Muriel Ighmouracène

Following her acclaimed release of Beethoven's Diabelli Variations on Odradek, Muriel Chemin returns with an even more ambitious recording encompassing the Complete Beethoven Piano Sonatas.

Swiss composer Heinz Holliger s Machaut-Transkriptionen is comprised of a spacious cycle of pieces written over a ten year period beginning in 2001. An imaginative re-investigation of the work of the great 14th century French composer-poet Guillaume de Machaut, it is scored for four voices and three violas. Note-for-note transcriptions of Machaut give way to Holliger s increasingly creative refractions of the music. As Holliger notes, his in-depth study of Machaut opened up new vistas for his compositional activity and his admiration for the source material is mirrored in the outstanding performances of the violists and singers. The Machaut-Transkriptionen proves a perfect vehicle for the Hilliard Ensemble s skills as interpreters of both old and new music, and this recording, made in 2010 in Zürich, captures the vocal group at the height of its powers.

That group is appended here by Mallorcan Hammond B‑3 organist Llorenç Barceló, whose playing creates a wide palette of tonal, rhythmic, and textural possibilities. Grossmann’s eight compositions continue to evoke Coltrane as a touchstone, but they also embrace the polyrhythmic traditions of the African continent and filter their discoveries through the band’s innate groove consciousness. … Here, their inspiration, communication, and profound exploration, result in a new watermark for excellence in jazz.

One of the most unusual albums on the legendary Strata East label – an unusual mix of jazz and soul vocal material, put together by singer Muriel Winston with arrangements from the great Bill Lee! There's a relaxed, easygoing feel to the record – one that's upfront and personal on the tunes that feature Muriel in the lead on ballads, but gets a bit more righteous on some of the spoken passages, then feels really collaborative on some of the numbers that feature a chorus of younger singers (including Spike Lee's sister, Joy).

Kirsty Wark celebrates the life and work of Dame Muriel Spark, author of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and one of the 20th century's most enigmatic cultural figures, on the one-hundredth anniversary of her birth. Born in Edinburgh, Muriel's extraordinary life took her to colonial Africa, wartime London, literary New York and vibrant 1960s Rome. Her most famous novel - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie - immortalised the city of her childhood but with an added darkness and acerbic wit that became her trademark style.

Kirsty Wark celebrates the life and work of Dame Muriel Spark, author of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and one of the 20th century's most enigmatic cultural figures, on the one-hundredth anniversary of her birth. Born in Edinburgh, Muriel's extraordinary life took her to colonial Africa, wartime London, literary New York and vibrant 1960s Rome. Her most famous novel - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie - immortalised the city of her childhood but with an added darkness and acerbic wit that became her trademark style.

One of the world’s foremost fingerstyle guitarists and harp-guitarists, Muriel Anderson has performed and recorded with Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Victor Wooten and the Nashville Chamber Orchestra. Her recent CD Nightlight Daylight has already won 11 national awards and Muriel is also the first woman to have won the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship.

Oscar of Heaven. Who doesn't know him? Van Hemel (1892-1981) was one of the most played Dutch composers between 1940 and 1960, but was subsequently forgotten.