Little is known about Francesco Zappa, Milanese composer and cellist of the mid-eighteenth century. This recording allows us, for the first time in modern times, to appreciate the qualities of a musician who, in his lifetime, was welcomed with general, broad esteem. His six Duets for violin and cello, published in Paris and presented here, sound like a polite parlor conversation. If Zappa chooses a classical gallant style, his music is never superficial, and he clearly proves a first-rate composer whose unmistakable trait is his Italian melodiousness.

This release is a true rarity- featuring pianists Angela Lazzaroni and Chiara Nicora, it showcases piano music for four hands from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Angela Lazzaroni graduated with a degree in piano from the Civic School of Music in Milan, and with a degree in harpsichord from the Conservatory G. Verdi. She's won international and national competitions, has held many concerts both as a soloist and in duo, trio and various chamber ensembles, and has played for important institutions including the Mozart International Festival, Serate Musicali, and Gioventu Musicale d'Italia. She is the director of the Accademia Ambrosiana music school in Milan where she teaches piano, and is accompanist in the singing class of soprano Patrizia Zanardi at the American University IES Abroad. Chiara Nicora graduated with degrees in piano and harpsichord before going on to study fortepiano, cembalo, and chamber music in master classes and seminars across Europe. She performs regularly as both a pianist and a harpsichordist, collaborating with various chamber groups and orchestras. She has also performed in various Italian and foreign cities as a soloist.

Classical Music

This release features a fine selection of repertoire by Rossini, including two world premiere recordings. The album is bookended by Rossini's La regatta veneziana and his Soirees musicales, both of which are sometimes referred to as his "Venetian Regatta." Soprano Valentina Varriale is an outstanding vocalist with a generous voice and emotional timbre. She sings with the same attention to detail the most beautiful pages of the operatic lyric repertoire and the masterpieces of the baroque and classical periods. Mezzosoprano Monica Carletti first studied violin before graduating with an honors degree in voice from the Conservatorio Santa Cecilia in Rome. She regularly interprets the great Italian, German, French, and Polish repertoire in her recitals. Born in Catania, Giulio Pelligra debuted in 2006 at the National Theatre in Malta. His highly-praised toles include Rodolfo in La Boheme and Lord Ricardo Percy in Donizetti's Anna Bolena. Bass vocalist Salvatore Grigoli graduated from Conservatorio Bellini in Palermo. His numerous awards include "Concorso Nazionale Agimus," and Best Bellini voice at "Consorso citta di Alcamo." These brilliant vocalists are joined by pianist Marco Sollini, one of the most sought-after accompanists in Italy.

We do not know much about Nicolo Sanguinazzo, but it has been assumed he was active between 1690 and 1720, and that he was close to Antonio Caldara. On his autographed manuscripts he refers to himself as Olocin Ozzaniugnas, that is his name spelled back to front, a Dilettante di Violoncello. His Book of Exercises represents the great opportunity to go through the meticulous technique of the subtle, graceful, and cheerful Parlando-manner. Dietmar Berger is a German musician and painter. The Cologne-based cellist and gambist is a member of the Delos Trio K�ln (with Gudrun H�bold, violin and Hubert K�ppel, guitar). His works as a painter range from finely structured Madonna pictures, created under the formative impression of the sacred art of his native city of Cologne, to powerful landscape painting - for him actually a field of experimentation. He has received several scholarships, most recently the Monjoie Scholarship of the St�dteRegion Aachen.

Classical Music

Walter Gieseking (1895-1956) was an outstanding German pianist, teacher, and composer, though most of his compositions remain largely unknown. This two disc set features Gieseking performing works by Schubert and Schumann. Originally recorded from 1951-1955, these recordings have been remastered for optimal sound quality.

Classical Music

Gli Speziali ensemble formed in 2009 and puts together the professional experiences of Silvia Tuja, transverse flute, Elisabetta Soresina, baroque cello, and Giuseppe Reggiori, harpsichord, who have decided, together with their solo and orchestra activity with modern instruments, to devote themselves to studying and performing the Baroque repertoire with original instruments, individually contributing to eminent Italian and international ensembles. Thanks to detailed philological research work, Gli Speziali have proposed in these years original concert programs that juxtapose the most famous names of the 18th century with compositions by less famous authors. In 2004 they created the "Gli Speziali"'s Baroque Festival which, after trying different locations in Varese and it's province, from it's second year has found it's home in the beautiful Romanic church of Sant'Imerio. This album is a collection of false attributions of eighteenth century music, including works attributed to Vivaldi, Bach, Handel, and more.

In the small discography of the first masterworks of Mozart, recorded from the HMV in the spring of 1955 in Paris. A large part of the merit goes to the approach of Sir Thomas Beecham, who spent years studying Mozart's style and performing his compositions. Lightness, vivacity and equilibrium all distinguishing this version that hasn't been available in the Classical music market for years - a version that has not lost its original value despite half a cetury passing.

Classical Music

At the beginning of the Sixties, one of the pioneers of the modern philology, Karl Richter, finally recorded, in German, the first modern discographic edition of Handel's Der Messias, which has here been restored. Karl Richter is best remembered for his interpretations of Bach and Handel. His performances were known for their intense and festive manner. He avoided tempo fluctuations that were common in interpretations of his era, and he devoted much attention to ensemble balance. His recordings are notable for "discipline, rhythmic tautness and expressive intensity." This production features soloists Maurice Andre, Hedwig Bilgram, Elmar Schloter, as well as the Muenchener Bach-Chor and the Muenchener Bach-Orchester.

These important recordings are previously unpublished and came from the RAI Archives of Naples. They were realized at the beginning of the sixties, and they are the result of the cooperation between the “Alessandro Scarlatti” Orchestra and the conductor Lovro con Matacic. Also, it is very important that the complete version of the Incidental Music from Egmont, here in the Italian version, has been included on this release. This version of the Symphony no. 6 has hitherto been unpublished, as well as the Der Freischuetz Overture. The Russian works of the mid-nineteenth century by Rimsky-Korsakov, Mussorgsky and Borodin, belong to the London recordings of 1959 and they are also very rare.

Classical Music

Classical Music