Pianist Joanna Sochacka is a woman on a mission. And that mission is for Grazyna Bacewicz’s compositions to receive the performances they deserve. Bacewicz is already recognized as one of Poland’s musical geniuses. She was both a virtuoso violinist and pianist. Her compositions won numerous awards and critical acclaim. And yet, sixty years after her […]
Chamber music
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L’Orfeo Bläserensemble continue to please with Telemann
It’s been two years since the release of volume one. And, I think, worth the wait. L’Orfeo Bläserensemble presents three more Georg Philipp Telemann written for winds. What I like best about this series is the sound of the ensemble. L’Orfeo Bläserensemble performs with period instruments. The result is a much warmer sound than that […]
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Władysław Żeleński Chamber Music – True Polish Treasures
Władysław Żeleński is one of those composers who are musical giants within their own country but are barely known outside it. In 1887 Żeleński founded the Conservatory of Music in Cracow. As its director, he helped shape the face of Polish classical music in the early 20th Century. As a composer, he was a craftsman […]
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Louis Karchin – Five Compositions
The five compositions by Louis Karchin featured in this release include his chamber symphony, and four smaller chamber works. In the liner notes Karchin says, “While writing the Chamber Symphony, I realized why the genre is such an appealing one for composers working today. Contemporary music revels in the discovery of new sounds and instrumental […]
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Roxanna Panufnik – Heartfelt chamber music
The past few Roxanna Panufnik releases from Signum Classics have focused on her choral works. And with good reason — Panufnik is one of the premier choral composers of the 21st Century. This new release presents a collection of her chamber music. And (no surprise), her talent extends into this genre as well. Members of […]
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Anton Bruckner Chamber Music Worth a Listen
For most audiences, the equation is simple. Anton Bruckner = symphonies. And while symphonies may have been the best form of expression for Bruckner, he did write in other genres. This release features two of his chamber works. Albeit these are early compositions, and it’s easy to hear Brucker’s influences in them. But still, these […]
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American Quintets Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective Debut
There are plenty of quintets by American composers to choose from. But the three presented here by the Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective hit that sweet spot for me. They’re all first-rate compositions, they’re not over-represented either in recordings or in concert, and they’re all played exceptionally well. The Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective is just that — a […]
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Elizabeth Llewellyn’s Heartfelt Debut
For her debut recording, Elizabeth Llewellyn presents a recital of songs by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. In the liner notes, she writes, “I could have recorded some Puccini or Verdi… But I felt passionately that, if I was going to spend much time, energy, and money on an album, it was important to create something which had […]
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Johann Gottlieb Graun Chamber Works – Music in Transition
The title for this release is a little deceptive. True, it’s a collection of chamber music from Frederick the Great’s court. But it’s not all by Johann Gottlieb Graun. Rather, it’s a collection of music from Graun and his colleagues at court: Johann Gottlieb Janitsch, Franz Benda, and brother Carl Heinrich Graun. And that, I […]