Violinist Sylvia Huang has drawn inspiration from nature since her childhood, marvelling at it's beauty, it's cycles and it's subtle harmony. Her Ode to Mother Nature project is designed to raise awareness of the fragility of all living things. Pianist Boris Kusnezow partners Sylvia on this musical journey, which celebrates the cycle of the seasons with works by Gabriel Dupont, Lili Boulanger, Dora Pejacevic, Edvard Grieg, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Camille Pepin and Eugene Ysaye. Each piece highlights an aspect of one of the seasons, as well as the deep connection between music and nature. Through this music Sylvia invites us to appreciate the deep bond that unites humanity to it's environment, and the urgent need to protect it.

Toivo Kuula (1883-1918) is one of the many composers who died at a tragically young age - 34 in his case: he was hit by a bullet fired after a brawl at a victory celebration at the end of the Finnish Civil War. The immediacy of the music he wrote during his short life points to the immensity of the loss not only to Finnish culture but to music more generally - as this second album of two, presenting his entire output of songs for solo voice and piano, makes abundantly clear. The range of moods captured here is striking; the most passionate of these songs generate an operatic intensity in their short span, in a style that balances directness of expression and rich late-Romantic harmonies.

L'Appel du Cor / The Call of the Horn (Works for Horn and Piano) - Beyond Stereotypes. The stereotype of the French is well known, it is a man with a beret on his head and a baguette under his arm. The stereotypical image of the horn is the hunting horn, the only vision that the general public has of an instrument that they hear nearly every day but that they know so little. So why does horn player Herve Joulain title his new CD "L'Appel du Cor" (The Call of the Horn), why go into the field of cliche? First of all, the hunting horn is part of the history of the horn and it does not deny it. Then composers made this past, these origins, a source of musical inspiration. Whether rustic, thunderous, or poetic, they have made the softened, the 'tayaute', also the 'debuche de la plaine' and the famous 'halali' the material of their musical writing for the modern horn. Some of the pieces performed by Herve Joulain could be wrongly described as minor works, specific to the 'conservatory end-of-year competitions'. Here the horn player's playing shows us that they are far from it and deserve to be played and listened to. Thus, from Busser to Bozza, from Pugno to Planel, Herve Joulain's horn takes us on a journey among dreams and lullabies, legends and whims, right up to the feminine vision that composer Elsa Barraine has for the horn in her brass band. The horn player Herve Joulain and the pianist Fanny Azzuro interpret these works - some of which can be heard as premiere recordings - in a wonderfully musical way. - - - L'Appel du Cor (Werke fur Horn und Klavier) - Jenseits von Stereotypen. Das Klischee uber die Franzosen ist allseits bekannt - ein Mann mit Baskenmutze auf dem Kopf und einem Baguette unter dem Arm. Das stereotype Bild des Horns ist das des Jagdhorns - die einzige Vorstellung, die die breite offentlichkeit von einem Instrument hat welches sie beinahe taglich hort, das sie aber doch so wenig kennt. Warum also betitelt der Hornist Herve Joulain seine neue CD "L'Appel du Cor" (Der Ruf des Horns), warum begibt er sich ins Feld der Klischees? Zunachst einmal ist das Jagdhorn Teil der Geschichte der Horner ansich, und dies soll auch keinsfalls verleugnet werden. Dann gestalteten die Komponisten genau diese Vergangenheit, diese Ursprunge zu einer neuen Quelle musikalischer Inspiration. Ob rustikal, donnernd oder poetisch, sie haben das Weiche, das "Tayaute", auch das "Debuche de la plaine" und das beruhmte "Halali" zum Material ihrer musikalischen Komposition fur das moderne Horn gemacht. Einige der von Herve Joulain aufgefuhrten Stucke konnten falschlicherweise als "kleinere" Werke bezeichnet werden, die spezifisch fur Vorspielabende an Musikschulen zum Jahresende sind. Hier zeigt uns das Spiel des Hornisten, dass diese Musik weit davon entfernt ist und es verdient, gespielt und gehort zu werden. So nimmt uns das Horn mit den Komponisten von Busser bis Bozza, von Pugno bis Planel mit auf eine Reise zwischen Traumen und Schlafliedern, Legenden und Launen, bis hin zu der "weiblichen Vision", die die Komponistin Elsa Barraine fur das Horn in ihrer Blaskapelle hat. Der Hornist Herve Joulain und die Pianistin Fanny Azzuro interpretieren diese - teils als Ersteinspielungen zu horenden Werke - in wunderbar musikalischer Art und Weise.

Preludes, dances, nocturnes and vibrant miniatures for guitar from the composer of the Concierto de Aranjuez. In the modern era, no single work embodies Spain in music more than the Concierto de Aranjuez, as Miles Davis effectively acknowledged by making his own version of it the centrepiece of his iconic Sketches of Spain album. However, Rodrigo wrote a good deal more for guitar than this ever-popular concerto. There are four more concertos, and over 20 solo works. The solo works span the entire breadth of his long career, from the Zarabanda lejana of 1926 to Dos pequen�as fantasias (Two Little Fantasies of 1987. Rodrigo always drew on history and heritage rather than rejecting them, and many of these pieces take their inspiration from the lute and vihuela compositions of the Spanish renaissance. There is often a self-consciously antique flavour to both the gestures and harmonies. Yet many other pieces belong unmistakably to their time - such as the gripping and virtuosic Toccata of 1933, which remained hidden among the papers of the guitarist Regino Sainz de la Maza until 1997, when it was performed for the first time. Rodrigo's period of high maturity as a composer fell in the 50s and 60s, and from this period date the high points of his solo-guitar catalogue, such as the Tres piezas espa�olas, dedicated to Segovia, the haunting Junto al Generalife, the complex Triptico, and most of all the Invocacion y danza (homenaje a Manuel de Falla), which rapidly became a repertoire piece for guitarists after Rodrigo wrote it in 1961 for a composition competition organised by French radio. The Italian guitarist Giulio Tampalini has made several acclaimed albums for Brilliant Classics, such as a collection of the complete guitar music by Respighi and Mozzani. 'If you have ever had even the slightest inclination towards the guitar, you have to hear this this album. It is simply breathtaking. This is a guitar album for the ages, and I hope that Tampalini and Brilliant Classics will see fit to give us more.' (Fanfare, September 2017)

The musical interests of Ludwig Guttler know no borders, but the festivity of Christmas in all it's magic is particularly close to Guttler's heart: "I want to bring a selection to the audience that does justice to the occasion and the wonderful music that was created for it," says Guttler about his motivation for the many Christmas editions he was part of in his career. The four best-selling Christmas albums of recent years are presented in this 4 CD Edition, with highlights of popular and heartwarming music for the most atmospheric time of the year

Maurice Steger, the virtuoso and world-renowned recorder player and conductor Conductor, has arranged works by Johann Sebastian Bach for recorder and orchestra for his new album with the La Cetra Basel has arranged works by Johann Sebastian Bach for recorder and orchestra.

Compositional shadow play, philosophical unfolding: the piano etudes by Pascal Dusapin are far more than technical studies for aspiring pianists. Pianist Wataru Hisasue now releases a GENUIN album with works by Dusapin. Hisasue was not only successful at the 2025 Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels but also received a special award at the ARD Music Competition for his interpretation of Dusapin's "Did it again", which he now presents here as a world premiere recording. The young pianist devotes himself to the oscillating, almost magical sonic ramifications of the French composer at the highest technical and tonal level. A must-hear!

The Christmas compilation 'Sind die Lichter angezundet' brings together the most beautiful and time-honoured treasures from the Eterna archive on two CDs. Available on CD for the first time ever, the album offers numerous recordings from the 1950s to the 1970s, with a focus on children's, youth and boys' choirs. The most beautiful and best-known Christmas melodies are contrasted with regional carols, rarely performed and recorded works and almost unknown gems - the perfect comprehensive and varied musical accompaniment to the Advent season and Christmas Eve.

Step into a world of musical elegance with this release featuring solo piano interpretations of the most famous compositions by J.S. Bach. This album is a celebration of Bach's genius, showcasing the intricate beauty and emotional power of his work through the expressive medium of solo piano. Performed by Tim Allhoff who has collaborated with an impressive array of musicians and ensembles, including Larry Grenadier, Jeff Ballard, Robbie Williams, Jules Buckley, Vision String Quartet, and many more, this collection promises to deliver a rich listening experience that bridges tradition and innovation. Each piece is thoughtfully crafted to highlight the depth and complexity of Bach's compositions, making them accessible and captivating for both seasoned listeners and newcomers alike.

David Matthews and Peter Sheppard Skaerved have been collaborating on a series of works for violin and viola for many years now, with Matthews setting Sheppard Skaerved formidable technical challenges, and Sheppard Skaerved surprising Matthews by finding a way to overcome the difficulties in his path. Behind all the pyrotechnics, this partnership is generating one of the largest, and most musically rewarding, body of compositions for violin and viola by any living composer. Many of Matthews' pieces record his experience of nature or offer tributes to friends, with the works heard in this third volume also tracing a journey from darkness to light.

One of Saxony-Anhalt's oldest and most tradition-rich orchestras presents a compelling combination of two major orchestral works on GENUIN, marking the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus's relocation from Weimar to Dessau: the Anhaltische Philharmonie of the Bauhaus city Dessau, under it's general music director Markus L. Frank, pairs Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition (in Ravel's orchestration) with Feininger Fractals by Eisenach-born composer Thomas Buchholz (b. 1961) - two orchestral works closely connected to visual art. The finely spun textures of Buchholz, who in this work engages with Bauhaus master Lyonel Feininger, and the endless colors of Mussorgsky/Ravel are in the best hands with this Dessau ensemble. Magnificent but not pompous, virtuosic yet full of meaning, the orchestra plays with intelligence and nuance under it's chief conductor.

Tenor Richard Resch presents a moving Christmas album that explores the season's deeper meaning through sacred and folk music. Named after Jochen Klepper's powerful Advent hymn, the album traces the symbolic journey from darkness to light, weaving together Baroque masterpieces, traditional carols, and lesser-known gems from across Europe. With works by Rosenmuller, Briegel, Graupner, Buxtehude, and others, the recording offers a musical meditation on hope, faith, and the light born at Christmas. Highlights include the mystical Maria durch ein Dornwald ging, the Byzantine chant Miladuka, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Von guten Machten-a testament to trust in the darkest of times. For Richard Resch and his ensemble, this album is both personal and profound. "These pieces remind us that Christmas is not just a tradition-it's a message of light in the midst of night."

From the outset, Sir Simon Rattle's conducting career has been marked by a spirit of innovation and renewal - and contemporary music in all it's facets continues to play a significant role in his work. So it was only natural that, upon taking up his post as chief conductor of the Bavarian Radio Chorus and Symphony Orchestra, he should dedicate a concert to musica viva. The programme featured the world premiere of Vito �uraj's "Automatones" as well as Luciano Berio's "Coro". Sir Simon Rattle has conducted the latter piece several times before, but this performance marks the first recording under his baton. This is due to the unique demands that the composition places on recording technology: choir singers and orchestra musicians are positioned in pairs on the podium to overcome the visual and acoustic separation of choir and orchestra voices. This presented a particular challenge to the Bavarian Radio recording team, but they rose to it successfully, as can be heard on the new CD from BR-KLASSIK. Composed between 1975 and 1976, Luciano Berio's "Coro", for forty voices and orchestra, takes anonymous folk poems by the Sioux, the Navajo and the Zuni, as well as song texts from Polynesia, Peru, Croatia, Venice, Piedmont, Chile, and the Song of Solomon - all of them reflecting the deeply human urge for freedom - and combines them with the moving poetry of Pablo Neruda, whose death coincided with the bloody suppression of the Allende democracy in Chile by Augusto Pinochet in September 1973.

Composer Helge Burggrabe presents his release entitled HAGIOS as an album for reverie and reflection. The musical spectrum of this collection of songs ranges from devout silence to powerful songs of jubilation. Memories of Romantic songs are often recalled when the Elbcanto vocal ensemble and the pianist Christoff Fankhauser sensitively immerse themselves in the compositions, some of which are in canon form. With a lightness that summons the music of the spheres, the musicians open up an imaginary space, a sonorous prayer that encourages pause for thought, reflection and participation. "My personal memories all lead back to the voice of my mother. The songs she sang me in the evenings when I went to bed, and as I fell asleep, gave me comfort and a sense of audible security," recalls Burggrabe. His HAGIOS song collection is meant to convey precisely that "audible security"; moments of personal devotion that are perceived as sacred and curative. With those childhood memories in mind, Burggrabe went in search of the secret power of song for his HAGIOS album. What he has found are melodies that in some cases are centuries old: monks of all faiths have always cloaked themselves in song in order to find peace and quiet. Consequently, for HAGIOS Burggrabe has arranged Gregorian chant alongside Taize hymns, as well as the eponymous Hagios ho Theos (Holy is God) from the Orthodox liturgy. Helge Burggrabe was born in Magstadt in 1973 and sang to his heart's content as a child. After studying in Hamburg, he quickly established himself throughout Europe as a composer of contemporary church music. He achieved his career breakthrough in 2006 with the oratorio to the Virgin Mary Stella Maris to mark the millennium celebrations for the cathedral at Chartres. His work Lux in Tenebris, a commissioned work to mark the 1200th anniversary of the diocese of Hildesheim, was premiered very recently.

Peter Schreier is one of the legendary tenors of the twentieth century. The foundation for his exceptional 60-year career is his intensive involvement with Protestant church music, whether as a boy alto of the Dresden Kreuzchor at a young age, or later as an outstanding evangelist. The music of Johann Sebastian Bach is the linchpin of his career. The tenor is accompanied by the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra conducted by Erhard Mauersberger, Johann Sebastian Bach's 14th successor as cantor of the Thomaskirche in Leipzig. For the first time, this album is now released on CD.