Author Archive for Divine Art Recording Group – Page 2

Burkard Schliessmann a Finalist for the International Acoustic Music Awards

Burkard Schliessmann‘s performance of Chopin’s Scherzo No. 1 in B Minor was a finalist in the International Acoustic Music Awards – competing against music from all genres and from musicians around the globe! Schliessmann’s Chronological Chopin recording, which features the Scherzo, was also a Global Music Awards Silver Medalist!

Burkard Schliessmann recordings

Premiere Recordings of Music by Jennifer Fowler and Helen Habershon

Divine Art is delighted to announce, among a record level of new recordings projects in hand, two new albums featuring music by women composers from the UK, writing in very different styles.

Jennifer Fowler is Australian, though she has lived and worked in England since 1969. Her music which spreads across many genres from orchestral to chamber, instrumental and vocal works has been performed at many prestigious festivals and has resulted in her being awarded many major competition prizes. The six premiere recordings span her composing career and are performed by Lontano, one of Britain’s most celebrated new-music ensembles, under its director Odaline de la Martinez.  The two vocal works are sung by British soprano Raphaela Papadakis and Australian mezzo Lauren Easton. The recording is being produced by Adaq Khan in London (and was recorded in December 2018 – editing currently in progress!). This album is due for release in the summer, on the Metier label.

Helen Habershon is a clarinettist but now concentrates on composition.  Her music has been featured on two previous albums and the new recording presents her wonderfully ‘visual’ expressionist music – some might call it “filmic” such is the vividness of the imagery conjured up.  A group of excellent soloists (including the composer) are supported by the Primavera Orchestra under the conductor Anthony Halstead.  The pieces on the disc were all inspired by poetry or nature and its fragility, and are wonderfully atmospheric.  The album was recorded by Michael Ponder at Potton Hall, Suffolk towards the end of 2018 and will be released in the summer on the Divine Art label.

“Lines Spun” – Jennifer Fowler

Line Spun with Stars (flute, cello & piano)
From the Cave Mouth * (soprano, clarinet, violin)
Streaming Up (flute, oboe, clarinet, cello, piano)
Lady Maisry *  (Soprano, piano)
Lament (oboe, clarinet, bassoon)
Letter from Haworth **  (mezzo-soprano, clarinet, cello, piano)
With * Raphaela Papadakis (soprano)
And ** Lauren Easton (mezzo-soprano)

“Found in Winter” – Helen Habershon

Winter Arrives (orchestra)
Anna Akhmatova (orchestra)
Day of Judgement (orchestra)
Far Out in the Ocean (clarinet, orchestra)
Farewell Ice (solo piano)
Found in the Rain (clarinet, orchestra)
The Bronze Horseman (clarinet, cello, piano trio)
Peace (oboe, orchestra)
Before Time Began (clarinet, oboe, cello, piano)

A new arrival from Clarinetist Nadia Wilson

Not long after finishing the sessions for a new album, clarinetist Nadia Wilson delighted us all with her new arrival Sofia-Rose who appeared on November 3rd. Nadia is now busy with her London Myriad Ensemble colleagues in preparation for the release of the new album “Four” which will be released in the summer (Metier Records MSV 28587) featuring wind ensemble works by Bozza, Bridge, Françaix, Bennett, Ibert and Arrieu.

Peter Seivewright Performs at Poland’s International Piano Forum “In Memoriam Ryszard Bakst”

THE 14TH INTERNATIONAL PIANO FORUM "BIESZCZADY WITHOUT BORDERS"

Each year a prestigious Pianoforte Festival is held in a different city in Poland. Many of the world’s most celebrated pianists regularly perform at this Festival. In February 2019 this Festival will be held in Sanok, in South-East Poland. Sanok is the birthplace of Ryszard Bakst and, twenty years after Bakst’s death, the complete Festival is to be dedicated to Bakst’s memory. The central recital, entitled ‘In Memoriam Ryszard Bakst’, is to be given by Peter Seivewright, one of Bakst’s former students. Seivewright was chosen by the group of distinguished piano Professors in Warsaw and Moscow who run this Festival, in consultation with Ryszard Bakst’s widow, Barbara. The entire committee of Polish and Russian Pianoforte Professors who run this Festival will be present, and indeed three Pianoforte Professors from the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow are travelling especially from Moscow to Sanok in order to hear this recital. Peter Seivewright regards this as the greatest honour ever bestowed on him in his long international performing career.

Peter will also perform a preview recital on Saturday 26th January, in the Swinburne Hall, Colchester, England at 2pm.

Learn more about the Festival at interpiano.pl

Peter Seivewright (pianoforte): ‘In Memoriam Ryszard Bakst’

THE 14TH INTERNATIONAL PIANO FORUM "BIESZCZADY WITHOUT BORDERS"

6.00 p.m. Sunday 3rd February 2019

Sanok City Cultural House, Sanok, Poland.

Program

J.S. Bach (1685-1750)

  • Prelude and Fugue in E flat minor BWV 853
  • Prelude and Fugue in E flat major BWV 852
  • Prelude and Fugue in G sharp minor BWV 863
  • Prelude and Fugue in A flat major BWV 862

Peter Thorne (born 1955)

  • Piano Sonata Number 2

Intermission

Nikolai Medtner (1880-1951)

  • Sonata Reminiscenza

Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962) transcribed Sergei Rachmaninoff 

  • Liebesleid 
  • Liebesfreud

Peter Seivewright Announces A Launch Recital for his Galuppi Volume Four Recording

Following the release of his fourth volume of Piano Sonatas by Baldassare Galuppi, Peter Seivewright will present a launch recital for the new album at Noon on Thursday, 7th February 2019 at Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Program:

  • Baldassare Galuppi (1706-1785): Piano Sonata in D minor
  • Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897-1957): Piano Sonata No. 3
 

Galina Ustvolskaya Centenary

June 17, 2019 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Russian composer Galina Ustvolskaya. Known, rather unfairly, as ‘The Lady with the Hammer’ due to her regular use of uncompromising and heavy rhythms and massive chord clusters, her music actually has a great deal of variety and uniqueness, setting her apart from just about every other composer, but her teacher, Shostakovich, recognised her talent and said that in fact she could teach him more than he could teach her.

To celebrate the centenary, Divine Art will release a new recording of Ustvolskaya’s two major works for violin and piano – the Sonata and the Duo. Performed by violinist Evgeny Sorkin and pianist Natalia Andreeva,  the album is due for release in mid-May (Divine Art DDA 25182).

Pianist Andreeva, whose doctorate was based on the music of Ustvolskaya, previously recorded the complete solo piano music (Divine Art DDA 25130).

John Joubert Dies at 91

We are very sorry to learn of the death of composer John Joubert at the age of 91.  A music academic at the universities of Hull and Birmingham for 36 years, Joubert took early retirement in 1986 to concentrate on composing and remained active.  Though perhaps best known for his choral music, particularly the carols Torches and There is No Rose of Such Virtue and the anthem O Lorde, the Maker of Al Thing, Joubert composed over 160 works including two symphonies, four concertos and seven operas. One of his most recent works (perhaps the very last) was written for recorder player John Turner and premiered at last year’s Alwyn Festival.  Turner had been planning to record this and other works by Joubert and Alwyn which we hope will appear on Divine Art in the near future and which will now be our tribute to this great composer.

Exequy by John Joubert (DDA 25166)

Two New Discount Sets

Save 25% off the original prices of two multi-volume recording series when you purchase our new discount sets of music by Michael Finissy and Carson Cooman.

Handel: Suites for Harpsichord, volumes 1-3

Handel: Suites for Harpsichord, volumes 1-3

SET 10013
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Schubert: "Unauthorised" Piano Duos, vols 1-3 (discount set)

Schubert: “Unauthorised” Piano Duos, vols 1-3 (discount set)

SET 10012
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January 2019 Disc of the Month

Our monthly ‘featured album’ for January 2019  is a superb orchestral concert by the Moores Symphony Orchestra of Houston Texas, conducted by Franz Krager. It includes works by Percy Grainger (arranged by Merlin Patterson), Peter Lieuwen, Robert Nelson, and Thomas Fortmann. Enjoy this superb album (CD or digital) half price during January!

Grainger/Fortmann/Lieuwen/Nelson: Orchestral works

Among the orchestras run by academic institutions, that of the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston, Texas, is among the most accomplished and is of a very high professional standard. Here they present for new works, all of which are very approachable, enjoyable and varied – from the dynamic Etruria Symphony of Swiss composer Thomas Fortmann) to the lovely new orchestration of Percy Grainger’s pastoral ‘Lincolnshire Posy’.

Happy New Year

Best wishes to all our customers, artists and supporters for a super 2019!

New digital music site for Germany

A new digital music platform has recently opened in Berlin. IDAGIO will service the German speaking community specifically and the entire Divine Art group catalog is available at www.idagio.com

AUTUMN SALE

The 2018 autumn sale starts on Friday September 14. Special prices available to all newsletter subscribers at 20% off all audio (digital and CD). Not a subscriber? Go to the link at the bottom of the homepage and sign up for your special voucher code!

New Russian Piano Music volumes coming soon

The many fans of our Russian Piano Music series may be wondering what new additions will be coming in the future, as it is 18 months or so since the last volume (12) was released. The good news is that preparations are well under way for three more instalments in the series, all featuring the work of well known composers. Alfonso Soldano (whose Bortkiewicz CD was very well reviewed) will play music by Tchaikovsky (vol. 13) and Rachmaninov (vol. 14) while another very fine young Italian pianist, Stefania Argentieri, presents an album of music by Prokofiev. The three new albums are likely to be available from the summer of 2019.

The Passing of a Great British Artist

One of the finest British artists passed away earlier this year. Dennis Creffield, who was perhaps best known for his commissioned drawings of every cathedral in England, has work in the collections of major international institutions, such as the Tate Gallery, The British Museum, Arts Council of England, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and more.

Two of his paintings were used for the album ‘De Profundis – The Art of Dying’: “The Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem” and “View of the Old City of Jerusalem”.

Learn more about Creffield in The Guardian’s obituary.

Composer Naji Hakim praises new album

“Simon Leach’s CD “Embrace of Fire” at the organ of the Church of the Holy Name of Jesus, Manchester is a must! It includes top class interpretations of a contrasted program of my works. Very poetical all the way through, with colourful registrations, in perfect balance with the excellent and expressive playing of great artists such as Benedict Holland, violin and John Turner, recorder. The plainsong introductions by tenor Ranald McCusker add a very prayerful flavor to the recording. I’m so proud of this CD and feel privileged to discover in it a grand premiere recording of my Toccata on the Introït for the Feast of the Epiphany.” – Naji Hakim

‘Embrace of Fire’ will officially be released on September 21, but is now available for pre-order.
Performed by Simon Leach, Benedict Holland, John Turner, and Ranald McCusker.

Christmas in the Greek Tradition

The new recording from Divine Art for this year’s Christmas season celebrates the Greek tradition of singing carols on Christmas Eve (the “Kalanda”). Greek-Cypriot composer Cilia Petridou has written many carols, settings of texts by Greek authors and a full program of these is presented on the new album ‘The Mystery of Christmas: Carols of Joy and Celebration’ (Divine Art DDA 25186) which will be released in November. The composer has been resident in the UK for many years; her earlier Divine Art production was a double album of vocal and chamber works which received glowing reviews (‘Sounds of the Chionistra’ – Divine Art DDA 21226). Written mainly for solo voices, the singing is shared by three fine sopranos: Jenni Harper, Lesley-Jane Rogers and Alison Smart, all accompanied by pianist Sarah Down. The final two tracks feature all three in beautiful trio carols.

Jonathan Östlund: Voyages

We are delighted to announce the release of the double digital album “Voyages”, showcasing new original music written by the acclaimed composer Jonathan Östlund. This album, scheduled for release in February 2019, is a collection of exciting new repertoire including works for solo instruments, vocal, various chamber ensembles, organ works, as well as works for symphony orchestra, and features top international artists and ensembles. Exploring “Voyages” we discover personal journeys, both geographical as well as introspective, and a particular memory of time, with unique events and treasured memories… – the dramatic twists are interwoven with meditative passages, enthusiasm meets longing and the reflections upon the passage itself of time, in the voyage through Life.

Jonathan Östlund’s previous double album under Divine Art, “Lunaris” (DDA 21226), released in 2016 and currently in-demand and available via all major platforms, received top recognition; John Pitt, of New Classics, described Östlund’s music as “timeless and sophisticated…”, Huntley Dent, of Fanfare, appreciated that “Östlund’s signature, like Debussy and Schumann in the great tradition, merges atmosphere, mystery, fantasy, and fairy tale”, and Jan Hocek, of His Voice, contoured Östlund’s writing by affirming that “Jonathan Östlund writes music with natural poetic melodies and highly sophisticated harmonies, blending tradition with contemporary expression.”

Östlund received a BA and MA in Composition from LTU in Sweden, and has been awarded such honours as the First Prize at ‘Leicester Symphony Orchestra Composer’s Competition’, the ‘Public’s Choice Award’ at ‘Oslo Grieg Festival’, and has been selected as winner in the category ‘Most Distinguished Musician’, as well as receiving a ‘Special Mention’ at the IBLA Grand Prize. He has composed approximately 100 works, including several orchestral/symphonic compositions, a Piano Concerto and a Violin Concerto.

Two versions of Charles Avison’s Opus 9

In the baroque era, composers often prepared two or more versions of works for different instruments to accommodate those without access to everything. Charles Avison was one such composer. His Opus 9 Concerti Grossi were advertised as being playable in several ways with optional continuos, substation of instruments etc. and even as keyboard solos. The chamber orchestra and string quartet versions can be compared – the former played by the Avison Ensemble (divine art dda 21211) and the latter by The Georgian Concert (diversions ddv 24108). (Note: The Georgian Concert quartet is not the modern standard, but consists of violin, viola, cello and violone.) The quartet version is possibly the earliest work written specifically for string quartet in England.

Peter Seivewright wins American Prize Award

Congratulations to Peter Seivewright for his American Prize 2018 Ernst Bacon Memorial Award. Peter was awarded the Special Judges’ Citation for ‘American Piano Sonatas’ in the solo artist division. Being from Scotland, he is the only individual among the winners in his category that is not a United States citizen.

“Among the many contests of The American Prize, the Ernst Bacon Memorial Award for Performance of American Music is unique. It recognizes and rewards the best performances of American music by ensembles and individual artists worldwide.”

Peter is beginning preparations to record the second of four volumes in his American Piano Sonatas series.

Gennady Rozhdestvensky

Legendary Russian conductor Gennady Rozhdestvensky has died at the age of 83. Principal conductor at the Bolshoi from 1960, he became chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 1978 and guest conducted with many major orchestras.

Hear the maestro in the exquisite ‘Concert of the 13’ by Artyomov on DDA 25171.