Johann Sebastian Bach

“An exciting virtuoso confirms his Czech credentials in this superb release. Pavel Sporcl has established himself on disc as the most charismatic of young Czech violinists, spontaneously imaginitive and individual in everything he does.” Edward Greenfield - Gramophone

The violin virtuoso Pavel Šporcl’s new CD captures his two unique concerts with the Slovak Gipsy cimbalom ensemble Romano Stilo. The events were truly extraordinary not only due to these superlative musicians combining their forces but also the repertoire (a startling departure for Šporcl) and the atmosphere on the stage and in the auditorium alike. Just as Pavel Šporcl steps out with zest from the domain of classical music into other genres so Romano Stilo cannot be considered an orthodox cimbalom band. Besides Gipsy, Hungarian and Romanian folk music, the visitors to the concerts heard compositions by Pablo Sarasate, Johannes Brahms and Aram Khachaturian inspired by this music, all spiced up with a soupcon of jazz. Šporcl plays the repertoire, allegedly the exclusive reserve of musicians with Gipsy blood coursing through their veins, so masterfully and convincingly that one is tempted to trace his family tree. Romano Stilo are splendid partners for him and it is a real joy to hear the musical sparks fly.

Situated in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, St Cuthbert's Church was the first parish church in Scotland to hold candlelit services on Christmas Eve.The 2000-strong congregation was regularly joined by people standing in the aisles! Director of Music Thomas Laing- Reilly demonstrates its wide palette with striking clarity on his debut recording, in a range of repertoire which crosses national borders with ease.

This recording of 20th-century French popular music and 18th-century French baroque touches the very heart of what the viola da gamba is about, singing. This lyrical disc displays a wonderful melting pot of well known tunes from the early music repertoire with popular 20-century French chansons - from Marais and Bach to Ferrat and Brel - , performed by viola da gamba in the role of singer, and a string quintet in the role of orchestra.

Ralph Rousseau is a man of extremes. He loves Baroque music as well as hard rock. He rides to his performances clad in jeans and a leather jacket but takes the stage in eighteenth-century costume. He simultaneously studied physics and double bass, completing both cum laude. After, he earned his doctorate in physics but decided to devote himself to music. One can conclude two things from all this: First, if Ralph does something, he does it well; and second, Ralph Rousseau does things his own way, and with success. From 1996 onwards Ralph Rousseau Meulenbroeks has specialized in performing early music, studying viola da gamba with Jaap ter Linden. He is now an esteemed soloist, very often entirely solo, but also in chamber music settings or in orchestral works such as the Passions and cantatas of J.S. Bach. With the viola da gamba he has played for radio and television and he can be heard on several solo CDs, which have been highly acclaimed in the international press.

This new specially-priced 4CD boxed set features outstanding recordings by some of the leading European ensembles of our day such as Concerto Italiano and Il Seminario Musicale.

Hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, a collection of love songs grew up. Under the title of the “Most beautiful of songs”, they found a home in the Old Testament—it was Martin Luther who first gave them the name of “Song of Songs”—and since that time they have inspired and fascinated a vast number of theologians, mystics, philosophers, poets, painters, and, last but not least, composers.

Particularly during the Baroque period, these poetic, sensual, vividly descriptive texts were set over and over again to music, and they inspired librettists to expand on the original texts. Some of the most beautiful settings of the Song of Songs were produced in Germany.

Founded in 1921, The Netherlands Bach Society is the oldest Early Music ensemble in the Netherlands, and possibly in the whole world. Yet along with the musicians, its artistic director Jos van Veldhoven is still continually in search of contemporary ways of presenting this music, whether it be the traditional performances of the St. Matthew Passion in Naarden, other works by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) or music by his predecessors, successors, contemporaries and fellow spirits.

Beloved & Beautiful is the fourth cd in a series of songs, carefully chosen and combined because of the themes they represent. The programmes are often compiled in an original way and thus give a refreshing view of the various musical styles from Schütz/Monteverdi to Haydn/Mozart, as well as of the central composer Bach himself. The flexibility of the ensemble makes it possible to perform works from the secular and sacred repertoires in a great variety of combinations of musicians.

“the performance maintains the high standards established by the NBS and van Veldhoven in the Passions and Oratorio. Classical CD of the week The Sunday Times

“Dutch soprano Johannette Zomer leads a fine team of soloists with the society singers under their eminence grise, Jos van Veldhoven, in an ethereal version of this magnificent work, recorded with crystal clarity.” The Observer

A series that goes from strength to strength. This huge project continues with La Petite Bande and Sigiswald Kuijken presenting the Cantatas for the Feat of the Visitation and the first and second Sundays after Trinity.