2016

Zehetmair Thomas: Schumann Violin Concerto [CD]

Hedelin Fredrik: Ritournelles (Norrbotten NEO) [CD]

The LSO counts the finest orchestral players among its members and many of its principals are renowned soloists in their own right. They have developed new ensembles within the Orchestra to hone their incredible musicianship in different ways: from recent recordings of Reich by the LSO Percussion Ensemble to unique chamber performances of Stravinsky's 'The Soldier's Tale' and Mozart's 'Gran Partita'. The LSO String Ensemble, directed by Orchestra Leader Roman Simovic, are a key example of this practice, showcasing the wealth of talent that the London Symphony Orchestra has to offer.<br/><br/>Following two well-received releases, the LSO String Ensemble continues on LSO Live with three English masterpieces: Vaughan Williams' 'Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis', a visionary fusion of folksong and sacred music; Britten's 'Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge', a challenging landmark of 20th-century string writing, here in a virtuosic performance; and Elgar's 'Introduction and Allegro', a work beloved of the LSO, having been composed for and premiered by the Orchestra.<br/><br/>"Delightfully sweet-toned lyricism, and an easy, smiling virtuosity". The Daily Telegraph on Roman Simovic. An acclaimed soloist, performing at many of the world's most prestigious venues, Roman Simovic has awarded prizes at numerous international competitions, placing him among the foremost violinists of his generation. He says of these pieces: "it's a big challenge for me to perform this wonderful English programme with an English orchestra. The LSO has a really special, unique, sound and to produce this standing up without a conductor, well it's quite a challenge! But my fellow players are all fantastic musicians with huge knowledge and I think people more and more are looking forward to our concerts, because it's something really special: real chamber music."

Zilliacus Cecilia / Lena Willemark: Dansa 2016 [Digipack / SACD Hybrid]

Klassiska stycken av bland andra Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Gabriel Fauré och Edvard Grieg framförs på flygel och kontrabas. Arrangemangen är dock helt nya eftersom kompositionerna ursprungligen är skrivna för solosång, kör a cappella, orkester etc. <br/><br/>"Det har varit en utmaning att identifiera och bevara de bärande musikaliska elementen så att styckenas karaktär inte förändras trots en liten sättning", säger Thomas Gustavsson som är duons pianist och arrangör. "Det händer mycket i år - min andra ensemble New Tide Orquesta firar 20-årsjubiléum med att ge ut två album." <br/><br/>Målsättning har varit att åstadkomma ett album med en lågmäld och avskalad klangbild, därav titeln Tranquillo som är en musiktermen för lugnt. <br/><br/>PianoBasso är: Thomas Gustavsson piano och Andreas Gustafson kontrabas.

Love plays a significant part in most operas, but all too often it is frustrated, or entangled with deception, humiliation and betrayal. With her new disc Camilla Tilling presents a near-comprehensive catalogue of the emotions that the vagaries of love can raise in the breast of an operatic heroine. And these emotions are universal and timeless, afflicting servants and countesses, Grecian princesses, a sorceress from Damascus and a young lady of 18th-century Naples alike. Gluck's Armide glories in having Renaud in her power - until she realizes that her feelings makes it impossible to destroy him as she had planned. Newly raised from the dead, his Euridice is defenceless against the strong emotions of the living, and beset by doubts when Orpheus refuses to acknowledge her on their way back to earth. In the bravura aria Come scoglio, Mozart's Fiordiligi proclaims her steadfast love for Guglielmo, but in the following act of the opera she regretfully admits to having been enamoured by another. And from The Marriage of Figaro we hear Susanna inviting the loved one to a nocturnal rendez-vous ('Deh vieni, non tardar') as well as her mistress, the Countess, wondering in 'Dove sono' what happened to the loving marriage she once had. With a soprano typically described as 'radiant', 'vernal' or 'silvery', Camilla Tilling has performed several of the roles featured here at venues such as Opéra National de Paris, Covent Garden, Salzburg Mozarteum and Drottningholm Slottsteater. On this recording she partnered by Philipp von Steinaecker and his Musica Saeculorum, whose period instruments bring out all the sweetness, pain and regret that Gluck and Mozart magically worked into their scores.

Västerås Sinfonietta: Aubade [CD]