Long considered a jewel in Verve Records' very impressive crown, Fitzgerald's songbook collections of various composers–a series that was started by the success of this set–are all wonderful, but her natural wit and intelligence was at its most perfect with Cole Porter's erudite, urbane songs. While not as scat-oriented as her small group outings, these Porter sets offer her most realized pop performances. Also, the gold remastering does a fine job of bringing out the nuances in the arrangements, making this a treasure for the serious collector and the casual listener alike. A true American music gem.

Dan Nimmer is an American jazz pianist and composer. "Modern Day Blues", his fourth album for Venus Records, is another winning trio date, this time with his contemporary band mates – bassist David Wong and drummer Pete Van Nostrand. The program has a few standards, but the bulk of it consists of attractive compositions by jazz musicians, including cool gems like "Out of the Past" by Benny Golson, "Le Coiffeur" by Dexter Gordon and "Uh Huh" by Hank Mobley. Nimmer closes the program with his "Modern-Day Blues", a powerful modal blues and definitely a highlight of this satisfying release. Recommended to fans of straight-ahead piano trio music.

From an arranger’s point of view, I first thought of the three piano concertos K. 413, 414, and 415, because Mozart had stated that they can likewise be performed “a quattro”, with one solo string player for each part – in other words, as chamber music. If we regard the woodwind quintet as a legitimate counterpart to the string quartet, the choice would be perfectly justified. But since Markus wanted another concerto, we opted for a different approach.

Vitamin String Quartet (VSQ), one of the most popular contemporary string ensembles in the world, will release their new album, It Feels Like Christmas, on 15 October 2021. The group behind Netflix’s hit Bridgerton soundtrack have reimagined today’s biggest Christmas hits including ‘All I Want For Christmas’ (Mariah Carey), ‘Mistletoe’ (Justin Bieber), ‘Santa Tell Me’ (Ariana Grande), and ‘Christmas Lights’ (Coldplay).

It is a dialogue across the ages when, towards the end of his life, the seeker of meaning Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), baptised as a Protestant, chooses biblical words recorded between 300 BC and 50 AD to set to music. The fact that there is no mention of Christ, suits the skeptically minded Brahms. Questions were ultimately more important to him than traditional and ecclesiastical answers.

“The English horn needs a soft, round vibrato… We are among those who can move people to tears,” says Dominik Wollenweber about his instrument. Let us not be misled by the humble conduct, and the absence of laudatory articles and glossy photographs. Wollenweber is one of the world’s finest cor anglais players. Claudio Abbado has even labelled him the “best player of all time”.

Johann Sebastian Bach‘s Clavier-Übung II elevates two differing national styles to create a pair of incomparable masterpieces. The Italian Concerto uses the spectacular effects available from a two-manual harpsichord to represent contrasts between different groups of instruments, while the French Overture, Bach’s longest keyboard suite, explores French harmonies, rhythms, ornamentation and melodic invention in the dark and dramatic key of B minor.

Though they share an ancestral connection to Africa, the respective birthplaces of piano virtuoso Omar Sosa and kora Maestro Seckou Keita, Cuba and Senegal, are separated by the Atlantic Ocean. When the pair met in 2012, Seckou admired Omar for his musical spirituality, whilst Omar saw in Seckou a rare ability to collaborate while retaining his musical identity. Their debut album, Transparent Water, was released to acclaim in 2017.

Wild at Heart is the second album in the “Chaconne Project” series on Sono Luminus which reaches into the realm of parallel universes — connecting the past to the present, into the future. A collection of contemporary chaconnes that echo reincarnations of Bach’s iconic work, Wild at Heart is in essence a stark contrast to the first release, Heroine.

The NDR Philharmonie and Andrew Manze continue their exploration of Mozart’s late orchestral works with a recording of the composers 38th and 39th symphonies. Nicknamed after Prague, where it was first performed in 1787, the 38th shares with its successor a solemn, “Romantic” slow introduction to the first movement, followed by lighter music that shares a kinship with the playful arias and ensembles of Le nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni, composed in the same period.

Reference Recordings proudly presents the Symphony No. 4 of Johannes Brahms, with James MacMillan’s Larghetto for Orchestra, in exceptional performances from Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. We are excited that this release coincides with the orchestra’s 2021-2022 season and triumphant return to live concerts! These works were recorded live in beautiful and historic Heinz Hall, now celebrating its 50th Anniversary season.

With rich texture and bold femininity, Jeanine De Bique releases her debut album 'Mirrors' on October 22, 2021 on Berlin Classics! Miss De Bique is accompanied by the renowned baroque orchestra Concerto Köln, with musical direction by Luca Quintavalle. The album focuses on baroque arias and includes three world premiere recordings.