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Presto News - 21st September 2009Australian Eloquence |
 The vast majority of labels (both majors and independents) now have budget series where they typically re-issue older titles in order to give them a new lease of life. On these series you’ll generally find real gems and fantastic bargains mixed in with a few things which, to be brutally honest, aren’t very tempting even at budget price. However, one label that seems to consistently stick to the gems and bargains-only route is Australian Eloquence. For those who are not familiar with the label, the first thing to say is ‘don’t be put off by the name’. It is only called Australian Eloquence because the man behind the label is Universal Australia’s Marketing Director of Classics and Jazz, Cyrus Meher-Homji. He founded the label ten years ago for the domestic market and since then has gradually built up a range of over 400 releases. Drawing on the vast catalogues of Decca, Philips and Deutsche Grammophon (as well as a few from Australian label ABC Classics) he has an almost unmatched selection of recordings to choose from. From what I understand, he basically draws up a wish list of recordings that aren’t available on the main labels at that time, and sends it to Universal headquarters in Europe for approval. They may say no if there are already plans to re-issue them on some other series or if there are contractual reasons why they are not allowed to, but otherwise he seems to be able to re-issue what he likes. A lot of Australian Eloquence releases are CD premieres so he’ll work from the master-tapes which are then re-mastered before release.  Ernest Ansermet The main reason why Australian Eloquence has been such a success is I believe purely down to Cyrus Meher-Homji. As well as having an excellent knowledge of the retail record business, he clearly also has a deep knowledge and passion for the recordings sitting in Universal’s vaults and seems to have an acute awareness of repertoire gaps in the catalogue that need to be filled, as well as knowing which great artists are maybe less well represented than they should be. One such artist who has recently been getting a lot of attention is the Swiss conductor Ernest Ansermet who made a great number of recordings for Decca in the 1950s and 60s. I will confess immediately that I am a massive Ansermet fan and I was very excited when I heard about the number of recordings coming out on Australian Eloquence. These Ansermet recordings are just one example though of the treasure trove of rare and wonderful recordings that Cyrus Meher-Homji has brought back to life on his label. Australian Eloquence has been unavailable in the UK and generally quite hard to get outside Australia for a long time so it is well worth having a good look, especially as we’re currently offering 10% off until November 4th. You can view the Australian Eloquence Special Offer homepage here.
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Chris O'Reilly - chris@prestoclassical.co.uk |
New Releases21st September 2009 |
This is just the pick of the recent releases. The New Releases and Future Releases pages are always available for browsing all the new and forthcoming releases. |
 Brahms & Bruch - Violin ConcertosSarah Chang (violin), Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra, Kurt MasurSarah Chang has recorded the Brahms Violin Concerto with Kurt Masur and the Dresdner Philharmonie. Two decades after first learning the concerto, and following several years of studying the work with Kurt Masur, she felt the time was finally right to commit to disc one of the summits of a violinist’s recording career. EMI Classics is proud to release this recording, which couples the Brahms with the ever-popular Bruch G minor concerto. |
 Schumann - DichterliebeSimon Keenlyside (baritone) & Malcolm Martineau (piano)Sony Music Entertainment UK is pleased to present the first of three albums by British baritone Simon Keenlyside, who has recently signed a new exclusive recording contract with the Sony UK company. The first recording under this exciting new agreement features Schumann’s Dichterliebe, Op.48, and a selection of Lieder by Brahms, sensitively accompanied by pianist Malcolm Martineau. |
 Handel’s HarpMaxine Eilender (harp) & Cindya Sieden (soprano), Seattle Baroque Orchestra, Stephen StubbsHandel’s complete music for harp on a single CD for the first time. Handel used the harp in everything from operas and oratorios to adaptations of keyboard music and his famous concerto for the instrument. Maxine Eilender has appeared as a soloist with many leading ensembles throughout North America and Europe. |
 Stravinsky - Apollon Musagète & Pulcinella SuiteChamber Orchestra of Europe, Alexander Janiczek (director)The Chamber Orchestra of Europe performs Stravinsky's Apollon Musagète and Pulcinella Suite, repertoire that demands the fresh and energetic delivery for which the COE is renowned. The COE deliver the “wonderful freshness" Stravinsky himself envisioned in Apollon Musagète with their bright and spirited performance. The Guardian commented: “In Stravinsky's Apollon Musagète each and every player contributed to the distinctive, rich-toned sonority.” |
 Haas - Chamber MusicEnsemble Villa MusicaThe Czech composer Pavel Haas opposed with all his musical might the conquest of his country by Hitler's Germany, but his efforts were in vain. German troops marched into Prague in March 1939, and the Jewish composer was deported to a concentration camp, where he wrote his last works prior to his murder in Auschwitz in 1944. The Ensemble Villa Musica presents three works by this courageous musician in the model interpretative style that has become its trademark. |
 Nicola Benedetti - FantasieNicola Benedetti (violin)British violinist Nicola Benedetti presents her fourth album, Fantasie, a selection of well-loved violin pieces that form a stunning violin showcase. The repertoire is varied, ultimately all popular pieces and greatly different to the repertoire on her most recent discs. The combination of virtuosic, gipsy-influenced show stoppers with introspective meditations and songs represents the two aspects of violin-playing that particularly interest Benedetti, as well as showing her musical and technical development. |
 Melodiya - 6 New releasesSix fascinating releases make up the latest batch of discs to emerge from Russia. For me the pick is probably the fabulous performance of Khachaturian's Gayane from 1978, but there is also a disc of Stravinsky conducting his own works and a disc of Glenn Gould from his 1957 visit to the Moscow Conservatory. |
 Australian Eloquence10 Rew re-issuesThe latest batch of Austalian Eloquence titles includes Ansermet recordings of the complete Beethoven symphonies (spread across three double disks), Rafael Kubelik conducting Janacek, Daniel Barenboim conducting Hindemith, and three discs of pianist Jorge Bolet. |
 BBC Radio 3 CD ReviewSaturday 19th September 2009 |
Building a Library - Bach, J S: Cantata BWV80 'Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott' |
 First Choice(Volume 10 of the Gardiner Bach Cantata pilgrimage)The Monteverdi Choir & The English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner |
Disc of the Week |
 Szymanowski & Britten - Violin ConcertosFrank Peter Zimmermann (violin), Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Antoni Wit (conductor), Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Manfred Honeck (conductor) |
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