Schumann: Piano Quartet, Op. 47 - Piano Quintet, Op. 44

Daniel Behle is a renowned German lyrical tenor and got recently reviewed at the Bayreuth Festival as the "agile, youthful" singer, who is in "good [vocal] form" (BR Klassik) as David in "The Master-Singers of Nuremberg".

On his new album he presents the most famous tenor arias by W.A. Mozart - from the loser Don Ottavio to the hero Idomeneo – together with the highly acclaimed, award-winning conductor Michi Gaigg and L’Orfeo Baroque Orchestra.

Behle, who has sung Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni or Tamino in The Magic Flute on the biggest opera stages around the world, now releases his first solo recording with Mozart’s repertoire. In cooperation with the L’Orfeo Baroque Orchestra the highly skilled tenor delivers a refreshing interpretation of the most famous and beautiful Mozart arias such as The Magic Flute, Don Giovanni, The Abduction from the Seraglio, Così fan tutte and other operas.

"Mozart - Zero to Hero" - the title says it all. Certain similarities between Mozart’s musical career and the ordeal of the characters in his operas are not accidental.

At it's core, DAYS GONE is about survivors and what makes them human: desperation, loss, madness, betrayal, friendship, brotherhood, regret, love - and hope. It's about how even when confronted with such enormous tragedy they find a reason to live. Hope never dies. You play as Deacon St. John, a bounty hunter, traveling through vast and hostile environments facing a brutal struggle for survival, searching for a reason to live. ABOUT THE COMPOSER - Nathan Whitehead's work as a composer, arranger, and producer spans genres from the comedies Keanu and Killing Hasselhoff to the action thrillers The Purge: Election Year and Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Recently he completed scoring the feature films Beyond Skyline and Akiva Goldsman's Stephanie. As a kid in East Tennessee, Nathan rode a sweet bike while replaying the theme from Airwolf in his head. The world was full of excitement and possibility. Somewhere along these quixotic after-school adventures emerged a nascent thought- music can take you on a journey. Nathan has been committed to this journey ever since. Writing scores for film, TV, and video game projects, Nathan is continually excited to see where the journey leads

William Kapell Edition, Vol. 5: Beethoven: Concerto No. 2 -

This installment of the William Kapell Edition charts but one more corner of the Russian piano repertory for which the pianist achieved an early fame. Kapell's 1946 recording of the appealing Khachaturian Concerto was the work's premiere recording, and the pianist immediately became associated with what became a jukebox favorite.
The gem of this disc, however, is Kapell's 1949 recording of Prokofiev's Third Piano Concerto. In the explosive Allegro of the opening movement, Kapell moves between rippling pianissimo passages to lashing sforzando chords with consummate ease. A greater testament to Kapell's musical and technical skills comes in the variations of the second movement. His shifts from the mood of one variation to the mood of the next are immediate, passionate, and thoroughly convincing. He moves from the lush chordal lyricism of the first variation to the breathless abandon of the second, flying across the keyboard and never losing his way. The entire performance sizzles with a nervous energy that will most likely captivate any listener.

2021 release. Chloe Flower is a visionary, a powerhouse, an icon, an activist, a fashion influencer, and so much more. Bridging the gap between classical and pop, Chloe's self-created Popsical genre embodies sweet melodies, epic strings, and hip-hop beats blending with impressive aplomb. Chloe has been working on her eponymous debut album for over a decade. Living through the COVID-19 pandemic not only changed Chloe's life, but also the course of her music. The stay-home period was a clear signal to take ownership and to create an album which matters and speaks volumes. Chloe's album is divided into three acts - (I) Innocence, (II) Suffering and (III) Hope - and book-ended by a prelude and finale that redefine classical crossover. It features spoken word from Deepak Chopra and an interpretation of Billie Eilish's chart-topping hit 'Bad Guy.' Of her album Chloe states: "I was thinking about the life cycle. You start with innocence; born with a clean slate. Throughout life there is suffering which hardens you. But there's always hope for change, something better. I want people to listen to the album as a whole body of work, which is why there is a prelude and finale in addition to the three acts. The ultimate goal was to make an album that inspires listeners and makes people hopeful. It's new and edgy - a sound that is authentic to me. Though my music doesn't have lyrics, I still have something to say."

Sony Music announces the release of A DOG'S WAY HOME (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK) with music by Oscar�, Golden Globe� and Emmy� winning composer MYCHAEL DANNA - available everywhere January 11. Based on the book by W. Bruce Cameron and directed by Charles Martin Smith, "In the grand tradition of classic films, A Dog's Way Home inspired me to write a classic melody-driven score, performed by a Hollywood studio orchestra and the added colors of banjo, ukulele, guitar and piano. It is a moving experience to feel how an audience is unified in their connection with Bella. I loved taking this journey with her and telling her story with music," said composer Mychael Danna. A Dog's Way Home chronicles the heartwarming adventure of Bella, a dog who embarks on an epic 400-mile journey home after she is separated from her beloved human. The film stars Ashley Judd, Jonah Hauer-King, Edward James Olmos and Alexandra Shipp with Wes Studi and Bryce Dallas Howard.

The new studio album from Arcadi Volodos captures the master pianist’s finely honed interpretation of Schubert’s late Piano Sonata in A major D 959, as well as three of his very rarely recorded minuets: D 334, D 335 und D 600. After spending years performing and refining his interpretation of Schubert’s penultimate piano sonata, Volodos has now committed the work to “tape” for posterity.

For him, a recording is a personal testament to a creative period’s culmination – this explains the relative rarity of a new Volodos recordings. Volodos personally selected the three rare minuets to accompany the piano sonata, additionally choosing to pair the D 600 Minuet with the D 610 Trio. Volodos brings these extremely rarely recorded works to life with his unmistakable tonal brilliance and stylistic elegance. Released 17 years ago, Volodos’s first – and, until now, only – recording of Schubert’s works, coupling the Sonatas in E major D 157 and G major D 894, garnered much praise. “Here is irrefutable proof of Arcadi Volodos’s genius and versatility,” wrote Gramophone magazine at the time. The German specialist magazine Fono Forum observed that “Volodos makes the piano sing like few other pianists today”.

In the intervening years, Volodos’s relationship to the works of Schubert has only deepened. Reviewing his performance at this year’s Salzburg Festival, Der Standard wrote, “When Arcadi Volodos plays Schubert, time stands still.” So, too, this recording offers a snapshot of a master pianist at the height of his interpretative powers.

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REVIEWS:

Every phrase is so exquisitely turned, so perfectly graded in its nuances, so ideally blended – harmonically, melodically and in relation to what comes before and after – that it could be placed on exhibit for all to wonder at. Like all the great virtuosos, he knows how to bring spaciousness to the most technically demanding passages and inner life to the simplest.

– Gramophone

When you witness the palpable stillness Volodos conjures from the opening of the Andante, and when you hear his chiaroscuro, a light and shade beyond the reach of virtually any other pianist, you feel above all compelled to marvel at Schubert’s genius.

– International Piano

Sony Music releases SLENDER MAN (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) with original music by six-time Emmy� Award and two-time GRAMMY� Award nominee Ramin Djawadi (Game of Thrones, A Wrinkle in Time, Westword) and Brandon Campbell (The Thinning). Slender Man tells the story of four Massachusetts high school girls, fascinated by the internet lore of the Slender Man, attempting to prove that he doesn't actually exist until one of them mysteriously goes missing. Directed by Sylvain White and written by David Birke, Screen Gems' Slender Man is based on a character created by Victor Surge. The film is produced by Bradley J. Fischer, James Vanderbilt, William Sherak, Robyn Meisinger and Sarah Snow. It stars Joey King, Julia Goldani-Telles, Jaz Sinclair, Annalise Basso and Javier Botet

2020 release. "This is a dream come true. It's the new aspect of my career - maybe even my new face as a singer. I'm saying goodbye to most of the lighter repertoire I've done for 20 years. When I started singing, it was indeed my dream to do this sort of repertoire, but I really did think of it as a dream and I never thought I would actually sing such an incredibly beautiful role as Elisabetta on stage. When I think of the arias on this album, I felt in the past that I would never sing them. I was taught that I'm a coloratura soprano, and that doing characters such as the Queen of the Night ruled others out. But I've been in love with these arias since I first heard opera, and it's very touching for me that I'm now allowed to sing this music." (Aleksandra Kurzak)

Sony Music announces the release of VENOM (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) with original music by three-time GRAMMY Award nominee Ludwig G�ransson (Black Panther, Fruitvale Station, Creed, Atlanta). Amongst an impressive resume of TV and film credits, G�ransson is best known for his collaborative work with Donald Glover, producing records under the Childish Gambino pseudonym, including the critically-acclaimed and GRAMMY� Award-winning album Awaken, My Love! One of Marvel's greatest and most complex characters takes center stage as Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) becomes the host for the alien symbiote Venom. As a journalist, Eddie has been trying to take down the notorious founder of the Life Foundation, genius Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed) - and that obsession ruined his career and his relationship with his girlfriend, Anne Weying (Michelle Williams). Upon investigating one of Drake's experiments, the alien Venom merges with Eddie's body, and he suddenly has incredible new superpowers, as well as the chance to do just about whatever he wants. Twisted, dark, unpredictable, and fueled by rage, Venom leaves Eddie wrestling to control dangerous abilities that he also finds empowering and intoxicating. As Eddie and Venom need each other to get what they're looking for, they become more and more intertwined - where does Eddie end and Venom begin?"As a fan of the Venom comics - it was an intriguing challenge for me to write music for two incredibly explosive characters cohabiting one body," says Ludwig about the project. "The challenge was in creating two separate identities at the beginning of the story that could later be interwoven and coalesced. For the Venom score I drew on my roots as a metal guitar player. I set out to redefine metal by contemporizing it with current production techniques and infusing it with the super power of the orchestra."

Original Music from the world of DEATH STANDING. Inspired by the game directed by Hideo Kojima of METAL GEAR series. Starring Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen, Lea Seydoux, and Guillermo del Toro.

THE BEARS' FAMOUS INVASION OF

Sony Music announces the release of THE FRONT RUNNER (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). The album features a score of original music by composer Rob Simonsen (Love, Simon, Foxcatcher, The Spectacular Now, 500 Days of Summer), who most recently announced his signing to Sony Music Masterworks.  Columbia Pictures’ The Front Runner will made its debut in theaters on November 6, 2018.   Columbia Pictures’ The Front Runner chronicles the rise of American Senator Gary Hart, his 1988 bid for the American presidency and subsequent fall from grace when news of his extramarital affair is made public.  Originally making its debut at this year’s Telluride Film Festival, the film features an ensemble cast including Hugh Jackman, Vera Farmiga, J.K. Simmons and Alfred Molina. Having learned to play the piano at a young age and with an educational background in jazz, electronic and traditional orchestral music, Rob Simonsen has lent his scoring talents to a wide range of film projects.  Since the early 2000s, he’s worked on an expansive list of film soundtracks, among them Love, Simon, Nerve, Foxcatcher, The Way, Way Back and The Spectacular Now.  Under the apprenticeship of composer Mychael Danna, Simonsen worked on films like 500 Days of Summer and Moneyball, in addition to collaborating with Danna on his Academy Award-winning score for Ang Lee’s Life of Pi.  In addition to his lengthy catalogue of film scores, Simonsen is the founder of The Echo Society, a Los Angeles-based non-profit artist collective.  Surrounding himself with a network of like-minded artists, Simonsen founded The Echo Society in order to connect, inspire, challenge and enrich the creative community in Los Angeles by sponsoring live, professional sonic/visual performances and offering immersive and interactive audience experiences.  TRACKLISTING1. Was Everest Not Available?2. Can't Make Kentucky3. Is There a Reason You Brought the Camera?4. Axes5. Stakeout6. Overnight7. There's Going to Be a Story8. Turning9. Donna10. I'm an Idealist11. Improv for Gary Hart12. Infidelity

What has not been tried over the years in order to twin over children and young people to classical music? There is a veritable market devoted to attracting and luring the young. Pianist Corinna Simon always found one aspect of this endeavor rather strange: Why on earth expose small children at the outset to large-scale works, why expect them to sit still through the entire overture to Mozart’s Magic Flute? We’ve all been there. However, there is actually a wealth of small-scale gems, specially crafted for children’s ears and hands, whose format will not overwhelm or wear out the young listeners. And this treasure trove is now presented on this two-album set by pianist Corinna Simon: Filled with fascinating and diverse material from the undiscovered and vast domain of piano music composed for children, "Piano For Kids" aims to awaken young listeners’ curiosity and to tempt them off the beaten track. In fact, this recording is an enjoyable, easy listening experience not only for children, but for everyone who is interested in piano music.