Harmonies of Devotion is both an exploration of the Italian motet repertory of the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries and a celebration of the devotion to this sacred repertory displayed by English antiquarian collectors of the eighteenth century. Among the works recorded here for the first time are Giovanni Legrenzi’s six-voice masterpiece Intret in conspectu tuo, which survives thanks to a copy made in London by Handel, a five-voice Crucifixus by Legrenzi’s pupil Antonio Lotti, sent to London’s newly formed Academy of Ancient Music, a grand Marian motet written for the Academy by Agostino Steffani, and music by Steffani’s teacher Ercole Bernabei, again collected by members of London’s antiquarian music clubs.

CHRISTMAS IN EARLY AMERICA Eighteenth century church musk in New England The American 'primitive' tradition of church music in the late eighteenth century blossomed from the transplanted customs of contemporary English gallery music. As unison congregational singing gained in popularity in the rural churches of seventeenth and eighteenth century Britain and its American colonies, hands of gallery musicians, both singers and instrumentalists, were eventually formed in the mid 1800's to lead and embellish community performance of psalms, hymns and anthems.

Born in the fall of 2000 in Rouen (France), Ataraxie take their main inspiration from the early 90s doom/death metal scene and slowest 80s/90s death metal bands. Thus, their genre mainly includes old school death metal parts and classic doom metal ones slowed down in the most extreme way but also various influences from the bleakest metal genres. Their music plays a lot with contrasts in general: ultra slow crushing parts alternate with furious blast beats, mournful parts with more epic ones, and vocals also varies from really deep grunts to tormented screams. Topped by a triple (!) guitar attack, Ataraxie is a must for fans of diSEMBOWELMENT, Evoken, early My Dying Bride, Morgion, Cathedral, Esoteric, Asunder, Mournful Congregation, Spectral Voice or Incantation…

The trio Arabesque was created by two Frankfurt-based German producers at the height of the disco era in 1977. After one album and a few singles that found surprising success in Japan, the producers changed the lineup, keeping Michaela Rose and replacing the two other members with Jasmin Vetter and Sandra Lauer. Vetter, a former gymnast, also became the trio's choreographer and Lauer, soon to be billed simply as Sandra, assumed the position of a lead vocalist. The first single of the updated Arabesque, "Hello, Mr. Monkey," went to number one in Japan. The Far East remained the band's biggest market, with numerous albums and compilations released over the years. However, Arabesque's success in their homeland was very modest, with only one single, "Marigot Bay," entering the German charts at number eight in 1981. In 1984, they disbanded and Sandra embarked on a successful solo career with the songs written by future husband Michael Cretu (of Enigma fame). Jasmin Vetter and Michaela Rose formed a duo, Rouge, but after a few obscure singles it ceased to exist.

Firma Melodiya presents a recording of two-piano transcriptions by Franz Liszt and Camille Saint-Saëns performed by the piano duet of Ludmila Berlinskaya and Arthur Ancelle. Representatives of famous artistic dynasties and alumni of different music performing traditions, they began to jointly perform in 2011 and have won the listeners’ hearts in Russia, France and Switzerland.

If it seems as though the familiar ABBA sound isn't present on this album, that's because there was no entity known as ABBA at the time that the earliest sides here were recorded. Growing out of an attempt by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus to record together with their respective companions, Agnetha Faltskog and Frida "Anni-Frid" Lyngstad, the first side cut here, "People Need Love," featured the two men singing just as prominently as the women, and was credited to "Bjorn and Benny, Agnetha and Anni-Frid." It was only after its release and the cutting of a further single, "Ring, Ring," that the more familiar sound of the quartet began to coalesce along with the idea of a permanent professional association. Unreleased in the United States until 1995, this album is more of a generic European pop release than an ABBA release; the music has several unusual attributes…

While it's true that Luiz Bonfá is a forgotten name among many bossa nova lovers - past and present - a forgotten name rarely associated with his younger peers he influenced (Jobim, Gilberto, de Moraes) who took the music to international popularity. Bonfá is a ghost whose shadow looms large over the music, whether he is well known or not. He composed both main themes for Black Orpheus, which ended up on the hit soundtrack. Here Bonfá does what he does best: play an amazing guitar, arrange a series of uncredited session players, sing, and dig deep into the roots of bossa nova as it comes out of samba, but then return it changed but folded into the tradition. Tracks like "Samba de Duas Notas" ("Two Note Samba"), with its beautiful guitar/flute front line slipping around and through one another in the bridge, are typical of this man's artistry and innovative…

Released in December 1970, King Crimson's third studio album, Lizard, is often viewed as an outlier in the pioneering British prog outfit's nearly half-century discography. It's not easily grouped with 1969's stunning In the Court of the Crimson King debut and 1970 follow-up In the Wake of Poseidon, and along with 1971's Islands it's considered a transitional release on the band's path toward the relative stability of the Larks' Tongues in Aspic (1973), Starless and Bible Black (1974), and Red (1974) trilogy. Plus, the Lizard sessions were difficult and the core group lineup acrimoniously collapsed immediately afterward, as bandleader/guitarist Robert Fripp, with lyricist Peter Sinfield, continued brave efforts to save King Crimson from disintegrating as the group's lengthy history was just getting underway…

In the wake of early-'80s post-punk artiness, New Order must have seemed like a welcome return to the world of tunes. Those not blinded by Ian Curtis' pyre were certainly pleased with the direction of the band, while those that needed shades had been finding it increasingly difficult to ignore the melancholic hooks pervading even the most synth-laden dance singles coming out of the group. Which makes this live capture of New Order's divisive skill that much more appealing.
Recorded on June 19th, 1987, at Glastonbury, this live set includes everything from the band's major hits ("Temptation," "Bizarre Love Triangle") to the more undisclosed favorites ("Touched By the Hand of God") all with a raw, sometimes po-faced, interpretation of their studio-friendly talents…

Astounding debuts and legendary piano treasures on disc: newly remastered albums of 21 pianists from the analogue era, including many first-ever digital transfers.

A magnificent collection of the best rock hits of all time! Enjoy!

MALTA is a Japanese jazz saxophonist. A memorable first album by MALTA who invited Eric Gale to a special guest.