The three string quartets of Brahms emerged late in the career of the composer, who was skeptical for a long time given the burden of Beethoven's heritage. The Novus Quartet, winner of the ARD Competition and the Mozart Competition, has proven itself as one of Korea's best ensembles. From the beginning, it dared to the Second Vienna School, Franck, Shostakovich and Schubert. At Brahms, their transparent sound combines with full commitment and a concise, passionate melody that excellently lives up to the composer's incomparable sense of architecture.

Mahúgo has taught harpsichord and historical performance practice at the Badajoz Superior Conservatory (Spain) and continues to teach and give lectures on these subjects in Spain and abroad (Albacete Conservatory, Barcelona Liceu Superior Conservatory, University of Michigan). He has recorded for several TV and radio stations in Spain and elsewhere in Europe (RNE, TVE, Bartók Radio, MTV). His first harpsichord CD, a recording of the complete harpsichord works of the French 18th-century composer Pancrace Royer (Brilliant Classics/Onclassical.com), received rave reviews from several magazines (Ritmo, Melómano, Fanfare), and was chosen as “CD of the Month” by Scherzo magazine in April 2013 and “CD of The Year” by the Spanish newspaper El País.

Sly & the Family Stone harnessed all of the disparate musical and social trends of the late '60s, creating a wild, brilliant fusion of soul, rock, R&B, psychedelia, and funk that broke boundaries down without a second thought. Led by Sly Stone, the Family Stone was comprised of men and women, and Blacks and whites, making the band the first fully integrated group in rock history. That integration shone through the music, as well as the group's message. Before Stone, very few soul and R&B groups delved into political and social commentary; after him, it became a tradition in soul, funk, and hip-hop. And, along with James Brown, Stone brought hard funk into the mainstream. The Family Stone's arrangements were ingenious, filled with unexpected group vocals, syncopated rhythms, punchy horns, and pop melodies. Their music was joyous, but as the '60s ended, so did the good times.

These two ballets reveal a specific facet of Stravinsky’s genius, his skill in pastiche. Having used music from eighteenth-century Naples for Pulcinella, he turned to Tchaikovsky for Le Baiser de la fée.On both occasions, he succeeded in transforming the exercise of homage into a highly personal work.Stravinsky had a special artistic affinity with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, which amply repays the debt with this new recording.

Handel wrote Floridante in 1722 for a London audience infatuated with Italian opera. The plot, like that of so many Baroque operas, was taken from ancient history and concerns romantic liaisons thrown into turmoil by political rivalries, in this case between Persia and Tyre. Handel wrote over 50 Italian operas, and it's remarkable that he was consistently able to summon such a high level of inventiveness and inspiration when faced repeatedly with librettos that must have come to look depressingly alike in the conventions of their labyrinthine plots.

Jennifer Vyvyan is the star of Handel’s Semele in an early recording of the opera conducted by Anthony Lewis and recorded for L’Oiseau-Lyre in 1956; this pioneering Handel recording of the 1950s in a new digital remastering, released on Decca CD for the first time.

A portrait of d'Artagnan in the form of a tribute to Alexandre Dumas, illustrated by authentic pieces of music written by Lully and Philidor for the real Musketeers. Trumpets and kettledrums, oboes and side-drums play the favourite marches and trios of the royal regiments in alternation with passages from the novelist's prose. A fascinating meeting between history and fiction.

Jan Caeyers is a Belgian conductor, musicologist, Beethoven expert and biographer. His passion for Viennese classical music, and Beethoven in particular, has resulted in a long history of conducting in European concert halls.

Zimerman is the very model of a modern virtuoso. His overrriding aim is vivid projection of character. His quasi-orchestral range of dynamic and attack, based on close attention to textual detail (there are countless felicities in his observation of phrase-markings) and maximum clarity of articulation, is the means to that end. As a result, he draws out the many connections in this music with the romantic tradition, especially in pianistic tours de force such as ''Les collines d'Anacapri'', ''Ce qu'a vu le vent d'Ouest'' and ''Feux d'artifice'', which are treated to a dazzling Lisztian elan the equal of any Debussy playing I have ever heard.

Bernard Haitink is internationally renowned for his interpretations of Bruckner and is widely recognized as the world s leading Bruckner conductor. Bruckner s fourth, nicknamed the Romantic, conjures up visions of mediaeval knights, huntsmen and enchanted woodlands, particularly through the prominent use of the horn. One of his most popular pieces, it was treated to many revisions by the composer. This recording features Haitink leading the London Symphony Orchestra in the second version of the 1877/8 Nowak edition (published 1953) with the 1880 Finale.

Working this time as a trio, Unwind's fifth recording for Rattle offers a set of elegant, unabashedly lyrical new works that explore the open, contemplative landscapes they have coursed since their self-titled debut in 2017. The space-conscious compositions on Embers are serene meditations resonant with a plaintive universal awareness that is undeniably personal.

All tracks recorded live in concert June 14 2009 in Norfolk, UK.Issued in a trifold digipack with front sticker showing date and venue.Third disc only contains digital photos from the concert (no audio).

The album contains one, but monumental work - the Neo-Romantic Symphony in F major by Emil Mlynarski, subtitled "Polonia" by the composer. Following its initial triumph, when it was presented under the baton of the composer himself on many world stages, the Symphony fell into an almost complete oblivion. The composer included a quote from Bogurodzica and the Albosmy to jacy tacy krakowiak; we can also find here other national dances. Mlynarski provided the work with an extensive programme commentary; his intention was to illustrate the history of Poland with music - in addition to the motif of fate, appearing throughout all four movements, one can also clearly hear weapons clanging, the thud of galloping hooves - called the knightly motif - fanfares and the tragic fates of the defeated heroes. In the musical layer, Polonia reveals typical sources of inspiration of young Polish composers of that time - pieces by Wagner, Liszt and Strauss. Under the baton of their artistic director, the Poznan Philharmonic appears as an ensemble operating with an exceptionally beautiful, coherent sound, which emphasises the values of the composition, the richness of its motivic material and instrumentation.

Nicky Higginbottom departed Paul Brett's Sage after the release of the band's eponymous debut album, and with her went the haunting flute that gave much of the album such a rich, pastoral sound. But the band was already moving in a new direction, exploring rock's roots and the genre's many permutations. Jubilation Foundry welds Sage's varied influences onto their sleeves, from "Cottage Made for Two," an homage to the Everly Brothers, to the gospel fired "Help Me Jesus" and the Stax inspired "Hold My Hand Mother." There are tributes to Southern blues and Southern rock, nods to singer/songwriters Cat Stevens and Harry Nilsson, and even a tip of the hat to the Beatles. With the group here sporting rich harmonies, the emphasis is on great songs in a variety of musical veins and moods, with singalong choruses, memorable melodies, and flashy musicianship evident throughout the album.

Hailing from the mist-clad highlands of Scotland, Saor is a band that breathes life into history with their majestic blend of black metal intensity and Celtic folk melodies. Guided by the spirit of Caledonia, Saor's music transcends time, echoing the ancient tales of their homeland. Amidst the melancholy ruins and the grandeur of nature, their latest album, Amidst the Ruins, majestically intertwines the past with the present. From the haunting echoes of Glen of Sorrow that recounts the betrayal of the Massacre of Glencoe, to the forest's whispered secrets in The Sylvan Embrace featuring Jo Quail, each track is a portal to Scotland’s rich heritage. This album is a tribute to the timeless landscapes and ancestral spirits, capturing the soul of a nation in every note…