Artek New Releases
April 2010
May 2010
September 2010

Under Lorin Maazel, who held the Chief Conductor position from 1993 to 2002, the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks reached a new level of performance culture, precision and flexibility. Like no other conductor, Maazel is capable of masterfully handling large-dimensioned works and performing music tightly packed with emotional content clear-headedly to make its effect even greater. The works on this CD mark two key moments in Stravinsky’s development as a composer during the period before the First World War. The ballet music for L’oiseau de feu (The Firebird) contains many of the attributes that had made the Sacre such a scandalous avant-garde event in the Paris of 1913: unprecedented sound colors, rapidly changing rhythms, orgiastic climaxes and an exotic subject matter. Lorin Maazel and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks – a dream combination for Stravinsky’s sensuous and rhythmically irresistible ballet works.

BR Klassik New Releases:
January 2010
March 2010
April 2010
May 2010
June 2010
July 2010
September 2010

It is widely known that the Bachs were a quite large family of musicians, from which not only the patriarch Johann Sebastian and his highly gifted sons Carl Philipp Emanuel and Wilhelm Friedmann did emerge, but also a number of other musicians – wrongly forgotten today. To some extant this is due to the fact that often only a few pieces did survive and of course Bach himself was practically forgotten until the 19th century and at first his works had priority. This is the reason why veritable geniuses such as Johann Christoph Bach are virtually unknown to the general public even today. This CD makes it possible to discover how virtuous and expressive works were composed even before Bach. The spectrum of the oeuvre of Johann Sebastian’s relatives ranges from plain religious hymns to elaborate motets.

Capriccio New Releases:
February 2010
March 2010
April 2010
May 2010
June 2010
July 2010
August 2010
September 2010

Vagn Holmboe (1909-96) counts as one of the greatest 20th-century composers of string quartets. Holmboe's music is dynamic, organic and alive, and his musical language is rooted in the Nordic landscape but also reveals his keen interest in the folk music of Eastern Europe. This unique collection comprises all Holmboe's string quartets in the highly acclaimed recording

DACAPO New Releases
January 2010
March 2010
April 2010
May 2010
July 2010
August 2010
September 2010

Recorded live on 23 December 2009, this delightful album presents some of the best loved Christmas music, including Angels We Have Heard On High, O Come All Ye Faithful, Un Flambeau, God Resy Ye Merry Gentlemen, Still Still Still, Joy To The World, Flourishes, The First Nowell, Sing We To This Merry Company, O Come O Come Emmanuel, Choral Fanfare: Gloria In Excelsis Deo, Good King Wenceslas, Nino Lindo, The Dream Isaiah Saw and the ‘Hallellujah’ Chorus from Messiah.

Dorian Sono Luminus New Releases
August 2010

When Joseph Haydn signed on the dotted line on 1 May 1761 to become vice-Kapellmeister to the Esterházy family, he found himself in charge of one of the most finely endowed orchestras the Austro-Hungarian lands had to offer. In the concertos heard here, Luigi Tomasini, the Esterházy band’s leader, was granted opportunities to demonstrate both his technical dexterity and his plangent, singing tone, as was the orchestra’s cellist, Joseph Weigl.

Newton Classics New Releases:
July 2010
September 2010

This new recording features star conductor Sakari Oramo and the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra with two Italian masterpieces by the late-Romantic composer Ottorino Respighi (1879–1936). The symphonic poem Fontane di Roma remains one of Respighi’s most popular works and forms part of his Roman Trilogy. Each movement depicts one of Rome’s fountains during different periods of the day and night, while the work as a whole showcases the centuries-old Italian marriage of culture, art, and worldly pleasure. The discovery piece on this disc, the monumental Concerto ‘in the Mixolydian mode’, deserves more widespread introduction into the standard repertoire; its title refers to the work’s majestic main theme that is derived from medieval plainchant. This work’s champion, star pianist Olli Mustonen, has been hailed by The Sunday Times as, ‘a living dream of pianism, having broken through an expressive barrier that other players do not know exists.’

Ondine New Releases:
January 2010
February 2010
March 2010
April 2010
May 2010
June 2010
July 2010
August 2010
September 2010

This new solo CD was recorded in October 2009 at the Rolston Recital Hall, The Banff Centre, in Canada. Benjamin Engeli moved there for half a year to fully concentrate in the solitude of the forests on these recordings. Beside his solo career Benjamin Engeli has since 2003 been a founding member of the famous Tecchler Trio, one of today’s leading chamber music ensembles. Being the 1st Prize winner at the International ARD Music Competition in Munich 2007, they have performed in venues such as Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Wigmore Hall London, Tchaikovsky Conservatory Moscow, Herkulessaal Munich, Konzerthaus Vienna and Tonhalle Zurich, and have made numerous radio and CD recordings. Engeli is also one out of the four pianists of the Gershwin Piano Quartet.

Solo Musica New Releases
July 2010
August 2010
September 2010

This concert marks the 200th anniversary of Robert Schumann’s birth and offers a welcome opportunity to introduce three of the most impressive but now too rarely performed works from his Dresden period. Particular highlights – which will come as a surprise even to connoisseurs of his works – are a first performance and a world premiere of rediscovered and reconstructed symphonic movements dating from the composer’s legendary ‘symphony year’ of 1841. ‘Harding injects into the performance a motivating impetus, relying as ever on the brilliance of the orchestra’s outstanding wind section, as well as on its serried ranks of transparent strings.’ (Dresdner Neueste Nachrichte)

Arthaus New Releases:
January 2010
February 2010
March 2010
April 2010
May 2010
June 2010
July 2010
August 2010
September 2010

Claus Guth, one of the most interesting and successful German stage directors in the area of theatrical music, has created a unique concept for the staging of Handel’s most famous work. Winner of the Diapason d'Or and the BBC Music Magazine Award, Spinosi and Ensemble Matheus is internationally acclaimed for its interpretations of early music on authentic period instruments. Video director Hannes Rossacher, internationally known as one of the leading video directors for rock and pop events (Rolling Stones), has captured this unique performance of the oratorio on film. Conductor Jean-Christophe Spinosi triumphs ‘with his phenomenal orchestra [Ensemble Matheus] and the subtle Arnold Schoenberg Chor. The audience was thrilled’ (Süddeutsche Zeitung) Offering ‘the best of Handel vocal artistry’ (Frankfurter Rundschau) are Cornelia Horak, Susan Gritton, Richard Croft and the sublime altus Bejun Mehta. ‘Handel would turn over in his grave – with pride’ (Wiener Zeitung)

C Major New Releases:
January 2010
February 2010
March 2010
April 2010
May 2010
June 2010
July 2010
August 2010
September 2010

The series is an informative and entertaining audio-visual concert guide which analyzes some of the most important symphonic works of music history. 20 famous masterpieces from the standard repertoire of the greatest international orchestras are brought closer to the viewer through first class concert broadcasts in a timely visual style. The viewer is introduced to and guided through the pieces with prominent interpreters, conductors and musicologists providing expert insights into each work.

EuroArts New Releases:
January 2010
February 2010
March 2010
April 2010
May 2010
June 2010
July 2010
August 2010
September 2010

TCHAIKOVSKY The Nutcracker  
The Royal Ballet
Opus Arte OA1036D (DVD)
Opus Arte OABD7072D (Blu-ray)

• Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Nov & Dec, 2009.
• Extra Features:
  Cast gallery
  Rehearsing at White Lodge
  Peter Wright tells the story of The Nutcracker

This all-time ballet favourite, in which young Clara is swept into a fantasy adventure when one of her Christmas presents comes to life, is at its most enchanting in Peter Wright’s glorious production – as fresh as ever in its 25th year. Tchaikovsky’s ravishing score, period designs by Julia Trevelyan Oman (including an ingenious magical Christmas tree), an exquisite Sugar Plum Fairy (Miyako Yoshida) and chivalrous Prince (Steven McRae), the mysterious Drosselmeyer (Gary Avis) and vibrant dancing by The Royal Ballet make for a captivating performance. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in true surround sound. ‘One of the very best seasonal treats for children and adults alike, the Royal Ballet’s Nutcracker is a handsome, magical, thoroughly traditional rendering of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s immortal if deeply strange story.’ (Sunday Express)

Opus Arte New Releases:
January 2010
February 2010
March 2010
April 2010
May 2010
June 2010
July 2010
August 2010
September 2010