"new Zealand"

In this second volume of his revelatory exploration (Volume 1 is on 8.572185), admired instrumentalist Gunter Herbig continues to trace the guitar’s flourishing culture in New Zealand. Bruce Paine’s deft pieces embrace the lyrical, mystical and dance-like, whilst David Farquhar—whose beautiful transcriptions of Bartók’s For Children are also included—is represented at his most haunting and forward-looking in Five Scenes. Colour saturates John Elmsly’s Suite and John Rimmer captures the extraordinary atmosphere of the island of Hauturu, performed here in Herbig’s own exquisite arrangement.

The New Zealand String Quartet presents two mature masterpieces by Brahms, his first two string quartets. Brahms was very conscious of the tradition that lay behind the genre, while the spirits of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert ensured that he took the greatest of care when preparing his own quartets. Each perfectly proportioned movement of these works creates its own unique expressive narrative, exploring bittersweet tonalities and thematic treatment ranging from tender lyricism to dramatic intensity.

A dramatic symphonic journey through T. S. Eliot's "The Waste Land", recorded live at the Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington, May 2016.

Jon Mark – born Jon Michael Biurchell – was already known on the music scene in England in the mid-'60s as a guitarist and arranger of some skill. It was in this capacity that he took on the task of arranging the music of Marianne Faithfull – a neophyte singer at the time – for recording and performance. Although many of her commercial releases had a heavily produced sound, a result of Mike Leander's excessive productions, the more subtle aspects of Mark's work came through on some of them, especially her more folk-oriented repertory; his subtle, less-is-more approach worked well for Faithfull, with her limited range but expressive voice. Additionally, his work as a guitarist was prominent on her live appearances on the BBC, for which he was frequently her principal accompanist – but, of course, this limited his exposure to U.K. listeners. He also worked occasionally during this period with a classmate from school, virtuoso guitarist Alun Davies, and the two ultimately cut a single together called "Relax Your Mind," for the Deram label.

Richard Strauss was appointed co-director of the Vienna State Opera in 1919 and soon set about composing a new ballet for the refurbished historic Redoutensaal in the city. At carnival in February 1923 the work was unveiled - a delectable series of eight arrangements of music by François Couperin called Tanzsuite. For the Divertimento, an orchestral suite that includes characteristic Straussian orchestration, and which was written many years later, Strauss rearranged six movements from the earlier work and added two further dances.

Pearl Jam Though they made their initial mark as frontrunners of the grunge movement of the early '90s, Pearl Jam began – and have remained – more emotionally curious and stylistically adventurous than many of their flannel-clad peers of that era, expanding past the angst and dissonance often associated with grunge to become one of the most popular and enduring rock & roll bands of their time.

There are 15 tracks of Daverne compositions of many different styles. Solo, duet, trio, solo accordion solo with symphony orchestra and accordion orchestra. The performers include internationally known players: Grayson Masefield, Kevin Friedrich, Lionel Reekie, International Trio (USA), Stephanie Poole, Eddie Giffney and orchestras: Accordion Orchestra Music School ‘Risto Saviv’ (Slovenia), Auckland Symphony Orchestra, "World Accordion Orchestra III".

Pearl Jam Though they made their initial mark as frontrunners of the grunge movement of the early '90s, Pearl Jam began – and have remained – more emotionally curious and stylistically adventurous than many of their flannel-clad peers of that era, expanding past the angst and dissonance often associated with grunge to become one of the most popular and enduring rock & roll bands of their time.