As Adolf Tegtmeier, the alter ego of Jürgen von Manger, knew quite well, overtures exercise an important function in the opera: ‘They begin, you see, right off with the curtain and start by playing all the melodies in a row, everything that happens to come up later. But this is just to give you the chance to familiarize yourself with the music. And of course it’s important … so that later on you don’t get such a big shock’. The orchestral overtures brought together on the present recording make the listener eager to hear each of the particular works following them.

Après un premier disque consacré à Johann Jakob Froberger (1616-1667), le Duo Coloquintes s’intéresse à Louis Couperin (1626-1661) et enregistre cinq suites extraites des manuscrits pour clavier, transcrites ici pour violon et viole de gambe. On y trouvera des danses aux côtés de pièces d’orgue ou encore de la Piémontaise, et de quelques Fantaisies. Les œuvres de ce programme sont extraites des manuscrits de Parville, Bauyn, et Guy Oldham.

Franz Liszt was 67 when he composed his Via Crucis, yet it did not receive its first performance until 1929, 43 years after the composer’s death. This work of his mature years is in 15 sections, retracing the Stations of the Cross that mark the stages of Christ’s Passion, from being condemned to death to being laid in the tomb. Combining Gregorian chant, the Lutheran liturgy and the Latin, German and Aramaic languages, the Via Crucis shows real formal originality. A devout believer, Liszt gives us here his most important sacred work. He composed several versions: for mixed choir, soloists and organ (with the organ part optionally transcribed for piano), for piano solo, organ solo, and two pianos.

In 1980 TK guitarist Christer Åkerberg formed a blues rock band with progressive rock influences together with singer Georg Trolin, drummer Per Ingels and bassist Tomas Holmqvist. Now their recordings from 1980 have finally been released on CD! Recorded in the legendary rehearsal room of Trettioåriga Kriget, Grunden in Saltsjöbaden Sweden in June 1980. Almost 39 years later these recording are now released!

UK split release from two Brazilian music legends. Dance Moderno by Sergio Mendes, is the acclaimed debut from a musician who would form the bridge between Bossa Nova and '60s Pop. Pianist and master stylist of the Hammond B3 organ, Ed Lincoln served a singular musical apprenticeship in the 1950s, working with Luiz Bonfa, Baden Powell, Claudette Soares, Luís Eça, Maestro Radames Gnattali, Nara Leao, Carlos Lyra and Roberto Menescal. Fate led him to concentrate on the organ and what followed was a sequence of LPs that would showcase his irresistible style. His second album, Orgao Espectacular, is one of the best; full of the urbane, quirky, party style music often deployed by Ennio Morricone in his '60s scores.

In 1976, guitarists Paul A. MacDonnell and Robert Cross, bass player Trevor Darks and drummer/vocalist Dave Ball joined their considerable skills and produced one of the greatest but nearly forgotten heavy progressive projects, Automatic Fine Tuning. Doing an early form of neo-classical instrumental rock that predates the gothic harmonies and Paganini-love of Michael Schenker and Yngwie Malmsteen, the quartet boldly went where few rock ensembles had and recorded one brilliant album before disbanding.