Gidon Kremer returns to the Yellow label after more than a decade with the brand new reference recording of Philip Glass Second Violin Concerto "The American Seasons". The album also features works of Arvo Pärt and Giya Kancheli two composers both closely associated with Gidon Kremer, and who are both set to celebrate milestone 80th birthdays this year. Gidon has added the short piece by the well-known Japanese film composer Shigeru Umebayashi as a tribute to his Japanese friends.

"Janárceková's intellectually unpretentious expressionist music never runs the risk of becoming cliche-infected: her will to express herself and her awareness of fragmentariness combine in a subtle sensuality of sound. At every moment the music seems to be 'appropriate': far removed from triviality, and away from fashionable contemplative platitudes." (Dirk Wieschollek) The Slovak Quasars ensemble's conductor Ivan Buffa also doubles as the piano soloist with the Bamberg Symphony in the piano concerto of Viera Janárceková, who surely must be counted as one of the most distinguished female voices in today's European composition landscape.

Gidon Kremer and Mario Brunello pay tribute to Beethoven by presenting two of his most famous quartets in a version for string orchestra played by Kremerata Baltica. The ensemble's founder Gidon Kremer directs op.131 from the violin, while Mario Brunello conducts op.135 and adds two contemporary pieces, one by Léo Ferré, the revolutionary, anarchic, inspired singer-songwriter and great lover of Beethoven : Muss es sein? Es muss sein!