Peter Donohoe's first album devoted to Busoni was enthusiastically received by the critics, and nominated for a BBC Music Magazine award. This second volume offers playing and musicality of the same high standards. His programme opens with two of Busoni's finest Bach transcriptions, widely seen as a pinnacle of the repertoire for pianistic virtuosity, and much more widely played than Busoni's own compositions. This is followed by the Variations on Chopin's Prelude in C minor - a work in which Busoni demonstrates his innate skill of re-interpretation, and his mastery of counterpoint, and a piece he reworked several times. The following works are 'all Busoni' - the first and second sonatinas, and the Fantasia contrappuntistica, in the composer's later adaptation for two pianos. The first Steinway Artist of Indian origin, Karl Lutchmayer is equally renowned as a concert pianist, a lecturer, and a broadcaster. He joins Peter Donohoe in the Fantasia, and also performs the Second Sonatina.

Paris discovered Massenet's Grisélidis at the Opéra-Comique on 20 November 1901. The work is based on a medieval folktale retold by Boccaccio and Perrault, among others, and already set to music several times in the Baroque era. It gave Massenet the opportunity to handle the ‘Gothic’ colouring of which the early twentieth century could not get enough. The inventive libretto by Armand Silvestre and Eugène Morand explores unusually contrasted registers: the religious, the fantastical, the sentimental and the warlike. Above all, the presence of a scene-stealing Devil, saddled with a cantankerous wife, offers the possibility of contrasting the serious (or sublime) and the comic (or grotesque). Massenet thus produced a rare example of cross-genre equilibrium, a jewel of French demi-caractère, typical of the Opéra-Comique repertory. Although the opera renounces spoken dialogue, theatrical declamation nevertheless creeps into a few particularly successful scenes. Two magnificent baritone roles – the Marquis and the Devil – oppose each other with the full trappings of Romantic vocality, while Grisélidis makes a noble and introspective heroine, the perfect model of the French soprano.

Tom Meighan returns with his new Album 'Roadrunner'. Sucessor to Tom's 2023 album 'The Reckoning', which reached #2 in the Indie Album chart. Tom says about the album: "This record is dedicated to my wife Vikki, I love you forever and my girls, the babies! My friends, my Mam and Dad John and Carol, my brother John, his wife Lisa and the boys. I couldn't have done this record without the love of my brothers and sisters in the band. G man my brother, Bnann's the blitz buff, the destroyer baby Brody and lightning Elles couldn't have done it without you, love you. Also like to say thank you to Jules for believing in me, Ross the chipmunk couldn't have done it without you."

Although it is not known to which mysterious figures they were dedicated, Joseph de Boismortier’s cantatas Les Quatre Saisons, published in 1724, resonate with the splendour of court festivities and the eloquence of the salons de conversation. The libretto, written by an anonymous but undoubtedly romantic hand, unfolds its poetry through the seasons, and the composer seems to have enjoyed recreating all its subtleties in his music. For her first recording as conductor, Chloé de Guillebon surrounded herself with young talent, accompanied by the skilful musicians of the Orchestre de l'Opéra Royal de Versailles.

Guru Guru's second album starts off on a chaotic note, but "Electric Junk" soon resolves itself into a full-on band jam and takes it from there, showing again that the band readily trod the fine line between merely skilled and truly inspired. There's always a nagging sense on this album that the group is but one step away from prog rock wank of the worst kind, but then there'll be a thick blast of righteous noise or a suddenly lovely dark chime that feels more Blue Oyster Cult than Emerson, Lake & Palmer, say. This can even happen out of nowhere, like the odd spoken word pronouncements interrupting the attempted drum solo on "Electric Junk" or the open-ended electronic moans and echoed calls during the floating midsection of "Space Ship"…

This album was created 4 years after 'Icesteps' and was rightly hailed by many as his most inspired work to date. Considering the quality of his previous albums, the fact that he seems to "raise the ante" with each release is amazing. Glyn's previous works displayed his uncanny ability to harmonise sequences with breathtaking melodies. 'Ocean of Serenity' continues this approach and the title track, like so much of Glyn's work, is based around a stunningly beautiful yet simple theme which manifests itself in many guises. The opening refrains build to a climax then relax to a solitude which initially hints at, then leads into, the sequenced section. Here a rhythm is woven around a trademark synth lead which embellishes the main theme. A quality opening…

The new album Face2Face is an extraordinary experience that juxtaposes the iconic String Quartets of Beethoven with the avant-garde compositions of modern masters. This first volume in an ongoing series showcases how Beethoven's innovative spirit laid the groundwork for generations of composers to come.Featuring iconic classical pieces from Beethoven's and Bartok's repertoire, this album is a must-have for both classical enthusiasts and adventurous listeners alike.

The Romanian conductor Constantin Silvestri (1913-1969) began his distinguished career in 1930 with the Bucharest Radio Symphony Orchestra, leading to the directorship of the Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra in 1945. In 1956, Silvestri moved to Paris, and a year later he made his UK debut with the London Philharmonic. This led to a major contract with EMI, under which he conducted the Philharmonia, the Paris Conservatoire, and the Vienna Philharmonic orchestras in a wide selection of repertoire including Bartók, Debussy, Dvořák, Elgar, Franck, Hindemith, Liszt, Ravel, Shostakovich, Stravinsky, and Tchaikovsky. These ‘Spanish’-themed recordings are rarities and belonged to Silvestri’s private collection, only discovered after his death. Silvestri’s live performances of Debussy’s Ibéria, Falla’s Nights in the Gardens of Spain (Noches en los jardines de España), and The Three Cornered Hat (Le tricorne) are new additions to his large discography, either commercial recordings or live broadcasts. The wide-ranging recording captures Silvestri’s hugely dynamic, colorful, and expressive conducting of these popular Spanish-influenced works.

Like Klaus K. Hübler, Art-Oliver Simon is a composer of exceptionally high aesthetic integrity and straightforwardness in his thinking and his musical creations. As a musician, he is someone who consistently and uncomfortably fights against the spirit of the times. This is reflected in his compositions, which, unmistakably, cannot really be assigned to any stylistic direction. He evades all conceivable clichés of new music. And this, combined with his rigorous compositional radicalism, like the Frenchman Claude Ballif, is what makes him so unique. His music is fascinating, arouses curiosity, listening to it and discovering what some people, not without reason, believe they have never heard before.

Newly remastered 2-disc set of studio and unreleased live recordings by Carmen McRae. Disc 1 features tracks from studio sessions in '78 and '80 with backing from Hubert Laws, Grover Washington JR, Feddie Hubbard and more. Disc 2 features previously unreleased live performances from Europe '80, '82 and '89. In a prolific recording career that spanned five decades, Carmen McRae received a national endowment for the arts jazz fellowship award for lifetime achievement and is considered a peer of Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald.

The recording includes art songs, duets, works for piano, piano and violin as well as spoken texts, all connected to one of France’s most famous authors of the 19th century, George Sand. Featured on the CD alongside Sonya Yoncheva are pianist Olga Zado, mezzo-soprano Marina Viotti and violinist Adam Taubitz. Sonya Yoncheva can be heard not only singing, but also reciting letters from and to George Sand as well as a poem by the renowned author.

LINKIN PARK will release an a cappella/vocals-only version of the band's latest album, "From Zero", dubbed "From Zero - A Cappellas", on Friday, January 24.

"I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2)” is the second part of Teddy Swims’ debut album, arriving January 24, 2025. It follows the massive success of Part 1, which includes his multi-platinum global smash hits, “Lose Control” and “The Door.” This self-taught Atlanta-born vocal powerhouse has swiftly risen to the forefront of the music scene in 2024 with record breaking songs, sold-out global tours, and iconic performances.

Jazz vocalist Helen Humes’ second album on Contemporary Records, “Songs I Like to Sing!” was released in 1961 and is conducted by Marty Paich. Backed by musicians including Art Pepper (sax), Leroy Vinnegar (bass), Shelly Manne (drums), Barney Kessel (guitar) and Andre Previn (piano). This new edition features remastered hi-res audio from the original tapes.

Iggy Pop is an avant-garde icon and a punk pioneer. The Montreux Jazz Festival is a boundary-pushing event that brings the best of all musical genres to one gorgeous location every year. Live At Montreux Jazz Festival 2023 captures the dazzling Iggy Pop performance that could only happen here.