Membre du Big Band de Claude Bolling depuis 1978, le talentueux saxophoniste et clarinettiste Claude Tissendier a ete un temoin privilegie de la carriere du pianiste et chef d'orchestre. Ces annees de collaboration et une connaissance intime du repertoire bollingien, conferent a son hommage une authenticite rare. Avec Swingin' Bolling Tissendier s'affirme comme un passeur de memoire, un gardien du temple swing, qui perpetue a merveille l'esprit et la lettre de l'oeuvre du chef. Augustin BONDOUX / Patrick FReMEAUX The talented saxophonist/clarinet-player Claude Tissendier has been a member of the Claude Bolling Big Band since 1978, and so a privileged witness to his leader's career as a pianist and conductor. During those years of collaboration, Tissendier has gained an intimate knowledge of the band's repertoire that lends rare authenticity to his tribute here. With "Swingin' Bolling", Tissendier shows himself to be a perfect messenger filled with memories and also one of the best guardians of the temple of Swing. This record wonderfully perpetuates the spirit and the letter of the works of "the Chief." Augustin BONDOUX / Patrick FReMEAUX BOWLING GREEN - LET'S SWING IT - TRADE MARK - BIG GOLDEN PIPE RHAPSODY - THE KEY - SAX SPECIALTIES (SAX SPECIAL TISS) - GENTLE GIRL - FEED THE CATS - MAIN DE FER ET GANT DE VELOURS - LA COMPLAINTE DES APACHES - PARIS EN BOUTEILLE - SOFT CALL - KEEP SMILING - CITY LIFE. CLAUDE TISSENDIER SAXPHONE ALTO, ARRANGEMENTS eRIC LEVRARD SAXPHONE BARYTON PHILIPPE MILANTA PIANO PIERRE MAINGOURD CONTREBASSE ALAIN CHAUDRON BATTERIE FABY MeDINA CHANT (5 &10) TOUTES LES COMPOSITIONS SONT DE CLAUDE BOLLING

It is through a double CD that Musique en Wallonie is honoring the Belgian composer Lucie Vellere. When, in 1957, the jury (entirely male) of the International Composition Contest for Women Composers, organised by Grace Spofford and the American division of the Conseil international de femmes, awarded her a first prize, Lucie Vellere found herself, for the first in her life, in the public eye. She who had always cultivated discretion now aroused curiosity. Throughout her fifty-year compositional career, Vellere cultivated an art of the melodic line that one could liken to the curves of Art nouveau, which left their mark on many composers, among them the early Debussy of the Arabesques. While Franck and Faure are often cited as her aesthetic influences, the mature Debussy appears only as filtered through Jongen. Many of the references of pictorial, poetic and musical impressionism were adopted by the composer: the elements (earth, air, fire, water), landscapes, times and seasons (evening, moonlight, autumn), evocations of temporal or spatial distance (an indeterminate past, Antiquity, the Orient). Vellere strove also for a classical sobriety and sense of proportion. This recording highlights the composer's eclectic compositions, mixing work for voice and piano, string quartets and octets, women's choir and even piano music, a panorama of her compositions that will reveal several facets of her personality.

Taxe d'immoralite, condamne et censure, Baudelaire est, contre son temps, celui que Rimbaud definissait comme le premier voyant, roi des poetes, un vrai Dieu et don't l'influence perdure jusque chez nos artistes contemporains. Des Fleurs du Mal, son oeuvre maitresse, aux extraits de ses journaux intimes ou de Lettre a sa mere, les comediens tels que Jean-Louis Barrault, Jean Desailly et Pierre Blanchar redonnent vie a cet albatros le temps de quelques vers. Coralie IMMACOLATO & Patrick FReMEAUX Taxed with immorality, condemned and censored, Baudelaire was, against his time, the man Rimbaud defined as "the first seer, king of poets, a true God", whose influence endures even among our contemporary artists. From Fleurs du Mal, his masterwork, to excerpts from his diaries and Lettre a sa mere, actors such as Jean-Louis Barrault, Jean Desailly and Pierre Blanchar bring this albatross to life for the space of a few verses. Coralie IMMACOLATO & Patrick FReMEAUX CD1 : JEAN DESAILLY : L'ENNEMI - LES BIJOUX - LA CHEVELURE - LE BEAU NAVIRE - L'AMOUR DU MENSONGE - LA MORT DES AMANTS - ALAIN CUNY : LE SERPENT QUI DANSE - AVEC SES VeTEMENTS - ReVERSIBILITe - a UNE PASSANTE - SEMPER EADEM - LE MORT JOYEUX - JEAN MARCHAT : CORRESPONDANCES - PAYSAGE - LE CYGNE - LE VOYAGE - JEAN YONNEL : CHANT D'AUTOMNE - LA MUSIQUE - HARMONIE DU SOIR - LA BEAUTe - ANDRe FALCON : LE CHAT - PIERRE BLANCHAR : LE VIN DES AMANTS - SYMPT�MES DE RUINES - CONFITEOR DE L'ARTISTE - LA CHAMBRE DOUBLE - LE CRePUSCULE DU SOIR - LES FENeTRES - LE RENIEMENT DE SAINT-PIERRE. CD2 : ALEXANDRE RIGNAULT : LES CHATS - LE GUIGNON - L'ALBATROS - TU METTRAIS L'UNIVERS ENTIER DANS TA RUELLE - LE VAMPIRE - DANIEL LECOURTOIS : PARFUM EXOTIQUE - DON JUAN AUX ENFERS - eLeVATION - LE FLACON - LE JEU - SPLEEN I - SPLEEN II - SPLEEN III - JEAN-LOUIS BARRAULT : L'INVITATION AU VOYAGE - LE JET D'EAU - HENRI DOUBLIER : ePIGRAPHE POUR UN LIVRE CONDAMNe - a UNE MADONE - LA VIE ANTeRIEURE - LES PETITES VIEILLES - L'HORLOGE - UNE CHAROGNE - PIERRE BLANCHAR : MON COEUR MIS a NU - AU LECTEUR - LA FIN DE LA JOURNeE - LETTRE a SA MeRE - ANYWHERE OUT OF THE WORLD - FUSeES - MARIA CASAReS : RECUEILLEMENT. DIRECTION ARTISTIQUE : JEAN-BAPTISTE MERSIOL

On the snow-swept island of Skiathos, a miraculous Christmas Eve unfolds. Weaving together spoken word with song, this recording brings to life To Christ, at the Castle by the Dostoevsky of Greece, Alexandros Papadiamantis. Papa Frangouli and his flock brave treacherous seas and cliffs to reach a neglected sanctuary, where they kindle fires that illuminate ancient frescoes. But as the Divine Liturgy begins, shipwrecked sailors cry for rescue, demanding another act of courage. Composed by Kyriakos Kalaitzidis following the eight modes of Byzantine chant and sung in rhyming, fifteen-syllable Greek verse by author Vasiliki Nevrokopli, Christmas at the Castle tells an epic story: how a broken promise and unexpected adversity lead to redemption and celebrations of unforeseen grandeur on Christmas Eve.

Terra Nova, the second opus in the Poema series, explores themes of the search for meaning and the human experience. Alexander Shelley offers an interpretation of Strauss' Also sprach Zarathustra that highlights the fragile balance between light and darkness, knowledge and mystery, inspired by Nietzsche's eponymous book. Canadian composer Ian Cusson's work, 1Q84: Sinfonietta Metamoderna, resonates with Strauss' work by drawing parallels between the world views of the German author and Japanese author Haruki Murakami, writer of the novel 1Q84. The National Arts Centre Orchestra delivers a performance that transcends music to reflect on our humanity.

A une epoque ou la plupart des saxophonistes se coulaient dans l'ombre de Charlie Parker, Lee Konitz, fort de ses convictions, a su se tenir a distance et, irresistiblement, ouvrir les portes d'un univers musical d'une grande modernite en imposant une sonorite lisse et une grande intelligence melodique. Jean-Paul RICARD At a time when most saxophone players were slipping into Charlie Parker's shadows, Lee Konitz - a man of conviction - kept his distance and slowly, irresistibly, opened up the doors to a new universe of music: it was grand and modern, and Konitz imposed upon it a sound that had smoothness and showed great intelligence in it's melody. Jean-Paul RICARD CD 1 (1947-1954) : CLAUDE THORNHILL & HIS ORCHESTRA (Columbia 1947) : YARDBIRD SUITE - LEE KONITZ with LENNIE TRISTANO (Prestige 1949) : SUBCONSCIOUS-LEE - LENNIE TRISTANO SEXTET (Capitol 1949) : WOW - MARIONETTE - DIGRESSION - INTUITION - LEE KONITZ with LENNIE TRISTANO (Prestige 1949) : MARSHMALLOW - SOUND-LEE - MILES DAVIS & HIS ORCHESTRA (Capitol 1950) : MOON DREAMS - LEE KONITZ GROUPS (Prestige 1950) : REBECCA - YOU GO TO MY HEAD - ICE CREAM KONITZ - PALO ALTO - LEE KONITZ SEXTET (Prestige 1951) : YESTERDAYS - HI BECK - LEE KONITZ/BILLY BAUER DUO (Prestige 1951) : DUET FOR SAXOPHONE AND GUITAR - LEE KONITZ with GERRY MULLIGAN (Pacific Jazz 1953) : LADY BE GOOD - LOVER MAN - LEE KONITZ (Vogue 1953) : I'LL REMEMBER APRIL - LEE KONITZ QUARTET (Storyville 1954) : ABLUTION. CD2 (1954-1961) : STAN KENTON & HIS ORCHESTRA (Capitol 1954) - IN A HIGHER VEIN - LEE KONITZ QUARTETS (Storyville 1954) - NURSERY RHYME - FOOLIN' MYSELF - LENNIE TRISTANO QUARTET (Atlantic 1955) : THESE FOOLISH THINGS - LEE KONITZ with WARNE MARSH (Atlantic 1955) : BACKGROUND MUSIC - LEE KONITZ (Atlantic 1956) : ALL OF ME - LEE KONITZ QUINTET (Atlantic 1957) : FOOLIN' MYSELF - LEE KONITZ QUINTET (Verve 1957) : BILLIE'S BOUNCE - LEE KONITZ QUARTET (Verve 1957) : THE NEARNESS OF YOU - GERRY MULLIGAN (Pacific Jazz 1957) : DISK JOCKEY JUMP - LEE KONITZ with STRINGS (Verve 1958) : WHAT'S NEW? - LEE KONITZ meets JIMMY GIUFFRE (Verve 1959) : CORK 'N' RIB - LEE KONITZ (Verve 1959) : YOU DON't KNOW WHAT LOVE IS - LEE KONITZ (Verve 1961) : I REMEMBER YOU. DIRECTION COLLECTION : ALAIN GERBER, TEXTE : JEAN-PAUL RICARD, PRODUCTION DeLeGUeE : JEAN BUZELIN

Third album of the Akhtamar Quartet with Cypres, Origins combines classical and folk heritage with contemporary creation, inviting everyone to explore shared stories and universal emotions. Since it's creation, the Akhtamar Quartet has enjoyed intertwining classical and folk music and exploring different cultures. This approach is evident on each of it's albums, while promoting a contemporary composer (Eugenie Alecian for Legende armenienne, Cypres - CYP1681, and Judith Adler de Oliveira for Enluminures, Cypres - CYP1684). From Antonin Dvorak to Jelena Dabic, a Serbian composer born in 1982, the music becomes eternal poetry and transports us through the ages. This is an essential recording for chamber music lovers. It celebrates both the romantic heritage, embodied by Dvorak's mature style, and the opening up to a new generation of female composers. With Anzhamanak by Jelena Dabic, this contemporary piece offers a unique sound experience with original timbres and reveals the full expressive power of the Akhtamar Quartet.

Featuring the first recording of BRITTEN's Les Illuminations, Op. 18 sung in English, from a brand new translation by Timothy Ades. Also includes the original French version. Coupled with Samuel BARBER's dramatic masterpiece Knoxville: Summer of 1915, Op. 24, written just a few years after Les Illuminations. Among the most personal and powerful music ever written for the human voice, Britten and Barber's masterpiece settings of texts by Rimbaud and Agee continue to resonate intensely. Taken together, they form bookends to the cataclysms of the 20th century, with it's two life-shattering world wars. The colours, verbal and harmonic, of such human drama are a dazzling mix, running the gamut of life in dramatic flux. Mild mannered it is not, though parts are hauntingly beautiful.

Johann Sebastian Bach, though largely unaffected by the trends of his time, reimagined many older forms with striking originality, shaping the course of Western music. Among his innovations is the sonata for a melodic instrument (such as the viola da gamba) and obbligato harpsichord, where both parts engage in equal dialogue-a model later expanded by his sons and composers like Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. Following their acclaimed first album dedicated to Corelli's Sonatas Op. 5, Teodoro Bau and Andrea Buccarella now present their second duo recording: the Sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord by J.S. Bach, each revealing a unique stylistic approach within a unified form.

The Simply Mozart adventure, dedicated to his last three symphonies, comes to an end with this third volume and the 39th symphony. The programme also includes the overture to Cosi fan tutte ("a statement of the opera in miniature", according to Julien Chauvin) and the Sinfonia concertante for violin and viola. Composed one year after Mozart's second trip to Paris, the Sinfonia concertante was directly inspired by the Parisian practice of having several soloists enter into dialogue with the orchestra; this was very much in vogue at the end of the 18th century. "Mozart left his mark on us and on our hearts with it's second movement, one of the most poignant that he was ever to write," says Julien Chauvin; here his violin dialogues happily with the viola of Amihai Grosz, who has already made two recordings for Alpha Classics (ALPHA634 & 1013).

Le legendaire Chet Atkins fut bien plus que le guitariste emblematique de la country. Celebre virtuose au style fingerpicking unique, personnel, au son clair, subtil et irresistible il personnifia le mythe americain de la guitare. Monstre sacre surnomme Mr. Guitar il accompagna Elvis Presley et nombre d'autres; producteur influent, createur du son de Nashville, precurseur du surf rock, ce travailleur acharne a approche nombre de genres avec finesse et style : variete, blues, jazz, rock, musique gitane, classique et bien s�r country. La fameuse guitare electrique Gretsch Country Gentleman emprunta le nom d'une de ses morceaux et plusieurs modeles furent rebaptises Chet Atkins. Indispensable a tout amateur de guitare, la creme de ses eblouissants enregistrements en solo est reunie dans cette anthologie definitive de son age d'or concoctee et commentee par Bruno Blum. Patrick FReMEAUX The legendary Chet Atkins was much more than the emblematic country music guitar player. A guitar master and celebrity with a unique, subtle, sharp and clean sound, with a compelling fingerpicking style, he embodied the American guitar myth. A giant nicknamed Mister Guitar, he became a session man for Elvis Presley and hundreds more; an influential Producer who created the Nashville Sound and a precursor of surf rock, the hard-working Atkins involved himself in a number of genres with finesse and style: rock, pop, as well as blues, jazz, gypsy music, classical and, of course, country. The classic Gretsch Country Gentleman electric guitar was named after one of his tunes and several guitars were soon labeled the Chet Atkins models. Indispensable to any guitar lover, the cream of his dazzling solo recordings is packed into this definitive anthology of his golden age, concocted and annotated by Bruno Blum. Patrick FReMEAUX DISC 1 - 1946 -1952 : GUITAR BLUES - CANNED HEAT - STANDING ROOM ONLY - BUG DANCE - THE NASHVILLE JUMP - MY GUITAR IS MY SWEETHEART - I'm PICKING THE BLUES - BARNYARD SHUFFLE - DIZZY STRINGS - GALLOPING ON THE GUITAR - BARBER SHOP RAG - CENTIPEDE BOOGIE - MAIN STREET BREAKDOWN - BOOGIE MAN BOOGIE - INDIAN LOVE CALL - BIRTH OF THE BLUES - MOUNTAIN MELODY - HYBRID CORN - JITTERBUG WALTZ - ONE MAN BOOGIE - CRAZY RHYTHM - RAINBOW - IN THE MOOD - BLUE GYPSY - THE THIRD MAN THEME - SAINT LOUIS BLUES. DISC 2 - 1952-1956 : NOBODY'S SWEETHEART - LOVER, COME BACK TO ME! - BLACK MOUNTAIN RAG - IMAGINATION - PIG LEAF RAG - OH BY JINGO! - HELLO! MA BABY - COUNTRY GENTLEMAN - MEMPHIS BLUES - ALICE BLUE GOWN - TWELFTH STREET RAG - GEORGIA CAMP MEETING - DILL PICKLES RAG - BEAUTIFUL OHIO - FRANKIE AND JOHNNY - CARAVAN - MISTER SANDMAN - DANCE WITH ME HENRY - DARLING, JE VOUS AIME BEAUCOUP - TWEEDLE DEE - UNCHAINED MELODY - INTERMEZZO - TENDERLY - MINUTE WALTZ - MINUET - INDIAN LOVE CALL. DIRECTION ARTISTIQUE : BRUNO BLUM

La bossa nova est l'une des plus emblematiques des musiques populaires du XXe siecle. en plus d'avoir offert au grand repertoire quelques-uns de ses plus beaux fleurons elle a place la musique bresilienne sur le devant de la scene internationale. en parallele a son ouvrage, Alain Gerber selectionne 45 des oeuvres les plus emblematiques des debuts de la bossa nova entre Bresil et etats-Unis. Ant�nio Carlos Jobim, Jo�o Gilberto, Johnny Alf, Luiz Bonfa, Carlos Lyra et Baden Powell font echos a Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Brubeck et Sonny Rollins. Patrick FReMEAUX Bossa nova is one of the most emblematic forms of popular music of the 20th century. In addition to having given the great universal songbook some of it's finest jewels, it has placed Brazilian music at the forefront of the international scene. In parallel with his book, Alain Gerber has selected 45 of the most emblematic songs from the early days of bossa nova. Ant�nio Carlos Jobim, Jo�o Gilberto, Johnny Alf, Luiz Bonfa, Carlos Lyra and Baden Powell are echoed by Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Brubeck and Sonny Rollins. Patrick Fremeaux CD 1 - RIO DE JANEIRO : HEITOR VILLA-LOBOS : BACHIANA BRASILEIRA N� 5 - DICK FARNEY & LUCIO ALVES : TEREZA DA PRAIA - JOHNNY ALF : RAPAZ DE BEM - ANT�NIO CARLOS JOBIM & VINiCIUS DE MORAES : SE T�DOS F�SSEM IGUAIS A VOCe - LUIZ BONFA : LUZES DO RIO - JO�O GILBERTO : UM ABRAcO NO BONFa - ELIZETE CARDOSO : OUTRA VEZ - JO�O GILBERTO : CHEGA DE SAUDADE - DORIVAL CAYMMI : SAMBA DA MINHA TERRA - JO�O GILBERTO : SAMBA DA MINHA TERRA - TRIO CAMARA : MUITO A VONTADE - JO�O GILBERTO : HO-Ba-La-La - ELIZETE CARDOSO : SERENATA DE ADEUS - BADEN POWELL : SAMBA NOVO, Pt. 2 - BADEN POWELL : PARA NaO SOFRER - MAYSA (MATTARAZZO) : O BARQUINHO - SYLVIA TELLES : SE e TARDE ME PERDOA - JO�O GILBERTO : LOBO BOBO - SYLVIA TELLES : DISCUSS�O - JO�O GILBERTO : SAMBA DE UMA NOTA SO - JO�O GILBERTO : DESAFINADO - SYLVIA TELLES : CORCOVADO - CARLOS LYRA : COISA MAIS LINDA - CARLOS LYRA : MARIA NINGUeM - OS CARIOCAS : TUDO e BOSSA - SeRGIO RICARDO : MAXIMA CULPA - ANIBAL SARDINHA "GAROTO" : ALMA BRASILEIRA - OSCAR CASTRO-NEVES : AULA DE MATEMATICA. CD 2 - (QUELQUE CHOSE SUR L'AMeRIQUE DU NORD) : CURTIS FULLER : ONE NOTE SAMBA - DAVE BRUBECK : VENTO FRESCO - STAN GETZ & CHARLIE BYRD : e LUXO So - CAL TJADER : SE e TARDE ME PERDOA - SONNY ROLLINS : THE NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES - DIZZY GILLESPIE : DESAFINADO - BOB BROOKMEYER : CHORA TUA TRISTEZA - STAN GETZ : BIM BOM - ZOOT SIMS : MARIA NINGUEM - QUINCY JONES : BLACK ORPHEUS - DAVE PIKE : PHILUMBA - COLEMAN HAWKINS : UM ABRAcO NO BONFa - IKE QUEBEC : FAVELA - LALO SCHIFRIN : RAPAZ DE BEM - CHARLIE ROUSE : VELHOS TEMPOS - GEORGE SHEARING : MANHA DE CARNAVAL - BUD SHANK : PENSATIVA. DIRECTION ARTISTIQUE : ALAIN GERBER

Fremeaux & Associes, label patrimonial de reference du jazz, a edite aux formats livre et livre audio avec les Presses Universitaires de France un cours de reference sur l'histoire du jazz de Laurent Cugny, professeur emerite a la Faculte des Lettres de Sorbonne Universite (Institut de recherche en musicologie), pianiste et ancien directeur de l'ONJ (Orchestre National de Jazz). Cette anthologie 3 CD selectionnee par l'auteur retrace, en parallele a son ouvrage, la voie parcourue par cette musique qui, des maisons closes de La Nouvelle Orleans, jusqu'aux scenes les plus prestigieuses de la planete, a su devenir la plus savante des musiques populaires de notre dernier siecle. Patrick FReMEAUX Fremeaux & Associes, the leading jazz heritage label, has published in book and audiobook format a reference course on the history of jazz by Laurent Cugny, professor emeritus at Sorbonne University's Faculty of Letters (Institute for Research in Musicology), pianist and former director of the ONJ (Orchestre National de Jazz). This 3-CD anthology selected by the author retraces, in parallel with his book, the path taken by this music which, from the brothels of New Orleans to the most prestigious stages on the planet, has become one of the most popular music of our last century. Patrick FReMEAUX CD1 - DES DeBUTS, AU COOL JAZZ : DEEP RIVER MARIAN ANDERSON - IF YOU SEE MY SAVIOUR THOMAS A. DORSEY - KIND HEARTED WOMAN BLUES ROBERT JOHNSON - MAPLE LEAF RAG SCOTT JOPLIN - TIGER RAG ORIGINAL DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND - CANAL STREET BLUES KING OLIVER - BLACK BOTTOM STOMP JELLY ROLL MORTON - HOTTER THAN THAT LOUIS ARMSTRONG - JAZZ ME BLUES BIX BEIDERBECKE - NEW KING PORTER STOMP FLETCHER HENDERSON - BODY AND SOUL COLEMAN HAWKINS - THESE FOOLISH THINGS LESTER YOUNG - JUMPIN' AT THE WOODSIDE COUNT BASIE - ECHOES OF HARLEM DUKE ELLINGTON - CLARINET A LA KING BENNY GOODMAN - HOT HOUSE DIZZY GILLESPIE - KOKO CHARLIE PARKER - TEMPUS FUGUE-IT BUD POWELL - BOPLICITY MILES DAVIS - THOU SWELL STAN GETZ - I FALL IN LOVE TOO EASILY CHET BAKER - BERNIE'S TUNE GERRY MULLIGAN - TAKE FIVE DAVE BRUBECK. CD2 - DU HARD BOP AU FREE JAZZ (+ JAZZ VOCAL) : OLEO MILES DAVIS/SONNY ROLLINS - MOANIN' ART BLAKEY & THE JAZZ MESSENGERS - JOY SPRING CLIFFORD BROWN / MAX ROACH - SELF-PORTRAIT IN THREE COLORS CHARLES MINGUS - SUMMERTIME GIL EVANS/MILES DAVIS - SO WHAT MILES DAVIS - GIANT STEPS JOHN COLTRANE - INVISIBLE ORNETTE COLEMAN - CRAZY BLUES MAMIE SMITH - BACK WATER BLUES BESSIE SMITH - STRANGE FRUIT BILLIE HOLIDAY - HOW HIGH THE MOON ELLA FITZGERALD - EMBRACEABLE YOU SARAH VAUGHAN - SWEET LORRAINE NAT KING COLE - MY BABY JUST CARES FOR ME NINA SIMONE. CD3 - LE JAZZ EN FRANCE : LONESOME LOVE SICK BLUES JOSePHINE BAKER - PARIS BIGUINE STELLIO - DINAH DJANGO REINHARDT - CHRISTIANA MICHEL WARLOP - SWEET AND BEBOP BORIS VIAN - FLeCHE D'OR DJANGO REINHARDT - STOMPIN' AT THE SAVOY HENRI SALVADOR - ROUND ABOUT MIDNIGHT SACHA DISTEL - ESQUISSE II ANDRe HODEIR - LES OIGNONS SIDNEY BECHET - IN A MIST MICHEL LEGRAND - VERY FATIGUe MARTIAL SOLAL - RAT RACE LES DOUBLE SIX - CUTE MILT BUCKNER / JO JONES - TROC TROC - CRAZY RHYTHM STePHANE GRAPPELLI / CLAUDE BOLLING - 22 MEZOUK ALAIN JEAN-MARIE - MOTHERLESS CHILD GOLDEN GATE QUARTET - TEA FOR TWO DIDIER LOCKWOOD - MINOR SWING NEW QUINTET DU HOT CLUB DE FRANCE - DRUM THING 1 DANIEL HUMAIR - NEW STORIES HERVe SELLIN - SALAMERO LAURENT CUGNY. SeLECTION : LAURENT CUGNY

The Minnesota Orchestra and it's music director Thomas Sondergard delve into the imaginative world of Thomas Ades, a singular voice in contemporary classical music. Featuring two of his most compelling orchestral works, The Exterminating Angel Symphony - a world premiere recording - and the Violin Concerto, this album captures Ades' uncanny ability to merge intellectual rigor with raw emotional immediacy. With orchestral textures both radiant and unsettling, Ades evokes a surreal musical landscape, brought vividly to life by Sondergard's incisive direction and violinist Leila Josefowicz's electrifying performance. Highlighting two distinct sides of Ades' artistry, cinematic drama and virtuosic intimacy, this recording explores the composer's breadth with striking clarity. Josefowicz brings fierce expressivity and precision to the Violin Concerto, while the orchestra navigates the volatile energy of The Exterminating Angel Symphony with gripping intensity. This album also marks the PENTATONE debut of the Minnesota Orchestra, Thomas Sondergard, and Leila Josefowicz.

Christmas has long been one of my favorite times of the year. The excitement, joy, and hopeful anticipation that stem from both the traditional and commercialized components of the season are feelings I never tire of. And, in most ways this album, Veni Redemptor Gentium, is a musical celebration of what Christmas was and has become. For many, however, the holidays are a complicated time filled with traditions that have the potential to both inspire and distemper. A sentiment of peace and goodwill-the supposed promise of the season-is shared by many during this time of year, and we see it reflected in an unusual sense of calm and random acts of kindness. Yet, for every such moment we also see examples of harshness and aggression, especially when we zoom outwards to view the world on a larger scale. Centuries of ill-will in the name of religion and politics trickle down to us through generations of learned and inherited bias, and politico-religious conflict remains problematic on a global scale, despite the annual holiday promises of an end to such suffering. The medievalist interested in showcasing the beautiful music composed for the Christmas holiday is hard-pressed to find song texts from the Middle Ages that do not at least glimpse this harshness, whether it be anti-Semitic rhetoric or judgmental accusation, a de/re/mis-contextualized or misappropriated quotation spun against a community of people, or an oppressive governing body working to quiet the voices of some while elevating others for it's own self-interests. Indeed, it can be disheartening to turn back these centuries and dive into difficult texts and repertoire with complicated contexts for a season whose meaning is joyous. These are shadows of the past that hold a mirror to our present.