Capriccio

23/12/2025

✨ CAPRICCIO CHRISTMAS ESSENTIALS (Part 2) ✨

From grand choral anthologies to intimate regional traditions, these five albums create very different Christmas soundworlds:
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6️⃣ C7331 – 100 Christmas Classics
A 5‑CD journey through 100 classical Christmas tracks, from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio to beloved carols like Silent Night, featuring leading choirs and soloists.
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7️⃣ C3032 – Assisi Christmas Cantatas
Newly rediscovered cantatas from the Sacro Convento library in Assisi: 700 years of Italian Christmas tradition, performed with chamber intimacy and contemplative simplicity.
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8️⃣ C3031 – Scandinavian Christmas
Traditional songs from Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland – gentle, melancholic, almost meditative Christmas moods from the far North.
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9️⃣ C3033 – Orthodox Christmas
Immerse yourself in the deep resonance of Orthodox Christmas chants, with hypnotic choral textures and timeless sacred atmosphere.
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🔟 C3030 – Christmas in the Austrian Alps
Down‑to‑earth folk carols and dialect songs from the Alpine regions, capturing the sound of an authentic village Christmas rather than “high” concert music.
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🎄 Save this post for your holiday listening, and tag a friend who needs new Christmas inspiration this year.

22/12/2025

✨ CAPRICCIO CHRISTMAS ESSENTIALS (Part 1) ✨

Looking for something more than the usual carols this Christmas? Here are five story-rich favourites from the Capriccio and Orfeo catalogues:
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1️⃣ C10216 – Saint-Saëns: Christmas Oratorio / Mendelssohn: Vom Himmel hoch
A glowing French Oratorio de Noël paired with Mendelssohn’s festive chorale setting – an elegant mix of lyrical solos, chorus and orchestra for Christmas night.

2️⃣ C10594 – Christmas with the Vienna Boys’ Choir
The world‑famous Vienna Boys’ Choir in a festive programme of traditional and German Christmas songs – pure, radiant choral sound for cosy evenings.
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3️⃣ C10508 – Schütz / Schelle: Christmas Histories
Baroque storytelling at its finest: Schütz’s Weihnachtshistorie and Schelle’s music bring the Nativity vividly to life in the German tradition.​​

4️⃣ C10551 – Rheinberger: The Star of Bethlehem
A lyrical Christmas cantata by Rheinberger, combining romantic choral writing with devotional atmosphere around the star that leads to the manger.

5️⃣ C71015 – Cartellieri: Christmas Oratorio
Discover an 18th‑century Christmas oratorio gem: Cartellieri’s festive score with soloists, chorus and orchestra offers a fresh alternative to the “usual suspects”.
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🎧 Which one will you press play on first?

19/12/2025

Counting down to Christmas! 🎄 Rediscover our festive podcast on YouTube: Classical Discoveries - #07: CHRISTMAS CLASSICS beyond Bach.

Join Jens & Joe as they unwrap hidden gems from Pfitzner to Sibelius, and even Schoenberg! Explore Christmas music beyond the usual, from Renaissance to Romantic, and Russian Orthodox. Perfect for classical enthusiasts or anyone seeking new holiday tunes. Tune in for unexpected delights and musical gifts!

https://youtu.be/jJUVTVhkM7o

Join Jens and Joe on Classical Discoveries for a festive exploration of Christmas music beyond Bach! Discover hidden gems like Pfitzner's "Christelflein," Rh...

12/12/2025

🎉 It's premiere day for Classical Discoveries! 🎉

Episode #20 is here, and we're diving into the wonderful world of Johann Strauss II and his contemporaries! 🎶 Get ready to waltz through 19th-century Vienna and discover the composers who made the city dance. 💃🕺

👉 Tune in now to explore the history of "light music" and uncover some hidden gems!

🔗 Watch now: https://youtu.be/2SvlcOLijQE?si=ZsDvsYGt9w_7hvpq

If you wanted to dance with somebody, in 19th century Vienna, Johann Strauss was your best bet to provide the soundtrack. But he wasn't alone in churning out...

12/12/2025

From sacred Renaissance treasures to Baroque masterpieces and classic Christmas carols, this “Christmas Classics” playlist offers a magical classical holiday experience to remember! ✨🎄 Featuring boys' choirs like Vienna Boys Choir singing Handel’s “For unto us a child is born,” Mendelssohn’s “Vom Himmel hoch,” and timeless favorites like “Stille Nacht.”

Happy Holidays! ❄️

Discover now on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5xW8tLfl0tueqAaprdY3ds?si=pGafzRwSQKCyme6D8gfrOg&pi=2HGFx80WQY-KD

11/12/2025

Delve into Humperdinck's Das Mirakel! This pantomime in two acts, with libretto by Karl Gustav Vollmoeller, is a rediscovered gem. Steffen Tast, praised for his Humperdinck interpretations, leads the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin in a definitive performance. Featuring stellar vocals from Sophie Klussmann & Josette Micheler. Explore this masterpiece: https://naxos.lnk.to/C5543FA!Capriccio

10/12/2025

Step into 19th‑century Vienna, where Johann Strauss II reigned as the “Waltz King.” In this episode, Jens and Joe celebrate his birthday, explore rivals like Suppè and Offenbach, and spotlight composers from Ziehrer to Lumbye, Millöcker, and Oscar Straus. With sparkling recordings from Kowalski, Steinsky, Steinberg, Weil, Sándor, and leading European orchestras, this journey reveals the vibrant world of operetta and dance music that defined an era.

Tune in Friday for a whirlwind of waltzes, polkas, and operetta delights: https://youtu.be/2SvlcOLijQE

08/12/2025

Discover the magic! ✨ The first complete recording of Engelbert Humperdinck's Das Mirakel (The Miracle) is here! Performed by the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin & Rundfunkchor Berlin, conducted by Steffen Tast, featuring Sophie Klussmann & Josette Micheler. Experience this stunning pantomime. Listen now! https://naxos.lnk.to/C5543FA!Capriccio

05/12/2025

🎄✨ Premiere Today! ✨🎄

Step into the enchanting world of Christmas with the world-famous Vienna Boys' Choir!

Experience the magic from their home, the festively decorated Augarten Palace. As every year, the choirboys are joyfully preparing for the season, with frequent rehearsals, a beautifully adorned Christmas tree, and merry songs filling the air. This year, they sing for themselves – and for the boy in the crib – a truly heartwarming festival of songs without an audience, celebrating the pure spirit of Christmas.

A beautiful production brought to life by:
🎬 Screenplay & Director: Alfons Stummer
🌟 Executive Producer: Axel Stummer / CCC Film, Vienna
🎶 Producer: Johannes Kernmayer

Please note: This production includes archive recordings where original techniques may not compare to modern video standards.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/x69GujtSupw

Vienna: the festively decorated Augarten Palace, the home of the world famousVienna Boys' Choir. As at Christmastime every year, the choirboys are preparing ...

27/11/2025

Exciting news! Two Capriccio releases are nominated for the prestigious ICMA 2026 Awards! First, "The Pupils of Franz Liszt" (C5511) showcases Oliver Triendl in captivating world-premiere recordings of concertos by Sauer & Ansorge. American Record Guide hails Triendl's playing as "romantic, charming," making this a truly special discovery. Secondly, our Kabelac release (C5546), featuring the exceptional Jakub Hrůša conducting the ORF Vienna RSO, has also been recognized. Gramophone expresses a desire for more Kabelac recordings from Hrůša after hearing this powerful performance. Join us in celebrating these nominations!

Discover these incredible recordings now and experience the magic for yourself!
C5511:https://naxos.lnk.to/C5511FA!Capriccio
C5546: https://naxos.lnk.to/C5546FA!Capriccio

19/11/2025

Delve into the rich sounds of Bronsart von Schellendorf's chamber music, featuring the versatile cellist Wen-Sinn Yang! Hear him perform in the compelling Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 1. Known for his enthusiasm for the unknown and constant research, Yang brings his expressive and sensitive playing to this captivating work.

Enthusiasm for the unknown and constant research distinguishes Wen-Sinn Yang as one of the most versatile cellists of the present day.

Discover now: https://naxos.lnk.to/C5483FA!Capriccio
Wen-Sinn Yang

14/11/2025

Experience the exquisite chamber music on the new Bronsart von Schellendorf album, featuring the exceptional violinist Nina Karmon! Hear her perform Ingeborg Bronsart von Schellendorf's captivating Romanze in A major for violin and piano, and the powerful Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 1. Praised for her "striking feeling for quiet tones that sound like a magic world," Karmon brings her artistry to these stunning works.

Discover now: https://naxos.lnk.to/C5483FA!Capriccio
Nina Karmon