Liesa Van Der AA

The label début of the Exclusive Chandos Artist Laura van der Heijden explores the rich musical heritage of Bohemia. She was born in England to Dutch-Swiss parents, and her career highlights already include winning the BBC Young Musician competition (aged just fifteen), the Edison Klassiek Award 2018 (for her début album) and BBC Music Magazine's Newcomer Award in 2019. Laura writes: 'Jâms and I first met in 2017, when I was mesmerised by the sensitivity of his musicianship and the colours he managed to create on the piano. Our first concert together took place in the summer of 2018 and included Janácek's Pohádka. Both of us felt incredibly drawn to this piece and also to Janácek's musical language. One of the reasons we were particularly enamoured of Pohádka (a Czech word which loosely translates as 'A Tale') was the focus of the piece on storytelling and how that invited us to let our creativity and imagination flow. This is the common thread spun throughout the repertoire that we have selected for this album; all the pieces embody the notion of passing on ancient folk tales, tales which have lived amongst peoples and across lands for centuries.

The large-scale Het Sweelinck Monument project, with Harry van der Kamp as its driving force, and with individual issues on Glossa over the last 6 years in book-CD format for the Netherlands and as multiple-CD sets for the international market, embraces the complete vocal and instrumental music output of Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck.

This 2007 recording of J.S. Bach's Johannes Passion, featuring Concerto d'Amsterdam and the Flemish vocal ensemble La Furia, uses the 1725 version of the piece, which substitutes some movements (most noticeably the opening chorus) more staid than those of the 1724 version. That decision to go for restraint rather than passion carries over to the performance style, as well, which tends to be reserved and tastefully correct rather than stirringly dramatic. It couldn't be characterized as flaccid because there is certainly a high energy level when appropriate, but even in these sections the performers seem more concerned with brisk precision than with stirring the blood.

Since bootleggers were fetching high prices for Van Der Graaf Generator rarities compilations from fans, VDGG leader Peter Hammill decided to compile ten of the best tracks and give them an official release. Since some of the tracks were never even completed, some present-day overdubbing was required, but according to Hammill in the liner notes, "all dubbing was completed in nine hours, in order to stay true to the spirit of the venture." And although the listener is warned that these are not studio quality recordings, the overall sound is consistently good. Besides, most of the people who would buy this album in the first place are the VDGG fanatics, who will be happy just to acquire this material. Most of the material is worthwhile and deserves to be heard, such as "The Liquidator," "Rift Valley," and "Coil Night" (why these strong compositions were never put on an album is a mystery)…

This is an exceptionally accomplished debut recording from cellist Laura van der Heijden, winner of BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2012. It includes Soviet composers’ irritated and defiant responses to the Communist regime’s 1948 decree on what they could write. Prokofiev’s 1949 Sonata is a blistering, angry work, performed here with passion and guts. Myaskovsky’s 1948 Sonata, which, ironically, went on to win the Stalin Prize, harks back to the Romantic age—the richness and depth of van der Heijden’s tone is a thing to behold. The final, melancholy Lyadov Prelude is an aching portrait of Russian despair.

Live At Rockpalast was recorded at the formal setting of the Leverkusen jazz festival in 2005, which suited the group well; always brilliant when playing to a musically aware audience. It is a classic capture of the reformed band on great form.

Esoteric Recordings is proud to announce the release of a new re-mastered limited edition boxed set of the classic debut album by Van Der Graaf Generator, The Aerosol Grey Machine.
This deluxe set celebrates the 50th anniversary of the very first Van Der Graaf Generator release and features the re-mastered album, an additional CD of rare & previously unreleased tracks including two previously unreleased demos from 1967, the complete BBC Radio Top Gear session from 1968 (including the “lost” previously unreleased version of ‘Octopus’) & the single tracks ‘People You Were Going To’ and ‘Firebrand’…