Celebrating the 160th anniversary of its founding, the Parisian Orchestre Pasdeloup dedicates its new album to two composers who were greatly appreciated by the orchestra's founder Jules Pasdeloup: Hector Berlioz with his orchestral song cycle "Les Nuits d'été" and the cantata "Cléopâtre", and Augusta Holmès (1847-1903), one of only a few female composers who were regularly performed during their lifetime, with her Symphonic Interlude "La Nuit et l'Amour". The popular French mezzo soprano Stephanie d'Oustrac is collaborating with conductor Wolfgang Doerner, who has been a partner of Orchestre Pasdeloup for more than 30 years.
Did you know that most Alia Vox albums were recorded between 1 and 4 am? Not only because of tight recording schedules, but also because the night creates an very special quality of silence… This double album is the best possible tribute to Alia Vox' short but intense history. Not just an 'anniversary CD': it is a fascinating musical journey, based not only on existing material, but also on unreleased recordings (Charpentier - CD2 track 5) and on future albums (CD2 track 1 was recorded for the upcoming project Jerusalem). Recordings from the Astrée catalogue are also included in this definitive overview of a major component of Jordi Savall's creative process: the night.
“Negotiating dynamic shifts of emphasis,” The Independent has noted,”Dénes Várjon displays that most valuable of gifts: the ability to play in a way which makes you listen anew to the familiar.” This capacity is to the fore in the Hungarian pianist’s sensitive exploration of Schumann’s Fantasiestücke, Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit and Bartók’s Im Freien – a journey through three worlds of poetic imagination. As Jürg Stenzl writes in the liner notes. “All three works were bold forays into fundamentally new music that far transcended the limits of their time. They require pianists for whom transcendent virtuosity is second nature. ” The album was recorded at Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI, Lugano in April 2016, and produced by Manfred Eicher.
A passion for music and an emotion-tinged vocal quality has made Salvatore Adamo one of the most commercially successful singers in Europe and one of the most famous Italian immigrants living in Belgium. Since his debut album, Vous Permettez Monsieur, transformed him into an internationally recognized celebrity, Adamo has sold over 80 million copies of his albums worldwide. Adamo, who emigrated to Belgium with his parents at the age of three, was raised in Jemappes and later moved to Brussels. A bright student, Adamo was able to avoid the coal mining industry that lured many Italian immigrants to Belgium and concentrate on his academic and musical studies. Adamo's influences included the music of Victor Hugo, Jacques Prevert, and George Brassens, and the Italian canzoetta and tango.
This CD features pianist Tzimon Barto with a selection of the great piano works by Maurice Ravel. Tzimon Barto is known for his refreshing approach to known repertoire, as well as his broad range of tonal colour, qualities tailor-made for the piano music of Ravel. Barto's musical maturity, superb technique, and endless colour palette have made him one of the most radiant and unique personalities in the music world. This disc follows on the enthusiastic press and success of Tzimon Barto's début on Ondine - featuring keyboard pieces by Rameau.
French artist MICHEL ZACHA was a colourful addition to the roster of French artists that was active in the 1970's, his output incorporating elements from a vast number of different stylistic expressions from both sides of the dividing line between mainstream rock and art rock. His creative highlight was the years 1972 - 1977, when he released the concept album trilogy Promesses d'Atlantides, consisting of La Nuit des Cigales (1972), Le Vol D'Icare (1974) and Inutile (1977). Little else is known about this composer and musician today.