Classical Music

Classical Music

Many young violinists' debut CDs come and go without making much of a mark, oftentimes less because the performers are untalented as because their repertoire failed to stand out in a crowded field. Another disc of Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, or Kreisler has to be truly outstanding to stand out.
Daniel Hope scores on both of these points: he and his collaborators give excellent performances, and he (and, presumably, his teachers, managers, and label executives) chose a program which cannot help but stand out from the pack. The danger in such a program--lesser-known contemporary works--is failing to live up to the technical and interpretive challenges. Hope needn't worry.
A child prodigy, Hope was just 21 when this program was recorded, and he had already had the opportunity to discuss the Schnittke and Takemitsu works with their composers. The performances here are indeed excellent, and Hope has no difficulty distinguishing himself from his peers.
REVIEWS:
International Record Review (3/00, p.77) - "...cannily programmed and thoughtfully executed..."

Christopher Tyler Nickel's contemporary classical compositions pack a bracing and emotional punch. His award-winning works for the concert hall, stage and screen have been heard in over 160 countries by audiences in the tens of thousands. His experience as an oboist instills a confidence to compose with an exhilarating freedom to explore the vast expressive range of the instrument, from lyrical and plaintive to acerbic and brittle. The world-premiere recordings of these three concertos for oboe and it's lower-pitched siblings the oboe d'amore and bass oboe receive dazzling performances by Mary Lynch, principal oboe of the Seattle Symphony, and Harrison Linsey, oboist with the Washington D.C.-based National Symphony Orchestra. Grammy Award-winning David Sabee, a tireless advocate of contemporary classical music, conducts the Seattle-based Northwest Sinfonia.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Oleg takes the music in exciting new directions while still retaining that Russian Gypsy magic... nothing less than incandescent virtuosity for the duration of the show..." - The Scotsman This recording includes the Lautary piece featured in the film Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

Pure thoroughbred Egyptian dance music by Hossam Ramzy with a gathering of the best musicians of Cairo's Mohammed Ali Street, the music is re-mastered and partly shortened to better suit today's oriental dancers.

A unique and lively album, this recording includes all of the Scottish Police Pip Band-Dumfries & Galloway Constabulary Pipe Band, Grampian Police Pipe Band, Lothian & Borders Police Pipe Band, Tayside Police Pipe Band and the world champion Strathclyde Police Pipe Band. Insert includes history of each of the bands.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Martti Pokela, Eeva-Leena Sariola and Matti Kontio are among the foremost players of the Finnish kantele, a folk instrument of the psaltery type. Almost nothing is known about early Kantele repertory, beyond a probable narrow melodic range. In more modern times the kantele has become a box-shaped instrument of 12 to 46 strings fastened to wood or iron wrest pins, tuned diatonically and encompassing 3-4 octaves. "The Art of the Finnish Kantele" presents 17 kantele pieces, both traditional melodies and new compositions. Played on 5, 9-and 36-string kanteles and the jouhikko (bowed lyre)

This collection of Celtic music from Brittany features the most famous artist from the region: Dan Ar Braz, Tonnerre de Brest, Yvon Etienne, Pierrick Lemou, Bleizi Ruz, Le Bagad Du Moulin Vert, Gwendal and many more. The lively and varied album includes traditional instruments such as biniou, bombarde and harp alongside modern guitars, keyboards and drums.

Classical Music

A gorgeous Fado album, sung by Rodrigo Costa Felix, with several of his own songs as well as special collaborations and duets (with Katia Guerrero and Aline Frazao). Original Portuguese lyrics as well as English translations provided.

Classical Music

African Hymns

CD Booklet Features Text in English, German, French And Spanish.

Grupo Merecumbe: Merengue and Cumbia

Best of Ireland: 20 Songs and Tunes

Los Latinos: World Dance (Salsa, Merengue)