November New Releases

Postal Address: PO Box 691, Brookvale NSW 2099 | Phone: 02 9948 1811| Fax: 02 9948 5085 | Email: orders@savd.com.au

NAXOS CD OF THE MONTH | 8570439 | CD | 747313043972
Vaughan Williams Hodie (Christmas Cantata), Fantasia on Christmas Carols

Janice Watson (soprano), Peter Hoare (tenor), Stephen Gadd (baritone), Guildford Choral Society, St Catherine’s School Middle Chamber Choir, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Hilary Davan Wetton (conductor)

Popular Christmas works for choirs to perform
The Fantasia draws on four English Carols: There is a fountain, The First Nowell , A Virgin Unspotted and The Wassail Bough
Hodie is a serene, very tuneful masterpiece of Vaughan Williams’ maturity
The performers are ideal for this seasonal repertoire

CHRISTMAS CLASSICS Vaughan Williams’s Christmas Cantata Hodie (This Day) is a brilliant mosaic of musical styles set to poetry by Milton, Hardy and George Herbert, bound together by a narration of the Gospel Nativity story sung in unison by a boys’ choir. With its gripping blend of mysticism, heavenly glory and human hope, Hodie flows with vitality and inventiveness. The Fantasia on Christmas Carols is notable for the obbligato cello part and for the varied treatment of the choir, which provide an atmospheric choral-orchestral texture.

NAXOS | 8570334 | CD | 747313033478
Kraus Violin Concerto, Azire, Olympie Incidental Music

Takako Nishizaki (violin), New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Uwe Grodd (conductor)

World premiere of Violin Concerto, with soloist Takako Nishizaki whose recording of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons has sold more than 1 million copies worldwide
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra’s critically-acclaimed CDs have sold more than half a million copies worldwide
Increasing interest in music by contemporaries of Haydn and Mozart will make this a popular title: Kraus’s ballet The Fisherman (Naxos 8557498) was recently released

DELIGHTFUL ORCHESTRAL WORKS Joseph Martin Kraus (1756-1792) was one of the most gifted and unusual composers of the 18th Century, whose talent for thematic development, colourful orchestration and theatrical flair caused Haydn to proclaim him one of only two geniuses he knew (Mozart was the other). His Violin Concerto in C major is a monumental virtuoso work. The incidental music for Kellgren’s tragedy Olympie consists of a powerful stormy overture, an off-stage march, four entr’actes and an epilogue. Also included are virtually the only portions that have survived from Kraus’s Swedish opera Azire.

NAXOS | 8570726 | CD | 747313072675
Symphonic Brass

Verdi Grand March from Aida, Brahms Academic Festival Overture, Bizet Deep Inside the Sacred Temple (The Pearl Fishers), Carmen Suite, Holst Jupiter (The Planets), Bizet Farandole (L’Arlesienne), Elgar Nimrod (Enigma Variations), Walton Spitfire Fugue, Gershwin Porgy and Bess Suite, John Williams Hymn to the Fallen (Saving Private Ryan), Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture
Black Dyke Band, Nicholas Childs

The Black Dyke Band is the world’s most famous brass band, founded over 150 years ago and still going strong
Robert Childs was recently awarded an honorary doctorate for his international achievements
Popular favourites on this disc showcase the Band’s passion and sensitivity
A ‘must-have’ title for brass fans!

A COLLECTION OF POPULAR CLASSICS in a new guise, this recording includes perennial favourites such as the Grand March from Verdi’s Aida, Nimrod from Elgar’s Enigma Variations and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, transcribed for brass band by prominent arranger/composers from the 1930s to the present day. Founded in 1855, the legendary Black Dyke Band has been awarded the title ‘Champion Band of Great Britain’ no less than twenty times. In their 150th year they also became European and British Open Champions 2005, and they retained the British Open title in 2006.

NAXOS | 8570793 | CD | 747313079377
Elms Festive Frolic - A Celebration of Christmas

Fanfare da Festa, O Come, O Come Emmanuel, Gabriel’s Message, Rocking, Angels from the Realms of Glory, Sleepers Wake!, Cherry Tree Carol, Away in a Manger, The Boar’s Head, Coventry, Merry Gents, Wassailing in the Dark, Coventry Carol, Silent Night, In Dulci Jubilo, Sheep May Safely Graze, Festive Frolic, Sleep Sweet Babe, We Three Kings of Orient Are, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer
Joyful Company of Singers, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Stephen Bell (conductor)

Fun-filled Christmas title with lots of family favourites
The Joyful Company of Singers ‘are undoubtedly one of the great choirs of the world, with their virtuosity and intense spirit’, multi-award-winners and frequent guests at international festivals
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is ‘Britain's national orchestra’

RODERICK ELMS’ CHRISTMAS MUSIC ranges from charming and witty arrangements of well-loved traditional carols to new settings and festive orchestral pieces written for this very special season. The charm and immediate appeal of his music has been captivating audiences across the country for many years and this selection represents some of his most popular works, together with a few new ones such as the spectacular suite Wassail Down the Wind for organ and orchestra.

NAXOS EDUCATIONAL | 855808790 | CD4 | 636943819128
The A-Z of Conductors

Music by Beethoven, Berlioz, Bizet, Borodin, Brahms, Bruckner, Debussy, Delius, Dvorak, Elgar, Gounod, Grieg, Handel, d’Indy, Liszt, Mahler, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Respighi, Rossini, Schumann, Scriabin, J Strauss II, Suk, Suppe, Tchaikovsky, Wagner, Weber
Ansermet, Barbirolli, Beecham, van Beinum, Bernstein, Bohm, Boult, Busch, Cantelli, Celibidache, Cluytens, Coates, De Sabata, Desormiere, Dorati, Fricsay, Furtwangler, Horenstein, Jochum, von Karajan, Kempe, Kleiber, Klemperer, Knappertsbusch, Koussevitzky, Krauss, Krips, Mengelberg, Mitropoulos, Monteux, Mravinsky, Munch, Nikisch, Ormandy, Reiner, Rodzinski, Scherchen, Schmidt-Isserstedt, Schuricht, Solti, Steinberg, Stokowski, Strauss, Szell, Talich, Toscanini, Walter, Weingartner conducting various orchestras

Essential educational title for schools, universities and the home
48 great conductors, 28 great composers, 28 great orchestras!
Unique compilation on 4 CDs at an unbeatable price
Immortal interpretations of orchestral music spanning several decades

ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE GREAT CONDUCTORS Here across 4 CDs are some of the greatest conductors ever recorded, performing music by the greatest classical composers with leading orchestras including Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra, Austrian Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin RIAS Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Staatskapelle, Boston Symphony Orchestra, British Symphony Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Dresden Staatskapelle, Glyndebourne Festival Orchestra, Halle Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, New York Stadium Symphony Orchestra, Paris Conservatoire Orchestra, Paris Opera Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, RCA Victor Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna Symphony Orchestra.

AMBROISIE CD OF THE MONTH | AM125 | CD | 822186001257
The Bach Dynasty

JS Bach Harpsichord Concerto in D minor, CPE Bach Cello Concerto in A Major, Symphony in C Major , WF Bach Flute Concerto in D Major
Atsushi Sakai (cello), Jocelyn Daubigney (flute), Les Talens Lyriques, Christophe Rousset (harpsichord, director)

Les Talens Lyriques is one of the world’s best Baroque orchestras, led by the charismatic Christophe Rousset
Their the best-selling film soundtrack to Farinelli (V5114) is also being re-released this month
Virtuoso Baroque and early Classical concertos have wide appeal

FAMILY AFFAIR The Bachs were the greatest musical dynasty of the 18th Century. This gorgeous disc presents a Harpsichord Concerto by Johann Sebastian reconstructed from cantata sinfonias alongside three equally elegant works by his sons: Carl Philipp Emanuel's Cello Concerto and C-major Symphony, and Wilhelm Friedemann's Flute Concerto. Les Talens Lyriques rank among the best interpreters of these Baroque and Classical masterpieces, performing with unequalled spirit and style. Rousset is a charismatic keyboardist and inspiring director.

CHANDOS CD OF THE MONTH | CHAN3147 | CD | 95115314722
Handel Acis and Galatea excerpts

Joan Sutherland (soprano), Peter Pears (tenor), David Galliver (tenor), Owen Brannigan (bass), Thurston Dart (harpsichord), St Anthony Singers, Philomusica of London, Adrian Boult (conductor)

Joan Sutherland was nicknamed ‘La Stupenda’ in 1960, the year of this classic recording, for her crystal-clear voice and excellent diction
Rare collaboration between Sutherland and Peter Pears
This highlights CD is a real collectors’ title, released for the first time on Chandos, at an excellent price

JOAN SUTHERLAND CLASSIC RECORDING Originally issued in 1960, this version of Handel's popular masque was praised as being 'as close to definitive as one gets'. A real collector's item, it features Sutherland (the nymph Galatea) and Pears (the shepherd Acis) in a rare collaboration. Owen Brannigan (the giant Polyphemus) characterises the villain of the piece with bumptious humour and menace. This disc presents highlights and has been digitally remastered.

HARMONIA MUNDI CD OF THE MONTH | HMC90190608 | CD3 | 794881848027
Beethoven Piano Sonatas Vol 3

Paul Lewis (piano)

Pianist Paul Lewis is ‘one of the most popular pianists of his generation’ (The Age, Melbourne)
’ He is the musician as master storyteller, and he keeps our eager attention’ (The Washington Post)
Lewis reveals Beethoven’s playfulness, charm and wit, as well as revelling in the moments of high Romantic passion
His refreshing recordings of Beethoven Sonatas have sold hundreds of copies in Australia

MUCH-AWAITED RELEASE This 3rd volume of Paul Lewis's acclaimed cycle of Beethoven Piano Sonatas includes two of the most famous, the 'Moonlight' and 'Appassionata'. Lewis's recent concert performances for Musica Viva Australia left audiences in awe of his thrilling abilities. Vol 1 (HMC901902) gained Gramophone Editor's Choice. Vol 2 (HMC90190305) was released last year. Both have sold hundreds of copies in Australia. Vol 4 (HMC9010911) is scheduled for release in the near future. These are deeply-considered, compelling interpretations.

HARMONIA MUNDI BOX SET | HMX290825079 | CD29 | 794881851225
Harmonia Mundi 50th Anniversary Box Set

Ideal Christmas Gift – the ultimate ‘Music Box’ full of treasures
Limited-edition deluxe boxed set
The must-have CD release of the year
Great introduction to classical music for beginners
Excellent collection for connoisseurs
50 works on 29 CDs with over 36 hours of music (with CD-ROM of sung texts/translations)
148-page booklet

ONCE IN A LIFETIME BOX SET Harmonia Mundi, one of the world's leading labels celebrates half a century of pathbreaking releases. Named Record Label of the Year by Gramophone in 2003 and Midem in 2006, it led the revival in historically-informed performances of Baroque, Classical and, more recently, Romantic and Modern works, and helped bring William Christie, Alfred Deller, Philippe Herreweghe and countless other outstanding artists to the attention of music-lovers around the world. This limited edition box set is Harmonia Mundi's present to you! 'Harmonia Mundi is the most artistic classical label around' (The Wall Street Journal)

OPUS ARTE DVD | OA0986D | DVD | 809478009863
Delibes Sylvia

Darcey Bussell, Roberto Bolle, Thiago Soares, Martin Harvey, Mara Galeazzi, The Royal Ballet, Graham Bond (conductor)

Sylvia is Delibes' best ballet
The Royal Ballet is Britain's most prestigious ballet company
Darcey Bussell was the company’s most famous working ballerina, at the height of her powers when she retired earlier this year
Stunning production, 117 minutes of ballet heaven!

FREDERICK ASHTON'S SPLENDID PRODUCTION Delibes' Sylvia was judged by Tchaikovsky as better than his own Swan Lake. Restored to its elegant three-act form for the 75th Anniversary celebrations of The Royal Ballet, this spectacular production revives Ashton's choreography to brilliant effect. Sylvia is a wonderful showcase for virtuosity, invention and classical beauty, the epitome of Ashton's style with costumes and stage settings of breathtaking beauty.

PENTATONE CD OF THE MONTH | PTC5186098 | SACD | 827949009860
Mozart Sinfonia Concertante K364, Rondo in C Major K373, Concertone for Two Violins K190

Julia Fischer (violin), Gordan Nikolic (violin, viola), Hans Meyer (oboe), Herre Jan Steganga (cello), Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Yakov Kreizberg (conductor)

Julia Fischer is a genuine super-star
Hailed as ‘one of the great violinists of the 21st century’, and winner of last year’s BBC Music Magazine Best Newcomer Award
‘If there is a more exciting and yet thoughtful fiddler of her generation, we have yet to hear about them.’ (Gramophone)
Her 2007 Gramophone Award drew on listener votes from 15 classical radio networks in 13 countries, with a combined audience of almost 14 million people
All of her acclaimed PentaTone recordings are distributed in Australia by Select

GRAMOPHONE ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2007 Young violinist Julia Fischer has enjoyed a rapid and well-deserved rise to fame, capped with this prestigious award. This disc is the third and final volume of her recordings of Mozart's complete music for violin and orchestra. Vol 1 (PTC5186064) and Vol 2 (PTC5186094) are also available, as are all Julia Fischer's outstanding PentaTone recordings: Russian Violin Concertos (PTC5186059), Brahms Violin Concerto, Double Concerto (PTC5186066), Bach Solo Violin Sonatas & Partitas (PTC5186072), Mendelssohn Piano Trios Nos 1 & 2 (PTC5186085), Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto (PTC5186095).

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naxos
naxos | naxos educational

NAXOS | 8555845 | CD | 747313584529
Rodrigo Songs and Madrigals for Soprano and Orchestra Vol 10

Cuatro madrigales amatorios (1948), Cantos de amor y de guerra (1968), Triptic de Mossen Cinto (1936), Romance del Comendador de Ocana (1947), Cuatre cancons en llengua catalana (1935), Rosaliana (Four songs on poems by Rosalia de Castro) (1965), Cantico de la esposa (1934)
Raquel Lojendio (soprano), Asturias Symphony Orchestra (OSPA), Maximiano Valdes (conductor)

SPANISH SONGS This recording presents some of the finest examples of Rodrigo’ s songs, illustrating the wide range of Spanish poetry he set. He considered Cantico de la esposa (Song of the Bride) his best vocal work. Triptic de Mossen Cinto (Triptych of Mossèn Cinto) displays his exquisite matching of words to music, swift but subtle changes of mood, and love of the emotive power of the voice.

	NAXOS \| 8557062 \| CD \| 747313206223 Rachmaninov Music for Two Pianos Symphonic Dances Op 45, Suites Nos 1 and 2 Peter Donohoe, Martin Roscoe (pianos)
ROMANTIC PIANO TIMES TWO Rachmaninov’s Suites for two pianos are among his most original works for the medium, as inspired and tuneful as his concertos. The Symphonic Dances, a virtual symphony in three movements and Rachmaninov’s last major work, is convincingly translated from the popular orchestral work on which he was working at the same time.

	NAXOS \| 8557711 \| CD \| 747313271122 Respighi Church Windows, Brazilian Impressions, Rossiniana Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, JoAnn Falletta (conductor)
RESPIGHI RARITIES Ottorino Respighi’s four symphonic impressions Vetrate di chiesa (Church Windows) began life as Tre preludi sopra melodie gregoriane for piano (Naxos 8553704). Impressioni brasiliane (Brazilian Impressions) is a musical snapshot of the composer’s visit to Brazil in 1927. Rossiniana is one of his most brilliantly and colourfully scored works.

	NAXOS \| 8557831 \| CD \| 747313283125 Schubert Romantic Poets Vol 2 19 songs with texts by Korner, Schutz, Kind, Gerstenberg, Ruckert, Winkler and Schlegel Markus Schafer (tenor), Ulrich Eisenlohr (piano)
SCHUBERT SONGS The Deutsche Schubert-Lied-Edition presents all Schubert’s Lieder grouped according to the poets who inspired him. Thanks to Barenreiter’s New Schubert Edition, which uses primary sources, the performers have been able to benefit from the most recent research. This is the second of four discs of Schubert’s settings of the Romantic poets.

	NAXOS \| 8557845 \| CD \| 747313284528 Hummel Oberon's Magic Horn Le retour de Londres – Grand Rondeau brillant Op 127, Variations and Finale in B-flat major Op 115, Oberons Zauberhorn Op 116, Variations in F major Op 97 Christopher Hinterhuber (piano), Gavle Symphony Orchestra, Uwe Grodd (conductor)
ROMANTIC IMAGINATION The four works on this recording illustrate the vitality of Hummel’s musical imagination at the height of his career. Oberons Zauberhorn is a strikingly original fantasy based loosely on Weber’s opera Oberon. Le retour de Londres opens with a slow introduction remarkable for its beauty and expressive power which leads into an inventive and brilliantly virtuosic Rondeau.

	NAXOS \| 8557966 \| CD \| 747313296620 WF Bach Keyboard Works Vol 1 12 Polonaises, Sonata in D Major, Fantasia Robert Hill (fortepiano)
CHIP OF THE OLD BLOCK In their originality, concentration and breadth of expression, the Polonaises of JS Bach’s first-born son, Wilhelm Friedemann, establish him as a composer worthy of his father. The Sonata in D major, his first published work, has expressive aims and technical demands very rarely seen in 18th-century keyboard music.

	NAXOS \| 8559102 \| CD \| 636943910221 Copland Complete Works for Violin and Piano Violin Sonata, Two Pieces for Violin and Piano, Vitebsk (Study on a Jewish Theme for Piano, Violin and Cello), Preludes Nos 1 and 2, Duo for Violin and Piano, Rodeo: Hoe Down Ross Harbough, Paul Posnak, Peter Zazofsky
COPLAND'S CHAMBER MUSIC Aaron Copland was more than a creator of wistful American nostalgia; he was a deeply sophisticated musician, aware of aesthetic trends of his time. His diverse and eclectic output included a great deal of chamber music, much of which is included here. Whether tuneful, jazzy, intense or lyrical, his compositions are always enjoyable and rewarding.

	NAXOS \| 8559286 \| CD \| 636943928622 Duke Piano Concerto, Cello Concerto, Homage to Boston Scott Dunn (piano), Sam Magill (cello), Russian Philharmonic Orchestra, Dmitry Yablonsky (conductor)
WORLD PREMIERE RECORDINGS Vernon Duke's Piano Concerto was written for Arthur Rubinstein but never performed in his lifetime. American conductor/pianist Scott Dunn completed and premiered the work at Carnegie Hall to great acclaim. Duke's Cello Concerto is an overtly Romantic work, while his Homage to Boston suite portrays various people and places from that city.

	NAXOS \| 8570094 \| CD \| 747313009473 Bax Violin Sonatas Vol 2 Violin Sonata No 2 (1915), Ballad for Violin and Piano (1916), Legend for Violin and Piano (1915), Sonata in G minor (1901), Sonata in F major (1928) Lawrence Jackson (violin), Ashley Wass (piano)
MULTI-FACETED COMPOSER A far cry from the heart-on-sleeve Romanticism of his First Violin Sonata (Naxos 8557540), Bax’s Second reflects the composer’s concerns regarding the First World War. The Legend and Ballad were composed around the time of his finest symphonic poems and share their refined drama and lush exoticism. The unnumbered Sonata in F was not performed until 1983.

	NAXOS \| 8570137 \| CD \| 747313013777 Liszt Piano Music Vol 27 Donizetti Operatic Reminiscences and Transcriptions William Wolfram
A NIGHT AT THE OPERA Valse de concert sur deux motifs de Lucia et Parisina, Reminiscences de Lucrezia Borgia (2nd Version), Reminiscences de Lucia di Lammermoor, Spirto gentil de l’opera La favorite, and the Marche funebre de Dom Sebastien are the five works featured on this disc. Wolfram is able to summon torrents of sound for the grandest moments in the Romantic literature.

	NAXOS \| 8570192 \| CD \| 747313019274 Sarasate Music for Violin and Piano Vol 2 Homenaje a Rossini Op 2, Souvenir de Domont Op 8, Fantaisie de concert sur Martha Op 19, Gavota de Mignon Op 16, Melodie roumaine Op 47,Mosaique de Zampa Op 15, Moscovienne Op 12, Fantaisie de concert sur La forza del destino Op 1 Tianwa Yang (violin), Markus Hadulla (piano)
ONE OF THE GREATEST VIOLINISTS EVER, Pablo Sarasate inspired many concertos and other works for solo violin from the leading composers of his time, and himself contributed to violin repertoire, not least in his operatic fantasies, many of which have suffered neglect since his death. In 2004 the violinist Tianwa Yang was awarded the ‘Star of Tomorrow’ prize by Seiji Ozawa.

	NAXOS \| 8570251 \| CD \| 747313025176 Brouwer Guitar Music Vol 4 Brouwer La ciudad de las columnas (2004), Viaje a la semilla (2000), Nuevos estudios sencillos (2001), Hoja de album – La gota de agua (1996), Suite No 1 ‘Antigua’, Saumell arr. Brouwer 8 Contradanzas, Clerch Yemaya Graham Anthony Devine (guitar)
CUBAN GUITAR This fourth volume of Leo Brouwer’s guitar music presents works ranging from his earliest, the neo-classical Suite No 1, written at the age of sixteen, to his most recent compositions. La ciudad de las columnas (The City of Columns) is an evocative musical journey through the Cuban capital Havana. Vols 1–3 also available on Naxos 8553630, 8554195 and 8554553.

	NAXOS \| 8570312 \| CD \| 747313031276 Buxtehude Organ Music Vol 7 Praeludia, Chorale Fantasias, Chorale Preludes Julia Brown (organ)
BAROQUE ORGAN MASTERPIECES Buxtehude spent the greater part of his long career in Lubeck, where he was visited by the young Handel and Bach, eager to hear his legendary performances. This seventh volume of his organ music includes works that had a strong influence on organ composers, compositions based on chorale melodies and two sets of variations on dance melodies.

	NAXOS \| 8570434 \| CD \| 747313043477 Calace Mandolin Concertos Nos 1, 2, Rhapsodia Napoletana Alison Stephens (mandolin), Steven Devine (piano)
MAGIC MANDOLIN The son of a mandolin-maker, Raffaele Calace became a distinguished virtuoso. His Concertos for mandolin and piano are substantial three-movement works which contrast profound and striking first movements, reflective and emotionally charged slow movements, and skittishly virtuosic finales. Alison Stephens has toured Australia to critical acclaim.

	NAXOS \| 8660928 \| CD \| 730099692823 Bartok Bluebeard's Castle Andrea Melath (mezzo-soprano), Gustav Belacek (bass), Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Marin Alsop (conductor)
WHAT LIES BEHIND THE LOCKED DOOR? This recording was made after the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s end-of-season concert, described by The Times as ‘a spectacular finale… A knockout dramatic punch; feverishly beautiful orchestral playing…Alsop inspired the Bournemouth players to excel’. A spine-tingling operatic masterpiece!

	NAXOS \| 857030002 \| CD2 \| 747313030071 Haydn Il ritorno di Tobia Roberta Invernizzi (soprano), Sophie Karthauser (soprano), Ann Hallenberg (alto), Anders J Dahlin (tenor), Nikolay Borchev (bass), VokalEnsemble Koln, Capella Augustina, Andreas Spering (conductor)
HAYDN'S FIRST ORATORIO, Il ritorno di Tobia (The Return of Tobias), is among the better-kept secrets of music history having been overshadowed by The Creation (Naxos 8557380-81) and The Seasons (855760001). With its vivid portrayal of the protagonists’ emotional turmoil, it is a work of considerable beauty and dramatic impact worthy of revival.

	NAXOS \| 866021617 \| CD2 \| 730099621625 J Strauss II Jabuka (The Apple Festival) Thomas Tischler (tenor), Wolfgang Veith (tenor), Michael Schober (bass), Veronika Groiss (soprano), Elisabeth Wolfbauer (mezzo-soprano), Helmut Josef Ettl (baritone), Elisabeth Wolfbauer (mezzo-soprano), Franz Fodinger (tenor), Gaudeamus Choir Brno, European Johann Strauss Orchestra, Christian Pollack (conductor)
WORLD PREMIERE RECORDING Jabuka is Johann Strauss the Younger’s 14th stage work. An annual Apple Festival in the Serbian town of Ravica is an opportunity for local young people to choose a partner. With its strikingly fresh and original melodies, great ensembles and some of the finest choruses Strauss ever wrote, Jabuka was a huge success at its premiere in 1894.

NAXOS EDUCATIONAL | 855820203 | CD2 | 636943820223
Prokofiev A Portrait

Dame Edna Everage (narrator – Peter and the Wolf), Bernd Glemser (piano), Kun Woo Paik (piano), Tedi Papavrami (violin), Alexander Rudin (cello), Aurora String Quartet, Stanislavsky Chorus, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Russian State Symphony Orchestra, Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra, Kosice, Ukraine National Symphony Orchestra, Ukrainian State Symphony Orchestra, Theodore Kuchar, John Lanchbery, Andrew Mogrelia, Antoni Wit, Dmitry Yablonsky (conductors)

STAR-STUDDED LINE-UP Sergey Prokofiev is an enigmatic figure in modern music, beloved for popular classics such as Peter and the Wolf as much as for his powerful symphonies, sumptuous ballets and spectacular operas, yet his life was troubled by political and emotional traumas and much of his music sadly remains little-known by the wider public.

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	AEON \| AE0753 \| CD2 \| 3760058367537 Ockeghem Missa Cuiuvis Toni Masses in church modes Re, Fa, Mi and Sol, Intemerata Dei Mater Ensemble Musica Nova
MIRACULOUS MASS Johannes Ockeghem's Mass 'in whatever tone' is a miracle of Renaissance composition, performable in all of the church modes. This disc presents all four possible versions, each of which has its own subtle colouration, together with his magnificent motet Intemerata Dei Mater. Musica Nova performs with warmth and great love of this sublime repertoire.

	AMBROISIE \| AM126 \| CD \| 822186001264 Boccherini Madrid Cello Concertos G483, G480, Aria - Se d'un amor tiranno, Fandango from Quintet G448 Ophelie Gaillard (cello), Sandrine Piau (soprano), Pulcinella
A CELEBRATED CELLIST, Luigi Boccherini wrote music of astonishing grace, elegance and melodic fluidity. Voted 'Solo Instrumental Discovery of the Year' in 2003, young Franco-Swiss cellist Ophelie Gaillard is a worthy interpreter of Boccherini's music and is ably supported by the ensemble Pulcinella. BONUS DVD Gaillard hosts films about Boccherini's eventful life.

	AMBROISIE \| V5078 \| CD \| 822186050781 Tanguy Cello Concertos Anne Gastinel (cello), Orchestre National de France, Alain Altinoglu (conductor)
WORLD PREMIERE RECORDINGS Born in 1968, Eric Tanguy is one of France's most admired composers. This is Anne Gastinel's first recording of contemporary music, although her concert performances of these works have been highly acclaimed. She is beautifully supported by the orchestra under Alain Altinoglu.

	CALLIOPE \| CAL9361 \| CD \| 794881842926 Mozart Abduction from the Seraglio harmoniemusik Ensemble A Venti
18TH-CENTURY JUKE BOX 'Harmonie' is the German term for a band of wind instruments. During the Classical era wind ensembles would delight listeners with arrangements of music from all the 'hot ticket' operas of the day. This disc presents one such arrangement from the Donaueschigen Court Library of music from Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio.

	CALLIOPE \| CAL9382 \| CD \| 794881860128 Shostakovich Suite on Verses by Michelangelo, Four Monologues on verses by Pushkin Robert Holl (bass), Elena Bashkirova (piano), Orchestre National des Pays de Loire, Isaac Karabtchevsky (conductor)
IRONY, SOLITUDE, STRIFE, DESPAIR These are the themes of poems by the immortal Renaissance artist Michelangelo, which naturally appealed to Shostakovich who set them to unforgettable music the year before he died. His settings of Puskin's poetry, written almost two decades earlier, provide a fascinating contrast.

	CALLIOPE \| CAL9747 \| CD \| 794881839827 JS and CPE Bach Works for Organ and Oboe Andre Isoir (organ), Michel Giboureau (oboe)
SPARKLING PROGRAM OF BAROQUE JEWELS United by the distinctive sonorities of the two 'wind' instruments, organ and oboe, the eleven works on this disc convey a wide range of emotions. Here are arias and sinfonias from church cantatas, sonatas, a fantasia and fugue, as well as dances and other shorter works, by Bach father-and-son.

	CHANDOS \| CHAN0517 \| CD \| 95115051726 Handel Dixit Dominus, Nisi Dominus, Silete Venti Lynne Dawson (soprano), Lynda Russell (soprano), Charles Brett (countertenor), Ian Partridge (tenor), Michael George (bass), The Sixteen Choir and Orchestra, Harry Christophers (conductor)
VINTAGE HANDEL MASTERPIECES Handel's famous setting of the psalm Dixit Dominus, written in 1707, is resplendent with vocal virtuosity and driving energy, and was clearly designed by the youthful Handel to demonstrate his ability to write in the Italian style. Nisi Dominus is, likewise, a product of Handel's Italian visit, while Sileti Venti dates from his first few years in England.

	CHANDOS \| CHAN0522 \| CD2 \| 95115052228 Handel Messiah Joan Rodgers (soprano), Della Jones (mezzo-soprano), Christopher Robson (countertenor), Philip Langridge (tenor), Bryn Terfel (bass-baritone), Collegium Musicum 90, Richard Hickox (conductor)
HALLELUJAH! This account of one of the world's best-known oratorios is performed by some of Britain's most renowned artists. 'The choruses are fresh, resilient and fast without sounding breathless, and the set's special claim lies in the choice of soloists: the soprano, Joan Rogers, and the bass, Bryn Terfel, both give formidable performances.' (The Guardian)

	CHANDOS \| CHAN0599 \| CD \| 95115059920 Haydn Creation Mass, Mass in G Major 'rorate coeli desuper' Susan Gritton (soprano), Pamela Helen Stephen (mezzo-soprano), Mark Padmore (tenor), Stephen Varcoe (baritone), Collegium Musicum 90, Richard Hickox (conductor)
HAYDN'S MASSES ARE DIVINE, a treasury of great music, and show his endless inventiveness, whether composing a magnificent, large-scale masterpiece such as the 'Creation' Mass or a miniature marvel such as the Mass in G Major. Hickox conducts 'dynamic and vital performances' (Gramophone). Soloists, chorus and orchestra are superb.

CHANDOS | CHAN0745 | CD3 | 95115074527
Handel Semele

Rosemary Joshua (soprano), Jilary Summers (mezzo-soprano), Richard Croft (tenor), Stephen Wallace (countertenor), Brindley Sherratt (bass), Gail Pearson (soprano), Early Opera Company, Christian Curnyn (conductor)

THREE CDs FOR THE PRICE OF 2! This is the first complete recording on period instruments of Handel's Semele, which features the beautiful aria Where're You Walk, and many other delights besides. Conductor Christian Curnyn has been praised as Britain's 'finest young Handelian' (The Times), and the cast is equally excellent. Rosemary Joshua gained an Olivier Award nomination for her performance of the title role.

	CHANDOS \| CHAN10441 \| CD \| 95115144121 Kapp Orchestral Works Artur Kapp Don Carlos, Egen Kapp Suite from Kalevipoeg, Villem Kapp Symphony no 2 BBC Philharmonic, Neeme Jarvi (conductor)
ESTONIAN PIONEERS Artur Kapp (1878-1952), his son Eugen (1908-96) and nephew Villem (1913-64) were important composers who helped establish and nurture classical music in Estonia. This is unique collection of their orchestral works is largely the result of conductor Neeme Jarvi's immense enthusiasm for the Kapp family's rewarding music.

	CHANDOS \| CHAN10442 \| CD \| 95115144220 Rachmaninov Francesca da Rimini Svetla Vassileva (soprano), Misha Didyk (tenor), Sergey Murzaev (baritone), Gennady Bezzubenkov (baritone), Evgeny Akimov (tenor), BBC Singers and Philharmonic, Gianandrea Noseda (conductor)
THRILLING NEW RECORDING Based on an episode from Dante's Inferno, with a libretto written by Tchaikovsky's brother Modest, Rachmaninov's one-act opera portrays Hell as happiness recalled in a time of chronic misery. 'Noseda conducts like a man possessed, conjuring hair-raising intensity from the BBC Philharmonic'. (The Daily Telegraph)

	CHANDOS \| CHAN10443 \| CD \| 95115144329 Debussy Complete Works for Piano Vol 2 Valse romantique, Ballade slav, Tarantelle styrienne, Images oubliees, Pour le piano, Estampes, d'un chaier d'esquisses, L'Isle joyeuse Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano)
DEFINITIVE DEBUSSY Praised as 'a peerless Debussyiste' by The Sunday Times, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet 'commands all the shading, nuance and timbral sensitivity one expects in Debussy, together with virtuoso flair and characterful spontaneity' (Gramophone). Vol 1 (CHAN10421) is also available.

CHANDOS | CHAN6550 | CD | 95115655023
Vaughan Williams Hymns and Choral Music

Come Down O Love Divine, O Taste and See, We've been awhile, Te Deum, Wither's Rocking Hymn, For All The Saints, Valiant-For-Truth, Prayer To The Father Of Heaven, Three Choral Hymns, Sanctus from Communion Service in G Minor, Festival Te Deum
Choir of Westminster Abbey, Douglas Guest (conductor), Choir of Worcester Cathedral, Christopher Robinson (conductor)

SACRED MUSIC BY VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Much of Vaughan Williams's choral music remains to be 'discovered' by audiences and performers in this country, despite the popularity of certain works such as the Mass in G Minor. This disc presents a marvellous selection of his lesser-known choral works, beautifully performed by leading British choirs.

CHANDOS | CHAN6604 | CD | 95115660423
Valley of Song

Ellis Ma Belle Marguerite, Stothart & Friml The Donkey Serenade, Traditional I Gave My Love a Cherry, Phil The Fluter's Ball, Down In The Valley, What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor?, Swann The Hippopotamus Song, Traditional Muss I Denn, Rodgers & Hammerstein There is Nothing Like a Dame, Traditional I Will Give My Love an Apple, Sullivan The Ghost's High Noon, Lennon & McCartney Yesterday, Coward Mad Dogs and Englishmen, Dering Cease Thy Affections, Traditional The Keeper of the Eddystone Light, Blow the Wind Southerly, Stanford The Old Superb
Rossendale Male Voice Choir, Ernest Tomlinson (conductor)

THE TRACK LISTING SAYS IT ALL What a great selection of songs! From showstoppers such as There is Nothing Like A Dame and Mad Dogs and Englishmen to Victorian classics, popular ballads such as Yesterday, and a garland of traditional folksongs, many in original arrangement by Ernest Thomlinson, here's an unforgettable disc of male choral evergreens.

	CHANDOS \| CHAN6629 \| CD \| 95115662922 Liszt Weihnachtsbaum, Ballades Nos 1, 2 Rhondda Gillespie (piano)
THE CHRISTMAS TREE SUITE is one of Liszt's lesser-known works, Weihnachtsbaum is a truly beautiful suite of 12 carols that belongs somewhere between Schumann’s Scenes from Childhood and Debussy’s Children’s Corner. By contrast, the two Ballads are vintage virtuoso showpieces - dazzling, dramatic, yet with a subtle serenity at times.

CHANDOS | CHAN6632 | CD | 95115663226
Christmas Carols from York Minster

The First Nowell, While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks, Coventry Carol, Good King Wenceslas, The Holly and The Ivy, christians Awake!, Once In Royal David's City, O Come,All Ye Faithful, In Dulci Jubilo, We Three Kings of Orient Are, Silent Night, Ding Dong! Merrily on High, God Rest You Merry Gentlemen, On Christmas Night, 'Sussex Carol', Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Brightest and Best, O Leave Your Sheep, Bethlehem of Noblest Cities, Behold the Great Creator, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, Good Christian Men Rejoice
Choir of York Minster, Francis Jackson (conductor)

21 BEST-LOVED ENGLISH CHRISTMAS CAROLS recorded in the huge medieval building of York Minster; where Christmas has been celebrated for over 1500 years. The Minster Choir effortlessly performs ancient and traditional carols under the direction of Francis Jackson. 'Perfect for Christmas morning.' (Classic FM)

	CHANDOS \| CHAN8658 \| CD \| 5014682865821 Charpentier Messe de Minuit pour Noel, Poulenc Quatre motets pour le temps de Noel, Salve Regina, Quatre Motets pour un temps de penitence Choir of St John's College Cambridge, City of London Sinfonia, George Guest (conductor)
A FRENCH CHRISTMAS The music of these two French composers, the 18th-century Charpentier and the 20th-century Poulenc, work remarkably well side by side. Charpentier's lively Mass, based on Christmas carols, and Poulenc's intensely beautiful motets are very popular works, beautifully performed by St John's College Choir. A classic Christmas title.

	CHANDOS \| CHAN871920 \| CD2 \| 95115871928 Field Complete Nocturnes Miceal O'Rourke (piano)
CHOPIN'S INSPIRATION The Irish-born and widely-travelled John Field is best remembered today as the composer whose Nocturnes provided inspiration to Chopin, yet Field's own music retains its disarming freshness even today. Miceal O'Rourke has a great affinity for this delicate music, bringing out its unique charm and enduring worth.

	CHANDOS \| CHAN927982 \| CD4 \| 95115927922 Stanford Complete Symphonies Ulster Orchestra, Vernon Handley (conductor)
REDISCOVERING STANFORD SYMPHONIES While influenced by the Romanticism of Brahms and Schumann, the seven symphonies of Charles Stanford also reveal his Celtic roots and are currently enjoying renewed interest as outstanding examples of British orchestral music. Stanford's individual style transcends negative terms such as 'Victorian' or 'Edwardian' and offers much to today's listener.

	CHANDOS \| CHSA5057 \| SACD \| 95115505724 Elgar Symphony No 3, Pomp and Circumstance March No 6, So Many True Princesses Who Have Gone Adrian Partington Singers, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Richard Hickox (conductor)
A NEW 'POMP & CIRCUMSTANCE' MARCH! Unfinished at his death, Elgar's Third Symphony was completed by Anthony Payne, who also brought the 6th Pomp & Circumstance March and the choral monument to Queen Alexandra (both recorded here for the first time) to fruition. Elgar's orchestral imagination remained undiminished to the very end of this life.

	CPO \| CPO7770762 \| CD \| 761203707621 Kiel Complete Piano Quartets Piano Quartets Nos 1-3 Ulrike-Anima Mathe (violin), Hariolf Schlichtig (viola), Xenia Jankovic (cello), Oliver Triendl (piano)
LEADING ROMANTIC COMPOSER Friedrich Kiel (1821-85) was one of the foremost composers between Schumann and Brahms. An enthusiastic pianist, he wrote no fewer than 27 chamber works calling for piano. These three Piano Quartets, written in 1867-8, are notable for their intimate character, ingenious counterpoint and expressive clarity.

	CPO \| CPO7771012 \| SACD \| 761203710126 Weingartner Symphonies Vol 5 Weingartner Aus Ernster Zeit Overture Op 56, Symphony No 5 in C minor Op 71 Basel Symphony Orchestra, Marko Letonja (conductor)
A MODERN ROMANTIC Volume 5 of CPO's series of Weingartner's complete symphonic works presents his massive 5th Symphony, which was highly acclaimed on its premiere in Edinburgh. The Overture 'From Serious Times', written shortly after the outbreak of World War I, features the national anthems of the great European powers.

	CPO \| CPO7772502 \| CD2 \| 761203725021 Enna Heise Liebe Wilhalm Henzen, Johanna Stojkovic, Lothar Odinius, Alfred Kim, Egbert Junghanns, NDR Chorus and Radiophilharmonie, Hermann Baeumer (conductor)
DANISH OPERA REDISCOVERED With his opera Young Love of 1901 August Enna (1859-1939) created a score saturated with lyrical melody. Only recently rediscovered, this work is a treasure from a composer whose music combines influences from Wagner and Italian verismo. Danish-born to a Sicilian family, Enna was a strong influence on Carl Nielsen.

	CPO \| CPO7772712 \| SACD \| 761203727124 North German Baroque Organ Works Vol 5 Martin Radeck, Arnold Matthias Brunckhorst, Johann Steffens, Daniel Erich, Christian Ritter, Johann Nicolaus Hanff Organ Works Friedhelm Flamme (organ)
IMAGINATIVE BAROQUE ORGAN MUSIC Volume 5 of CPO's SACD edition of North German Baroque Masters presents the complete organ works of six composers, consummately performed on the historic Christian-Vater organ of the church of St Cosmas & St Damian in Bockhorn.

	CPO \| CPO7772912 \| CD2 \| 761203729128 25 Years of Die Singphoniker Die Singphoniker
ACCLAIMED MALE VOCAL ENSEMBLE Hand-picked by the famous ensemble Die Singphoniker from more than 30 CDs, the 49 tracks on this double album showcase the talents and versatility of this award-winning Munich-based male vocal ensemble. From Orlando de Lasso's Bonjour Mon Coeur to Stevie Wonder's You Are The Sunshine Of My Life, with many other great songs besides!

	CPO \| CPO7773272 \| CD \| 761203732722 Praetorius Advent and Christmas Music Bremer Baroque Consort, Manfred Cordes (conductor)
JUBILANT CHRISTMAS VOCAL MUSIC Michael Praetorius (1571-1621) composed a vast amount of Christmas music, from two-voice compositions to works for two choirs, in both German and Latin. This gorgeous new release presents a seasonal selection, including In Dulci Jubilo. The Bremer Barock Consort is a highly respected ensemble.

	CSO RESOUND \| CSO901704 \| CD \| 810449017060 Bruckner Symphony No 7 Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Bernard Haitink (conductor)
BRUCKNER SHINES IN CHICAGO The Chicago Symphony Orchestra's May 2007 performance of Bruckner's 7th Symphony, described as 'glowing and eloquent' (Chicago Tribune), is now available! The remarkable chemistry between the Orchestra and conductor Bernard Haitink was characterised by the Chicago Sun-Times as 'an almost extrasensory connection'.

	CSO RESOUND \| CSO901706 \| SACD \| 810449017060 Bruckner Symphony No 7 Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Bernard Haitink (conductor)
BRUCKNER SHINES IN CHICAGO This is the SACD version of the CD. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra's first release on its own 'live-in-concert' label, CSOResound, is also available (Mahler 3rd Symphony, CSO901701) and has gained high praise: 'With Haitink and the CSO, a great musical partnership has been born.' (Chicago Tribune)

DA CAPO | 6220541 | CD | 747313154166
Mozart Symphonies Vol 6

Mozart Symphonies Nos 19, 20, 21, 26
Danish Radio Sinfonietta, Adam Fischer (conductor )

MMMMM-MOZART This is the second SACD in the acclaimed new series of the complete Mozart symphonies. Vol 5, containing Symphonies Nos 15-18 also available (6220540). 'If Fischer and Dacapo can continue what is started we have some marvellous moments ahead.' (5 STARS from SA-CD Net) 'This is classy conducting, reminiscent of Harnoncourt and there's almost no praise higher than that.' (Qantas the Australian Way)

	DA CAPO \| 8226037 \| CD \| 636943603727 Secret Melodies Norgard Unendlicher Empfang (1997), Remembering (1989), Stadier (2002), Achilles and the Tortoise (1983), Violin Sonata 'The Secret Melody', for solo piano, Hind Das Unenthullte (2003) David Alberman (violin), Nicolas Hodges (piano)
GRAMOPHONE CRITIC'S CHOICE COMPOSER The works on this CD have exquisite poetic titles that could make anyone dream. At the same time, this is music which demands players equal to the challenge, with the major work Achilles and the Tortoise being one of the absolute pianistic trials of strength in contemporary music. A 'hot ticket' chamber music release.

	DA CAPO \| 8226044 \| CD \| 636943604427 String Against String Rasmussen String Quartets Nos 1, 2, Violin Concerto No 1, Echoes of the Past John Storgards (violin), The Central Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, Joha Kangas (conductor)
MUSIC FROM A BEAUTIFUL ISLAND Listening to Sunleif Rasmussen’s music, it’s easy to hear the inspiration from his childhood on Sandy Island (in the Faroes) with the omnipresent Atlantic, the sand dunes, lyme-grass and bitter winds. Deep within his compositions old Faroese songs may be buried, but his music carries a universal significance.

	DA CAPO \| 8226535 \| CD \| 636943653524 Granito y arco iris Niels Rosing-Schow Granito y arco iris (Concertino for bandoneon and nine instruments), Orbis, Equinoxe, Black Virgin, Orichalk Guillaume Hodeau (bandoneon), Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Arhus Sinfonietta, Jean Thorel (conductor)
MUSICAL TRANSFORMATIONS Danish composer Niels Rosing-Schow is fascinated by the patterns of waves, the contrasts of light and dark and by the forces of growth, transition and decay. This collection of recent chamber and orchestral works beautifully displays his subtle sense of instrumental colourings and his organic approach to composing.

	DA CAPO \| 8226902 \| CD \| 636943690222 Journey Palle Mikkelborg Everything Matters, Herman D Koppel Duo for Violin and Guitar Op 116, Jorgen Jersild 10 Impromtus, Vagn Holmboe Duo Concertato Lars Hannibal (guitar), Kim Sjogren (violin)
DANISH WORLD PREMIERE RECORDINGS Palle Mikkelborg’s music for the ballet Journey features the composer on keyboards. This CD also presents three other world premieres of works written especially for Sjogren and Hannibal by Vagn Holmboe, Herman D. Koppel and Jorgen Jersild.

	ETCERERA \| KTC1351 \| CD \| 8711801101880 Shostakovich Viola Sonata Op 147, Nasr Winter Sonata Susanne van Els (viola), Reinbert de Leeuw (piano), Ramsey Nasr (voice)
MUSIC AND POETRY This fascinating disc pairs Shostakovich's sole and rarely heard Sonata for Viola and Piano - a soulful late work - with Wintersonate, a poem by Ramsey Nasr that 'attempts to imitate the state of the music'. Susanne van Els and Reinbert de Leeuw are well known through their involvement with the Schoenberg Ensemble.

	ETCERERA \| KTC4022 \| CD \| 8711801101613 De Sayve Sacred Music, Priuli and Gabrieli Canzonas and Sonata Oltremontano, Capilla Flamenca, Wim Becu (director)
RENAISSANCE GRANDEUR The music of Lambert de Sayve was highly regarded by Praetorius. His 16-part Missa Dominus regnavit, which requires four choirs and instruments, prefigures the massive poly-choral sacred music of the early Baroque master Biber. This large-scale Mass is complemented by other shorter works.

	GLOBE \| GLO5228 \| CD \| 8711525522800 The Domestication of the Animal World 16th and 17th-century Consort Music Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam
ELIZABETHAN CONSORT MUSIC This unusual new releases takes its name from a scene from The Lords' Masque written by Thomas Campion in 1613. Other music includes fantasias and dances by William Byrd, Christopher Tye, William Brade, Hugh Ashton and Elway Cevin. BONUS DVD Animations by Utrecht University students for The Lords Masque.

	HARMONIA MUNDI \| HMC901955 \| CD \| 794881835423 Beethoven and Hummel Piano Trios Beethoven Piano Trio Op 1 No 3, Piano Trio Op 70 No 1 'Ghost', Hummel Piano Trio No 4 Op 65 Daniel Sepec (violin), Jean-Guihen Queyras (cello), Andreas Staier (piano)
PATHBREAKING PIANO TRIOS The piano trios on this disc by Beethoven and his rival Hummel did much to establish the serious credentials of what had previously been regarded as light weight pieces for domestic music-making. In their hand the piano trio gained the stature it retains to this day as chamber music worthy of the finest performers.

	HARMONIA MUNDI \| HMC901977 \| CD \| 794881848720 Brahms Piano Concerto No 1, Haydn Variations Cedric Tiberghien (piano), BBC Symphony Orchestra, Jiri Belohlavek (conductor)
YOUNG PERFORMER PLAYS A YOUNG COMPOSER'S CONCERTO At his recent piano recital for Sydney Symphony, having performed the complete Ballads by Brahms and Chopin, young French pianist Cedric Tiberghien stunned audiences by playing Ravel's Gaspard de la nuit - as an encore! On this new release, he turns his immense talents to Brahms's monumental 1st Piano Concerto.

HARMONIA MUNDI | HMC905266 | CD | 794881848829
G Sammartini Recorder Sonatas

Maurice Steger (recorder, conductor), Sergio Ciomei (harpsichord, organ), Mauro Valli (cello), Christian Beuse (bassoon), Margaret Koell (harp), Eduardo Eguez (theorbo, guitar), Naoki Kitaya (organ)

VIRTUOSO RECORDER Like his father and brother, Giuseppe Sammartini (1693-1750) was a virtuoso oboist. The seven recorder sonatas on this exquisite disc, composed in England, require dazzling displays of virtuosity. Maurice Steger and his colleagues have been praised for their 'fresh, enthusiastic' performances (Fanfare). 'Maurice Steger plays the meanest recorder you will find anywhere' (Classics Today)

HARMONIA MUNDI | HMC90743637 | CD2 | 93046743628
Beethoven String Quartets Op 18 Nos 1-6

Tokyo String Quartet

BARNSTORMING BEETHOVEN 'Delightfully suave and graceful...a thought-provoking journey into Beethoven's mind.' (Gramophone), 'Truly glistening interpretations' (CNN), 'Extraordinary' (The Cincinnati Enquirer) - critics were unanimous in praise of the TSQ's first volume of Beethoven's String Quartets (HMU 907423 CD, HMU 807423 SACD). With Vol 2, the ensemble explores Beethoven's astonishing Op 18 set.

	HAT HUT \| HATNOWART167 \| CD \| 752156016724 Feldman String Quartet (1979) Ives Ensemble
FELDMAN IS FELDMAN The Village Voice wrote of the 1980 premiere of this work 'the sounds are fresh and arresting, and follow each other not with logic hut with a clear, intuitive purpose...Sometimes the piece made me think of microscopic or timeless processes, neurons clicking in the brain perhaps, patiently balancing heartbeats, wisps of thought, odd memories, and curiosity.'

	HELIOS \| CDD22061 \| CD2 \| 34571120614 Tartini The Devil's Trill 10 Violin Sonatas including 'Didone abbandonata' and 'Il trillo del Diavolo' The Locatelli Trio
DEVILISHLY GOOD MUSIC On its first release, this recording was named 'My CD of the year,' by BBC Music Magazine. 'Elizabeth Wallfisch's technical prowess makes all these sonatas sound easy - which they are not - and leaves room for innumerable expressive nuances…discs to treasure and enjoy through many a repeated listening.'

	HELIOS \| CDH55278 \| CD \| 34571152783 Telemann Musique de Table Suite in D Major from the Deuxieme Production, Suite in B-flat Major from the Troisieme Production The King's Consort, Robert King (director)
DEUTSCHEN SCHALLPLATTEN PRIZE-WINNER Telemann's Musique de table, published in 1733, is divided into three 'productions'. Two of the amiable Suites feature on this outstanding disc. 'A first-rate issue…warmly recommended' (Gramophone). With 95 CDs to its credit, and more than one million CD sales, The King's Consort is one of the world's most-recorded historical instrument ensembles.

	HELIOS \| CDH55292 \| CD \| 34571152929 Music for the Lion-Hearted King Music to mark the 800th Anniversary of the Coronation of King Richard I of England Gothic Voices, Christopher Page (director)
GRAMOPHONE CRITICS' CHOICE On 3 September 1189, Westminster Abbey witnessed the splendid coronation of Richard I the Lionheart. This disc presents vocal music by Brule, de Couci, de Nesle and a number of anonymous composers that commemorated the occasion. 'This is rather special - the best record I have ever reviewed.' (Gramophone)

	HELIOS \| CDH55304 \| CD \| 34571153049 Tchaikovsky and Scriabin Piano Concertos Nikolai Demidenko (piano), BBC Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Lazarev (conductor)
BEST OF THE YEAR 'It is something of an achievement when one manages to hear afresh such an over-familiar work [as the Tchaikovsky 1st Piano Concerto]' (BBC Music Magazine), 'Demidenko's inspirational account of the [Scriabin] Concerto is in a class of its own' (Classic CD), 'Altogether, this is a splendid, most impressive disc.' (In Tune)

	HYPERION \| CDA674612 \| CD2 \| 3457174617 Tippett The Complete Music for Piano CD 1: Piano Concerto, Fantasia on a Theme of Handel, Piano Sonata No 1 CD 2: Piano Sonata Nos 2, 3, 4 Steven Osborne (piano), BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Martyn Brabbins (conductor)
PIANO MUSIC OF VIVID IMAGINATION Each of Tippet's six piano works is substantial both in scale and in ambition. Abounding in rhythmic and contrapuntal vigour, this is full-blooded, dramatic, joyful music, whether with orchestra or exploring the sonorities of solo piano. Steven Osborne tours for Musica Viva Australia early in 2008. Martyn Brabbins is a frequent visitor to Australia.

HYPERION | CDA67528 | CD | 34571175287
Barber Songs

There's nae lark, The Beggar's Song, In the dark pinewood, Bessie Bobtail Op 2 No 3, Hermit Songs Op 29, Rain has fallen Op 10 No 1, Sleep now Op 10 No 2, I hear an army Op 10 No 3 Melodies passageres Op 27, The Daisies Op 2 No 1, With rue my heart is laden Op 2 No 2, Nocturne Op 13 No 4, Sure on this shining night Op 13 No 3, Dover Beach Op 3
Gerald Finley (baritone), Julius Drake (piano), The Aronowitz Ensemble

PERFECT SYNTHESIS OF WORDS & MUSIC Recently described as 'the best living baritone currently at the peak of his powers' (The Globe and Mail), Gerald Finley interprets Samuel Barber's eloquent songs with 'glorious sound and great dramatic instinct', sensitively accompanied by Julius Drake. This disc spans Barber's output, including several favourites such as Dover Beach and Sure on this Shining Night.

HYPERION | CDA67551 | CD | 34571175515
Brahms String Quartet Op 51 No 2, Piano Quintet Op 34

Stephen Hough (piano), Takacs Quartet

BRAHMS BY THE BEST Hailed as the best string quartet in the world, the Takacs Quartet joins the pianists' pianist Steven Hough in this eagerly-awaited new release. Equally at home as an orchestral soloist (his acclaimed recording of Rachmaninov Piano Concertos 2 & 3 is available on CDA67649) and a solo pianist (as his successful 2007 Musica Viva tour showed), Hough is also a chamber musician of the highest stature.

HYPERION | CDA67618 | CD | 34571176185
Schumann Piano Sonata in F-sharp Minor, Humoreske

Angela Hewitt (piano)

TOUR DE FORCE Her best-selling recordings of Bach (including the recently-released complete Well-tempered Clavier, CDS442914), her status as Gramophone Artist of the Year 2006 and her forthcoming Australian visit in 2008 augur well for the success of Angela Hewitt's new recording of music by Robert Schumann. Her concert performances of his music have been praised for their urgency, jubilation and introspection, power and finesse.

	HYPERION \| CDA67638 \| CD \| 34571176383 Bloch Piano Quintets Piano Quintets Nos 1 and 2, Night, Two Pieces Goldner String Quartet, Piers Lane (piano)
GREAT AUSTRALIAN PERFORMERS The Goldner String Quartet and pianist Piers Lane combine to give performances of great vitality and sensitivity. Ernest Bloch's chamber music juxtaposes meditative serenity with passion, nobility with almost savage boldness, excitement with utmost tenderness. The Quartet tours for Musica Viva Australia early in 2008.

HYPERION | CDJ33110 | CD | 34571131108
Schumann Songs Vol 10

Liederkreis Op 39, Schon Hedwig Op 106, Two Ballads Op 122, Three Poems of Emanuel Geibel Op 29, Die Nonne Op 49 No 3 Was soll ich sagen? Op 27 no 3, Fruhlingsgrusse, Three Duets Op 43, Madchenlieder Op 103, Bei Schenkung eines Flugels WoO26 No 4
Kate Royal (soprano), Felicity Lott (soprano), Ann Murray (mezzo-soprano), Christopher Bantzer (reciter), Graham Johnson (piano)

SONGS FROM THE SOUL In this, the second-last volume of Graham Johnson's acclaimed Schumann Song Series, exciting young artists and seasoned performers explore the composer's intimate world of Lieder. Kate Royal is a name to note: 'imagination, intellect and vocal technique are inextricably fused in the single moment of a song' wrote The Times of her recent Wigmore Hall recital.

	LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA \| LPO0030 \| CD \| 854990001307 Bruckner Symphony No 7 London Philharmonic Orchestra, Klaus Tennstedt (conductor)
EXPANSIVE, PASSIONATE BRUCKNER SYMPHONY His recording of Bruckner's 4th with the LPO (LPO0014) was acclaimed as 'one of the greatest accounts of the work that I have heard' by BBC Music Magazine. Now comes Tennstedt's only available recording of Bruckner's mighty 7th, recorded live at the Royal Festival Hall in 1984. This is bound to become another well-deserved classic.

	MELODYIA \| MELCD1000141 \| CD \| 4600317001415 Rachmaninov Symphony No 1 USSR Symphony Orchestra, Yevgeni Svetlanov (conductor)
FROM FAILURE TO FAME Rachmaninov's 1st Symphony was not a success when it premiered in 1897. In despair, he tore up the score. However, in 1944, the instrumental parts were discovered and it was reconstructed. Today it is considered one of Rachmaninov's best works: full of youthful enthusiasm and the soaring melodies for which he would become famous.

	MELODYIA \| MELCD1000142 \| CD \| 4600317001422 Rachmaninov Symphony No 2, The Rock Fantasia USSR Symphony Orchestra, Yevgeni Svetlanov (conductor)
MUSIC FROM THE HEART By the time he wrote his 2nd Symphony, during 1906-7, Rachmaninov was a renowned pianist, conductor and composer. Its Adagio contains one of his most hummable, and heartbreaking, melodies. His orchestral fantasy The Rock (1893) was Rachmaninov's first major composition and was inspired by a touching story of Chekhov.

	MELODYIA \| MELCD1000543 \| CD \| 4600317005437 Svyatoslav Knushevitsky Reger Cello Sonata No 2 Op 131c, R Strauss Cello Sonata Op 6, JS Bach Aria from 3rd Orchestral Suite, Von Paradies Sicilienne, Chopin Etude in C-sharp Minor Op 25 No 7, Mendelssohn Song Without Words in E Major Op 53 No 2, Saint-Saens The Swan Svyatoslav Knushevitsky (cello)
GREAT RUSSIAN CELLIST For many decades Svyatoslav Knushevitsky's immense talent was hidden from the world at large behind the Iron Curtain. All that changed in 1960 at a music festival organized by Pablo Casals. Less than three years later, Knushevitsky died of a heart condition. This album is an extremely rare tribute to the nobility of his extraordinary talent.

	MELODYIA \| MELCD1001026 \| CD \| 4600317010264 Eugene Argyshev Songs for Baritone and Countertenor Eugene Argyshev (baritone, countertenor), various accompanists (harpsichord, lute, guitar, organ, viola da gamba)
TWO VOICES, ONE SINGER Baritone and countertenor Eugene Argyshev (1933-92) was a subtle and versatile interpreter of Russian and European music from the Middle Ages to the Baroque