From Romance to tone poem, the cellist Ophélie Gaillard invites to an imaginary journey, both heroic and delicate, in the post-Romantic world of Richard Strauss.

The life and work of Robert Schumann has a dual characteristic. In immersing oneself in one or the other, we face an almost systematic duality. He himself was aware of this, appearing in both his writings and in his compositions sometimes under the guise of Eusebius, the tender, introverted dreamer, and sometimes as Florestan, the fiery, impassioned fighter. In studying his life and work, one gains the impression that the greatest lucidity and some form of madness stood side by side in him. But as one deepens one’s knowledge of him as a creator and as a man, one realises that what appears to be contradictory is in fact quite cohesive.

So far and yet so near: The harmonies and the virtuosity: that is what the two composers Sergei Rachmaninoff and Carlos Guastavino have in common. “Even though at first glance the geographical distance between them was immense, their approach to the piano was strikingly similar”, remarks Martin Klett. In both composers he loves the Romantic element – paired with attractive simplicity in one case, with ambitious piano artistry in the other.

« Be quiet and dance! », these few words are the last ones that Elektra says in the opera by Strauss and Hofmannsthal. They embody the power of dance, its vital strength, mystic and symbolic. When her brother Oreste has achieved their revenge by killing their mother Clytemnestre and her lover Egisthe, Elektra can only feel elated and victorious. No more talking, no other action to be taken but the dancing, the movement. As if dance was the best comment and the most perfect of all the conclusions, she invites everybody to join her and form a circle. The flood of energy is so strong that it kills her. But her dancing is joy, triumph and trance, probably madness too.

A remarkable synthesis of the Renaissance and Baroque, the Stabat Mater for ten solo voices is the central link of Via Dolorosa. The programme for this disc is a meditative journey through the suffering of the Virgin Mary. Based around the Stabat Mater, different European masterpieces (by Purcell, Lotti, Byrd, Allegri) accentuate this journey and seem to create a Saint Mary’s Passion.

The Sollazzo Ensemble approaches the vast and little-performed repertory of late medieval music with stylistic rigour and contagious passion. From the most innocent reverie to the drunkard’s song by way of profound mysticism, the programme of this debut disc for Ambronay Editions offers a varied image of the journey of the mind as it appears in the music of the Middle Ages.

First performed on 30th October 1946 in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory in the very midst of the Soviet turmoil, the Cello Concerto was the last of a series of three concertos, such as those for violin or piano, to be presented with Sviatoslav Knouchevitski (dedicatee) on the cello and Aleksandr Gauk conducting. Though first performed in 1946, it was written many years earlier while the composer was studying cello at the Gnessin Institute.

A la naissance de la maison de disques Philips en 1951, la firme hollandaise signe un contrat avec le pianiste Hans Henkemans qui gravera, de 1951 à 1957, la quasi-totalité de l uvre pour piano de Debussy, entre autres. Ses présents enregistrements debussystes sont assez mystérieusement tombés dans l oubli et n ont jusqu à ce jour, à de rares exceptions près, jamais fait l objet de report en compact-disc.

Under the baton of Paul Van Nevel, the Huelgas Ensemble release another outstanding recording of an early Baroque opera. Francesca Caccini, also known as “La Cecchina” (singing bird), was the daughter of the celebrated composer, singer and lutenist, Giulio Caccini. Francesca also composed - she was the first female composer ever, who wrote an opera, La liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola d’Alcina, featured on this album. This is the first complete recording of the opera.

Yannick Nézet-Séguin calls it “the pinnacle” of the Orchestra’s requiem series. Having stirred audiences with the requiems of Mozart, Brahms, Verdi, and Fauré, the Orchestra presents Leonard Bernstein’s MASS, sure to be the theatrical highlight of our season and featuring collaborations with community performers. The legendary composer and conductor conceived this sacred work as a Mass for John F. Kennedy, in conjunction with the dedication of the Kennedy Center in 1971.

New album by Switzerland based celebrity DJ and producer Swissivory featuring Snoop Dogg, DMX, Jadakiss, M.O.P., Wiz Khalifa, Keith Murray, Busta Rhymes, Juicy J and more. From club records to street to radio-friendly records, the album is entirely produced by Swissivory and features legendary artists unheard of for a Swiss DJ. The first two singles will feature DMX, and N.O.R.E respectively. Both singles have videos as well.

The official soundtrack to Marvel’s upcoming superhero blockbuster Black Panther has been announced. The original motion picture soundtrack arrives February 16, and was recorded in London with “a 132-piece western classical orchestra, African percussionists and a 40-person choir.” The score was penned by composer and longtime Childish Gambino producer Ludwig Göransson, who previously worked with Black Panther director Ryan Coogler on the films Creed and Fruitvale Station. Kendrick Lamar spearheaded the recent star-studded compilation Black Panther The Album, assembled as a companion piece to the movie.

The duo Nina / Yohan recorded the album Neon in their rehearsal studio in Toulouse. The group did not wish to relocate elsewhere than in their pink city, where they live for many years. As for the first album, they surrounded themselves with their producer, Pierre Rougean, to compose and realize the 10 tracks that includes this new album. We do not change a duo that works with Nina on piano / voice and Yohan on drums. However, the duo went further by inviting the audience to "travel" as Yohan said. We find some exotic inspirations ("Mama Said", "Black Lips"), others more dancing ("Keep on dancing", "Bad Boy") and ballads in the image of "Blue", a title that will not fail to give you a few shivers to listen.

The commercial failure of Nakhane Touré’s 2013 debut album led to a period of serious reflection. Having cut his teeth on Cape Town’s open mic scene, he decided to ditch his assumed surname and the folk music that had seen him compared to Jeff Buckley and Radiohead. He’s now returned with ‘You Will Not Die’, a collection of club-indebted tracks that address his sexual identity in relation to the renunciation of his Christianity. Autobiographical in nature, the material deliberately ‘queers Biblical language and gospel sound.’ To that end, opening track ‘Violent Measures’ is choral trip-hop while the standout ‘Teen Prayer’ could pass as an old spiritual until the lyrical double entendres are noticed.

Released in the summer of 1970, Number 5 was the fifth LP by the Steve Miller Band in just over two years. While it compares favorably to its immediate predecessor, Your Saving Grace, it is not quite up to the consistent excellence of the potent Brave New World from the previous summer. However, it does have a fair share of delights, especially the opening triumvirate of "Good Morning," "I Love You," and "Going to the Country." These selections, and all of side one, have a distinctly more rural feel than did previous recordings, due perhaps to the fact that the tracks were recorded in Nashville.