The terrible Atalia, having eliminated the entire royal family in order to secure her power, reigns mercilessly over Jerusalem. But seven years later, the High Priest, determined to put an end to her tyranny, joins forces with General Ormano and the wise old Nourrice to bring little Joas, the only survivor of the massacre, to the throne. Emmanuel Resche-Caserta and the Ensemble Hemiolia make Francesco Gasparini's oratorio their own, bringing to life characters in the grip of fury, vengeance and exaltation.

In this masterful recording, Clément Lefebvre invites the listener to immerse themselves in the captivating and visionary world of Alexandre Scriabin.

This year, we celebrate a very special milestone: 10 years of Piano Day!

The works on this album document the development of Bartok's aesthetics from the nationalistic late romantic style of the symphonic poem "Kossuth" and the overtly romantic Four Piano Pieces to the folk-infused Sonatina and the ebullient Piano Sonata (there are two surviving early sonatas) composed in 1926, and which is in his mature style.

Marco Serino, for 20 years Ennio Morricone’s chosen violinist, is closely associated with Baroque music – which he has explored with specialists like Sigiswald Kuijken, Riccardo Minasi, Christophe Coin and Francesco Cera – and in particular with the music of Bach.

The fruit of passionately commited research exploring mainly pre-baroque and baroque repertoire, the ensemble, formed in 2015 at the initiative of lutenist Albane Imbs, has a permanent core of four women musicians, with guest artists according to the nature of each project.

It's not surprising that Lou Reed finds a kindred spirit in Edgar Allan Poe. The godfather of punk's early ambition was to bring the darker elements of great literature–decay, death, and decadence–to rock & roll. The Raven was born following a spoken-word performance of Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" during which Reed "came to understand it in a way I never had before." Accordingly, The Raven may strike Reed's longtime fans in a way the artist never has before. Although dark, the music is stylistically all over the place–from Velvet Underground-like rock instrumentals to actor Steve Buscemi's creepy lounge-lizard take on the anti-showbiz "Broadway Song," to moments that recall such diverse past Reed ventures as Metal Machine Music and the Bells. He even reprises two classics–"Perfect Day" and "The Bed" from Transformer and Berlin, respectively – in almost unrecognizable forms. Ornette Coleman and David Bowie drop in, and actors read text in which Reed mixes Poe's poems and stories with his own words. The opium references are surely Poe's; the explicit images probably all Reed's. It's hard to tell, though; the blend's that good. – Bill Holdship

Zoltán Kodály was influential not only as a composer and an educator, but in establishing a national Hungarian musical tradition that included a profound respect for its folk music.

Krzysztof Meisinger was born in 1984. In the opinion of many critics and music lovers from around the world, Krzysztof is one of the most fascinating and charismatic classical guitar players.

Ronaldo Miranda is a multi-award-winning Brazilian composer with works commissioned by leading artists and institutions. His music is regularly performed in prestigious venues in Brazil and around the world.

Ferdinand Ries occupies a remarkable place in the history of music. He was famously a friend and pupil of Beethoven and a virtuoso pianist.

Barthold Heinrich Brockes was an influential German poet who added reflective and descriptive poetry into the texture of his Passion.

The celebrated trio of Richard Galliano (accordion), Jan Lundgren (piano), and Paolo Fresu (trumpet) return with Mare Nostrum IV, the highly anticipated continuation of their iconic collaboration.

Leszek Możdżer, Lars Danielsson, and Zohar Fresco celebrate 20 years as one of jazz’s most celebrated trios with Beamo—an album that reaffirms their artistry while boldly venturing into new tonal territory.

On Perfect Happiness, Nils Vigeland focuses his attention on an instrument that has been the center of his musical life for decades, the piano.