Composed in 1910, at a time when Szymanowski was influenced by Richard Strauss, Reger and Scriabin, the unusually structured Symphony No. 2 is a work of great power and invention, with many passionate and varied contrasts in its use of solo instruments, in particular the violin. Szymanowski’s Symphony No. 3 ‘Song of the Night’, in which orchestra, tenor and choir are subtly blended in a continuous web of intoxicating sound, is a ravishing setting of a Polish translation of a poem by the great medieval Persian mystic known as Mevlânâ, our Master, Jalāl ad-Dīn, which evokes the mysteries and beauty of a starlit Persian night.

Although Szymanowski later dubbed his First Symphony a “contrapuntal-harmonic-orchestral monster” and disavowed the influence of Wagner, Reger and Richard Strauss (also evident in the opulent Concert Overture), it is an astonishingly powerful work by a composer only in his mid-20s and still enthralls a century after its première. He described his Fourth Symphony as “nearly a concerto” owing to the piano’s prominent rôle, its highly-charged Neo-baroque character inviting comparison with Stravinsky. Szymanowski’s Symphonies Nos. 2 and 3 gained Gramophone Editor’s Choice and 5 STARS for these “deliriously sensual scores” from ClassicFM

"Mund makes a good case for the music, with an especially exciting scherzo in the Romantic Suite and a warmly expressive Intermezzo–a movement sometimes extracted and performed independently…and what a gorgeous piece of string writing it is!" - Classics Today

This is the first complete recording of the revised, two-act version of Billy Budd to appear since the one led by the composer appeared in 1968. A previously un-released "private" recording of the four-act version with the original cast showed up in 1994 and shed great light on Britten's growth and approach to drama, and just two years back, Kent Nagano led the same version with Thomas Hampson in the title role on Erato. This present recording is a stunning achievement and pushes all of the others out of the first place slot.

Technically, this an excellent CD, with calm, assured playing by Rooley and (as always) careful, beautifully-articulated singing by Kirkby. I wanted to like it very much. But there's something inert about it all. Some of the songs are dances but you'd not realise it here, where everything is made elegaic and exquisitely sad. In the end this swamps the songs, flattening them in tone and nuance. It also links maybe to the sound of the CD; I don't think it's got added reverb but, rather, something else in the mixing which makes Kirkby's voice put your teeth on edge; there's a glacial, icing-sugar finish to her tone in this recording. I find it hard to listen to, despite the brilliance of it.

Tafelmusik, Canada’s award-winning orchestra on period instruments, has become an internationally recognized ensemble lauded by Gramophone Magazine as “one of the world’s top baroque orchestras.” Founded in 1979 by Kenneth Solway and Susan Graves, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra has been under the inspired leadership of Music Director Jeanne Lamon since 1981. With its artist-focused mandate and commitment to excellence and innovation, Tafelmusik is actively creating new contexts for the performance of baroque and classical music.

The London Manuscript is an edition of 316 pages now housed in the British Museum in London. The score is in tablature form (which means it indicates the finger positioning, not the notes on a stave) and comprises 237 pieces by Weiss grouped in 26 suites (each has six or seven individual movements), 5 grand duos with flute, and two dozen or so miscellaneous mostly dance movements. Note that Weiss originally did not name his suites as such (he used the term suonata later) but "suite" seems the most appropriate term.

Compilation of works of Glinka, Rossini, Beethoven, Dittersdorf, Couperin and more…

Compilation of works of Zelenka, Poulenc, Gibbons, Biber, Sinding, Villa Lobos and more…

This is the only complete recording of Kellner's lute music that I'm aware of, and it's impossible to resist the its beauty and charm. The music is not as polyphonic or profound as Weiss's work, but Kellner has a wonderful melodic gift that makes this music a joy to listen to. Stubb's performance is just right. The only downsides are that this is a remastered ADD recording from about 1981, so it doesn't have the warmth a more recent recording might, and the disc is only about 43 minutes. They go by quickly but they're worth savoring.