Although Franz Schubert's Lieder, his symphonies and his chamber music are staples in concert halls and on disc, his music for the stage is much less well known. He began composing operas in 1811, at the tender age of 13, and it is probable that the tuition he received from Antonio Salieri around that time fuelled his interest in the stage even further. Although he had one of his first public successes with the Singspiel Die Zwillingsbruder, Schubert later encountered difficulties in getting his operas staged: most of them would remain unperformed for a long time after his death in 1828, and are still rarities in the repertoire. With a few exceptions, the overtures to these works have suffered a similar neglect, even though they display an astonishing abundance of musical ideas, and possess a stirring dramatic character beyond anything found in the symphonic works. The striking originality of the music becomes even more obvious when performed on period instruments, as on the present recording with Manfred Huss and the fifty musicians in the Haydn Sinfonietta Wien, whose previous discs on BIS of works by Haydn have been warmly received by critics worldwide. Their recordings of Schubert's overtures were made in 1997 and for this re-release the original recording has been remastered by BIS Records.

Der Teufel als Hydraulicus (1811/12), Der Spiegelritter (1811/12), Des Teufels Lustschloss (1814, second version), Der vierjahrige Posten (1815), Claudine von Villa Bella (1815), Die Freunde von Salamanka (1815), Die Zwillingsbruder (1819), Alfonso und Estrella (1821), Die Verschworenen/Der hausliche Krieg (1823), Fierabras (1823)

Brought together by Anne Sofie von Otter, the four composers on this disc lived during the space of less than a century, from the birth of Erik Gustaf Geijer in 1783 to the death of Adolf Fredrik Lindblad in 1878, and thus prepared the ground for the great generation of Swedish song composers. The 32 songs selected by von Otter and Bengt Forsberg provide a broad image of the early development of a Swedish Lied tradition. At one end of the spectrum is the simple grace and tunefulness of Lindblad and Geijer's songs, while in comparison, Franz Berwald seems to have been more intent on breaking new ground with his relatively complex songs, attempting to reach an international audience through his settings of German and French texts. August Soderman, the youngest of the four, began his career as a successful theatre musician. Frequent public concerts and an introduction to the music of Wagner prompted him to search for new forms of musical expression in his songs, with the aim of creating a broader narrative with a greater dramatic force. With her usual gift for characterisation, Anne Sofie von Otter brings these largely forgotten miniatures to life with the support of Bengt Forsberg and, in two duets, the baritone Fredrik Zetterstrom.

Lindblad Aftonen, Der schlummernde Amor, Man tro? Jo jo!, Svanvits sang, Varning, Nattviolen, Frieriet (duet), Pa gamla dagar (duet), Vaggvisa, En sommardag, Gubben vid vagen, En ung flickas morgonbetraktelse, Brollopsfarden
Geijer Blomplockerskan, Gral och allt val, Min Politik, Skarslipargossen
Berwald Romance, Lebt wohl ihr Berge, Traum, A votre age, En parcourant les doux climats, Den 4 Juli 1844 (Konung Oscar!)
Soderman Jungfrun i rosengard, Jungfrun i det grona, Synden doden, Ich hab' im Traum geweinet, Im wunderschonen Monat Mai, Flickan i skogen, Ballade, Serenad, Majvisa

In March 1783, the readers of Cramer's Magazin der Musik could read abotu a certain 'Louis van Betthoven', a 'boy of promising talent', whose first published work was being advertised as 'nine variations for the pianoforte, written by him on a march, engraved at Mannheim.' The piece in question was the Dressler Variations, WoO 63, and it marked not only the beginning of an illustrious career, but also the start of Ludwig van Beethoven's lifelong involvement with variation form, culminating almost forty years later with the monumental Diabelli Variations for solo piano, and the third movement of his Ninth symphony. In this series, Ronald Brautigam has previously recorded early sonatas and sonatinas from the same period as the present works, a disc described by the reviewer on German web site Klassik Heute as 'providing a touching illustration of those times when the great Beethoven was simply young Ludwig' through playing which is 'simultaneously committed to the utmost purity of style and imbued with an immense musical exuberance'. As on the previous instalment in the series, Brautigam has chosen to perform these early variations on a fortepiano after a Walter and Sohn instrument from c. 1805.

Nine Variations on a March by Ernst Christoph Dressler WoO63, Six Variations on a Schweizer Lied WoO64, Twenty-four Variations on Venni Amore WoO65, Thirteen Variations on Es war einmal ein alter Mann WoO66, Twelve Variations on the Menuett a la Vigano WoO68, Nine Variations on Quant' e piu bello WoO69, Six Vartiations on Nel cor piu non mi sento WoO70

As the hub of a fledgling British Empire, London in 1710 was bursting with new wealth and offered the perfect setting for operatic entrepreneurs eager to spread the latest Italian fashions. It was a city of opportunity for Handel, fresh from spending 5 years in Italy, but also for many other touring musicians including Arcangelo Corelli, Francesco Maria Veracini and Francesco Geminiani. This recording unveils a portrait of the chameleon Handel, emerging with his early Italian-styled Amadigi, reaching maturity in the English operatic Hercules and arriving finally in the perennial melodic grace of Theodora, his penultimate oratorio. Extracts from these works, in which the young Norwegian mezzo-soprano Tuva Semmingsen displays both vocal agility and a wide-ranging emotional palette, are interspersed with instrumental works by Handel's Italian contemporaries. For further variety, the leader and artistic director of the ensemble Barokksolistene, Bjarte Eike, also performs a chamber work by Veracini, who visited London regularly during some three decades in the early 18th century.

Handel Extracts from Amadigi di Gaula - Act 1 Sinfonia, Arias: T'amai, Vado corro, O rendetemi; Act 3 Sinfonia, Aria: Sento la gioia;
Extracts from Hercules - Act 3 Sinfonia, Recitativo accompagnato: Where shall I fly?;
Theodora -As with rosy steps
Corelli Concerto grosso in D major Op 6 No 4, Veracini Sonata in A major for violin and continuo Op 2 No 9, Geminiani Concerto grosso in D minor No 12 'La Follia'

The 45 cantatas and cantatilles by Thomas-Louis Bourgeois exactly follow - with regard to the time period and the development of style - the genesis, proliferation and decline of the French cantata. The five cantatas recorded here are taken from his first two collections. Boree, Hipomene and Les Sirenes are part of the fist volume of which Brossard said: 'This is one of the best works that was ever created in this genre.' After its publication in 1708, the volume was repeatedly published over the following 40 years, a sign of its success. Equally at home on the concert and opera stages, soprano Carolyn Sampson has enjoyed notable success in the UK as well as throughout Europe and the US. The 2011-2012 season includes debuts with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra under Riccardo Chailly, as well as concerts with Freiburg Baroque Orchestra and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. She will give recitals at Wigmore Hall and Amsterdam Concertgebouw and will return to Glyndebourne Festival for Purcell's The Fairy Queen.

Bourgeois Les Sirenes,  Boree, Zephire et Flore, Hippomene, Psiche

This recording of Alceste is performed by the Early Opera Company and Christian Curnyn, whose other Handel recordings for Chandos have all received glowing accolades. The production of Alceste was initially envisaged as an expensive collaboration between the Scottish-born novelist and playwright Tobias Smollett, the Covent Garden company of actors and singers, the theatre owner and manager John Rich, the prestigious composer Handel, and the elaborate scenery designer Giovanni Servadoni. However, soon after full rehearsals began, Alceste was aborted permanently. Theories about the cancellation abound but whatever the reason, Smollett's abandoned script for the play was lost, and only Handel's incidental music survives today. Although Handel never performed his music for Alceste, he characteristically found plenty of practical uses for it. He adapted several sinfonias, choruses, and arias to form the majority of music for The Choice of Hercules, and several other numbers were later used in revivals of Belshazzar and Alexander Balus.

This is Volume 2 in the series of orchestral works by Alfredo Casella, performed by the BBC Philharmonic and Gianandrea Noseda, with the pianist Martin Roscoe. The disc also forms part of the Italian Series on Chandos, in association with Ricordi Music and the BBC Philharmonic. International Record Review said of the previous volume: 'Anyone with more than a passing interest in this fascinating composer needs to have this remarkable disc.' Albeit largely forgotten today, Casella was in fact one of the most important composers of his generation, possessing creativity in abundance, and rare technical skill. The earliest music on this disc, A notte alta, is Casella's only piece of programme music, inspired, the composer tells us, 'by sentimental events in my personal life'. Unlike most Italian composers of his generation, Casella had no operatic ambitions in the early part of his career. It was not until after his return to Italy from Paris in 1915 that he began to take a creative interest in the theatre, and the result was La donna serpente. This operatic score has much in common with Mozart's Die Zauberflote, from the magic and comic elements to the heroic rescue of a beautiful young woman, in this case a half fairy-queen condemned to assume the shape of a serpent for 200 years. The Concerto for Orchestra, Op 61 was written to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam. It was performed for the first time by this orchestra in its famous concert hall in 1938.

Concerto for Orchestra
A notte alta
Suites Nos 1 and 2 from La donna serpente

Founded in 1983, regularly giving more than 60 concerts a year, and having performed in over 40 different countries, the Schubert Ensemble is firmly established as one of the world's leading exponents of chamber music for piano and strings. The Ensemble here performs Piano Quintet No 2, arguably one of Dvorak's greatest and most popular chamber pieces, thanks to its memorable melodies and sheer panache. The composer took great pride in his country, and in his people, their character and cultural heritage, all of which is evident in this work. Dvorak wrote his Piano Quartet No 2 at the persistent request of his publisher Simrock in Berlin, who had long recognised the sales potential of the composer's music. He was not wrong; the work went on to become one of Dvorak's most frequently played chamber works. The seven songs which make up the cycle Gypsy Songs were written in 1880 to texts by the Czech poet Adolf Heyduk. The version heard here, for piano quartet, was arranged by the four core members of the Schubert Ensemble, and is a highly popular encore piece performed at many of its concerts.

Piano Quintet No 2 in A major Op 81
Piano Quartet No 2 in E flat major Op 87
Gypsy Songs - Songs My Mother Taught Me Op 55 No 4 (arr. for piano quartet)

This is the fourth disc in our series dedicated to the orchestral works of Mieczyslaw Weinberg, performed by the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra under Thord Svedlund. The cello soloist is Claes Gunnarson, one of Sweden's leading cellists, who combines the post as Principal Cello of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra with a brilliant solo career. After the Second World War, along with many other composers, Weinberg was subjected to a series of campaigns against so-called Formalism in the Soviet arts. As a result he turned his attention to concertante works, a medium less prone to censure than symphonies, sonatas and quartets. The first movement of the Cello Concerto shares the tense, pensive lyricism found in the opening Nocturne of Shostakovich's almost exactly contemporaneous First Violin Concerto. In the 1970s, Weinberg's symphonic production went in two distinct but complementary directions. One of these was at the patriotic end of the Socialist Realist spectrum, while the other was much more abstract. Weinberg's highly austere five-movement Symphony No 20 clearly falls into the latter category - challenging, perplexing, and unpredictable. A previews volume in Chandos' Weinberg series (CHSA5089) was nominated for a Grammy this year, in the Best Engineered Album category.

Cello Concerto Op 43
Symphony No 20 Op 150

Every epoch has had its group dances, and they have always been a source of inspiration to composers. In the interwar period, the Blues and Charleston meant as much to composers as the Sarabande and Gigue did to Johann Sebastian Bach and the Polonaise and Mazurka to Frederic Chopin. The advent of American jazz and dance music in Europe was a gift from the gods for young composers hungry to find new paths and means of expression. Even though the word jazz meant little more than syncopated march and dance music based on ragtime, there was no stopping the rage. Jazz represented a radical break with the traditional, old-fashioned way of life of the nineteenth century, and made a wonderful match with the elated expectations that had replaced wartime suffering. Within just a few years, jazz fever swept across Europe. This CD is a collection of some of the gems of the jazz era.

Wolpe (arr. Geert van Keulen) Suite from the Twenties
Burian Suite Americaine (Americka Suita) Op 15 (1926)
Martinu Jazz Suite (1928)
Seiber Jazzolette Nos 1 and 2
Milhaud La Creation du monde

It goes without saying that Telemann had a thorough command of the French and Italian styles. Countless ensembles, including the Holland Baroque Society, have played such pieces. In 'Barbaric Beauty' the Holland Baroque Society follow a completely different path by focussing on Telemann's Polish style. At least, this is how he described the pieces he wrote after discovering the music played along the Polish-Hungarian border. It was at the beginning of his career, when he was just 25 years old, that he heard sounds that were to inspire him throughout his life. Telemann writes in his autobiography: 'In 1704 I was appointed Chapelmaster in Sorau (Zary) by His Excellence Count Erdmann von Promnitz. When the Court resided for six months in Plesse and Krakow, I became acquainted with both Polish music and the music of the Hanaks. This in all its barbaric beauty. (The Hanaks are Czechs from Moravia) The music came from four different instruments: an extremely shrill violin, a Polish bagpipe, a bass trombone and a regal. On one occasion I even heard thirty-six bagpipes and eight violins together. One can hardly imagine the brilliant ideas the wind players and violinists brought forth during the improvisations at moments when the dancers were allowed to rest.' It is striking that Telemann was explicitly interested in the improvisations, mentioning the 'brilliant ideas' for which there was only occasion when the band could free itself of the tight metre and musical requirements of the dance. Telemann wrote with enthusiasm: 'If you were to write down all that was played there, after a week you would have enough ideas for the rest of your life. If you know how to turn it to your own advantage, there is so much good to be had from this music.' He also wrote: 'Later I wrote large-scale concertos and trios in this style, which I subsequently gave an Italian look to by alternating Adagios and Allegros.'

Telemann Perpetuum Mobile, Les Janissaires, Mourky, Hanaquoise, Marche, Mezzetin en Turc
Collection Uhrovec
Collection Szirmay-Keczer

Vivaldi's instrumental chamber works cannot be dated with any certainty, nor do we know for whom they were written. Despite this lack of information, we can surmise he produced them for his pupils at the Pieta, perhaps during the late 1720s and 30s. Bach, Telemann and several French composers all explored the chamber concerto medium to a great degree. 18th-century Italian composers, who concentrated on opera, sacred and secular music for the voice, appear to have ignored it, with the exception of Vivaldi.

A score of a flute concerto by Vivaldi was recently discovered by the musicologist Andrew Woolley among the Marquess of Lothian family papers in the National Archives of Scotland in Edinburgh. It is thought that the score of the concerto by Vivaldi, titled Il Gran Mogol, was collected in the 1730s by Lord Robert Kerr, the son of the third Marquis of Lothian, during a 'grand tour' of continental Europe. During his Grand Tour, Lord Kerr may have actually attended a concert at the Ospedale Della Pieta, a major attraction for foreign visitors to the city. On that tour, Kerr, a flautist, is also believed to have acquired three pieces found in the same folder as the concerto. He was commissioned into the army in 1739, was captain of the grenadiers and died at the battle of Culloden in 1746, fighting for government forces against the Jacobites. Il Gran Mogol, referring to India or the Mogul empire, is believed to have been written by Vivaldi in the late 1720s or early 1730s as part of a quartet of short 'national' concertos. The other three in this collection were entitled La Franca, La Spagna, and L'Inghilterro. All four of these concertos were referred to in the sales catalogue of an 18th-century Dutch bookseller, but only Il Gran Mogol has since been discovered.

Concerto Madrigalesco RV 129, Laudate Pueri RV 601, Il Gran Mogul RV 431a, Motet - Nulla in mundo RV 630, Concerto in B flat RV 547

The Duos for Violin and Viola by Mozart have long been favourite pieces of ours – pieces we'd take out and play when there wasn't a keyboard player or cellist to hand, or busk as teenagers to earn extra pocket money. Back then, the audience's response clearly indicated how appealing these pieces were as our takings always doubled when we played them! These works never cease to amaze – Mozart uses the two instruments so effectively and with such exquisite craftsmanship that he never leaves one wondering where the rest of the string quartet might have gone….They are also hugely engaging to play and so endlessly rich and interesting that the appeal to the listener is guaranteed. Mozart's reference to other genres is always fascinating. In this case the writing is dramatic, operatic even (the violin taking the role as soprano diva (!) and the viola as the heroic tenor?!). One could perhaps go as far to say that these duos are distillations of the art of chamber music as in the Haydn quartets, but more naturally recreational and less self-conscious. For a violist they are about as exposed as you can be; hitherto very few sonatas or concerti had been written for solo viola – and the accompaniment would seldom have been as scant as a single violin. The conversational and imitative nature of the writing allows for freedom and characterization, and it was refreshing and rewarding to be as spontaneous as possible in the recording sessions. It was also a diverting and enjoyable experience to record two of the Michael Haydn duos, previously unknown to us both. The character of these pieces is often reminiscent of Austrian folkmusic and it really seems as if you can hear the yodelling vernacular bouncing off the mountains in timely echoes. The challenges in these works are quite different to those of his friend Wolfgang – the demands placed on the violinist are obvious as the writing is busy, yet in need of a casual fluidity, whereas the violist has the task of being constantly inventive with material which is largely accompanimental (melody and bass, in effect). Who knows? Maybe Wolfgang and Michael tried these out during Mozart's visit to Salzburg when he helped his friend complete a set of six Sonatas in 1783.' - Rachel Podger and Jane Rogers

Mozart Duo for violin and viola in G major, Duo for violin and viola in B flat major, Menuetto
M Haydn Duo for violin and viola No 1 in C major, Duo for violin and viola No 2 in D major

The music of Giovanni Bottesini is a must for double bass players. It was a dream come true for me to have the opportunity to record my favourite Bottesini pieces with my favourite ensemble Amsterdam Sinfonietta, who I have so enjoyed working with for the past ten years. And it is an unforgettable experience to make a recording with friends including the top soloists Liza Ferschtman, Monika Leskovar, Candida Thompson and Hans Eijsackers, not to forget my own sister Christianne.' - Rick Stotjin

Capriccio di Bravura, Duo Concertante auf Bellini I Puritani Thema, Gran Duo Concertante, Grande Allegro di concerto alla Mendelssohn, Une bouche aimee Tutto Che Il Mondo serra

A magnificent recording of Bartok's thrilling phsychological drama. 'Despite occasional successful stagings of this opera, it is concert performances that stir up the feelings of audiences most. I have witnessed many times in performances of this psycho-drama that listeners, staring at the faces of the two singers for sixty minutes, or following a surtitled or printed libretto translation during Bartok's deeply emotional music, were confronted with themselves. The prologue is very important; this is in fact a story about us. Usually, after the opera has ended, discussions break out, dividing men and women. Whereas everybody seems to understand why Judit cannot resist her desire to open all the doors, Bluebeard's character remains controversial. Is it right or wrong, necessary or unnecessary to keep certain doors closed? Why does he need to lock Judit up after she has discovered his secrets? Is the blood real, or does it exist only in Judit's fearful imagination? This Bluebeard is not a killer, even if he has a bad reputation and Judita sees blood everywhere. All the earlier wives are alive in his heart, behind closed doors. Bartok, who was himself a closed, shy man, seems to have been fascinated by strange-looking characters who turn out to feel endless love. This links Bluebeard to the Miraculous Mandarin. I am very grateful to Mr Vikarius and Mr Somfai of the Bartok archive in Budapest, who drew my attention to a number of errors in the printed score which we have been able to correct in this new recording. I also want to thank the Budapest State Opera, who lent us the very rare keyboard xylophone which gives the torture chamber scene its authentic colour.' - Ivan Fischer

A new recording from Roberta Invernizzi always betokens pleasure, but the rare occasion when the Italian soprano is placed in the spotlight - as with this new collection of opera arias by Antonio Vivaldi - promises something very special indeed. Invernizzi is known for her style and dramatic vividness in the music of the Baroque, perfectly suitable for this new rollercoaster journey of the emotions released by Glossa, courtesy of Vivaldi's own fertile dramatic capacity to capture moods - pastoral evocations, storms at sea, hunting and even prison scenes. The programme offers a set of contrasts in known arias from Vivaldi's operatic music and those which deserve to be better known. Invernizzi's interpretation is aided by La Risonanza's fine group of instrumentalists; and, of course, there is sympathetic direction from Fabio Bonizzoni. A wonderful opportunity to get closer to the unfolding world of Vivaldi's dramatic music with the dazzling and alluring voice of Roberta Invernizzi.

Combatta unngentil cor (Tito Manlio), Leggi almeno tiranna infedele (Ottone in Villa), Da due venti un mar turbato (Ercole sul Termodonte), Non ti lusinghi la crudeltade (Tito Manlio), Rete lacci e strali adopra (Dorilla in Tempe), Se garrisce la rondinella (Orlando finto pazzo), Ombre vane ingiusti orrori (Griselda), Fra le procelle del mar turbato (Tito Manlio), Dite ohime! Ditelo al fine (La Fida Ninfa), Nacque al bosco e nacque al prato (Il Giustino), Tu dormi in tante pene (Tito Manlio), Gelosia, tu gia rendi l'alma mia (Ottone in Villa), Se mai senti spirarti sul volto (Catone in Utica), Dopo un'orrida procella (Griselda)

Here for the first time on CD is Glyndebourne's acclaimed 1996 production of Handel's oratorio Theodora. Although Theodora is a story of a virtuous woman and sexual persecution, this has not proved to be an obstacle to its enduring success, the subject a deeply touching one, resonating from the age of antiquity to the present day. This audio release, in no way detracting from the extraordinary Peter Sellar's production, allows the focus to be on the soloists, conductor and orchestra. This recording confirms Lorraine Hunt as a true Handelian, capturing the spirit of Irene as few others could. In counter-tenor David Daniels as Didymus, there is a breadth of range drawing the listener away from the oft strained and forced falsetto sound, From the ouset Dawn Upshaw is a heartfelt Theodora culminating magnificently in her final duet with Daniels 'Thither let our hearts aspire...' the delivery, sensitivity and ensemble nothing short of astounding. There is no better choice of debut release from the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment on the Glyndebourne label, William Christie's musical approach one of transcendence, making the most of this wonderful music.

As is his custom, Andreas Staier has gone back to the original manuscript of one of the most famous sets of variations in history: Beethoven's Diabelli Variations. But he has not restricted his works to recording the magnum opus, since the CD begins with a selection of the variations written by some of the other 50 composers Diabelli asked to tak part in his project. Here you can discover the very first stirrings of Liszt's virtuosity (aged eleven!), the music of Mozart's son, the unexpected variations of Kreutzer and Kalkbrenner, and the Diabelli Variation of a certain Franz Schubert. A thrilling musical investigation!

Theme (Diabelli) and variations by Czerny, Hummel, Kalkbrenner, Kerzkowsky, Kreutzer, Liszt, Moscheles, Pixis, Mozart and Schubert
Beethoven Diabelli Variations Op 120

To mark the close of an outstanding 13-season tenure as Music Director of the Rochester Philharmonic, Christopher Seaman leads his orchestra in a program of music which he holds especially dear: Vaughan Williams' London Symphony and the Serenade To Music (with singers from Mercury Opera Rochester). 'A Grammy-level performance.' (City Newspaper, Rochester, concert review)

Symphony No 2 'A London Symphony'
Serenade to Music (original version 1939)

Following his highly acclaimed Beethoven 'Moonlight', 'Pathetique', and 'Waldstein' Sonatas release, Hyperion's Gramophone-award-winning artist Steven Osborne turns his talents to Beethoven's complete Bagatelles. Though the composer himself referred to these thirty short piano works, which he penned throughout his life, as 'trifles', these are nonetheless trifles from the mind of a genius. In this polished album, Osborne lends his remarkable artistry to everything from the Six Bagatelles of Op 126, which at times occupy the same rarefied spiritual world as the late quartets and were the very last works Beethoven ever wrote for the piano, to the composer's most famous stand-alone piano piece, the mysterious little A minor Bagatelle known to all the world as 'Fur Elise'.

Seven Bagatelles Op 33
Eleven Bagatelles Op 119
Six Bagatelles Op 126
Allegretto quasi andante in G minor WoO61a
Bagatelle in C major WoO56
Bagatelle in C minor WoO52
Bagatelle in B flat major WoO60
Allegretto in B minor WoO61
Klavierstuck in A minor 'Fur Elise' WoO59

Among Schumann's inspired late chamber works is a collection of music for more unusual instruments, composed in a concentrated flurry of creativity between 1849 and 1853 and written specifically for particular players, and it is to these exquisite short works that the world-famous Nash Ensemble turns its impeccable collective musicianship. While Schumann modelled his music specifically to the timbres of the instruments he wrote for - piano, violin, horn, clarinet, and oboe - he also arranged these pieces for alternative instruments with an eye to maximising sales. Here, however, the soloists from the Nash Ensemble present the works in their original scoring in what are bound to be definitive performances - the delicious Fantasiestucke for clarinet, and the fiery and lyrical Marchenbilder, which feature star British violia player Lawrence Power. Other delights include the Adagio and Allegro for horn, a brilliant showpiece, the Violin Sonata No 1, Drei Romanzen for oboe and piano, and the Marchenerzahlungen for clarinet, viola and piano.

Adagio and Allegro Op 70
Marchenbilder Op 73
Fantasiestucke Op 73
Marchenerzahlungen Op 132
Drei Romanzen Op 94
Violin Sonata No 1 in A minor Op 105

2 CDs for the price of 1
Acclaimed pianist Piers Lane and his fellow Australians the Goldner String Quartet reprise their highly successful partnership in these world-premiere recordings of the two String Quartets and Piano Quintet of Irish composer Hamilton Harty. Born in County Down, Harty (1879-1941) was a remarkable, self-taught musician who wrote in a lyrical Romantic idiom, as evidenced in these appealing works, while incorporating a modal astringency and folk-music charm that is reminiscent of Percy Grainger. In particular, the winding, pentatonic melody of the Lento of the Piano Quintet - a lusciously big-boned work worthy of Tchaikovsky - and the delightful 9/8 'hop jig' of the first movement of String Quartet No 2 seem like settings of folk-melodies that have echoed for centuries around the green hills of Ireland. Intriguingly, however, they are entirely Harty's own invention.

Piano Quintet in F major Op 12
String Quartet No 2 in A minor Op 5
String Quartet No 1 in F major Op 1

Christopher Tye flourished as a church musician in England during the mid-sixteenth century. A direct contemporary of Thomas Tallis, he held the prestigious post of Master of Choristers at Ely cathedral and successfully managed to compose music for both Protestant and Catholic services during a politically unstable time. Henry VIII was a fan, asserting: 'England one God, one truth, one doctor hath for music's art - and that is Dr Tye' (Tye himself had Protestant leanings). The composer was also described as 'peevish and humoursome', and these qualities are reflected in his remarkably individual music, characterised by unpredictable cadences and phrases of often unexpectedly startling beauty. The two major works on this recording are his masterful Missa Euge bone for six voices, and his Western Wynde Mass, probably an early work, and likely written as a complement to John Taverner's own Mass based on this secular English song. The peerless Westminster Abbey Choir directed by James O'Donnell performs these sparsely beautiful a cappella works with customary freshness and sense of grandeur.

Quaesumus omnipotens et misericors Deus
Miss Euge bone
Give almes of thy goods
Christ rising
Peccavimus cum patribus nostris
Western Wynde Mass
Nunc Dimittis

Legendary composer and sitarist Ravi Shankar is one of India's most highly esteemed musical ambassadors, renowned for his pioneering work in bringing Indian music to the West. 2010 saw the premiere of his ambitious fusion work, his first symphony conceived for a Western symphony orchestra, which translates the aural sensibilities and sound-worlds of Indian music into a Western structural framework. In this live recording of the work's premiere, David Murphy conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra with Ravi Shankar's daughter Anoushka on sitar.

The Symphonic Dances, an orchestral suite in three sections, was the last work Rachmaninov completed and proved one of his most popular compositions. Although rarely sentimental, it draws on many of the composer's reminiscences of Russia, from where he emigrated in 1917. It is characteristically lyrical with vivacious rhythmic sections, reminiscent of  Stravinsky's Rite of Spring and the composer's own Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Gergiev couples the Symphonic Dances with another work in three movements by a Russian emigre to the USA. Stravinsky's Symphony in Three Movements was written between 1942-45 and was the first work Stravinsky completed after his arrival in the USA. Although he claimed it was a 'War Symphony', his true inspiration was typically vague. 'How beautifully blended and responsive they [LSO] are under Gergiev's direction...there is much to enjoy here, not least an orchestra that is at the very top of its game under its charismatic conductor' - International Record Review (UK)

Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances
Stravinsky Symphony in Three Movements

3 years after the first recording dedicated to Vivaldi scores discovered between 2000 and 2007 all over Europe, this second volume features the most recent discoveries on a world premiere recording, and will help to complete one of the most fascinating jigsaw puzzles in musical history. This recording includes 3 major works: a violin concerto, a flute concerto and 4 opera arias from L'inganno trionfante in amore, one of the most important lost scores of Vivaldi. Alongside Federico Maria Sardelli and his orchestra Modo Antiquo, this recording features great names of the repertoire: mezzo-soprano Ann Hallenberg, violinist Anton Steck and flautist Alexis Kossenko.

Flute Concerto in D minor 'Il Gran Mogol' RV 431a
Son nel Mar d'aspri tormenti, S'odo quel rio che mormora  (L'Inganno trionfante in amore)
Violin Concerto in F  major RV 817
Palpita il core e freme, Langue il fior su l'arsa sponda (L'Inganno trionfante in amore)
Violin Sonata in D major RV 816
Vaghe luci belle (L'Ipermestra)
Violin Sonata in C major RV 815

Thirty years on from their acclaimed recording for Erato, Sir John Eliot Gardiner and the Monteverdi Choir return to the Bach Motets in a new SDG recording, taken from a concert in London in 2011 at the end of a tour which was performances in Italy, France, The Netherlands and Germany. The Motets can be seen as some of Bach's most perfect and hypnotic compositions. Through their extraordinary complexity and density, they require exceptional virtuosity and sensitivity from all the performers. Each motet is endlessly fascinating, and each inhabits its own sound world, Bach's masterful use of canon, fugue and counterpoint, and the brilliant exploitation of double-choir sonorities are perfectly matched by the Monteverdi Choir's virtuosity. The album is packaged in a hard back book similar to SDG's other releases. It contains a 44 page booklet with original notes by John Eliot Gardiner and texts in German, English and French.

Lobet den Herrn alle Heiden BWV 230
Komm Jesu Komm BWV 229
Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf BWV 226
Jesu meine Freude BWV 227
Furchte dich nicht ich bin bei dir BWV 228
Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied BWV 225
Ich lasse dich nicht du segnest mich denn BWV Anh 159

Abbado's approach to the music of Bruckner is soft and songlike, at times tense and urgent, but constantly filled with warmth of feeling' - and it's not only the Neue Suercher Seitung that is full of praise when Claudio Abbado and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra play Bruckner!  Their interpretation of his awe-inspiring Fifth Symphony reflects the composer's burgeoning powers and exquisite compositional artistry.  As The Guardian poetically states: 'The composer himself, one suspects, might have leapt to embrace Abbado as an ideal interpreter.'  Recorded at Lucerne Festival 2011

Also on Blu-ray ACC10243

Born in Minsk, Belarus, Alla Borzova has received numerous prestigious awards for her highly imaginative music since moving to the United States in 1993. Songs For Lada is a theatrical cantata which explores the world of childhood through rhymes, dances and stories, illustrated by effects including folk instruments and birdsong. To The New World portrays an imaginary ship bearing immigrant groups whose traditional music suggests their thoughts and feelings at the prospect of joining the great cultural 'melting pot' of America.

Strongly inclined towards neoromanticism, Richard Danielpour's music is a rich unity of energy, intensity, and serenity. First Light reveals these elements perfectly with its rhythmically charged writing contrasting with hypnotic chant melodies. The Awakened Heart is a kaleidoscopic three-movement work that ranges from darkness and passion through a stately chorale to an exuberant and breathless conclusion. Symphony No. 3 charts a triumphant ascent from 'the dream of death and our own fearful existence' to a belief 'in a world of hope and love.' 'Danielpour is an outstanding composer for any time – one who knows how to communicate deep, important emotions through simple, direct means.' (The New York Daily News)

Symphony No 3 'Journey Without Distance', First Light, The Awakened Heart

Spanning the traditional boundaries separating 'serious' and 'popular' music, Morton Gould wrote prodigiously across a wide range of forms, from concert works to musicals and film scores. The Concerto Grosso was described by the composer as 'a transformation of hoedown tunes ... [the soloists] play, in the first and last movements, like a bat out of hell.' Gould's work for film and television ranged from the movie travelogue Cinerama Holiday to the poignant Holocaust, via the ironic dances of World War I. The jazzy Pavanne contrasts with the atmospheric Interlude, while the Formation Suite is an original take on marching bands.

Concerto Grosso from 'Audubon', Formations, Cinerama Holiday

Though revered as 'the father of Italian opera', Simon Mayr also wrote largescale instrumental and orchestral music. His 1820 Concerto in D minor has an ingenious trick up its sleeve: it introduces each of the four soloists in turn with the flute, for example, soloing in the first movement and the clarinet in the second. This elegant, lyrical work hints at Beethoven but also at folklore in a winning way. The assured Keyboard Concerto reveals the influence of Haydn on the German-born Mayr whilst the Trio Concertante is imbued with Mayr's vivid operatic impulses.

Concerto in D minor 'Concerto bergamasco', Keyboard Concerto in C major, Trio Concertante in A minor

Haydn's Keyboard Trios possess a rich variety of themes and musical inventiveness, with strong demands on the pianist. The C major is dramatic and eventful. Patterns are varied in the E major where Haydn gives the violin major lyrical statements, whilst in the E flat major he uses all his wit and guile to launch the finale's captivating and joyful dance finale. The E flat major Hob. XV: 30 is notable for is subtle thematic development and commanding drama. Volume 1 (8572040) of this series has been greatly admired, not least by Gramophone which stated that the Kungsbacka Piano Trio had nothing to fear from any other account.

Piano Trio in E flat major Hob.XV:30
Piano Trio in C major Hob.XV:27
Piano Trio in E major Hob.XV:28
Piano Trio in E flat major Hob.XV:29

Paul Hindemith wrote seven String Quartets, all of which reflect the experience and practical assurance of a distinguished violinist and, later, violist. No. 2 was written in 1918 whilst he was a soldier on active duty. It's a bracing, dynamic and pithy work with a clever series of variations which parody romantic excess, and a virtuosic finale. No. 3 followed early in 1920 and was an instant success, a thrilling example of Hindemith's concise imagination at work. This passionate quartet, with its richly varied material, is one of his supreme chamber masterpieces.

String Quartet No 2 in F minor Op 10
String Quartet No 3 in C major Op 16

Sir Peter Maxwell Davies' Second Symphony is his 'Sea Symphony', a complex, virtuosic work that explores in absorbing, increasingly dynamic fashion, the ocean's proximity and what the composer calls 'the architecture of its forms'. Both themes and orchestration are masterly. The percussion section is richly voiced, adding considerably to the symphony's very particular, rugged and varied sound world. St Thomas Wake, by contrast, is a disquieting but bravura exercise in parody, evoking memories of the composer's experiences during the Second World War.

Symphony No 2
St Thomas Wake

Camillo Sivori was Paganini's only acknowledged pupil, and a musician in his master's mould, a virtuoso of incredible brilliance. He was also a composer of distinction. His Caprice-Studies are superbly realised examples of grace, lyricism and exceptional digital difficulty drawing on the resources of a prodigious technique. La Genoise consists of a theme and seven variations with violin and piano equal partners in a breathtaking display of brio and bravura. Folies espagnoles is a descriptive marvel, a parade of narrative 'engravings' that summon up Spanish sights and sounds.

12 Etudes-Caprices Op 25, La Genoise - 1er Caprice, Folies espagnoles Op 29

Bela Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra, one of his greatest works, was written in the United States after the composer was forced to flee Hungary during World War II. It is not only a brilliant display vehicle for each instrumental section but a work of considerable structural ingenuity that unites classical forms and sonorities with the pungency of folk rhythms and harmonies. Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta explores darker moods through a score of marvellously poised symmetry. This release follows Marin Alsop's 'riveting' (Gramophone) Baltimore Symphony recordings of Dvorak's symphonies.

Concerto for Orchestra
Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta

Eugene Zador was a remarkable colourist and orchestrator whose Hollywood film work was extensive. He described himself as a 'middle of the road extremist'. The Aria and Allegro is a beautifully crafted work brimming with rhythmic energy. Five Contrasts for Orchestra demonstrates his rich sound world at its most vibrant; film noir jostling with a big-booted country dance. The lighter A Children's Symphony is one of his most popular pieces – communicative, witty, accessible. We also hear two small and captivating evocations of his native Hungary.

Five Contrasts, A Children's Symphony, Aria and Allegro, Hungarian Capriccio, Csardas Rhapsody

Britten wrote his Songs and Proverbs of William Blake, Op. 74 for the German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau in 1965. The singer admired the 'concentration and enigmatic smile' of the settings, and Britten constructed, through alternation of proverbs with songs, and an intense contemplation on the human and the eternal, one of his greatest song cycles. By contrast Tit for Tat sees Britten revisiting youthful, light-spirited settings of the poet Walter de la Mare. The folksong arrangements are amongst his most famous, and beloved.

Songs and Proverbs of William Blake Op 74, Tit for Tat, Folk-songs

Turina was one of the great musical poets of his native Andalusia, and his music is drenched in its colour, variety and dance. Jardins d'Andalousie illustrates his dazzlingly picturesque absorption of the seguidilla rhythm and an invocation of courtly scenes. Le Quartier de Santa Cruz is one of his longest piano works and depicts a dramatic narrative of love, duel, and drama in Seville, whilst En el cortijo visits the plains for a quartet of rural episodes of rich characterisation and virtuosity. Jordi Maso's on-going Turina cycle has received worldwide acclaim.

Jardins d'Andalousie Op 31, Le Quartier de Santa Cruz (Variations rythmiques) Op 33, Las musas de Andalucia Op 93 excerpts, En el cortijo (Impresiones andaluzas) Op 92

These two hugely contrasting symphonies come from the opposite ends of Shostakovich's life and career. The Second Symphony was written to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Bolshevik October Revolution. Its advanced idiom of experimental textures and abstract effects can perhaps be best described as organised musical chaos. The Fifteenth was Shostakovich's last symphony and is filled with remarkable contrasts, from the rollicking quotes from Rossini's William Tell Overture and eerie references to Wagner's Gotterdammerung and Tristan und Isolde, to the last and perhaps most imaginative of the composer's symphonic passacaglias.

Symphony No 2 in B major Op 14 'To October'
Symphony No 15 in A major Op 141

This wide-ranging programme offers connections and contrasts in music of devotion and consolation. The settings by life-long friends Holst and Vaughan Williams, whilst very different, are highly affecting. The music of Rachmaninov, whose hymn derives from his 1915 All-Night Vigil, and John Tavener is immersed in the ritual of the Russian Orthodox Church. Marian Prayers come from Pierre Villette and Knut Nystedt. The music that gives its name to the title of the disc is the beautiful 'conversation' of Roxanna Panufnik.

Roxanna Panufnik All Shall Be Well (World Premiere Recording), Holst Nunc dimittis, Vaughan Williams Valiant-for-Truth, Rachmaninov Bogoroditsye Dyevo (Hail Mary), Tavener Svyati, Gorecki Totus Tuus, Mantyjarvi O magnum mysterium,  Villette Hymne a la Vierge, Nystedt Stabat Mater

Beethoven's unusual cantata Der glorreiche Augenblick (The Glorious Moment) is filled with patriotic praise for Vienna and tributes to the kings and princes of Europe after the defeat of Napoleon. It was performed alongside his symphonic Wellington's Victory at its premiere in 1814. The Fantasia in C minor for piano, chorus and orchestra opens with a virtuosic, improvisatory Adagio for the piano. The work's main theme anticipates the famous Ode to Joy setting Beethoven later devised for his Choral Symphony.

Der glorreiche Augenblick (The Glorious Moment) Op 136
Choral Fantasia Op 80

The so-called 'lost generation' of German composers includes many whose lives were shaped by events after 1933. One such was Reinhard Schwarz-Schilling, a composer of strong spiritual depth whose 1953 Violin Concerto was rooted in his wartime experiences. Ingeniously constructed, it subtly evokes the influence of Bach, without at all embracing neo-classicism. Its moving slow movement is followed by a finale that marries virtuosity with dance-like magnetism. The Partita is much admired for its colour and vitality, whilst the Polonaise is a lighter work, brimming with high spirits.

Violin Concerto
Partita
Polonaise

This recording brings together eleven leading composers whose origins in or strong associations with Canada are manifest in their central position in Canadian musical life. In a programme through which the power of tradition and faith flows strongly, themes are explored ranging from paradise and heavenly fulfilment to tragic loss; and from timeless hymn and psalm texts to an exploration of the brevity of human existence in the title work, I Saw Eternity. One of the finest chamber choirs in Canada and beyond, the Elora Festival Singers' 'must-have' (Gramophone) programme of Eric Whitacre (8559677) is just one of their many acclaimed recordings.

Corlis Gloria, Enns I saw eternity, Tiefenbach Nunc Dimittis, Watson Henderson Missa Brevis, Corlis To See the Cherry Hung With Snow, Halley Bring Us O Lord God, Galbraith Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence, Mozetich Flying Swans, Sirett Bless the Lord for the Good Land, Buhr Agnus Dei, Raminsh Psalm 23, Chatman Remember

Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco's two Piano Concertos form a contrasting pair. Concerto No. 1, written in 1927, is a vivid and witty example of his romantic spirit, exquisite melodies and rich yet transparent orchestration. Concerto No. 2, composed a decade later, is a darker, more dramatic and virtuosic work. The deeply-felt and dreamlike slow movement and passionate finale are tinged with bleak moments of somber agitation, suggestive of unfolding tragic events with the imminent introduction of the Fascist Racial Laws that led Castelnuovo-Tedesco to seek exile in the USA in 1939. The Four Dances from 'Love's Labour's Lost', part of the composer's recurring fascination for the art of Shakespeare, are atmospheric, richly characterised and hugely enjoyable. This is their first performance and recording.

Piano Concerto No 1 in G minor Op 46
Piano Concerto No 2 in F major Op 92
Four Dances from Love's Labour's Lost Op 167

There was a particularly rich vein of Nordic writing for the violin between the years 1910 and 1930. In this recital Henning Kraggerud, an exemplary stylist lauded for his Sibelius and Sinding concerto disc, Naxos 8557266 (CD) and 6110056 (SACD) ('Kraggerud's performance is superb throughout' – Classics Today.com), explores this memorable repertoire. It ranges from Halvorsen's folk-flecked Norwegian Dance to Stenhammar's passionate Sentimental Romances. Late romanticism floods Sinding's Abendstimmung whilst Sibelius's Six Humoresques remain a masterpiece of the genre. The earlier works of Ole Bull illustrate the brilliance and panache of 'The Nordic Paganini'.

Olsen Six Old Village Songs from Lom in Norway
Atterberg Suite No 3 for violin, viola and string orchestra Op 19 (version for two violins and strings) - World Premiere Recording
Stenhammar Two Sentimental Romances for violin and orchestra Op 28
Bull Los Recuerdos de la Habana (Memories of Havana), A Mountain Vision (version for violin and strings)
Halvorsen Norwegian Dance No 3 for violin and orchestra
Sibelius Six Humoresques for violin and orchestra Op 87 and Op 89
Sinding Evening Mood Op 120

Founded by Marin Alsop in 1981, String Fever was hailed for its remarkable versatility and unique blend of pop, jazz and classical repertoire. Fever Pitch presents pieces written and arranged for String Fever by a quartet of leading composers whose origins range from 1920s vaudeville to big band, film music and American and Afro-Caribbean folk. Marin Alsop performs numerous solos in a kaleidoscopic program which follows on from the swing standards of It Don’t Mean A Thing (8572834).

Fever Pitch, Bone Meal, South Street Strut, Go For It, Bubba Loomis Blooz, Who Me Worry?, In A Monday Mood, Sneakin', Caribbean Leprechaun, S.F.O., Pictures Of Emily, Groovy Cats, Mill Town, Gypsy Ball Mine All Mine

These four works, written between 1973 and 1993, fully reflect Gorecki's expressive variety. The Little Requiem for a Certain Polka, for piano and thirteen instruments, combines a wide range of moods. The Concerto-Cantata, which received its world première from the soloist on this recording, alternates a moving vein of melancholy with a charged, violent energy. The radical, energetic Harpsichord Concerto is heard here in the version for piano, performed by the composer’s daughter. The Three Dances are hugely approachable and full of exciting contrast.

Concerto-Cantata Op 65 (World Premiere Recording), Little Requiem for a Certain Polka Op 66, Three Dances Op 34, Harpsichord Concerto Op 40 (version for piano and orchestra)

Fernando Lopes-Graca was one of the most prolific Portuguese composers of the 20th century. His use of Portuguese folk-music to forge a personal style is represented in the Suite Rustica No. 1. More sombre moods are expressed in the dark atmosphere of December Poem, which contrasts with the extrovert Festival March. Neo-classical in its extended structures and thematic development, Lopes-Graca's award-winning Symphony maintains an unmistakable connection with the colours and textures of his nation to create music of great expressive and dramatic depth.

Symphony for Orchestra, Suite Rustica No 1, December Poem, Festival March

There is a great variety of performers, traditions, and composers represented in Volume 4 of this pioneering series. The pianists comprise the wellknown, the undeservedly neglected, and the tragic. One such is Rosa Tamarkina, a prodigiously talented musician, who died at 30. There is Liza Fuchsova, a brilliant Czech, who can be heard in a rare 1944 HMV disc. Lilly Dymont was recorded in Berlin in 1930, Marie-Therese Fourneau in wartime Paris, and Winifred Christie in London in 1921. Of Volume 3 (8111217) Gramophone wrote: 'a fascinating series ... and brilliant assembly, which makes you look forward to volume 4.'

Beethoven 32 Variations on an Original Theme WoO80, Brahms Rhapsody in G minor Op 79 No 2, Liszt (rev. Saint-Saens) Hungarian Rhapsody No 12, Chopin Scherzo No 3 in C sharp minor Op 39, Smetana Fantasy on Czech Folk Songs in B major, Albeniz Suite Espanola Op 47 No 3 Sevilla, Falla Elsombrero de tres picos - Danza del molinero, Mompou Suburbis - El carrer el guitarrista i el vell cavall, Faure Barcarolle No 3, Marescotti Fantasque, Roussel Trois Petites Pieces Op 49, Rosenthal Papillons, Schubert (arr. Liszt) Soiree de Vienne No 6 in A major, J Strauss II (arr. Dohnanyi) Treasure Waltz Op 418

Heifetz's series of arrangements and transcriptions for violin and piano reveal just how tasteful and refined a musician he was. Crafted with precision, and played with passion, they are alive with his stylistic awareness. Whether in his Rachmaninov transcriptions or in Robert Russell Bennett's A Song Sonata, Heifetz lavished equal care on these gems and they enriched his concert programmes. They also proved hugely popular on disc – thirteen pieces come from a 1960 LP famously called 'Heifetz' – and their variety, virtuosity and sheer beauty remain imperishable examples of the art of the violin.

Brahms Hungarian Dances Nos 11, 17 and 20, Bennett Song Sonata (excerpts), Shulman Cod Liver 'Ile, Khachaturian Sabre Dance, Paganini Caprices Nos 13 and 20, Sgambati Serenata napoletana Op 24 No 2, Kroll Banjo and Fiddle, Stravinsky Berceuse from The Firebird), Ravel Menuet from Sonatine, Ravel Valses nobles et sentimentales Nos 6 and 7, Shostakovich Danse Fantastique No 2, Debussy The Girl with the Flaxen Hair, Debussy La Chevelure, Dinicu Hora Staccato, Prokofiev Gavotte Op 32 No 3, Prokofiev March in F minor Op 12 No 1, Rachmaninov Etude-tableau Op 39 No 2, Rachmaninov Daisies Op 30 No 3, Rachmaninov Oriental Sketch Op 2 No 2, Castelnuovo-Tedesco Tango, Medtner Fairy Tale in B flat minor Op 20 No 1, Falla Pantomime from El Amor Brujo

The scenes shown are of the Benedictine Abbey and Church at Einsiedeln, in the Swiss canton of Schwyz. The monastery, in origin dating from the 10th century, was largely rebuilt in the 18th century to designs by Caspar Moosbrugger of Vorarlberg, a former lay brother in the community, and has long been an important centre of pilgrimage to the shrine of the Black Madonna, now in a black marble chapel built in the early 19th century. The impressive interior of the church contains frescos by Cosmas Damian Asam and stucco work by his brother Egid Quirin Asam. The tour is accompanied by the third and fourth of the four Orchestral Suites by Johann Sebastian Bach and a Concerto for oboe, violin and continuo by Antonio Vivaldi.

A Musical Visit to the Abbey of Einsiedein
Music by Bach and Vivaldi

Northern Italy has been variously ruled, over the centuries. South Tyrol, seen here, retains much of its Austrian past, with some regions predominantly German-speaking and others Italian. Scenes are shown of Brixen (Bressanone), with its Cathedral and Bishop's Palace, and various historic castles, including Castel Tirolo.  Music for the tour is by Mozart, with two Piano Concertos, one written in Salzburg in 1777 for a visiting French pianist and the other composed during the last year of Mozart's life, at the end of a decade spent in independence in Vienna.

A Musical Tour of South Tyrol
Music by Mozart

The Puppet Museum in Munich houses a remarkable display of puppets of all kinds, from string and hand puppets to the shadow puppets of China. Nuremberg, famous for its toys, has a Toy Museum, with exhibits ranging from the earliest times to the more nearly contemporary. From this collection we see a doll's house, accurate in every detail, and some of the museum's mechanical toys, in working order.  The tour is accompanied by a series of popular piano pieces, ranging from Mozart and Beethoven to Saint-Saens and Debussy. Mozart's Turkish March is followed by Beethoven's so-called Rage over a Lost Penny. Included is a Chopin Waltz, a Mendelssohn Song Without Words and Tchaikovsky's Chanson triste. The music ends with Liszt's piano transcription of the Danse macabre of Saint-Saens.

A Musical Vist to the Munich Puppet and Nuremberg Toy Museums
Music by Mozart, Beethoven, Saint-Saens, Debussy, Chopin, Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky