The Music Pages | March 2009


	Cat. No.: 477 8093 Barcode: 00028947780939 Label: DG CD Release Date: March			Emerson String Quartet \| Intimate Letters ARTISTS Emerson String Quartet Eugene Drucker Philip Setzer Lawrence Dutton David Finckel TRACK LISTING JANÁCEK: String Quartet No. 1, "The Kreutzer Sonata" (after Leo Tolstoy) MARTINU: Three Madrigals for Violin and Viola H. 313 JANÁCEK: String Quartet No. 2, "Intimate Letters" When the Emerson String Quartet releases an album, one’s expectation of excellence isn’t met – it’s exceeded. The Emersons’ way with Czech chamber music on this new recording further burnishes a lustrous reputation. The Emersons perform with the same benchmark intensity, integrity, energy, and commitment demonstrated since its formation in 1976. It now brings these qualities to the first two of Janá?ek’s String Quartets and 3 Madrigals for violin and viola by Martin?. Intimate Letters (Quartet no. 2) is based on Janá?ek’s letters to his muse, Kamila Stösslová, whom he promised that “our life is going to be in it”. We are the fortunate beneficiaries of Janá?ek’s unrequited passion! RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 477 8073 Barcode: 00028947780731 Label: DG CD Release Date: March			Alan Curtis \| HANDEL: Ezio ARTISTS **Valentiniano: Sonia Prina Ezio: Ann Hallenberg Massimo: Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani Fulvia: Karina Gauvin Onoria: Marianne Andersen Varo: Vito Priante Il Complesso Barocco Alan Curtis** TRACK LISTING HANDEL: Ezio Rarely heard after its London premiere in 1732, Ezio, in its first ever studio recording, is rediscovered by Curtis and his cast to be a masterpiece of music drama. Strong characters, thrilling arias, potent instrumentals, and rare touches – such as Handel’s only operatic bass aria with trumpet obbligato and another air enlivened by the passing skirl of bagpipes – make fascinating listening. Metastasio’s plot poetically gets down to passion, murder, and revenge. Superb Baroque specialist Ann Hallenberg shines as Ezio, a role created by the castrato Senesino RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 477 7374 Barcode: 00028947773740 Label: DG CD Release Date: March			Alan Curtis \| HANDEL: Alcina ARTISTS **Alcina: Joyce Didonato Ruggiero: Maite Beaumont Morgana: Karina Gauvin Bradamante: Sonia Prina Oronte: Kobie Van Rensburg Oberto: Laura Cherici Melisso: Vito Priante Il Complesso Barocco Alan Curtis** TRACK LISTING HANDEL: Alcina Alan Curtis, lauded by Opera as “one of our finest conductors of Baroque opera,” illumines Handel’s masterpiece, Alcina, by casting, as heroine, the brilliant Joyce DiDonato. Since Alcina is historically dared by virtuosic sopranos like Sutherland and Battle, this innovative recording with a mezzo is a must-have not just for Alcina freaks but all who adore sensational vocalism. As Handel did in his time, Curtis arrays our era’s finest Baroque singers – such as Maite Beaumont and Karina Gauvin – in supporting roles around his star. With this electrifying Alcina, first ever studio recording of the rarely heard Ezio and Rolando Villazón’s new album, Handel Year 2009 is being exceptionally well feted by Deutsche Grammophon RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 477 8114 Barcode: 00028947781141 Label: DG 6CD Release Date: March			André Previn \| A Celebration ARTISTS André Previn, conductor Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano Kyung Wha Chung, violin Renée Fleming, soprano Roman Patkolo, contrabass TRACK LISTING CD 1 RAVEL: L’enfant et les sortilèges CD 2 PREVIN: Double Concerto for Violin, Contrabass and Orchestra PREVIN: Piano Concerto PROKOFIEV: Violin Concerto No. 1 CD 3 SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 8 CD 4 KORNGOLD: Symphony in F sharp minor KORNGOLD: Violin Concerto CD 5 PREVIN: Violin Concerto PREVIN: Three Dickinson Songs PREVIN: Diversions PREVIN: Sea Air – Aria from Streetcar CD 6 RICHARD STRAUSS: Sinfonia Domestica RICHARD STRAUSS: Rosenkavalier Suite RICHARD STRAUSS: Wiener Philharmoniker To celebrate his 80th birthday (6 April 2009), conductor/pianist/composer/educator André Previn has selected his favourite Deutsche Grammophon and Decca recordings to produce this remarkable 6-CD set. In addition to works by Ravel, Strauss, Korngold and Shostakovich, there is a liberal sprinkling of compositions by the artist himself – among the highlights, the world-première of his Double Concerto for Violin and Contrabass, with soloists Anne-Sophie Mutter and Roman Patkoló, recorded live in Boston in April 2007. "Some performers make it all about themselves …while André puts the music first." Barbara Bonney (Gramophone 2008) RETURN TO THE TOP