New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-up - 3rd March 2017
This week's highlights include Mariss Jansons conducting Mahler in Munich, Andrew Davis completing his Ives' orchestral series with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Romantic Piano Concerto series reaching volume 70 with works by female composers in honour of International Women's Day. Other highlights include Bartók from Cédric Tiberghien, Rossini arias from Marie-Nicole Lemieux, and harpsichord concertos by the Bach family from Jean Rondeau.
Sibelius: Kullervo & Kortekangas: Migrations
Lilli Paasikivi (mezzo-soprano) & Tommi Hakala (baritone), Minnesota Orchestra & YL Male Voice Choir, Osmo Vänskä
150 years ago ‘The Great Migration’ of Finns to parts of Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin occurred. To celebrate this, the Minnesota Orchestra under Osmo Vänskä commissioned Olli Kortekangas to compose a work on the theme of migration, to be performed alongside Sibelius’s Kullervo. As a fitting close to this set, the orchestra performs Sibelius’s Finlandia, with the YL Male Voice Choir joining in for the famous closing hymn.
Available Formats: 2 SACDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Bartók: Sonata for two pianos and percussion & other piano music
Cédric Tiberghien (piano), with François-Frédéric Guy (piano), Colin Currie (percussion), Sam Walton (percussion)
Cédric Tiberghien makes a welcome return to the piano music of Béla Bartók in a programme which includes the popular Sonatina, the experimental Op 18 Études and the Piano Sonata of 1926. He is joined by François-Frédéric Guy, Colin Currie and Sam Walton for the Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Mariss Jansons conducts the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks in a live concert recording from October 2016. It is an outstanding interpretation of one of the most important compositions of the symphonic repertoire of the early twentieth century.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Sì, Sì, Sì, Sì!: Rossini Opera Arias & Duets
Marie-Nicole Lemieux (contralto), Orchestre national de Montpellier Occitanie, Enrique Mazzola
From Canadian contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux comes this live recording of arias and duets from Tancredi, Semiramide, L’italiana in Algeri, and other serious and comic operas by Rossini. She demonstrates that a deep, rich, voluminous female voice can move with the same dazzling agility as a light, bright soprano.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Ives: Orchestral Works, Vol. 3
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano), Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Andrew Davis
For this third volume in Chandos's Ives series, Andrew Davis and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra are joined by pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, who takes on the challenge of the solo piano part in Symphony No. 4. It is complemented by the less-often-performed Orchestral Set No. 2 and Symphony No. 3.
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
The Romantic Piano Concerto Volume 70 - Beach, Chaminade & Howell
Danny Driver (piano), BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Rebecca Miller
International Women’s Day falls on 8th March, celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Volume 70 in Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concerto series champions three female composers, and three works whose joie de vivre makes them irresistibly worthy of attention.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Harpsichordist Jean Rondeau has described JS Bach, who has been part of his life since his childhood, as “daunting like a mighty mountain”, but at the same time feels that “his music is so full of humility, so generous, that we have the right and the duty to play it, to share it, and to take the hand that he extends to us.” Here he performs concertos by Johann Sebastian and other members of the Bach family.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Adam: Giselle (DVD)
Marianela Nuñez (Giselle) & Vadim Muntagirov (Count Albrecht), Orchestra of The Royal Opera House, Barry Wordsworth
The quintessential Romantic ballet, Giselle has remained a cornerstone of the repertory since its premiere in 1841. Peter Wright’s landmark production does full justice to the work’s emotional and atmospheric power, with John Macfarlane’s designs beautifully capturing the contrast between the human and supernatural worlds.
Available Format: DVD Video
Adam: Giselle (Blu-ray)
Marianela Nuñez (Giselle) & Vadim Muntagirov (Count Albrecht), Orchestra of The Royal Opera House, Barry Wordsworth
The quintessential Romantic ballet, Giselle has remained a cornerstone of the repertory since its premiere in 1841. Peter Wright’s landmark production does full justice to the work’s emotional and atmospheric power, with John Macfarlane’s designs beautifully capturing the contrast between the human and supernatural worlds.
Available Format: Blu-ray
James Longstaffe - Head of Retail
