Jan Kersschot

This final instalment of the organ compositions of Axel Ruoff (born in Stuttgart in 1957) presents two starkly contrasted sides of his musical personality: three of them, for voice and organ, are concerned with the spiritual – two even addressing head-on the issue of death itself – and are thus solemn and hieratic, whereas the concluding work is a whimsical, tongue-in-cheek set of variations on ‘Happy Birthday’, written as a present for Ruoff’s publisher on his 80th birthday.

Jan Erik Vold and Jan Garbarek, two of Norway's most prominent figures in jazz teamed up with bassist Arild Andersen, drummer Jon Christensen, guitarist Terje Rypdal and Bobo Stenson on keyboards and these two September days in 1970 and made a formidable jazz album that goes for several thousand on vinyl in the used market. Two poems from Violence ("Det alle vet" from the collection of poems Mor Godhjertas glade version. Ja (1968) and "Dikt" which are taken from Kykelipi (1969)) and long tenacious instrumental parts. Great art from great artists.

After the internationally successful solo debut of Jan Börner‘s disc “absorta est …”, this album connects to Börner‘s first work in many respects. We find ourselves in the German-speaking repertoire of the predominantly late 17 th century, however, this time with secular instead of sacred music.

The trio format has always been something of an ideal for Jan Lundgren. That particular buzz when communication between the musicians in a trio is direct, immediate and ever-present…when the trio keeps a constant sense of forward motion and development…when the players collectively remain open to the inspiration of every millisecond. These are the virtues which Lundgren sees as the recipe for the kind of openness, freedom, subtlety and excellence of a trio at its best.

German Cellist Jan Vogler's new album features two modern cello concertos. The first is the world premiere recording of the cello concerto "Three Continents" by Nico Muhly (*1981), Sven Helbig (*1968) and Zhou Long (*1953). Three Continents Cello Concerto is a unique collaborative work celebrating the sheer diversity of three composers from three different continents (USA, Germany, China) and almost three different generations. Each movement of the concerto takes a different view of the role of the soloist: Muhly's Cello Cycles uses the large orchestra to striking effect to create a soundscape full of color.

Jan Nigges ist der Flötist des jungen Ensembles "Four Times Baroque", welches für sein erstes Album bei deutsche harmonia mundi gleich als Newcomer des Jahres einen Opus-Klassik-Preis gewann. Für diese Aufnahme bei dhm hat er sich mit einem Ensemble aus befreundeten Musikern und der Sopranistin Sibylla Elsing zusammengefunden, um Werke von Telemann, Händel, Fasch und Pez aufzunehmen.