The Pianoboy

The music of the Yorkshire-born Arnold Cooke (1906–2005) – solidly constructed, inventively contrapuntal, lyrical and energetic in turns – does not deserve the neglect it suffered even in its composer’s lifetime. This first album, of two presenting all five of Cooke’s string quartets, underlines his reputation for resourceful craftsmanship, presented in a style which sits downstream from Paul Hindemith, with whom he studied in Berlin, and from Béla Bartók.

Ralph Vaughan Williams’s sublime Mass in G minor reveals the composer’s absorbing interest in using the modal harmonic language and contrapuntal textures of the English late Renaissance to achieve a huge emotional and dynamic range. Undoubtedly the most technically demanding work on this disc is A Vision of Aeroplanes, a virtuosic motet for mixed chorus and organ. Several neglected works also feature here, including The Voice out of the Whirlwind, an anthem for mixed chorus and orchestra or organ, and Valiant-for-truth, one of several works based on Bunyan’s Christian allegory The Pilgrim’s Progress.

Workingman's Dead was deemed an instant classic upon release and featured such Dead standards as "Uncle John's Band," "Casey Jones," and "Dire Wolf."

World-class classical musicians who can convincingly play any genre are rare. Enter trumpeter Lucienne Renaudin Vary, who transforms opera arias, songs, and numbers from Broadway musicals into virtuoso showstoppers, proving that anything the human voice can do, so too can the trumpet. On her journey, she shows herself to be dazzlingly versatile, her silvery tone soaring in Donizetti and Vivaldi and swinging in Richard Rodgers. Handel, Gershwin, Offenbach, and Harold Arlen have never felt so comfortable in each other’s company.

The brilliant young violinist Chloë Hanslip has recorded another volume of Hyperion’s Romantic Violin Concerto series, and displays her usual insouciant virtuosity and obvious delight in the music. Glazunov’s Violin Concerto, written for Leopold Auer, is a masterpiece of violin writing, including a brilliantly effective cadenza by the composer himself. As Hans Keller wrote, ‘Glazunov created an almost perfect concerto—instrumentally, the best I know amongst pianists’ violin concertos’.

Hey Philly Soul fans—we are going to blow your minds this time! Here is (by far) the biggest anthology ever afforded the trio that pioneered the Philadelphia Sound, The Delfonics, featuring 40 sweetly soulful tracks, most of ‘em recorded under the watchful eye of the great Thom Bell and featuring the potent songwriting team of Bell and lead singer William Hart. In fact, this collection is so comprehensive that it’s missing only six tracks from the group’s four classic Philly Groove studio albums, and has thrown on three non-LP sides to boot! Every key track is here, including “La-La Means I Love You,” “You Got Yours and I’ll Get Mine,” “(Didn’t I) Blow Your Mind This Time,” “Trying to Make a Fool of Me,” “I’m Sorry,” “Break Your Promise,” “Ready or Not Here I Come (Can’t Hide from Love), and more, all beautifully remastered by Vic Anesini at Battery Studios in New York. And for an extra special treat, Joe Marchese’s notes include exclusive quotes from Thom Bell, William Hart, and legendary Philly Soul sideman Bobby Eli. Undeniably definitive Delfonics!

Celtic Thunder is back with a compilation of classic and modern hits! The tracklist includes romantic American standards I Want to Know What Love Is, Nights in White Satin (Moody Blues), (Everything I Do) I Do it For You and modern favorites I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) and When I Was Your Man (Bruno Mars). The group celebrates their Irish roots with renditions of The Boys Are Back In Town (Thin Lizzy) and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, made famous by Irish rockers U2.

Acting upon the thoughtful advice to give out flowers to the living while they are still here to enjoy them, Posi-Tone would like to show our profound appreciation and affection for Wayne Shorter. With the release of “Shorter Moments,” we celebrate the music of this wonderful composer and present a special compilation of his compositions, lovingly performed over the years by a wide variety of artists from our talented roster.