La Serenissima explore the network of friendships and collaborations that helped bring together German and Italian styles during the Baroque, with concertos by Telemann, Pisendel, Brescianello and others.

Nicholas McGegan has been called a “Handel master” by The San Francisco Chronicle and is considered a foremost Handel interpreter throughout the world. So who better to present the rarely performed Joseph and his Brethren than Nicholas McGegan and Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale? Handel’s unfairly neglected—yet splendid—oratorio depicts the grandeur of Pharaoh’s court in an intriguing plot of familial conflict and mistaken identity. With a cast of favorites including Diana Moore and Nicholas Phan, Nicholas McGegan and his historically informed Orchestra and Chorale present a lively studio recording of the program that delighted audiences and critics alike.

"Brace yourself for some exquisitely dizzy spells, at the hand of Jupiter," the booklet notes here confidently proclaim. The simple album title Vivaldi is confident in its own way, and indeed, among all the thousands of Vivaldi releases on the market, this one by the chamber group Jupiter stands out. There are some exceptionally strong soloists, both vocal and instrumental. Sample Peter Whelan in the lovely slow movement of the Bassoon Concerto in G minor, RV 495, and there is mezzo-soprano Lea Desandre, who is not to all tastes but strongly to some.

‘Brilliant, well-sounding, expressive and always new’ was the verdict of Bach’s first biographer on the six Partitas, a description which applies equally to Angela Hewitt’s wonderful new recording of what Bach designated his ‘Opus 1’. Angela describes a lifetime of living with Bach’s music as ‘a great gift and a lifelong adventure’; an adventure in which we are fortunate to have such an authoritative companion and guide.

lthough Carlo Ambrogio Lonati (1645-1712) was born in Naples he spent the best part of his life in Rome, where he was called “The Queen’s hunchback”, as he was appointed at the Roman court of the Queen of Sweden. Lonati wrote a great number of vocal works, however it was his instrumental music which distinguished him. He himself was a professional singer as well as a violinist. His violin sonatas and trio sonatas are the most important works in this genre before Corelli.

Deutsche Grammophon has created a landmark new edition that offers a cross-section of the great German conductor’s career in all its remarkable creative phases. Wilhelm Furtwängler – Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon and Decca, which commemorates the 65th anniversary of his death on November 30, 1954, comprises 34 CDs and a DVD of his irresistible 1954 Salzburg Festival Don Giovanni performance, as well as in-depth essays and analysis from critic and blogger Norman Lebrecht and broadcaster Rob Cowan. The release is also backed by contextual information and video interviews contributed by critic and blogger Norman Lebrecht.

Francois-Xavier Roth and Les Siècles present a fascinating new interpretation of Mahler's Symphony No.1. It features the first period instrument recording of the 1893-94 version, using a performing edition prepared by musicologists Anna Stoll Knecht and Benjamin Garzia, working in collaboration with Universal Edition. Initially presented as a symphonic poem entitled Titan, the work was met with severe criticism as it developed. This fascinating reconstruction using the composer's Hamburg and Weimar manuscripts testifies to the genius of one of the greatest symphonists of the modern era.

Scarlatti et la mandoline : ce disque propose un rapprochement captivant et inattendu entre l’un des plus importants compositeurs du baroque et un instrument originaire de Naples qui a connu un véritable âge d’or à Paris et dans les capitales européennes au xviiie siècle. Le protagoniste de cet enregistrement est l’ensemble Pizzicar Galante, fondé à Paris en 2012 par la mandoliniste Anna Schivazappa et le claveciniste Fabio Antonio Falcone.

Vocalion favourite Paul Mauriat makes a welcome return with a further two albums, El Bimbo (1975) and Toccata (1973), which presented the complete original stereo and quadraphonic mixes of 24 titles culled from his back catalogue. Originally produced for the Japanese 4DX series, this reissue makes them widely available for the first time.

Silk Baroque presents a musical encounter between Wu Wei and Holland Baroque, performing a programme that ranges from Baroque greats such as Bach, Vivaldi, Telemann and Rameau to Chinese traditional tunes, all tied together by the musicians’ openness to improvisation, experimentation and cultural exchange. Wu Wei plays the sheng, an extraordinary ancient Chinese mouth organ, which looks like a bundle of bamboo reeds cased in a metal bowl. It is a miracle of harmony, melody and rhythmic possibilities, and Wu Wei’s abilities fully bring out the sheng’s beauty: whispering, charming, and compelling. Age-old traditions come together in performances that sound fresh and contemporary. Silk Baroque carries listeners into a lively, enticing and fascinating sound world.