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Praise My Soul

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

Hymns are a living link with the past, yet they still find freshness and relevance in the twenty- first century. Saint Thomas Aquinas comments that ‘hymns are the praise of God with song; a song is the exultation of the mind dwelling on eternal things, bursting forth in the voice’ and this explains neatly the vital place that hymnody has enjoyed throughout the ages, and continues to do so today. Praise my soul celebrates this glorious tradition of hymnody and showcases some of the hymns heard in Jesus College Chapel in their own regular pattern of choral services. Some of these, including Drop, drop, slow tears and Glory to thee, my God, this night have been sung regularly for hundreds of years. Others such as All my hope on God is founded or Christ Triumphant have become classics over the last half-century.

The Choir of Jesus College Cambridge return to disc on Signum with their seventh release, and their first under choral director Richard Pinel.
A magnificent disc of fine hymn tunes and outstanding music making - MusicWeb International

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Silence & Music

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

This programme explores that vast twentieth-century secular English choral repertoire which goes under the generic title ‘partsongs’. It is an extraordinarily rich repertoire to which almost all the famous composers contributed. Buried amongst vast quantities of slightly twee pastoralism – the much-derided “cow-pat” school – are to be found many settings of glorious poetry, forming a corpus of sublime twentieth-century madrigals at least as fine as their famous renaissance forebears. However, this programme has another particular theme: how poets and composers reflect upon the natural world as a metaphor for our own emotional experience. At the heart of this programme is the complex relationship between man and nature, the bitter-sweetness of a radiant and beautiful dawn creating the same unbearable sadness of a ravishing song, and both with intimations of mortality. ★★★★★ This is a simply gorgeous CD, superbly executed - Choir and Organ ★★★★ The Gabrieli Consort, conducted by Paul McCreesh, sings Stanford’s The Blue Bird with such abstracted beauty that enchantment sets in from the opening minutes. Their collection of English part-songs mostly inhabits a dreamy, pastoral world, the home ground of Howells, Warlock and Vaughan Williams, though Elgar’s bleak Owls (loneliness or foreboding of death?) goes further. Outgoing narrative settings by Jonathan Dove and Grainger add story-telling and a dash of bold colours - Financial Times ★★★★ The effect is arresting, and typical of the attention to text and score demonstrated by Paul McCreesh and his singers. These miniatures are rich, each in need of proper savouring - The Observer ★★★★ The selection of pieces is evocative and thoughtful… Stanford’s The Blue Bird is concentrated and controlled, with a lovely clarity of line and a fine-grained elegance of sound. This song exemplifies the many virtues of the performances on this disc - Planet Hugill The result is a clever mixture of moods – a disc that takes the part-song into the 21^st century not only in repertoire but also in style - Gramophone Successful and very cherishable… The key to its success is the gorgeous attention to detail which draws the most exquisite sounds from the choir - Music Web International

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Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 in B flat, Op. 100 (1944)

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

Following an acclaimed debut recording of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake with the Philharmonia in 2020, Santtu-Matias Rouvali returns with a recording of Sergei Prokofiev’s iconic Symphony No. 5. Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 was first performed in 1944, 14 years after his previous symphony. Prokofiev described his Fifth Symphony as a “hymn to free and happy Man, to his mighty powers, his pure and noble spirit,” explaining that, “I cannot say that I deliberately chose this theme. It was born in me and clamoured for expression. The music matured within me. It filled my soul.” ★★★★★ "It is a magnificent achievement on everyone's part; the conductor, the players and, not least the outstandingly brilliant sound achieved in what is generally a dry acoustic…[Santtu] judges the finale perfectly too allowing the slow introduction to lead to an exhilarating conclusion" - Musical Opinion ★★★★ Performance ★★★★ Recording "The mildly resonant acoustic allows details of orchestral colour to emerge that I do not recall in other recorded accounts Santtu-Matias Rouvali also draws fascinating parallels between the fifth and the eerie third symphony created by Prokofiev" - BBC Music Magazine ★★★★ "The live recording here plays to the performance's strengths; a recording that promises new ideas from the Philharmonia's new conductor" - AllMusic

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Psalm: Contemporary British Trumpet Concertos

Price range: £8.00 through £12.00

Simon Desbruslais leads the performances on this disc of world premiere recordings from some of the UK’s leading composers. Seeking to expand the trumpet’s repertoire of concerto and orchestra works, Simon Desbruslais was inspired after performing Robert Saxton’s Psalm to help comission the three new works on this programme: Saxton’s Shakespeare Scenes, Deborah Pritchard’s Skyspace and John McCabe’s La Primavera. Four vibrant, attractive concertos – three written within the past three years – by three of Britain’s brightest and best, and performed with dazzling virtuosity and musicianship by Simon Desbruslais and the Orchestra of the Swan ... The concluding held note for the trumpet unaccompanied is just one sign of his consummate mastery. A hugely enjoyable disc, strongly recommended - Gramophone Desbruslais's immaculate playing and faultless musicality serve all these works well. I do not think that his playing in these works could be bettered although I sincerely wish that these works were avidly seized upon by any adventurous trumpet player - MusicWeb International Four new British trumpet concertos, brilliant, seductive and engrossing - Planet Hugill

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Psycho Suite for String Quartet

Price range: £8.00 through £12.00

Bernard Herrmann was perhaps one of the greatest musical all-rounders of the 20th Century. Although he is best known for his scores to perhaps some of the most iconic films ever made ('Vertigo', 'Citizen Kane', 'Psycho'), he was also a talented composer for the concert hall, with an early career marked out by his skill as a conductor - praised by Stravinsky amongst others, who autographed Hermann's score for his Symphony in 3 Movements with "To the excellent musician and conductor, Bernard Herrmann. Cordially, I. Stravinsky." The Tippett Quartet capture the energy and musical finesse of Herrmann's works in this recording, accompanied for Souvernirs de Voyage by the clarinetist Julian Bliss and featuring a new arrangement of his score for 'Psycho'. Chillingly delivered … it is impossible to imagine more expert renditions than these - Gramophone
Clarinettist Julian Bliss plays with exquisite restraint, as though wanting not to disturb the intimate conversations of the Tippett Quartet - The Independent

Splendid - The Sunday Telegraph
This album is an engaging, suspenseful adventure through Herrmann’s life and career, bound by short themes, an emphasis on effect rather than melody, and a sense of unease. I highly recommend this album! - The Clarinet Online

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Puccini: Symphonic Suites

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

In Puccini’s anniversary year, Chief Conductor of Welsh National Opera Carlo Rizzi has created new, purely orchestral versions of some of his most well-known and beloved works. Staying pure and faithful to Puccini’s original orchestration without anything added to ‘cover’ any perceivable lack of vocal line, the brilliance of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Tosca, and other works shine through in this album of world premiere recordings. “I hope that those who already love Tosca and Butterfly will enjoy the opportunity to focus wholly on the orchestra as they listen, and that people who are usually more drawn to the concert hall than to the opera house will be rewarded by exploring something new. In the end my only aim is to share and celebrate Puccini with all of them” – Carlo Rizzi

“Carlo Rizzi, one of The Metropolitan Opera’s often under-appreciated maestros in the Italian repertoire, conducted both “Ballo” (with steady drive) and “Bohème” (with sumptuous clarity).” - New York Times "It [Capriccio sinfonico] is well played here, with spruce attention to detail, and the orchestral playing sounds excellent in the resonant acoustic of Cardiff’s Hoddinott Hall. This was a thoroughly enjoyable wallow...the orchestra remains on excellent form." - MusicWebInternational
Performance ★★★★ Recording ★★★★ - BBC Music Magazine

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Purcell: Dido & Aeneas

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

Purcell’s ever-green chamber opera Dido & Aeneas, its story drawn from Virgil’s epic, the Aeneid, is performed by the Armonico Consort with an astounding selection of soloists. Armonico Consort is one of the largest and most innovative organisations of its kind in the UK, existing to inspire audiences with its unique programmes. ★★★★ Lithe, colourful, tastefully phrased and dynamically astute playing...[the cast] sing compellingly and inhabit their roles with the same sensitivity that distinguishes the whole performance - The Daily Telegraph
A clean, uncluttered account featuring crystalline voices, good diction, safe tempos and well-defined phrasing...vocal ensembles are luminous and the instrumental playing is bright and streamlined. Best of all is Rachael Lloyd's dignified Dido, rich-voiced, poetic and flawlessly delivered - The Guardian The Armonico Consort and its musical director, Christopher Monks, capture this abundance of inspiration in a performance full of life and variety...Rachael Lloyd's dignified Dido and Elin Manahan Thomas's bright Belinda are well contrasted - Financial Times This small-scale version of Purcell's evergreen masterpiece has much to commend it - Early Music Today

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Purcell: King Arthur 1691

Price range: £12.00 through £21.00

The great patriotic opera of the 17th century, recorded here in a lively new performing edition after two decades in the Gabrieli’s touring repertoire. Notoriously difficult to present on disc or in concert, this version presented by Gabrieli was created to allow an obvious musical narrative, despite Purcell’s music often being completely dislocated from much of the original theatre context. Gabrieli have been performing the music from King Arthur for nearly a quarter of a century, evolving their interpretation over time. With the score having to be pieced together using separate versions (due to Purcell’s originals being lost), and with Gabrieli’s evolved interpretation of the music, the end product of this recording is truly unique. Their next release on Signum will be with the semi-opera by Purcell, Fairy Queen, in April next year, which is an adaptation of A Midsummer Nights Dream. All downloads include booklets.
"The wondrous music-making repeats beguiling dividends from diligent application of research-informed practices and the expressive sagacity of the performers. A class of its own" -Top Choice: Purcell’s King Arthur, Gramophone

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Purcell: The Fairy Queen 1692

Price range: £12.00 through £21.00

Purcell’s The Fairy Queen is based on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a play not frequently performed in the late 17th century, nor very well regarded (“the most insipid ridiculous play that ever I saw in my life” - Samuel Pepys’ diary, 1662). Despite this, the play would go on to work well within an opera, as the characters of Pyramus and Thisbe could conjure up singing and dancing accomplices. Purcell’s masterful composition, Gabrieli’s first-class performance, and McCreesh’s superb interpretation demonstrate why their recordings are seen as some of the best in classical music today. Gabrieli are world-renowned interpreters of great vocal and instrumental repertoire, from the Renaissance to the present day. Founded by Paul McCreesh in 1982, Gabrieli have both outgrown and remained true to their original identity: whilst the ensemble’s repertoire has expanded beyond any expectation, McCreesh’s ever-questioning spirit, expressive musicianship and a healthy degree of iconoclasm remain constant and are reflected in the ensemble’s dynamic performances. Gabrieli’s repertoire includes major works of the oratorio tradition, virtuosic a cappella programmes and mould-breaking reconstructions of music for historical events. Above all, Gabrieli aims to create thought-provoking performances which stand out from the crowd. All downloads include booklets.

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QUEEN MARY’S BIG BELLY

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

Gallicantus perform music surrounding the fascinating yet tragic story of Queen Mary Tudor’s ‘phantom pregnancy’. On 30th April 1555 the city of London celebrated the birth of a healthy male heir, but abruptly ceased the next day after the news was revealed to be nothing but rumour. There was to be no heir, with gossip and speculation surrounding the tale of Mary’s pregnancy from that day onwards.
The music performed here resonates with the circumstances of the mid-1550s, including items composed outside of Mary’s reign; from the royal ceremonies in which Mary participated as queen, and music directly tied to the specific events of 1554-5. This includes a newly-reconstructed Litany which was performed during Mary’s assumed pregnancy. The viewpoint shifts from the streets of London and its suburbs, through the ceremonial grandeur of the royal palaces and their chapels, to the intimacy of the Privy Chamber itself.

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Rachmaninov

Price range: £8.00 through £12.00

Jeremy Filsell is one of very few performers to have established a virtuoso concert career as both a Pianist and Organist on the international stage. This recital disc explores Filsell's lifelong love of Rachmaninov?s piano music, surveying selections from preludes and sonatas as well as two song transcriptions.
Praise for Jeremy Filsell on Signum:

"Filsell, famously untroubled by technical demands, concentrates on wringing every last drop of sonority in deeply-felt, idiomatic performances" BBC Music Magazine

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RACHMANINOV SYMPHONY NO.1 : Live in Concert

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

Marking their latest collaboration with their conductor laureate Vladimir Ashkenazy, the Philharmonia return to disc with a stellar live-performance of Rachmaninov’s volcanic Symphony No.1 in D Minor. Composed when Rachmaninov was just 22, the work has a famously tumultuous performance history. The work’s premiere in 1897 – conducted by Glazunov – was a disaster, generating vitriolic abuse from critics and reviewers of the day. Rachmaninov destroyed the score and refused the works publication during his lifetime; it was not heard again until its reconstruction from solo parts by Soviet Musicologists for a concert in 1945. This is the first release in a new series of Rachmaninov’s symphonies, conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy in live performances with the Philharmonia Orchestra. ★★★★ Ashkenazy knows how to shape detail and soar in the big melodic moments. The Philharmonia sound is muscular and alert, from the opening woodwind solos to the mighty, stirring symphonic tutti of the finale - The Guardian ★★★★★ Ashkenazy’s splendidly accomplished and consistently invigorating new version must rank very highly indeed - Classical Ear ★★★★ Signum’s recording engineers have achieved a near miracle in somehow creating a much warmer ambience to the sound than you would normally expect from this venue.. wonderfully rich string sonorities from the Philharmonia who play their hearts out - BBC Music Magazine It’s difficult to think of any active musician more completely at home in this repertoire - Gramophone The playing of the Philharmonia is elegant in the more relaxed moments... the latter part of the finale is suitably thrilling - The Yorkshire Post

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RACHMANINOV SYMPHONY NO.2 : Live in Concert

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Marking their latest collaboration with their conductor laureate Vladimir Ashkenazy, the Philharmonia return to disc with a stellar live-performance of Rachmaninov’s ebullient Symphony No.2 in E Minor. This is the second release in a new series of Rachmaninov’s symphonies, conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy in live performances with the Philharmonia Orchestra. The playing of the Philharmonia Orchestra, its assurance, unanimity and sheer beauty of sound, is outstanding - Music Web International From the first notes the music flows with intent and it is clear that we are in for a charged account of this fine work - iClassical

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RACHMANINOV SYMPHONY NO.3 & SYMPHONIC DANCES: Live in Concert

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Marking their latest collaboration with their conductor laureate Vladimir Ashkenazy, the Philharmonia return to disc with a stellar live-performance of two late works by Rachmaninov – the Symphonic Dances and Symphony No. 3 in A Minor. This release is third and final in a new series of Rachmaninov’s symphonic works, conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy in live performances with the Philharmonia Orchestra.
Performance ★★★★ Recording ★★★★★ - BBC Music Magazine A very fine issue indeed. It is something of a privilege to hear this great veteran still having so much to say about music so close to him - MusicWeb International
The previous volumes of Symphony No. 1 (SIGCD484) and No. 2 (SIGCD530) were met with critical acclaim:

Perhaps the most satisfying of all [Ashkenazy’s recordings of the Symphony] - BBC Music Magazine

Ashkenazy knows how to shape detail and soar in the big melodic moments. The Philharmonia sound is muscular and alert, from the opening woodwind solos to the mighty, stirring symphonic tutti of the finale - The Observer

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Rachmaninov: Transcriptions & Arrangements for Organ

Price range: £8.00 through £12.00

Jeremy Filsell, a world-renowned authority and performer on both the organ and piano, taps into his lifelong love of the music of Rachmaninov to create this programme of new transcriptions and arrangements for the organ, centred on the Symphonic Dances Op. 45.
Show-stopping stuff on occasion, and hi-fi buffs with big woofers will find much to enjoy with the volume turned up, but the real satisfaction is in Rachmaninov’s remarkable music, with all of its spectral darkness and surprising radiance - MusicWeb International
I am sure the composer would greet Filsell's Symphonic Dances with the same 'Hallelujah' he appended to the completed score - Choir and Organ

Jeremy Filsell is superb pianist and one of the greatest organists...the colours that he brings out are wonderful - BBC Radio 3 Record Review

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Rameau: Anacreon (1754)

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Rameau wrote two operas called Anacréon, both one-act actes-de-ballet but with completely different music and plots. The opera presented here is the first of the two, a setting of a libretto by Rameau's most frequent collaborator, Louis de Cahusac, Following its first performance at the beautiful chateau of Fontainebleau in 1754, Anacréon enjoyed some success in Paris after Rameau's death before becoming all but lost for over 200 years. From fragmented manuscripts scattered through Paris's libraries, Jonathan Williams reconstructed the work, had his edition published by Ba?renreiter, and now leads this world-premiere recording with a leading cast of soloists and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.

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Ravel: Mother Goose, La valse

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Contrasting pieces by two masters of orchestral composition, these live performances capture the energy and movement of three much-loved balletic works; Ravel's intricate vignettes of childrens' stories in Mother Goose and 'choreographic poem' La valse, and Stravinsky's epoch-defining Rite of Spring. One of the oldest professional orchestras in Russia, the St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra can trace its lineage back to 1882 and its formation by Tsar Alexander III. In a 25-year collaboration, Yuri Temirkanov has been the orchestra's principal conductor since 1988.

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Rebecca Clarke – Complete Songs

Price range: £8.00 through £18.00

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

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Rediscovered: British Clarinet Concertos by Dolmetsch, Maconchy, Spain-Dunk, Wishart

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Peter Cigleris performs with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in a programme of four ‘rediscovered’ clarinet concertante works of the first half of the 20th Century. Composed between 1930 and 1947, the works span a time of change in the musical landscape of Great Britain; Pre 1939/40 the two predominant styles within British music were those of Post-Romanticism and Nationalism, whereas Post 1945, with the influence of the BBC, Modernism became the dominant style. By chance it also happens that two prominent British clarinettists tie these four works together; Fredrick Thurston and Reginald Kell were both involved in performances of the works at various points during their careers. A renowned soloist and chamber musician, Peter Cigleris has performed with the CBSO, BBCCO, ENB, Philharmonic, Royal Ballet Sinfonia and Orchestra of the Swan, as well as for a time holding the principal seat with the Symphony Orchestra of India in performances under Charles Dutoit and Rafael Payare amongst others. He has worked with musicians such as Martin Cousins, John Lenehan, Mark Bebbington, Julian Lloyd Webber and the Tippett Quartet, performing for various music clubs and festivals around the UK including the Windsor and Wooburn Festival, English Music Festival, Carlisle International Music Festival, Groba Festival in Spain and the ICA ‘ClarinetFest’. "The performances by Cigleris are inspiring, the album is well produced and the works are engaging and enjoyable to listen to. Notes authored by Cigleris offer great historical insight… Special recognition should also go out to Ben Palmer and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales – taking on a project involving world-premiere recordings of unfamiliar clarinet concertos is no small undertaking! The album will surely serve as a wonderful reference for anyone wishing to explore these works" - The Clarinet

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Reflection

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

Violin and piano duo Tamsin Waley-Cohen and Huw Watkins explore a violin and piano programme spanning four generations of musical imagination. Prokofiev’s F minor Sonata captivates with its dramatic intensity and baroque-inspired clarity. Stravinsky’s Duo Concertant enchants through five lyrical musical poems, blending wit, elegance, and classical poise. Knussen’s ‘Reflection’ written for Waley-Cohen and Watkins immerses listeners in a jewel-like world of colour and introspection, where every note is deliberately placed. Watkins’s Violin Sonata fuses modern lyricism with bursts of earthy vitality, creating a dialogue of subtle contrasts. ★★★★ - The Times "artfully constructed and sympathetically recorded" - The Strad

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Requiem Aeternam

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On The Vasari Singers' debut disc with Signum Records we present a deeply intimate recording of personal and moving works by Herbert Howells and Frank Martin. In 1935 Herbert Howells’ son died at the age of nine. Howells sought release and consolation in his writing, and composed the a cappella six-movement Requiem as a private document to his son. Indeed, Howells considered his Requiem so personal an outpouring that he felt the need to withhold it from publication. It was not released until 1980, only three years before the composer ’s own death. The motet Take him, earth, for cherishing has the dedication "To the honoured memory of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, President of the United States of America", and was composed for the commemoration in Washington on 6th June 1964. Frank Martin was a deeply religious man. He composed the Mass for Double Choir, early in his career. The work embodies the profound nature of his beliefs, and was the only work that Martin wrote purely for liturgical purposes. Such was the intensely intimate nature of the work, that, like Howells, the composer withheld it, and kept the manuscript safely in a drawer for over forty years. As Martin himself wrote, "This was something between God and me, that concerned nobody else". Over the last two decades, The Vasari Singers has built up an enviable reputation for excellence, versatility and sensitivity in both live performances and recordings. They perform these pieces with passion and devotion, and capture the very private and deep-rooted feelings contained within each work.

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Reservoirs

Price range: £8.00 through £12.00

Orchestral Works by Guto Pryderi Puw Gweithiau Cerddorfaol gan Guto Pryderi Puw The first release from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales’s inaugral Composer in Residence, Guto Pryderi Puw. A dual-language release in both Welsh and English, this release features a range of orchestral works inspired by stories and landscapes of Wales. The playing of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales under the always enterprising Jac van Steen is everything that could be desired - MusicWeb International Running the gamut from dense harmonic clusters to folk tunes, the judicious placing of its events more than outweighs its overtly short-term evolution - all making for a bracing embodiment of its narrative and a vivid showpiece in its own right - Gramophone

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Resilience

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

The Calidore Quartet present their first disc on Signum Records – a collection of quartets by Janáček, Prokofiev, Golijov and Mendelssohn.

The pieces were the products of four compelling personal narratives: an escape from the NAZI eastern offensive in WWII, a life caught in the crosshairs of a surge of violence in the Middle East, the sudden death of one’s closest friend and the struggle of being trapped in a loveless marriage. Felix Mendelssohn and Leoš Janáček turned to their art to find an outlet for their personal grief while Sergei Prokofiev and Osvaldo Golijov used their compositions to make sense of a world that was turned upside down by violent conflict.

Because of and despite these origins the works are imbued with emotional potency, and the quartet hope that that these works can provide “a message of hope because they illuminate the human potential to create beauty even in the darkest of circumstances.”
Superb young quartet presents a timely and thought-provoking programme - The Strad Precision needn't inhibit expression; these lively, intelligent performances of an attractive and thought-provoking programme offer compelling proof - Gramophone Superb, rhythmically alert playing, the players’ collective virtuosity always at the service of the music - The Arts Desk The Calidore Quartet successfully capture the emotional charge of this powerful work, bringing resilience to a suitably stirring close - BBC Music Magazine If the recording is comparable to what this admirable group displayed last week, the loud ovations after the concert were completely justified - Seen and Heard International Never do these players lose sight of the fact that the music, for all its violence and passion, should be a thing of beauty - MusicWeb International

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Resonance

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

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

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Richard Blackford: Kalon

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The Ancient Greek word Kalon was used by philosophers to describe perfect physical and moral beauty. In this recording, the two string ensembles (the Albion Quartet and the Czech Philharmonic) explore the different aspects of Kalon through the context in which beauty can exist in ugliness and darkness. This record is the result of Richard Blackford's doctorate at the University of Bristol, which investigates the use of polytempo. The recording is a way of applying the findings of his doctorate in a range of musical contexts. Kalon is unique as it explores the use of polytempo in the context of extended tonality and modality, which could be said surpasses the complexity posed by serialist works of a similar nature, such as Stockhausen's Gruppen or Carré.

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Rimsky-Korsakov: The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh

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Although he was counted amongst Mily Balakirev's 'Mighty Handful' (which dedicated itself to pursuing a more purely Russian art music, as opposed to the Austro-German musical dominance of the era), both works on this recording show how Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov was able to draw influences from beyond Russia into his own unique compositional approach: the scenes from his opera The Invisible City of Kitezh take on a dramatic, Wagnerian influence, whilst Sheherazade is suffused with orientalism as it conjures images from the Thousand and One Nights.

The St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra under Yuri Temirkanov bring their natural insight with this repertoire to the fore in these live performances, continuing their series of acclaimed releases with Signum.
The St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra under Yuri Temirkanov deliver the scores with panache - CD Choice The St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Yuri Temirkanov, presents sterling performances of excerpts from Rimsky-Korsakov's The Invisible City of Kitezh and Sheherazade - Northern Echo This Scheherazade is absolutely marvellous, one of the best available. If you think you have heard the score so often that it has become jaded, this is a recording to make you think again - MusicWeb International

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Rivers: Choral Music by John Barber

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Rivers is the second EP from composer John Barber and Fourth Window vocal ensemble. Over its five tracks conductor Sarah Latto and 8 acapella voices tell five different love stories- spiritual, romantic and parental. Julia, setting text by Robert Herrick, imagines a lover heading to a magical late night rendezvous; My River - written for John’s son just after he was born - uses text by Emily Dickinson to create a modern day spiritual of hope and gratitude. In Lullaby, a mother sings her baby to sleep whilst her partner is at war. The EP is bookended by The Voice Of My Beloved and Love Is As Strong As Death - setting timeless text from the Song of Songs. ★★★★ - "If you enjoy contemporary choral music this is highly recommended" - Crossrhythms
“There is such variety of colour and texture but also, he has these themes that run through them so this sense of flow, this sense of rhythmic impetus—the rivers, the night, the sort of sensuous and erotic but also spiritual so there is a unifying sense across them but there’s lots of variety and I can imagine a lot of these songs going straight into choirs repertoires and people really enjoying getting to know them.” - BBC Radio 3 Record Review

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Robert Schumann: Piano Works

Price range: £12.00 through £21.00

“To my ears, Llŷr Williams is one of the great pianists of our age.” John Gilhooly, CBE. His 15th album with Signum Classics, the Welsh pianist, Llŷr Williams, brings a profound musical intelligence to his work as soloist, accompanist and chamber musician. His new album of Robert Schumann works explores a selection of works that span a substantial part of Schumann’s life, including Papillons Op. 2 (written while he studied law at Leipzig University) all the way up to Faschingsschwank aus Wien published in 1841. Llŷr Williams’ long and successful collaboration with Signum Records includes the 8-disc box-set ‘A Schubert Journey’ (2020), the 12-volume ‘Beethoven Unbound’ (2018), a ‘Wagner Without Words’ double album (2014) and highlights from Liszt’s ‘Années de pèlerinage‘ (2012). "… the performances are always immaculate, their working out totally lucid; it’s unquestionably thoughtful, authoritative playing." ★★★★ - The Guardian
"[Williams] is a subtle, sensitive, and eminently satisfying artists possessed of a magnificent technique, a glorious tonal palette and terrific musical intelligence... I found Williams’s entire approach to Schumann a breath of fresh air, finding new perspectives around every corner." - International Piano

"Llŷr Williams’s poise, clarity and wholeness of approach, admirable in themselves, are no barriers to the passion, romance and reverie inherent in this generous selection from Robert Schumann’s piano catalogue … poetry and panache from both hands” - Colin's Column

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Robert Schumann: Piano Works Vol. 2

Price range: £8.00 through £18.00

“To my ears, Llŷr Williams is one of the great pianists of our age.” John Gilhooly, CBE. His 17th album with Signum Classics, the Welsh pianist Llŷr Williams, brings a profound musical intelligence to his work as soloist, accompanist and chamber musician. His second album of Robert Schumann works explores a selection of works that span a substantial part of Schumann’s life. Llŷr Williams’ long and successful collaboration with Signum Records includes the 8-disc box-set ‘A Schubert Journey’ (2020), the 12-volume ‘Beethoven Unbound’ (2018), a ‘Wagner Without Words’ double album (2014) and highlights from Liszt’s ‘Années de pèlerinage‘ (2012). "This is a collection bound to appeal to admirers of expressive piano mastery, as well as to the most discerning of Schumann aficionados." - Gramophone ★★★★ - “There’s so much to admire in these remarkable recordings” - BBC Music Magazine Praise for Robert Schumann: Piano Works Vol. 1: “… the performances are always immaculate, their working out totally lucid; it’s unquestionably thoughtful, authoritative playing.” ★★★★ – The Guardian
“[Williams] is a subtle, sensitive, and eminently satisfying artists possessed of a magnificent technique, a glorious tonal palette and terrific musical intelligence… I found Williams’s entire approach to Schumann a breath of fresh air, finding new perspectives around every corner.” – International Piano

“Llŷr Williams’s poise, clarity and wholeness of approach, admirable in themselves, are no barriers to the passion, romance and reverie inherent in this generous selection from Robert Schumann’s piano catalogue … poetry and panache from both hands” – Colin’s Column

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Roderick Williams Sacred Choral Works

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

On their premiere recording, the Old Royal Naval College Trinity Laban Chapel Choir, directed by celebrated choral conductor Ralph Allwood, perform the works of British Choral Award winner Roderick Williams. Based in Greenwich, East London the choir is comprised of both students from the conservatoire (including several choral scholars) as well as outstanding volunteer singers. It is unique amongst cathedral, church and collegiate choirs in the UK in that it has ready access to the wide range of musical resources at the Conservatoire, collaborating frequently in a wide variety of genres as well as performing for services at the beautiful 18th Century Chapel of St Peter & St Paul. As well as being renowned as a singer Roderick Williams is also well-respected as a composer, and his works have been premiered at the Wigmore and Barbican Halls, the Purcell Room and live on national radio. ★★★★ This is a well presented introduction to a contemporary composer of whom I hope and expect to hear more - Cross Rhythms This vivid choral anthology has given continued pleasure throughout the year, filled as it is with an astonishing versatility of moods and styles - Gramophone This disc shows another equally distinguished side to one of the UK’s leading singers. It’s very well worth hearing - MusicWeb International

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Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez

Price range: £8.00 through £12.00

Charles Ramirez is a guitarist of rare skill. A preeminent performer in the generation of guitarists that followed Segovia, he has held the post of Professor of Guitar at the Royal College of Music since the age of 25, raising the profile of the instrument through his concerts and education activities since mid-1970s. This disc is the first in a new series of recordings featuring Charles Ramirez and sees him perform works by Joaquín Rodrigo with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe – the Concierto de Aranjuez and Fantasia para un gentilhombre – under conductor and founding member of the orchestra Douglas Boyd. The programme is completed with Rodrigo’s enchanting solo-guitar piece Elogio de la guitara. Guitar virtuoso Charles Ramirez is on supple, sensitive form on this collection of Rodrigo suites - The Independent Concierto de Aranjuez sparkles in the hands of Charles Ramirez. Even more impressive is the more virtuosic Elogio de la guitarra, where Ramirez sustains some fiendish fingerwork - The Daily Telegraph Ramirez is technically masterful, his tone rich, his musical ideas intelligent - Classic FM Magazine

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Romantic Novelties for Violin and Orchestra

Price range: £8.00 through £12.00

Hideko Udagawa has performed extensively throughout the world and captivates international audiences with her artistry and enthusiasm. As a protégée of Nathan Milstein, she has inherited the great Russian romantic tradition of violin playing, and brings it to the fore in this collection of works by Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, Glazounov, Gade and Ysase. Alongside the Philharmonia Orchestra this disc includes two world premiere recordings of works by Eugène Ysaÿe – Mazurka No.2 Op.10 and Saltarelle Carnavalesque, Op.Posth. Udagawa's mastery of the Russian Romantic school of violin playing is a tour de force. Her distinctly northern European style suits this repertoire perfectly - Classic FM Magazine

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Celestial Bird

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

One of the UK’s most lauded composers, Roxanna Panufnik celebrates her 50th birthday with a new release of her previously unrecorded choral music, performed by leading British choir Ex Cathedra under Jeffrey Skidmore. Known for her interest in world music, the programme includes performances from Indian arts organisation Milapfest on Unending Love, as well as the a recording of Child of Heaven: Dawn Chorus III – a new commission from Ex Cathedra that sets a Hymn to Dawn from the Rig Veda.

Roxanna has written a wide range of pieces including opera, ballet, music theatre, choral works, chamber compositions and music for film and television which are regularly performed all over the world. This disc follows the 2017 release of 99 Words (SIGCD519), combining works by Panufnik and Sir John Tavener.
★★★★ Beguiling and soothing, it’s Panufnik at her most individual - Classical Source ★★★★ Very exciting - All Music A pleasurable disc - Gramophone
The work is elegantly-shaped and full of warmth, rather like this disc as a whole - BBC Music Magazine

This album is a fine and nicely varied birthday gift from Ex Cathedra to Roxanna Panufnik - Music Web International

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Roxanna Panufnik: Heartfelt

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

Since Westminster Mass (2000) established Roxanna Panufnik’s firm place among today’sleading British composers, she has often been celebrated for her choral music. Her instrumental and chamber works, however, are equally striking, filled with dazzling imagination and poetic lightness of touch. Her latest album Heartfelt encompasses compassion, tragedy and irresistible humour, while demonstrating her passion for exploring diverse musical cultures, from East Sussex to Myanmar. Featuring a stellar line-up of leading British soloists (including soprano Mary Bevan, pianist Charles Owen and baritone Roderick Williams) and led by the Sacconi Quartet, the title work includes a musical translation of the heartbeat of a young European Brown Bear named Albie: captured by a digital stethoscope, Bristol Zoological Society’s Wild Place Project was generously able to send Panufnik a recording of Albie’s heartbeat whilst he underwent a small surgical procedure, the anaesthetic possibly resembling the bear’s hibernation. Albie himself is pictured on the album’s front cover.

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Roy Harris & John Adams Violin Concertos

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

Violinist Tamsin Waley-Cohen continues her series of concerto recordings on Signum with two contrasting works by American composers.
Already considered by many to be a modern classic, John Adams 1993 Violin Concerto was described by the composer as having a ‘hypermelody’, in which the soloist plays longs phrases without stop for the duration of the 35 minute piece. Although composed in 1949, the first performance of Roy Harris’ Violin Concerto didn’t occur until 1984. Since then it has been championed for its “luminous orchestration and exalted tone" and has been rarely recorded.

For this recording, Tamsin Waley-Cohen is joined by the BBC Symphony Orchestra under American conductor Andrew Litton.

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Royal Rhymes & Rounds

Price range: £8.00 through £12.00

On a new disc to celebrate the 2012 Diamond Jubilee, The King's Singers present a selection of works from the past 500 years written in honour of the great Monarchs of Britain. Starting with works for (and in some cases by) Henry VIII, the programme covers the Elizabethan 'Triumphs of Oriana' by composers such as Gibbons, Mundy and Dowland; a very Victorian selection of dedicatory works by Elgar, Parry and Parratt; choral arrangements from the opera 'Glorianna' by Benjamin Britten; and a new piece by Paul Drayton that comically pens 'A Rough Guide to the Royal Succession'. Drayton is perhaps best known to fans of The King's Singers as the composer of their much-loved encore work Masterpiece. A notably intelligent, enjoyable Jubilee offering - BBC Music Magazine Premier English a cappella group provides its own celebrations in Jubilee Year - New Zealand Herald

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Ruiz: Venus & Adonis

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

Venus & Adonis is the premiere recording of the eponymous song cycle by Billboard-charting composer Rodrigo Ruiz. Released to celebrate William Shakespeare’s 460th anniversary, this album is a tribute to the poet’s unmatched inspiration. When the composition was finished in 2020, Venus & Adonis became the first song cycle known to be written by a Mexican composer, as well as the only known song cycle (in English or otherwise) set entirely to Shakespeare's texts. Despite the newness of the cycle, the music lacks no lyricism and will gladden singers, pianists, artistic directors and all those longing to perform and programme such lyrical and well-crafted music. These seventeen songs, performed by British duo Grace Davidson (soprano) and George Herbert (piano), exemplify the enormous variety of expression that Ruiz is able to conjure in his writing, making of Venus & Adonis a truly exciting and refreshing addition to the art song tradition —one that will touch audiences and musicians alike. All Music Classical Highlights October 2024 "Especially priceless is this recording of Venus&Adonis by the Mexican composer Rodrigo Ruiz...[Davidson and Herbert] conjure up a suitably unsettling atmosphere true to the spirit of Ruiz's music...The songs are enchanting, the text clearly expressive, with soft melodic lines, with he loving piano of George Herbert, who offers a graceful accompaniment...Ruiz has the capacity to construct a musical narrative connected to the poetry, where everything flows: fire, passion, coldness, tenderness and turbulence. These are beautiful musical performances" - Sonograma Melómano de Oro (JANUARY 2025) "The compositional mastery of Ruiz makes every part fuse to perfection with the text, offering a memorable auditive experience...The interpretation of Grace Davidson brings delicacy and strength to each song, adapting her colour and vocal texture according to the demands of the work...This album reminds us of the potential to combine different artistic expressions" - Melómano

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Sacred Chants

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

Grace Davidson presents her third release with Signum Classics, an intimate recording of Sacred Chants by Hildegard von Bingen, translations by Jeremy Summerly. Hildegard was an extremely accomplished composer, as well as a scientist, a diplomat, a poet, and the founder of a religious community. Her melodies rise out of Gregorian chant, with wide voice ranges that are suited to trained singers. The florid imagery of Hildegard’s texts is matched by suitably florid tunes, whose calculated intervals suggest both vocal improvisation and carefully controlled composition. Hilde- gard had the ability to write tunes whose very essence is simultaneously spontaneous yet structured. And such was Hildegard’s character – on the one hand she was intensely practical, and on the other she was a vessel for dreams and visions. Grace Davidson is a British soprano who specialises first and foremost in the performance and recording of Baroque music. she has worked as a soloist with leading Baroque ensembles, under the batons of Sir John Eliot Gardner, Paul McCreesh, Philippe Herreweghe and Harry Christophers. RECORDING OF THE MONTH - Musicweb International ★★★★★ Performance ★★★★★ Recording "Grace Davidson, singing alone, unfolds a tapestry of sounds filled with exceptional purity, mellifluous continuity and a focused sense of form. The vocal techniques of breath control…the command of stunning and dizzying meanders of melody…and the subtle colouring of modal changes…are very impressive. An exceptional recording" - BBC Music Magazine "Absolute purity of a single voice, perfectly modulated in all its details and gliding effortlessly through the often tortuously difficult music" - Gramophone ★★★★ "You cannot get a solo recital that feels as intimate as one for a single voice…Here is a British soprano with a voice so radiantly pure in colour and tone that you might think yourself in heaven…The warmly resonant recording, is pretty heavenly in itself" - The Times

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Saint Nicolas & A Ceremony of Carols

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

Crouch End Festival Chorus presents two Britten classics: Saint Nicolas and A Ceremony of Carols. Full of vibrancy and drama, Saint Nicolas is performed alongside the fabulous BBC Concert Orchestra and features tenor Mark Le Brocq as well as Coldfall Primary School Choir, members of Hertfordshire Chorus and Hannah Brine Choirs. The ever-popular A Ceremony of Carols is performed with harpist Sally Pryce, and both works are conducted by David Temple.

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Salve, Salve, Salve: Josquin’s Spanish Legacy

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

There was a craze for the music of Josquin Desprez in sixteenth-century Spain. All three of the greatest Spanish composers of the age – Morales, Guerrero, and Victoria – were directly inspired by one particular rhetorical effect developed by Josquin: ostinato, the repetition throughout a piece of a musical motto. This album explores Josquin’s legacy as manifest in the motets of Morales, Guerrero, and Victoria, and in Victoria’s great six-voice Missa Gaudeamus. In the hands of such composers the use of ostinato produces results that are dynamic, compelling, and striking in expressive impact. These work show the Spanish composers not just emulating Josquin but also competing to out do him in inventiveness. All downloads include booklets.

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Santtu Conducts Mahler

Price range: £12.00 through £21.00

Mahler 2 is the second album from Philharmonia Records, following their first album - Santtu conducts Strauss. “[Also sprach Zarathustra] Rouvali’s conducting of both is certainly interesting and personal... impressive, an expansive reading that sees the work whole... [An Alpine Symphony] undeniably picturesque, vivid and dramatically projected... top-notch playing, and this extravagant score also enjoys notable recorded sound... lingering lyricism, invariably heartfelt and, in conclusion, cathartic” Founded in 1945, The Philharmonia Orchestra creates thrilling performances for a global audience and has premiered works by Richard Strauss, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Errollyn Wallen, Kaija Saariaho and many others. The Philharmonia has an extraordinary 77-year recording legacy, and has recorded around 150 soundtracks, with film credits stretching back to 1947. In the 2021/22 season the Orchestra performs in Romania, Spain, Finland, Greece and Germany. Santtu-Matias Rouvali is a Finnish conductor and percussionist, and is currently principal conductor of the Philharmonia Orchestra. Rouvali continues his relationships with orchestras across Europe, including with the Berlin Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Munich Phillharmonic and the the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. "The Philharmonia are on fine form for Santtu with much brilliance coming from the woodwind and brass and bags of generosity from the strings" - Gramophone ORCHESTRAL CHOICE ★★★★★ Performance ★★★★★ Recording "This is special indeed…such spectacular engineering…Rouvali draws exquisite colouring…(the Philharmonia Chorus) soprano power in the great climax has never blazed better" - BBC Music Magazine ★★★★★ "Vibrant version of the Second of Mahler. Powerful and emotional” - Ritmo ★★★★ "The orchestral sound is very good, the soloists are excellent" - Fono Forum

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Santtu conducts Sleeping Beauty

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

"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

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Santtu Conducts Strauss: Ein Heldenleben

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

“Santtu conducts Strauss: Ein Heldenleben” is the sixth album from Philharmonia Records. Conducted by Santtu-Matias Rouvali, this performance was recorded at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall. ★★★★★ - “The orchestral sound is superb and gloriously expansive” - BBC Music Magazine “An expression of power without disorder, of tension without confusion – a Heldenleben of irresistible gravity and luminous calm.” - Sonograma “The recording quality is flawless and there is no hint of this being live … this [recording] achieves a profundity which wholly validates Rouvali’s more reflective interpretative choices." - MusicWebInternational

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Santtu Conducts Strauss (Philharmonia Records)

Price range: £12.00 through £21.00

Santtu conducts Strauss is a 2-CD deluxe album with four works by Richard Strauss conducted by Principal Conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali, two of which are live recordings of Santtu’s 2021/22 opening concert and first concert as Principal Conductor at Royal Festival Hall. Eine Alpensinfonie and Also sprach Zarathustra are live recordings of Santtu’s opening concert of the 2021/22 season, and his first concert with the Philharmo- nia as Principal Conductor. The concerts received great reviews. Tim Ashley (The Guardian) said “With the Philharmonia on tremendous form, Rouvali proved a fine Straussian, measured in his approach, and careful in his attention to detail and colour”. Rebecca Franks (The Times) awarded 5-star reviews: “There were “wow” moments aplenty as the Philharmonia laced up its hiking boots and happily hit every waymark in Strauss’s mountain journey: the glorious sunrise, the resplendent summit, the violent storm with wind machine, thunder sheet and organ.” "[Also sprach Zarathustra] Rouvali’s conducting of both is certainly interesting and personal… impressive, an expansive reading that sees the work whole…[An Alpine Symphony] undeniably picturesque, vivid and dramatically projected…top-notch playing, and this extravagant score also enjoys notable recorded sound… lingering lyricism, invariably heartfelt and, in conclusion, cathartic" - Colin's Column "Rouvali is already a great Straussian…speaks very well for the future of his partnership with the Philharmonia…This set is still a noteworthy benchmark for this new conductor/orchestra partnership…The recorded sound on these discs is mostly excellent" - Musicweb International ★★★★ Performance ★★★ Recording "[Don Juan, Till Eulenspiegel] you can hear the excellence of the solo work, in the wind in particular" - BBC Music Magazine
"It's generous in all senses, with extensive documentation accompanying performances that are expansive, vividly recorded and beautifully played…[Alpensinfonie] a handsome and ultimately rewarding performance…[Also sprach Zarathustra] is notable for a truly thrilling sunrise and some exciting climaxes elsewhere…an enjoyable release…[the performances] offer ample evidence of Rouvali as an interesting and far from conventional Straussian, and one well worth hearing" - Gramophone
“This whole album is just a huge success in my books. I mean to take something so epic –all these things are so epic and so massive and to still have so many refined nuances and tiny details and colours and attention to, you know, really beautiful harmonies… I think that the orchestra and Santtu really do a fine job of balancing these nuances together. It’s really incredible." - BBC Radio 3 Record Review

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Scarlatti: Dixit Dominus Mass

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

Their tenth album with Signum Classics, the Armonico Consort directed by Christopher Monks return with two works by Francesco Scarlatti. This recording has been made using new editions of the works, (made especially for this recording) that follow only the autograph scores. Armonico Consort began life in 2001, set up by Christopher Monks and a group of university colleagues with a shared passion for music from the Renaissance to Baroque, coupled with the imagination to find new and unusual ways to present concerts. Audiences seemed to love their engaging and imaginative approach, and most concerts in the first years sold out. The founder and Artistic Director of Armonico Consort and its ground-breaking education programme AC Academy, Christopher Monks has established himself as a versatile and prolific conductor and keyboard player. Specialising in the performance of music from the Baroque and late Renaissance, Christopher is equally at home with major and modern choral repertoire. ★★★★★ "This extraordinarily successful release has a musical significance of the highest order. The performances throughout betoken both care in preparation and total commitment in the realisation of these neglected masterworks…This release is a shining example of what the gramophone can achieve" - The Organ ★★★★ "The sparkling setting of Dixit Dominus features dramatic word painting and a lavish use of a high trumpet; this performance is full of high energy" - Choir and Organ "It’s fresh and invigorating music and performances" - BBC Radio 3—Record Review

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Schubert (Digital Only) – Volume 1

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

Disc on Demand available from Presto Classical "In a word I feel myself the most unhappy and wretched creature in the world. Imagine a man whose health will never be right again, and who in sheer despair over this ever makes things worse and worse instead of better ...but I have tried my hand at several instrumental things ... in fact, I intend to pave the way towards a grand symphony in this manner.” These extracts from a letter of 1824 epitomise to me the paradox of Schubert, the manic depressive composer. On the one hand his music has that world-weary element of profound grief – 'the most wretched creature in the world' – and on the other a life-affirming exuberance bordering on the manic that characterises the Wanderer-Fantasie and parts of the D major sonata D.850. While Schubert's later piano music has a range of emotions that rivals Beethoven's last sonatas, in the beginning of his career he perhaps lacked the assurance of the older composer, and he was less fastidious about destroying sketches and fragments. As a result there are a large number of unfinished works and, therefore, the pianist has to make a decision about where to start the Schubert odyssey. Schubert himself made no effort to try and publish any of his sonatas before the great A minor D.845 of 1825. I decided to start slightly earlier with the B major of 1817 where one senses an assurance and boldness of tonal experiment not found before in his piano music. In this series, Llŷr Williams explores Schubert's solo piano repertoire in exquisite detail, producing some truly unique performances of some of the most romantic music ever composed. All download include booklets.

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Schubert: Die Schone Mullerin

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

Renowned performers Iestyn Davies and Joseph Middleton perform Schubert's tragic song- cycle Die schöne Müllerin (The Beautiful Maid of the Mill). Adapting poetry by Wilhelm Müller, the genesis of D. 795 marks the beginning of the end of Schubert's life; he discovered that he had contracted syphilis sometime in late 1822 or early 1823, and it was in 1823 that he composed this tale of a poet-singer who dies in the aftermath of erotic experience. Released under the own label of St John's College, Cambridge, this recording acts as a celebration of Iestyn Davies's formative period at the college; beginning there as a 7-year-old probationer in 1987, he progressed to become Head Chorister, before ultimately returning to study as a choral scholar. Alongside full texts and translations, the booklet includes a background on the work by noted Lied expert Susan Youens, as well as reflections on Iestyn's time at St John's from the College's past and present Directors of Music – Christopher Robinson and Andrew Nethsingha. ""Die liebe Farbe" is hauntingly beautiful, for example, the countertenor spinning his line with a deeply affecting purity of tone…there's a hypnotic quality to "Der Muller und der Bach too…The way the pair handle the switch in mood at "O Bachlein meiner Liebe"…will stop you in your tracks…This is an often beguiling - and well-recorded - album. The countertenor's fans need not hesitate, and adventurous Schubertians might well also want to seek it out for a fresh perspective on this familiar work" - Gramophone "Highly polished performance from two superb musicians…The slower songs work beautifully…Middleton brings texture through his imaginative rendition of Schubert's accompaniments. The recording quality is outstandingly clear" - BBC Music Magazine

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Schubert (Digital Only) – Volume 2

Price range: £8.00 through £14.00

Disc on Demand available from Presto Classical "In a word I feel myself the most unhappy and wretched creature in the world. Imagine a man whose health will never be right again, and who in sheer despair over this ever makes things worse and worse instead of better ...but I have tried my hand at several instrumental things ... in fact, I intend to pave the way towards a grand symphony in this manner.” These extracts from a letter of 1824 epitomise to me the paradox of Schubert, the manic depressive composer. On the one hand his music has that world-weary element of profound grief – 'the most wretched creature in the world' – and on the other a life-affirming exuberance bordering on the manic that characterises the Wanderer-Fantasie and parts of the D major sonata D.850. While Schubert's later piano music has a range of emotions that rivals Beethoven's last sonatas, in the beginning of his career he perhaps lacked the assurance of the older composer, and he was less fastidious about destroying sketches and fragments. As a result there are a large number of unfinished works and, therefore, the pianist has to make a decision about where to start the Schubert odyssey. Schubert himself made no effort to try and publish any of his sonatas before the great A minor D.845 of 1825. I decided to start slightly earlier with the B major of 1817 where one senses an assurance and boldness of tonal experiment not found before in his piano music. In this series, Llŷr Williams explores Schubert's solo piano repertoire in exquisite detail, producing some truly unique performances of some of the most romantic music ever composed. All downloads include booklets.

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