2016

In 2012, Emilia Amper's solo début disc Trollfågeln ('The Magic Bird', BIS-2013) was a revelation. Not only to those who had never before heard the silvery sound of the nyckelharpa ('keyed fiddle'), but also for the way Emilia on it combined her roots in Scandinavian folk music with her very own and individual voice. Lux, her new album, confirms the promise of the earlier disc - a selection of her own compositions and traditional Swedish and Norwegian tunes which she performs solo and with a group of musician friends in various constellations.<br/><br/>With its roots stretching back to medieval Europe, the nyckelharpa ('keyed fiddle') almost died out in the middle of the twentieth century, but has made a remarkable comeback and is attracting an increasing number of performers in Sweden and around the world. Firmly grounded in Swedish traditional music, Emilia Amper has also worked with musicians from many other backgrounds, and can be regarded as an important ambassador for her instrument, but also for the inquisitive and open spirit which characterizes modern folk music.

Venezia Millenaria 700 - 1797 (Jordi Savall) [Digibook / 2 SACD Hybrid]

HÖGSTA BETYG 5 (AV 5) I DN!<br/>Fauré, Debussy och Ravel: Après un rêve<br/><br/>"På albumet "Après un rêve" sträcker Christian Svarfvar och Roland Pöntinen nu ut denna historia - från Gabriel Faurés violinsonat från 1878 via småstycken av Claude Debussy från början av 1900-talet (bland annat arrangemanget av preludiet "Minstrels") till Maurice Ravels violinsonat från 1927. En lika skönhetsmättad som uttrycksmässigt varierad (hos Ravel skall pianot bitvis låta som en banjo och violinen som en saxofon!) revy över den franska kammarmusiken.<br/><br/>Jag kan inte tänka mig en finare ingång till denna makalösa musiktradition."<br/><br/>Martin Nyström (DN.se)<br/><br/>Christian Svarfvar, violin<br/>Roland Pöntinen, piano

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."

Sjostakovitj: Violin concertos 1&2 (Zimmermann) [SACD Hybrid]

Verdi: Requiem (Gianandrea Noseda) [SACD Hybrid]

Steinbacher Arabella: Fantasies 2016 [SACD Hybrid]