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Recorded as part of their critically praised ‘Infernal Dance’ season, the Philharmonia Orchestra under Esa-Pekka Salonen explore three contrasting works by Bela Bartok – the chamber piece Contrasts, and the orchestral works Dance Suite and The Miraculous Mandarin. Contrasts is one of Bela Bartok’s most imaginative forays into the world of chamber music. His only chamber work involving a woodwind instrument (for Piano, Clarinet and Violin), Contrasts originated in a commission from the American ‘King of Swing’, Benny Goodman. Composed to mark the 50th anniversary of Budapest in 1923, Bartok’s Dance Suite is a rhapsodic collection of folk inspired tunes that marked a sonorous change in direction from the composer’s more dissonant works up to that point. The ballet-pantomime The Miraculous Mandarin is raw, dangerous, exotic and elemental: using the rarely performed full ballet score it is frenzied music, percussive, sensuous and violent, telling a shocking story of desire and death. Ferocious savagery that Salonen uncorks...suggesting a lacerating whip - The Times I was drawn in by the cool ferocity and steadfast virtuosity of these performances - The Guardian -
An unforgettable live-concert recording, selected from the Philharmonia Orchestra and Esa-Pekka Salonen’s season of works by Béla Bartók – 'Infernal Dance.' As soon as Salonen cues the score's reptilian first bars, just after the one-minute mark, you can sense both a tightening of tension and Salonen's natural grasp of Bartok's richly suggestive tone-poetry - Gramophone As dazzling as you always hope it will be... A truly atmospheric recording that makes it easy to believe you’re in the dark bowels of a castle - BBC Radio 3 Record Review The conclusion of the opera is riveting, vocally and instrumentally, with the live performance giving a real edge to the drama ... for Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Philharmonic on top form this is fantastic - Planet Hugill This 2011 performance of Bartok's score is sure to become a classic ... The hour passes like a single breath - Words and Music -
Stavinsky’s Pétrouchka was originally arranged for four-hands by the composer as a rehearsal score for the Ballet Russes production of the same name, but in this stripped-down it brings Stravinsky’s melodic, rhythmic and harmonic inventiveness to the fore. Brahms’s 16 Waltzes Op.39 are an enchanting collection of Romantic miniatures that simultaneously nod to the musical lineage of the composer’s home in Vienna whilst asserting his own flair and individuality. The final four tangos by Piazzolla are a full of Argentine flair and vigour, and were arranged especially for this recording by Bax & Chung.
Bax and Chung internalise [Piazzolla's] rhythmic syntax... Superb annotations and engineering make the Bax & Chung duo debut CD all the more auspicious - Gramophone Technically superb and perfectly balanced - Yorkshire Post -
The Choral Scholars is an internationally acclaimed chamber choir of gifted student singers led by founding Artistic Director, Dr. Desmond Earley, based at University College Dublin College of Arts & Humanities. Scholars come from various academic disciplines and commit to an intensive programme of choral study. Be all Merry is one of three new pieces especially composed for the Choral Scholars. This lively carol for choir, orchestra and violin by Irish composer Eoghan Desmond evokes the joyful play of Christmas in the lines ‘Be all merry in this house/Exultet celum laudibus!’. The recording contains a remarkable setting of the Advent plainsong hymn Christe Redemptor Omnium for tenor solo, chorus, violin and violoncello by Ivo Antognini, crafted for Choral Scholars with the kind support of the Swiss Embassy in Dublin. The Adoration of the Magi by American composer Timothy Stephens is a breathtaking setting of W. B. Yeats’ poetry. A beautiful Irish-language lullaby – Cró na Nollag – set by father and son, Adhamhnán and Uinseann Mac Domhnaill, and the much-loved Scottish tune simply titled Suantraí, are also included. The Irish Chamber Orchestra are also featured on a number of tracks including The Wexford Carol and Carol of the Bells. The choir closes the album with the song most associated with friendship, hope and the promise of a new year, Auld Lang Syne. The post-production phase of this recording project took place as the world grappled with the outbreak of COVID-19. American composer Linda Kachelmeier’s piece – We Toast the Days – serves as a reminder of the strength, love and hope that resonates throughout the world not simply at Christmastide but also during periods of hardship. All downloads include booklets. ★★★★★ "No fewer than half the choir’s two-dozen members step out for solos, revealing the in-depth quality of Earley’s singers. The glowing tonal blend that he elicits is a constant pleasure, and there’s a real emotional connection in the performances." - BBC Music Magazine ★★★★½ "Listeners in search of something different from the usual output of British collegiate and cathedral choirs will find it here…The sound is fresh in numerous ways, and so is the program…This is a heartening and satisfying holiday release" - All Music "Be All Merry is a slick album of new, largely unrecognisable settings of old carols woven through with the sound of Gaelic folk song…It provides that one thing we desperately need from Christmas albums - something different that is still consistent and festive" - Gramophone "A disc full of things you might hear nowhere else, all sensitively performed". - Planet Hugill "A contemporary, and unmistakeably Irish, take on the Christmas tradition...the Scholars, and soloists Kiri O’Neill and Emily Doyle, achieve a beautifully delicate, almost vulnerable sound in Elaine Agnew’s Curoo Curoo, Fionntán Ó Cearbhaill’s Scots lullaby Suantraí and Adhamhnán Mac Domhnaill’s evocative Cró na Nollag" - Presto -
‘Beauty for Ashes’ is a unique collection of unrecorded music from some of the UK’s foremost choral composers. Whilst the programme includes well-established names from classical music such as Bob Chilcott and Judith Weir, it also includes newer voices such as Alison Willis, Cheryl Frances-Hoad, Judith Bingham, Sarah Macdonald and Roxanna Panufnik. Six of the contemporary composers featured on the recording are women, and their work exemplifies the enormous contribution female composers are making to the English choral tradition, in a genre where they have been historically under-represented and under-recorded. The principal aim of the recording is to enable these compositions to find new audiences and to promote the creation of new choral works. At a time when the sacred choral tradition is under severe threat from budget cuts, Beauty for Ashes reveals the vibrancy and variety of contemporary composition. "You can hear works from well-established names from the choral scene like Bob Chilcott and Judith Weir. A lovely disc to add to your collection.” - Scala Radio ★★★★★ "The choir's tuning in the a cappella pieces is superb. A cracking album to which I'll be returning frequently." - Choir and Organ -
The second volume of celebrated pianist, composer and conductor Thomas Adès and the Britten Sinfonia’s collaborative performances of the works of Beethoven and Gerald Barry. Beethoven’s 4th, 5th and 6th symphonies are interspersed with Barry’s ‘Viola Concerto’ (featuring Lawrence Power) and piece for orchestra and bass ‘The Conquest of Ireland’ (featuring Joshua Bloom). The pairing is ideal, for Gerald Barry’s compositional style was greatly influenced by Beethoven, giving a piece a title such as Beethoven would suggest an attempt at emulating his legacy nearly two centuries after his death. His music also shows his major influence from radio, moving from the sublime and the ridiculous with carefree abandon. All downloads include booklets. "The performances of both symphonies are terrific from start to finish…I love the outdoor, festively martial quality he [Adès] gives to the Fifth, and how the coda generates tremendous excitement while remaining light on its feet…under Adès the Britten Sinfonia play both scores for all their worth... Heartily recommended." - Gramophone "Particularly poised and precise in the Finale; an urgent and blazing Fifth; and, as a whole, a standout fresh-faced ‘Pastoral’, especially notable for a nippy Scherzo and an elemental ‘Storm’…The recorded sound is excellent." - Colin's Column -
The final installment in the BEETHOVEN & BARRY recording series which, over three volumes, has traced all nine of Beethoven’s Symphonies coupled with music by the celebrated Irish composer Gerald Barry. “This set [Vol.1] cuts pristine interpretations of Beethoven’s early symphonies with Gerald Barry’s 21st- century zesty homage ... tightly knit performances ...” - BBC Music Magazine ★★★★ Performance ★★★★ Recording "The Britten Sinfonia rises brilliantly to the challenges" - BBC Music Magazine ★★★★ "Alert, skilful playing of the Britten Sinfonia" - Financial Times -
Pianist Min-Jung Kym makes her recording debut on Signum Records, leading the Philharmonia Orchestra under conductor Clemens Schuldt in performances of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4, and alongside Zsolt-Tihamer Visontay for Mendelssohn’s Double Concerto for Violin, Piano and String Orchestra in D Minor.
Steinway Artist Min-Jung Kym has acquired an internationally recognised reputation performing with some of the world’s leading orchestras and musicians, including collaborations with (amongst others) Barry Wordsworth, Alison Balsom, the Haffner Ensemble, Pierre Amoyal, Leon Bosch, Joy Farrall, Andrew Haveron, Sergey Levitin, Adrian Brendel, Thomas Carroll, Mats Lidstrom and the soprano Susan Bickley. Min-Jung was the ‘pianist of choice’ for the masterclasses of the legendary violinist Ruggiero Ricci.
This is an unhurried, richly expressive interpretation the eloquent nature of which is matched by the Philharmonia Orchestra - Classical Source Happily, the musicians on this Signum recording respect the letter of the score - Gramophone -
Alessio Bax returns to disc on Signum with the Southbank Sinfonia under Simon Over, in a new recording of works by Beethoven centred around the majestic “Emperor” Piano Concerto No. 5.
Combining exceptional lyricism and insight with consummate technique, Alessio Bax is without a doubt “among the most remarkable young pianists now before the public” (Gramophone). He catapulted to prominence with First Prize wins at both the Leeds and Hamamatsu International Piano Competitions, and is now a familiar face on four continents, not only as a recitalist and chamber musician, but as a concerto soloist who has appeared with more than 100 orchestras, including the London and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras, Dallas and Cincinnati Symphonies, NHK Symphony in Japan, St. Petersburg Philharmonic with Yuri Temirkanov, and the City of Birmingham Symphony with Sir Simon Rattle.
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“[Their Beethoven performance’s] were shockingly deep. I’ve never heard a quartet so young get so inside this ultimately inscrutable music” - LA Times The Calidore Quartet return to Signum Classics for the first installment of their Beethoven Cycle: The Late Quartets. Their interpretation is informed by their diverse set of mentors which include Alban Berg, Emerson, Guarneri and yet still uniquely representing the senti- ments, aesthetics and research of their generation. Their interpretations of Beethoven are already critically acclaimed with future performances planned at prestigious venues to be announced. WINNER CHAMBER MUSIC AWARD 2024 ★★★★★ Performance ★★★★★ Recording "Meticulously detailed performances…with playing of quite remarkable technical accomplishment: I'm not sure, for instance, that I've ever heard the tremendously challenging Op.133 Fugue…done with greater precision and clarity…the Calidore players penetrate right to the heart of the music, giving warm and intensely lyrical accounts…[the players] have produced performances that can stand comparison with the best" - BBC Music Magazine "They are boldly recorded here, played with remarkable depth, yet another example of astonishingly life-affirming music making." - LA Times "Deeply satisfying, impeccably recorded and representative of the gratifyingly high standard of quartet playing we may hear today from so many of today’s young artists" - Musicweb International -
The second in their award winning series, the Calidore Quartet return with a three disc album of the Middle Quartets. Their Beethoven performances have been described as ‘shockingly deep’ by LA Times. The first album of Late Quartets won the Chamber Music Award at the BBC Music Magazine Awards 2024. Their interpretation is informed by their diverse set of mentors which include Alban Berg, Emerson, Guarneri and yet still uniquely representing the sentiments, aesthetics and research of their generation. Their interpretations of Beethoven are already critically acclaimed with performances at the Lincoln Centre planned as part of their residency. All Music Classical Highlights October 2024 Recording of the Month (October) "What cannot be denied is the sophistication and sheer polish - in tuning, rhythm and ensemble - of the Calidore's Beethoven...A performance of such fearless attack and rhythmic precision...[Coda] a miniature tour de force that sets the seal on Beethoven-playing of rare vividness and technical aplomb" - Gramophone “The works played here reflect the intense experimentalism of Beethoven’s middle years – the leading Viennese critic of the day declared the ‘Razumovskys’ ‘not generally comprehensible’ – and the Calidore Quartet are well up to all the challenges…this album set is highly collectible.” - BBC Music Magazine "The group's sense of ensemble is excellent, and overall, the intensity of the Calidore Quartet's playing is notable and commendable...the sound is both clear and idiomatic...this is a recording that demands attention" - AllMusic -
Their third duo album on Signum Classics, Viktoria Mullova and Alasdair Beatson perform Beethoven’s Sonatas 2 and 10. Uniquely for the A Major sonata Op 12 No 2 they use a copy of an 1805 Walter (a Viennese fortepiano), and for Sonata No 10 op. 96 they use a copy of an 1819 graf, both by Paul McNulty. Together with violin strung with gut, these instruments are what Beethoven’s music craves, giving a rich texture and distinct colours between the registers. ★★★★ - “A wonderful performance that becomes richer on each listening” - BBC Music Magazine ★★★★ - “The fine detail of both the violin and the keyboard playing is exquisite” - The Guardian “Yielding to none in sensitivity and imagination, Mullova and Beatson make an eloquent case for the more intimate, transparent sound world of period instruments” - Gramophone “Their perceptive interpretations express these works’ full gamut of emotions from introspection to humour.” - The Strad “The wait has been worth it: Mullova’s superb musicianship shines in close-knit partnership with Beatson.” - Europadisc -
The highly anticipated recording of Thomas Adès and the Britten Sinfonia playing Beethoven and Barry; specifcally the Beethoven Symphony Cycle and a selection of Barry’s works. This CD features Beethoven’s first three symphonies, interspersed with Barry’s piece Beethoven and his Piano Concerto. Beethoven intended to stake his claim to be the rightful successor to the Viennese classical tradition with the first of his symphonies, premiered in 1800. He had already began to lose his hearing by this point, and when he composed his second symphony, he placed on the page his spirit of defiance and determination against his deafness. The third marks a significant turning point in his style, as well as in the framwork of how a symphony was expected to be composed. Gerald Barry grew up in rural Ireland. His music shows us how his upbringing had an effect on his compositional style - giving a piece a title such as Beethoven would suggest an attempt at emulating his legacy nearly two centuries after his death. Do not be fooled by this however; his music shows his major influence from radio, moving from the sublime and the ridiculous with carefree abandon. All downloads include booklets. ★★★★★ Performance ★★★★ Recording "Thomas Adès and the Britten Sinfonia present tightly knit performances, and dynamic subtleties are largely preserved in the concert recordings" - BBC Music Magazine "The opening movement of the Eroica had me on the edge of my seat. The quasi-fugal passage at 7'03" is thrillingly taut and the subsequent crunching climax…packs plenty of power without losing a degree of momentum. And listen to the Britten Sinfonia's violins at 11'12", where one can almost hear the rosin spraying off their bows" - Gramophone "Adès’ interpretation is lighthearted but also meticulous…A solid effort by Adès and the Britten Sinfonia, then, and well worth a close listen" - The Classic Review "Adès tackles the “Eroica” in a blazing performance, very energetic but not lacking in affection…I shall return to these CDs" - Musicweb International "All in all, there isn't a dull moment here" - AllMusic.com -
Beethoven’s euphoric Symphony No. 9, like his Symphony No. 5, is one of those pieces of classical music which transcends the barrier between musical genres – one of the few pieces of the classical canon in the popular consciousness. Few can fail to be uplifted and caught up in the joyous Ode to Joy finale. For this performance, recorded live at the Edinburgh International Festival in 1994, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment were joined by the renowned conductor and long-time collaborator, Sir Charles Mackerras, a partnership between him and the OAE that lasted almost a quarter of a century. ★★★★★ One of the most thrilling Beethoven interpretations I have ever heard. It bristles with revolutionary spirit … The OAE play like gods and demons - The Financial Times ★★★★★ The slow movement is full of spiritual balm. The outer movements are elemental in proper revolutionary style; the finale’s found British soloists are excellent. Highly recommended - The Mail on Sunday Fine choral singing by the New Company, and Mackerras's masterly control, make the finale as electrifying as only it can be - The Times -
The third and final instalment in their award-winning series, the Calidore Quartet return with a three-disc release of Beethoven Early Quartets. Their previous Beethoven recordings have been described as ‘highly collectible’ by BBC Music Magazine. The first album of Late Quartets won the Chamber Music Award at the BBC Music Magazine Awards 2024, and the second awarded Recording of the Month by Gramophone Magazine. “Our interpretation speaks to the influences of our teachers and the great traditions associated with this repertoire, but also to that of our own generation, contemporary research, style and experience. Though this music speaks in a language that is hundreds of years old, its message remains immediate, relevant and comforting to listeners of today and of generations to come even, and especially, in the most challenging of times”. ★★★★★ - Ritmo "Very enthusiastically recommended" - Gramophone ★★★★ “With playing of this calibre the results are always exhilarating” - BBC Music Magazine -
A stunning 12-CD box set, Beethoven Unbound, will be released to mark the completion of Llŷr Williams’ monumental Beethoven cycle at Wigmore Hall and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) – recorded live at Wigmore Hall over three years and nine recitals. As well as the complete piano sonatas, the box set also features other works including the 32 Variations in C minor, Eroica Variations, Opus 126 Bagatelles and the Diabelli Variations, a total of almost 14 hours of music. This is Williams’ fourth album on Signum Classics. Beethoven Unbound is presented in a beautiful hinged box with extensive notes by Misha Donat, and personal notes by Williams and the album’s award-winning producer Judith Sherman, with whom Williams worked previously on his Wagner Without Words release. Williams comments on the box set and the partnership with Sherman: “Rather than adopt the chronological approach, I have arranged the works roughly in the order that I played them in the concerts, and each CD has been devised as a mini-recital programme. This has sometimes allowed for creativity in putting the pieces together. Working with Judy on this project has been a joy and a privilege. It was sad to reach the end – but at least we still have a Schubert cycle to look forward to!” Williams has developed a reputation as one of the finest exponents of Beethoven, since giving his first Beethoven cycle in Perth in 2010, and winning a South Bank Sky Arts Award in 2012 for an epic two-week marathon in Edinburgh. The Guardian said of one of his RWCMD cycle recitals in 2016: “Williams’ already considerable stature as a Beethoven interpreter seems to grow with every performance” (Rian Evans, 25 March 2016) and The Independent commented on a Wigmore recital: “Williams treats it [the keyboard] as an extension of his body, and with the three Opus 10 sonatas plus the Diabelli Variations he took us onto an altogether higher plane” (Michael Church, 12 October 2016). 2017 saw the conclusion not only of the solo series at Wigmore Hall and the RWCMD, but also of a complete concerto cycle with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Williams plays with profound intelligence and a wittily knowing ear for the quirky surprises Beethoven lays in the path of the pianist - The Observer [Williams' playing contains] wisdom and humour, comedy and tragedy, the lyrical and the fierce - BARN Magazine A musical feast of almost 14 hours of music that comes highly recommended - Northern Echo The best of these performances are out of the top drawer and all are worthy of careful listening. At its bargain price this set is highly recommended to all lovers of Beethoven’s piano music - iClassical Wonderful recordings - BBC Radio 3 In Tune