The Invitations

The Russian-born violinist Dmitry Sitkovetsky, who founded the New European Strings Chamber Orchestra in 1990, has enthusiastically practiced the art of transcription for many years, producing more than 25 new string arrangements of chamber and keyboard works. This is Sitkovetsky’s first project for Nonesuch, a creative adaptation of Bach’s Goldberg Variations for strings, cast a fresh light on that formidable monument of keyboard music. The New York Times called it “robust, joyous and full of insight.”

One of the most respected British conductors of Mozart; Jane Glover was, from 1984 to 1991, Artistic Director of the London Mozart Players. Under her leadership the orchestra expanded its repertoire beyond the great 18th Century classics to take in a wider range of contemporary works. In addition to their adventurous and highly praised London concerts, Jane Glover and the orchestra toured throughout the U.K. and abroad, to France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan and the Far East. In 1991 they made their sixth appearance together at the BBC Promenade Concerts. Their many recordings include a major and highly acclaimed series of Mozart and Haydn symphonies for ASV (the set of Mozart's Symphonies 25-41 won the Music Retailers' Association Award for Excellence in 1992, as had their recording of arias with Felicity Lott in 1991), as well as works by Britten and Walton.

Christian Hommel studied the oboe in Freiburg with Heinz Holliger and the piano with James Avery. He was a prizewinner at the Geneva International Music Competition and at the Trieste Oboe Competition and received various other awards and prizes, including the scholarship of the German Music Council in 1985, the 1987 German Music Competition prize and the 1988 prize of the Wiesbaden Mozart Society. He has appeared throughout Europe, America and Asia as a soloist, chamber musician and conductor. For some years he has served as a member of the Cologne Chamber Orchestras as a soloist and ensemble player and has a special interest in contemporary music. He gives regular international master-classes, is Professor at the Bremen Hochschule für Künste, directs the German Youth Symphony Orchestra and has won awards for his recordings.

Bach, Kurtág, Busoni - Piano Duet - GrauSchumacher Piano Duo (2007)
Classical | EAC: FLAC+Cue+Log | 1 Cd, Covers | 273 Mb
Label: col legno - Date: 2007

Andreas Grau and Götz Schumacher, with their talent for putting together clever and innovative programs, have established themselves as one of the world's top piano duos. Their cooperation at the piano is evidence that the two expert pianists are nothing short of musical soul mates…

Altoist Art Pepper recorded many albums for the Galaxy label during 1979-1982, all of which have been reissued in a massive 16-CD "complete" box set. This single CD is pretty definitive and serves as a perfect introduction to Pepper's second (and most rewarding) period. Not only is there a superior version of Pepper's famous title cut but very emotional (and explorative) renditions of "September Song" and "Nature Boy." Filling out this quartet set (which also features pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Red Mitchell, and drummer Billy Higgins) are "Surf Ride," "Make a List," and "Long Ago and Far Away." Brilliant music.

Space and shadow vie with sound and light in this set of explorations by pianist Masabumi Kikuchi, bassist Gary Peacock, and drummer Paul Motian. They present themselves, to each other and to the listener, through conversations that are rife with allusions and invitations to dance. In the course of these conversations, they cover some familiar territory. Monk’s “Misterioso,” Cole Porter’s “So in Love,” and Miles Davis’ “Solar” come up, and we overhear the way the trio approaches the tune. They enter not so much through analysis but by synthesis, as if their individual memories and associations for each theme together shape the performance. Kikuchi favors a round tone, making accented attacks the sharper for contrast. Peacock and Motian assert and respond, give and take, surge and withdraw, like the tides implied in the trio’s name.

Osada Vida is one of the most interesting Polish bands on the Prog scene.
In the area of today's Benin, there's a small village. Its inhabitants live far from all civilisation, but in perfect harmony. Their newborn babies are given to pythons, which look after them and protect from dangerous bushes. This village is called Osada Vida. Two mates - Adam Podzimski and Lukasz Lisiak - both having the same music tastes, persuaded a third friend, Blazej Kubica, to join them. They did not choose one style of playing, everything was born itself. They accepted only one limit in music: no limits at all. The music meant pleasure of playing and joy of listening…