A moody "silence" album with the famous Largo from Bach's Harpsichord Concerto in F minor, Alb�niz ' irresistible Asturias, P�rt's Spiegel i'm Spiegel and more in arrangement for marimba. "He took up position at a marimba and coaxed from it sounds of rapturous fragility." (New York Times) "... this most questing of younger percussionists." (Grammophone) These are only a few examples that show how Christoph Sietzen has been praised by the media as an outstanding talent - a refreshingly natural musician notable for his technical mastery and powerful stage presence. Christoph Sietzen has just been awarded an Opus Klassik as the "Young Artist of the Year" for his first album with Sony Classical, "Incantations". For his new album, Sietzen recorded fascinating works by Bach, Alb�niz, Piazzolla, Glass, Francisco T�rrega and Arvo P�rt. In this highly personal selection, Sietzen chose works in which he encounters silence. The album begins with "Opening" from Glassworks by minimal-music-composer Philip Glass, which draws it's special strength from slight changes and has much to do with silence for Sietzen. Asturias by Isaac Alb�niz and Recuerdos de la Alhambra by Francisco T�rrega are both essential to this album as well, conveying something tangible and immediate. Sietzen finds it particularly enticing to contrast the movements Sarabande, Bourr�e and Gigue from the E minor Lute Suite by Johann Sebastian Bach, with the other works on this album rather than playing them in succession as a self-contained form. A quite different and catchier world of sound is found in Rom�ntico and Verano porte�o by Astor Piazzolla. Arvo P�rt's Spiegel i'm Spiegel is the only piece on this recording in which Sietzen plays other instruments besides the marimba and also the only piece for which he did not adopt the text of the original edition one-to-one - a practice he considered very important in the other works. The album comes to an end with the famous second movement, Largo, from Bach's F minor Harpsichord Concerto which is beautiful in it's simplicity, the ornamented melody seeming to sway in two directions like a pendulum. With "Silence", Luxembourgish-Austrian percussionist shows once again his "awesome technique, unrelenting intensity, tremendous power, breath-taking speed, idiosyncratic presence and a profound musicality" (Pizzicato Magazine).

Mireille Mathieu, the French singer who sold 200 Million records worldwide in 54 years of career, reveals "Cinema" on October 4th, 2019.

In this 40-track double album, Mireille sings the greatest films movie composed by Ennio Morricone, Francis Lai, Michel Legrand, George Gershwin, Charlie Chaplin, Maurice Jarre, Cole Porter, Burt Bacharach, Vangelis...

This is a collection of the most famous movie themes from the greatest French and English speaking films of modern era. Among these 40 standards, there are no less than 17 unreleased and rare tracks, including a duet with famous French composer Francis Lai on "Un homme et une femme" from Claude Lelouch's eponymous movie, also "New York, New York", "Un regard d'amour" on the powerful theme of Chariots of Fire, or "C'est mieux comme ça" on The Godfather’s theme.

‘Cinema’ includes also some of the most popular movie themes of all time sung by Mireille: "Over the Rainbow" from the movie The Wizard of Oz, " Les yeux de l’amour (The Look of Love)" from the movie James Bond/ Casino Royale, "Paris en colère" from the movie Is Paris Burning ?, "Une histoire d'amour" from the movie Love Story, "L'amour viendra" from the movie "Gone with the Wind", and « Un jour tu reviendras » from the movie Once Upon a Time in the West…

Austrian symphonist Bruckner was long denied the recognition that he deserved - which was a situation that almost endured until towards the end of his life. However, he owed his significant breakthrough as a composer to the premiere of his Seventh Symphony in Leipzig in 1884. With the famous Adagio, this work was an enormous success during Bruckner's lifetime and is still considered one of the most famous and beautiful works of romantic symphonic repertoire. Even Johann Strauss, Jr. was amazed by the symphony: "Am deeply moved. It was the musical experience of my life." For the present album, this deeply moving symphony is recently recorded in one of the most famous concert halls in the world, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, by its Orchestra in Residence NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra under their new Chief Conductor Alan Gilbert. With this recording, one will experience Bruckner’s breathtaking Seventh Symphony in the spectacular big concert hall of Elbphilharmonie Hamburg.

Pianist Yaara Tal celebrates with her new album "Love? Homage to Clara Schumann" the 200th birthday (September 13th 2019) of the composer and piano virtuoso Clara Schumann (1819 – 1896). Clara Schumann was one of the most important musicians of the 19th century. In her honor, Yaara Tal recorded with her musician friends works by Clara Schumann, Theodor Kirchner (1823-1903), Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) and Julie von Webenau (1813-1887).

Among the piano works are Trois Romances op. 11 by Clara Schumann, which she had dedicated to her fiance Robert Schumann in 1839. Musically as well as personally Robert and Clara Schumann were the most harmonious of couples. The genesis of Trois Romances was accompanied by a lively exchange of ideas between the couple. Deep feelings of love, affection and friendship resonate with these romances, but also with the selected solo piano works by Theodor Kirchner and Julie von Webenau. L'Adieu et le Retour op. 25. Morceaux de Fantaisie by the forgotten composer Julie von Webenau appear as a world premiere recording on this album. Julie von Webenau was twenty-two years old when Robert Schumann met her and her teacher, Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart. She began to correspond with Schumann, initially sending him some studies and enclosing with them a letter to Clara Wieck, whose triumphant appearances in Vienna she had heard about. She proved uncommonly sympathetic to Robert Schumann. Indeed, he even spoke of love and passion on her part in a letter to Clara Schumann. L'Adieu et le Retour op. 25 is a work that Julie von Webenau dedicated to Robert Schumann. Also Clara Schumann received many dedications from her contemporaries in the course of her career, but only the dedications from Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms and Theodor Kirchner fell into a different category. The good friend Theodor Kirchner, who had briefly been Robert Schumann's student at the Leipzig Conservatory and then piano partner of Clara Schumann, dedicated his Op. 9 to Clara in 1859, from which three Preludes appear on this album. The three pieces chosen by Yaara Tal – nos. 10, 11 and 13 – are genuine character-pieces. Clara told their composer that they reminded her of her husband. Another connected work to the family Schumann is Alt-Rhapsodie by Johannes Brahms. This piece was however especially connected with Julie Schumann, the third daugther of the couple. Brahm's composition on a fragment from Goethe’s “Harzreise im Winter” op. 53 seems to be related to Brahms' disappointed love for Julie Schumann.

Yaara Tal was keen to lighten the distinctly sombre mood of the original piece and suggested an arrangement for tenor, female choir and piano. Thus, she teamed with the tenor Julian Prégardien, the women's choir of Bayerischer Rundfunk conducted by Yuval Weinberg. This arrangement forms the basis of the album and appears as a world premiere recording as well. On the album Yaara Tal also plays together with her longtime piano duo partner Andreas Groethuysen. The outstanding piano duo has recorded the "Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann" for four-hand piano, which Brahms also dedicated to Julie Schumann in 1861.

Sony Music Masterworks is delighted to announce the release of the Original London Cast Recording of Sue Townsend's 'The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13�' - The Musical. This eagerly-anticipated album with it's infectious score showcases aspects of the life of Britain's best-loved, luckless teenager. It features the original London cast with book and lyrics by Jake Brunger and music and lyrics by Pippa Cleary, all under the musical direction of Alex Parker. The cast includes Benjamin Lewis as Adrian Mole, Kelly Price as Pauline Mole, Gay Soper as Grandma Mole, Dean Chisnall as George Mole, Lara Wollington as Pandora, John Hopkins as Mr Lucas/Mr Scruton, Lara Denning as Doreen Slater/Miss Elf, Connor Davies as Barry and Max Robson as Nigel. Following two highly acclaimed runs at Leicester's Curve theatre in 2015 and the Menier Chocolate Factory in 2017, the musical will open for a limited season from 15 June until 12 October 2019 at the Ambassadors Theatre, London, with a Gala Night on Tuesday 2 July. It is directed by Luke Sheppard. Set in the 1980s in Leicester, this adaptation of Sue Townsend's best-selling book is a timeless tale of teenage angst, family struggles and unrequited love, told through the eyes of tortured poet and misunderstood intellectual, Adrian Mole. One of the most enduring comedy characters of all time, he is the hapless, hilarious, spotty teenager who captured the zeitgeist of 1980s Britain. This critically acclaimed production brings Adrian's story to life for a new generation of theatregoers. The Townsend family noted: "Sue loved West End theatre and she loved working with Jake and Pippa on the creation of this show. We're very happy for her and Mole that thirty years after his last appearance, a new generation has brought him back." Sarah Thwaites, UK Label Head commented: "It's incredibly exciting to see the nation's beloved novel by Sue Townsend 'The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 �' come to life on the big stage and it's a real honour for Sony Music Masterworks to release the Original London Cast Recording of this critically acclaimed and delightfully British production". 'The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13�' was Townsend's first novel, originally published in 1982 by Methuen and now published by Penguin Books. It has sold over 20 million copies worldwide, been translated into 30 languages and spawned seven sequel Adrian Mole novels. The novels have previously been adapted for the stage, radio and television.

Classically trained with a flair for powerful, melodic orchestral writing, Inon Zur's rich portfolio spans across film, television and video games. Making a name for himself within the world of epic action/adventure games and ethereal fantasy franchises, Zur's scoring work for Bethesda Games Studios' hugely-popular FALLOUT series, namely the FALLOUT 3 and FALLOUT 4 installments, have amassed millions of fans, two BAFTA Award nominations and nods from The PlayStation Awards, The Game Awards, Spike TV, FACT Magazine, Paste, Classic FM and more. Zur's lengthy catalogue of scores also include multiple entries in the PRINCE OF PERSIA series, THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR IN THE NORTH, DRAGON AGE: ORIGINS and DRAGON AGE 2. Zur's music has been performed in concerts across the globe by world-class orchestras including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and Zur himself has collaborated with international recording artists including Florence + The Machine and Idan Raichel. Later this year, Zur is also set to release

 Ámbar, the fifth studio album from Chilean-born talent Camila Meza, showcases the multitalented vocalist, guitarist and composer's ever-evolving artistic sensibility. Accompanied by the Nectar Orchestra, frequent collaborator Noam Wiesenberg, pianist/keyboardist Eden Ladin, drummer/percussionist Keita Ogawa, violinists Tomoko Omura and Fung Chern Hwei, violist Benjamin von Gutzeit and cellist Brian Sanders, Meza reaches new virtuosic and expressive heights as a singer, a stirring guitar soloist, an ambitious songwriter and a producer. Distinguished by it's extraordinarily close attention to sonic detail, Ámbar is Meza's boldest artistic statement to date. Steeped in metaphor, romance and complex emotion, Ámbar is a breakthrough, rooted in the incredible agility and interplay of Meza's state-of-the-art jazz group.

The Berlin Radio Choir sings major choral works by Johannes Brahms

There was no point in his life when Johannes Brahms did not take an active interest in choral music. It was an interest that he evinced not only as a choral conductor in Detmold, Hamburg and Vienna but also as a composer who bequeathed to posterity a vast number of secular and sacred choral works. Among his principal compositions for chorus and orchestra were not only his German Requiem but also his Song of Destiny op. 54 (1871) for mixed chorus and orchestra. This was arguably the most significant of all Romantic settings of a poem by Friedrich Hölderlin and has now been selected by the Berlin Radio Choir for a CD that explores the whole vast range of Brahms’s choral writing. Under the direction of Gijs Leenaars, the Choir – heard here in various formations – is joined in some of these works by the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester of Berlin. The Drei Gesänge op. 42, for example, are scored for mixed unaccompanied chorus, while Nänie op. 82 was written for chorus and orchestra. “All of the pieces that are featured on this CD show how well Brahms was able to write for the human voice,” says Gijs Leenaars, “and this is true of both their compositional textures and the impact of the sonorities that he uses.” At the same time Leenaars notes that the present programme is an ideal showcase for the Choir’s versatility. The Choir, he goes on, is a “great vehicle for choral works with orchestra, in which the right balance between orchestra and voices is a challenge”, while in the a cappella repertory the singers impress with the delicate textures of their voices.

The texts that Brahms has set in this selection of pieces all raise existential questions about our lives as human beings. The Song of Destiny is taken from Hölderlin’s epistolary novel Hyperion and draws on the world of classical mythology, contrasting the carefree lives of the gods on Mount Olympus with the toilsome existence of mortals on earth. Nänie for chorus and orchestra was written in 1881 in memory of the painter Anselm Feuerbach, who had died the previous year. The motet “Warum ist das Licht gegeben dem Mühseligen?” (Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery?) op. 74 no. 1 revolves around the question of why an almighty God allows to us suffer. “Es tönt ein voller Harfenklang” (The sounds of a full-toned harp ring forth) comes from the Vier Gesänge op. 17, which Brahms wrote in 1860 for the women’s choir that he had founded in Hamburg the previous year. And the Geistliches Lied (Sacred Song) op. 30 for four-part mixed chorus and strings invites its listeners to be steadfast and take comfort in their faith in the face of suffering and death.

Mychael Danna is an Academy Award-winning film composer recognized for his evocative blending of non-western traditions with orchestral and electronic music. His highly awarded works include the Oscar and Golden Globe-winning score for Ang Lee's Life of Pi, following his collaborations with Lee on The Ice Storm (1997) and Ride with the Devil (1999). Among his other awards are the Emmy for Outstanding Composition for the mini-series World Without End (2013), the Frederick Loewe Award for Film Composing (2013), the World Soundtrack Awards for Film Composer of the Year, and Best Score of the Year (both 2013), and the Hollywood Film Award for Composer of the Year (2016). Danna says his approach is to "making music an integral part of the storytelling, not simply repeating what is happening onscreen, but adding unexpected dimension and insight that enrich the experience of the director's vision." His passion for presenting complex ideas in a musically accessible way began as Danna learned his craft at the University of Toronto. There, he was exposed to early- and world-music that later influenced his style. Danna earned the school's inaugural Glenn Gould Composition Award in 1985 and also began scoring for student theatre groups, as he launched his artistic partnership with filmmaker Atom Egoyan. Danna has scored all of Egoyan's films since 1987's Family Viewing. Danna's credits also include the Oscar-winning Little Miss Sunshine (2006), for which he shared a Grammy Award nomination for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album; Marc Webb's acclaimed romantic comedy (500) Days of Summer (2009); and James Mangold's Oscar-winning film, Girl, Interrupted (1999). Mychael also scored the Oscar-nominated Pixar short preceding the film, Sanjay's Super Team. Other celebrated collaborations include those with Bennett Miller on his Oscar-nominee Moneyball (2011) and his Oscar-winning drama Capote (2005); with Terry Gilliam on his oscar nominated The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) and Tideland (2005). "The most gratifying filmmaking experiences are ones that take effort to unpeel the layers surrounding the heart of the story, and to find the best musical expression of that heart, " says Danna. "Those are always the film scores that I am most proud of."

After David Kim (John Cho)'s 16-year-old daughter goes missing, a local investigation is opened and a detective is assigned to the case. But 37 hours later and without a single lead, David decides to search the one place no one has looked yet, where all secrets are kept today: his daughter's laptop. In a hyper-modern thriller told via the technology devices we use every day to communicate, David must trace his daughter's digital footprints before she disappears forever.

As one of the top 10 highest-grossing film composers of all time, Brian Tyler has an impressive resume that includes The Avengers, Furious 7, Truth, Iron Man 3 and more, and is credited with scoring 3 out of 10 of the highest-grossing films of all time in global box office sales. On his musical contribution to Yellowstone, Brian Tyler says, "It has been incredible working with amazing director Taylor Sheridan on this project. His artistic vision encouraged an unbounded approach to composition. The visual canvas and thematic narrative of Yellowstone inspired me to create music that is intimate, tragic, and impressionistic in ways I have never before thought possible. I worked with so many phenomenal musicians from around the world ranging from the London Philharmonia Orchestra to superb soloists on viola, cello, and fiddle to capture the human soul behind the story. I strove for composing music that would support the complexity of the story and it's characters. The tone of the music needed to reflect melancholy, joy, regret, intensity, revenge, love, tragedy, and beauty all at the same time. The music echoes tones throughout by use of thematic melody that feels it is at the heart of an epic yet intimate saga, while at times creating atmosphere that pushes the boundary of where music and sound converge. Taylor created a magnificent world and music was a central part of his overall vision to give Yellowstone a unique identity. It was a true challenge, and one that I am eternally grateful to be a part of."

Sony Classical is pleased to announce another ten releases in its increasingly comprehensive series of Classical Masters. These new budget-priced releases contain classic recordings, many of them newly remastered, by some of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century. Once again, the series offers cornerstones of the symphonic repertoire, including two complete cycles. In the late 1980s, Günter Wand, one of the most respected interpreters of the Austro-German repertoire, recorded all the Beethoven symphonies with his Hamburg Radio (NDR) Symphony Orchestra. It is still a benchmark. Reviewing the complete cycle a few years ago, ClassicsToday.com wrote: “This is one of the most consistent of all modern Beethoven editions, capped by a Ninth that stands among the select performances of that work on disc … One of the things that makes these performances so special is Wand’s ability to create a truly athletic feeling of movement at any tempo, and in order to do that he has to pay attention not just to tiny details, but also to larger phrases and musical paragraphs … The Fifth Symphony has all of the grit and grandeur that Beethoven intended … the funeral march in the “Eroica” is one of the most noble on disc … the “Pastoral” captures the music’s earthiness and rusticity with memorable fidelity … Exceptionally well recorded, this Beethoven cycle belongs in every serious collection.”

In February 1993, the eyes of the world converged on Mount Carmel, a small religious community located just outside of Waco, TX. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) conducted a raid on leader David Koresh and his devoted followers, known as the Branch Davidians. After what became the longest gun battle in U.S. law enforcement history, four ATF agents and six civilians were dead, and dozens more were wounded. A 51-day standoff ensued, and the conflict ended after an FBI siege led to a fire that engulfed the entire Mount Carmel compound, killing 76 men, women, and children Taylor Kitsch is starring as Koresh. The cast also includes Oscar� and Golden Globe� nominee Michael Shannon, Andrea Riseborough, John Leguizamo, Melissa Benoist, Paul Sparks, Shea Whigham, Rory Culkin, Julia Garner and Camryn Manheim.

GET SHORTYOriginal Television SoundtrackMusic by Grammy Award Winner Antonio Sánchez (Birdman)Epix' best series is a charming, addictive adaptation of the Elmore Leonard’s 1990 New York Times bestselling novel, and 1995 filmTRACKLIST1. Beginning​​​​​​​2. Owen Runs3. Sealed Fate4. Breezy5. Second Thoughts6. Just Hanging 17. Break In8. Pensive9. Watching Us10. Final Steps11. Loose to Fast12. Bad Omen13. Unsettling14. 7 Steps15. Pensive 216. Just Hanging 217. 6:8 Medium18. Hold On19. Desert Highway20. No Way21. Just Hanging 322. Intense23. They're Coming24. Move25. Remembering26. A to B27. Condo Love28. Bad Ways29. Unsettling 230. Be Careful31. Granular32. A to C33. Not So Easy34. Unsettling 335. Car Ride36. A to D37. A to E38. Big Deal

Call Me by Your Name (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Music is vital to director Luca Guadagnino's films, but he normally doesn't hire composers, and instead makes selections from pre-existing music. While the soundtrack for CALL ME BY YOUR NAME is a compilation of tracks by numerous musicians, Guadagnino decided he wanted to approach American singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens to create a song especially for the film. "An artist for whom I have enormous admiration is Sufjan. His voice is fantastic and angelic, and his lyrics are so sharp and deep and full of sorrow and beauty. The music is so haunting. All these elements were the ones I wanted to envision in the film." - The soundtrack for CALL ME BY YOUR NAME also includes tracks by John Adams and Ryuichi Sakamoto as well as pieces written by Erik Satie, Maurice Ravel and Johann Sebastian Bach. As the film is set in the 1980s, Guadagnino chose period Italian pop music (including Giorgio Moroder & Joe Esposito's "Lady Lady Lady") for the radio, but particularly spotlights The Psychedelic Furs' anthem "Love My Way". "I love The Psychedelic Furs," says Guadagnino. "It's kind of autobiographical, because I remember listening to that song when I was seventeen and being completely affected by it. I wanted to pay homage to myself then." - CALL ME BY YOUR NAME is a sensual and transcendent tale of first love, based on the acclaimed novel by Andr� Aciman, written by Oscar� nominee James Ivory and starring Armie Hammer (The Social Network) and Timoth�e Chalamet (Interstellar, Homeland).

REVIEW:

Set to a rich orchestral score, JANE the film offers an unprecedented, intimate portrait of Jane Goodall — a trailblazer who defied the odds to become one of the world’s most admired conservationists.

“Serengeti,” one of the score's most joyful cues, is a celebration of optimism, the piano rolls and the flute and horn section carrying it even higher. It’s a spectacular piece that shows the endless imagination of the composer.

– Soundtrack Dreams

Sony Music Masterworks is thrilled to announce it's first release from Nigel Stanford, the creator behind the viral "Cymatics" video that visualized a brand-new synthesis of music, art and physics. Accompanied by a new title-track video that's sure to amaze, Automatica will be released on September 15, 2017 Automatica is the New Zealand artist's first album since 2014's Solar Echoes, which featured the "Cymatics" single. Automatica takes Stanford's trademark synthesis of dance-pop, electronica, and technological innovation to a new level. It's also his first album with vocals, featuring guest singers Catey Shaw, Elizaveta, and Dallin Applebaum, and rapper Noah Caine. "I've done the instrumental thing my whole life, but I've always loved pop music, loved rap, " Nigel says, "and 'Cymatics' gave me a bit more exposure and allowed me to meet some more talented people and not do everything my own self!" Still, he does play all the instruments - not just electronics but also guitar, bass, and drums. "Most of the drums were real at one point, " he adds with a laugh, "before getting processed and sampled and chopped up."

Fusing a modern-day pop sensibility with sleek and timeless jazz chops, singer, trumpeter and songwriter Bria Skonberg returns with her second album for OKeh Records, With a Twist. The album is a collection that pays tribute to legendary ladies of song while offering her take on songs by Leonard Cohen and Ed Sheeran, along with three of her own compositions.

Anne Dudley is an English composer, keyboardist, conductor and pop musician. She was the first BBC Concert Orchestra's Composer in Association in 2001. She has worked in both the classical and pop genres, but she is perhaps best known as one of the core members of the synthpop band Art of Noise and as a film composer. Her soundtrack to the Phil Collins vehicle Buster won a Brit Award shortly after her out-coming as a composer. In 1998 Dudley won an Academy Award for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score for “The Full Monty”. In addition to over twenty other film scores, in 2012 she served as music producer for the film version of “Les Misérables”, also acting as arranger and composing some new additional music.

The vocal ensemble Quartonal earned high praise for its first album. “With the CD Another Way, Quartonal has produced an impressive debut with many poignant moments,” declared NDR. “The sound is wonderfully clean, meticulously balanced and round.” On its new CD, the group presents arrangements ranging from pop favourites like George Michael’s “Faith”, Chris Martin’s “Viva La Vida” and Mike Deighan’s “Les Champs-Elysées” to beautiful composed traditionals.

Sony Music and Madison Gate Records proudly announce the release of the soundtrack for season 1 of The Crown, the Netflix original series, available on November 4, 2016. All 10 episodes of the first season of the series will premiere the same day on Netflix. The album features Hans Zimmer’s main title theme for the series as well as Rupert Gregson-Williams’ original score.

The enchanting piano music of Francis Poulenc deserves to be better known. Perhaps the finest exponent it has enjoyed on record is the French artist Eric Le Sage. ClassicsToday.com called his recording of the concertos the finest single disc available, “better even than the composer’s recordings, and that’s saying a lot. They have everything: style, spirit, a vivid sense of fun, a touch of sentiment that never turns maudlin, and that ability to change moods every few bars that Poulenc always requires. Beautifully clean, well-balanced sonics round out this enticing picture.” BBC Music Magazine declared: “Eric Le Sage is an outstanding Poulenc pianist.” All his recordings of the composer are now brought together in this 6-CD box.

REVIEW:

As well as the piano music 0 which he plays with an ideal balance of insouciance and intensity - there are the two piano concertos and the Aubade, and all the sonatas, with a superb lineup of soloists. Buckets of charm here, in very good sound.

– Gramophone (12/2016)

A 2017 Critics' Choice Winner at American Record Guide!

Evgeny Kissin (b. 1971) made his debut with the Ulyanovsk Symphony Orchestra when he was only eleven years old. The next year, he performed his first solo piano recital in Moscow. When he recorded the two Chopin piano concertos with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Moscow in 1984, his fame exploded. Each and every piano masterwork is included in this set, as Kissin was a master of broad-ranging repertoire. Staples by Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Stravinsky, Scriabin, and more are all here. This specially priced hardcover box set documents many of Kissin’s extraordinary achievements, as it holds all of Kissin’s recordings for both RCA and Sony Classical.

Sony Classical is pleased to announce the second solo album by exceptional young American organist, Cameron Carpenter, All You Need is Bach. Bach’s great keyboard masterpieces provide an ideal platform for Carpenter’s formidable creative gifts and the seemingly limitless possibilities of his dream instrument – his signature International Touring Organ. The album takes is cue from The Beatles’ classic “All You Need is Love”, where Bach’s Invention No. 8 in F major proudly rises out of the coda’s collage-like texture. Works include Contrapunctus IX from The Art of Fugue, Organ Sonatas in D minor and E-flat major, Prelude and Fugue in B minor, Invention No. 8 and, as the centerpiece, the great Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor. The latter holds a special place in Carpenter’s affections. “It is undoubtedly one of the Top 10 masterworks of all music, no matter how you evaluate it.”

A virtuoso composer-performer unique among organists, Cameron Carpenter’s approach is to smash the stereotypes of organists and organ music. Described as “extravagantly talented” (New York Times), and “smasher of cultural and classical music taboos,” (The New Yorker), Cameron is the first organist ever nominated for a Grammy Award® for his debut album, Revolutionary. All You Need is Bach is the second recording made on Cameron’s new International Touring Organ. The organ, designed by Cameron himself, is a mobile digital organ that is artistically and sonically equal to any of the world’s great organs and will challenge the way the world thinks about organs.

To celebrate the 75th birthday of the Argentinean pianist Martha Argerich, Sony have released this 5 CD box of her complete commercial discography on RCA, Columbia and Sony. Each card sleeve is adorned with the original jacket. The recordings date from 1975-1992.

What attracts me to this set is that it presents the many faces of Argerich – as soloist, chamber musician and concerto collaborator. The Beethoven and Haydn concertos provide the only instance of the pianist directing from the keyboard, and the Scriabin Prométhée is the only example of this composer’s work she has recorded to date.

Argerich was born in 1941 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She started piano lessons at the age of three and played her debut concert at only eight. In 1955 her parents took up diplomatic posts in Vienna and the family travelled to Europe. Here Argerich was exposed to some of the greatest pianists of the time, studying with the likes of Friedrich Gulda, Stefan Askenase, Nikita Magaloff and later Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli. Within the space of three weeks in 1957 she won the Geneva International Music Competition and the Ferruccio Busoni International Competition. In 1965, at the age of twenty-four, she won the Seventh International Chopin Competition in Warsaw. Since then her career has taken a stratospheric leap and she now has a secure place among the firmament of the foremost pianists of our age.

James Galway left his Berlin Philharmonic post in 1975 and embarked on a solo career. His first RCA solo release was this one with Argerich. For me, it is a highlight of the set, with a tangible rapport existing between the two players. The Prokofiev is the jewel. Completed in the summer of 1943, it was premiered in Moscow in December of that year by Nikolai Kharkovsky (flute) and Sviatoslav Richter (piano). A year later the composer, with the help of David Oistrakh, transcribed it for violin. Galway’s luscious tone and unforced brilliance are compelling. The Franck Sonata, originally for violin and piano, is here transcribed for flute. It works very well, and it is a pleasure to hear it in this unfamiliar guise. I have misgivings about the Argerich/Gitlis collaboration disc. My problem lies with the violinist. I don’t particularly care for the idiosyncratic rubato in the Debussy Sonata, and neither do I find Gitlis’ habit of arbitrary on-off vibrato to my taste.

Directing from the keyboard, the Beethoven and Haydn concertos were taped in London in 1980. They sound so fresh and vital, informed by grace, elegance and charm. Tempi are just right, and an ideal balance has been struck by the recording engineers between the piano and orchestra. The Beethoven is every bit as fine as her later traversal with Abbado on DG. The Schumann Op. 17 is impassioned and eloquent, and Argerich’s stunning technique fully does justice to the first two movements, with plenty of fantasy adding to the allure. The third movement, by contrast, is thoughtful and probing. The Fantasiestücke, Op.12 is no less convincing. I love the way she expressively phrases Des Abends, but I felt Aufschwung a little too frenetic. These Schumann recordings are the same as those released by EMI in 1990.

Dazzling virtuosity is the name of the game in the Strauss Burleske. The performance, which I have to say is the finest I’ve heard of this youthful showpiece, is fiery, capricious and volatile. Both players inject plenty of zest into the more energetic moments, whilst savouring the glorious melodies of the more lyrical sections. The Scriabin Prométhée is a gripping reading of this lushly orchestrated opus, with Abbado highlighting the richly varied pastels of the score. Argerich’s febrile delivery has passion, drama and intensity. It’s regrettable that she hasn’t recorded any more of the composer’s music. I’m pleased that the optional wordless chorus has been included.

This is a worthy tribute to a great pianist, and a must-have for pianophiles. The booklet notes, in English, German and French have been written by Jed Distler and include some interesting photographs.

– MusicWeb International (Stephen Greenbank)

REVIEW:

The contents of this set are identical to RCA’s previous Previn RVW reissue, and the discs do not appear to have been remastered. André Previn’s Vaughan Williams symphony cycle arguably is the best such offering on the market today, particularly given the difficulty of finding the similarly fine Handley and Slatkin sets domestically (or at all!). In contrast to Boult’s famous EMI set, where his all-knowing conducting (he was a lifelong friend of the composer) occasionally takes on a relaxed and autumnal air, Previn’s consistently vibrant renditions reflect his fresh encounters with the music.

Not to say that he’s always faster–Boult is noticeably quicker in many instances–yet, especially in the case of Nos. 3 and 5, Previn sounds more energized and involved despite his slower tempos. Previn also has at his disposal the London Symphony, which provides exceptionally robust playing throughout. Case in point: compare the LSO’s playing in Previn’s potent and dramatic No. 6 with Boult’s generally listless London Philharmonic in the same work.

Previn’s gripping Sinfonia Antarctica and his profoundly atmospheric A London Symphony rank among the finest versions available. However, Previn must yield to Boult in A Sea Symphony, where Boult’s grandiose vision and EMI’s ravishing recording make a tremendous impression. RCA’s sound, except for a dry and edgy No. 8 (did the master tape deteriorate?) is generally clear and well-balanced, with plenty of impact. Factor in the bonus works–the Violin concerto “Concerto accademico”, the Tuba Concerto, and the “Three Portraits” from The England of Elizabeth–and you’ve got a handsome package of memorable, recommendable performances. The bargain price makes it all the more irresistible.

-- ClassicsToday (Victor Carr, Jr.)

Masterworks Broadway will release the New York City Center Encores! Cast recording of Lerner & Loewe's Paint Your Wagon starring Keith Carradine, Justin Guarini and Alexandra Socha, on May 27, 2016. Filled with gorgeous standards such as "They Call the Wind Maria, " "I Talk to the Trees, " and "Wand'rin' Star, " Paint Your Wagon is Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's sweepingly ambitious and surprisingly realistic take on freedom, family, and racism in the Gold Rush-happy America of 1853. The outstanding March 2015 production by Encores! #brought the almost-forgotten show back to New York's mainstream stage for the first time since the original Broadway production closed in 1952. And because the original cast album - an early limited capacity monaural LP - had omitted so much of the music, the score was ripe for rediscovery and a brand new recording. Helping to capture the spirit of the original Broadway production were the full handwritten scores used in 1951 by Franz Allers (Loewe's favorite musical director) and discovered accidentally by Rodgers & Hammerstein musicologist Bruce Pomahac at the bottom of a musty Warner Chappell trunk stored, curiously, at the R&H offices in New York. Album co-producer and Encores! Music Director Rob Berman leads the thirty member cast and thirty-one piece Encores! Orchestra, in the 2015 stereo cast album that celebrates the scope and riches of Lerner & Loewe's exceptional score. Much of the original dance music orchestrated by Trude Rittmann, created in close collaboration with both Loewe and choreographer Agnes de Mille, appears on this recording for the first time. Also recorded for the first time on this album is the bonus track "What Do Other Folks Do?" which was dropped from the original production before the show reached New York and whose historical importance is clear: Lerner and Loewe would later recycle the concept for Camelot's "What Do the Simple Folk Do?"

Barbershop: The Next Cutpicks up ten years after where the first film left off. Calvin and all of the familiar faces are still in the shop, but it has gone under major changes. Namely, that the shop is now co-ed. Four time Grammy Award winner Stanley Clarke is responsible for scoring the tracks on this album. In addition to his compositional skills, he is one of the best acoustic and electric bass players in the world. “Film has given me the opportunity to write large orchestral scores and to compose music not normally associated with myself… It’s given me the chance to conduct orchestras and arrange music for various types of ensembles. It’s been a diverse experience for me musically, made me a more complete musician, and focused my skills completely.” ( Stanley Clarke)

Money Monsteris an American thriller film that premiered in May of 2016. The film, directed by Jodie Foster and starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts, is about a TV personality who is held hostage on his show by a viewer. The score for the film is by Los Angeles based composer Dominic Lewis. Lewis studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London. While there, at age 22, he was given the opportunity to co-compose the score of “The Poet,” his first feature film. Lewis frequently works alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest composers, such as Hans Zimmer, Ramin Djawadi, and John Powell. He currently serves as resident composer at Zimmer’s renowned Remote Control Productions.

Soprano Aprile Millo's golden voice is in best form. This is another of those vintage Met ensembles vividly guided by Levine, with Vladimir Chernov especially affecting in the father-daughter duet.

– BBC Music Magazine