New Releases New Year’s Concert 2021: Kodaly / Ligeti: Sonata for Solo Cello Seiji Ozawa: Beethoven – Symphony No. 7 Handel: Choruses Vienna Philharmonic 2-CD Zoltan Kodaly’s later years were Decca Classics announces the Handel was a master of writing The 2021 Vienna Philharmonic dominated by choral works, but release of a new record marking the choruses. To this day, his choral New Year’s Concert was held his early reputation was founded 85th birthday of GRAMMY-winning writing remains some of the most January 1, 2021 under the baton on chamber works, including the Japanese conductor, Seiji Ozawa. recognizable and widely performed of Riccardo Muti in the Golden Hall two masterpieces heard on this Recorded live in 2016/17, Ozawa in the repertoire. This 24-track of the Musikverein in Vienna. After recording – the Duo for Violin and leads the Saito Kinen Orchestra compilation features recordings taken 1993, 1997, 2000, 2004, and 2018, Cello, Op. 7, and the Sonata for Solo in performances of Beethoven’s from The Sixteen’s award-winning this year’s concert marked the 6th Cello, Op. 8. These works are paired Symphony No. 7 and Leonore Handel catalog. These masterful time that Riccardo Muti, whose with Ligeti’s Sonata for Solo Cello, Overture No. 3, also marking works, like the famous “Hallelujah close musical partnership with the a succinct but pivotal work in the the German composer’s 250th Chorus” and “The Lord our enemy has slain” from Esther, are Vienna Philharmonic has now extended nearly 50 years, has composer’s development. birthday year. expertly performed with The Sixteen’s trademark warmth and conducted this prestigious concert event. Taking place without CD# NXS 8574202 $12.98 CD# DEC B003266102 $19.98 precision. a live audience, the concert was broadcast in over 90 countries CD# COO 16180 $18.98 and followed by millions of viewers around the globe. Emerson String Quartet: Schumann Tchaikovsky: Sleeping Beauty 2CD# SNYC 19439840162 $17.98 Here making their Pentatone debut, the Emerson String Quartet presents Sleeping Beauty by Peter Iljitsch Tchaikovsky (1849–1893) is one of the greatest and most iconic ballet New Year’s Concert – Complete Works a recording of Schumann’s three music compositions of all time. Tchaikovsky’s score for Sleeping Beauty runs almost three hours, but 26-CD Set (Extended) string quartets. Written during a rush Kristjan Järvi condensed the ballet into a version lasting around 70 minutes. Kristjan’s thinking when he put together his arrangement is purely musical, which makes the music easy to follow for the listener. In celebration of the 75th anniversary of creativity during the summer of of the greatest media event in 1842, the three quartets marked CD# SNYC 19439786612 $16.98 classical music, Sony Classical the beginning of a six-month period released in 2015 a complete edition wherein Schumann’s best chamber of all the works ever played at works were penned. Ranked among the Wiener Philharmoniker’s New the world’s most renowned chamber Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra Riccardo Chailly: Respighi Year’s Concerts. Performed in the ensembles, the Emerson String Composed at the turn of the 20th The latest in their series of “Golden Hall” of the Musikverein Quartet performs these works century, Strauss’s Also Sprach albums exploring the finest Italian between 1941 and 2015, the iconic with aplomb. Zarathustra and Scriabin’s The Poem composers, Riccardo Chailly and the live performances were issued CD# PTE 5186869 $16.98 of Ecstasy are two thought-provoking Filarmonica della Scalla showcase for the first time in a single box set of 23 CDs. Now, this and extraordinary orchestral works, on this release the works of Ottorino edition is available as a 26-CD extended version, with all 100 Years of British Song, Vol. 1 and they are presented here by Respighi. The album is bookended the new repertoire from the last five years compiled on three This album is the first volume Thomas Dausgaard and the Seattle by the well-known masterpieces additional CDs. in a three-album survey of ‘One Symphony in the brilliant acoustics of “Pines of Rome,” and “Fountains of 26CD# SNYC 19439764562 $69.98 Hundred Years of British Song’ Benaroya Hall. These pieces are full Rome.” Early Respighi rarities are featuring tenor James Gilchrist and of depth and range, showcasing the also featured, including “Aria for Schumann: Romantic Cello Concertos pianist Nathan Williamson. Volume triumph of the human spirit. Strings” and “Leggenda for Violin and 1 spotlights composers who made Orchestra.” Long celebrated for her virtuosic CD# STTL 1025 $16.98 important contributions to the song CD# DEC B003286402 $18.98 and passionate cello performances, repertoire, but their success in Vaughan Williams: Folk Songs, Vol. 1 Raphaela Gromes has always other genres caused their songs Schubert: Piano Sonatas I 2-CD enjoyed a musical treasure hunt. to be overlooked – Gustav Holst, This is the first in a series of four On this release, she presents a Rebecca Clarke, Ivor Gurney, and albums recording all 80 of the folk After the highly acclaimed recording world premiere recording of Julius Frank Bridge. songs in English that Ralph Vaughan of the complete Mozart piano Klengel’s “Cello Concerto,” which Williams arranged for voice and sonatas, pianist William Youn is now has been specially arranged for her. CD# SOMM 0621 $18.98 piano or violin. 57 of the 80 songs devoting himself to a new major The release also features the famous have not previously been recorded project – the complete recording of cello concerto by Schumann, a Romance by Strauss, and duo Wagner at Wahnfried: Thielemann / Nylund in these arrangements, so there is all piano sonatas by Franz Schubert. pieces by Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann, and Brahms. While the legendary Festspielhaus a good deal of unknown – but very On the first album, the pianist spans beautiful – music to be found here. a wide arc from the first to the last CD# SNYC 19075868462 $16.98 remained silent last summer, the Bayreuth Festival marked what This first album has 23 tracks including 15 world premières. It sonata: On the first CD of this album, Brahms: Symphony No. 1 would have been its opening day includes Folk Songs from Sussex (1912) and Six English Folk he starts with the last, the great B flat with a special concert at Haus Songs (1935). major Sonata D. 960 from Schubert’s Maestro Herbert Blomstedt and Wahnfried, once Wagner’s home year of death in 1828. the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig CD# ALBN 042 $18.98 and now a museum devoted to him. present the first fruit of their integral 2CD# SNYC 19439784142 $16.98 DG now presents that performance Bach: Goldberg Reflections 2-CD Brahms symphonies project with a of Wagner at Wahnfried, which Haydn: London Symphony No. 100 recording of the composer’s First Goldberg Reflections is a project includes Siegfried Idyll, performed by Symphony in C minor, alongside his from Niklas Liepe, which combines Two grand classics are presented music director Christian Thielemann, Tragic Overture. Once celebrated new arrangements of Bach’s on this album, and conductor Harry Bayreuth Festival Orchestra as “Beethoven’s Tenth”, Brahms’ timeless Goldberg Variations by Christophers and the Handel and members, the Wesendonck Lieder first attempt at the symphonic Andreas N. Tarkmann with newly Haydn Society showcase them and Finnish soprano Camilla Nylund. genre was generally greeted as the most promising answer composed pieces inspired by the with all the excitement of their first to Beethoven’s legendary legacy, and solidified his musical CD# DGG 003301302 $19.98 Goldberg Variations. Niklas Liepe performance. The Symphony No. 100, reputation. has performed as a soloist with titled ‘Military’, features intense Britten: Peter Grimes SACD 2-CD ensembles all over the world and depictions of the loud, bombastic CD# PTE 5186850 $16.98 This highly commendable has received various prizes in international competitions. As clashes of war. It is paired here with Borodin: Requiem performance of Britten’s 1945 is evident with this 2-disc release, he is always redefining the the much more subdued, but no less borders of classical music. grand, Nelson Mass. Featuring the world premiere operatic masterpiece features recording of Borodin’s unusual Edward Gardner leading a stellar cast 2CD# SNYC 19439778302 $17.98 CD# COO 16181 $18.98 Requiem (which is based on along with the Bergen Philharmonic. the universally familiar melody, This studio recording was made Variations on Folk Songs following the acclaimed production “Chopsticks”) this release showcases A flautist with a passion for traditional music, Anna Besson has already recorded an album of Irish The Philharmonia Orchestra and at Grieghallen, in Bergen, in 2019. “...this is the finest recording of this folk music. For this release, she joins forces with Olga Pashchenko to explore pieces by preeminent Australian conductor Geoffrey Simon. composers inspired by folk songs. Works include Beethoven’s “National Airs with Variations,” Doppler’s Requiem is paired with Glazunov’s opera we’ve had since Hickox. The more I think about it, it may in fact be “Fantaise pastorale hongroise, Op. 26,” Kuhlau’s ‘Variations sur un ancient air suedois’ from Grande orchestration of Borodin’s charming Sonate for piano and flute, and more. Petite Suite. the finest yet.” – MusicWeb CD# AHP 639 $18.98 CD# SIG 2094 $17.98 2CD# CHA 5250 $39.98 4 5 1/800/222-6872 www.hbdirect.com www.hbdirect.com 1/800/222-6872 Classical Favorites Joshua Bell: Bruch – Scottish Fantasy Mieczysław Weinberg: Piano Quintet, Op. 18 Alexandre Kantorow plays Brahms, Kathleen Ferrier in New York GRAMMY Award-winning violinist Joshua Five years after Shostakovich premiered Bartók & Liszt Kathleen Ferrier in New York presents Bell performs and directs the Academy his quintet to turbulent success in 1940, In 2019, at the age of 22, Alexandre historic performances of Mahler and Bach of St Martin in the Fields on this release, his new friend Weinberg premiered one of Kantorow became the first French pianist by the much-loved contralto during her where he records the virtuosic “Scottish his own.