New Releases

Beethoven's three works for violin and orchestra make an excellent integral recording, and this historic recording by the great Adolf Busch is of more than intriguing interest. Adolf Busch was one of the greatest violinists of the century, and his performances of the works by Beethoven achieved legendary status. We are particularly pleased to offer this collection of great performances by the master-violinist of his generation in very good refurbished sound.

The Russian-born virtuoso Shura Cherkassky was undoubtedly one of the finest pianists of the 20th-century, admired not only for the magnificence of his playing but also for the wide range of his concert repertoire. On this important and valuable double-album, we concentrate on his noted recordings of 19th-century repertoire, which constitute music from the heart of his fondly-remembered performances. The recordings, all except the Liszt Liebestraum appearing on CD for the first time, have been excellently remastered and the playing-time of these CDs is very generous - almost two hours and forty minutes of great musicianship.

Before the large light orchestras became firmly established from the 1940s onwards, many people enjoyed light music performed by smaller groups of musicians. The advent of radio in the 1920s brought many of them national – and sometimes international – fame, and there was a strong demand for gramophone records by the most popular ensembles. At times the boundaries between light music and dance bands became somewhat blurred, especially when leaders such as Jack Hylton included novelty instrumentals in their concert programmes. Even Ray Noble, who will always be remembered for his superior recordings of dance band music with top vocalists such as Al Bowlly, occasionally strayed into light music territory. But the big names among the smaller ensembles included Alfredo Campoli, the famous Orchestra Mascotte, J.H. Squire, Reginald King and Albert Sandler. The high standards demanded by all these orchestra leaders are evident on every track.

This new recording of British music for oboe and strings features the highly gifted Jinny Shaw in three recent Concertos for oboe and string orchestra by John Joubert, Kenneth Leighton and John McCabe, alongside two other works for oboe and string trio by Benjamin Britten and Cecilia McDowall. Several of these works are receiving their world premiere recordings on this beautifully played and excellently balanced CD. The Orchestra Nova, one of the more enterprising of British orchestras, is conducted by the much admired musician George Vass. An important record.

This recording contains a selection from the two flute and piano trio Pipe Dreams’ repertoire, spanning several centuries. From the eighteenth century come the Trio in F major by Telemann and the Trio in G minor by Vivaldi. Franz Doppler contributed greatly to the nineteenth-century virtuoso flute repertoire and two of his compositions are heard here; his Duettino (on Hungarian themes) and Andante and Rondo. Also from the nineteenth-century is Emil Kronke’s light-hearted Deux Papillons. Arrangements of Fauré’s Sicilienne and Cantique de Jean Racine and Arthur Sullivan’s Twilight exhibit the lushness found in much of the late-nineteenth and early twentieth-century repertoire, and two unaccompanied duets provide short excursions into folk and contemporary music, both eastern European; one, a traditional Bulgarian dance entitled Daichava Chara in characteristic 2+2+2+3 rhythm, and Capriccio, written in 1980 by Hungarian-born Antal Doráti, the renowned conductor. Nancy Ruffer, Anna Pope and Helen Crayford formed their trio Pipe Dreams in 1992. They have performed in and around London and provided entertainment for a variety of occasions. Each member brings to the trio her own experience as an established musician not only in London but internationally as well, performing as soloists, orchestral and chamber players.

Guild Music begins its second Century of Light Music recordings with the tried and tested formula of old friends, plus some new names making their first appearance in “The Golden Age of Light Music” series. Among the familiar orchestras regular collectors will be reassured to find Robert Farnon, David Rose, Roger Roger, Percy Faith, Frederick Fennell, Dolf van der Linden and Werner Muller. Frenchman Robert Chauvigny makes his Guild debut as both composer and conductor, while the acclaimed pianist Eric Parkin is represented with one of his own charming compositions specially arranged by Robert Farnon. Adding to their growing Guild repertoire we find Steve Race, Franck Pourcel, Hans Georg Arlt, Bernie Wayne, Acquaviva and Cyril Stapleton – all combining to make another enjoyable selection of Light Music ‘delights’ to suit all tastes.

The title of this collection may raise a few eyebrows when the tracklisting is perused. Film buffs each have their own particular favourites when it comes to ‘classic’ movies, and the lists that regularly appear of ‘the very best films of all time’ often make one wonder whose opinions have been sought! Undoubtedly some of the films represented in this CD were outstanding, and have stood the test of time. Others were very popular in their day, but for various reasons they have slipped from the conscious memory of many of us. Among the truly great Hollywood composers you’ll find Max Steiner, Miklos Rozsa, Dimitri Tiomkin, Alfred Newman, Elmer Bernstein, Bronislau Kaper, Henry Mancini, Jerome Moross and Ernest Gold. But be prepared for a few pleasant surprises from Ray Martin, Ron Grainer, Ron Goodwin and Robert Farnon, in an excerpt from his most widely acclaimed film score.

Guild is pleased to announce the release of a new recording dedicated to rarely played Italian Baroque music for the lute and archlute. The early 17th century music of Alessandro Piccinini, Pietro Paolo Melii, and Giovanni Kapsberger is characterized by a new freedom of expression involving tempo changes, dynamic contrasts, and other rhetorical devices. Representing the high baroque are early 18th century sonatas by Giovanni Zamboni, a stylistic contemporary of Arcangelo Corelli. Performing this music is lutenist Peter Croton, teacher at the world renowned Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, and one of the most passionate proponents of this music today.