One of those composers whose name you might not be instantly familiar with, but whose music you certainly will be, Italian pianist Ludovico Einaudi has been captivating audiences for the best part of two decades with his beautifully delicate and minimal arrangements, many of which have gone on to become soundtrack staples for everything from costume dramas to TV adverts to Hollywood films. Celebrating his increasingly popular output, Islands: Essential Einaudi compiles the Milan Conservatory graduate's most recognizable pieces, with material from his first solo piano record, Le Onde ("Questa Notte"), right up to 2009's synth-based Nightbook (the gothic cello-led title track), alongside a brand new composition, "The Earth Prelude."

Two names virtually synonymous with the violin in the twentieth century are Fritz Kreisler and Oscar Shumsky. The former was a notable performer in his own right, appearing as soloist in front of most of the world's most prominent orchestras. Today, however, Kreisler primarily lives on through his extensive compositional output, particularly that for the violin. This vast body of work can generally be categorized as being nationalistic, imitative of eighteenth century composers, or arrangements.

Most listeners to 18th century music in the modern era are well familiar with JS Bach, perhaps his sons Karl Philipp Emanuel, Wilhem Friedemann, and Johann Christian, certainly Handel, Vivaldi, and Scarlatti, and perhaps Purcell. In the last 30 years we are fortunate to have been given access through CD recordings to similar music from the enormous host of contemporaries of these masters of the Baroque, and it is constantly astonishing how high the quality of the written music was throughout the 18th century. Surely there were mediocre or perhaps poor composers, but the sheer number of really good ones continues to amaze.

In 1970, Elektra Records released a Doors hits collection called 13. In 1971, the Doors scored two more hits, "Love Her Madly" and "Riders on the Storm," and their lead singer, Jim Morrison, passed away. In 1972, Elektra released a two-LP anthology containing "Love Her Madly" and "Riders on the Storm," along with a lot of album tracks. But there was no single-LP compilation that contained all the Doors' hits, from "Light My Fire" to "Riders on the Storm." This 11-track 1973 album was an attempt to address that problem, and at the time of its release, containing seven of the Doors' eight Top 40 hits (the exception being "The Unknown Soldier"), it was the best Doors greatest-hits collection on the market.

2008 release, the seventh studio album from the Voice AKA Russell Watson. People Get Ready sees the operatic tenor taking a new direction. Backed by Amy Winehouse's band, Watson delivers an album of Easy Listening, Soul and Rock standards and, for the first time, does away with the classical crossover songs that made him a household name throughout the UK. 14 tracks including 'Me & Mrs. Jones', 'Georgia' and 'Papa Was a Rolling Stone'.

"The idea of recording this album was born during the tour of Nightbook, which in its breadth has seen eighty dates between Europe and America, all of which are followed by the audience - told the Einaudi Feltrinelli di Milano - Every concert was different from ' other, because playing live, in situations so exciting, there are growing and new arrangements of songs interesting variations. Throughout the tour I have done nothing but dream about the stage at the Royal Albert Hall, it is a legendary place for every musician. And so finally I decided to record their live concert that, in a double album. "

This isn't French violinist Renaud Capuçon's first outing as a concert soloist; he has released a recording of concertos by Mendelssohn and Schumann, and a disc of concerted works by French composers. This is his first recording of concertos by Mozart, though, and it is as successful as his previous releases. Capuçon's lean tone, lyrical approach, subtle vibrato, and supple phrasing are ideal for Mozart's First and Third concertos, and his ardent but elegant interpretations are virtually perfect. As in his other recordings, Capuçon's playing is both completely in the style of the works and still wholly individualistic, particularly in the cadenzas, which have a sense of improvisatory freedom that entirely suits them.

Denkt man an die Musik des Barock, fallen einem als erstes Namen wie Monteverdi, Vivaldi und Bach ein. Eine Musik, pompös und lebenslustig. Schaut man hingegen auf die Englische Musik dieser Zeit, findet man einen sehr beschaulichen, fast miditativen Stiel vor. Dies verdichtet sich vor allem in der Harfenmusik am englischen Hof. Lawrence-King interpretiert diese Musik mit der nötigen Andacht und vergisst dabei weder die melancholischen Farben der keltischen Ursprünge, noch die Festliche Stimmung eines barocken Hofes.

The second half of an epic recording session Mississippi John Hurt cut for the Library of Congress on July 15th-23rd, 1963 (the first half is available on D.C. BLUES–THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS RECORDINGS VOL. 1), VOL. 2 reveals all the delights of this legendary bluesman. Though his most essential recordings were waxed in the late '20s for OKeh, Hurt's complex, fleet fingerpicking style and gentle, conversational singing were little diminished when the artist was "rediscovered" during the folk and blues revival of the '60s. Over two discs and 37 tracks, Hurt delivers versions of some of his best-known songs ("Nobody's Dirty Business," Stackolee"), spirituals ("Will the Circle Be Unbroken"), and popular songs ("You Are My Sunshine"). Hurt's soothing, pleasant style of rural blues wears particularly well here; VOL. 2 makes an excellent companion to the first Library of Congress set, and would make a fine addition to any blues collection.

Mississippi John Hurt was easily the most accessible of all the 1920s bluesmen rediscovered still alive and in playing condition in the early 1960s. His easy, gentle singing voice and deft guitar picking abilities were still intact and undiminished, and where some of his hard-living contemporaries suffered from alcoholism, Alzheimer's, or just plain crankiness when they emerged into the bright lights of the folk- and- blues- revivals, Hurt projected a calm, unaffected professionalism. The recordings on this two-disc set were made for the Library of Congress Archive of American Folk Song during two sessions on July 15 and 23, 1963.

Stop Making Sense is returning to theaters later this year, and now, the Talking Heads concert film is getting a shiny new soundtrack to go along with it. Rhino is issuing an updated deluxe edition on August 18th, complete with the film’s full setlist as well as two previously unreleased songs.

Denis Pascal and his sons Alexandre and Aurélien are united by a unique bond that can only come from family ties in music, and invite us on a fascinating exploration of Czech music between the 19th and 20th centuries. The national composers gradually emancipated themselves from German influence and infused their aesthetics with the melodies, colors and rhythms of their homeland. Bedrich Smetana was the first to follow this seminal path, and in his Trio op. 15, in which he mourns the death of his beloved daughter in 1855, the darkness is sometimes illuminated by purely Czech colors. In his trio "Dumky" (1891), Dvorák accentuates this tendency brilliantly, with a gripping expressive palette and an admirable perfection of composition. The Elegy by Josef Suk is a tribute to his older brother and also adds echoes of antiquity, not unlike French Impressionism.

They are one of the most famous and frequently performed works of classical music: Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. The Latin title refers to a collection of songs from Benediktbeuren dating from the 11th and 12th centuries with texts written in Middle Latin, Old French and Middle High German. Orff chose 24 of these songs, their topics ranging widely from the volatility of happiness and prosperity to the fleeting nature of life, from the joy of the return of spring to the pleasures and dangers of drunkenness, gluttony, gambling, and lust. In June 2024, at the Palau de la Msica in Valncia, the Orquestra de Valncia, one of the great Spanish symphony orchestras, together with the leading local boys choir as well as one of Spains oldest choirs, Orfen Pamplons, performed this epic work under the musical direction of Alexander Liebreich. They were joined by soloists Sara Blanch, Joaqun Asiin, and Andr Baleiro. The live recording of this lively and captivating concert evening is now available. Recorded live at the Palau de la Msica, Valencia (June 2024).

Re-imagining the fabled tale of a folklore favourite has been the latest creative challenge for Chris de Burgh. The compelling result breathes music and lyrical life into a centuries-old and much-loved classic. The Legend of Robin Hood finds Chris at his imaginative best, re-telling the story with cinematic vision coupled seamlessly to music of emotional depth and power. The concept for the 27th studio album by Chris emerged from his involvement in 'Robin Hood', a stage musical about the infamous Sherwood Forest nobleman and his band of outlaws. Chris was invited to contribute storylines and melodies to the musical, which will be produced later in the year."Since I was writing songs for this," he explains, "I thought 'Why not expand the story and put an album out, too?'"