Giuseppe Valentini Ensemble 415 Banchini Concerti Grossi e a Quattro Violini, Op. 7 (2007, Zig Zag # Zzt2020801)

Very little is known about António Pereira da Costa (c. 1697–1770), though the exceptional quality of his only surviving compositions – 12 Concerti grossi – earns him pride of place. He held the post of Chapel Master of the Cathedral of Funchal, the highest musical position in the Portuguese island of Madeira. Pereira da Costa's Concerti are the only set of Concerti grossi of Portuguese provenance identified to date. They were largely inspired by Corelli’s, but frequently reveal an unmistakable “Iberian” flavour. These works embody the charm and freshness of a truly exquisite “tropical Baroque”. Ensemble Bonne Corde presents the first recording of these pieces, which are a milestone in Portuguese eighteenth century instrumental music.

After Ensemble Diderot established itself as an internationally renowned ambassador for the masterful late repertoire of the ‘sonata a tre’, having given new polish to well-known major works of the literature as well as adding unknown treasures to the canon, it takes up in this programme the repertoire of the ‘sonata a quattro’. Owing to its appearance shortly before the emergence of the string quartet, the ‘sonata a quattro’ was largely disregarded, yet occupied an important intermediary role between the baroque and the early classical era.

While not altogether uncommon, a coupling of Dvorák's Piano Quintet, Op. 81, with his Bagatelles, Op. 47, is still rare enough to make the prospect of this Harmonia Mundi release with Roel Dieltiens' Ensemble Explorations interesting. Listening to it, however, elevates it to fascinating. The immense power and passion not to mention the strong tone, tight ensemble, and in-the-pocket tempos -of Dieltiens' group plus pianist Frank Braley make a compelling case for the quintet.

In the 17th century, an astonishing stream of compositions poured out of Naples, and Neapolitan composers and performers enjoyed extraordinarily high reputations all over Europe. One of the most important occasions in Neapolitan musical life were the so-called Spassi di Posillipo, open-air festivals on the Neapolitan shore.

A melodic hard rock group from Sweden, H.E.A.T materialized in 2007 with a sound built on a foundation of classic hard rock and late-'80s-inspired commercial heavy metal. They released an eponymous debut in 2008 and found success after a strong showing at the 2009 Melodifestivalen with the hit "1000 Miles." They continued to find favor with melodic rock fans both at home and abroad on subsequent outings like Tearing Down the Walls (2014) and Into the Great Unknown (2017). Three years later the band returned with H.E.A.T II, which marked a return to the heavy melodic rock of their earlier albums.

Following their highly acclaimed studio album "Into The Great Unknown", H.E.A.T. went on an extensive tour to showcase their incredible live performance skills…