Classical Music

Classical Music

Includes suite of medieval carols by various composers. Ensemble: Solid Brass. Soloists: David Sampson, Barry Browner, Charles Olsen, Elizabeth DiSavino, Hans Muller (Trombone), Hugh Eddy, Carl Della Peruti, Jeffrey Caswell, Kyle Turner, Adrienne Wilcox, Douglas Haislip.

In the pieces under this title, I sought to convey the complexity of our relation with the Divine. Inner Temple is that sacred place in our soul, heart and mind which contains the most precious spiritual treasures of each of us, a kind of a personal Holy of Holies. The Day of Atonement for all Jews is the most important, somber annual Holiday, a day of reflection, during which we ask Almighty’s forgiveness (and people’s forgiveness) for all our transgressions, mistakes and misdeeds during the past year. The two movements of this composition are filled with ritualistic fervor, with intensity of the searching spirit, and the mystery of connection to the Divine through repentance. At the very end of the 2nd movement, there is a moment of light – a token of forgiveness.

–Alla Elana Cohen

The third protagonist of the series MUSIC & WORDS by Facundo Agudín and Musique des Lumières, in collaboration with Ibs Classical, is the Russian-American writer of Jewish origin Joseph Brodsky (1940-1996), winner of the 1987 Nobel Prize. Musique des Lumières has commissioned six works from five composers from very different backgrounds who, inspired by Brodsky’s texts, use music to honour this uncompromising intellectual and key figure in world literature.
On The Brodsky Album, Facundo Agudín and Musique des Lumières present six works commissioned and composed between 2020 and 2022 of homogeneous aesthetics. In particular, the vocal delivery seems to reflect the immensity of the Russian’s poetic lyricism. Two of them, Brodsky, Vivaldi and Stravinsky by Pablo Ortiz and Barcarolle oubliée by Joan Magrané fixate on one of the pinnacles of his literature: Watermark. Christmas Ballad by Andreas Pflüger and Nativity by Pablo Ortiz recall Brodsky’s peculiar penchant for writing Christmas texts from his personal identity as a creator. A Song by Hinako Takagi values the polyphony and rhythm of his poetic language and, finally, The Saints and the Aint’s by Paul Suits sets to music relevant physical and temporal spaces present in the work of the poet, essayist, and translator who is considered one of the greatest literary figures of the Soviet era.

The Choir of HM Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace build on the tradition established by it's historic forebears of cradling new church music, with a programme of music for Advent, Christmas and the Epiphany featuring seven premiere recordings alongside new interpretations of more established repertory that has become embedded in the musical heritage at the Palace. The album features music by composers including Philip Moore, Andrew Carter, William Mathias, Martin Hindmarsh, David Willcocks and Francis Grier.

The Trio Cénacle was founded in 2015 by German soprano Evelyn Czesla, Dutch bass-baritone Nico Wouterse and Luxembourgish pianist Michèle Kerschenmeyer. The name Cénacle refers to Le Cénacle de Victor HUGO, a changing group of artists who met between 1827 and 1830 in the house of Victor Hugo to perform their latest works to each other, as was customary in the 19th century. This period is generally considered to be the birth of French Romanticism in literature. In the relatively short time since the formation of the trio, the musicians have accomplished various extraordinary projects: Commissioned by the Luxembourg Ministry of Culture, the Luxembourg composer Marco Pütz composed a composition entitled A Vianden in 2017, which he dedicated to the Trio Cénacle. The composition was premiered by the trio in October 2017 at the Philharmonie Luxemburg. In 2018 the label "Profil Edition Günter Händler" released the trio's first CD with songs by the Trier composer Georges Schmitt (1821 - 1900). In the summer of 2020, a film adaptation of the composition A Vianden was made in collaboration with the film director James Chan-A-Sue. The premiere of the film took place in the presence of HRH Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg and the Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Mr Jean Asselborn. The premiere in Vianden Castle was exactly on the 200th anniversary of the poem A Vianden. The film Victor Hugo - A Vianden was nominated in 2022 by the international film festivals Beyond the curve, The Soho London independent film festival and the Heart of Europe, international monthly film festival, which also selected the film as Best Short Art Movie. During the 2021/2022 season, the Trio Cénacle presented a weekly series on the song, entitled On wings of song, on the Luxembourg culture and news channel Radio 100,7.lu. A new CD recording Joy, joy - For Christ is born with international Christmas carols has been released for Christmas 2022. A co-production with the Calamus Reed Quintet and arranger and composer Christopher Meux. The next CD will be released in spring 2023 with songs based on texts by Victor Hugo, supplemented by quotes from Hugo, spoken by the Luxembourgish actor Pitt Simon.

Christmas carols have a universal appeal stemming from the tradition of music being played; sung; re- arranged and rewritten by different generations in many different countries and over a number of centuries. Louis Halsey’s Nova! Nova!; a collection of new arrangements of many of the most well-known and beautiful carols from as far back as medieval times; represents perhaps the largest collection of carols by a single composer for many years. Hertfordshire Chorus and David Temple have recorded 24 of these carols in this beautifully presented new collection; including English; German; French; Czech; Basque; Welsh and Irish melodies. “What I love about Louis Halsey’s arrangements is that they are both tasteful and simple; allowing the beauty of each carol to shine through. We are thrilled to share these with a wider audience with this new recording.” David Temple

“A heartfelt and joyous contemplation of the sweet Infant Jesus lying in the manger...“ - this quote by the songwriter Johann Rist gives us the theme for the collection of Christmas music by Werner Fabricius. The conductor of the ensemble La Protezione della Musica, Jeroen Finke, put together a cross-section of Werner Fabricius’ music focusing on Christmas music. Besides of a number of more intimate song settings for the Christmas festivities and some dance movements, he focuses on the two large vocal-instrumental compositions in Festo Nativitatis Christi from Fabricius’ most important work.

“The music of Christmas Tidings consists of new settings of some familiar words and other entirely original tracks that I have written over many years.” (Brian Knowles) “Brian Knowles has a wonderful gift of melody. All his pieces are full of character showcasing his gift for marrying text and music to create songs that are a joy to sing and a delight to listen to. This album contains pieces in a variety of different styles and moods, attractive and deeply moving new carols full of invention and insight and others that bring a welcome freshness and life to traditional texts. No doubt, it will enrich and invigorate your Christmas for years to come.” (David Ogden)

This joyful new release is a showcase of Christmas songs for voice, reed, and piano. Encompassing a wide range of Christmas music from traditional sacred songs to modern pieces like White Christmas, this album is sure to have something for every Christmas lover. Founded in Luxemburg in spring of 2015, the Trio Cénacle dedicates itself to keep on searching to new possible interpretations of the art of lied performing. They are joined by the talented and accomplished Calamus Reed Quintet.

The Ebor Singers, with director Paul Gameson, returns to the Resonus Classics label with an album of American Christmas music. The contemporary American Christmas choral tradition is a remarkable confluence of stylistic confluences, sacred and secular, which reflect the country’s cultural vibrancy more so than other times of year. Featuring works from composers including Morten Lauridsen, Eric Whitacre, Stephen Paulus, Susan LaBarr, Abbie Betinis, Timothy C. Takach, Jake Runestad, Matthew Culloton, René Clausen, Alfred Burt, Dan Forrest and Melissa Dunphy, the ensemble is joined by harpist Rachel Dent and oboist Jane Wright.

Another Christmas Record? God knows there are enough of them on the already confusing market of sentimentalities, curiosities and new acoustic interpretations of the end-of-year spectacle. Or are there? Well, more or less. But one has been missing so far! It's the melange that tastes good to us, and it's the weighing of the different spices that we have concocted into our own Christmas ornaments and now hang on what could more or less be a tree. With something on it that could be more or less tinsel. With presents under the tree that can't be clearly reduced to a single wish list either, because, dear Christ Child, you have so many possibilities! And so do we, more or less!

Six musicians in a symphony orchestra and a singer in musical theatre are at home here, but you don't want to stay at home permanently and exclusively. So they go there, wander off into more distant genres or stick to their last. Or at least seven different ones. And write seven different wish lists. And condense them into one in which each individual is reflected.

How science and art cross-fertilize can be studied in the city of Göttingen in the late 18th century. Founded in 1734, the university there is not one of the oldest in Germany, but it is still one of the most popular. And it brought a heyday precisely in music as well. Johann Friedrich Schweinitz was one of the first law students in Göttingen; he had previously been a member of the Bach Collegium musicum in Leipzig and had personally experienced the old Johann Sebastian. In general, he was probably more interested in music than in law and made it his task to coordinate the Göttingen university music and to lead it to its peak, for which he also worked diligently as a composer.

The Christmas Cantata is one of his greatest works, and the influence of Bach as a role model can be felt in them. His successors expanded the stylistic spectrum, and thus, supplemented by symphonic works, a colorful picture of Göttingen's musical life on the threshold from the Baroque to the Classical era emerges.

When we make ourselves comfortable at home with the children at the most wonderful time of the year, songs can't be missing, of course. And the time until Christmas also passes much faster with melodies to listen to and sing along with. On this release, the Kinderchor SingsalaSing and the Ulmer Spatzen Chor present reimaginings of favorite Christmas songs, including Still, still, still, Ding Dong Merrily On High, Stille Nacht, and many more. These are songs for children, sung by children, which can also be enjoyed by young and old alike.