At just ten years old, Helene Liebmann, nee Riese, made her public debut as a pianist in Berlin, marking the beginning of a remarkable career. Soon thereafter, her first compositions followed - understandably, works primarily dedicated to her own instrument. Shortly after her marriage in 1814, the young artist relocated to London with her husband, where she studied under Ferdinand Ries, a friend and student of Beethoven. During this time, her earliest chamber music works came into being, followed by additional compositions while in Britain, including the two duo sonatas and the first of two piano trios recorded here. These are all elegant and distinctive works, shifting from the spirit of late Classicism toward the Biedermeier era with a delicate Romantic touch, making them both accessible and enduringly appealing to listeners.

"If I had as much melody as you, and you had as much knowledge as I, we would both be great men." These words capture the essence of Georg Joseph Vogler. While his pupil Carl Maria von Weber famously composed countless Romantic classics, Vogler secured lasting recognition primarily through his theories of composition. However, during his lifetime, he was also highly esteemed as a musician, not only in German-speaking regions but also in Paris, London, Rotterdam, Stockholm, and Vienna. His prolific output spanned a wide range of genres, from opera and singspiel to keyboard music, sacred works, and symphonies. His third and final symphony, La Scala, appears to be a direct response to Mozart's "learned" Jupiter Symphony. Though Mozart himself dismissed Vogler as a charlatan, even he was not infallible. Listen and judge for yourself!

The music of GRAMMY-nominated and Latin GRAMMY-winning composer, Roberto Sierra, is performed worldwide and has long been admired for its confluence of Caribbean elements and inventive modernist language. The works on this album cover a decade’s worth of composition and examine crucial concepts – the idea of time in music; creative new applications of sonata form with regard to mood, tempo and character; and evocations of images seen through Latin American eyes. Continuum, directed by Cheryl Seltzer and Joel Sachs, has enjoyed a 40-year friendship with Sierra, receiving dedications and premiering numerous of his compositions.

The view into "infinity" gives freedom! Man lives in his narrow temporal space and, with his mind focussed only on the supposedly 'real' sensory world, grasps only the outside of his being: he loses himself in the multiplicity of things. A feeling for the cosmic interconnectedness of all beings has been lost. In the prison of materialism, man cannot free himself from such polarity - that is why he is ruled by strife, war, egoism, lust for power and possessiveness.

Discover the beauty of classical guitar with Thibaut Garcia, a virtuoso and the perfect ambassador for his instrument. From Spanish melodies to baroque masterpieces, his artistry brings timeless treasures to life. Whether you're a devoted fan or a curious newcomer, this is the perfect chance to experience its magic!

Fritz Wunderlich could be considered the James Dean of the singing world – a young, charismatic performer who suffered a tragic death at the height of his career and abilities, and whose posthumous reputation has grown beyond that which he was able to enjoy during his short life. Considered among the finest Mozartean tenors of his day, Wunderlich embraced a wide repertory that expanded to included the works of Strauss, Schubert, Bach, and Mahler, and he left behind many excellent recordings that have been the primary source of his legacy. Wunderlich (Friedrich Karl Otto) was born in Kusel, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany.

Notker Balbulus, also known as Notker of St Gall or Notker the Stammerer, was a renowned Benedictine monk at the Abbey of St Gall in Switzerland who made substantial contributions to both the music and literature of his time. These include the Liber ymnorum, which forms an important collection of early musical sequences that celebrate special moments in the liturgical calendar. As the ‘very long melodies’ of the liturgical sequences were a formidable challenge to memorise, Notker created these texts as an aid to holding the melodies within the mind and memory. They are performed here by the acclaimed and insightful Schola Antiqua of Chicago.

Monika Abel is a versatile soprano, and her great passion is classical singing. Together with pianist Kathrin Isabelle Klein she creates and presents a distinctive repertoire in which she juxtaposes works from the Romantic period and classical modernism alongside pieces of contemporary music. Her debut album 'Zwischen Himmel und Erde' (Between Heaven and Earth) is also a project close to her heart, a work that emphasises her preference for 20th-century music and which is particularly suited to her warm, lyrical voice.

Darryl Taylor Taylor has sung with the Johann Strauss Sinfonietta, the Mozart Philharmonic, and with Nehring and Burkhardt.

Nobuyuki Tsujii Blind musician Nobuyuki Tsujii was the first Japanese pianist signed to the Deutsche Grammophon label. He received a gold medal at the 2009 Van Cliburn Competition. Tsujii is also a composer of both concert music and film music. He has recorded for various labels and released his Deutsche Grammophon debut, a recording of Beethoven's difficult Piano Sonata No. 29 in B flat major, Op. 106 ("Hammerklavier"), in 2024. Tsujii, sometimes known simply as Nobu, was born in Tokyo on September 13, 1986. He was blind from birth due to eye deformations, but at age two, he picked out the notes do, re, mi on a toy piano and went on to show exceptional talent, beginning formal lessons at four.

Geza Anda Since his death in 1976 at the age of 55, Géza Anda's considerable reputation has faded somewhat from view. But in his heyday he was widely regarded as a transcendent pianist, possessed of a natural technique that gave his performances an intimate quality, even when he was scaling the Himalayan heights of his signature Brahms B flat major concerto. It was with that work that he made his debut in 1939 in Budapest under Willem Mengelberg. Anda was born in 1921 in Budapest; after studying with Imre Stefaniai and Imre Keeri-Szanto, he became a piano pupil of Ernst von Dohnányi at the Royal Music Academy.

In 2020, the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra and the Kaunas State Choir, under the direction of Modestas Pitrėnas, came together at the National Philharmonic Hall in Vilnius for a remarkable recording of Amilcare Ponchielli's opera I Lituani. This project marks the first professional recording of this work, highlighting Ponchielli's significant contribution to 19th-century Italian opera and connecting deeply with Lithuanian heritage. Drawing inspiration from Adam Mickiewicz's poem Konrad Wallenrod, the opera tells the story of medieval Lithuania's resistance against the Teutonic Knights, exploring themes of freedom, national identity, and sacrifice. Ponchielli's rich orchestration and Ghislanzoni's powerful libretto create a dramatic musical experience that has now been captured with vibrant vocal performances and exquisite orchestration in this new recording. I Lituani, which premiered at La Scala in 1874, has long been recognized for its beautiful melodies and emotional depth. This recording revives a significant yet often overlooked masterpiece of Italian opera, offering a fresh perspective on Ponchielli's profound musical and dramatic vision.

Handel’s success with Italian-style opera in London had passed its initial peak by 1729. Lotario – a tale of revenge and heroism based on events in the life of Holy Roman Empress Adelaide of Italy – was the first of a new series of works intended to revive interest and challenge society’s new ‘vile taste’ for satire and light entertainment. Despite being one of Handel’s least-known operas, it displays his renowned talent for writing convincing drama with melodically rich and emotionally charged arias. This live recording is performed on period instruments by the Händelfestspielorchester Halle.

The Norrköping Symphony Orchestra (in Swedish: Norrköpings Symfonieorchester) is one of the leaders among Sweden's crop of regional orchestras. It has spawned the careers of several conductors who went on to international renown. Located in the old industrial city of Norrköping in southwestern Sweden, the orchestra was founded in 1912 and offered well-advertised concerts from the start.

But that isn’t all of the good news. Along with two regular guests, the Rijeka Symphony Orchestra, and thus the Rijeka Opera, also received a new house conductor (Kapellmeister), the young, yet already established Valentin Egel. Maestro Egel, winner of the Lovro pl. Matačić Award, recently conducted the concert “From the New World”. On that occasion, the concert audience could see why the world’s music critics have rated him as a conductor of “special strength and rich interpretation,” who delivers music “emotionally, powerfully, vividly,” and can “awaken emotions in the audience.” Maestro Egel will perform on October 3 in celebration of the 135th anniversary of the opening of the Rijeka theatre building, and will conduct a concert performance of Verdi’s Aida.