In this their third volume of orchestral works of Antheil, John Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic present a collection of scores spanning the whole of Antheil’s compositional life. Written in the early 1920s, the First Symphony is full of Antheil’s enthusiasm for the mechanical, and takes strong leads from the prevailing sound of the jazz era as well as a nostalgic look back to its predecessor, ragtime. His ballet score Capital of the World dates from the mid-1950s, and was based on a short story by Hemingway.

Baroque flautist Hugo Reyne’s period band La Simphonie du Marais have been up and running since 1987, based in the charmingly-named La Chabotterie in Vendée, western France. They've built up a sizeable discography but remain little-known in the UK. Hopefully these vibrant, entertaining performances of baroque blockbusters will change that. This Handel disc had me beaming like a toddler gorging on chocolate. Reyne's irreverent-but-respectful approach is signalled by the first track, a collage of nautical sound effects capped by a a trumpet fanfare and a few spoken words. Dive into the “Overture” to Handel's Water Music and relish the mixture of spikiness and warmth, the dotted rhythms suitably incisive. Faster movements have exhilarating bounce and joie de vivre. Horns and trumpets are just raucous enough, and there's some lovely flute and oboe work from Reyne and Christian Moreaux.

Alan Curtis has done more than most to prove that many of Handel's 42 operas are first-rate music dramas – his Admeto, from 1977, was one of the first complete recordings of a Handel opera to feature period instruments and all voices at correct pitch without transpositions – but it is surprising to note that this is his first recording of an undisputed popular masterpiece. Rodelinda, first performed in February 1725, is a stunning work dominated by a title-heroine who remains devoted to her supposedly dead husband Bertarido and scorns the advances of his usurper Grimoaldo.

One Grass Skirt To London is an 8,200-kilometer journey from Malawi to London, where the singer emigrated to as a teenager. Not only was it a geographical and temporal journey but also a musical one. Though most of all, it was a sentimental one, since the 14 songs carefully chosen for this album are so precious to her because of the memories they contain. Almost all are taken from film soundtracks, from “Everybody’s Talkin’” from Midnight Cowboy to “Take My Breath Away” from Top Gun, you find “Pure Imagination” from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as well as “Here On My Own” from Fame. All of them possess an unique power to evoke an emotion through their music that has shaped her identity, helped overcome trials, and bloom as an artist…

From the sixteenth century to the present day, fantasias have developed from improvisatory and virtuosic works for lute, to extended and elaborate works for ensembles, solo keyboard instruments and full orchestra. The dazzling array of works featured in this album showcases how composers have delighted in allowing their creativity and imagination to take precedence over conventional styles and forms.

Werner Haas was a German pianist especially known for his interpretations of French repertory, particularly the works of Debussy and Ravel. But his performances of music by Chopin and Beethoven were also highly praised and his repertory was quite broad, extending to Prokofiev and Kabalevsky. He was better known in Europe than in the Americas, where he never concertized. His many admirers assert that had his life not been tragically cut short, he would likely have achieved recognition as one of the finest pianists of his time. Haas was born in Stuttgart on March 3, 1931. He exhibited unusual talent as a young child, though the pianist himself was reluctant to claim he was extraordinarily gifted. Still, he might have developed even sooner but for the exigencies brought on by the war in his homeland. He enrolled at the Stuttgart Academy of Music in 1947, where he took instruction on piano from Lilli Kröber-Asche, who was known for her Mozart interpretations. Shortly after leaving the Stuttgart Academy in 1954, he traveled to Saarbrücken for two years of study with Walter Gieseking, whose interest in the music of Debussy may well have steered Haas toward the French master's works. It was during this time that he launched his career with a critically well-received recital (1955) in his native Stuttgart.

Musica Antiqua Köln Reinhard Goebel founded Musica Antiqua Köln in 1973. The ensemble devoted itself to playing Baroque music on period instruments, with a particular penchant for playing neglected or overlooked repertoire. Many of their best albums have sold well without featuring music by well-known composers.

Stephen Kovacevich A highly regarded pianist featured in the Philips label's Great Pianists of the 20th Century series, Stephen Kovacevich is particularly known for his original approach to the standard classical repertoire. Prominent in his repertoire is the music of such composers as Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Grieg, Brahms, and Bartók, but he is also an acclaimed interpreter of contemporary music, including Tippett's Piano Concerto and Richard Rodney Bennett's concerto (which was dedicated to Kovacevich).

Between 1990-1993, Bonnie Tyler based herself in Germany and released three highly successful albums, 'Bitterblue', 'Angel Heart' and 'Silhouette in Red', none of which were released in the UK. This fine compilation includes the title tracks of all three albums ('Bitterblue' was also a single, which was a huge hit in Germany), all of the singles released from this period, carefully selected album tracks, a new song 'Back Home', and her classic '70s hits 'Lost in France' and 'It's A Heartache', included as a bonus tracks for good measure.

Pay attention to the "raw" designation in RAW: That Little Ol' Band from Texas, the 2022 album that purports to be the soundtrack to the 2019 documentary That Little Ol' Band from Texas. Within the movie is a segment capturing ZZ Top playing a show at Gruene Hall, famously hailed as "the oldest continually run dance hall in Texas." That set is presented here on RAW: That Little Ol' Band from Texas, an album that winds up being a more valuable document than expected thanks to the fact that it captures the classic lineup of ZZ Top playing a bunch of down-and-dirty blues just a few years before the passing of bassist of Dusty Hill in 2021.

Recorded live in East Rutherford, N.J. on July 17th, 1994 at the Giants Stadium.

Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the release of an expanded 2CD re-mastered edition of the classic 1977 album A Major Fancy by Barclay James Harvest guitarist and vocalist John Lees. Although originally released in 1977 by EMI’s Harvest label, the album was recorded between December 1972 and January 1973 at Abbey Road studios and Strawberry Studios in Stockport. Produced by Wally Allen of the Pretty Things, the album sessions featured a host of notable guest musicians including Eric Stewart and Kevin Godley (of 10cc), Skip Allen (Pretty Things), Gordon Edwards (Pretty Things) and Rod Argent (Zombies & Argent). The sessions for A Major Fancy also gave birth to the classic Child Of The Universe along with impressive material such as Untitled No. 1 - Heritage, Long Ships, Witburg Night and Kes (A Major Fancy)…

The ultimate live album from the masters of Polish prog. Recorded in June 2024 in Warsaw, ‘Live ID.’ is the culmination of the ‘ID.Entity’ cycle, with 12 tracks totalling over 110 minutes. Live ID. not only features thrilling performances from Riverside's latest and most acclaimed studio album, which made it into the major international Top Albums charts, but also revisits catalogue favourites such as ‘#Addicted’, ‘Panic Room’ and ‘Conceiving You’.

Opening Remarks is the first of just a handful of recordings Ted Dunbar made as a leader, as he delayed committing to a full-time music career until giving up his pharmacy practice in 1972. While Dunbar is a better-than-average guitarist, it is his writing that makes this album worth acquiring. He couldn't have better accompaniment to make his first LP, with Tommy Flanagan on piano, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Leroy Williams. Although the session consists exclusively of originals, the musicians seem to work through Dunbar's charts effortlessly. Highlights include the bittersweet but mellow ballad "Hang in There," the breezy "Lazy Lane" (a barely disguised reworking of the chord changes to "On Green Dolphin Street"), and the loping bossa nova "Tonal Search." This long unavailable LP is well worth tracking down.

This album by the Helsinki Baroque Orchestra playing on period instruments under the direction of Aapo Häkkinen includes Ludwig van Beethovens complete incidental music to Goethes Egmont. This complete music includes parts sung by soprano Elisabeth Breuer as well as spoken texts narrated by Robert Hunger-Bühler.