The main purpose of this edition is to assist those "desirous of learning" with some suggestions and information that might be helpful in the process of learning, understanding and performing the works of Bach. These suggestions should not be taken as a "must" to follow, but are simply meant to assist in the comprehension and practical execution of The Well-Tempered Clavier (WTC) and to encourage further exploration. This Edition is available in 2 Books, or as 48 separate 'Preludes and Fugues' scores

The main purpose of this edition is to assist those "desirous of learning" with some suggestions and information that might be helpful in the process of learning, understanding and performing the works of Bach. These suggestions should not be taken as a "must" to follow, but are simply meant to assist in the comprehension and practical execution of The Well-Tempered Clavier (WTC) and to encourage further exploration. This Edition is available in 2 Books, or as 48 separate 'Preludes and Fugues' scores

The main purpose of this edition is to assist those "desirous of learning" with some suggestions and information that might be helpful in the process of learning, understanding and performing the works of Bach. These suggestions should not be taken as a "must" to follow, but are simply meant to assist in the comprehension and practical execution of The Well-Tempered Clavier (WTC) and to encourage further exploration. This Edition is available in 2 Books, or as 48 separate 'Preludes and Fugues' scores

The main purpose of this edition is to assist those "desirous of learning" with some suggestions and information that might be helpful in the process of learning, understanding and performing the works of Bach. These suggestions should not be taken as a "must" to follow, but are simply meant to assist in the comprehension and practical execution of The Well-Tempered Clavier (WTC) and to encourage further exploration. This Edition is available in 2 Books, or as 48 separate 'Preludes and Fugues' scores.

A newly recorded collection of highlights from Bach’s great corpus of instrumental writing; in transcriptions by Luigi Attademo himself. Bach left us a few isolated pieces and suites for the lute; predecessor of the guitar; but guitarists have always found the rest of his music as amenable to adaptation as every other musician. Luigi Attademo recorded all of Bach’s lute music a decade ago on a 2CD Brilliant Classics album (94294) which attracted glowing reviews in the international press for the combined rigour and imagination of his playing. On this new recording he turns to pieces originally conceived for cello (the Preludio of the First Cello Suite); violin (the Chaconne from the D minor Partita); harpsichord (the Aria from the Goldberg Variations) and flute (the Siciliano from the E flat major Sonata) which have gained iconic status in the three centuries since their composition for their surface simplicity and expressive depth. The recital includes several stimulating pairs: the Aria from the Goldbergs with the Air from the Third Orchestral Suite; Gavottes from the Sixth Cello Suite and E major Violin Partita; the Siciliano from the G minor solo sonata for violin preceding the more famous flute example. These pairs only serve to underline the variety of Bach’s response to a particular genre. Grandest and most superficially complex of the works here; the famous D minor Toccata and Fugue proves highly idiomatic on the guitar; relating the virtuosic and extrovert writing back to what we now think must be a lost violin original for the piece (possibly not even by Bach) rather than the form for organ which is now universally known. Attademo contributes a personal introduction to the album which explains his choice of repertoire and interpretative approach; taking inspiration from great Bach players of the past such as Mstislav Rostropovich and Dinu Lipatti.

The world premiere recording of Richard Rodgers's complete score!

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! was first performed in 1943; and was a significant turning point in the history of musical theater. It was the first musical to put drama and plot to the fore; portrayed by rounded; believable characters. It swept aside traditions that had their roots in vaudeville – star turns; comic sketches; and endless lines of high-kicking chorus girls. Oklahoma! does feature dance; but in the hands of the choreographer; Agnes de Mille; this was idiomatic to the plot; and revolutionary in terms of the fifteen-minute dream-sequence ballet at the close of Act I. The first collaboration between composer and writer; the show was a hit; running for more than five years on Broadway; and paving the way for their masterpieces to come.

John Wilson’s long-held fascination for researching original musical theater scores of this period and bringing them anew to modern audiences reaches a milestone with this world première recording of the original score in its entirety (no cuts) and in the original orchestrations for twenty-nine-piece orchestra made by Robert Russell Bennett for the original production. His outstanding cast features Nathaniel Hackmann; Sierra Boggess; Jamie Parker; Louise Dearman; Sandra Marvin; Rodney Earl Clarke; Nadim Naaman; and Leo Roberts; ably supported by the ‘Oklahoma!’ Ensemble – twenty-two artists drawn from London’s West End. Wilson comments: ‘I love the connective tissue of the piece; the scene-change music; the ballet; the songs that sometimes get cut; the underscoring. And when so many vastly different new versions are appearing on stage; it’s more important than ever that we have a document of the actual source material.’

REVIEWS:

Of course, this isn’t a remake: it’s a 21st-century Oklahoma! that treats this score with the respect due to a masterpiece and the full-blooded emotional engagement demanded by a living work of art. You wouldn’t mistake it for a live theatrical performance; the singers and orchestra are too skilfully balanced for that. But the revelation of Bennett’s full orchestral palate, the generosity of the singing, and the effortless verve of the Sinfonia’s playing more than compensates.

The original cast recording is already essential listening for anyone who loves Oklahoma! – and now this is, too.

-- Musicals Magazine

If most of the songs are either sweetly romantic or bouncing with energy, there is one section that approaches the darker side of the protagonists’ lives and that is Jud Fry’s solo that sums up his position as an outsider – ‘Lonely Room’ to which Clarke brings a sense of loss and he even gets to sing his own swan song in a duet with Curly for ‘Pore Jud is Daid’. I suppose Rodgers and Hammerstein left the best song for the end of the show, not that the rest of the score is anything but excellent. It is of course the title number, ‘Oklahoma!’ which brings the show to a magnificent finish and includes, naturally enough, an encore.

With every note from the original production, every scene change and every dance sequence included on John Wilson’s magnificently complete recording of Oklahoma!, who could want or ask for anything more?

-- MusicalTheatreReview.com

John Wilson proves an exceptional advocate, bringing to the piece the same expertise and mastery he would accord to the symphonic repertoire of which he has become an equally admired interpreter...An essential set for fans of the piece.

-- BBC Music Magazine

Better little than toovyl (*) - Vinyl. But what a vinyl! Granted; you could have added a gold border and numbered it; but I honestly forgot; and between you and me - does that even matter with TACET? Everybody knows it already. Sound at its best; Inspiring Tube Sound; side 2 even in TACET Playbackwards mode; and then only the music! When the cellos start very softly; so softly and tenderly that you feel all the melancholy; all the homesickness of Dvorák in the New World for his homeland; if you want to turn up the volume; no no; don't do that; at least not toovyl; you will hear why - have fun! * untranslatable German wordplay

My dream of recording all four of the Mozart horn concertos has been fulfilled at last. Little did I know that this long-held dream would come true in Cuba of all places and with a Cuban orchestra! I have learned so much about Cuban music and how to dance Mozart along the way and, as a result, feel changed as a person and as a musician", says Sarah Willis. With this album - subtitled La Bella Cubana - the Mozart y Mambo trilogy is complete. After two critically acclaimed albums, three documentary films, two international tours and fundraising to help support classical musicians in Cuba, Sarah concludes this adventure of a lifetime with the Havana Lyceum Orchestra and their conductor, José Antonio Méndez Padrón by recording Mozart's Concerto No. 4 with its famous final Rondo. Also on the album, three of her colleagues from the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Jonathan Kelly, Wenzel Fuchs and Stefan Schweigert, join her for more Mozart, performing the Sinfonia Concertante for four solo wind instruments and orchestra. Of course, no Mozart y Mambo album would be complete without the Sarahbanda ensemble, who once again fuse Mozart with Cuban dance rhythms in Rondo alla Rumba. And what better way to say goodbye than with the most famous Cuban song of all time, Guantanamera! Let the magic of Mozart y Mambo - this music, these musicians, their interpretation, their love for the project and for each other - get you up and dancing one more time!

This ninth volume of the Haydn 2032 series focuses on the composer’s psychological subtlety in its focus on a central work: his Symphony no.45, known as the ‘Abschieds-Symphonie’ (‘Farewell’ Symphony), composed in 1772. It is said to have got its nickname from a symbolic message Haydn conveyed to Prince Esterházy when he and his orchestra were required to stay longer than planned in the Prince’s summer residence. On the occasion of the symphony’s first performance, Haydn had arranged for the musicians to leave their places one by one during the final Adagio. The day after the concert, all the musicians were able to return to their families and bid farewell to the Prince, who had obviously taken the point of this poetic request for ‘liberation’ expressed in music. The programme is completed by Symphonies nos. 15 and 35 and a cantata sung by Sandrine Piau, the heart-rending ‘Berenice, che fai?’ on a text by Metastasio that was a real ‘hit’ of the eighteenth century, set by some forty composers. This limited and numbered edition contains two vinyl LPs along with an album of photos by Patrick Zachmann (Magnum Photos) and an unpublished text entitled Adieux by the Swiss writer Franz Hohler.

French iconic pianist and composer Baptiste Trotignon makes his return to the jazz trio sound, with an album dedicated to British pop. From the Beatles to Radiohead, Queen to the Rolling Stones, Baptiste Trotignon demonstrates his talents for arrangements by transforming the greatest melodies from a legendary repertoire; supported by Matt Penman on double bass and Greg Hutchinson on drums.

“BREXIT MUSIC is not a political album. But it holds in its title—which came to me long after the idea of the repertoire, an ultimately quite British taste for derision: in the end, art shall survive all social fads. I wanted a fresh, playful sound, groove, and a bit of humor. Both playful and well executed. The intense presence of Matt and Greg is a big part of it. Covering a popular song is common practice for jazz musicians, and like many others before me, I have often done it. Still, the idea of an entire album revolving exclusively around British pop music was not self-evident: it was a challenge to remain lively and "fun" without the lyrics. So I was left with the often simplistic material of these songs, even if most of them have been an exciting and joyful part of my teenage years.

And then, little by little, by digging mainly into the incredibly creative era of the 70s, I started to have fun, sometimes arranging the melodies with the language I am most familiar with and sometimes playing them as they are. The simple sound of the piano/double bass/drums acoustic jazz trio created the surprise. Jazz and pop musicians are often considered rivals. And yet, in both worlds, you can hear the same sublime violence and thirst for freedom. Jazz was a popular and revolutionary music long before the arrival of rock's exuberance. Its animality (which I love!) contrasted with jazz and its complex harmonies and rhythms. Why not try to combine the two? While keeping in mind that this form of loving and poetic resistance is common to ALL genres.” (Baptiste Trotignon, May 2023)

The troupe of the Comédie-Française pays tribute to Serge Gainsbourg in a musical show that has enjoyed great success. Six actors, singers and musicians from the company perform songs and excerpts from interviews: ‘We have focused on the amorous, sensual side of Gainsbourg. On the one hand, there’s the music, on the other, the man himself, with his repartee, his irreverent, subversive spirit... We have given pride of place to all his emblematic songs, which the younger generation doesn’t necessarily know.’ Stéphane Varupenne and Sébastien Pouderoux (the duo who adapted the words and music), Benjamin Lavernhe, Noam Morgensztern, Rebecca Marder and Yoann Gasiorowski ‘reinvent thirteen classics by the maestro, and it’s quite simply stunning’, wrote Le Figaro, which ranked the show as one of the must-sees of 2022. And here is the original cast album!

A “musical snapshot of the early collaboration between the Berliner Philharmoniker and myself, and at the same time the initial spark of our association”, as Kirill Petrenko describes the edition in the foreword. Three repertoire strands are outlined here: first, there is the music of Russia, which Kirill Petrenko grew up with, and is represented here by Tchaikovsky’s Symphonies No. 5 and 6. These are performances in which not only the passion and power of these works unfold fully, but also their details and fine nuances. Another of Kirill Petrenko’s interests is that of unjustly forgotten composers. As examples of this, the edition presents two composers on the cusp between late-Romanticism and Modernism: Rudi Stephan and Franz Schmidt. The latter’s Fourth Symphony is presented here: music full of sonority and pain and at the same time a favourite of Kirill Petrenko.

And then – as a further cornerstone of the partnership – there is German-Austrian Classicism and Romanticism. The importance of this repertoire to Kirill Petrenko is demonstrated by the prominent place Ludwig van Beethoven occupied in his concerts to open the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons, when the Seventh and Ninth Symphonies respectively were programmed. Both performances are also documented here. Now, for the first time, these special recordings appear in a high-quality vinyl edition limited to 1,500 copies on 6 LP with a 56-page clothbound accompanying book and the option of hi-res download.

A brand new recording by Supertramp saxophonist John Hellweill: Our selection of tunes is based on strong melodies from the fields of folk, jazz, rock, pop, and originals by Jasper and me. I suggested that we play three Supertramp tunes, as a lengthy part of my musical life has been centred around the music of Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson. I first heard Don’t Ever Leave Me played by Keith Jarrett. It’s such a beautiful, short and poignant melody that we decided to play four versions and have them act as “bookends” for our music. If you enjoy listening to this music half as much as we enjoyed playing it, our labours of love have succeeded!

From country music to rhythm and blues, Robin McKelle has made an entire career exploring the rich vastness of American music. With Impressions of Ella, McKelle returns to her traditional jazz roots and finds herself right at home. McKelle wisely eschews Ella’s scatting and note-bending style in favor of thoughtful arrangements and keen musicianship that revivify these timeless standards.

“For me, “Impressions of Ella” feels like a homecoming of sorts. Like a family reunion after years of separation. A reconnection with the music that fueled my most formative musical years and it was Ella Fitzgerald that left quite an impression. I admired the effortless way she made herself a part of the band, even though she was the star. Her powerful voice and explosive scat to the most delicate tones had me hooked. I wanted to celebrate her and the style of her sound but in doing so, keeping my own individuality.

To help bring her concept to life, McKelle enlists a brand new trio of venerated jazz players: Kenny Washington on drums, bassist Peter Washington, and NEA Jazz Master Kenny Barron on piano. “I wasn’t intimidated to make music with them, but [their] résumés were like, ‘Wow!’ [Am I] going to be good enough? Are we going to connect? The exciting thing was having the opportunity to sing over them as a trio; that was such a huge joy.” The bond between a vocalist and an accompanist is perhaps one of music’s most profound and extraordinary unions.

With Impressions of Ella, she doesn’t attempt to reinvent the wheel or limit her potential for creative expression. While it lauds our “First Lady of Song,” the album also marks an inevitable coming of age for McKelle’s career in jazz, as the fruits of her hard work and years of training finally ripen and bear fruit.

The second Maik Krahl Quartet album on Challenge Records. Joined on a few tracks by the visionary guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel. 180 grams audiophile vinyl.