Together with its artistic director Julian Azkoul, the United Strings of Europe develop engaging programs with the aim of finding connections between different works and eras, music from different cultures, connecting familiar with new, and encouraging people to listen to works in different ways and discover new repertoire. With "Hommages," the ensemble celebrates musical traditions, from the myth of Apollo and the muses of Greek antiquity to twentieth-century legends, Carlos Gardel and Astor Piazzolla, reinterpreted through contemporary voices.
Daniil Trifinov's, Silver Age, recorded w/ Valery Gergiev & the Mariinsky Orchestra, recalls a time when Russia's composers, poets, & artists were among the most original anywhere in the world. It illustrates the artistic audacity & brilliance of a turbulent era in the country's history w/ works by 3 of its most pioneering composers: Scriabin's Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in F sharp minor Op.20, Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No.2 in G minor Op.16, & Stravinsky's Three Movements from Petrushka.
In his new album 'Movements', George Li highlights both their structure and their dancing spirit: the 18 movements of Schumann’s 'Davidsbündlertänze' & 'Arabeske in C major', Ravel’s 8 'Valses nobles et sentimentales' and three movements from Stravinsky’s score for the ballet 'Petruskha'.
Brilliantly played, efficiently conducted, and effectively recorded, these performances of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring and selections from his Firebird Suite lack only one thing to make them successful: excitement. There's nothing in these scores the San Francisco Symphony cannot execute, from the most challenging solo writing to the most difficult rhythms, and there's nothing in them that Michael Tilson Thomas cannot masterfully direct, from the convoluted textures that open The Rite to the brutal polyrhythms that close it.
In a true meeting of musical minds, the two superb pianists team up once again for a delectable programme of miniatures by Fauré, Poulenc, Stravinsky, Debussy and Ravel. A bewitching programme of music often associated with childhood, including favourites by Fauré, Ravel and Debussy; works which amply reward the care lavished on them by Paul Lewis and Steven Osborne in these exquisite accounts.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Ostrobothnia Chamber Orchestra and its artistic director Malin Broman have released their first joint album. Stockholm Diary includes Arnold Schönberg's cult work Verklärte Nacht as well as premiere recording of Esa-Pekka Salonen's 'Stockholm Diary'. The Ostrobothnia Chamber Orchestra is conducted by Malin Broman, a Swedish violinist who is also the violin and viola soloist on the album. The unifying factor in the album is not only Schönberg's work Verklärte Nacht, but also the city of Los Angeles. 'The composers of the album, Schönberg, Salonen and Stravinsky, have all been in Los Angeles at some point, so the name of the album could just as well have been LA Diary,' laughs Malin Broman.
In his new album 'Movements', George Li highlights both their structure and their dancing spirit: the 18 movements of Schumann’s 'Davidsbündlertänze' & 'Arabeske in C major', Ravel’s 8 'Valses nobles et sentimentales' and three movements from Stravinsky’s score for the ballet 'Petruskha'.
Iolanta and Perséphone - A double bill consisting of two stage works that “represent an ideal of beauty, poetry and hope” forms this production in Madrid from the Teatro Real. In both works the progression from darkness to light acts as an initiation rite that completely transforms the existential attitude of the leading characters.