First Hand Records

First Hand Records International classical record label • Exciting new recordings • Fascinating historical issues • Exemplary productions

FHR release the finest quality classical, world and jazz recordings performed by some of the greatest artists of the past, present and future. FHR has established itself as a significant independent record label. Indeed, their releases have been recognised by the press as “fascinating” and “remarkable” and are always produced to the highest standard. Their success is a product of high aesthetic va

lue from an experienced, enthusiastic and dedicated FHR team. Alongside exciting new recordings, FHR specialise in issuing important gems of the past on its historical sub-label FHR Remasters. Most of these recordings have never been issued before and include recordings newly discovered by FHR through their research in various tape archives. To date, FHR have licensed recordings from the EMI, HMV, Pye/Nixa, Universal/Westminster, Capitol Records catalogues, broadcast recordings from BBC Radio, NCRV in Holland and Bavarian Radio, and Archive of Recorded Sound (ARS). Wherever possible, FHR work from the original masters thus producing the best possible sound. Indeed, it has been written that “Few remastering teams have attended to vintage tapes with more loving attention than First Hand Records…” (Gramophone Magazine). A number of FHR titles have been selected as Diapson D’OR, frequently as a Gramophone Editor’s Choice/Reissue of the Month, Musicweb-International CD of the Month and a number of 5-star reviews in BBC Music Magazine. Their Shura Cherkassky release “The complete HMV stereo recordings” was awarded the Best Reissue/Vintage Recording of 2009 by International Piano Magazine. Recently, Alexandra Papastefanou was awarded The Union of Greek Theatre and Music Critics Award: Best Recording of 2018 for her FHR recording of The Well-Tempered Clavier

Review just in from Gramophone magazine of the just released FHR album 'CHOPIN sans CHOPIN' featuring Polish-American P...
12/06/2026

Review just in from Gramophone magazine of the just released FHR album 'CHOPIN sans CHOPIN' featuring Polish-American Pianist Adam Golka.

‘… in ‘Chopin without Chopin’ Adam Golka creates a constellation where the famous star is a supernova. At the galactic centre of this collection is Scriabin’s Fantasy in B minor… a work that is notably indebted to our missing titular titan. Golka broods and builds towards the ecstatic central section… He (Golka) writes that he is ‘yet to record a single note’ of Chopin. This collection demonstrates he is more than ready to face that fear.'

Colbert Artists Management

Chopin sans Chopin is Adam Golka’s highly personal tribute to Frédéric Chopin, featuring works inspired by Chopin instead of music by the master himself. The album includes a plethora of international composers of the 19th and 20th centuries, including choices inspired by Golka’s Polish-Americ...

Another single released today featuring organist Samuel Bristow on the organ of Chelmsford Cathedral from the forthcomin...
12/06/2026

Another single released today featuring organist Samuel Bristow on the organ of Chelmsford Cathedral from the forthcoming album of MENDELSSOHN Organ Sonatas (released 24 July 2026). 'Fuga' from 'Sonata No. 2' is also appearing on today's Spotify New Classical playlist!

Recorded by Sonus Audio

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DWV0gynK7G6pD?si=0d86eca1fd0e4d23

Playlist · Spotify · 97 items · 756.2K saves

First single released today from an interesting and expertly played album featuring works for the musette written in the...
12/06/2026

First single released today from an interesting and expertly played album featuring works for the musette written in the early to mid-18th century France! All original compositions for the instrument and featuring many premiere recordings. This upbeat single, 'Gaîment from Fêtes rustiques, Op. 8' by Jacques-Christophe NAUDOT is a first commercial recording. Available on all digital platforms including Apple Music Spotify Amazon Music etc.

Amanda Babington ,musette
Baroque In The North
Claire Babington, cello
David Francis, harpsichord
with
Martyn Shaw, flute

Produced by Tom Pickering
Recorded by John Croft (Chiaro Music Recording and Production)

Continuo Connect Continuo Foundation

https://open.spotify.com/album/2J9bZdQQKyEqKxlALCX9dX?si=qqBg-qBhTN6gWBWJNhJhOw

Jacques-Christoph Naudot · single · 2026 · 1 songs

Superb review from MusicWeb International for our just released album 'Domenico SCARLATTI: Sonatas' featuring the amazin...
10/06/2026

Superb review from MusicWeb International for our just released album 'Domenico SCARLATTI: Sonatas' featuring the amazing Asako Ogawa.

'Very much worth having, come sunshine or rain - Ogawa’s technique and musicality are spectacular and subtle... a well-considered and nicely contrasted selection of works in a sequence that keeps us engaged and very well entertained throughout.'

Asako Ogawa Ginova

Recorded by John Croft (Chiaro Music Recording and Production)

A selection of D Scarlatti's Sonatas recorded by First Hand Records

Another single out today from the forthcoming 3CD first release JORGE BOLET – The Ambassador Auditorium Recitals'. The '...
05/06/2026

Another single out today from the forthcoming 3CD first release JORGE BOLET – The Ambassador Auditorium Recitals'. The 'Adagietto' from Bizet's 'L'Arlesienne, Suite No. 1' displaying Bolet's golden touch.

Remastered by John Croft (Chiaro Music Recording and Production)

https://open.spotify.com/album/4Vt5c0IvUiR3UIn7gTCTBZ?si=2VnOi1iuS12o6b66sFC8pg

Georges Bizet · single · 2026 · 1 songs

Another brilliantly played album featuring harpsichordist Asako Ogawa released today, her third for FHR! So happy with o...
05/06/2026

Another brilliantly played album featuring harpsichordist Asako Ogawa released today, her third for FHR! So happy with our continued collaborations. Album available on a physical DigiSleeve CD and on all digital platforms including Spotify Apple Music Presto Music Amazon Music TIDAL IDAGIO etc

'Domenico Scarlatti is one of the few composers from the age of Bach and Handel, whose year of birth he shared to have enjoyed continuous fame and the presence of his keyboard music in the general repertoire since his lifetime. Though Scarlatti wrote over 500 sonatas for keyboard there is a wide variety in these works. Some are deeply serious others are light and almost humorous. Some sound like courtly dances others like street songs. This ability to cover a wide range of styles and moods is one of the hallmarks of Scarlatti’s work. Asako Ogawa has chosen a varied and uplifting collection for this present album presented in superb sound.'

Harpsichord tuned and prepared by Weronika Janyst

Produced by Nicholas Parle
Recorded by John Croft (Chiaro Music Recording and Production)

Asako Ogawa Ginova

Single from the forthcoming album 'Philip MOORE: Cathedral Music' released today. 'All wisdom cometh from the Lord' feat...
05/06/2026

Single from the forthcoming album 'Philip MOORE: Cathedral Music' released today. 'All wisdom cometh from the Lord' features the wonderful baritone soloist William Houghton, along with St Albans Cathedral Choir, Tom Winpenny, organ, directed by Andrew Lucas

https://open.spotify.com/track/5mr43W1m74t2xL5oZPrGQn?si=b53c76a1e26d4f8c

Philip Moore, St. Albans Cathedral Choir, William Houghton · MOORE: All wisdom cometh from the Lord · Song · 2026

05/06/2026

💿"Chopin sans Chopin" nową Płytą Tygodnia Dwójki!

📣 "Chopin sans Chopin", czyli "Chopin bez Chopina". To nowy album autorstwa Adam Golka, będacy niezwykle osobistym hołdem pianisty dla Fryderyka Chopina.

Zawiera on jednak nie muzykę samego mistrza, a utwory nim inspirowane. Wśród nich znajdą Państwo m.in. premierowe nagranie Mazurka e-moll z 1894 roku autorstwa Natalii Janothy (1856–1932), jak również kompozycje Romana Maciejewskiego, Nikołaja Kapustina, Władysława Szpilmana czy Manuela Ponca. 🎹

Płyta ukazała się nakładem brytyjskiej wytwórni First Hand Records, zajmującej się nagraniami muzyki klasycznej, światowej i jazzowej.

🎼 Adam Golka — polsko-amerykański pianista pochodzący z rodziny o tradycjach muzycznych. Wykonuje głównie muzykę klasyczną. W swoim bogatym repertuarze skupia się na wielkich mistrzach fortepianu, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem twórczości Ludwika van Beethovena, Fryderyka Chopina oraz muzyce kameralnej.

📻 Zapraszamy do wspólnego odsłuchu płyty w Poranku Dwójki. Codziennie kilka minut po 7:00, a w sobotę godzinę później.

Fot. Wytwórnia FHR

Very pleased to see our recent release 'Chopin sans Chopin' is 'CD of the Week' on Polish Radio, Dwojka. The album featu...
05/06/2026

Very pleased to see our recent release 'Chopin sans Chopin' is 'CD of the Week' on Polish Radio, Dwojka. The album features US/Polish Pianist Adam Golka.

Thank you Dwójka - Program 2 Polskiego Radia!

"Chopin sans Chopin" - czyli "Chopin bez Chopina". Jak to możliwe? Rozwiązanie zagadki przynosi nowa płyta Adama Golki, polsko-amerykańskiego pianisty, który sięgnął po utwory tak różnych autorów, jak m.in. Johannes Brahms, Roman Maciejewski, Gabriel Faure, George Gershwin, Nikolai Kapust...

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