Artists

Hélène Grimaud (piano), Daniel Barenboim (piano), Wilhelm Kempff (piano), Martha Argerich (piano), Dino Ciani (piano), Alexis Weissenberg (piano), Mikhail Pletnev (piano), Andrei Gavrilov (piano), Yundi Li (piano), Lazar Berman (piano), Lilya Zilberstein (piano), Jean-Marc Luisada (piano), Lang Lang (piano)

Composers

Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685-1750)
Beethoven, Ludwig van (1770-1827)
Brahms, Johannes (1833-97)
Chopin, Frédéric François (1810-49)
Debussy, Claude Achille (1862-1918)
Grieg, Edvard Hagerup (1843-1907)
Liszt, Ferencz (1811-86)
Mendelssohn, Felix (1809-47)
Rachmaninov, Sergey Vassilievich (1873-1943)
Satie, Erik Alfred Leslie (1866-1925)
Schubert, Franz Peter (1797-1828)
Schumann, Robert (1810-56)

Works

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 2 'Moonlight': Adagio sostenuto
Brahms: Intermezzo in E flat major, Op. 117 No. 1
Chopin: Nocturne No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 9 No. 2
Chopin: Nocturne No. 5 in F sharp major, Op. 15 No. 2
Chopin: Prelude Op. 28 No. 4 in E minor
Chopin: Prelude Op. 28 No. 7 in A major
Debussy: Clair de Lune (from Suite Bergamasque)
Debussy: La fille aux cheveux de lin (from Préludes - Book 1: No. 8)
Grieg: Nocturne (from Lyric Pieces Op. 54)
Grieg: To Spring (from Lyric Pieces Op. 43)
Liszt: Consolation, S. 172 No. 3 in D flat major
Liszt: Liebestraum, S541 No. 3 (Nocturne in A flat major)
Mendelssohn: Song without Words, Op. 19b No. 1 in E major 'Sweet Remembrance'
Mendelssohn: Song without Words, Op. 30 No. 6 in F sharp minor 'Venezianisches Gondellied No. 2'
Rachmaninov: Prelude Op. 23 No. 4 in D major
Rachmaninov: Prelude Op. 32 No. 12 in G sharp minor
Satie: Gymnopédie No. 1
Schubert: Impromptu in G flat major, D899 No. 3
Schumann: Träumerei (from Kinderszenen, Op. 15)

Discs: 2 CDs

Composers

Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685-1750)

Works

Bach, J S: Cello Suites Nos. 1-6, BWV1007-1012
Bach, J S: Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV1007
Bach, J S: Cello Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV1008
Bach, J S: Cello Suite No. 3 in C major, BWV1009
Bach, J S: Cello Suite No. 4 in E flat major, BWV1010
Bach, J S: Cello Suite No. 5 in C minor, BWV1011
Bach, J S: Cello Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV1012

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden
English Chamber Orchestra
London Symphony Orchestra
Benjamin Britten

Composers

Britten, Benjamin (1913-76)

Works

Britten: Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op. 33a
Britten: Simple Symphony, Op. 4
Britten: The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34
Britten: Variations on a theme of Frank Bridge, Op. 10

Two CDS filled with the best-loved numbers from opera - and filled with the passion, tragedy, joy and laughter that define this most thrilling of musical genres. Aria, duet, trio, chorus, overture … Verdi, Puccini, Mozart, Rossini, Bizet … Callas, Dessay, Gheorghiu, Domingo, Carreras, Alagna, Villazón … and so much more.

Awards
Presto Recording of the Week 3rd June 2016
Presto Recordings of the Year Finalist 2016
Gramophone Magazine August 2016 Editor's Choice
Gramophone Awards 2016 Shortlisted - Choral

Laura Aikin (soprano), Bernarda Fink (alto), Johannes Chum (tenor) & Ruben Drole (bass)
Concentus Musicus Wien & Arnold Schoenberg Chor, Nikolaus Harnoncourt

When Nikolaus Harnoncourt retired from the stage in December last year, it was his express wish to release the broadcast recording of his last project, Beethoven's monumental “Missa solemnis” as his personal legacy.

The 'Missa solemnis' concerts at the Styriarte Festival Graz and the Salzburg Festival in summer 2015 were his last public performances. This recording of Beethoven's late masterpiece was made from material captured at the Graz concerts and rehearsals.

As a result of his life-long research on Beethoven, he conducted the work for the first time with the Concentus Musicus Wien on period instruments, the Concentus is joined by the Vienna based Arnold Schoenberg Choir and a handpicked solo quartet.

Composers

Beethoven, Ludwig van (1770-1827)

Works

Beethoven: Missa Solemnis in D major, Op. 123

Wat sal jy doen as 'n boelie jou goudvis in die skool se toilet afspoel? Dit is presies wat met Dennis gebeur. Gelukkig kry hy sy goudvis terug. Maar iets is nie reg nie ...
Daar wag 'n GROOT skok op die hele skool toe Dennis se goudvis begin groei en groei en GROEI!
Kort voor lank is selfs die weermag op die toneel. Dennis is die enigste een met 'n plan om 'n ramp te voorkom ...
'n Skreeusnaakse storie vir beginnerlesers, in maklik verstaanbare taal geskryf, met prettige volkleur-illustrasies deur die talentvolle Zinelda McDonald.

Decca, the opera company, presents a premium collection of the 100 most beautiful operatic moments - from arias and choruses, to overtures and marches.

With a world-beating roster of opera singers including Luciano Pavarotti, Renee Fleming and Jonas Kaufmann, Decca Classics has always invested infinite energy and enormous care on its productions, blending the greatest casts with experienced opera orchestras and great conductors. The result of this mix of world-beating artists, unrivalled technical skill and know-how is an opera catalogue of matchless artistry and superb sound.

Pumeza's second album ARIAS is a collection of many of the great opera roles in which Pumeza has blossomed: Mimì in La Boheme; Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro; Liù in Turandot; Dido in Dido & Aeneas; Concepcion in L'heure espagnole together with such operatic greatest hits as 'The Song to the Moon' from Rusalka and 'Ebben, ne andro lontano' from La Wally.

The album also features new arrangements of art songs such as Faure's 'Après un rêve' and Reynaldo Hahn's A Chloris as well as a Rosa Ponselle favourite, Tosti's 'Si tu le voulais'

Also included are arrangements of Sarti's famous aria 'Lungi del caro bene' made by DECCA for Renata Tebaldi in the 1970s and recorded here for the first time since then and an arrangement of the classic song 'La Paloma' originally made for Victoria de los Angeles.

Pumeza Matshikiza (soprano)
Aarhus Symfonieorkester, Tobias Ringborg

Composers

Catalani, Alfredo (1854-93)
Dvořák, Antonín (1841-1904)
Fauré, Gabriel Urbain (1845-1924)
Gluck, Christoph Willibald (1714-87)
Hahn, Reynaldo (1874-1947)
Montsalvatge, Xavier (1912-2002)
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-91)
Puccini, Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria (1858-1924)
Purcell, Henry (1659-95)
Ravel, Maurice (1875-1937)
Sarti, Giuseppe (1729-1802)
Tosti, Francesco Paolo (1846-1916)
Yradier, Sebastián de (1809-65)

Works

Catalani: Ebben? Ne andrò lontana (from La Wally)
Dvořák: Mesícku na nebi hlubokém 'Song to the Moon' (from Rusalka)
Fauré: Après un rêve, Op. 7 No. 1
Gluck: Che fiero momento (from Orfeo et Euridice)
Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice
Hahn, R: A Chloris
Montsalvatge: Canción negra No. 2, Punto de Habanera (Siglo XVIII)
Montsalvatge: Canciones negras (5)
Montsalvatge: Canción negra No. 1, Cuba dentro de un piano
Montsalvatge: Canción negra No. 3, Chévere
Montsalvatge: Canción negra No. 4, Cancion de cuna para dormir a un negrito
Montsalvatge: Canción negra No. 5, Canto negro
Mozart: Deh vieni, non tardar (from Le nozze di Figaro)
Puccini: La Bohème: Act 1
Puccini: Senza mamma, o bimbo (from Suor Angelica)
Puccini: Si, mi chiamano Mimi (from La Bohème)
Puccini: Suor Angelica
Puccini: Tu che di gel sei cinta (from Turandot)
Purcell: When I am laid in earth (from Dido and Aeneas)
Ravel: L'heure Espagnole
Ravel: Oh! La pitoyable aventure (from L'heure espagnole)
Sarti: Lungi dal caro bene (from Le gelosie villane)
Tosti: Si tu le voulais
Yradier: La Paloma

The new album from Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble will surprise and delight with imaginative sounds that transform the traditional musical landscape. SING ME HOME is the sixth album by the Grammy®-nominated Silk Road Ensemble and its founding member and guiding light, Yo-Yo Ma.

The album features special guest performers Rhiannon Giddens, Sarah Jarosz, Abagail Washburn, Gregory Porter, Lisa Fischer, Grammy Award®-winning jazz guitarist, Bill Frisell, and more.

Produced by Silk Road Ensemble member Johnny Gandelsman and Grammy Award® winner Kevin Killen (U2, Kate Bush, Elvis Costello, David Bowie), SING ME HOME examines the ever-changing idea of home, with original and traditional tunes composed or arranged by members of the Ensemble's unique collective of global artists. Each piece invites listeners to explore the “music of home” through the individual experiences of Ensemble members, many of whom are immigrants. The result is a compelling collection of innovative and deeply moving tributes to the rich cultural heritage of the Balkans, China, Galicia, India, Iran, Ireland, Japan, Mali people of Roma, Syria and the United States.

SING ME HOME was developed and recorded alongside The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma & the Silk Road Ensemble, a documentary feature film from Oscar® and Emmy®-winning director Morgan Neville that tells the story of the Ensemble and Silk Road, its parent organization. The documentary had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 13 2015.

Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Project has been on a mission to promote innovation and cross-cultural understanding through the arts for the last fifteen years; the latest chapter comes with the release of their new album, A Playlist Without Borders. The vision of Yo-Yo Ma's limitless collective is as timely as ever: to connect the world's neighborhoods by bringing together artists and audiences. From flashy surf guitar sounds to ninth century Chinese poetry, from modular playlists to Egyptian rhythms, the Silk Road Ensemble mixes the modern and the traditional, breaking boundaries of ethnicity and era. A Playlist Without Borders demonstrates that there are no barriers for those approaching music with an open mind.

Founded by Yo-Yo Ma, the Silk Road Ensemble has featured more than sixty members from twenty-four countries and has been described as “a kind of roving musical laboratory without walls” by the Boston Globe and hailed as “one of the 21st century's great ensembles” by the Vancouver Sun.

Yo-Yo Ma (cello)
The Silk Road Ensemble

Composers

Azmeh, Kinan (b. 1976)
Carmichael, Hoagy (1899-1981)
Dvořák, Antonín (1841-1904)
Works

Dvořák: Goin' Home

A rising composer's debut release on a major label, Gjeilo's album on Decca is an important release of heavenly, bewitching, eternal new choral music for our time. Ethereal yet tangible, this is music with wide appeal; music of purity and beauty; music at once restful and uplifting.

Composer Ola Gjeilo draws on influences from his Nordic background to conjure modern choral music of exceptional beauty. Radiant vocal textures are enhanced by transcendental instrumental additions; a twinkling piano performed by Ola himself; captivating, exquisite strings; and bewitching acoustic guitar.

Ethereal yet tangible, this is music with wide appeal; music of purity and beauty; music at once restful and uplifting.

Gjeilo - pronounced “Yay-lo” - has evolved a musical style which is at once contemporary and familiar. His concentrated harmonies and rich textures combined with graceful, engaging melody, contain echoes of Morten Lauridsen, Eric Whitacre, and the best luscious film scores.

Influenced by improvisers, along with composers such as John Adams, Desplat, Newman, Marinelli, Williams, Elgar, Vaughan-Williams and Tavener, Ola describes his music as “a lyrical mix of improvisation and classical”, and others often describe it as “cinematic… evocative, lush, story-telling…”

Composers

Gjeilo, Ola (b.1978)

Works

Gjeilo: Northern Lights
Gjeilo: Reflections
Gjeilo: Sacred Heart
Gjeilo: Sanctus: London
Gjeilo: Serenity
Gjeilo: The Crossing
Gjeilo: The Ground
Gjeilo: The Lake Isle
Gjeilo: The Spheres
Gjeilo: Tundra
Gjeilo: Ubi caritas

The most-talked about artist of the 2015 Tchaikovsky Competition created huge excitement and world-wide media attention with his riveting background and “genius-like playing” (Boris Berezovksy). Debargue, who is 25, started the piano late at 11 years old, learning mostly in isolation. After dropping the instrument for three years to play in a rock band and study literature, he started formal piano training aged 20. Placed 4th, he was described by media as “the real winner” of the competition and received the Music Critics' Association award as “the pianist whose incredible gift, artistic vision and creative freedom have impressed the critics as well as the audience.” Valery Gergiev, the competition's chairman, broke protocol by letting Debargue play in the winners' gala and not prizewinner Dmitry Masleev. Lucas Debargue's debut album is a live recording at the Salle Cortot in Paris and documents his first concert in his hometown after the competition. The centrepiece of his first recording is Ravel's monumentally challenging Gaspard de la nuit. One of the most difficult piano pieces in the repertoire, which Debargue performed to sensational acclaim during the second round of the competition. “It's a great spiritual work. It's like a Goya painting, filled with light and darkness.” The recording also includes four coruscating sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti; Chopin's emotionally intense Ballade No. 4; Liszt's devilish Mephisto Waltz; and smaller works by Grieg (Lyric Pieces op. 47 no. 3, “Melody”) and Schubert (Moment musical op. 94 no. 3). Debargue says, “I chose the repertoire to go from early Scarlatti to Ravel, with a wonderful romantic bridge of Chopin and Liszt to go between them'.

Lucas Debargue (piano)

Composers

Chopin, Frédéric François (1810-49)
Grieg, Edvard Hagerup (1843-1907)
Liszt, Ferencz (1811-86)
Ravel, Maurice (1875-1937)
Scarlatti, Domenico (1685-1757)
Schubert, Franz Peter (1797-1828)

Works

Chopin: Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52
Grieg: Lyric Pieces Op. 47: No. 3 - Melody
Liszt: Mephisto Waltz No. 1
Ravel: Gaspard de la Nuit
Scarlatti, D: Keyboard Sonata K24 in A major
Scarlatti, D: Keyboard Sonata K132 in C major
Scarlatti, D: Keyboard Sonata K141 in D minor
Scarlatti, D: Keyboard Sonata K208 in A major
Schubert: Moments Musicaux, D780: No. 3 in F minor

Grigory Sokolov (piano)
Münchner Philharmoniker, Witold Rowicki

For the first time on CD, this rare recording of Chopin's piano concerto is one of Grigory Sokolov's only productions in a concerto role, accompanied by an orchestra. This original Eurodisc session recording with Münchner Philharmoniker has been newly remastered from the original tapes. Grigory Sokolov is regarded as one of the world's leading pianists, dedicated to his art, and adored by his audience in sold-out concerts. Few pianists of recent years have become quite such a legend in their own lifetime. Sokolov created a huge worldwide fanbase solely by playing concerts, as he refused do studio recordings. The only recordings available are live recording of concerts. Recording: Bürgerbräu Munich November 1977. Production: Oskar Waldeck, Hans Richard Stracke. Recording Engineer: Horst Lindner. Remastering: Yukio Takahashi

Composers

Chopin, Frédéric François (1810-49)

Works

Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11

Daniel Barenboim continues his acclaimed Elgar series with the landmark First Symphony. These new issues mark the first time that indefatigable maestro Barenboim has returned to recording Elgar's symphonic works since the 1970s.

This recording is the latest step in maestro Barenboim's Elgarian journey with the Berlin Staatskapelle, following on from well-received performances of Elgar's Dream of Gerontius, the Cello Concerto (recorded live with Alisa Weilerstein for Decca), and Elgar's Second Symphony - about which the Guardian wrote: “The surging, unquenchable energy of this account is obvious from the opening bars, which are borne on an irresistible flood of sound from the Berlin Staatskapelle…”

This album was recorded live at Berlin's renowned Philharmonie, with the Berlin Staatskapelle and leading Elgarian record producer Andrew Keener.

Barenboim is a passionate Elgarian, counting The Dream of Gerontius as one of his favourite works. As a young man he worked regularly with Sir John Barbirolli, one of the greatest of all Elgar conductors and who was Jacqueline du Pré's partner in the classic EMI recording of the Cello Concerto.

Barenboim's latest Decca release follows his hugely successful Beethoven project of 2012, 2013's Verdi Requiem, and Elgar's Second Symphony in 2014.

Awards
Gramophone Magazine May 2016 Disc of the Month
Gramophone Awards 2016 Finalist - Orchestral

Staatskapelle Berlin, Daniel Barenboim

Composers

Elgar, Edward William (1857-1934)

Works

Elgar: Symphony No. 1 in A flat major, Op. 55

Kirsty Hopkins (soprano), Charles MacDougall (tenor), Eleanor Dennis (soprano), Greg Tassell (tenor), Daniel Moult (organ), Benjamin Bevan (baritone), Sophie Bevan (soprano)
London Early Opera, Bridget Cunningham

Composers

Arne, Thomas (1710-78)
Handel, George Frideric (1685-1759)
Hebden, John (c.1712-65)
Moult, Daniel (b.1973)

Works

Arne: Colin and Phoebe 'A Pastoral': Be still O ye winds and attentive ye Swains
Handel: The Advice Mortals wisely learn to measure
Handel: Acis and Galatea
Handel: Acis and Galatea: Sinfonia
Handel: As steals the morn (from L'Allegro, il Penseroso, ed il Moderato)
Handel: Dead March from Saul
Handel: Hush, ye pretty warbling quire (from Acis and Galatea)
Handel: Organ Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, HWV290, Op. 4 No. 2
Handel: The Melancholy Nymph from The What d'ye Call it? (1715)
Handel: Ye verdant plains and woody mountains (from Acis and Galatea)
Hebden: Concerto No. 1 in A major
Moult: Organ improvisation in the style of John Worgan and Handel

Inspired by a journey to Tchaikovsky's hometown Saint Petersburg, Jan rediscovered some of his favorite pieces from the composer.

The famous Rococo Variations were written by Tchaikovsky for the cellist Wilhelm Fitzhagen who added some minor edits to make the work more playable. Jan recorded a new combination of the original with Fitzenhagen's version.

Sérénade mélancolique and Souvenir d'un lieu cher are both originally works for violin and orchestra. For this recording, Jan arranged the cello parts himself and teamed up with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony under their new Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada.

The vivacious “Souvenir de Florence” is Tchaikovsky's only string sextet. Jan recorded this piece with musicians of the Moritzburg Festival, an excellent chamber music festival located in the Moritzburg castle near Dresden.

Jan Vogler's distinguished career has seen him perform with renowned conductors and internationally acclaimed orchestras around the world. His strong classical foundation has allowed him to push the boundaries of his sound, creating an ongoing dialogue with contemporary composers and performers.

Jan Vogler (cello)
Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Moritzburg Festival Ensemble, Andrés Orozco-Estrada

Composers

Tchaikovsky, Piotr Ilyich (1840-93)

Works

Tchaikovsky: Sérénade Mélancolique for Violin & Orchestra in B minor, Op. 26
Tchaikovsky: Souvenir d'un lieu cher, Op. 42: Méditation in D minor
Tchaikovsky: Souvenir de Florence, Op. 70
Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33