The Handel Album is the Aulos Ensemble's fifth in a series of critically acclaimed releases for Centaur Records, which include a collection of Christmas music, as well as albums dedicated to Rameau, Telemann and the Bach family. Soprano Dominique Labelle, whose voice has been called "angelic," "silvery," and "vibrant", is noted for her probing explorations of the repertoire from the Baroque to new music. This selection of Handel's masterful operatic arias and other vocal excerpts is interspersed with individual movements from his instrumental Trio Sonata and Concerto masterpieces.

Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev Is One of the Most Widely Performed of All Living Russian Composers. Each of His New Compositions Constitutes a Milestone in Contemporary Musical History. His Ability to Imbue Music with Profound Religious Content, to Unite Diverse Cultures and Styles, to Invent New Ways of Musical Expression While Remaining Faithful to the Centuries-Old Classical Tradition, and to Utter Most Profound Themes Using a Simple and Comprehensible Musical Language, Singles Him Out Among Present-Day Composers. His Most Widely Performed Work, the St Matthew Passion (2006) Has Received Worldwide Recognition. Since It's 2007 Moscow Premiere, It Has Received More Than 70 Performances in Different Countries By the Most Distinguished Soloists, Choirs and Orchestras, Garnering Standing Ovations at Every Concert. This SACD Features Five Works By Metropolitan Hilarion Produced Over a Thirty-Year Period, Performed By the Russian National Orchestra, the First Russian Ensemble Ever to Take Home a Grammy.

Carolyn Sampson has enjoyed notable worldwide successes in repertoire ranging from early baroque to present day, in opera, in concert and on disc. Nevertheless, the present recording is, as she writes in her introduction in the CD booklet, something of a début – her first recital disc of songs with piano. When choosing repertoire, she collaborated closely with her pianist, Joseph Middleton and together they chose settings of poems on a floral theme in Russian, English, French and German. The selected songs represent a great diversity, through their different musical styles and affects.

In the Summer of 1961, German Conductor Heinz Walberg Was in Charge of Teatro Colo?N's German Season and Decided to Present, Amongst Other Operatic Works, Mozart's Entfu?Hrung Aus Dem Serail. From a Time Prior to the Onrush of Historically-Informed Performances of Classical-Era Works, This Old-Fashioned (In the Best Sense of That Term) Production Featured a Cast Including Fritz Wunderlich As Belmonte, the Revered Anneliese Rothenberger, Renate Holm, Eugenio Valori, Who Sang at This Theater for Three Decades and Kurt Bohme, Whose Singing Career Lasted in Excess of Fifty Years.

Deems Taylor (1885-1966) was one of America's truly original 20th Century composers, his works crossing between serious classical and a somewhat more popular vein. An ASCAP Board of Directors member for over thirty years, he also served as ASCAP President from 1942-48. Of the 24 songs featured on this Centaur release, sung by soprano Elizabeth Tryon accompanied by George Small, virtually all, if not all are receiving their first recordings. Ms. Tryon, often referred to as "two voices in one artist" sings both classical music and Top 40 pop, making her a perfect candidate for this literature.

A nostalgia-inspiring survey drawn from the extensive body of popular Russian WWII era songs, this album is the sequel to two all-time favorite Delos titles: Where Are You, My Brothers and Moscow Nights. Opera baritone superstar, Dmitri Hvorostovsky delivers these musical mainstays of Russian culture with relaxed classical technique and the kind of refined, yet soulful and deeply affecting emotional impact that make his concerts of these pieces wildly popular across Russia and around the world.

Volker David Kirchner has repeatedly been denied the recognition he deserves because he is out-of-step with the aesthetic ideas that the avant-garde believed were the only valid ones. For Kirchner, e.g. The reference to the tradition and particularly to the sound of the human voice cannot be denied. His obsidian songs are characterized by almost theatrical drama, while the songs of poems by Else Lasker-Schuler and the cycle Media vita in morte sumus rather emphasize the meditative. The two last mentioned works were written for the mezzo voice heard on this recording, Julia Ostertag.

'Brahms & Schumann: Lieder' sees Dame Ann Murray, one of the great vocal artists of the past decades, return to the recording studio to perform a personal selection of Lieder. 'Brahms & Schumann: Lieder', Ann's first solo album in over a decade, will be her final Lieder recording and a fitting way to draw her long and distinguished recording career to a close. Still a regular fixture on the opera circuit, Ann's voice remains impressive. Following a Brahms recital at Wigmore Hall in 2014, the Times stated: 'Her still-penetrating mezzo was the highlight of the evening. Murray really sings through Brahms's cantabile lines while losing nothing in theatrical awareness.' It is difficult to imagine a singer who inspires greater affection and admiration than Ann Murray DBE. With Malcolm Martineau at the piano, this beautifully balanced programme sees Ann perform some of her favourite works by Schumann and Brahms. The recording features Malcolm Martineau (piano) Benjamin Appl (baritone), John Mark Ainsley (tenor), Johnny Langridge (tenor & Ann's son) and Hester Dickson (piano & Malcolm's mother). Ann Murray has been acclaimed for her performances at the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, the Vienna State Opera and the Salzburg Festival. A founding member of Graham Johnson's organization, the Songmaker's Almanac and a Jury member for the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2009 and Song Prize, Ann Murray is a lover of song and has been acclaimed worldwide for her own performances. In the 2002 Golden Jubilee Queen's Birthday Honours Murray was appointed an honorary Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. She is an Honorary Doctor of Music at the National University of Ireland and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music.

This recording brings together three youthful masterworks all composed by Benjamin Britten before his 30th birthday. Originally released in 2005 'Britten: Les Illuminations' has been re-issued as part of Linn's ECHO series which offers a second chance to enjoy the best of the label's award-winning catalogue. These are highly insightful performances, widely considered to be modern reference versions to set next to Britten's own. Clio Gould and the ensemble demonstrate playing of impressive unanimity of purpose, joyous intensity and clarity of detail. The ensemble is joined by the Royal Philharmonic Society's 2012 'Singer of the Year' Toby Spence, for two of Britten's most popular song cycles. Toby Spence's voice is ideally suited to the wide-ranging demands that Britten makes on it; his tonal freshness and acutely observed articulation of the words are absorbing. Martin Owen, whose horn playing has drawn comparisons with Dennis Brain, is equal to every one of the near-impossible tasks set him by Britten in the Serenade. Re-defining the string orchestra, Scottish Ensemble inspires audiences with vibrant and powerful performances. Scottish Ensemble is the UK's only professional string orchestra, built around a core of twelve outstanding string players. The ensemble is known both in the UK and internationally for it's versatility and ambitious programming. Performing standing up, the individual layers bring an energetic and passionate dynamic to every performance.

Franco-American singer Rosemary Standley tackles Baroque repertory with sobriety and elegance. Accompanied by the ensemble of Bruno Helstroffer, a guitarist and lutenist at the crossroads between ‘early’ and ‘modern’ worlds, Helstroffer’s Band is made up of musicians specializing in early instruments. The evocatively titled Love, I Obey is a poignant tribute to ballads that seem to warp time. The in-depth research pursued by the group’s harpsichordist Elisabeth Geiger restores to life pieces forgotten for 400 years, such as the title song by William Lawes.

In John Dowland’s both intimate and expressive songs it’s all about ‘speaking harmony’. This is what vocalist David Munderloh and lutenist Julian Behr, in their merging of voice with lute, attempt to impart as they search for the composer’s essence in this album of select songs from this Renaissance master, interspersed with a handful of instrumental lute solos. Currently residing in Basel, Switzerland, American tenor and former Chanticleer member David Munderloh's repertoire includes music of several musical eras, from medieval to 19th c. lieder as well as modern contemporary.

Les Travers�es Baroques continues it's exploration of the great repertory of sacred music from northern Europe. After Marcin Mielczewski, the ensemble has decided to turn to Mikolaj Zielenski for it's new recording, thus rehabilitating this Polish Baroque composer whose biography is no more than a long series of question marks, but whose magnificent music amply compensates for the gaps in our knowledge. Established in 2008 in Burgundy, Les Travers�es Baroques dedicates it's repertoire priorities toward the countries of Eastern Europe during the 17th c.

The works of Alessandro Stradella (1639-82) form a bridge between the music of late Renaissance southern Europe and early Enlightenment northern Europe. Stradella wrote in all available genres, including, of particular importance here, the serenata, or love-song. “Qual prodigio” is essentially a dispute between two male lovers and a lady about the best way of winning a lady’s heart, with comic flavor. “Lasciate ch’io respiri, ombre gradite” is a pastoral dialogue between an Arcadian shepherd and his nymph. The instrumental Sonata for 8 Strings, Trumpet and Bass Continuo lies between.

A musical-poetic genre first developed by Saint Francis of Assisi, the Lauda is one of the most remarkable expressions of Italian popular musical culture from the Middle Ages to the present day, and one of the oldest historically. + La Reverdie presents a rich, 2CD anthology of Italian monophonic Laude from the repertoire’s two principal sources: the Cortona (ca. 1270) and Florence (ca. 1320) manuscripts. + Many of the Florence pieces have never been recorded. + The accompanying booklet contains detailed introductory essays on the music’s reconstruction and wider cultural significance.

The Czech Republic can boast of a Christmas repertoire both ample and colorful, dating from at least the Baroque era. + A notable composer then active was Josef Antonín Sehling (1710-56), who in his day was Kapellmeister of several Prague churches, including the Church of Our Lady under the Chain, where the present world premiere recording was made. + This album features pieces intended for the period from Advent to Epiphany. + Sehling’s music contains the magic of Adam Michna’s 17th c. songs yet concurrently opens upon a world familiar from Jakub Ryba’s most famous late 18thc. Christmas Mass.

Most tellingly, Christmas songs render the joy and anticipation of children at Christmas time. + The children’s choir “SingsalaSing” of the Landesakademie for young musicians in Baden-Württemberg, Ochsenhausen, sing 26 traditional and new yuletide songs from Germany and its neighboring countries. + This CD is part of the “Lieder Project” an effort that promotes and benefits singing with children. + It emphasizes quality and is designed especially for children. + Proceeds from the Lieder Project are donated to causes furthering singing with children.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Presenting the major singers of today and the stars of tomorrow, the Rosenblatt Recitals are London’s only world-class season of opera recitals. This set of CDs from the partnership with Opus Arte are based predominantly on studio recordings with occasional bonus live tracks.

The Old Testament Book of Lamentations has been subjected to a number of settings since the Middle Ages; that of Jan Dismas Zelenka occupies a significant position among them. In his Lamentations, Zelenka succeeded in combining the contemplative aspect with a powerful dramatic charge. His penchant for unusual instrumentation is evident in, for instance, the final Lamentation (solo violin, bassoon and chalumeau). Zelenka only set to music two lessons of the first Nocturne for each day; here, every third reading takes the form of Gregorian chant, as was most likely heard at the Dresden court.

Originally released in 2007, James MacMillan’s ‘Tenebrae’ is now available once again as part of Linn’s ECHO re-issue series. Tenebrae Responsories is scored for vocal octet and speaks to all of every faith and none, of the power of love and redemption through personal sacrifice. The famed Scottish group Cappella Nova has enjoyed a 25-year association with MacMillan. ‘Tenebrae’ was previously chosen a Gramophone ‘Editor’s Choice’ album. Mr. MacMillan’s international career was launched at the BBC proms in 1990 with The Confession of Isobel Gowdie.

Beside the famous master of Baroque Music – Johann Sebastian Bach – this 2CD set, Baroque Christmas Rarities includes nearly unknown but no less atmospheric treasures of baroque Christmas music by Bach’s talented sons, Telemann, Buxtehude, and others. Most of them were commissioned works for the feast and includes very different styles: from festive cantatas, moody motets to chamber musically solo songs. A “must” for all lovers of Baroque Music as well for listeners that would like to find some extraordinary music for the upcoming feast.

REVIEW:

Seasonal motets and cantatas by Christian Geist, Pal Esterhazy, Buxtehude, and Giuseppe Maria Po del Finale, with a tranch of contributions from Bach family members. Thoroughly engaging.

-- BBC Music Magazine

The New Budapest Orpheum Society, ensemble-in-residence in the Division of Humanities at the University of Chicago, has been tracing the origins, development, and influence of European Jewish cabaret music through extensive historical research and compelling performances in concert and on a series of widely acclaimed albums on Cedille Records.

The ensemble’s third and newest project for Cedille focuses on Jewish stage and film music from the early to mid-20th century, ranging from a turn of the 20th century Viennese broadside to songs from the 1948, Billy Wilder-directed film A Foreign Affair.

Alphons Diepenbrock continues to number among the best-known Dutch composers of the turn of the 20th century. Hans Christoph Begemann and Otto Tausk have recorded Diepenbrock’s most important baritone songs.