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Byrd's vocal works would have assured him a place in history as the greatest English composer of his generation. Yet he was also the outstanding composer of his time in the realm of instrumental music - indeed, probably the first musician to achieve supreme stature simultaneously in music for voices, for instrumental consort and for solo keyboard instrument. This richly imaginative and polished music gives no hint of its pioneer nature; considering the keyboard tradition, or rather the apparent lack of tradition before Byrd, the originality of his achievement is awesome.

This monumental set dedicated to the Virtuoso Piano Étude offers a rewarding opportunity to witness two centuries in the evolution of masterpieces for the study of the piano. Composers have been challenging pianists with études for a long time. The practice of writing studies for the perfection of a particular pianistic technique developed in the 15th century, but the name ‘study’ or ‘étude’ only really came into its own in the 19th century with the rise in popularity of the piano as a domestic instrument.

Louis Couperin (1626-1661) has long been a fabled name among French keyboard composers. Born in the provinces in the late 1620s, he was 'discovered' by the visiting court harpsichordist Jacques Champion Chambonnières in about 1650; soon he had an appointment at court and was titulaire of the organ at St Gervais in Paris, founding the Couperin dynasty that included most prominently his nephew, François Couperin 'le grand'.

With SUMMER'S DISTILLATION, Joseph Summer, as composer, offers a new look at the timeless texts credited to William Shakespeare. As artistic director, Summer presents settings by Brahms, R. Schumann, and Benjamin Pesetsky, curating an overall impressive collection of works for voice, harp, and horns.

Ben Folds performing for the first time with the Western Australia Symphony Orchestra in front of sell-out crowds in Perth, Australia. Collaborations between rock or pop performers and symphony orchestras usually yield little more than bombast and redundancy, but Ben Folds' Live in Perth is a delightful exception. Recorded in March, 2005, his piano and the 83 piece symphony deliver nearly 80 minutes of music to his fans in a way never heard before.