L'alta Fantasia

Ferdinand Ries (1784-1838) was born in Bonn and moved to Vienna in 1801, where his life became closely related to that of Ludwig van Beethoven (also a native of Bonn…). Ries studied piano with him, copied his scores and was the interpreter of several new works, notably the premiere of the Third Piano Concerto. Ries also wrote the first biography of Beethoven, an invaluable source of first-hand information. Ries' style inevitably is modeled on that of his master Beethoven, he was however strong enough to stand on his own. Ries also enjoyed a brilliant career as a virtuoso pianist. "Ries is rightly celebrated as one of the finest piano performers of the present day", a London reviewer declared. "His hand is powerful and his manner confident and often surprising.

Matilda Lloyd and Richard Gowers, recital partners for more than a decade, present a diverse programme of music for trumpet and organ. Transcriptions of baroque works are interspersed with four world-premire recordings of new works by British composers commissioned for the album. Matilda writes: Welcome to our world of Fantasia an imaginative exploration of the long-established combination of trumpet and organ. Featuring five types of trumpet in seven different keys and the newly refurbished organ of the Abbey Church at Waltham Abbey, this album explores a myriad of sounds that will ignite the imagination and enchant the ear!

The Cello Concerto no.1 was Villa-Lobos’s first major orchestral work. Filled with youthful energy and displaying an eclectic style, it is the sound of the composer finding his voice. Three decades later and with his reputation at its height, the inspired melodies and flowing style of the Fantasia sees Villa-Lobos giving free rein to his vivid imagination. Composed for the Brazilian cellist Aldo Parisot, the no less inventive and lushly scored Cello Concerto no.2 from 1953 suggests man’s solitude when facing the vastness of nature.