Although he was admired by illustrious figures such as Rossini and Verdi, violinist-composer Giuseppe Austri has been largely forgotten, unlike his great contemporaries Paganini, Sivori and Bazzini. These world première recordings show how inventive and virtuosic his works for violin and piano are, suggesting that he must have been a performer of stunning technical and expressive abilities. Austri was in the mould of the great itinerant virtuosi of his time and, though his compositions can display Paganini-like writing, he matches incendiary passages with graceful cantabile and delicacy.

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Gottlieb Wallisch brings his acclaimed series of 20th-century foxtrots to a close with this seventh volume and a programme that reveals how composers in England, Scotland, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries responded to the waves of jazz and syncopated dance music that had crossed the Atlantic and captivated European audiences. The album features a number of world première recordings of works by both famous and less well-known composers that combine their unique styles with the authentic, energising rhythms of foxtrots, tangos and shimmies. Previous volumes in the series have consistently attracted highly positive reviews, not least for ‘Wallisch’s thrilling pianism, his energy and characterisation as well as his wonderful sense of adventure and passion for this repertoire.’ (MusicWeb International on Vol. 6/GP926)

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Linda Guo and Manuel Lipstein make their duo debut on this new release. Titled Pas de deux, the programme features five significant 20th-century compositions for violin and cello. Works by Xenakis, Ravel and Honegger reflect the composers’ French roots, while a diverse, forward-looking harmonic language contrasts with traditional forms such as the sonata and passacaglia, the latter in Norwegian Johan Halvorsen’s Passacaglia for Violin and Cello after Georg Friedrich Händel; Austro-Czech composer Erwin Schulhoff’s Duo for Violin and Cello completes the programme. (Manuel Lipstein has already released his first solo album, Roots, on Oehms Classics).