Andris Nelsons “From the New World”

It isn’t often that a young conductor excites audiences and stirs up critics to the extent that Andris Nelsons does. In this case, the young Latvian headed the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, the orchestra of his mentor and fellow countryman Mariss Jansons, in a high-profile programme that calls for utmost virtuosity as much as it does for poetic zest: “From the New World” was the motto of this sweeping concert that received rave reviews and cemented Nelsons’ status as the “real deal” among up-and-coming conductors. Pairing Dvorák’s New World Symphony with other salient works from the 20th and 21st centuries that were also conceived on US soil, the event proved to be a triumphant showcase for all involved. “One rarely exper iences such a na tural connect ion between conductor and orchestra … Andris Nelsons and the Bavarian Radio Orchestra are a sensation!“ Stuttgarter Zeitung

Pollini and Thielemann perform Brahms and Reger

Legendary pianist Maurizio Pollini and star conductor Christian Thielemann team up with the Staatskapelle Dresden for an exceptional concert of late-romantic music. For his first concert with the Staatskapelle in nearly 25 years, Pollini plays Brahms’ mighty First Piano Concerto. Thielemann harnesses the orchestra’s dynamic power and melds it with Pollini’s vitality. Also on the program are Brahms’ ‘Tragic Overture’ and Reger’s ‘Romantic Suite’. Reger’s charming, colorfully orchestrated work, premiered with the Staatskapelle in 1912, is a valuable addition to the romantic repertoire.

Andris Nelsons: From the new World

“Andris Nelsons and the BR-Symphonieorchester are a sensation”, raved the press. It isn’t often that a young conductor excites audiences and stirs up critics to the extent that Andris Nelsons does. As can be seen in this concert “From the New World”, he communicates his passion with a vocabulary of gestures that sweep the audience off their feet. The concert with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks is devoted to the “New World”. The main work of the evening is Antonín Dvorák’s Ninth Symphony, “From the New World”. The first half features compositions of the 20th and 21st-century by American composers Charles Ives and John Adams, along with a work by Igor Stravinsky, who spent several decades in the U.S.

Brahms, Sonatas for Violin and Piano

As Anne-Sophie Mutter herself puts it, ‘the apple was ripe and simply had to be picked.’ The ‘apple’ is the complete cycle of Brahms’ sonatas for violin and piano. Mutter, perhaps the best-known and most widely respected violinist of our time, has been fascinated by the Brahms sonatas since her youth. Several early recordings testify to her love for these works which, in her words, reflect Brahms’ understanding of ‘the singing quality’ of the violin. Over the years, she and her longtime piano partner Lambert Orkis have ‘ripened’ their interpretation of these works. Now, with the sonatas ‘under their skin’, the multiple award-winning violinist and her partner felt the time was right for their first audiovisual recording of the complete set.

Bruckner, Symphony No.4 in E flat major

Bruckner originally wrote the Fourth Symphony in 1874, but revised it thoroughly in 1880 before its premiere in Vienna in 1881, which was a resounding success. Although he continued to revise it in later years,the version most often played today is the first revised version of 1880. This is also the version featured on this recording of a concert held at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, which was greeted with storms of applause. Leading the Münchner Philharmoniker in this concert is ist principal conductor Christian Thielemann, a maestro internationally known and admired above all as a specialist of Romantic music.

Mendelssohn, Violin Concerto in E Minor Op. 64

In 2008 Anne-Sophie Mutter was awarded not only the prestigious Ernst von Siemens Music Award, but also the Leipzig Mendelssohn Award. The award ceremony in March 2008 was crowned by a gala concert at Leipzig’s Gewandhaus with the Gewandhaus Orchestra under Kurt Masur, at which Mutter performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor op. 64 presented here. Also available: Anne-Sophie Mutter – Encounters with Mendelssohn, Documentary, Length: 18’, directed by Günter Atteln (A04500548).

Mendelssohn, Piano Trio No.1 in D minor, op.49

One of the world’s foremost violinists, Anne-Sophie Mutter is a musical celebrity known even by countless people who rarely listen to classical music. The artist and teacher, who promotes young musicians and commissions new works from contemporary composers, made her spectacular breakthrough under Herbert von Karajan at the 1977 Salzburg Easter Festival. She has since concertized at every major venue throughout the world. In 2008 she was awarded not only the prestigious Ernst von Siemens Music Award, but also the Leipzig Mendelssohn Award. The award ceremony in March 2008 was crowned by a gala concert at Leipzig’s Gewandhaus with the Gewandhaus Orchestra under Kurt Masur, at which Mutter performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor op. 64 presented here. The recording offers a selection of masterpieces by Mendelssohn (1809-1847) in a variety of instrumentations. In addition to Mutter, Masur and the Leipzig orchestra, the performers also include Mutter’s chamber-music partners Lynn Harrell and André Previn. On the occasion of the Mendelssohn Year, UNITEL CLASSICA also offers the documentary Anne-Sophie Mutter – Encounters with Mendelssohn, in which the artist discusses her affinity to Mendelssohn and explains why she particularly admires the works presented here. Mutter has performed the Violin Concerto several times in her career. Joining her in Mendelssohn’s Violin Sonata is pianist André Previn, who is also an internationally renowned conductor and composer. Previn accompanied Mutter in several Mozart Trios that are part of her “Mozart Project” available from UNITEL CLASSICA. He and cellist Lynn Harrell now interpret the D-minor Trio with her. This is a stunning anthology of chamber and orchestral music from one of the most vibrant composers of the early romantic era, performed by top artists of today!

Anne-Sophie Mutter plays Mendelssohn: Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor

In 2008 Anne-Sophie Mutter was awarded not only the prestigious Ernst von Siemens Music Award, but also the Leipzig Mendelssohn Award. The award ceremony in March 2008 was crowned by a gala concert at Leipzig’s Gewandhaus. The recording offers a selection of masterpieces by Mendelssohn (1809-1847) in a variety of instrumentations. Joining her in Mendelssohn’s Sonata for Violin F major (Length: 25’ – A05512287) is pianist André Previn, who is also an internationally renowned conductor and composer. He and cellist Lynn Harrell also interpret the D-minor Trio (Length: 29’ – A055122880001) with her. This is a stunning antholog of chamber music from one of the most vibrant composers of the early romantic era, performed by top artists of today!

Anne-Sophie Mutter plays Mendelssohn: Violin Sonata in F major

In 2008 Anne-Sophie Mutter was awarded not only the prestigious Ernst von Siemens Music Award, but also the Leipzig Mendelssohn Award. The award ceremony in March 2008 was crowned by a gala concert at Leipzig’s Gewandhaus. The recording offers a selection of masterpieces by Mendelssohn (1809-1847) in a variety of instrumentations. Joining her in Mendelssohn’s Sonata for Violin F major (Length: 25’ – A05512287) is pianist André Previn, who is also an internationally renowned conductor and composer. He and cellist Lynn Harrell also interpret the D-minor Trio (Length: 29’ – A055122880001) with her. This is a stunning anthology of chamber music from one of the most vibrant composers of the early romantic era, performed by top artists of today!