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Piano Works "For Mr. Lawrence"

Brilliant Classics

$44.99 Oct 04, 2019

Famed worldwide as a film composer, Ryiuchi Sakamoto began his career as a pianist, creating patterns, phrases and innovative arrangements before joining his first commercial electronic pop band in 1978, the Yellow Magic Orchestra. Around the same time, he worked on his first solo album, the Thousand Knives of Ryuichi Sakamoto (1978), which blends up-to-date electronic techniques with an old-fashioned gift for good tunes. Riot in Lagos brought him fame beyond Japan, and he went on to work with many top producers of pop, dance and electro. In 1983, Nagisa Oshima's Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence launched Sakamoto's career as a film composer, which has gone from strength to strength with scores for The Last Emperor (1987) and The Revenant (2015). All these pieces feature in Jeroen van Veen's survey, which is based on the best modern edition of these scores and often differs from Sakamoto's own, partly improvised recordings. Classical listeners will appreciate Sakamoto's breadth of reference: to Chopin (Ubi), Bach (Andata, Solari), Glass (Bibo no Aozora), Satie (Opus), Brahms (Intermezzo) and Ravel (Bachata), for example. But his language of minimalist jazz is one enjoyed around the world as music that gives listeners the space to think and work and create for themselves.

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Piano Works "For Mr. Lawrence"
Brilliant Classics Oct 2019
CD
$44.99

Puccini: Madama Butterfly

Opus Arte

Blu-Ray

$39.99 Nov 22, 2024

When young Japanese geisha Cio-Cio-San marries American naval officer Pinkerton, she believes she is entering a marriage for life. Forsaking her religion and community, she dreams of a future with her new husband, only to learn that for Pinkerton, their marriage is merely an illusion - one with tragic consequences. With it's exquisite score, Giacomo Puccini's poignant 1904 opera is as beautiful as it is shattering. Drawing inspiration from 19th-century European images of Japan, Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier's production stars Asmik Grigorian with Kevin John Edusei conducting.

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Puccini: Madama Butterfly
Opus Arte Nov 2024
Blu-Ray
$39.99

Monteverdi: Vespro Della Beata Vergine / Suzuki, Et Al

BIS

$34.99 Mar 01, 2001

‘Our main purpose for this recording,’ writes Masaaki Suzuki, ‘was to perform all the music contained in the collection that Monteverdi published in 1610.’ So he begins with the Missa In illo tempore, a superb example of old-style, elaborate polyphony; moves through the Vespers themselves, following the original order of the pieces and interpolating nothing; then, after the lavish Magnificat a 7, he ends with the more modest Magnificat a 6, which Monteverdi appended as an alternative.

This straightforward approach seems almost radical given the current glut of more fanciful versions, in which conductors reshuffle the Vespers, pepper them with antiphons and works by other composers and variously ‘adapt’ them to fit specific liturgical occasions. Such diverse interpretations make the choice of a benchmark recording highly subjective. Gardiner (dramatic, on Archiv) and Parrott (intimate and liturgically correct, on Virgin Veritas) offer fine, contrasting views, and several other versions (Christie, Garrido, Junghänel, Pickett) are well worth exploring.

This new set is consistently engaging. Unlike his rivals, Suzuki uses a high pitch of A=465Hz (common in Monteverdi’s Italy), but follows current thinking in transposing certain pieces down a fourth (the Missa, the Magnificats, ‘Lauda Jerusalem’). Performances throughout are expressive, sharply focused, intensely committed. Though he dispenses with liturgical trappings, Suzuki, aided by a spacious ‘churchy’ acoustic, certainly brings out the ritualistic and devotional character of the music, from the ornate orchestral splendour of the ‘Sonata sopra Sancta Maria’ to the tender vocal passions of ‘Pulchra es’ and ‘Duo Seraphim’. Excellent.

-- Graham Lock, BBC Music Magazine

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Monteverdi: Vespro Della Beata Vergine / Suzuki, Et Al
BIS Mar 2001
CD
$34.99

Hosokawa: Orchestral Works, Vol. 1 / Jun Markl, Royal Scottish National Orchestra

Naxos

$13.99 ~~$19.99~~ Save 30% Mar 25, 2014

Japanese musicians have often taken the connection between man and nature as their theme and award-winning composer Toshio Hosokawa stands strongly in that artistic lineage. His Horn Concerto ‘Moment of Blossoming’ imagines the solo instrument as a lotus flower and the orchestra as the cosmos. The theme of the blossoming lotus continues in the piano concerto Lotus under the moonlight and in the songful Chant for cello and orchestra, influenced by Shômyô singing (the ceremonial music of Japanese Buddhism). The Horn Concerto was co-commissioned by the Berlin Philharmonic, the Concertgebouw of Amsterdam and London’s Barbican Centre.

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Hosokawa: Orchestral Works, Vol. 1 / Jun Markl, Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Naxos Mar 2014
CD
~~$19.99~~ $13.99

BLACK SAINT & THE SINNER LADY
UNIVERSAL JAPAN Apr 2022
CD
$16.99

COMPETITION, VIOLIN 1980

MUSO

$20.99 May 15, 2017

In 1980 the Queen Elisabeth Competition was played out in the context of the Cold War: the Russian candidates were absent, too many Soviet laureates having taken advantage of their success to cross to the other side of the Iron Curtain. The Americans therefore arrived confidant they would be giving a demonstration, yet this was to neglect the contribution of Japan, which had three laureates among the top four. And, a remarkable fact, all came from the teaching environment of their own country. Belgium was in delight as it discovered the winner of the competition that year: Yuzuko Horigome. She had already made a big impression during the semi-final, notably with her performance of a sonata by Ysaye that showed remarkable clarity and determination. This formidable musician of 22 years confirmed in the final this excellent impression with a magnificent Brahms' First Sonata performed in thoughtful silence. Her Sibelius Concerto galvanized the orchestra and roused the public to a passion for one of the very finest performances of this concerto in the history of the competition. Since this first success of an Asian laureate at the competition, Yuzuko Horigome has pursued a superb career in Europe and in her native country as a soloist yet also as a renowned teacher. Every day she shows that knowledge and talent, with regard to Western music, have been universal for a very long time.

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COMPETITION, VIOLIN 1980
MUSO May 2017
CD
$20.99

Wagner: Beethoven - Symphony No. 9
BIS Sep 1998
CD
$21.99

Classics on Marimba / Nunoya

Oehms Classics

$19.99 Sep 09, 2016

Marimbist Fumito Nunoya has enjoyed international fame as one of the most in demand marimba players of our day. A native of Odate Japan, he is currently based out of Herford in Germany, where he teaches at the Academy of Music in Detmold. In addition to performing across Europe, he frequently gives concerts in the United States and Japan. For this release, he has chosen classic works, which he arranged for his instrument, like Chopin’s Barcarolle in F-sharp major, Op. 60, and selections from Bach’s Partitas and Sonatas. Nunoya is joined on this recording by pianist Momoko Shano and fellow marimbist Hiroya Honda.

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Classics on Marimba / Nunoya
Oehms Classics Sep 2016
CD
$19.99

Herbert von Karajan: Maestro for the Screen [Blu-ray]

C Major Entertainment

Blu-Ray

$45.99 Jun 24, 2016

This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.

Also available on standard DVD

Herbert von Karajan broke boundaries in many aspects of conducting, among those being that he was the first conductor to become interested in filming his performances to preserve his cultural heritage. This exceptional documentary begins with his first concert productions, taken in Japan in 1957. Following those first recordings is his cooperation with director Henri-Georges Clouzot, then Karajan’s own film company Telemondial. Karajan’s language for orchestral film productions is seen here through all of its stages. This documentary also includes interviews with Karajan and his collaborators.

Picture Format: 1080i, 16:9
Sound Format: PCM Stereo
Subtitles: German, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Korean, Japanese
Region Code: 0 (All)
Total Running Time: 84 mins

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Herbert von Karajan: Maestro for the Screen [Blu-ray]
C Major Entertainment Jun 2016
Blu-Ray
$45.99

Chopin: Piano Favorites / Furuhata

Oehms Classics

$9.99 ~~$19.99~~ Save 50% Jul 01, 2022

Sachiko Furuhata was born in Yokohama, Japan, and completed her piano studies at the Tokyo Conservatory. Further studies took her to Germany at the Detmold University of Music and the Robert Schumann University in Düsseldorf. Her teachers include Roberto Szidon, Detlev Kraus, Naoyuki Taneda and Willem Brons. Her concert activities have taken her to Germany, Holland, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Japan. With this third recital album, Sachiko Furuhata takes up selected works by Frédéric Chopin. With the famous etudes, the nocturnes and waltzes, different moods are singled out and compare so that an independent Chopin portrait is drawn.

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Chopin: Piano Favorites / Furuhata
Oehms Classics Jul 2022
CD
~~$19.99~~ $9.99

Piazzolla on Marimba / Nunoya

Oehms Classics

$19.99 Sep 09, 2016

Marimbist Fumito Nunoya has enjoyed international fame as one of the most in demand marimba players of our day. A native of Odate Japan, he is currently based out of Herford in Germany, where he teaches at the Academy of Music in Detmold. In addition to performing across Europe, he frequently gives concerts in the United States and Japan. For this release, he has chosen Astor Piazzolla's Tango Suite I-III, Tangata "Silfo y Ondina," and other well-known works by the tango master. Nunoya is joined for this recording by pianist Momoko Shano, fellow marimbist Hiroya Honda, and violinist Yuka Sato.

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Piazzolla on Marimba / Nunoya
Oehms Classics Sep 2016
CD
$19.99

WONDER: AN INTRODUCTION TO LIBERA

INVISIBLE HANDS

$13.49 Dec 05, 2025

The album Wonder is more than a collection - it is a musical journey, bringing together the most treasured songs from six Invisible Hands Music releases that have touched hearts worldwide. Invisible Hands Music is proud to have enjoyed a dynamic and enduring partnership with Libera, spanning six acclaimed studio albums distributed across more than 200 territories. Each song on Wonder embodies the passion, artistry, and collaboration that have driven remarkable achievements - from multiple No.1 chart positions to "Album of the Week" features in major markets including the UK, Japan, and the USA. This definitive collection not only celebrates Libera's most beloved recordings but also introduces a brand-new interpretation of Panis Angelicus, offering both long-time fans and new listeners something truly special.

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WONDER: AN INTRODUCTION TO LIBERA
INVISIBLE HANDS Dec 2025
CD
$13.49

Mix & Match

Bach: Johannes-passion, Matthäus-passion / Suzuki, Et Al
BIS Feb 2002
CD
$49.99

FOREIGN AFFAIR

AMHERST RECORDS

$16.49 Sep 13, 2011

Spyro Gyra started out with the rhythms of the world. From the samba rhythms and Caribbean feel of their early hits to the latest album, they have made it a point to embrace the music of the places they have visited. Their new album, a FOREIGN AFFAIR, is ready to take you around the world from the Caribbean to South America, and even to South Africa, India and Japan. Besides the memorable instrumentals, there are also three vocal tunes, one of which features Grammy winning Keb' Mo.

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FOREIGN AFFAIR
AMHERST RECORDS Sep 2011
CD
$16.49

NIGHTCLUB

IMPEX RECORDS

$37.49 Sep 16, 2022

For our first all-new 24K Gold CD releases in eight years, we worked with jazz icon Patricia Barber and Premonition Records to bring you three classics from her catalog: CAFE BLUE, COMPANION, and NIGHTCLUB. Each has been newly remastered from the original analog tapes (CAFE BLUE by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, COMPANION and NIGHTCLUB by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering). They feature our deluxe book-style packaging with booklets that pay homage to the original CDs while updating them to Impex Records' look and feel. The Limited Edition Impex 24K Gold CD Patricia Barber Series are manufactured at Memory-Tech's state-of-the-art facility in Japan.

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NIGHTCLUB
IMPEX RECORDS Sep 2022
CD
$37.49

SLOW DRAG
UNIVERSAL JAPAN Dec 2022
CD
$18.49

Masaaki Suzuki plays Bach Organ Works, Vol. 2

BIS

SACD

$21.99 Feb 03, 2017

Also Available: Masaaki Suzuki plays Bach Organ Works

Before releasing his first disc of Bach’s organ works, Masaaki Suzuki had recorded the composer’s complete sacred cantatas, as well as the large-scale choral works and much of the music for harpsichord. His achievements in these fields obscured the fact that Suzuki originally trained as an organist, and began working as such already at the age of twelve. So when Volume 1 of this series reached reviewers around the world, it was something of a revelation to many: the disc went on to be named Choice of the Month in BBC Music Magazine, Diapason d’Or in Diapason and Recording of the Month in Gramophone, which then went on to include it on its list of the ‘50 Greatest Bach Recordings’.

Volume 1 featured the celebrated Schnitger/Hinz organ of Groningen’s Martinikerk in the Netherlands. For this present instalment, Suzuki returned to more familiar ground – the chapel of the Kobe Shoin Women's University where the great majority of his recordings with Bach Collegium Japan have taken place. The chapel houses a French classical organ built in 1983 by Marc Garnier, and on it Suzuki performs a highly symmetrical programme with the large-scale chorale partita BWV 768 at its centre. The work is known as ‘Sei gegrüßet, Jesu gütig’, although the chorale text that it is structured upon most probably is that of ‘O Jesu, du edle Gabe’. On either side the partita is flanked by an arrangement by Bach of concertos by Vivaldi, and a chorale prelude on ‘Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier’. The disc opens and closes with a Prelude and Fugue, in G major and C major respectively.

-----

REVIEWS:

Suzuki makes extremely savvy use of his resources; the instrument's almost chamber-music-like clarity and intimacy of the results is most enjoyable. The recorded sound is unusually crisp and clear. Strongly and enthusiastically recommended.

– Fanfare

The life, vitality, affection and fun Suzuki brings to them will ensure they have a lasting place in the annals of Bach organ recordings.

– MusicWeb International

The remarkable harpsichordist/organist/conductor Masaaki Suzuki continues his recordings for BIS with this SACD of organ music of Bach played on the Marc Garnier organ of Shoin Chapel in Kobe, Japan. This is not a large cathedral organ. You won’t hear massive pedal notes, but these are excellent performances, beautifully and naturally recorded.

– Classical CD Review

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Masaaki Suzuki plays Bach Organ Works, Vol. 2
BIS Feb 2017
SACD
$21.99

DVORAK: SYMPHONY NO.9 'FROM THE NEW WORLD
IMPORTS Mar 2014
CD
$16.49

MINGUS MINGUS MINGUS MINGUS MINGUS
UNIVERSAL JAPAN Jun 2025
SACD
$32.99

Dvorak: Symphonies No 7 & 8 / Ormandy

RCA

$17.99 Jan 10, 2008

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

Here's another spectacular release from RCA Japan's Ormandy/Philadelphia edition, courtesy of Arkivmusic.com's "on demand" program. These are wonderful, truly Romantic performances featuring amazing playing, string sound that's beyond gorgeous, and interpretations that have a lot more subtlety than Ormandy usually gets credit for. The Seventh is particularly impressive, one of the finest versions available, full of tension in the outer movements, capped by a blazing coda that puts many other, better-known recordings to shame. Listen to the woodwinds cut through the full orchestra in the fortissimo counterstatement of the first movement's main theme without significant orchestral retouching; or notice the exciting transition to the scherzo's main section--there are many such distinctive moments here.

The Eighth is just as fine, and even better recorded, with more presence from the timpani and a bit more air around the instruments. In the first movement it's amazing to hear string playing with such incisive rhythm, particularly at the climaxes, and it's instructive to note how much passion this generates at a basically moderate tempo. The Adagio's exchanges between winds and strings couldn't be better timed; the third-movement waltz is, as you might imagine, the last word in sophisticated phrasing; and the scherzo-variations in the finale is a riot, with bright horn trills and, in the coda, a really vulgar (and totally apt) trumpet smear to cap the festivities. Ormandy also takes the violins up an octave just before the end, between those slashing final chords, arguably a more effective option than the Czech tradition of doubling them with horns. Hearing these performances again is like getting reacquainted with a best friend that you never should have lost touch with over the years.

--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

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Dvorak: Symphonies No 7 & 8 / Ormandy
RCA Jan 2008
CD
$17.99

Brahms: Symphony No. 1 - Martinu: Symphony No. 4

ICA Classics

$11.99 ~~$14.99~~ Save 20% Feb 26, 2013

With stunning accounts of Brahms and Mahler, this recording marks an exciting, new relationship between ICA Classics and the SWR in Stuttgart, and it is the first release of this material outside Japan. 'Klaus Tennstedt's concerts with the LPO at the Festival Hall were among the greatest performances I have ever heard' (Sunday Times review of ICAC 5033, Mahler: Symphony No.3)

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Brahms: Symphony No. 1 - Martinu: Symphony No. 4
ICA Classics Feb 2013
CD
~~$14.99~~ $11.99

OPENER
UNIVERSAL JAPAN Nov 2024
CD
$16.99

Reminiscence

Divine Art

$18.99 Nov 15, 2024

In her new album acclaimed pianist Tomono Kawamura invites listeners on a satisfying journey through classical piano music. Blending personal favourites with timeless masterpieces, Tomono's profound connection to the piano is evident in every piece. Her distinct poetic sensitivity and technical brilliance bring each composition to life, creating a deeply personal and immersive musical experience. The album opens with Tchaikovsky's Autumn Song, Op. 37a No. 10, from The Seasons. Tomono captures the reflective and nostalgic mood of October, emphasising the delicate interplay of light and shadow in this evocative work. The journey continues with Sibelius's "Edit," Op. 76 No. 2, where Tomono masterfully balances subdued elegance with quiet intensity, reflecting the stark beauty of the Finnish landscapes that inspired it. Brahms' Hungarian Dance adds a lively burst of energy, with Tomono navigating it's spirited rhythms and fiery folk influences with joyful intensity. Her deep affinity for Chopin shines through in her performances of six of his works, each chosen to highlight different facets of his genius. From the lyrical intimacy of his nocturnes to the virtuosic brilliance of his etudes, Tomono's interpretations resonate with the emotional depth central to Chopin's music. The album also explores diverse stylistic periods with selections from Scarlatti, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, and Grieg. Tomono's performances reflect a profound understanding of these great piano works, whether it's the crystalline precision of Scarlatti's sonatas, the sweeping passion of Rachmaninoff's preludes, the dreamlike textures of Debussy, or the rugged beauty of Grieg. A highlight of Reminiscence is Tomono's original composition, Variations, which bridges classical form with contemporary expression. This piece showcases her creativity and deep understanding of the classical tradition, offering a fresh voice while paying homage to the composers who have shaped her musical journey. Reminiscence is more than just a collection of piano works; it reflects Tomono Kawamura's lifelong devotion to music. Through her thoughtful interpretations and masterful technique, she offers listeners an experience that lingers long after the final notes fade. About Tomono Kawamura: Born in Japan, Tomono Kawamura began piano studies at three and made her orchestral debut at fifteen. After winning numerous competitions in Japan, she received a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she graduated with First Class Honours. Tomono has performed as a soloist across Asia, Europe, and the UK, including at Wigmore Hall. She is also a celebrated performer on luxury cruise ships worldwide. Tomono's rich career and dedication to her craft are evident in every note of Reminiscence, offering listeners a glimpse into the soul of a true artist.

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Reminiscence
Divine Art Nov 2024
CD
$18.99

Bach, J.S.: Cantatas, Vol. 4 - Bwv 163, 165, 185, 199
BIS Dec 1996
CD
$21.99

Bach, J.S.: Cantatas, Vol. 41 - Bwv 56, 82, 84, 158
BIS Oct 2008
SACD
$21.99