Daniel Vadner

When do you ever have time to take an in-depth look at a niche genre like the clarinet trio? The first Corona Lockdown was such an opportunity for clarinetist Daniel Ottensamer, cellist Stephan Koncz and pianist Christoph Traxler.

Autumn 2020 offered Daniel-Ben Pienaar an opportunity, not because the world was in lockdown but rather for the benefit it provided.

This collection was recorded live across eight concerts at the Staatsoper unter den Linden, Berlin in June and July 2005.
Beethovens 32 piano sonatas have been at the heart of Daniel Barenboims musical life since childhood and through his remarkable career, Barenboim has gained a unique understanding of Beethoven s music. Having performed much of the composers solo, chamber, orchestral and operatic repertoire, Barenboims performances of these varied and complex works give a fascinating perspective into one of musics greatest geniuses from one of the most gifted and complete musicians of our time. Having first performed a complete cycle of Beethovens piano sonatas in Tel Aviv in 1960, Barenboim has repeated the feat many times around the world, most recently at the Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires, in 2002, at the Vienna Musikverein in 2004 (when he also conducted the Palestine Youth Orchestra in its inaugural concert and played a Beethoven sonatas concert in Ramallah), at the Berlin Staatsoper in 2005, and at both La Scala, Milan, and Londons Royal Festival Hall in 2008.
Barenboim says of the Beethoven piano sonatas: This music encompasses everything that a great human being is capable of in thought, in feeling, in intuition, in temperament, in character. All the different attributes of the human condition are contained in this music.

Violinist Daniel Hope has toured the world as a virtuoso soloist for 25 years and is celebrated for his musical versatility as well as his dedication to humanitarian causes. Winner of the 2015 European Cultural Prize for Music, whose previous recipients include Daniel Barenboim, Plácido Domingo and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Hope appears as soloist with the world’s major orchestras and conductors, also directing many ensembles from the violin.

Film, television, and video game music composer Daniel Pemberton got his start in avant-garde and ambient electronic music, influenced as a teenager by statuesque electronic artists such as Jean Michel Jarre, Tomita, and Vangelis. Pemberton began collecting keyboard gear at an early age and wrote a tips column for a video game magazine to earn enough money for increasingly high-end equipment. He also began recording his own compositions, and passed a tape on to Mixmaster Morris at one of his gigs. When word (as well as additional tapes) continued to spread, Pemberton recorded his debut album, Bedroom, which gained release in late 1994 for Pete Namlook's highly collectible Fax Records. The Mixmaster Morris connection also led to work for Coldcut's Ninja Tune label, including a DJ Vadim remix released on the latter's U.S.S.R. Reconstruction LP.

Somewhat surprisingly, Daniel Barenboim recorded the 11 complete piano sonatas of Franz Schubert for the first time between 2013 and 2014, thus making this Deutsche Grammophon box set an important first-time release.

Daniel-Ben Pienaar continues his campaign of performing early music on a modern piano with an abundant selection of Pavans and Galliards, Variations and Grounds by William Byrd.

Daniel Hope's new album "Dance!" reflects his boundless interest in the most diverse styles and eras of music. The star violinist takes us through seven centuries of music history and explores the rhythms that move the body and open the heart.

Although this hit soundtrack was recorded with cheap '70s synthesizers, the simple scores composed by John Carpenter are acclaimed masterpieces. Carpenter sets the mood for his horrific movie with such tracks as "The Shape Stalks," "Laurie's Theme," and, of course, his main theme, which consists of the beating out of a 5-4 rhythm. A definite first pick for those interested, this soundtrack even bests most scary music albums. ~ Barry Weber

Daniel Barenboim is a conductor and pianist of top international stature, known for an extraordinarily large orchestral and operatic repertoire. He is the general music director and chief conductor for life of the Staatsoper Berlin in Germany. Barenboim was born in Buenos Aires on November 15, 1942, into a family of Ukrainian Jewish descent. His mother was his first piano teacher. He later studied with his father, Enrique Barenboim, who was an eminent music professor. After playing for the noted violinist Adolf Busch, who was impressed by his talent, Daniel made his debut recital at the age of seven. In 1951, he played at the Mozarteum in Salzburg and observed Igor Markevitch's conducting class. The family moved to Israel in 1952; two years later, Barenboim went back to Salzburg for a conducting course with Markevitch, piano studies with Edwin Fischer, and chamber music performance with Enrico Mainardi.