Celebrating its 120th birthday in 2018, the Bach Choir of Bethlehem is the oldest Bach choir in the United States, attracing thousands of visitors to Pennsyvania's annual Bethlehem Bach Festival. The Ode for Saint Cecilia's Day was composed between September 15 and 24, 1739, and features instrumental pieces, arias, choruses and recitatives. The Choir is joined by Cassandra Lemoine, Benjamin Butterfield, and the Bach Festival Orchestra.

The oldest Bach choir in the United States, The Bach Choir of Bethlehem celebrates its 120th birthday in 2018. Since its founding in 1898, the now famous choir has attracted thousands of visitors from across the United States and beyond to the annual Bethlehem Bach Festival in Pennsylvania. Cantata BWV 21, Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis, was composed for various occasions between 1713 and 1714; with nearly every performance it was expanded by additional movements.

Internationally recognized organist Jung-A Lee performs an intimate recital on the great Walt Disney Concert Hall organ as a gift to Simon Woods (the new CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic) and as a token of appreciation in honor of the orchestra’s 100th Anniversary season. Jung-A’s infectious and delightful sense of humor infuses her musical performance and repertoire choices.

Jean-Philippe Collard’s version stands out for its fluidity and wonderful naturalness. He constantly renews his touch, first thinking of the Pictures at an exhibition… in their orchestral nature.

In their new release Tango Fado Duo (Sorel Classics), guitarist Pedro H. da Silva and bandoneonist Daniel Binelli explore the relationship between the sensuality of Argentine tango and the passion of Portuguese fado, interweaving the traditional sounds of their respective instruments. Although tango and fado originate from two distant countries and differ in rhythm and instrumentation, they are closely related in harmony, melody, and lyrical themes.

For many of those outside of Portugal their introduction to the deep and complex musical genre known as Fado was through Mariza whose musical career has marked her out as the most successful and widest-reaching of any Fado singer since the late Amália Rodrigues. In the 14 years since her debut album she has travelled the world performing at some of the most prestigious venues, performing with some of the biggest names, supported by some of the most well known orchestras while her records have gone on to sell over one million copies worldwide attracting over 30 Platinum awards.

Manuel d’Oliveira, an exceptional guitarist, lends reflections of the Iberian soul that runs through his veins to his compositions, without concealing respect and timeless devotion for his origins and traditions. With a vast international career path, Manuel d’Oliveira has been confirmed by the critics as one of the most promising contemporary guitarists.

Guinga has long been honored by his Brazilian countrymen and women as one of the country's greatest composers. He has created a musical language that represents a singular and fascinating interaction between the classical Heitor Villa Lobos, the choro, the bossa nova and jazz. Here, he is joined by his congenial comrade-in-arms, the Italian clarinetist Gabriele Mirabassi. Together, they present twelve intimate, delicate songs that are quietly self-contained and transport the listener to magical worlds. The virtuosity of this duo allows them to make true music emerge from even the slowest passages.

Based on an idea by Renato Gattone. An accordion, a manouche guitar and a double bass give the rhythm to the Les Chats Noirs’ first album, a band that mixes traditional atmospheres constantly looking for contamination and for the research of new musical horizons. An album full of Parisian feeling, evoked by a sinuous voice that warms the contemporary taste, also underlined by a Fender Rhodes piano. A narration weaving together music and poetry, moving from Baudelaire’s verses to the pop music of a century later.

Ce deuxième album de Michel Robichaud, gagnant du 46e Festival international de la chanson de Granby, s’intitule Tout refaire. Pourtant, ainsi qu’il l’expliquait au microphone de Monique Giroux, la pièce titre ne parle pas de tout refaire, mais plutôt de faire les choses différemment, pour déjouer la routine. Cela peut s’exprimer dans les petits détails simples et aussi banals que de changer de côté dans le lit. C’est sur ses autres pièces folk que l’auteur-compositeur-interprète constate et chante, sans jamais devenir moralisateur, les dérives sociales.

You really need a lot of enthusiasm to spend hours on end, evening after evening, year after year, sorting through old piano rolls. Player pianos were all the rage at the beginning of the twentieth century. A pianist – often a composer – had to record his or her work once. The music is stored by perforating paper rolls (like old punch cards) that can be replayed over and over. Thousands of these old rolls were made before they were displaced by the long-playing record.

Jinjoo Cho was the winner of the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis in 2014. In this, her debut recording, she presents all of the works commissioned by the competition since its inception in 1982. These are all brilliant works for violin. Jinjoo Cho is one of the most vibrant, engaging and charismatic musicians of her generation.

A rising star on the European early music scene, violinist Elicia Silverstein is rapidly garnering praise for her nuanced, bold and insightful performances of repertoire ranging from the 17th to the 21st century. A performer on both historical and modern instruments, she made her London debut at the 2015 Spitalfields Summer festival in a sold out concert that featured some of the music featured on this, her debut album which spans repertoire from over 400 years from Biber to Sciarrino, Berio to Bach via Pandolfi Mealli. This is a fascinating, haunting and thought provoking debut from an extraordinary young talent.

In the centenary anniversary year of the end of the First World War and on the eve of the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the Second World War, SOMM Recordings pays tribute to those who fought and fell in battle with In Remembrance. A moving compendium of music spanning 130 years, it features the Chapel Choir of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the Choir of Chelsea Pensioners, Staff and Volunteers, sopranos Katy Hill and Leah Jackson, baritone Gareth John and organists James Orford and Hugh Rowlands under the direction of William Vann.

On 'Royal Traveller', award-winning bassist Missy Raines comes into her own as a vocalist and songwriter on a collection of songs that reflect the breadth of her musical vision. The album's title track is a nod to Missy's many years of dedication to her art and the challenges endemic in the pursuit of a musician's life. Co-written with Ed Snodderly, the idea for the song came to Raines as she was driving by herself through a snowstorm. She reached for a vintage makeup case, saw the words Royal Traveller engraved on the handle and felt the power, and irony, of those words speaking directly to her.