Ondine Announces November New Releases for North America

Ondine Announces North American New Releases for November 2008

MAGNUS LINDBERG: Sculpture, Campana in Aria, Concerto For Orchestra

Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra

Sakari Oramo, conductor

ODE 1124-2

Release date: November 11, 2008

Magnus Lindberg is one of Finland's leading international contemporary composers. His music is characterized by energy, color and a thrilling density of material, and the works recorded here –Sculpture (2005), Compana in aria (1998), and Concerto for Orchestra (2003) – are entrancing examples. This disc follows the great success of his Clarinet Concerto recording, which was named best contemporary / première recording both at the Gramophone Awards and the BBC Music Magazine Awards 2006 (ODE 1038-2). Like this disc, it also featured conductor Sakari Oramo and the Finnish RSO. Sculpture was premiered by the Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen in 2005. The score is dedicated to Frank Gehry, architect of Disney Hall, and Lindberg's music explores the sonic spaces of that concert venue. The Los Angeles Times reported, "The score is sophisticated yet immediately engrossing. . . The instrumental texture is often fast-moving and complex. . . In the middle, Sculpture turns into a miniature concerto for orchestra, focusing on different instrumental sections competing to be the most dazzling. At the end the organ came rumbling in, lingering 'Zarathustra'-like in its low register. Tubas and other brass instruments took positions around the hall . . . The piece climaxes with rousing Stravinskyan rhythms . . . he orchestral writing is that of a master." Lindberg's Concerto for Orchestra was commissioned by the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 2003, and the premiere was conducted by Jukka-Pekka Saraste. The 30-minute piece spotlights instruments and groups of intruments within the orchestra, and is cast in five continuous movements. A fast and brilliant opening section is followed by a darkly coloured slow movement, then a third section strips the orchestra back to chamber music formations, leading to a scherzo and a summatory finale.

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OPERA GALA: KARITA MATTILA, ELINA GARANCA, SOILE ISOKOSKI, JUHA UUSITALO, JORMA HYNNINEN, TOMMI HAKALA

ODE 1139-2F (5 CDs)

Release date: November 25, 2008

This 5-CD boxed set features six vocal stars in a collection of the most popular opera scenes and arias. CD 1 focuses on the star baritone Jorma Hynninen with a NA recording from 1989, the period that saw his international career rocket after he conquered the opera houses of New York, Chicago and San Francisco. CD 2 features the outstanding lyric soprano Soile Isokoski in what was hailed by the press in 2004 as "one of the best albums available of Mozart arias." CD 3 contains the début album of highly acclaimed young baritone Tommi Hakala, which he recorded shortly after winning the BBC 'Singer of the World' contest in 2003. He has since débuted in San Francisco and at the Metropolitan Opera, in some of the roles featured on this disc. Mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca's début recording (CD 4) was released in 2001 by Ondine before she became the international superstar of today. Bass-baritone Juha Uusitalo joined Ondine's roster in 2008 with an acclaimed Wagner album, of which CD 5 features three excerpts. Completing the disc, and as a culmination of this opera gala box, star soprano Karita Mattila performs, among other arias, Vissi d'arte from Tosca, in a live recording of a concert in 2000 attended by 11,000 people in Helsinki.

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Recent Ondine releases …

Einojuhani Rautavaara: Works for Male Choir

YL Male Voice Choir, Talla Ensemble

Matti Hyökki and Pasi Hyökki, conductors

ODE 1125-2D (2CDs)

Release date: October 14, 2008

Ondine pays tribute to its most longstanding and successful house composer, Einojuhani Rautavaara, with three major CD releases in 2008 and 2009. For the 80^th birthday of the great composer in October, Ondine will release a 2-CD recording of his complete works for male voice choir, including many premiere recordings. The release features the YL Male Voice Choir and Talla Ensemble led by their respective conductors Matti Hyökki and Pasi Hyökki.

In March 2008, Ondine released a new recording of Rautavaara's Manhattan Trilogy, coupled with his Third Symphony, by Leif Segerstam and the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Gramophone recommended the disc, writing, "Superbly recorded coupling of the new with the old from the Finnish master."

In 2009, Ondine will release the premiere recording of Rautavaara's latest orchestral composition, A Tapestry of Life (2007), coupled with Before the Icons (2005), performed by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra under Leif Segerstam. The new work will be given its Finnish premiere performance during a celebratory concert on October 9, 2008, with Olli Mustonen conducting the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra.

Einojuhani Rautavaara (born October 9, 1928) was hailed by The New York Times as "the patriarch of contemporary Finnish composers." Ondine has had a long and fruitful association with this iconic composer, having recorded the premieres of many of his works and garnering many awards along the way, including a Cannes Classical Award 1998 for his Violin Concerto and a Grammy nomination in 1997 for Angel of Light, his seventh symphony.

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SOILE ISOKOSKI

Scene d'amore

Helsinki Philharmonic, Mikko Franck, conductor

ODE 1126-2

Release date: October 14, 2008

Audiences and critics hail the Finnish soprano Soile Isokoski as one of the finest singers today. Her recent orchestral albums on Ondine (Sibelius's Luonnotar and orchestral songs; Mozart Arias; R. Strauss's Four Last Songs and other orchestral songs) have been praised as top-choice recordings and earned the highest distinctions such as the BBC Music Magazine Disc of the Year 2007 Award, a 2007 MIDEM Classical Award, and a 2002 Gramophone Award. The Guardian has proclaimed, "Her voice is one of the greatest in the world."

This disc features popular scenes and arias from the late-19^th century Italian, French and Russian opera marking Soile Isokoski's greatest successes on stage. Included is the famous aria "Sì. Mi chiamano Mimì" from Puccini's La Bohème (the role of Mimì marked Soile Isokoski's opera début in 1989), as well as the famous Letter scene from Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin – Tatyana being her latest new role, which she sang in 2006 at the Finnish National Opera to international acclaim.

Soile Isokoski is accompanied by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of young star conductor Mikko Franck.

Ms. Isokoski performs a recital at Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall on March 31, with pianist Marita Viitasalo. She appears as Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni at The Metropolitan Opera from April 13-24, 2009.

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KAIJA SAARIAHO

Notes on Light, Orion Mirage

Karita Mattila, Anssi Karttunen

Orchestra de Paris, Christoph Eschenbach

ODE 1130-2

Release date: September 9, 2008

Soprano Karita Mattila and female composer Kaija Saariaho share not only popular star status in the classical musical world (with respective awards by Musical America as Musician of the Year 2005 and as Composer of the Year 2008), but also a fruitful musical collaboration and friendship. Its latest output – after the acclaimed song cycle Quatre Instants in 2006 – is Mirage, the setting of a trance-induced incantation text by the Mexican healer María Sabina (1894–1985). This recording features the work's world première performance in Paris, France on March 13, 2008.

The ecstatic 15-minute piece is written for the unprecedented combination of soprano, cello and orchestra, featuring cellist Anssi Karttunen and the Orchestre de Paris under its music director Christoph Eschenbach. Mr. Eschenbach – who for the Ondine label also records with The Philadelphia Orchestra – is known as one of the top champions of contemporary music among the world's leading conductors. The disc also includes Anssi Karttunen performing Notes on Light, a cello concerto Saariaho wrote for him in 2006 and which he gave its New York premiere during the 2008 Lincoln Center Mostly Mozart Festival; and Orion, the largest orchestral work Saariaho has written to date.

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JUHA UUSITALO

The Wagner Album

Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Leif Segerstam

ODE 1121-2

Release date: September 23, 2008

Bass-baritone Juha Uusitalo's first aria album features the outstanding Finnish newcomer performing the best-known arias for male voice from Wagner's operas, including "Song to the Evening Star" ("O du, mein holder Abendstern") from Tannhäuser. Juha Uusitalo is accompanied by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of its Emeritus Chief Conductor Leif Segerstam.

The September 23 release date coincided with the opening night performance by Mr. Uusitalo, in his Metropolitan Opera debut as Jochanaan in Richard Strauss's Salome. Salome also features Ondine soprano Karita Mattila. The production runs through October 16, 2008, and the October 11, 1 pm ET performance will be broadcast in high definition at movie theaters around the world, as part of The Metropolitan Opera Live in HD series.

On October 30, 31 and November 1, 2008 Juha Uusitalo will perform an all-Wagner program with the National Symphony Orchestra, led by Iván Fischer, at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. Under the direction of Franz Welser-Moest, he will star in the complete Ring cycle in May and June 2009 at the Vienna Staatsoper.

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About Ondine: Ondine was founded more than twenty years ago in Helsinki, Finland, where the company is still based and today offers an extremely eclectic catalogue of both contemporary Finnish music, as well as recordings with major Finnish and international artists.

Ondine's extensive catalogue includes more than four hundred recordings (two hundred and fifty of which are available physically) of artists and ensembles such as conductor and pianist Christoph Eschenbach, conductors Vladimir Ashkenazy, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Sakari Oramo, Leif Segerstam, John Storgårds and Mikko Franck, orchestras such as The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Orchestre de Paris, the London Sinfonietta, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Czech Philharmonic, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Helsinki Philharmonic, sopranos Karita Mattila and Soile Isokoski, pianist Olli Mustonen, violinist Pekka Kuusisto and clarinettist Kari Kriikku. The label has also had a long and fruitful association with the Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara, having recorded the premieres of many of his works and garnering many awards along the way.

The roots of Ondine date back to 1985 when founder Reijo Kiilunen released the very first Ondine album under the auspices of the renowned Finnish Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival. The label's initial mission was to produce one live album at the Festival each season. The fourth album, however, featured Einojuhani Rautavaara's opera Thomas (ODE 704-2), raising major international attention and opening up the possibility for North American distribution. Kiilunen, who was running the Festival's concert agency and had begun the recording activity part-time, soon decided to devote himself fully to the development of this new business, producing and editing the first 50 releases himself. In 1991, Seppo Siirala joined as producer, and the Helsinki-based company has been expanding steadily since, currently numbering six full-time employees. Today, Ondine continues to uphold its reputation as one of the most respected labels in classical music, and its products have received numerous prizes at the Cannes (MIDEM) Classical Awards, the Gramophone Awards, the BBC Music Magazine Awards and the Classical Internet Awards.

Universal Music Classical and Ondine entered into a distribution agreement that began on January 1, 2008. Both physical and digital distribution in the United States and Canada are covered under the agreement. Universal Music Classical comprises the Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Philips, and ECM labels and is a division of the Universal Music Group. For more information about Ondine, visit www.ondine.net.

Distinguished pianist Alexander Tselyakov releases Sonata Album

Distinguished pianist and BU Professor Alexander Tselyakov releases Sonata Album

BRANDON, MB – Distinguished pianist and Brandon University professor Alexander Tselyakov has released a new CD titled Sonata Album through the Brandon-based Golomb Records. The release contains two discs, with selected pieces reflecting the historical development of the Sonata form and the various approaches and styles to sonatas, from the baroque, classic, romantic, post romantic and modern eras. Sonata Album represents a collection of timeless standards sure to please the most discerning classical piano classical fan. The album is being distributed by the Canadian Music Centre, an international distribution agency.

Included on the album is a fabulously performed selection of the following masterworks: Disc One includes Dominico's Scarlatti Sonatas in D minor, K.32/L.423, in E major, K.380/ L.23, Sonata in F minor, K.184/L.189 and in A major, K.39/L.39, as well as Franz Liszt's Piano Sonata in B minor. The sonata in B minor is possibly the best example of Liszt´s mastery in piano and in composition and represents a pinnacle in the history of piano and of music in general, not only for his improvements to the technique but also for the revolutionary conception of the piece itself. Disc Two includes Mozart's Piano Sonata in F major, K.332, the world première recording of T. Patrick Carrabré's Sonata No.1 for Piano - Black Echoes (a composition dedicated to Alexander Tselyakov), and Sergei Rachmaninoff's meltingly affectionate Piano Sonata No.2 in B Flat Minor, Op.36 (revised version, 1931).

Former Brandon University School of Music Dean Dr. Lawrence Jones wrote the program notes for the CD package.

Alexander Tselyakov "...represents the best aspect of Russian pianism and all its attributes...effectively synthesized the emotional balance of Arthur Rubinstein and the more highly-strung febrile quality of Horowitz." Harris Goldsmith, New York Concert Review

Recognized as one of Canada's most outstanding musicians, Alexander Tselyakov has distinguished himself as a guest soloist with great orchestras and as a recitalist in major concert halls, such as the Carnegie Recital Hall in New York, Wigmore Hall in London, England, the Centre de Doelen, in Rotterdam, and the Shostakovich Large Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, and has won major prizes at the International Tchaikovsky Competition and the International Music Competition of Japan. Tselyakov has been described as "representing the best aspect of Russian pianism and all its attributes" by the New York Concert Review; and "amazing at the keyboard" by The Globe and Mail. A busy concert pianist, teacher and chamber musician, Tselyakov collaborates with many leading Canadian musicians. He is artistic director of two Chamber Music Festivals; at Clear Lake in Manitoba and Pender Harbour, British Columbia. Tselyakov resides in Manitoba, where he is Professor of Piano at Brandon University School of Music. This recording was made possible with the generous support of the Manitoba Film & Sound and Brandon University.

Tselyakov's Sonata Album can be purchased through the Canadian Music Centre, at the Brandon University School of Music, at Brandon University Campus Books or online at http://www.tselyakov.com, where one can also find more information on Professor Alexander Tselyakov, including previous recordings, recent appearances and concerts, and a long list of praise from classical music critics and experts.

Charles Aznavour "Duos"

CHARLES AZNAVOUR

"DUOS,"

featuring French and English duets with some of the world's biggest names

to be released in North America on December 9, 2008

On December 9, legendary French singer Charles Aznavour will again be in the spotlight with the release of his new album Duos.

Duos is a collection of some of his greatest songs recorded as French and English duets with some of the biggest international stars, including Paul Anka, Céline Dion, Josh Groban, Sting, Elton John, Placido Domingo, Nana Mouskouri, Carole King, Bryan Ferry, Edith Piaf, Dean Martin, Herbert Grönemeyer, Johnny Hallyday, Liza Minnelli, Laura Pausini, Frank Sinatra and Julio Iglesias. In addition, a musical comedy based on his songs entitled "Je m’Voyais Déjà" (I Could Already See Myself) opened this month in Paris.

Earlier this year, Charles Aznavour was awarded with the prestigious Order of Canada and will also receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at MIDEM on January 19, 2009 in recognition of his outstanding career.

"Charles Aznavour is without doubt the most famous French singer throughout the world, and he is a living legend in the pantheon of chanson française. His songs have become standards covered by some of the greatest artists of successive generations, and the films in which he has starred are classics. It is a pleasure for MIDEM to be able to honour this incomparable personality," said Paul Zilk, Chief Executive Officer of Reed MIDEM.

Aznavour has written more than 800 songs, many of which have been interpreted by the world’s greatest artists (Fred Astaire, Shirley Bassey, Ray Charles, Elvis Costello, Bobby Darin, Sammy Davis Junior, Juliette Gréco, Liza Minnelli, Edith Piaf and Nina Simone to name but a few).

He has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, including over a million in Canada. His career as an actor, which he began in the theatre at the age of nine, includes more than 60 films, including "The Tin Drum," winner of the Palme d’Or at the Festival de Cannes in 1979. His last studio album "Colore ma Vie" was released in 2007 by EMI.

In 1988, following the terrible earthquake in Armenia, Aznavour started to use his international fame to help the land of his forebears by founding the humanitarian foundation "Aznavour pour l’Arménie" (Aznavour for Armenia) with Lévon Sayan.

In 1993, the President of Armenia appointed him Ambassador-at-Large and Ambassador to Unesco.

In 1998, Charles Aznavour was voted Entertainer of the Century – ahead of Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan – in an online poll conducted by CNN and Time Magazine USA. Aznavour was named "Commandeur de la Légion d’Honneur" (Commander of the Légion d’Honneur) and "Commandeur dans l’Ordre National du Mérite" (Commander in the National Order of Merit) by President Jacques Chirac.

At 84, the lyricist and/or composer of such classics as "La Bohème," "Je m’Voyais Déjà," "Hier encore," "La Mamma" continues to write new songs and to appear on some of the most prestigious international stages.

Charles Aznavour is the dazzling symbol of universal artistic talent coupled with unbounded energy.

"DUOS" TRACKLISTING:

CD 1
TOI ET MOI Charles Aznavour / Céline Dion
QUE C’EST TRISTE VENISE Charles Aznavour / Julio Iglesias
LES BATEAUX SONT PARTIS Charles Aznavour /Placido Domingo
PARIS AU MOIS D'AOUT Charles Aznavour / Laura Pausini
HIER ENCORE Charles Aznavour/ Elton John
IL FAUT SAVOIR Charles Aznavour / Johnny Hallyday
MOURIR D’AIMER Charles Aznavour / Nana Mouskouri
L’AMOUR C’EST COMME UN JOUR Charles Aznavour / Sting
LA BOHÈME Charles Aznavour / Josh Groban
TON NOM Charles Aznavour /Carole King
JE N’AI PAS VU LE TEMPS PASSER Charles Aznavour / Paul Anka
MES EMMERDES Charles Aznavour / Herbert Groenemeyer
C’EST UN GARS Charles Aznavour / Edith Piaf

CD 2
YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG Charles Aznavour/ Elton John
QUIET LOVE Charles Aznavour/ Liza Minnelli
LOVE IS NEW EVERYDAY Charles Aznavour/ Sting
YOUNG AT HEART Charles Aznavour/ Franck Sinatra
TO DIE OF LOVE Charles Aznavour/ Nana Mouskouri
SHE Charles Aznavour/ Bryan Ferry
I DIDN’T SEE THE TIME GO BY Charles Aznavour / Paul Anka
YOU AND ME Charles Aznavour/ Céline Dion
LA BOHEME Charles Aznavour/ Josh Groban
THE SOUND OF YOUR NAME Charles Aznavour/ Carole King
YOU’VE GOT TO LEARN Charles Aznavour/ Johnny Hallyday
PARIGI IN AGOSTO Charles Aznavour / Laura Pausini
EL BARCO YA SE FUE Charles Aznavour/ Placido Domingo
ALS ES MIR BESCHISSEN GING Charles Aznavour /Herbert Groenemeyer
EVERYBODY LOVES SOMEBODY SOMETIME Charles Aznavour/ Dean Martin

Natalie Choquette lance TERRA MIA

TERRA MIA
de NATALIE CHOQUETTE

Une odyssée lyrique aux quatre coins du monde

Montréal, le 27 novembre 2008 – Cela fait trois ans que Natalie Choquette explore les grands airs des répertoires sacrés, baroques et classiques. Avec brio et succès d'ailleurs, puisque sa trilogie Æterna s'est vendue à 100 000 exemplaires et a remporté trois Félix à l'ADISQ. Aujourd'hui, la célèbre soprano se lance dans une nouvelle aventure et un nouveau registre avec un album plein d'amour et de rythmes du monde… Alors faites vos valises et embarquez avec « La diva » pour une belle et grande épopée à travers TERRA MIA.

En 10 langues et 16 chansons, Natalie Choquette célèbre l'amour avec des compositions ou des chants traditionnels issus des cultures portugaise, japonaise, française, québécoise, gitane, russe, chinoise, arabe, péruvienne… En duo avec Marco Calliari puis avec le jeune Torontois Daniel Panetta (découvert à l'émission Canadian Idol), elle fait une escale romantique en Italie pour entonner Reginella et Non ti scordar di me. Sur les rivages ensoleillés de Cuba, mère et fille se retrouvent ensuite, mêlant leur voix et leurs émotions dans une chanson spécialement écrite par Florence K., Mamacita.

Tout au long du périple, la voix en or de Natalie Choquette est soutenue par un écrin de musique finement ciselé dans l'authenticité : violons tziganes, accordéon italien, uhru chinois, oud arabe, flûtes péruviennes, irlandaises ou japonaises, guitare flamenco, tres cubain… Pour enregistrer El cóndor pasa, un chant traditionnel des Andes, la chanteuse et son équipe sont même allés en Amérique du Sud pour s'entourer d'un vrai chœur d'enfants péruviens. Le résultat est touchant.

Au total et en plus de ce chœur, 20 musiciens et 8 choristes ont participé à l'aventure de TERRA MIA, dont la réalisation et les sublimes arrangements sont signés John Roney et Éric Lagacé.

TERRA MIA de Natalie Choquette : le classique et la musique du monde sont enfin réconciliés dans un album conçu comme une invitation à s'évader sur une autre planète : la nôtre. En vente partout dès aujourd'hui sur étiquette Isba Music, distributionDEP|Universal.

Lori Laitman CD

KUDOS FOR LAITMAN'S 'THE SEED OF DREAM' ON NAXOS RELEASE

"Lori Laitman has a great gift for song-writing and these songs skillfully employ a variety of styles to convey the pathos of the Holocaust."

American Record Guide, 2008

"This cycle is indeed a masterpiece that should not be missed!"

Journal of Singing, 2008

Critical acclaim for a Naxos recording of American composer Lori Laitman's 'The Seed of Dream' has recently been noted by American Record Guide and Opera News. The CD, titled 'For a Look or a Touch' includes works by Jake Heggie, Gerard Schwarz and Lori Laitman. All three compositions were commissioned by Music of Remembrance, and each piece commemorates the extraordinary musical and artistic gifts of musicians who perished or survived the Holocaust.

Laitman's song cycle for baritone, cello and piano is based on five poems penned in Nazi-occupied Lithuania by the pre-eminent Yiddish poet Abraham Sutzkever. Sutzkever's poetry, written in the Vilna Ghetto during the war, stands witness to the transcendent power of art in the face of unimaginable cruelty and brutality. The cycle saw its world premiere in Seattle, Washington in 2005 to glowing reviews, and was performed for the first time in Europe at The Tolerance Center of the Vilna Gaon Jewish State Museum in Vilna, Lithuania in 2007. It has also generated excitement and interest among some of the world's most prestigious vocalists, among them the famed Austrian baritone Wolfgang Holzmair, who will perform the cycle in his native land in February 2009.

High praise is also accorded to Jake Heggie's song cycle 'For a Look or a Touch', and 'In Memoriam', a work for solo cello and strings by Gerard Schwarz.

In their October 2008 review of the album, Opera News writes: "Composer Lori Laitman has set [the songs] with warmth and variety for baritone, cello and piano." Of her treatment of one song in the cycle, Opera News adds: "It is hard to resist the harsh irony of 'A Load of Shoes,' Laitman's fast, klezmer-tinted waltz to the poet's observation of piles of ownerless shoes "transported from Vilna to Berlin."

American Record Guide expresses deep appreciation of Lori's work in its Sept/Oct 2008 issue: "Lori Laitman has a great gift for song-writing and these songs skillfully employ a variety of styles to convey the pathos of the Holocaust. 'I Lie in This Coffin'' describes the poet's experience of hiding in a coffin to elude the Nazis. Beginning with low tones from the piano suggesting the buried spirit of those persecuted in the Holocaust, the song rises to a note of encouragement as the poet remembers the spirit of his dead sister but then returns to the reality of life that is like being buried alive. 'A Load of Shoes' is a sort of danse macabre as the poet happens to see his own mother's shoes among others being carried on a cart after she had been murdered. The tender and lyrical 'To My Child' is a lament on the murder of the poet's son. 'Beneath the Whiteness of Your Stars' combines and alternates a pizzicato habanera rhythm by the cello with a melody written in the Vilna Ghetto by Abraham Brudno as it contrasts the natural beauty of the world with human suffering. 'No Sad Songs, Please' ends the cycle on a note of hope with the loveliest of melodies. This is very fine song-writing and one must hope that Laitman's songs will continue to receive the recognition they deserve"."

CD Details:

Naxos 559379, 61 minutes

HEGGIE: For a Look or a Touch; SCHWARZ: In Memoriam; LAITMAN: The Seed of Dream

Distinguished pianist Alexander Tselyakov releases Sonata Album

Distinguished pianist and BU Professor Alexander Tselyakov releases Sonata Album

BRANDON, MB – Distinguished pianist and Brandon University professor Alexander Tselyakov has released a new CD titled Sonata Album through the Brandon-based Golomb Records. The release contains two discs, with selected pieces reflecting the historical development of the Sonata form and the various approaches and styles to sonatas, from the baroque, classic, romantic, post romantic and modern eras. Sonata Album represents a collection of timeless standards sure to please the most discerning classical piano classical fan. The album is being distributed by the Canadian Music Centre, an international distribution agency.

Included on the album is a fabulously performed selection of the following masterworks: Disc One includes Dominico's Scarlatti Sonatas in D minor, K.32/L.423, in E major, K.380/ L.23, Sonata in F minor, K.184/L.189 and in A major, K.39/L.39, as well as Franz Liszt's Piano Sonata in B minor. The sonata in B minor is possibly the best example of Liszt´s mastery in piano and in composition and represents a pinnacle in the history of piano and of music in general, not only for his improvements to the technique but also for the revolutionary conception of the piece itself. Disc Two includes Mozart's Piano Sonata in F major, K.332, the world première recording of T. Patrick Carrabré's Sonata No.1 for Piano - Black Echoes (a composition dedicated to Alexander Tselyakov), and Sergei Rachmaninoff's meltingly affectionate Piano Sonata No.2 in B Flat Minor, Op.36 (revised version, 1931).

Former Brandon University School of Music Dean Dr. Lawrence Jones wrote the program notes for the CD package.

Alexander Tselyakov "...represents the best aspect of Russian pianism and all its attributes...effectively synthesized the emotional balance of Arthur Rubinstein and the more highly-strung febrile quality of Horowitz." Harris Goldsmith, New York Concert Review

Recognized as one of Canada's most outstanding musicians, Alexander Tselyakov has distinguished himself as a guest soloist with great orchestras and as a recitalist in major concert halls, such as the Carnegie Recital Hall in New York, Wigmore Hall in London, England, the Centre de Doelen, in Rotterdam, and the Shostakovich Large Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, and has won major prizes at the International Tchaikovsky Competition and the International Music Competition of Japan. Tselyakov has been described as "representing the best aspect of Russian pianism and all its attributes" by the New York Concert Review; and "amazing at the keyboard" by The Globe and Mail. A busy concert pianist, teacher and chamber musician, Tselyakov collaborates with many leading Canadian musicians. He is artistic director of two Chamber Music Festivals; at Clear Lake in Manitoba and Pender Harbour, British Columbia. Tselyakov resides in Manitoba, where he is Professor of Piano at Brandon University School of Music. This recording was made possible with the generous support of the Manitoba Film & Sound and Brandon University.

Tselyakov's Sonata Album can be purchased through the Canadian Music Centre, at the Brandon University School of Music, at Brandon University Campus Books or online at http://www.tselyakov.com, where one can also find more information on Professor Alexander Tselyakov, including previous recordings, recent appearances and concerts, and a long list of praise from classical music critics and experts.

Lorraine Hunt Lieberson | New CD On Wigmore Hall Live

LORRAINE HUNT LIEBERSON'S 1999 WIGMORE HALL CONCERT

IS RELEASED ON THE WIGMORE HALL LIVE LABEL

THE MUSIC OF SCHUMANN AND BRAHMS IS HEARD IN POWERFUL AND PROFOUND PERFORMANCES BY THE BELOVED AMERICAN MEZZO-SOPRANO WHO DIED IN 2006; JULIUS DRAKE IS THE PIANIST

Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, the esteemed and beloved American mezzo-soprano who died in 2006, is heard in a new CD on the Wigmore Hall Live label (WHLIVE0024). This concert was recorded live in London's Wigmore Hall on October 4, 1999. Julius Drake is the pianist.

Ms. Hunt Lieberson's performances of works by Brahms and Schumann are soulful, powerful and profound -- a masterful technique completely in service to the music and its message.

This is the 25^th CD released on the Wigmore Hall Live label and the second by Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, the first being the 30 November 1998 concert of works by Brahms, Handel, Lieberson (the singer's husband), Mahler, and a traditional spiritual, with Roger Vignoles, pianist (WHLive0013, released last year).

Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, originally from Northern California, died at the age of 52. She brought an almost paradoxical combination of serenity and intensity to her performances, with her subtle but penetrating illumination of both text and music. Her recorded legacy is relatively small, making this release especially valuable.

Reviewing the live concert in 1999, Andrew Clements in The Guardian (London) wrote: "...With Julius Drake as the ever attentive pianist, she devoted her recital to Brahms and Schumann, and it was spell-binding. There is no artifice, no affectation and most of all no self-regarding ego about Hunt Lieberson; she is on the platform to communicate. It helps, of course, that she possesses a voice of such haunting beauty and that her musicality is so instinctive ... Each number of Frauenliebe und -leben ran through a whole spectrum of colour and emotional flux. The way in which Ich kann's nicht fassen grew from breathless wonder to untrammelled ecstasy was a microcosm of the emotional journey that the whole cycle charts. Magical."

The contents of the CD are as follows:

Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Mezzo-soprano

Julius Drake, Piano

Brahms – Eight Songs, Op. 57

Schumann – Four Lieder from Goethe's Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre, Op. 98a

Schumann – Frauenliebe und -leben, Op. 42

(Encores: Debussy – Fantoches from Fetes galantes; and Handel – Angels, ever bright and fair, from Theodora)

John Gilhooly, Director of Wigmore Hall, who is responsible for all aspects of the Hall's activities and its recording label, stated: "We are particularly delighted to release a second Wigmore Hall Live archive recording of Lorraine Hunt Lieberson -- one of the world's most beautiful voices -- in repertoire by Schumann and Brahms.

"Wigmore Hall Live has grown into a flagship international label since its launch in 2005, and we're very excited that we have already reached our 25th disc, with many more exciting releases planned for the seasons ahead. The label is now distributed in 30 worldwide territories, bringing the unique Wigmore Hall experience to an even greater audience."

London's Wigmore Hall is generally regarded as the world's finest concert hall for chamber music and song, a reputation which has grown and flourished in the 107 years since its opening. Its generous acoustics, intimacy and warm hospitality has won great loyalty from the world's greatest artists. Being innovative as well as traditional, Wigmore Hall has consistently led the way for new types of song recital and chamber music programming. It is held in the highest esteem and affection by musicians and music lovers the world over.

Wigmore Hall Live's catalogue includes archival recordings of musicians of the highest calibre: Dame Margaret Price with Geoffrey Parsons, and Peter Schreier with András Schiff; contemporary Wigmore regulars Dame Felicity Lott with Graham Johnson and Sir Thomas Allen with Malcolm Martineau. Early music, with the Academy of Ancient Music, is heard in close proximity to contemporary music, advocated by the Arditti Quartet, while Wigmore Hall continues its commitment to nurturing Young Artists with exhilarating performance by Joyce DiDonato and Julius Drake. The label's newer releases include recent concerts from the Ysaÿe Quartet, and the first appearance at the Hall by Finnish soprano Soile Isokoski and her recital partner, Marita Isokoski.

Releases scheduled for 2009 on Wigmore Hall Live include recitals by Swedish soprano Miah Persson and pianist Roger Vignoles; Polish mezzo-soprano Ewa Podleś with pianist Garrick Ohlsson (a program that also features Musorgsky's Songs and Dances of Death); Russian-born pianist Elisabeth Leonskaja; and Hungarian pianist András Schiff playing at Wigmore Hall's 1988 Haydn Festival.