Handel: Largo from Xerxes (instrumental arrangement)

Gabriela’s extraordinary ability as an improviser, rare in the classical world, is fast becoming her trademark. The passion, poetic musicality and sense of structure Gabriela brings to classical works translate to her classy improvisations. And no matter how complex the variations, the original melody always emerges triumphantly from a musical tapestry that might weave blues, jazz, tango, Bach or Debussy into a multihued framework. Such a skill for improvisation – to blend a vast range of styles – makes Gabriela an extremely rare talent. In “Baroque” Gabriela takes some of the best known Baroque themes, including Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major, Albinoni’s Adagio, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Boccherini’s Minuet and Handel’s Water Music, and brings to her classy improvisations the same passion, poetic musicality and sense of structure that she brings to classical works.

Harry Mortimer’s name is synonymous with the brass band movement and he was hugely responsible for bringing its music to a larger audience. He achieved this, in particular, through the many concerts and tours he made with his massed bands. Tragically, there are very few Mortimer CDs available today and this Heritage release, featuring three of his ensembles, attempts to redress the balance.

Award winning saxophonist Gerard McChrystal comes from Derry, N.Ireland and has become the player of choice for composers and performers internationally. Gerard has premiered concertos by Sir Malcolm Arnold, Dave Heath and John Metcalf and in his career to date performed with, amongst others, Philip Glass, Smith Quartet and Craig Ogden. This brilliantly devised new CD, with many works transcribed by Gerard, is at times melancholic but this deeply personal album is always beautiful and captivating.

This CD celebrates the 60th anniversary of the ever-youthful Saxon Wind Philharmonic. Under their new Principal Conductor Thomas Clamor, they perform works such as Handel’s Arrival of the Queen of Sheba and Verdi’s Triumphal March form Aida with buoyant energy.

The music selected by Tina Chen and Hannibal for this recital is the soundtrack for a day dream, or the twilight accompaniment for a romantic dinner. The emphasis is on Melody – beautiful, finely arched musical lines that reach beyond the pressures of everyday life and transport you, to a quiet realm of song, warmly and realistically recorded in SACD, Super Audio Sound!

This recording also marks the CD debut of the charismatic, young concert violinist , Chen Yi, was the Gold Medal winner at the China International Violin competition (2008). As part of the Mendelssohn Bicentennial Celebrations, Ms. Chen was invited to perform the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in Beijing’s new National Center for the Performing Arts. In 2010 she will perform the Nielsen Violin Concerto as part of the Danish Gala Concert in EXPO in Shanghai. This major event marks artistic dialogue between Denmark and China.