Label: ACCENT SACD 24185
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MUSIC by MAYNARD, MORLEY, DOWLAND, PLAYFORD, BRADE, LOCKE, a.o.

Miriam Allan, soprano
Echo du Danube:
Elisabeth Seitz, salterio; Martin Jopp, violin; Michael Dücker, lute/theorbo; Johanna Seitz, harp; Christian Zincke, viola da gamba/violone; Julia Blitz, shawm/recorder; Josue Melendez, cornett; Cas Gevers, trombone; Michele Claude, percussion; Rob Wyn Jones, narrator
The XII Wonders of the World is a collection of lute songs by lutenist and singer John Maynard after poems by Sir John Davies. It was published 1612. These satiric songs make fun not only of various groups of human society but also of famous persons of their time such as John Dowland. From this collection Echo du Danube’s presents a selection in form of a masque. A “Masque” was a kind of funny, shrilly revue, presented at court or for other high ranking and rich audiences. The costume figurine shown on the cover of this SACD indicates that seriousness was not the name of that game …

Label: BAYER SACD 100352
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ANDREAS HAMMERSCHMIDT (1611-1675): Machet die Tore weit
GIOVANNI CROCE (1557-1609): Veni Domine
GIOVANNI GABRIELI (1555-1612): Benedixisti
JOHANNES ECCARD (1553-1611): Übers Gebirg' Maria geht;
JOSQUIN DE PREZ (1450?-1521): Et incarnatus est
MICHAEL PRAETORIUS (1571-1621): Der Morgenstern ist aufgedrungen;
ANTON BRUCKNER (1824-1896): Ave Maria/Virga Jesse;
HANS LEO HAßBLER (1564-1612): Verbum caro factum est - Weihnachtsmotette; Angelus ad pastores ait - Motette für zwei 4-stimmige Chöre
JAN PIETERSZOON SWEELINCK (1562-1621): Hodie Christus natus est - Weihnachtsmotette
JOHANNES ECCARD (1553-1611): Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her; Ich lag in tiefer Todesnacht
GIOVANNI PIERLUIGI DA PALESTRINA (1525-1594): Dies sanctificatus
SAMUEL SCHEIDT (1587-1654): O Jesulein zart

Regensburger Domspatzen/Theobald Schrems
“One of the most famous choirs in the world... wrote Pope Paul VI in 1976, when he congratulated the “Regensburger Domspatzen” on their millennium anniversary. In many successful concerts they have won the hearts of their audiences all over the world. Through many CD recordings and their presence in the media the singing sparrows” from Regenburg have become famous - far beyond the borders of Regensburg and Germany. Its a very special thing to be a Domspatz; in later years every former Domspatz will always enjoy remembering the many impressions and unforgettable events in and around this school. The Regensburger Domspatzen (Regensburg Cathedral Choir) play a very important role in the cultural life of Regensburg and have long become one of the most famous attractions of their home town. Due to the many concert tours all over the world they are called ‘the singing ambassadors of the city”. They often travel to the USA, to Canada and to Japan as well as to Taiwan and South Korea. Of course, the Regensburger Domspatzen are at home in all European countries, too. They look just as smart in their dark blue suits, which they wear in concerts as they do in their red and white liturgical gowns worn during the services in the Cathedral of St Peter. The choir’s repertoire comprises music from 16th century chorale to contemporary music. SACD SUPER AUDIO/HYBRID

Label: BIS 1281
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HK GRUBER: Exposed Throat; DANIEL BORTZ: Painting (2000); POU RUDER: Reveille & Retraite (2003); ROBERT HENDERSON: Variation Movements (1967); ROBIN HOLLOWAY: Sonata for solo trumpet (1999)

Håkan Hardenberger, trumpet
Simultaneously one of the superstars of classical music and an indefatigable ambassador of contemporary music, Håkan Hardenberger presents a recital for solo trumpet where much of the music has been written directly for him. HK Gruber has previously collaborated with Hardenberger with the highly regarded concerto Aerial as a result. His Exposed Throat provides Hardenberger with the solo cadenza that the concerto lacks, as well as exploring the possibilities of creating polyphonic music for a single-voiced instrument. In his comments about Painting, Daniel Börtz – like Gruber – refers to Bach's solo sonatas as an inspiration. Poul Ruders has taken the emblematic trumpet signals Reveille and Retreat as a starting point for his work, explaining that the two illustrate 'the nature of the trumpet, an instrument capable of glorious panache as well as sublime, inward-looking finesse'. Robert Henderson's Variation Movements was composed in the 1960s, and has been hailed as 'a modern trumpet classic'. The Sonata by Robin Holloway, at it's first try-out, proved to be 'a grueling test of prowess', as the composer recounts, and had to be divided between three players! Holloway later made a more practical version for two trumpets, but Hardenberger here performs the original, which in the composer's words 'remains available as a challenge to the strong of lip, lungs and spirit'. Håkan Hardenberger is all of this, as he has proved before on BIS, for instance on Prières sans paroles (BIS-SACD-1109), which was described by the reviewers as 'a dazzling virtuoso recital superbly played' (Gramophone) and as 'performed in an exemplary fashion' (Klassik Heute). His interpretations of the present program – one, which both technically and musically puts all preconceptions to the test – are no less masterful.

Label: BIS SACD 1532
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DANSES ET DIVERTISSEMENTS
PAUL TAFFANEL (1844 – 1908): Quintette en sol mineur pour instruments à vent (1878)
FRANCIS POULENC (1899 – 1963): Sextuor pour piano et quintette à vent (1932–39)
ANDRE JOLIVET (1905 – 1974): Sérénade pour quintette à vent avec hautbois principal (1945)
HENRI TOMASI (1901 – 1971): Cinq Danses Profanes et Sacrées pour quintette à vent (1948)

Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet

Stephen Hough, piano
One of the world’s foremost wind quintets meets one of today’s finest pianists in a work that many consider to be one of the best examples of a work for piano and winds: Poulenc’s Sextet. The composer himself called it ‘a homage to the wind instruments which I have loved from the moment I began composing’, and its cheeky character, virtuosic drive and catchy melodies are typical of his other writing for wind instruments. Poulenc also supplied the piano with a crucial – and virtuosic – part, however, including jazzy elements typical of the period as well as emotional outbursts in the manner of Rachmaninov. Stephen Hough and the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet have enjoyed a long collaboration. On disc this has resulted in recordings of the quintets by Mozart and Beethoven, a release which made the reviewer on the website classicstodayfrance.com surrender unconditionally: ‘the adjective which comes to mind while listening is one of excruciating banality, and yet it says everything: this disc is profoundly beautiful’. Poulenc’s sextet is framed by three other French works, and from the late-Romantic Quintet by Taffanel to the last of Tomasi’s Cinq Danses (a ‘War Dance’ marked ‘wildly frenetically’), the players of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra – who began performing as a group more than 20 years ago – once again demonstrate their supreme capacity not only on their individual instruments, but as ensemble players.

Label: BIS SACD 1598
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HERBERT LINCOLN CLARKE (1867 – 1945): The Debutante; CARL HOHNE (1870 – 1930): Slavische Fantasie; EDVARD GRIEG (1843 – 1907): Ved Rondane (In The Hills), Op. 33; PERCY CODE (1888 – 1953): Zelda; THEODOR HOCH (1842 – 1906): Nordische Fantasie, Op. 20; JOHN HARTMANN (1830 – 1897): Facilita; OSCAR BORG (1851 – 1930): Sommerstemning (Summer Mood); GRIGORAS DINICU (1889 – 1949): Hora Staccato; FRANK SIMON (1889 – 1967): Willow Echoes; OLE BULL (1810 – 1880): Saeterjentens Sondag (The Herdmaiden’s Sunday); HERMAN BELLSTEDT (1858 – 1929): Napoli; HERBERT LINCOLN CLARKE (1867 – 1945): The Bride of the Waves

Ole Edvard Antonsen, cornet
The Royal Norwegian Navy Band/Ingar Bergby
‘The trumpet is an instrument of sin while the cornet belongs to the angels.’
This quotation is generally attributed to Herbert Lincoln Clarke, possibly the greatest cornet-player of all time. In this celebration of the cornet and the wind band tradition, he accordingly gets to both open and close the programme with his two pieces The Debutante and Bride of the Waves. The American Clarke was for more than 20 years, from 1893 until 1917, solo cornet-player with the most famous of wind ensembles: the Sousa Band. His successor in the band, Frank Simon, is also represented on this disc, along with other leading notables of wind band music between c. 1850-1950, such as the Australian Percy Code and John Hartmann, born in Prussia but mainly active in England. Several of these sparkling and virtuosic pieces have been arranged especially for the present combination of Ole Edvard Antonsen and the Royal Norwegian Navy Band, including Ole Bull’s The Herdmaiden’s Sunday (S'terjentens søndag), Grieg’s In the Hills (Ved Rondane) and Dinicu’s Hora staccato, usually heard on the violin. The Royal Norwegian Navy Band is one of five professional military bands in Norway. With its 32 full-time musicians this highly popular ensemble performs both in Norway and abroad. Here they provide expert backing to one of the world’s leading trumpet players. Ole Edvard Antonsen has devoted himself to a solo career since 1987 and has performed in more than 40 countries. A remarkably versatile musician, he is just as much at home working with a symphony orchestra or collaborating with pop, rock or jazz musicians such as Lisa Stansfield, Ute Lemper, the Willem Breuker Kollektif and his own ensembles. He also has a special interest in the repertoire for military bands, and is himself principal conductor and artistic director of the Royal Norwegian Air Force Band.

Label: BIS SACD 1645
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THE SOUND OF SIBELIUS
JEAN SIBELIUS (1865 – 1957)
Karelia Suite, Op.11; The Wood-Nymph, Op.15;
The Swan of Tuonela, Op.22 No.2; Lemminkäinen’s Return, Op.22 No.4;
Spring Song, Op.16; Valse triste, Op.44 No.1; Scene with Cranes, Op.44 No.2;
Finlandia, Op.26

Lahti Symphony Orchestra/Osmo Vänskä
The present recordings of The Swan of Tuonela, Lemminkäinen’s Return and Finlandia are previously unreleased. Stereo versions of the original 5.0 surround sound recordings of the Karelia Suite, The Wood-Nymph, Spring Song, Valse triste and Scene with Cranes have appeared in the BIS Sibelius Complete Edition. For inclusion on this hybrid SACD they have been remixed.
Regularly described by reviewers as ‘the pre-eminent Sibelius interpreters of our day’ (American Record Guide) and ‘the Sibelius orchestra and conductor of the moment’ (International Record Review), Osmo Vänskä and the Lahti Symphony Orchestra have become synonymous with idiomatic, pioneering and authoritative interpretations of the music of Jean Sibelius. In fact the team’s very first Sibelius recording, in 1991, caused a sensation: juxtaposing the final version of the composer’s famous violin concerto with the original version – never before recorded – made for a disc that was of eminent interest to the world of classical music, as witness the Gramophone Award that it received upon its release. But the recording, with soloist Leonidas Kavakos, was also praised for its artistic quality, and is still, almost twenty years later, considered a classic account of the work. The Lahti / Vänskä team went on to record the well-known Sibelius works – the seven symphonies, the tone poems, Kullervo – as well as a large amount of music that had hitherto been all but ignored. The fruits of their long involvement with the composer now form the orchestral back-bone of the ongoing Sibelius Edition on BIS, and have been of great interest to Sibelius specialists and music-lovers alike. The present program unashamedly glories in some of the composer’s most popular pieces, all in the versions familiar to concert audiences around the world. Recorded in 5.0 surround sound during sessions in 2006 and 2007, the performances constitute a sonic spectacular – and some of the last Sibelius recordings by a legendary team.

Label: CYBELE SACD 060801
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Wandlungs-Passacaglia (Passacaglia of Transsubstantiation, 2001); B-A-C-H, Vier Töne für Orgel (B-A-C-H, Four Tones For Organ, 1973); Verschüttete Bauernflöte (Buried Rustic Flute, 1969); Quatemberfeste für Orgel (Ember Days, 1989); Gebrochene Flügel (Broken Wings, 1975); Rückläufige Passacaglia (Retrograde Passacaglia, 1979)

Martin Schmeding, organ
Tilo Medek’s first works for organ, “Verschüttete Bauernflöte (1969)“ (buried rustic flute) and „B-A-C-H, Vier Töne für Orgel (1973)“ (Four Tones for Organ) were composed for the large organ at Merseburg Cathedral, and were inspired by its sound. Originally, the composition and the tonal character of the organ (which was constructed from 1853–1855 by Friedrich Ladegast using Baroque registers) was profoundly altered following comprehensive restoration by Kühne & Co. in 1963. In the process, Kühne replaced the typical Romantic stops, i.e. free reeds and numerous string registers, with Neo-Baroque pitches (high flutes like the rustic flute 1’ in the pedal, Aliquot as well as mixed registers). Without passing judgement on these changes, it is important to emphasize that these colourful, even bizarre overtone mixtures and fundamental tones in the string colours are typical of Medeks early oeuvre. Medek’s early works for the organ have another element in common: they experiment with sound and forms of notation. By switching the motor on and off, and half pulling off rows of register, he achieved microtonal sounds and variations of those tones. He confronted traditional methods of notation and values in this manner, with a variety of forms of free notation (i.e. spatial notation, graphic symbols and cluster-notation).

Label: CYBELE SACD 160501
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OSKAR GOTTLIEB BLARR (* 1934): Läuten für den Zarewitsch (Bell-ringing for the Tsarevich)
OSCAR VAN DILLEN (* 1958): mm3 for three toy pianos
MICHAEL DENHOFF (* 1955): PA - CA - TO
KAI YVES LINDEN (* 1960): Drei Brombeeren (Three Blackberries)
KARL-HEINZ ZARIUS (* 1941): Nocturne
NORBERT LAUFER (* 1960): bitS & pieceS
HEINZ-DIETER WILLKE (* 1956): Piece for toy piano
YASUKO YAMAGUCHI (* 1969): Zuckerregen (Sugar Rain)
BERND WIESEMANN (* 1938): Bauhaus-Suite
CHRISTIAN BANASIK (* 1963): trimer for toy piano and tape

Bernd Wiesemann, toy piano

Label: CYBELE SACD 261001
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PHILIP GLASS (*1937): Concerto for saxophone quartet (1995); FRANK REINSHAGEN (*1961): The Invitation (2002); BARBARA THOMPSON (*1944): Saxophone Quartet No. 2 “From darkness into light” in six movements; ZDENEK LUKAS (*1928): Rondo per 4 sassofoni (1970)
BONUS: JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685 – 1750): Fugue No. 20 in A minor à 4 voci BWV 865 (The Well-Tempered Piano, Vol. I)
Tetraphonics Saxophone Quartet: Steffen Hass, soprano saxophone; Elmar Frey, alto saxophone; Volker Ax, tenor saxophone; Richmond Mays, baritone saxophone
Formed in 1994, the Tetraphonics Saxophone Quartet is a truly diverse band, made up of freelance musicians who play in various orchestras across Germany. Theirs is the classic sax line-up of soprano (B flat), alto (E flat), tenor (B flat) and baritone (E flat), the different characters of which are explored in Glass’s four-movement Concerto.The repeated rhythmic patterns of the first movement, typical of Glass and the other so-called minimalists, contain some complex and concentrated music that is superbly shaped and articulated. The mood may seem a touch melancholic but Glass manages to create pulses of sound that constantly evolve, apparently reinventing themselves as the music progresses.
"...Altogether very engaging and expertly played... Now if only I hadn’t already chosen my six discs of the year..." - musicweb-international.com, December 2007

Label: EBS 6123
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PIOTR I. TCHAIKOVSKY: Serenade for String Orchestra in C major, Op. 48; “Melodrama” No. 10 from the Music to Ostrovski’s “Snegurotschka”
ANTON STEPANOVICH ARENSKY: Variations on a Theme by Tchaikovsky, Op. 35a

David Geringas, cello & direction
Southwest German Chamber Orchestra Pforzeim
In his wide popularity and the love he is shown by everyone Peter Tchaikovsky can only be compared with Mozart. This holds totally true for the works for string orchestra and for cello accompanied by a string orchestra, as presented on this CD. Some are original compositions by Tchaikovsky, others are adaptations by the composer or by David Geringas.

Label: MUSICAPHON SACD 56905
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LEONARD BERNSTEIN (1918 – 1990): Westside Story (arr. Andreas Hilner); HAROLD ARLEN (1905 – 1986): Over the Rainbow (arr. Sebastian Pottmeier); FREDERICK LOEWE (1901 – 1988): Scenes from “My Fair Lady” (arr. S. Pottmeier); GEORGE GERSHWIN (1898 – 1937): Selections from “Porgy and Bess” (arr. Bill Holcombe)

Linos Sacophon Quartett
Thorsten Blumberg, percussion
For the present recording, the Linos Saxophone Quartet has put together a kaleidoscope-like program of classic “popular songs” that allows a many-layered musical glance into the Broadway careers of the greatest and most famous American composers of the past hundred years, presented here in fresh and jazzy arrangements for Saxophone Quartet. For over twenty years, the Linos Saxophone Quartet has been a permanent feature on the German musical scene. After a brilliant start with first prizes at national and international music competitions, the quartet has made a excellent name for itself through its many years of concert activity at home and abroad. Every appearance is an experience, whether in New York, in Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Conservatory, or at one of the major German music festivals. Thorsten Blumberg studied at the Cologne College of Music. After engagements with the Radio Symphonic Band Leipzig and the Beethoven Orchestra Bonn, he has been percussionist and assistant solo timpanist of the WDR Radio Orchestra Cologne since 2002. After Impression (M 56861), the present recording is the second release by the Linos Saxophone Quartet on Musicaphon.

Label: NAGEL HEYER M 1022
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Tracks and Artists: Glass House - Twana Rhodes; Night Call - Marc Copland with Greg Osby; Light In The Dark - Claudio Roditi; So What - Donald Harrison; Dans Mon Ile - Zona Sul; Drop In Meditation - String Zone; Allright! - Stephan Noël Lang; The Island Boy - Wycliffe Gordon; With Every Breath I Take - Ken Peplowski; Changes – Chinaza; West End Blues - Brian Lynch; Sanibel Breeze - Paradigm Shift; Over The Rainbow - Martin Sasse feat. Vincent Herring; Victor - Frode Berg
This Nagel Heyer Records 2005 compilation is a SACD in 5.1 surround sound. Enjoy Nagel Heyer music in a sound quality never heard before. Contains more than 78 minutes of outstanding jazz music with greats artists. SACD SUPERAUDIO/HYBRID

Label: NEOS SACD 10804
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THOMAS HUMMEL (*1962)
Aus Trachila, Searching for the missing Ovid –
A hyper-realistic recording for speaker and ensemble

Christoph Ogiermann, voice artist

Holst-Sinfonietta
The production of Aus Trachila is an experiment in recording technique. It is probably the first time that this has been accomplished to such an extent. The work is an attempt to achieve a hyper-realistic recording of a music piece. With this procedure, each instrument of the orchestra is recorded separately with the conductor, musically adapted and specialized. Specially developed software assists the recording process and the manual placement of all fragments. This innovative software makes this enormously complex challenge feasible, and allows the interpretation to achieve a high level of precision and transparency. With the surround-sound version of the recording, the listener finds himself virtually amidst the orchestra. This production is dedicated to the violoncellist Claudius von Wrochem, who accompanied the project with encouragement and support.