Written for The Tallis Scholars, Ikon of Light is scored for double choir and string trio, heard from a distance. The sonorous choral textures have a strongly mystical spirit which radiantly expresses the Greek concept of light.

SOMM Recordings is delighted to announce Hush!, the second release by the extraordinary voices (BBC Radio 3) of female quintet Papagena following their internationally acclaimed, Amazon classical chart-topping debut, The Darkest Midnight (SOMMCD 0189). Hush! unearths a treasure trove of songs largely neglected on disc to deliver a stunning follow-up to The Darkest Midnight. Where it hymned the cold, harsh glamour of sun-starved winter, Hush! playful, poignant, poetic and primed with the expectation of joy celebrates the warmth and light of love.

L'Office de la supplication en l'honneur de la Sainte Mère de Dieu, dit office de la Paraclisis, est l'un des plus beaux que compte la liturgie byzantine, au même titre que l'hymne acathiste. Chanté en arabe et en grec, il est ici interprété dans la plus pure tradition orientale d'Alep en Syrie.

Before the Golden Age of Americana on Record, immigrants from the dissolving Ottoman Empire were singing their joys and sorrows to disc in New York City. The virtuosic musicians from Anatolia, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Levant living in the U.S. who recorded between WWI and the Depression are presented here across two discs along with a third disc of masterpieces they imported as memories on shellac-and-stone. The intermingled lives and musics of Christians, Jews, and Muslims represent Middle Eastern culture as it existed within the U.S. a century ago.

Eleni Karaindrou has been active for more than three decades as a film composer, creating scores for Weeping Meadow, Eternity and a Day, Voyage to Cythera, and other projects. Elegy of the Uprooting (1982-2004) is a large-scale work for voice, choir, and orchestra, in which themes from Karaindrou's soundtracks and incidental music for the theater are brought together in a more unified format. This live 2005 concert presentation from Athens is as much a retrospective celebration of Karaindrou's artistry as it is an extended cantata-symphony on the theme of dislocation and the plight of refugees, so listeners at first may feel some confusion in how to appreciate the album. Furthermore, fans of ECM's New Series may find that this music is rather conventional, compared to the avant-garde fare the label regularly features…

Christina Pluhar and l'Arpeggiata invite you on a musical cruise that will take you from Portugal to Turkey, following the coasts of Spain, Catalonia, Greece, and Italy, caressed by the rocking of the waves and the captivating dialogue between traditional plucked instruments of the Mediterranean region the qanun, saz, Greek lyre and lavta, the oud and Portuguese guitar and the Baroque strings of l'Arpeggiata.

The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack from the movie Maria, directed by Pablo Larraín, written by Steven Knight, which delves into the tumultuous final days of the iconic opera singer in 1970s Paris, interpreted by Angelina Jolie.

"666" by Aphrodite's Child, released in 1972, is a landmark in the realm of progressive rock, hailed as a daring and innovative concept album even by prog-rock standards. This ambitious double album, spearheaded by Vangelis and lyricist Costas Ferris, explores themes from the Book of Revelation, blending rock, jazz, and world music with avant-garde experimentation. The album’s unique blend of electronic effects, intricate guitar solos, and the evocative vocal performances of Demis Roussos pushed the boundaries of 1970s rock music. Though "666" faced some controversy and initial resistance due to its unorthodox themes and length, it has gained a cult following and is now considered a classic in the progressive rock genre. While it did not achieve commercial success upon release, its legacy as a masterpiece of experimental rock has only grown over time.

The fame and legacy of Maria Callas are nearly unsurpassed in the modern history of opera. Her fame has transcended the usual boundaries of classical music, and she has been the inspiration for several movies as well as the successful Broadway play "Master Class." Her extensive catalogue of recordings remains among the most coveted and controversial for both her fans and detractors.

Euripides wrote The Trojan Women in 415 B.C., but his tragic play about the aftermath of the fall of Troy continues to resonate many centuries after it was first performed. Eleni Karaindrou, best know for her film scores for Ulysses' Gaze and Eternity and a Day, composed this score for a 2001 production of The Trojan Women after being struck by the parallels between the ancient Greek story and the recent situation in the Balkans. Although she chose to use various folk instruments from around the Mediterranean, such as the lyre, an ancestor of the modern violin; the lauto, a Greek form of the lute; and the ney, an end-blown flute, her stark compositions are not folkloric recreations. Instead, she blends the ancient timbres of the instruments with a vocal chorus to create a sound that is not quite modern but not archaic either. Perhaps the best word to use in describing Karaindrou's austere, beautiful music is timeless.

This fascinating collection was put together by archivist Christopher Wagner, who assembled these vintage 78 rpms recorded between 1922 and 1959 by all manner of emigrant musicians – each addressing the hopes, dreams, fears and confusions of starting a new life in a new world – into an amazing statement on diversity. Some 50 million people migrated from Europe to America in the 19th century, with millions more coming from the Far East, the West Indies, and points in between, all putting to the test the melting pot theory of American democracy, a theory that is, in many ways, still being tested. Consisting of selections by Irish string bands, Scandinavian folk ensembles, ragged street corner calypso orchestras, conjunto bands and so much more, Stranded in the USA holds a mirror to a vital period in U.S. history, and also sheds light on a nascent recording industry trying anything and everything to reach pocket audiences, a process that is difficult to imagine in a contemporary setting full of corporate multimedia giants more intent on selling culture than reflecting or serving it. This truly is the sound of America singing. Kudos to Trikont Records, a German label, for recognizing the importance of these tracks.

Le Edits - Dimitri From Paris' home of luxurious and beautifully crafted Disco reworkings has returned! This time a very special and thoughtful project is in the works, an extra-special collection looking back over the first offerings of this very unique contemporary Disco label. The first 5 releases, all now long gone and sold out across the globe and fetching high collectors prices in the used marketplace, will now be compiled into a very limited collected boxset for those who missed them the first time around. With such a high demand, the call for represses on all of the Le Edits titles has been loud and clear from record collectors and Disco aficionados worldwide, so it seemed only right to make something special and out of the ordinary! Dimitri, as a life-long record fiend himself, has made sure the original 12's were not repressed while presenting this extremely in-demand music in a desirable, distinctive, individually numbered package complete with a high quality Le Edits screen-printed tote bag.

Born in 1661 in Hohenkirchen, Thuringia, Georg Böhm, together with his contemporaries Pachelbel and Bruhns, belongs to the generation after Reinken and Buxtehude. After studying in Jena, he first worked in Hamburg and then as organist at St. Johannis in Lüneburg until his death. Johann Sebastian Bach received lessons from Böhm during his time in Lüneburg. His influence on Bach's early organ works and piano suites can be assumed, but not proven. The French organist Christophe Guida has recorded the first part of Böhm's organ works on Dominique Thomas' large organ in St. John's Church in Wissembourg, Alsace.

For over three decades, Tolis brothers Sakis and Themis have carved a blackened path through the metal world. Architects of the Hellenic black metal, ROTTING CHRIST have been blending histrionic atmospheres, mesmerizing choirs, and neo-classical arrangements for 35 years. Now, the Greek metal legends present their 14th studio album: ‘Pro Xristou’. Translating to “Before Christ” in Greek, this album is a fervent tribute to the last Pagan kings who stood resilient against the Christian tide, safeguarding ancient values and knowledge. Dive deep into the legacies of figures like Flavius Claudius Julianus and Nordic mythological kings through tracks such as "The Apostate" and "Ygdrassil". ‘Pro Xristou’ encapsulates the essence of Rotting Christ's signature style - a melodic symphony with moments of unyielding harshness. Artwork by Thomas Cole (1801-1848), the cover art is 'Destruction', which is part of the painting series 'The Course of Empire'.

The Greek and Roman cultures of classical antiquity have left an indelible mark on European society. The Greek 'muse' is the origin of our concept of 'music', and ancient Greek culture included concert performances with a listening audience, hundreds of years before the rest of the continent.