Vasily Petrenko is one of the most significant and galvanizing musicians alive. He became famous for his transformative work at the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the oldest orchestra in the United Kingdom, where he refashioned the orchestra's sound, reconnected the organization to its home city and presided over a huge increase in ticket sales. Vasily is one of the most acclaimed classical recording artists alive and has won numerous accolades for his recordings of Russian repertoire, including two Gramophone awards.

Orlando (HWV 31) is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel written for the King's Theatre in London in 1733. The Italian-language libretto was adapted from Carlo Sigismondo Capece"L'Orlando after Ludovico Ariosto"Orlando Furioso, which was also the source of Handel's operas Alcina and Ariodante". More an artistic than a popular success at its first performances, Orlando is today recognised as a masterpiece.

Boccherini's string quartets occupy a central position in his extensive oeuvre, and next to Haydn he is certainly the most important composer of this still new genre in the 18th century. Exceptional listening experiences and light music at the highest level in exciting interpretations! D.Steppuhn in FonoForum 9/94: "Welcome repertoire enrichment in exemplary performance." Fanfare 11/94: "These are quartets that deserve a place alongside those of the three great names in classical music." Fanfare (USA) 4/92:" cpo has recorded the quartet's fresh sonority in perfect sound. Special praise goes to the 14-page text (in English, with another 14 pages in German), with highly informative biographical and musicological information. At last the course of Boccherini's life becomes comprehensible, his importance adequately assessable." Gramophone Critics Choice 12/95: "Outstanding release."

Every aspect of this Rolling Stone's solo album screams of superstar indulgence, from its bizarre cover shot - look, there's Ron riding a camel under some jets - to co-producer Andy Johns' fawningly surreal back cover exhortation to "don't let anybody tape it because the label needs the money." There's no chance of such an occurrence: three studios are credited - and every track boasts a different lineup. Many of the usual suspects appear, including sub-Stones keyboardist Ian McLagan, pianist Nicky Hopkins, and saxophonist Bobby Keys; R&B vocalist Bobby Womack; and pianist Nicky Hopkius. Even Stones drummer Charlie Watts pops up on a couple of tracks. Also, this rarefied company didn't have decent material to stretch out their chops…

After a four-year hiatus, Tool returns with the elaborately packaged Salival set, which includes a 70-minute CD of previously unreleased live and studio material, a 56-page book of photos and video stills, and a DVD collection of the group's impressive stop-motion videos. Live versions of "Part of Me," "Push It," and "Third Eye" reaffirm the band's standing as one of alternative metal's most compelling live acts; unreleased studio tracks such as "Message to Harry Manback II" and "L.A. Municipal Court" definitely sound like abandoned material, but offer a look at Tool's quirkier side. Covers of Led Zeppelin's "No Quarter" and "You Lied" - a song by bassist Justin Chancellor's previous group Peach - round out the disc's better-than-average selection of odds and sods. Salival's intricate, eclectic look and sound give it the feel of a "thank you" to patient Tool fans; fortunately for them - and the band - it was worth the wait.

A wonderful live set from Joao Gilberto - very intimate, with a spare, stripped down quality that shows him at his best! The album features Joao on acoustic guitar and vocals - with no other backing, holding up a wealth of emotion and fragile beauty with a few simple moves of his hand and voice, in that incredible way that few other bossa players ever managed to match!