Roman Dejon

1810 saw the births not only of Frédéric Chopin and Robert Schumann, but also of Norbert Burgmüller and Ludwig Schuncke. All four composers knew and valued each other as artists and as friends. While in later life Schumann and Chopin would go on to achiev e world fame with their works, Norbert Burgmüller and Ludwig Schuncke died young, leaving behind only a small body of works hardly known today. This recording brings together early works by Chopin and Schumann with selected virtuosic pieces by Burgmüller a nd Schuncke. All the works represent an energetic expression of these four geniuses, still youthful and seeking orientation, yet already manifestly inspired due to their precociousness.

Czech Ensemble Baroque's first recording dedicated to František Ignác Antonín Tůma (Requiem, Miserere) confirmed his firm position among Europe's major late-Baroque composers. A pupil of the renowned Viennese master J. J. Fux, his music is characterised by immaculate refined counterpoint, yet he also embraced and brought to bear elements of the incipient Galant style. Dating from three different phases of his life, the three pieces featured on the present album map Tůma's artistic development. The grandiose Missa Veni Pater Pauperum, written in 1736 for the Schottenstift, a Benedictine abbey in Vienna, is from the time when he served Count Franz Ferdinand Kinsky, who had provided him with a thorough education.

Bass-baritone Adam Plachetka presents Molieri, a programme of opera arias by Mozart and Salieri, together with the Czech Ensemble Baroque under the baton of Roman Válek. Thanks to fictional works such as the film Amadeus, Antonio Salieri is often scapegoated as the man who allegedly caused Mozart’s untimely death out of professional envy. Despite the fact that this is obviously not true, Salieri’s popularity has suffered from this popular myth-making, and most of his operas have sunk into oblivion. Molieri brings the two composers together, focusing on bass-8 baritone arias from their opera buffas. Famous arias from Mozart’s Da Ponte operas are heard in a completely different light when paired to excerpts from Salieri’s Falstaff, Axur, La grotto di Trofonio and La scuola de’ gelosi. It also makes clear why Salieri enjoyed such success, as well as why great composers such as Beethoven, Schubert and Liszt all wanted to study with him. Given the importance of Prague for Mozart’s operatic successes, the music fits the players of Czech Ensemble Baroque like a glove, and Plachetka possesses the optimal combination of vocal authority and agility to sing these buffo roles.

Johan Helmich Roman is said to be "the father of Swedish music", and "the Swedish Handel". His music is seen as the foundation of Swedish classical music. Well-known for his Drottingholmsmusiken, he also wrote hundreds of other works, including some 120 instrumental works and 200 vocal works. This recording contains 12 suites for harpsichord, which, like most of his music, was not published during his lifetime.

Johan Helmich Roman (born 26 October 1694 in Stockholm, died 20 November 1758 on the Haraldsmåla estate in Småland) is one of Sweden’s most important composers of all time. He has been called ‘the father of Swedish music’, and with good reason. As chief conductor of the Royal Court Orchestra, composer, musician and teacher, Roman laid the ground for an increasingly rich music scene in 18th century Sweden. He was also the first Swedish composer to attain international status, and had a prolific musical output covering most of the genres of his time, instrumental and vocal, with the exception of opera and oratorios.

Johan Helmich Roman (born 26 October 1694 in Stockholm, died 20 November 1758 on the Haraldsmåla estate in Småland) is one of Sweden’s most important composers of all time. He has been called ‘the father of Swedish music’, and with good reason. As chief conductor of the Royal Court Orchestra, composer, musician and teacher, Roman laid the ground for an increasingly rich music scene in 18th century Sweden. He was also the first Swedish composer to attain international status, and had a prolific musical output covering most of the genres of his time, instrumental and vocal, with the exception of opera and oratorios.

Johan Helmich Roman (born 26 October 1694 in Stockholm, died 20 November 1758 on the Haraldsmåla estate in Småland) is one of Sweden’s most important composers of all time. He has been called ‘the father of Swedish music’, and with good reason. As chief conductor of the Royal Court Orchestra, composer, musician and teacher, Roman laid the ground for an increasingly rich music scene in 18th century Sweden. He was also the first Swedish composer to attain international status, and had a prolific musical output covering most of the genres of his time, instrumental and vocal, with the exception of opera and oratorios.

When asked who the most talented young musicians in Germany are, the answer echoes back from the rural town of Hückeswagen near Cologne. Surrounded by hills and forest live two brothers who play "with a magical tone" (Süddeutsche Zeitung) that is "of the finest quality" (JazzPodium). Their 2006 homage to Chet Baker, Remember Chet, was celebrated as a "stunning debut" (Süddeutsche Zeitung). In faraway Sweden, Nils Landgren heard about these young musicians' abilities through the jazz grapevine, and decided he wanted to produce the two shooting stars inviting the brothers to that famous sound kitchen in which Landgren has cooked up his own highly successful albums, the Nilento Studio in Gothenburg…