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The UCI Chamber Singers, under the direction of Irene Messoloras, proudly present Winter Night, a heartwarming holiday compilation that beautifully weaves together timeless seasonal favourites and innovative new arrangements. Featuring composers such as Sir John Rutter (Wexford Carol), Cecilia McDowall (Now May We Singen), and Ola Gjeilo (The First Nowell), Winter Night Winter offers radiant and reflective holiday music that captures the spirit of the season. -
"Santtu conducts Sleeping Beauty" is the second digital release by Philharmonia Records, showcasing a selection of music from Tchaikovsky's fairytale ballet, 'The Sleeping Beauty'. Conducted and arranged by Santtu-Matias Rouvali, this performance, held at the Royal Festival Hall in 2023, highlights Santtu's favourite excerpts, from the serene Garland Waltz to the dramatic climax 'Apotheose'. "Santtu-Matias Rouvali gives us, for Christmas, a refreshing and vibrant Sleeping Beauty Suite. His album production is so dizzying as the quality of their records. Again, maximum recommendation." - Ritmo "The playing is big and bold, with plenty of bass-drum welly in the Carabosse elements in the Introduction, a percussive ending to the Rose Adagio that sounds positively martial, plus pomp and glitter aplenty in the Apotheosis, all vividly recorded." - Gramophone -
Signum Classics present a new digital only album of works by award winning composer Joanna Marsh – A Plastic Theatre and other choral works. A Plastic Theatre takes its name from a theatrical text written by Katie Schaag that Joanna has set for a commission for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Youth Company in 2023: a 20-minute work for the orchestra, mezzo soloist Jennifer Johnston and the RLPO Youth Choir and Children’s Choir. The live World Premiere performance of this work is the centrepiece of this album which also provides an opportunity to feature some of her recent commissions written for I Fagiolini in 2021. Their four pieces were commissioned for a programme called, Rewilding the Wasteland which thanks to renowned ensemble VOCES8, who hosted an online concert series during the Covid pandemic, was widely viewed globally. VOCES8 also join forces with I Fagiolini in one of these tracks, Now I Lay. The Lyons Mouth bring a fresh and vibrant quality to some of Marsh’s newest works that are receiving their recording premieres on this album including Ivor Novello Composer Award winning work, All Shall Be Well. “It is a joy to share this collection of my latest works with you, and I hope you find as much pleasure in listening to them as I found in creating them” – Joanna Marsh -
Leading performers of 17th-century music the Magdalena Consort, Fretwork and His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts combine forces under the artistic direction of William Hunt for their third release exploring the English Anthems with instrumental consort for ceremony, reflection and prayer to celebrate the anniversary of the death of Orlando Gibbons, completing a three-part series that began in 2017 with the first complete recording of Gibbons’ consort anthems. Learn more about the Orlando Gibbons project here: https://www.orlandogibbonsproject.com/ "Expressive and beautifully crafted." - Early Music Review "In Chains of Gold is a high-quality musical collective project that sheds light on these unknown masterpieces." - Sonograma"Nicolson’s anthem stands as the epitome of all that is best in Bill Hunt’s triumphantly successful project." - Early Music Review
"...there is a lot more there about the fresh ideas the ensembles here have applied to the music, but general listeners will also find much to enjoy" - AllMusic -
Schelomo: Rhapsodie Hébraïque is the most celebrated part of Ernest Bloch’s Jewish Cycle, and although originally conceived for voice, Bloch determined that only the cello could adequately embody the character of Solomon. The Suite for Viola and Piano was composed between February and May 1919, and the cello version is the work of the pianist and composer Adolph Baller and cellist Gábor Rejtő, who recorded their version in 1969. This album sees the World Premiere Recording of the cello version for orchestra, with cellist Parry Karp, who studied with Rejtő. “Getting to record these two masterpieces with conductor Kenneth Woods and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales is a dream come true” - Parry Karp. Critics’ Choice: Favourite classical recordings of 2025 - Gramophone ★★★★ - “In Kenneth Woods, Karp secures the ideal collaborator. The rapport is absolute, and Woods is all over both works’ turbulent dramas and intricate interweaving motifs." - BBC Music Magazine “Karp is fully attuned to its understated charm and Kenneth Woods, who directed the likely premiere of this version in 2008, secures playing of sensitivity and imagination from the BBC NOW.” - Arcana FM "The performance by Karp and Woods is all that one could wish for, conveying the atmosphere and energy of Bloch’s inspired writing and finding a breathtaking sense of fantasy in the lyrical central episode of the final movement." - Gramophone -
Santtu conducts Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring is the third digital release by Philharmonia Records. Recorded live at the Royal Festival Hall in 2021, the Philharmonia Orchestra delivers an explosive performance of Stravinsky’s score under the baton of Principal Conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali. "Rarely has [the bassoon solo] sounded more songlike ... Rouvali is balletic" - Gramophone -
For this album, Manía, I wanted to create a playlist of pieces that accompany me and my insomnia, my anxiety, my desperation and my fears in the middle of the night and provide the kind of relief that only music and prescription meds can give. I include an Argentinian composer (Ginastera) for the first time as a nod of admiration towards my incredible, beautiful, life-enhancing wife Mica, a Buenos Aires native. And I also include Albeniz as a mark of profound gratitude that my life is now immeasurably improved as a Spanish citizen living in Madrid. Obviously there is a ton of Bach (in transcriptions that make me weep for all the right reasons), a couple of Chopin nocturnes that are, in every way, quantifiably more than the sum of their parts, some percussive, crunchy, world-weary Prokofiev, opposing sides of Rachmaninov (the eerily calm and the hyper-heroic) and even a transcription of a Strauss song (the good Strauss). Variety is the spice etc... These are some of the pieces that ground me, that calm me and that remind me of what is real and true in a world that seems more and more removed from both reality and truth. I hope you enjoy listening to them as much as I enjoyed recording them. "However one responds to James Rhodes's music-making, there's no question that he still commands the will and the means to convey his ideas in sound." - Gramophone -
Marking 70 years since Enescu’s death, celebrated violinist Charlie Siem returns to Signum Classics performing the Brahms Violin Concerto, and works by George Enescu with previous collaborators, conductor Oleg Caetani and the Philharmonia Orchestra. This release features a world premiere recording of the Brahms Violin Concerto cadenza written by George Ensecu. ★★★★½ Fono Forum - “Light, fluid, almost weightless and dusted” ★★★★ The Times“The perfect conclusion to an obviously desirable album” - Best classical albums of 2025 so far. -
The Piatti Quartet and Emmanuel Despax join forces to present an album of works by Farrenc, Schumann and Durosoir. Louise Farrenc arranged her own brilliantly dramatic Wind Sextet and Pi- ano, for Piano Quintet and this arrangement is a World Premiere Recording on this release. They’ve chosen to include three of Lucien Durosoir’s most touching and beautiful pieces, one for violin and piano, and two for cello and piano. “Emanuel Despax and the Piatti Quartet play with conviction, finesse and lyrical sweep that blow away all doubts ... a life-affirming recording:" - Gramophone -
In September 2025 Fretwork return with an album of works for Viol by the John Jenkins. Jenkins was a highly active and productive composer who lived through a period of significant transformation in English music, with his lifetime spanning from the era of William Byrd to that of Henry Purcell. He is particularly known for his contributions to the viol consort fantasia, drawing inspiration in the 1630s from a previous generation of English composers such as Alfonso Ferrabosco the Younger, Thomas Lupo, and Orlando Gibbons. His work is distinguished by its rich lyricism, exceptional craftsmanship, and a unique approach to tonality and counterpoint.★★★★★ - “Fretwork harness the delicious interplay between dissonance and consonance” - BBC Music Magazine
“An aural experience of richness, clarity and elegant balance.” - Sonograma
"This repertory is Fretwork's core and they perform it with customary polish, ably supported by the organist Silas Wollston" - Gramophone "The Rolls-Royce among viol consorts" - The Strad "The result is absolutely lovely" - CD Hotlist -
Mary Bevan and Joseph Middleton’s new album Elegy grew out of their recital programme From Earth to Heaven, conceived during a time of deep personal loss. Shaped by Bevan’s experience of grieving her father, the recital explores the mystery of death and the solace music can offer. Featuring works by Schubert, Fauré, Mahler, Jeanne Landry, Errollyn Wallen, and Pauline Viardot amongst others, Elegy is a poignant journey through mourning and transcendence. Their previous album Voyages was shortlisted for a Gramophone Award, and the duo’s recitals across Europe have been met with widespread critical acclaim. ★★★★ - BBC Music Magazine ★★★★ - "The seduction starts with her very first notes." - The Times “Bevan extracts a luminous, almost visionary reading” - Sonograma "Bevan channels the longing for a last touch, the sweetness of the illusion, the heartache at waking" - The New York Times “It’s well nigh faultless, the whole thing, and the most moving recital I’ve heard for some time.” - Gramophone "A lovely sequence of songs of mourning, reflection on death and the comfort to be found in music" - The Arts Desk -
Rebecca Clarke (1886–1979) wrote vocal chamber music over the whole of her career, from Wandrers Nachtlied, her first completed composition, in 1903, through her overhaul of Lethe, in the winter of 1976–77. Taken together, her songs and duets constitute one of the greatest and most distinctive contributions to the vocal repertoire of the twentieth century. Much of Clarke’s vocal music has been recorded, but the present album brings it all together under one roof, including a complete survey of the early songs (only Tears was previously recorded), and first recordings of Weep You No More, Sad Fountains, in its original solo version, and the epic Binnorie: A Ballad. It would take a sizable monograph even to begin to lay out the riches in these works, or to sketch their histories. Luckily, Clarke’s work speaks so powerfully for itself that only a few bits of background information may be necessary: “This beautifully recorded anthology is a must for any lover of English song” - Limelight Editors pick January 2026 "One of the year’s best, without a shadow of a doubt" - Gramophone ★★★★ - “The performers are persuasive, with Whately in particular on superb form, her voice laser-focused and glowing.” - The Guardian -
David Price and the Choir of Portsmouth Cathedral present a selection of traditional and contemporary Christmas carols. They are joined by organists Sachin Gunga, Kim Chin and The Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marines Collingwood. “The music of Advent and Christmas is rich and deep in the Anglican tradition and here on this album we give you a flavour of a Portsmouth Christmas. We have drawn on all the varied and wonderful events that Portsmouth Cathedral contributes to - from Christmas tours to Antwerp, Carol Services on board HMS Victory for The Second Sea Lord, live broadcasts on BBC TV and Radio as well as our regular round of services here in the Cathedral... We hope you enjoy this snapshot of a Portsmouth Cathedral Christmas” - David Price 9/10 - “If you have ever enjoyed a carol concert then wherever you come from, I am confident that many if not most of the songs on this enjoyable release will meet with your approval.” - CrossRhythms "The Band of the Royal Marines Collingwood sound fabulous with Portsmouth Cathedral’s choristers" - Gramophone Carries the listener in 18 tracks of spiritual authenticity, with lovely tone from both boy and girl trebles and tenderly shaped interpretations. - Choir and Organ -
“With Serenity, we aimed to create a listening experience that breathes, that carries the weight of human longing, and that allows room for reflection. This recording is deeply personal to me. Each piece was chosen not only for its beauty but for the way it invites us into a space of stillness and soulful contemplation.” - Irene Messoloras Meridian Meridian is a new London-based professional choir, founded and led by University of California Irvine choral conductor Irene Messoloras. Irene Messoloras Irene Messoloras is an award-winning conductor dedicated to inspiring musicians and audiences through excellence in choral performance. Based in Southern California, she leads professional, university, and community ensembles on prestigious stages worldwide. -
Calvin Hampton’s creative voice was an immensely important one within the New York musical world of the 1960s and 70s, and found his own ‘Bohemia’ - as Jeremy Filsell describes. The Saint Thomas Choir of Men and Boys, directed by Filsell bring us the first commercial release of less well-known, somewhat neglected choral and organ works by the composer, who died of Aids at the age of 46. “Hampton’s unique voice is one of rare breadth, and it is hoped that this present recording, made in his adopted New York, the city which continually inspired his creativity, and gave voice to his music, may help in some way to stimulate greater interest in both his choral and organ music” - Jeremy Filsell. ★★★★★ “The soul of this album is Hampton’s work for choir. It’s put across with luminosity and polish by the Saint Thomas Fifth Avenue Choir of Men and Boys, which Filsell Directs” - Choir and Organ "All played with unsparing clarity by Jeremy Filsell” - Cathedral Music "[Hampton's work for choir] It's put across with luminosity and polish...to evoke the feeling of listening to Hampton's music in a New York City church much like his own? That is essential and to be embraced" - Cathedral Music -
The First Child is a narrative that is much larger than the characters themselves. A work that reveals itself incrementally and cuts between the normal and the mythic. Passing through the strange minds of the central characters. Moving sharply from darkness to comedy. Shaped by obsession and an unstoppable quest for revenge. ★★★★ - Opera Now Magazine ★★★★ - BBC Music Magazine Praise for INO on Signum Classics: “This CD set is evidence of the company’s high quality” – Classical Music Daily “An infinite amount of orchestral detail, vocal sprezzatura, and joie de vivre which all contribute in making “La Bohème” one of the best opera recordings of the past decade” – Opera Wire “The recording is spectacular...We hear everything, and in beautiful perspective” – Classical Explorer