The three Suites recorded on this CD (BWV 1007, BWV 1008 and BWV 1010) were transcribed for guitar by the performers themselves, following a practice customary for Bach and absolutely familiar to him (the Fifth Suite for cello has come down to us in two versions, one for cello and one for lute: we are not sure which came first). One should therefore recognise the full aesthetic legitimacy of the guitar transcription of these compositions, a practice, moreover, that has now been established for decades. This procedure is ultimately legitimised by the primacy, in Bach’s language, of the harmonic and contrapuntal dimension over their sonic realisation, a primacy that led Ferruccio Busoni, for whom the concept of “transcription” occupies a position of absolute centrality in his aesthetic thought, to transcribe for piano not only numerous compositions for organ by Thomaskantor, but also the Chaconne from the Second Partita in D minor for solo violin. With specific regard to the guitar, one cannot fail to mention the name of Andrés Segovia, who transcribed for his instrument and recorded in 1946 the highly famous Chaconne.

Liana Mosca started studying the violin with Lee Robert Mosca at the Suzuki Talent Center in Turin. In 1988 she gained a diploma from the music conservatory "G. Verdi" in Milan with Professor Osvaldo Scilla and in 1993 she obtained a Konzert-Diplome from the Musik Akademie Basel specializing with Professor Schneeberger. She then earned the A Certificate from the European Suzuki Association and, in 2001, the Diploma in Kammermusik from Vienna Conservatory, as a pupil of the "Altenberg Trio".

A new and precious chapter is added to the collaboration between the Stradivarius record company and the famous pianist Mariangela Vacatello. After the ample response of the Facets CD dedicated to Schumann and Chopin, Stradivarius is now pleased to announce the release of the CD Scriabin The Complete Piano Sonatas vol.1, the first volume of the new project that will see Mariangela Vacatello perform the entire cycle of piano sonatas of the Russian composer and pianist Alexander Scriabin.

Eleven imaginative and melodically striking vocal pieces from a collection published in 1660, towards the end of the relatively short life of one of the most famous female composers, Barbara Strozzi. Ranging in length from two minutes to 14 and with a variety of moods to match, they are performed with feeling (though not a lot of colour) by Emanuela Galli with jangling support from Ensemble Galilei’s three guitars, four theorbos and (only one) organ. The haunting Lagrime mie is alone worth the price of the disc.

The name of violinist and conductor Evaristo Felice Dall'Abaco does not necessarily spring to one's lips when significant figures of the late Baroque period are under consideration. To summarize, he was a contemporary of Antonio Vivaldi and the Veronese-born master of music attached to the court of Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria. As such, Dall'Abaco spent the first 11 years of his tenure in exile with the Elector in the Netherlands, and later, in France.

Like many modern works for the guitar, the two expansive sonatas of Hans Werner Henze's Royal Winter Music were instigated by Julian Bream. But guitarist David Tanenbaum has become their strongest advocate, both in concert and on two important recordings; this 2003 disc from Stradivarius is Tanenbaum's second recording, the first having been released in 1985 by Audiofon; along with numerous live performances to his credit, Tanenbaum can also claim the composer's enthusiastic endorsement of his interpretations.

In the era prior to recordings, the only way for an audience unable to organize a symphonic performance to get to know a large work was to perform it, or hear it performed, in a chamber or keyboard arrangement. Recordings of arrangements from the nineteenth century have appeared in a steady stream, and while they're no substitute for the real thing, it's interesting to observe the artistry of the individual arrangers.

Italian ensemble Alter Ego have made their name playing the post-minimalism of composers as diverse as Louis Andriessen, David Lang and Frederic Rzewski. Now they turn their attention to pre-, or perhaps more accurately, prototype minimalism in this fine two-disc survey of early Philip Glass. Rejecting the seamless cross-stitching and salamander slither of Glass’s own ensemble, Alter Ego opt for a brassier and more strident approach. This strategy proposes a subtly alternative view about which the composer obviously approves – Orange Mountain Music is his own label.

The Fantasias for solo violin composed by Georg Philipp Telemann (Magdeburg, 14th March 1681 – Hamburg, 25th June 1767) were published in 1735, approximately ?fteen years after the Sonatas and partitas for solo violin by Johann Sebastian Bach. We do not know if Telemann knew Bach’s masterpieces, but surely he did not have the same speculative concerns as Bach; indeed Bach tended to reconstruct the polyphonic texture on a monodical instrument thanks to a game of real sounds and underlying notes. On the contrary, in Telemann the pleasure of exploring the possibilities of the instrument prevails, as well as identifying original technical and expressive solutions, to enhance the performer’s capabilities, with the aim of fascinating, surprising and involving the audience.

Between the XVIII and XIX century, throughout Europe the guitar began to win back the popularity it had not enjoyed for nearly a hundred years and again became a common sight everywhere. The capital cities of music par excellence Paris and Vienna were soon to become the major centre of this phenomenon, particularly from just before 1810 until 1840, when they became a veritable hive of activity. This revival of the guitar’s fortunes was the work of virtuoso performers, mainly from Italy and Spain, who taught, composed and gave concerts up and down the continent. The pre-eminence of Paris and Vienna was in no small part due to the presence there of the greatest guitarists of the nineteenth century: the Catalan Fernando Sor and his favourite pupil Napoléon Coste, Dionisio Aguado from Madrid, Ferdinando Carulli and Francesco Molino from Italy were all active in Paris, while Mauro Giuliani was the guitarist to be reckoned with in Vienna (although Giuliani’s reputation subsequently fell into disrepute and his work was rediscovered and its true worth recognized only in the 1960’s).

This album represents an innovative and renewed production path started in 2020 with my first album "My Art of Gypsy Jazz" published by Stradivarius Music label with which a solid collaboration has been established. Already in the previous work, my aim was to immediately highlight in the title a personal vision of the Gypsy style, starting from it's stylistic peculiarities, and adding "color" in a harmonic and stylistic combination with my experience. Despite maintaining the basic staff of guitars and bass, with "Gypsy jazz Style", it was necessary to complete my compositions, depending on the need, with the valuable collaboration of many friends / musicians who, with enthusiasm have been involved. Even the desired sounds are more modern than the previous album. Each note is meaningful! At the root of this collection of unpublished works there is the "contamination" and "inclusion" of music styles that have occurred in the journey of my artistic life. The unmistakable touch and sound of the Manouche guitar and the sound, creative and emotional impacts that Django Reinhardt had on me, have inevitably influenced my vision and my path, in summary: "Gypsy Jazz style".

Dieses Programm entspringt dem Wunsch, in eine Abfolge von kurzen und idiomatischen musikalischen Formen einzutauchen, die die ausdrucksstarken Nuancen der Protagonisten der nationalen spanischen Schule, die sich zwischen dem 19. und dem 20. Jahrhundert entwickelte, »heraufbeschwören« können. Die tiefe Stimme des Cellos und der Glanz der Gitarre verschmelzen in diesem Repertoire perfekt, um den Geschmack, die kulturelle Welt und den ausdrucksstarken Geist, aus dem es entstanden ist, in Erinnerung zu rufen, und der auf jeder Seite den Geschichten und dem Geflecht seiner Protagonisten zugrunde liegt.

Davide Monti is a violinist who combines his infectious energy with an exceptional talent of being a completely natural performer. A much sought-after director, soloist, concertmaster and chamber musician, his playing has been described as “phenomenal”, a “top solo violinist” with “incredible freshness” where “all appears extraordinarily spontaneous and organic”. His prize-winning recordings include his version of Vivaldi's Four Seasons which has been reviewed as “definitely one of the best versions of the decade”.

Among the protagonists of the recorder revival, Hans Ulrich Staeps deserves pride of place. This album allows a full appreciation of Staeps’ multifaceted talent as a composer, of his stylistic flexibility and of his capability to write beautiful music for players of all levels. The pieces performed here include practically all of his published works for recorder and piano. His output for the recorder was created between 1951 and 1988; among the observable influences are certainly those of the French Impressionists and of his teacher Hindemith, though hints of the jazz idiom are also discernible.

The 'sympathetic madness' was exactly that spark that continued to distinguish the instrumental production of the 'Neapolitans' and which also transpires from the literature by Barbella dedicated to almandol, an instrument very dear to aristocratic circles as can now be deduced, in a self-evident way, from recent studies on this tool always betrayed by a history that relegated it exclusively to a 'street' or just 'popular' practice.