Vengerov's formidable musical genius and commitment have brought him the highest musical prizes and a huge army of fans along the way. Living the Dream, which began filming November 2004, traces the hectic jet set life of the 30 year old master violinist, appearing in concert and recital across the globe. It takes us from his last concert at the end of 2004 in Istanbul, through his return to his childhood home in Novosibirsk in the depths of a Russian winter, to his premiere performance of a brand new commissioned concerto in Hannover. During this time he is working and preparing for the new concerto, composed by Benjamin Yusupov, which involves him playing viola, improvising rock on an electric violin, and dancing the Tango to the last movement.

Handel’s cantatas can be divided into two groups, those accompanied by continuo and those that add one or more obbligato instruments or a full orchestra. On disc 1, Jochen Kowalski sings five cantatas, one orchestral and four continuo. Kowalski has an attractive countertenor voice, not hooty or hollow sounding. He is adept at coloratura, and his voice is strong throughout its range, aside from a couple of high notes. He does not display much emotional range, but the cantatas he chose are not particularly dramatic and thus do not require it. Tasteful ornaments are added to da capos. The accompaniments are good. The orchestral cantata, Splende l’alba in oriente, is only available in one other currently available performance, by Gerard Lèsne on Virgin, a recording I have not heard.

This recording, made in 1969, presents Ricther's chorus of 80 and orchestra using modern instruments, considered truer to Bach's spirit at this time than the large-orchestra oratorio style It is great to see a large chorus of everyday citizen singing Bach with such fervor. Filmed in the lovely baroque-style Klosterkirche in Diessen, about 25 miles southwest of Munich, this is a wonderful representation of Richter and Bach.

Andrés Torres Segovia, 1st Marquis of Salobreña (February 21, 1893 – June 2, 1987), known as Andrés Segovia, was a Spanish classical guitarist from Linares, Jaén, Andalucia, Spain. He is widely considered to be one of the finest classical guitarists of the 20th century - and one of the founders of what we now consider "Classical Guitar"

An exclusive Teldec recording artist for nearly 40 years, Nikolaus Harnoncourt has enjoyed one of the longest relationships with a single recording company. His outstanding achievements have been recognized with numerous awards: the Ernst Von Siemens Music Prize (1974), the Erasmus Prize (1980), the Hans Georg Nageli Medal (1982), and the Joseph Marx Music Prize (1982). In addition to his work with the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, Ton Koopman is also chief conductor of the Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra.

Tenor saxophonist Harry Allen and pianist Larry Goldings teamed up in the studio on this 12 track collection from the Cafe Society label. While they have played on each other's dates, this is their first full length collaboration. Both men are dedicated in a similar manner to paying homage to swing era melodies and mainstream jazz of the 40s and 50s. For this date, the duo bring several romantic themed originals into the musical fold, one from Allen "I Can See Forever," and eight by Goldings including a re-visit of "Slo Boat," which first appeared on his Whatever It Takes CD. The mood is relaxed yet not moribund. Case in point, Goldings' composition "Benny's Dream," with strings arranged by Vince Mendoza,is heartfelt but doesn't succumb to weepy sentimentalism.

Larry Young, one of the most significant jazz organists to emerge after the rise of Jimmy Smith, is heard on this limited-edition six-CD set at the peak of his creativity. Formerly available as nine LPs, the set includes the original Larry Young albums Into Somethin', Unity, Of Love and Peace, Contrasts, Heaven on Earth, and Mother Ship, while drawing from the compilations 40 Years of Jazz, The History of Blue Note (Dutch), The World of Jazz Organ (Japanese), and The Blue Note 50th Anniversary Collection Volume Two: The Jazz Message, and also including guitarist Grant Green's Talkin' About, Street of Dreams, and I Want to Hold Your Hand. Young was still very much under Smith's influence on the first four sessions released as Talkin' About, Into Somethin', Street of Dreams, and I Want to Hold Your Hand (all featuring a trio with Green and drummer Elvin Jones plus guests Sam Rivers or Hank Mobley on tenor and vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson).

More than any other improvising artist during the past 45 years,the pianist/composer/bandleader Dave Brubeck (b. 1920) has expanded the rhythmic boundaries of Jazz, while creating a body of work that is notable for its consistent levels of melodic content and harmonic invention. Recorded between 1959 and 1965, this five-disc set captures the Brubeck quartet, featuring the floating alto saxophone of Paul Desmond (composer of the million-selling "Take Five"), at the peak of their powers.