Naxos of Canada

27/09/2025

The celebrated Swedish mezzo-soprano Ann Hallenberg (the official page) is a two-time winner of the 'Best Operatic Recital' Award at the International Opera Awards, while Ian Page’s previous Gluck recording with The Mozartists (Blessed Spirit – A Gluck Retrospective) was selected by Gramophone magazine among the top 10 Gluck recordings of all time. Following previous partnerships in the opera house and the concert hall, Hallenberg and Page are now collaborating in the recording studio for the first time on a new recital disc of Gluck arias. The backbone of the programme is provided by three arias from Il trionfo di Clelia (Bologna, 1763) that were written for the renowned castrato Giovanni Manzuoli (1720–1782)—one of the greatest singers of his day—and the album also includes previously unrecorded arias from Ipermestra (Venice, 1744) and Le nozze d’Ercole e d’Ebe (Dresden, 1747). Also featured is Gluck’s revised version of the exquisite 'Che puro ciel' from Orfeo ed Euridice (written for Parma in 1769), and the popular 'O del mio dolce ardor' from the last of the composer’s three so-called 'reform' operas, Paride ed Elena. 'In an age where so much music of the past is being explored and made available, Gluck nevertheless remains one of the most neglected and undervalued of the great composers, a name that continues to crop up more often in textbooks than in opera houses or concert halls. We very much hope that you will find this music to be of far more than merely historical interest, and that you enjoy listening to this recording.' Ian Page Available now on www.isotopemusic.com Signum Records

26/09/2025

The beautiful NEELAM, the new album from Chinese p**a virtuoso Gao Hong and Indian Multi-Instrumentalist Baluji Shrivastav OBE releases today on ARC Music.

Together they unite their rich musical traditions in a cross-cultural collaboration that shines with emotional depth. This captivating collaboration brings together two internationally acclaimed artists—p**a master Gao Hong and multi-instrumentalist Baluji Shrivastav OBE—in a timeless and deeply personal musical exploration. Blending the deep-rooted tradition of Indian classical music with the expressive freedom of Chinese improvisation, the album is a striking testament to cross-cultural harmony. Anchored by the rhythmic delicacy of Yousef Ali Khan on tabla, Baluji lays down evocative foundations using Indian raags such as Bhairavi, Dhani and Kirvani—each evoking a distinct expressive tone. Gao’s response is spontaneous and fluid, as her p**a weaves around and beyond these frameworks with lyrical grace and emotional depth.

“As one of the premier p**a players in the world, Gao Hong’s illustrative career is filled with accomplishments as musician, composer and educator.” – Amy Klobuchar, United States Senator

“Multi-instrumentalist composer Baluji Shrivastav OBE is one of the greatest instrumentalists India has produced, excelling in sitar, surbahar, dilruba, pakhavaj, and tabla.” – weareunlimited. org. uk

🎧 Listen now: https://found.ee/fQv4ld
Gao Hongg Baluji Music Baluji Music Foundation
**a

26/09/2025

The whole stylistic world of Krysztof Penderecki in just over 70 minutes! Fear not, that’s not the length of our podcast today, it’s the time it takes to perform all his compositions involving string quartet and string trio. And they conveniently trace the composer’s startlingly divergent stylistic output, from the wild-as-it-comes 1960 String Quartet No.1 via the masterly String Trio to the romanticism of the Third and beyond.

Listen to the podcast here 👉 https://bit.ly/4nmPhyh

The whole stylistic world of Krysztof Penderecki in just over 70 minutes! Fear not, that’s not the length of our podcast today, it’s the time it takes to perform all his compositions involving string quartet and string trio. And they conveniently trace the composer’s startlingly divergent styl...

26/09/2025

Following his recent heroic Met debut as Hermann in Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades, Arsen Soghomonyan makes his solo recording debut for Delos. A fast-rising figure in the dramatic repertoire, the Armenian tenor has enjoyed success at major opera houses such as the Bayerische Staatsoper, Teatro di San Carlo, Bolshoi Theatre, and Staatsoper Wien. In his album Bridges of Voice and Soul, Arsen lends his powerful voice to some of the greatest Italian arias: "Nessun dorma" and "E lucevan le stelle" by Puccini, Verdi's "Niun mi tema," and "Vesti la giubba" by Leoncavallo are some of the delights that comprise this operatic feast, enlivened by the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra and conductor Constantine Orbelian. Available now at www.isotopemusic.com Outhere Music

25/09/2025

Pianist Nicolas Stavy, known for his recordings of Tishchenko (BIS-2189) and Shostakovich (BIS-2550), presents the first installment of a complete survey of Alfred Schnittke's solo piano works. This recording spans the Russian-German composer's career - from the 1950s ('years of obscurity') to the 1990s (marked by fame and illness). While Schnittke wrote sparingly for piano, each work reflects his creative evolution. The Five Preludes and Fugue show Shostakovich's early influence, while the playful Little Piano Pieces (written for his son) exemplify his polystylism. The 1990 Sonata No. 2 and Five Aphorisms reveal a bleaker, more abstract language likely reflecting his declining health. Available now at www.isotopemusic.com BIS Records

24/09/2025

Pierre Boulez's early ambitions to become a concert pianist provided the impetus to write piano music as a composition student at the Paris Conservatoire. Thème et variations pour la main gauche and Trois Psalmodies reveal his extraordinary talent in their compelling mix of energy, drama, and playfulness. Presenting these works alongside two later compositions provides a unique glimpse into the full arc of Boulez's musical journey. These pieces are powerful, their emotions raw and unfiltered, offering listeners a chance to experience the early foundations and mature reflections of a master composer. Available now at www.isotopemusic.com

23/09/2025

On February 1, 2025, Ivan Repušić Conductor, chief conductor of the Munich Radio Orchestra, directed Boris Papandopulo's 1942 Croatian Mass for soloists and a ca****la choir in Munich's Prinzregententheater with the Bavarian Radio Chorus. BR-KLASSIK is now presenting this outstanding interpretation of the impressive sacred composition on CD as a live recording. The Croatian composer and conductor Boris Papandopulo (1906-1991) worked as a choirmaster, conductor, and opera director in Split, Rijeka, Zagreb, and Sarajevo. He created more than 400 compositions, spanning almost every genre. Although of Greek origin, Papandopulo was deeply rooted in the Croatian musical tradition, and his broad stylistic spectrum extended to neoclassicism, jazz, pop, and folk music. His works combine elements of Croatian folk music with twelve-tone music and demand a high level of virtuosity. Available now on www.isotopemusic.com

22/09/2025

Matilda Lloyd and Richard Gowers, recital partners for more than a decade, present a diverse program of music for trumpet and organ. Transcriptions of Baroque works are interspersed with four world-premiere recordings of new works by British composers commissioned for the album. Matilda writes: 'Welcome to our world of Fantasia - an imaginative exploration of the long-established combination of trumpet and organ. Featuring five types of trumpet in seven different keys and the newly refurbished organ of the Abbey Church at Waltham Abbey, this album explores a myriad of sounds that will ignite the imagination and enchant the ear!' Available now on www.isotopemusic.com

19/09/2025

For Zhu Xiao-Mei, Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier is not only a masterpiece but also a source of inner freedom and comfort. In the interview printed in the album booklet, she shares her moving story of how, during her forced labor in the Cultural Revolution, she secretly copied Bach’s preludes and fugues—an act of resilience and spiritual rebirth. These recordings of the Well-Tempered Clavier from 2007 and 2010 are the result of a decades-long journey with Bach’s music, which she regards as one of the deepest forms of human expression. This complete recording offers the listener a unique, emotional, and profound interpretation of this timeless work, and this re-edition makes it once again available on CD. Available now on www.isotopemusic.com
Accentus Music

18/09/2025

Their third duo album on Signum Classics, Viktoria Mullova and Alasdair Beatson perform Beethoven’s Sonatas No. 2 and No. 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. “Their dazzling playing captures all the music’s wit and brilliance.” – BBC Music Magazine. Available at www.isotopemusic.com

17/09/2025

This album presents orchestral works by three French composers who saw Spain as a paradise of warmth, fragrance, and colour, whether real or imagined. From the vivid evocations of Debussy’s Images and Ibert’s Escales, to the dances and landscapes that inspired Ravel’s Rapsodie espagnole, these masterpieces of Impressionism show the considerable impact Spanish culture had on French composers in the early 20th century. Available now on www.isotopemusic.com

16/09/2025

Wilhelm Taubert was a significant composer and teacher in Berlin during a period when the city began to rival Vienna and Paris as a European musical powerhouse. Though it was also a time when the piano had reached its zenith in size and tonal depth, Taubert’s graceful, conservative style was perfectly suited to the instrument. His sonatas fuse Beethovenian elements with those of Weber and feature slow movements that draw on rich operatic lyricism reminiscent of Rossini or Cherubini. Available at www.isotopemusic.com