![King Crimson - Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (40th Anniversary Edition) (1973/2023) [High Fidelity Pure Audio Blu-Ray Disc]](https://imghd.xyz/images/2024/05/12/138741_front.md.jpg)
Kirchheimer BachConsort – Christoph Graupner: Solo & Dialogue Cantatas II (2024)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/48 kHz | Time – 01:00:26 minutes | 655 MB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © CPO
For the second Graupner-focused release from the Kirchheimer BachConsort, the ensemble perform solo and dialogue cantatas by this exceptional composer. With his inexhaustible imagination he was able to create cantatas rich in contrasts and with variability, originality, diversified instrumentation, opulence, and drama. The interplay of the vocal and instrumental parts is also a special feature of his music. In the introduction to his Hymnbook published in 1728 Graupner emphasized what in his view was the most important task facing a composer: ‘Edifying words in a song make an even deeper impression on human hearts when the meaning and message of the text, as it were, are vividly presented through the music with carefully considered and select expressions. And this is the noblest thing in every composition in which specific texts and words are prescribed’. In his cantatas Graupner succeeded in employing purposeful musical affections to illustrate and represent the texts. For him there was no difference between secular and sacred music; he knew how to engage in skillful negotiations between these two genres.
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KaJeng WONG – Mostly Bach (2024)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:00:28 minutes | 985 MB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © gingermuse
Born in Singapore in 1986, and currently based in Japan, Wong’s career has from the outset seen him darting back and forth between Asia and Europe. His connection with Germany goes especially deep, beginning in Bamberg at the Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition, where he won first prize in 2016. His first full-time conducting role was just 40 miles away, at the Nuremberg Symphony, serving as their Chief Conductor from 2018 to 2022. Back on his home continent, since 2021 Wong has been closely associated with the Japan Philharmonic, initially as Principal Guest Conductor, becoming their Chief Conductor this year. (Earlier this summer, Wong was also appointed Principal Conductor of The Hallé in Manchester, beginning in autumn 2024.)
However, Wong’s musical path actually began as a performer. “I was very lucky to be in a school with a brass band. I was on the cornet for six years in primary school and then from secondary school onwards, I started playing the trumpet.” For a time, Wong regarded this as a career choice, but an injury forced him to change plans. “I was in the military band for two years. I really wanted to be a professional trumpet player, but I had a nerve injury of my upper lip at the end of my first year. For me to remain in the band I had to be useful – I started composing marches, and once they were composed of course they needed someone to rehearse and conduct them. It was really just serendipity.”
Read more![Sestier Armonico - Bach in Venice (2023) [Official Digital Download 24bit/88,2kHz] Download](https://i0.wp.com/imghd.xyz/images/2023/06/01/fhl0c237ovlma_600.jpg?resize=500%2C500&ssl=1)
Sestier Armonico – Bach in Venice (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 55:48 minutes | 1,07 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Digital Booklet, Front Cover | © Divox
Transcription is a process of readapting a piece for a different instrument from the original one for which it was intended. More than today, this was once a common practice, adopted for various reasons and purposes. This is where, the idea of re-creating new concertos for solo harpsichord and orchestra arose, using the original scores by Antonio Vivaldi and Alessandro Marcello and for the harpsichord part the transcriptions for Klavier by Johann Sebastian Bach. This reworking, made by Giulio De Nardo, is therefore intended to offer on the one hand an opportunity to expand the repertoire for keyboard instrument and orchestra and, on the other hand, an opportunity for today’s listener who, already familiar with the original versions, will be able to appreciate this World Premiere Recording with the colors and nuances of these new sonorities.
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![Laibach - Opus Dei (Remastered) (2024) [24Bit-48kHz] [PMEDIA] ⭐️ Download](https://i0.wp.com/imageurl.xyz/images/2024/05/12/ab67616d0000b2731434e01a0c307b9355c4310f.jpg?ssl=1)
![Schaghajegh Nosrati - Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I (2022) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz] Download](https://i0.wp.com/imghd.xyz/images/2022/08/13/sgx57prx51tja_600.jpg?resize=500%2C500&ssl=1)
Schaghajegh Nosrati – Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I (2022)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:42:38 minutes | 1,64 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Digital Booklet, Front Cover | © CAvi-music
Hailed by Hans von Bülow as the “Old Testament” of music history, the Well-Tempered Clavier has been the object of a substantial amount of publications and research over the past three centuries. A detailed analysis would surpass the limits of a CD booklet and could not do justice to the work’s complexity: readers will thus excuse me for limiting myself to a few personal remarks.
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Emelie Roos, Dohyo Sol – Meetings with Bach (2024)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:07:30 minutes | 1,20 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Proprius
What really happened during those long summer days in Leipzig, when master lutenist Silvius Weiss visited the home of Johan Sebastian Bach? Improvisational duels of excellence, or a more relaxed musical dialogue between friends? Contemporary witnesses recall there being “rare and elegant music played during this time”. We also know that it was during this period that Bach added a congenial upper part to music originally composed by Weiss purely for solo lute, namely his sonata in A Major. This augmentation added a new dimension and perspective onto Leopold Weiss’ already masterful composition, earning it a place in the catalogue of Bach’s works, as BWV 1025. On the CD “Meetings with Bach”, we are also presented with Bach’s second cello suite in Dohyo Sol’s own transcription for lute. Of the encounters with Bach on this colourful recording, we are met with his son, Carl Philip Emmanuel Bach, whose dynamic and frequently eruptive music stands in stark contrast to the more fashionable gallant-style of the time. Lutenist Dohyo Sol, and recorder player Emelie Roos, are both admired virtuosos on their respective instruments, and highly regarded on the Early Music scene- that of the music of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Residing in the small village of Hoor in Skane, Emelie and Dohyo are the founding duo and artistic directors of the award winning and internationally acclaimed ensemble Hoor Barock, along with it’s affiliated festival of the same name. Among the many accolades bestowed on Hoor Barock over the years, we must mention the Swedish Grammy win for their CD ‘Golovinmusiken’. Aside from this recording, Hoor Barock have released three more critically acclaimed cds that have attracted international attention: “Devotion, artistry, esprit and expertise” (Klassik Heute, Germany) “… The performances are so well executed, stylish and sunny” (Gramophone, UK). Despite the fact that Emelie and Dohyo have been performing together for many years, the CD ‘Meetings with Bach’ is their highly anticipated debut recording as a duo.
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Laibach – Opus Dei (Remastered 2024) (1987/2024)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/48 kHz | Time – 55:50 minutes | 689 MB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Mute
Having gained a fair amount of underground attention throughout Europe, particularly in both Germany and England, Laibach made its first attempt at crossing over — in a way — with Opus Dei. An alliance with Mute records led to Rico Conning handling the production, while the group decided to spell out the connections between mega-arena rock & roll and fascist spectacle all the more directly. Two brilliant singles were the end result, the first being “Geburt Einer Nation,” a German-language cover of Queen’s then-recent smash hit “One Vision,” transformed into a Wagner-ian stompalong that remained as catchy as the original but with far more disturbing overtones. Hearing guttural voices talking about “one world, one people” over stomping drums and dramatic horns makes for pure Big Brother nightmares — undoubtedly the point. Arguably even more fascinating was “Life Is Life,” a hippie-ish song by the German group Opus that was reworked by Laibach into two different versions — the German-language “Leben Heisst Leben” and the English “Opus Dei.” Both are amazing, dramatic, and, thanks to some soft keyboards, even beautiful — imagining a strutting, face-to-the-sun group of party members sweeping over the globe with these as accompaniment takes no effort at all. The dumbass metal soloing on the German-language version is especially hilarious. The other tracks on Opus Dei are a mixed but worthy bunch, showing the group trashing stylistic boundaries with more classical/hard rock/martial/dancefloor combinations. The results can be weirdly sweet like the start of “F.I.A.T.” or explosive like “Leben-Tod” or the quick, nervous bombast of “Trans-National,” but they’re all good in their own ways. The CD includes four selections from Baptism as a bonus, that particular recording having not yet been released at the time of Opus Dei’s appearance. – Ned Raggett
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Brad Mehldau – After Bach II (2024)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:06:13 minutes | 1,22 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Nonesuch
The album comprises four preludes and one fugue from the ‘Well-Tempered Clavier’, as well as the Allemande from the fourth Partita, interspersed with seven compositions or improvisations by Mehldau inspired by the complementary works of Bach – including Mehldau’s Variations on Bach’s ‘Goldberg Theme’.
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![Sophie Dervaux, Munich Chamber Orchestra - J.C. Bach & J.M. Haydn (2022) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz] Download](https://i0.wp.com/imghd.xyz/images/2022/12/29/mirvyqvwebpfa_600.jpg?resize=500%2C500&ssl=1)
Sophie Dervaux, Munich Chamber Orchestra – J.C. Bach & J.M. Haydn (2022)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 59:08 minutes | 1,07 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Berlin Classics
With her new album, Sophie Dervaux brings to the fore two composers who have received less attention so far – despite their great surnames Bach and Haydn. For it is not works by “our old favorites” Johann Sebastian and Joseph that the bassoonist has chosen for her third recording on Berlin Classics, but rather Bach’s youngest son – Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782) – and Johann Michael Haydn (1737-1806), Joseph Haydn’s younger brother. Sophie Dervaux has been principal bassoonist of the Vienna Philharmonic and the Vienna State Opera Orchestra since 2015. Previously, she was principal contrabassoonist of the Berlin Philharmonic. As an ambassador for her instrument, she is committed to expanding the repertoire for bassoon by rediscovering works or commissioning new ones. She has been a “Püchner Artist” since 2014 and is passionate about making her instrument even better known.
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Orchestre de la Société du Conservatoire, André Cluytens – Offenbach: Les Contes d’Hoffmann (1964-1965/2022)
SACD Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 02:32:13 minutes | 6,11 GB
Genre: Classical | Publisher (label): EMI / Tower Records Japan – TDSA-230
広く愛され続けるクリュイタンス指揮による古典的名盤を最新復刻。
美しいメロディに彩られた名作を世界初SACD化。
最上の音質を目指し新規で本国アナログ・マスターテープより復刻。
歌詞対訳、新規解説付。シリアル・ナンバー付800セット限定盤
オッフェンバックの遺作となった「ホフマン物語」はクリュイタンスにとっても特別な作品で、旧EMIには2回録音を行いました。再録に当たるこのステレオ録音は古典的名盤として未だに広く愛されている演奏です。全編が美しいメロディのこの作品を、伝統あるパリ音楽院管弦楽団と共に紡ぐクリュイタンスの手腕は見事で、生き生きとした躍動感と艶やかさは絶品。ゲッダを始めとした個性ある3人のヒロインなど秀逸な歌手陣も聴きどころです。岸 純信氏による作品の詳細な変遷を記した解説書も必読。今回の発売のために本国のオリジナル・アナログ・マスターテープから192kHz/24bitでデジタル化したマスターを用い、SACD層、CD層別々にマスタリング。歌詞対訳、新規解説付。永久保存盤です。800セット限定のシリアル・ナンバー付。
この「ホフマン物語」はクリュイタンスにとっても特別な作品で、旧EMIレーベルに2回のセッション録音を残しました。2回目のこのステレオ録音は古典的名盤として未だに広く愛されている演奏です。この作品は舞台稽古の途中で作曲者が亡くなるなど、上演されるまでとそれ以降でも紆余曲折がありました。その後も1970年に失われた曲が発見されるなど、何度か新資料を反映した版がその都度出ています。このクリュイタンス盤はそれ以前の一般的な版(楽譜出版社のシューダンス社から「《ホフマン物語》第5版」として1907年に出版)を踏襲しています(この曲の経緯はこの後の岸純信氏による文章をお読みください。詳細な解説は非常に興味深いです)。これらの変遷は当時のフランス・オペラの性格上とはいえ、他人の曲も加わって定着するというのは面白い点です。それでも尚且つ、全編が美しいメロディのこの作品を、伝統あるパリ音楽院管弦楽団と共に紡ぐクリュイタンスの手腕は見事で、生き生きとした躍動感と艶やかさは絶品と言えます。とりわけゲッダの存在感、個性ある3人のヒロインはいずれも秀逸で、ダンジェロの美声、シュヴァルツコップの艶やかなまでの巧みさ、デ・ロス・アンヘレスの可憐さなど、秀逸な歌手陣も聴きどころです。本国のアナログ・マスターテープの保存状態も良く、曲調に合った鮮やかな音質でした。それらを総合的に踏まえ、音楽的な品位を残した上でオリジナルを尊重して復刻を行っています。
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Altberg Ensemble – PH. H. Erlebach, J. C. F. Fischer, J. S. Kusser, J. Fischer: Ouvertures & Suites (2024)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:01:08 minutes | 1,29 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © DUX Recording Producers
Altberg Ensemble – is a baroque orchestra founded in 2017 by cellist Jakub Kościukiewicz. The first recording of Altberg Ensemble with compositions of Georg Philipp Telemann, Suites & Concerto, DUX1761, recorded under direction of Peter Heyghen, was nominated to Fryderyk 2023 award in category Early Music – Album of the Year and in autumn 2023 it received a Golden Diploma in 3rd Eagles of Music International Competition.
Since 2018 Altberg Ensemble has regularly co-operated with outstanding Swiss harpsichordist, organist and conductor Jörg-Andreas Bötticher, who has led the ensemble on numerous occasions during concert series 200 Bach’s Cantatas for 200 Years of Warsaw University as well as in Altberg’s series – Baroque Łódź and Baroque Mirages in the Museum of the City of Lodz and Herbst Palace Museum.
The ensemble has co-operated with legendary personalities from historically informed performance scene – violinist Olivia Centurioni, oboist Alfredo Bernardino and recorder player, musicologist and conductor Peter van Heyghen.
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Sven-Ingvart Mikkelsen – Stairway to Bach (2024)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:15:23 minutes | 1,30 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © OUR Recordings
The organ has been regarded as an orchestra from its earliest beginnings, and over the years many composers have transposed vocal and orchestral works for the instrument.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries we find many interesting examples of organ tran- scriptions, such as Max Reger’s organ arrangements of the piano parts in a number of Hugo Wolff’s songs. Sigfrid Karg-Elert arranged a number of passages from Wagner’s operas for harmonium, while Charles-Marie Widor gave several Bach movements a loving organ treatment in the collection “Bach’s Memento”, demonstrating the ability of composers and other musicians to be inspired by the compositions of other masters and to “re-compose” them for their own instrument.
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