We at Challenge Classics are proud to present the complete edition of Schubert's symphonies in the interpretation offered by Jan Willem de Vriend conducting the Residentie Orkest Den Haag. Even among experts, these symphonies were regarded as second-rate copies of the great Viennese classics. de Vriend's exceptionally fresh and pulsating interpretation, however, decisively ...
Composer: Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Genre: Classical
Subgenre: Orchestral
In 2005 Roberta recorded the present duet album titled 'You Are There' with the legendary pianist Hank Jones. Mr. Jones, who accompanied most of the celebrated vocalists of 20th Century such as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Carmen McRae and Nat King Cole, declared Roberta Gambarini to be ...
Genre: Jazz
Subgenre: Vocal
Singer-songwriter Conner Smith has already had a stacked year with the release of his critically-acclaimed debut album, multi-week UK chart-topper, first-ever ACM Awards nomination and multiple headline runs, but as we reach the halfway mark he’s only getting started. Today, Smith announces his latest project SMOKY MOUNTAINS SESSIONS, ...
Genre: Country
Subgenre: Contemporary Country
This new album "Inside Out", from the widely respected UK guitarist James Chadwick, marks his welcome return to the contemporary jazz scene. The album is a mixture of beautiful original and standard material. "Guitarist James Chadwick approaches his music in a distinctive and thoughtful way, blending ever evolving melodic lines ...
Genre: Jazz
Subgenre: Contemporary Jazz
In her debut album Aigul, the illustrious young opera singer Aigul Akhmetshina finds her voice in the role of Carmen and traces a path through her own remarkable journey. In the iconic aria Habanera or “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle” from Bizet’s opera Carmen, the title character sings of love as a rebellious, untameable bird. Through her sensational performances of this role, another ...
Composer: Georges Bizet (1838-1875), Jules Massenet (1842-1912), Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835), Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868), Sergej Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)
Genre: Classical
Subgenre: Vocal
With the release of her second recording, Mai-Liis has come into her own with a fresh set of tunes that are signature to her compelling musical storytelling. Through a voice that's uniquely hers, along with the ongoing writing partnership with composer/pianist Darin Clendenin, Mai-Liis' honest and understated delivery draws the listener in with ...
Genre: Jazz
Subgenre: Vocal
Legendary American guitarist, composer, improviser and 20-time Grammy winner Pat Metheny announces the release of his latest album MoonDial on 26 July via BMG. With the release of Dream Box in the spring of 2023, I took off on a long solo tour around the world, sitting alone onstage for two and a half hours for the very first time. I had played a few tunes here and there by myself each night ...
Genre: Jazz
Subgenre: Fusion
Nashville’s country music duo Ryan and Rory “are bursting onto the scene with a prime summer-ready song called ‘Pour Decisions’” (Country Swag) that Country Now also declared as a “catchy, post-heartbreak summertime anthem.” Just named SiriusXM The Highway’s latest “Highway Find,” Ryan and Rory’s buzzy party starter “Pour Decisions” is a nod to the ...
Genre: Country
Subgenre: Contemporary Country
Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors (2024 Remix)
‘Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors,’ Fish’s first solo album post-Marillion, originally released in 1990, has been remixed by Calum Malcolm for 2024. This new remix breathes fresh energy and dynamics into the album, giving it a new lease on life. The remix highlights fan-favorite tracks like ‘Cliché’ and ‘The Company,’ and celebrates the album’s enduring legacy as Fish ...
Genre: Rock
Subgenre: Modern Rock
Guitarist Jason Hook is storming out of the gates with his new band FLAT BLACK. The former Five Finger Death Punch guitarist has recruited a trio of young and talented turks and are ready to release their debut album. The album, produced by Hook, was recorded at the Hideout Studios as well ...
Genre: Rock
Subgenre: Metal
This is vocalist Elaine Delmar's first album in many years, It features some of the real treasures from her repertoire. The songs span the decades, from the 1920s to the 2000s, in arrangements by many of Elaine's wonderful musical collaborators over the years. The album features the musicians whom Elaine considers her musical family and highlights ...
Genre: Jazz
Subgenre: Vocal
Amie Blu may only be fairly fresh to the music game, but the South East Londoner is certainly a breath of fresh air. Having started out in 2022, ‘pretty‘ is her second release of the year, having previously released two EPs. The singer is bringing an indie sound but with pop and R’n’B influences to create something that feels refreshing. ...
Genre: Pop
Subgenre: Pop Rock
After Manfred Honeck’s magnificent Bruckner Symphony No. 9 recording of 2019 with the same team, this new Bruckner Symphony No. 7 was an easy request to our friends at Reference Recordings. Thank you to Jan Mancuso at Reference for providing a copy for our readers. ...
Composer: Mason Bates (1977), Anton Bruckner (1824-1896)
Genre: Classical
Subgenre: Orchestral
Nadine Sierra & Pretty Yende in Concert
Talented primadonnas Nadine Sierra and Pretty Yende showcase how the fusion of tradition and contemporary flair succeeds through their friendship and outstanding vocal abilities. Acclaimed singers Nadine Sierra and Pretty Yende expand their programme to include works by Leonard Bernstein, Victor Herbert, Louis Guglielmi on their celebrated ...
Composer: Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848), Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868), Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835), Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901), Leo Delibes (1836-1891), Charles Gounod (1818-1893), Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880), Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990), Herbert Brewer (1865-1928), Francesco Mancini (1672-1737)
Genre: Classical
Subgenre: Vocal
Rekindling the familiarly flowing interplay with fellow travellers Thomas Morgan and João Lobo – the trio’s musical partnership goes back over a decade at this point –, on A New Day Italian pianist Giovanni Guidi moreover expands the group’s instrumental grasp with the introduction of American saxophonist James Brandon ...
Genre: Jazz
Subgenre: Contemporary Jazz
“Every album is a bit different,” Misha Tsiganov noted at the end of the liner notes for Misha’s Wishes, his fourth Criss Cross album (Criss 1409), on which, for the first time on Criss Cross, he played primarily his original compositions and plugged in on the Fender Rhodes. ...
Genre: Jazz
Subgenre: Contemporary Jazz
Saxophone titan Eric Alexander and Hammond maestro Mike LeDonne come together for an incredible duo record. A really fantastic record, and one that's even better than you might expect – which is saying a lot, as we always have high expectations for any music from both saxophonist Eric Alexander and keyboardist Mike LeDonne! The album's very different ...
Genre: Jazz
Subgenre: Contemporary Jazz
His first recital album on Signum Records, internationally acclaimed pianist Melvyn Tan brings a new perspective to Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas 30, 31 and 32. Exploration, insight and imagination are vital ingredients in Melvyn Tan’s blend of artistic attributes. He established his international reputation with pioneering performances on fortepiano ...
Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
Genre: Classical
Subgenre: Instrumental
Mendelssohn: String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 13, MWV R 22 - Webern: Langsamer Satz (Live)
This programme by the Stradivari Quartett is a mesmerizing live recording that showcases the quartet's exceptional artistry and cohesion. This album captures the lyrical beauty and intricate structures of Mendelssohn's String Quartet No. 2, paired with the poignant and evocative Langsamer Satz by Webern. The Stradivari Quartett's nuanced ...
Composer: Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809-1847), Anton Webern (1883-1945)
Genre: Classical
Subgenre: Chamber Music
The Great Cello Concertos: Dvořák, Schumann, Saint-Saëns, Elgar, Haydn... (Remastered)
The tragedy of du Pré’s brief career is still fresh in the public memory and can be summarised here. She was born in Oxford on 26 January 1945 into a middle-class family in which music was important: her mother was a fine pianist and a gifted teacher. ...
Genre: Classical
Subgenre: Concertos
