Australian composer Mark John McEncroe’s SYMPHONIC SUITES NUMBER 1 & 2 – A MEDIEVAL SAGA is a classic adventure in orchestral music. Powered by McEncroe’s thematic style, these two symphonic suites lead the listener through a harrowing and dramatic story of ancient conflict and grandeur. Like a film score from the Golden Age Of Hollywood, McEncroe’s musical ‘storytelling’ is made clear by his powerful melodic material, which conjures the sweeping shots of a classic epic film in the listener’s imagination. The premise of McEncroe’s suites also recalls classic techniques, though, in this case, McEncroe picks up the centuries-old tradition of programmatic composition. Dating to the third decade of the nineteenth century, ‘program music’ is a genre in which wordless musical works are written to tell stories. Sometimes, these narratives are simple, but many nineteenth and twentieth century programmatic compositions have multiple scenes and characters. McEncroe’s suites fall into this more specific type of piece, and both succeed in conveying this intense detail of the composer’s thirteen-part story. Like the great programmatic works of the Romantic era, McEncroe’s Symphonic Suites are driven by strong melodic ideas that represent the primary characters and events that populate the musical story. These themes are memorable, clear, and, most impressively, thread the needle of being distinct enough so the listener can mark the difference between different characters or scenes, but not so inconsistent in their character that the momentum of the narrative is disrupted or lost. McEncroe is gifted at using melody to convey the mood and stakes of every point in his story, even in scenes that are relatively chaotic, complex, and nuanced. To this end, the sequence of the “Rising Discontent” and “Peasants Uprising” movements from Symphonic Suite No. 1 epitomizes McEncroe’s ability to clearly communicate abstract concepts (i.e. economic anxiety boiling over into populist revolt) with wordless musical storytelling. The two works on the album tell closely related stories, and both use a similar style of programmatic composition, which provides and opportunity to closely compare the manner and detail of McEncroe’s musical storytelling McEncroe’s heavily thematic style is reminiscent of other nineteenth century narrative works (i.e. Richard Wagner’s operas) and film scores from the Golden Age Of Hollywood to the present

English Suites is the title traditionally given to Bach's splendid collection of dances, assembled by tonality and preceded by a Prelude, probably dating form the second decade of the 1700's, perhaps before 1717. Forkel states that the suites were composed for an English nobleman, but adds nothing more. Recently, scholars have made various suggestions: some think that the word English, for thes epieces which Bach defined Preludes avec les Suites, BWV 806-811 have always been considered the worthy counterpart of the French Suites BWV, 821-827. Alessandra Artifoni, who already recorded for Dynamic the latter, two years later proposes their twin collection, using an instrument built by Tony Chinnery after Mietke, and Neidhardt temperament.

A unique collection of music arranged or expressly composed by Elgar for Military Band. Featuring music by some of his peers, notably Sir Thomas Beecham and Vaughan Williams, this new release includes two first recordings that are real gems: Elgar's With Proud Thanksgiving from 1920 and The Queen Alexandra Memorial Ode from 1932 with the London Symphonic Concert Band and the Joyful Company of Singers conducted by Tom Higgins.

In January 1920 Elgar began arranging, for Chorus and Military Band, a much-shortened version of ‘For the Fallen’ from his Spirit of England. These were wartime settings of verses by Laurence Binyon. This new version had been commissioned to be performed at the unveiling of the Cenotaph in London on 11 November 1920 and was arranged, for Military Band, by Frank Winterbottom. As it was, the ceremony at the Cenotaph was curtailed and Elgar’s music never performed. Although he arranged With Proud Thanksgiving for orchestral accompaniment, this is the first time the listener can hear how Elgar originally conceived the piece. Twelve years later Elgar set, for similar forces, a poem by John Masefield, the Poet Laureate, written to commemorate the unveiling of the memorial to the dowager Queen Alexandra who had died in 1925. Unfortunately, the arrangement for Military Band has been lost and conductor Tom Higgins has made his own arrangement especially for this recording. Arrangements of Pomp and Circumstance Marches two and five are also included as is the version for Military Band of Elgar’s Severn Suite from 1930 and his arrangement of two Bach Chorales originally performed from the top of the tower of Worcester Cathedral in 1911. Elgar’s contemporaries are represented by Vaughan Williams his well-known Sea Songs and the complex and challenging Toccata Marziale. The disc is completed by the premiere recording of Sir Thomas Beecham’s March from 1946 and Walton O’Donnell’s charming Three Humoresques from 1923.

After the phenomenal success of their Saxofolk debut album, the members of the Berlage Saxophone Quartet now explore entirely different terrain. Five famous composers who found themselves ad odds with the political circumstances of their times produced key works of great intensity viewed here from a completely new perspective in these virtuosic arrangements for four saxophones. In Search of Freedom advocates the freedom of art, which manages to survive even in situations of limited personal liberty. For various reasons Hanns Eisler, Kurt Weill, and Erwin Schulhoff fell into disfavor under the National Sociality regime. They sympathized with the Communist Party, some of them were of Jewish background, and they composed ''degenerate music'' - which in Germany had no future. While Weill and Eisler were very successful as exiles in the United States, the former on Broadway and the latter in Hollywood, Schulhoff got caught between the fronts and died in a concentration camp. Songs from Weill's Threepenny Opera and Eisler's Suite No. 6 are heard here along with Schulhoff's Five Pieces for String Quartet, which as a suite of popular dances ranging from the waltz to the tango seems to be quite remote from teh political sphere. Arvo Part earned his place of dishonor on the index of the Soviet authorities when he turned to music of religious and meditative character. Dmitri Shostakovich's dealings with the Soviet state apparatus were very ambivalent. It continues to be debated whether even his celebratory compositions were not perhaps already intended as caricatures. The Berlage Quartet's negotiation of its abrupt alternations between heartrending lament and ecstatic rhythm make this an unforgettable album.

This is the third album with original Baroque style compositions by Federico Maria Sardelli, musicologist and author, and founder/conductor of Modo Antiquo, the early music ensemble with which he made numerous first performances and recordings of unearthed works by Italian baroque composers, notably the operas by Antonio Vivaldi. He is a satirist and comical actor. One of his foremost passions however is composing, in the style and spirit of his beloved Baroque era. His works are not exercises in formal writing but the recreation of the daring originality and vibrant passion of the time, alive through the spirit of discovery. This new release presents works for the keyboard, Suites de pieces pour le clavecin, in the style of Couperin, Rameau and Royer. They are played by Sardelli's colleague, friend and amazin harpsichordist Simone Stella.

Whoever studies to be a pianist or guitarist has struggled at one point with a musical score by Anton Diabelli. Still well-known today as a composer of short teaching pieces, he was famous in his time for religious music. Maybe most importantly, he was one of the great publishers of his time, and contributed to the renown of Haydn, Mozart and Schubert. Published in 1823 as Opus 120, Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations are the highlight of his piano works. These variations are paired with Suite for Piano by South Korean composer and pianist Jeajoon Ryu. Won-Sook Hur is one of the most well-known pianists in Korea. Critics have said her playing sounds like “smooth waves.” After completing her degree from the College of Music at The Seoul National University, Korea, she went on to receive a degree from the Universitat fur Musik und darstellende Kunst in Wien, Austria. During her studies in Vienna she won several prizes, including first prize in the Valsesia International Piano Competition. Since 2014 she has released albums exclusively for DUX, which have included works by Rachmaninoff, Frank, Lee (world premiere recording), Ravel, Beethoven, and Ryu (world premiere recording).

The sensible and sophisticated pianist Rossella Spinosa faces the arduous task of performing the music of Giacinto Scelsi, a very special composer that grew within the Parisian scene influenced by Debussy, the generation of the Eighties, the Dodecafonia of the German school, and the esotericism of Skriabin, reaching (after traveling to the east in India and Tibet) his very personal idea of global spherical sound. So Scelsi became the interpreter of a new concept of sound that transcends the formal architecture almost renouncing to making music, becoming a link between the earthly world and cosmic forces. The result is music demanding great sensitivity and particular mood by both the performer and the listener, to whom is requested a total and religious immersion in the sound and vibrations of the world of Giacinto Scelsi. Rossella Spinosa holds degrees in piano, harpsichord, composition, and law. She also graduated with highest marks in Musicology. She is a winner of numerous national and international piano competitions, and has performed in the most prestigious halls in Italy and abroad.

In his autobiography, Igor Stravinsky wrote of his not having had an ''great liking'' for the combination of strings and piano. That there nevertheless are a number of chamber works by him featuring the violin is to a large extent due to the violinist Samuel Dushkin. The two were introduced to each other by Stravinsky's german music publisher who wanted to persuade him to compose a violin concerto. They obviously hit it off: their collaboration continued after the concerto had come into being in 1931, and they devised a recital programme to perform together on tours. The centrepiece was Duo concertant which Stravinsky completed in 1932 as his only original composition for violin and piano. Rather than looking for common ground between the two instruments, Stravinsky aimed to emphasize their individuality in a work that he himself claimed was ''determined by my love of the pastoral poets of antiquity and their scholarly art and technique''. The other pieces on this album are, with one exception, arrangements of Stravinsky's own works including The Firebird, Petrushka and Le rossignol. The majority were made for and in collaboration with Dushkin, but a few come from the 1920's and were intended for the violinist Paul Kochanski. One of these is the Suite for Violin and Piano, arranged from the ballet Pulcinella - material that Stravinsky revisited in the 1930's in order to make a new version for Dushkin. With this programme, and in the company of the eminent Russian pianist Peter Laul, the highly virtuosic and temperamental violinist Ilya Gringolts makes his return to BIS.

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REVIEW:

On this fine new BIS release, young Russian violinist Ilya Gringolts turns to music of Igor Stravinsky, featuring his two major works for violin and piano, the Duo Concertante and the Suite for Violin and Piano, among other works. All is played to perfection. Excellent, natural sonic picture. Recommended!

– Classical CD Review

This is a fabulous recital showcasing a stunning array of musical invention by the great shape-shifting composer of the 20th century. The engineers at BIS have deft hands when it comes to arranging microphones, and the presentation of the CD is especially fine with photogravure fern images on front and back. For fiddle or Stravinsky fans, this production is not to be missed.

– Audiophile Audition

The Japanese percussionst Kuniko turns to the cello suites and violin sonatas of J.S. Bach for her fourth solo studio recording with Linn. Arranged for solo marimba, Kuniko gives unique perspective of these hugely famous and intellectually challenging works. Her trademark is her highly sensitive touch, particularly with wooden instruments such as marimba, which gives these interpretations an extremely stripped-down yet natural, organic feel. The beautiful acoustic of the medieval Jaani Kirik in Estonia creates the ideal sound space for Kuniko's arrangements. Kuniko is a solost who is recognized around the world for her astonishing virtuosity, exquisite musical insight and expressive yet elegant performance style. She is renowned for her flawless technique when playing both keyboard and percussion instruments, which blends seamlessly with her profound musical intelligence.

In celebration of Leonard Bernstein’s centenary (1918-2018), this recording features the composer’s complete solo piano works, plus, as special bonus, the witty and charming “Bridal Suite” for piano four-hands, heard here in its first complete recording. In addition to the better known “Anniversaries”, “Sonata for the Piano”, and “Touches”, Andrew Cooperstock has included Leonard Bernstein’s very first published work, the highly effective transcription of Aaron Copland’s orchestral tone poem “El Salón México”, together with the “Four Sabras”, “Non troppo presto”, and “Music for the Dance, No. II”. The recording encompasses music from the composer's teenage years through his last piano composition, “Touches”, and includes music Bernstein dedicated to friends and colleagues including Lukas Foss, Sergei Koussevitzky, William Schuman, William Kapell, and Stephen Sondheim. The distinguished pianist Andrew Cooperstock is Professor of Piano at the University of Colorado Boulder.

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REVIEWS:

Superbly played by Andrew Cooperstock and with Bridge’s usual fine production standards this is a very fine collection of rarely heard works by one of the 20th century’s key musical figures.

– MusicWeb International

Bridal Suite (1960) was written to mark the marriage of the lyricist Adolph Green, one of his collaborators on On the Town and Wonderful Town, and the actress Phyllis Newman. The opening Prelude is a hoot, blending Ave Maria with ‘Just in time’ and Bach’s Prelude in C major. The collection is scored for piano four hands, which Cooperstock, brilliant and sensitive throughout the set, manages deftly.

– Gramophone

There was controversy when Alessandro Taverna won bronze at the Leeds International Competition in 2005 - many people thought he should have been awarded the gold. Since then, he's gone from strength to strength, as amply proved by this Medtner album on Somm, which features three of the composer's 14 sonatas - the Reminiscenza, the Romantica and the Minacciosa. The Reminiscenza and Romantica are both exemplary in their dynamic, emotional and architectural control. The Minacciosa's climactic fugue is breathtaking.'' (The Guardian, February 2015) The Guardian's was one of many warm reviews for Alessandro Taverna's debut album on SOMM. His playing on this second album attests to Taverna's close affinity to the music of Debussy and Ravel. He possesses a mesmerising palette of colors ranging from a seductive, ethereal touch in Ondine to ferocity and thrust in Scarbo - and what great brilliance and dynamism he brings to La Valse and I'isle Joyeuse!

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REVIEW:

The Debussy Images are beautifully paced. This is utterly unshowy playing too, which suites the Images well. His L'isle joyeuse is impressive, his technique again utterly in service of the music, resulting in playing that is both lithe and transparent. His Ravel La valse makes a fine finale, full of shimmering delicacy and filigree (with some fantastic glissandos), alive to the darkness of this corrupted dance.

– Gramophone

Gilbert Rowland is one of Europe's most senior and accomplished exponents of the harpsichord. Following his critically acclaimed 6-album series of the Harpsichord Suites of Handel for Divine Art, he presents the equally fine but lesser known Suites by Mattheson, writtein in 1714. For this album he moves to the Athene imprint specializing now in baroque music and ''period'' instruments. Mattheson was a prodigious composer, conductor and was a friend of Handel, though the two did come to blows in the midst of an opera performance. His work follows the traditional ''dance suite'' format with small variations and is a fine example of excellent baroque music which was not perhaps promoted enough in its own time and is only now once again being rediscovered and appreciated.

This recording revives long-forgotten sonorities that once would have been very familiar: the sound of piano and organ being played together. It also presents a Sibelius premiere: the arrangement by Sigfrird Karg-Elert of the suite from ''Pelleas and Melisande''. As the popularity of domestic music-making grew through the nineteenth century, it brought first the piano and, then, often the harmonium into well-off living rooms across the western world. Composers naturally responded, with original works and arrangements: Sibelius' Andante catabile was written after a visit to relatives who had both instruments in their salon. Karg-Elert, by contrast, was one of the world's outstanding virtuosi on both harmonium and organ and composed with his concert public in mind. Annikka Konttori-Gustafsson has appeared as a soloist, chamber musician and Lied pianist in her native Finald, of course, but in concert halls across the world, performing a wealth of Finnish music and French twentieth century repertoire. Dr. Jan Lehtola is one of the most successful and progressive Finnish organists of his generation. He has given more than 150 world and regional premieres and can be heard on more than 30 commercial recordings.

In this second volume of his revelatory exploration (Volume 1 is on 8.572185), admired instrumentalist Gunter Herbig continues to trace the guitar’s flourishingculture in New Zealand. Bruce Paine’s deft pieces embrace the lyrical, mystical and dance-like, whilst David Farquhar- whose beautiful transcriptions of Bartok’s For Children are also included- is represented at his most haunting and forward-looking in Five Scenes. Color saturates John Elmsly’s Suite and John Rimmer captures the extraordinary atmosphere of the island of Hauturu, performed here in Herbig’s own exquisite arrangement. Gunter Herbig was born in Brazil and grew up in Portugal and Germany. Influenced by such different cultures and aesthetic languages, he has developed a highly personal, charismatic, and expressive style of playing and performance, which sets him well apart from his contemporaries. The balance of Brazilian sensuousness, Portuguese intense passion and German intellect and finesse are the hallmark of his playing. His performance and interpretation philosophy centers on the personal and subjective approach to music as a direct way to create an even triable between the composer, the performer, and the audience and puts the sense of musical adventure and exploration back on stage. His dynamic and expressive sense of adventure has made him an audience favorite on the concert platform wherever he goes and has won universal praise from ciritics in the international music world. In his distinguished teaching career, Gunter Herbig led the guitar departments of Auckland University for over twenty years and was Head of Chamber Music at the New Zealand School of Music in Wellington.

Released in 2016 - the 150th anniversary of the birth of Erik Satie - the first volume of the series was warmly greeted by reviewers worldwide, who paised the clarity of Noriko Ogawa's interpretations as well as teh crystalline sound of her chosen instrument, an Erard grand piano from 1890. Like its predecessor, this second instalment takes in music from different phases of the composer's career, including the very early Three Sarabandes from 1887. A few years later Satie became involved with an esoteric society called ''The Catholic Rosy Cross of the Temple and the Grail'' for which he composed works such as the Sonneries de la Rose+Crois. Throughout his life, Satie identified strongly with children and famously said of himself that he ''came into the world very young, in an age that was very old''. In 1913, during what is often termed his ''humorous'' period he composed the four sets of children's pieces included on this album. Hailing from the same period are the two sets of ''Flabby preludes for a dog'' as well as the suite Sports et divertissements. Often regarded as one of the finest examples of Satie's art, this consists of a prelude and 20 musical snapshots depicting different sports and leisure activities, including golf, fishing and dancing. The suite was first published as a collector's album, accompanied by illustrations by Charles Martin and Satie's own prose poetry and calligraphy.