harmonia mundi UK
Classical new releases DISTRIBUTED LABELS: ACCENT RECORDS, ACTES SUD, ALIA VOX, APARTE, BELVEDERE, THE CHOIR OF KINGS COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE, CHRISTOPHORUS, CSO RESOUND, EDITION CLASSICS, EVIDENCE CLASSIQUES, FRA MUSICA, GLOSSA,
harmonia mundi,
HERITAGE, LA DOLCE VOLTA, LES ARTS FLORISSANTS EDITIONS, LSO LIVE, MARIINSKY, MIRARE, MYRIOS, NAÏVE, ONYX, PAN CLASSICS, PRAGA DIGITALS, RCO LIVE, SIGNUM CLASSICS, UNITED ARCHIVES, UNICORN, WIGMORE HALL LIVE
available July 8th 2016, call-off July 1st
JULY 8
RELEASE DATE 8TH JULY 2016
BERLIOZ: Roméo et Juliette Overture to Benvenuto Cellini
Label: LSO Live File Under: Classical/Opera & Vocal Catalogue No: LSO0762 Barcode: 822231176220 Price: 2 FOR 1 Format: 2 hybrid SACD Packaging: cristal Olga Borodina, Kenneth Tarver, Evgeny Nikitin, London Symphony Chorus, Guildhall School Singers, London Symphony Orchestra, Valery Gergiev
Released in the year of Shakespeare’s 400th anniversary, Valery Gergiev and London Symphony Orchestra are joined by soloists Olga Borodina, Kenneth Tarver and Evgeny Nikitin for Berlioz' 'Roméo et Juliette', recorded live at the Barbican Hall in November 2013. Part of a major series of eight concerts, this work toured to venues in the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria and France. A large-scale ‘symphonie dramatique’, 'Roméo et Juliette' was the fruit of the composer’s dual fascination with Shakespeare and with the actress Harriet Smithson, whom he was later to marry. Using the story of the star-crossed lovers as a starting point, Shakespeare’s passion and drama is deftly portrayed through his music, as well as through the abundance of lyrical poetry, written by French poet Émile Deschamps. Grammy-award winning mezzo-soprano Olga Borodina is a star of the Mariinsky Theatre, regularly appearing at major opera houses and with great orchestras around the world. Borodina made her highly acclaimed European debut at Covent Garden, in 1992, sharing the stage with Plácido Domingo in 'Samson et Dalila' – a performance that launched her international solo career as one of the most sought after mezzos for her repertoire. Kenneth Tarver is considered one of the outstanding tenore-di-grazia of his time. He has appeared at the most prestigious opera houses and concert halls around the world specialising in Mozart and challenging, oratorio repertoire. He has appeared on previous LSO Live recordings, notably 'Les Troyens' conducted by Sir Colin Davis. Bass-baritone Evgeny Nikitin trained at the St Petersburg State Conservatory, graduating in 1997. He has been described as "physically, vocally, a complete star" by The Independent. His first solo performances were with the Mariinsky Orchestra and have been followed by invitations to perform across the world. His discography includes other recordings with Valery Gergiev, including 'Parsifal' on the Mariinsky Label. Performance Reviews: "Gergiev was in inspirational form and the LSO embraced his reading of Berlioz’s Roméo et Juliette with skill and energy." The Guardian **** "‘It was on the wildest shores of Berlioz’s music – the frenzied depiction of the crowd descending on the lovers’ tomb and the brawl of the Capulets and Montagues – that the Gergiev magic truly emerged." The Observer **** "Gergiev’s reading was truly operatic… I left in little doubt that Gergiev and his orchestra are as fine a team of representatives as Berlioz could want" Bachtrack**** YouTube trailer link: https://youtu.be/QoU79RQTOS8 Preview track stream: https://soundcloud.com/london-symphony/lso0762-berlioz-romeo-et-juliette-01/s-0XHQL
RELEASE DATE 8TH JULY 2016
Evensong Live 2016 The Choir of King's College Cambridge / Stephen Cleobury
Label: Kings College Cambridge File Under: Classical/Choral Catalogue No: KGS0015 Barcode: 822231701521 MID Price Format: 1 CD Packaging: cristal CONCERTS: 19th June - Aldeburgh Festival / Tallis, Byrd, Britten... 27th June - Cathedral Church of Saint Marie, Sheffield / Fauré Requiem, Bach 17th July - BBC Proms, Royal Albert Hall / Fauré Requiem, Mozart, Haydn ALSO AVAILABLE: KGS0011 EVENSONG LIVE 2015 "sung with the precision and grace that make this choir world famous." The Guardian
Evensong Live 2016 is a selection of the best weekly webcasts recorded during the preceding academic year (2014-15). Real services at King’s College Chapel are recorded using a state-of-the-art recording system concealed in the roof, vestry and organ loft. Microphones are suspended discreetly above the choir stalls, recording each of the choir’s services and performances. This album showcases the best performances during the year, as selected by the choir’s Director of Music, Stephen Cleobury, providing a cross-section of the daily music making at King’s, and capturing the atmosphere and acoustic of the Chapel. It serves as a snapshot of the choir at a specific moment in time and presents evensong as one of the jewels of our national heritage: not a relic, but a living and breathing part of our culture. The choir at King’s performs evensong six times a week, in addition to Sunday eucharist or matins, furnishing the liturgy with music on a daily basis. This tradition has fostered many of the greatest choirs, singers and organists in the world. This selection of music This release joins the label’s other, critically-acclaimed, recordings including: 'English Hymn Anthems', a Gramophone Editor’s Choice; 'Fauré: Requiem', Classic FM Album of the Year 2014; and '1615: Gabrieli in Venice', the first classical album to utilise Dolby’s groundbreaking Atmos technology. At the round earth’s imagined corners - Sir C Hubert H Parry Evening Service in G: Magnificat - Sir Charles V Stanford Valiant-for-Truth - Ralph Vaughan Williams Jubilate - Sir William Walton Iehova, quam multi sunt - Henry Purcell This is the record of John - Orlando Gibbons Laudate nomen Domini - Christopher Tye Drop, drop, slow tears - Kenneth Leighton St John’s Service: Magnificat - Sir Michael Tippett O sacrum convivium - Olivier Messiaen Preview stream: https://soundcloud.com/london-symphony/evensong-live-2016-10-messiaen-o-sacrum-convivium Gloucester Service: Magnificat - Herbert Howells ‘Twas in the year that King Uzziah died - George Benjamin Magnificamus - Francis Grier Vertue - Judith Weir Morning Service (Collegium Regale): Te Deum - Herbert Howells
RELEASE DATE 8TH JULY 2016
SHCHEDRIN: The Left-Hander Specially composed for Valery Gergiev on the occasion of his 60th birthday and now available on DVD and Blu-ray for the first time, Rodion Shchedrin’s 'The Left-Hander' is a comedy of Russians and Englishmen, new technology, old traditions and strong drink. Premiered in July 2013 by the Mariinsky Opera in St Petersburg it received its Western European premiere in 2014 at the Barbican Hall, London. 'The Left-Hander' is a gloriously wry exploration of Russia’s relationship with the West in general and England in particular. Rodion Shchedrin is one of music’s greatest living humorists and his work is laced with pitchblack irony and deadpan wit. Based on Nikolai Leskov’s classical satirical novella of 1881, 'The Tale of Cross-Eyed Lefty From Tula and the Steel Flea', 'The Left-Hander' is a wickedly funny satire, following in the tradition of Gogol and Shostakovich. "This recording is from the first staged performances at the Mariinsky in July 2013 and it fizzes with energy… I enjoyed this hugely." BBC Radio 3 CD Review DISC OF THE WEEK
Label: Mariinsky File Under: Classical/Opera & Vocal Catalogue No: MAR0588 Barcode: 822231858829 NORMAL Price Format: 1 Bluray +1 DVD Packaging: digipack Andrei Popov, Edward Tsanga, Vladimir Moroz, Kristina Alieva, Maria Maksakova, Mariinsky Orchestra & Chorus, Valery Gergiev
"Shchedrin’s scoring is inventive and colourful… Leading the characteristically strong Mariinsky forces, Kristina Alieva entertains with her coloratura as the ornamental insect, and in the title role the lyric tenor Andrei Popov gives a touching performance of a character forced out of his comfort zone." BBC Music Magazine ALEXEI STEPANYUK: STAGE DIRECTOR ANNA MATISON: FILM DIRECTOR ALEXANDER ORLOV: SET DESIGNER IRINA CHEREDNIKOVA: COSTUME DESIGNER ALEXANDER SIVAEV: LIGHTING DESIGNER 1 BLU-RAY & 1 DVD [DOUBLE PLAY] DURATION 119M FILMED AT MARIINSKY II, ST PETERSBURG, JULY 2013 BD50 NTSC 16:9 DVD9 NTSC 16:9 2.0 PCM STEREO 5.1 DTS SURROUND
RELEASE DATE 8TH JULY 2016
Notturno L'Escadron volant de la Reine 'Notturno', the first disc by L'Escadron Volant de la Reine, The Flying Squadron of the Queen: a designation for the ladies-in-waiting recruited by Catherine de Médici, who were given the responsibility of 'diplomacy' [or intrigue] at the court. It is the result of several years' teamwork on Italian music of the late 17th century. L'Escadron Volant, founded in 2012, have chosen to record this Neapolitan repertoire (Caresana, Scarlatti, Veneziano) for its beauty, and because it corresponds exactly to the ensemble's forces. These are pieces for four instrumental parts: two violins, viola and basso continuo, and a vocal part - beautifully sung by Eugénie Lefebvre. They focus on works written for Holy Week, settings of the Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremiah, works of somewhat mystical import that in each case begin with the declamation of a letter from the Hebrew alphabet: Aleph, Beth, Ghimel, Daleth, and so on. The cd booklet comes with a witty insert inviting the listener to take their seat continuing with an introduction to the cabin crew... Fasten your seatbelts: a splendid maiden flight!
Label: Evidence Classics File Under: Classical/Chamber music Catalogue No: EVCD021 Barcode: 3149028092028 NORMAL Price Format: 1 CD Packaging: digipack Eugénie Lefebvre [soprano] L'Escadron volant de la Reine
CARESANA: Lectio Prima del Venerdì Santo a voce sola con violini A. SCARLATTI: Agar et Ismaele Esiliati, Sinfonia avanti l’Oratorio VENEZIANO: Lectio Terza del Primo Notturno del Venerdì Santo a voce sola con violini A. SCARLATTI: Sinfonia a quattro senza cembalo, San Filippo de Neri, Sinfonia avanti l’Oratorio: Allegro – Adagio Lectio Prima Feria V in Coena Domini: Incipit lamentatio, Aleph – Quomodo sedet sola civitas, Beth – Plorans ploravit, Ghimel – Migravit Iudas, Daleth – Viae Sion, He – Facti sunt, Jerusalem convertere DVD teaser here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIJntme-1-0