VARIOUS / KROMOS - 21ST-CENTURY GUITAR MUSIC

Opening the disc are Kromos by Sebastian Fagerlund and Solo XI by Kalevi Aho, two pieces that in technical terms come close to the limits of what is possible on the guitar, but with a completely convincing musical logic.

ZEMLINSKY - SINFONIETTA OP. 23; 6 MAETERLINCK-SONG

“Just heard your wonderful Sinfonietta: hope it is the beginning of your American success,” wrote Arnold Schönberg to Zemlinsky. But Zemlinsky suffered a stroke and died some days later on, lonely in New York.

BRAHMS - PIANO CONCERTO NO. 2

The second album in Lars Vogt’s Johannes Brahms concerto series with the Royal Northern Sinfonia includes Brahms’ 2nd Piano Concerto combined with a solo piano work, Handel Variations Op. 24, which was dedicated to Clara Schumann by the composer.

BIG VICIOUS

“We’re all coming from jazz, but some of us left it earlier”, Avishai says, summing up the stylistic reach of his cohorts. “Everyone’s bringing in their backgrounds, and that becomes part of the sound of the band.”

MUSIC OF JAPAN

Performing traditional Japanese music on traditional instruments, Yamato Ensemble honors the legacy of Myoonten. Myoonten (also known as Benzaiten) is the goddess of learning, of beauty, of the arts, of eloquence.

SHOSTAKOVICH - SYMPHONY NO.11 'THE YEAR 1905'

The Symphony No. 11 in G minor by Dmitri Shostakovich was written in 1957 and premiered, by the USSR Symphony Orchestra under Natan Rakhlin, on 30 October 1957.

STEP UP

“We knew when we went into the studio, we were going to make the best record that we could make – the best album of our career. And we did. We took it to another level.” (Emilio Castillo)