Italian late Renaissance composer Giulio Caccini (1551-1618) was not only one of the most famous composers of his time but also an exceptionally gifted singer. "Dolcissimo sospiro" presents a fine selection of strophic arias and madrigals from Caccini's "Nuove Musiche". Singer of those "sweetest sigh", Roberta Invernizzi, is one of the most sought-after sopranos in the field of Early Music. The Accademia Strumentale Italiana, an ensemble specializing in Early Music, has performed extensively in Italy, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria and Germany and has been invited to several international festivals. This recording received the Midem Award for the Best Recording of Early Music in 2007.

There are not a lot of recordings of the 1887 edition of the 8th. Of those, the selection of actually good (i.e. not marred by performance or recording problems) is even smaller. Out of the small number of recordings of this edition, this is in my opinion the best. The fast movements are paced just right (fast but not too fast), and the slow movement is not too ponderous. The playing is top-notch, with a particular nod to the horns and low brass, and the interpretation is fiery and not too reserved.

For all the lovely recordings of the Mozart Requiem, KV 626 - and there are many fine ones that run the gamut of 'authoritative/authentic' performances to richly robust and romantic versions that ring the halls with operatic grandeur - this 1995 recording with William Christie conducting Les Arts Florissantes is one that is so richly rewarding to return to for its delicate yet soulful sincerity. The instruments are in keeping with the instruments of Mozart's time, and the choral technique is more straight toned than other more modern choruses. The soloists - Anna Maria Panzarella, soprano, Nathalie Stutzmann, alto, Christoph Pregardien, tenor, and Nathan Berg, bass - are all excellent, both as individuals and in quartet and combinations.

This knockout CD of Vivaldi motets is a thrilling ride. They are scored for soprano and strings and show the wonderful variety of effects Vivaldi had at his disposal (faster, more dramatic arias use the metaphor of a ship in storm-tossed seas, searching for calm winds and safety): in other words, the same stuff he uses in his operas. But here, because these motets are religious in nature, it is the soul in flux that is wishing for God, or a saint, to guide it. Vivaldi will use the lower strings to give the feeling of menacing weather while the singer navigates through outlandishly difficult coloratura (fast runs, octave leaps, high stacatto effects); conversely, each motet also contains a slow, introspective aria which requires a long, soft vocal line.

This album features the seldom-played Second Version of the Italian Symphony, and the seldom-played first version of the Violin Concerto. Both are played by the superb early music chamber orchestra, Capella Savaria, conducted by Nicholas McGegan. Zsolt Kalló is the superb violin soloist.

"…a performance full of character and joy. It bristles with energy without adopting extreme tempos; period instrument sonorities refresh even that over-exposed Wedding March."

— BBC Music Magazine

"…[The] 'Serenata a tre'…is brimming with energy and melodic invention, every aria a delight. The three singers give sparkling performances and London Baroque dispatches the brightly variegated score with much aplomb…"

–BBC Music

"Never was there a more complete triumph - never a more thorough and speedy recognition of a great work of art." This was the response of the critic in the London Times to the wildly successful premiere of Felix Mendelssohn's Elias in 1846. Hans-Christoph Rademann began his tenure as Principal Conductor of the RIAS Chamber Choir with this groundbreaking oratorio. After eight productive and successful years, his final concert in July 2015 also featured the work.

Gregor Werner (1695-1766) began directing the fortunes of the Esterházy court band, the Hofkapelle, on 10 May 1728. He was an industrious man. Forty Masses, three Requiems, three Te Deums, four Offertories, twelve Vespers, twelve Good Friday oratorios, approximately eighteen oratorios, a hundred and thirty-three antiphons and a multitude of instrumental pieces and minor works testify to his fertile creative spirit.

Nikolaus Harnoncourt The Complete Sony Recordings brings together for the first time Harnoncourt s complete recordings from 2002-2015 with his Concentus Musicus Wien, the Wiener Philharmonike, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and the Symphonieorchester des Bayrischen Rundfunks. The Sony Classical edition features his famous symphony recordings of Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and Bruckner, alongside his celebrated performances of great choral works such as the Verdi, Brahms and Mozart Requiems and Haydn's Die Schöpfung, as well as Mozart's opera Zaide, Haydn's Orlando paladino and Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. Also included are previously authorized but unreleased recordings of J. S. Bach s Cantatas Nos. 26 & 36, Beethoven's Christus am Ölberge and Dvorák's Stabat Mater.

Singing together binds us together. From the Protestant Reformation in Europe during the 1500s to the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, there have been countless moments in history when songs have united nations, cultures and causes. This is still the case in todays world. Finding Harmony is evidence that music has always been our common language. A unique collection of pieces that span the globe including music thats too often forgotten each song is the key to a powerful true story about who we are and how weve got here. Together, Finding Harmony proves how deeply we can be moved by all kinds of stories when songs connect us to them, and to each other.

The Leçons de Ténèbres (Lessons of Darkness) became a favourite theme for musical compositions in the middle of the 17th century. Michel Lambert was the first French musician to compose a cycle in 1662, quickly followed by Charpentier and Lalande. But the most famous - and the first to have attracted the public of today and to be recorded - are those of François Couperin, dated 1714.

Barthold Heinrich Brockes’ text for the passion oratorio, later named after him, is among the best-known Passion librettos of the early 18th century. This version is the first recording on CD of the work based on the copy made by J S Bach himself. It is distinguished from the better-known version by a different text for the opening chorus.

Cardinal Wolsey – a flamboyant patron of the arts – founded Cardinal College, Oxford, in 1525, establishing a choir that was both larger and more accomplished than King Henry VIII’s own. Following Wolsey’s notorious fall from grace in 1529, Cardinal College was renamed Christ Church and the present-day Cathedral choristers pay tribute to its first master of music, Richard Pygott.

Following the success of the Weinberg Symphonies 2 & 21 with conductor Mirga Grazinyte-Tyla, Deutsche Grammophon now features chamber music by Mieczysław Weinberg under the direction of Gidon Kremer.
Included among others are his “Three Pieces for Violin and Piano”, which Weinberg completed in the winter of 1934/35 when he was only 15 years old and had not yet received any compositional training. What connects Weinberg’s works is not only their compositional perfection, but above all their constant commitment to beauty. It is a confession that in Weinberg’s music is above all pain and suffering.