she is collaborating with.

On 7 August 2026, Metier Records is excited to present Sinner, Don't Let This Harvest Pass from rising pianist Joseph Havlat, featuring music by Michael Finnissy, Cassandra Miller, and Robert Schumann. This ground-breaking album includes Schumann's Geistervariationen (Ghost Variations), Finnissy's response, or allusions to, this work in his RS Geistervariationen, and Miller's Philip the Wanderer as well as the title work, Sinner, Don't Let This Harvest Pass, a rare co-composition between Finnissy and Miller, based on the well-known Afro-American spiritual. The compositions and working styles of Finnissy and Miller are a natural fit for this collaboration, the result of their long-standing friendship and correspondence. Transcription is another thread tying the works on this programme together, each composer having a unique approach. Finnissy's RS Geistervariationen (2021) contains large transcription sections of Brahms' piano duet Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann, Op.23 and is heard alongside Schumann's original Geistervariationen. For Michael Finnissy, this process is in itself composition - he's working with the material as if it were his own, like portraiture seen through multiple lenses. As Joseph Havlat observes: 'These passages of transcribed Brahmsare melded and fused with Finnissy's own voice, creating ghostly echoes of bygone music, just as the variations themselves are ghosts of the original theme, and Schumann's theme a ghost of something else heard as well.' In between the variations are heard a series of Tropes in Finnissy's own compositional approach, acting as a musical commentary. Cassandra Miller started to write Philip the Wanderer (2012) in Canada but continued in the UK during a period of mentorship under Finnissy. Viewed by the composer as more of a 'translation' or 'adaptation' than a transcription, it draws it's source material from Mandowa II, a recording by Mozambican musician Zhukake Masingi, of which Miller generated a rhythmically hyper-rigorous computer-generated MIDI transcription. The three-movement piece reflects the rhythmic pushing-and-pulling found in the recording, with it's danceable and ultimately joyous irregularity. For their collaborative work, Sinner, Don't Let This Harvest Pass, inspired by the spiritual sung by the great Marian Anderson, Finnissy and Miller wanted to capture something of the 'inflections' and the 'mood' of her performance and not just the tune itself. They wrote alternating sections, Cassandra Miller going first and Michael Finnissy following her tonal theme, not imitating each other but more like a slow-moving conversation, mirroring their own dialogue as they created the piece. Michael Finnissy is widely regarded as one of Britain's most important living composers and teachers, his prolific output including solo instrumental, chamber, and choral works as well as songs and works for stage. To mark his 80th birthday earlier this year, Metier released a 10-volume digital box set, Michael Finnissy: The Complete Metier Collection from 1998-2026. The composition methods of Canadian-British composer Cassandra Miller incorporate unique meditation-based practices, and her works have been performed by ensembles and orchestras across the UK, Europe, and the US. 'Music this uncalculatedly beautiful leaves you almost desperate with gratitude' -Alex Ross, The New Yorker. Australian pianist and composer Joseph Havlat is based in London. A leading interpreter of modern and contemporary music, he performs as a soloist and chamber musician in major concert venues around the UK, Europe, America, Japan, and Australia. He currently teaches piano and composition at the Royal Academy of Music. His previous recording of Michael Finnissy's vocal music, Alternative Readings with Lotte Betts-Dean and the Marsyas Trio, was released on Metier.

Jimin Oh-Havenith dedicates this volume of her Schumann edition to his variations, which form the beginning, the core, and the conclusion of his unique piano oeuvre. In the fourth instalment of her widely acclaimed Schumann edition, Jimin Oh-Havenith turns to his works for piano in variation form. Three of the pieces recorded here occupy a singular place in Schumann's biography: both his first published composition, the Abegg Variations, and his final completed work, the so-called Ghost Variations, belong to this genre. The twelve Symphonic Etudes - situated chronologically at the heart of his piano output of the 1830s, long revered by pianists yet equally feared for their formidable technical demands - are likewise variations on a theme. Whereas the young Schumann, in the Abegg Variations, conjured a sparkling and virtuosic play on musical letters from the name of a Heidelberg acquaintance, the Ghost Variations unfold as a deeply moving dialogue between the gravely ill composer and his great models, Schubert and Mendelssohn Bartholdy. This extraordinary breadth of expression once again affords Jimin Oh-Havenith the opportunity to demonstrate the intensity and originality of her Schumann interpretation.

With this new volume in their ongoing Romantic Violin Concerto series, Hyperion proudly announces a new collaboration with the brilliant young British violinist Chloe Hanslip, the former child prodigy famously signed to Warner Classics at the age of just fourteen. Here, she lends her now mature talents to the second release in Hyperion's overview of Vieuxtemps' Violin Concertos. Henry Vieuxtemps (1820-1881) was a French violin virtuoso who, after the death of Paganini, was widely considered to be the best violinist in Europe. Besides being a brilliant player, he was a remarkably fine composer, as demonstrated in these, his first two concertos. Alongside the memorable violin fireworks, Vieuxtemps here shows a well-argued musical sensibility that straddles both the Classical and Romantic eras as well as the ability to write gorgeous, almost operatic slow movements in the best bel-canto tradition.

Following a Schubertian venture that has revealed, over the past few years, his immense stature as an interpreter of the lied, Matthias Goerne has now selected twenty or so of the little gems lovingly fashioned by Schumann in the year of his marriage (1840) or in the darker Düsseldorf period (1849-52). This anthology proves to be nothing less than a mise en abyme: an entire world seems to creep in between the fragrant flowers of the bouquet of ‘Myrtles’ and the nocturnal atmosphere of the ‘Six Poems and Requiem’. Yes: a whole world!