CRD Records releases Consolations, reflective music for violin and piano by Handel, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Massenet, Rachmaninov and others, featuring a new transcription of Liszt's Consolations, performed by Maya Magub and Hsin-I Huang, on 3 June 2022. This is Maya Magub's third album with CRD.

The album completes Liszt's six Consolations with new transcriptions by Maya Magub to complement the famous 'Lento Placido' arranged by Nathan Milstein. With extraordinary key and mood contrasts, each piece now sits within the whole, as Liszt intended. Milstein’s transcription, in the middle of the set, is now framed as in Liszt's original, to greater emotional impact. These works move from profound simplicity to virtuosic turbulence and wistful charm.
 
Complementing the set of 'Consolations', Magub and Huang bring together other well-known reflective musical gems to offer consolation of some form. Many of their choices were inspired by audience favourites from performances for UK-based charity Everyone Matters, which funds life-enriching concerts in care homes and hospices. When combined, the emotional weight of these pieces is  even greater. The performers, too, drew great consolation from their programme and the ability to communicate with an audience despite the creative restrictions of pandemic lockdowns.
 
Magub and Huang recorded the album separately in lockdown, with much creative dialogue and experimentation between them. New possibilities afforded by the necessity of recording separately encouraged musical freedom and risk-taking, as well as the opportunity to create the immediacy of a small, intimate concert through close microphone placement. Out of this process emerges a true collaboration and an album which Magub and Huang hope will bring consolation to many people.

ALBUM DETAILS

Schumann, Abendlied, Op. 85 No. 12
Massenet, Méditation: Thaïs
Rachmaninov, Vocalise, Op. 34 No. 14
Liszt Consolations No.1-6, S.172/R.12
J.S. Bach (arr. Gounod), Ave Maria
Kreisler Liebesleid
Rimsky-Korsakov (arr. Kreisler), Chant Hindou: Sadko
Paradis (arr. Duskhin), Sicilienne
Handel, Largo: Xerxes
Mendelssohn, On Wings of Song, Op. 34 No. 2
Mendelssohn, Song without Words, Op. 19 No. 1
Schumann, Träumerei, Op. 15 No. 7
Chopin, Raindrop Prelude, Op. 28 No. 15

CRD.3540

Press Inquiries

UK and rest of the world except North America: Ulysses Arts, London
North America: Classical Music Communications, New York City

EPK and private Soundcloud link are available for press use.

Consolations reviews:

Laurie Niles, Violinist

David Olds, The Whole Note

Textura

Jean-Yves Duperron, Classical Music Sentinel

CLICK HERE for more live streaming links.

Previous Press for Maya Magub's Recordings with CRD Records

Telemann, Fantasies for Solo Violin

'Impressive feats of technical bravado. ... A disc of hugely communicative violin playing', International Record Review

'It makes listening to this performance a really joyous experience', Caroline Gill, Gramophone

'With Magub's endless inventiveness driving each movement, they shine here for what they really are: free-standing, varied concentrations of beautiful melody and sonority', BBC Music Magazine

'Demonstrates technical assurance, elegance and well-considered use of vibrato, extempore ornamentation, rubato and other expressive devices.' Early Music Today

'These polished, stylish performances bring Telemann’s music to life in an unforced, natural way.' The Strad

Michael Haydn and Mozart, Six Duos for Violin and Viola (with Judith Busbridge)

'Their accounts of Mozart’s works combine energy, insight, warmth and affection; they are characterised by a lively reciprocity ... CRD’s recorded sound, presentation and production are exemplary.' The Strad

'Spirited and compelling music-making to savor', Michael Jameson, International Record Review

Liszt, Consolations No. 5 - pre-released single on 22 April 2022

Consolations on Apple Music Playlists

Composer Douglas Knehans comments:

'Cloud Ossuary began as a setting of my daughter Katarina Knehans' riveting and poignant poem Bones and All. When I first read her poem, I was seized with an immediate desire to set it to music. So, almost as immediately I got to work on it. As work progressed, I became more and more pleased with the piece—until it was finished. Once completed I had some difficulty reconciling the feelings of satisfaction with the setting with my concomitant feelings that it was incomplete.

After much reflection, I came to realize that Bones and All was actually the final movement of a larger work, hence creating the two preceding movements: Breathe Clouded and The Ossein Cage. Breathe Clouded is an inverted and compressed version of Bones and All and The Ossein Cage follows the same harmonic architecture as both of the outer movements. Thus, Cloud Ossuary sits as three different guises of the same harmonic material and structural approach, though with dramatically different surfaces.'

Preceding Cloud Ossuary is Knehans' hauntingly evocative single-movement Mist Waves for solo violin and strings - a 'loose chaconne based on veiled repetition of its initial eight bars' - performed by Pavel Wallinger, leader of the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra.

VIEW SCORES

CLOUD OSSUARY

MIST WAVES (violin and strings version)
MIST WAVES (violin and piano version)

APPLE MUSIC

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YOUTUBE

TIDAL

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CLOUD OSSUARY REVIEWS

'Ever-challenging, ever-surprising'.
ALL ABOUT THE ARTS

'Cloud Ossuary is a striking and fascinating work, full of gorgeous textures and colours,
yet throughout it is clear that Knehans brings a strong structural underpinning to the beauty, making for a satisfying symphonic work.’
PLANET HUGILL

'Eloquent and original'.
GAPPLEGATE CLASSICAL-MODERN MUSIC REVIEW

'Atmospheric presence and strong waves of inner exploration:
the perfect match of classical music in modern times.'
Anthony Biasioli, BRNO DAILY

'Sensitive, committed performances by the Brno Philharmonic
under the meticulous guidance of Mikel Toms'.
Michael Quinn, LIMELIGHT

HEAR MIST WAVES LIVE IN NEW YORK CITY 

11 MAY 2022- LEFRANK CONCERT HALL *

12 MAY 2022 - WEILL RECITAL HALL, CARNEGIE HALL, 8PM *

* Note Pandemic re-scheduled changes of date from those in advertised links

Dillon Jeffares launches Tartini's Sonata in G Minor, The Devil's Trill, on 3 July and Brahms, Sonata No.3, with pianist Kumi Matsuo, on 10 July on Apple, Spotify and all main streaming services.

Dillon comments:

'Tartini - lawyer, dueller, musician - was a larger-than-life artist and person. This maverick genius claimed he had 'made a pact with the devil', hearing in his dreams a 'Sonata so wonderful and beautiful as I have never conceived in my boldest flights of fantasy.' I was inspired by Henryk Szeryng's playing: mesmerised by his tone, rhythmic drive and probing musical intellect, I wanted to make this great music my own. In contrast, Brahms Sonata No.3 is one of the greatest duo works for violin and piano ever written, introvered yet deeply emotional.'

The Tartini and Brahms releases are followed on 24 July 2020 by a full album including Franck, Violin Sonata, Debussy, Beau Soir and Clair de Lune, Szymanowski, Nocturne and Tarantella and de Falla, Three Pieces from Seven Spanish Popular Songs. Dillon Jeffares plays with pianists Thomas Kelly (Szymanowsky), Damir Durmanovic (Franck and Debussy), and Kumi Matsuo (Falla).

Dillon Jeffares studies at The Royal College of Music in London with Lutsia Ibragimova. Previously he attended Harrow School, then The Yehudi Menuhin School. He is a laureate of the 2018 Leonid Kogan Violin Competition in Brussels; in 2019 he was awarded the first prize in The London and Paris Grand Prize Virtuoso International Competition, receiving also the ‘Best British Musician’ Prize. In 2020 he was selected as a finalist in the Anton Rubinstein Competition in Germany.  He is supported by British charity Talent Unlimited.

He has participated in Riga’s Alion Baltic Music Festival and The Holland Music Sessions, working with Dr Felix Andrievsky, Pierre Amoyal and Takashi Shimizu. He has played for Maxim Vengerov and studied in masterclasses with Alina Ibragimova, Vadim Gluzman and Isabelle van Keulen. In 2016, Dillon was the recipient of a generous award from the Humphrey Richardson Taylor Trust and in 2015 he attended the USA Summit Music Festival for master-classes and concerts with Aaron Rosand.

Dillon has performed in the United Kingdom, France, Holland, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Turkey and Japan in venues such as the Amphitheatre of the Philharmonie de Paris, Brussels’ Royal Conservatory Concert Hall and Bozar, the Konzerthaus Berlin, London’s Wigmore Hall, Milton Court and King’s Place, the Banstead Arts Festival, Thaxted Festival, Gstaad Festival and Bergen Music Festival in The Netherlands. He is supported by UK music charity Talent Unlimited.

http://talent-unlimited.org.uk/dillon-jeffares.html

Kumi Matsuo, piano, has an international career as a solo pianist, chamber musician and accompanist. She studied at the Toho Gakuen College of Music, Tokyo, then at the Royal College of Music, London with John Blakely and Ashley Wass, winning its prestigious Artist Diploma with Distinction. In 2012 she won First Prize in the 6th Isidor Bajic Memorial Piano Competition in Serbia, and in 2013, First Prize in the 5th Louisiana International Piano Competition, USA. She is now on the staff at RCM as Duo Coach to the String Faculty, as well as accompanying other instruments.

Kumi made her London concerto debut in 2008 playing Ravel’s Piano Concerto for Left Hand in Cadogan Hall with the RCM Sinfonietta conducted by Peter Stark. The following year she played Schnittke’s Concerto Grosso No.1 with the RCM Chamber Orchestra in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, with Vladimir Jurowski, and in 2012 she played Prokofiev’s 3rd Piano Concerto with Martin André at the Royal College of Music. She has also performed with the Symphony Orchestras of Tokyo, Galicia, Banatul and Constanta in Romania, and in the USA, the Rapides in Louisiana, and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.

As soloist and chamber musician Kumi has played extensively in the UK, USA, France, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, India and Japan. She made her New York debut at Carnegie Hall Weill Recital Hall in 2014 and an extensive recital tour in Louisiana in 2015.

Thomas Kelly was born in 1998. He passed Grade 8 with Distinction in 2006, and performed Mozart Piano Concerto No. 24 in Canterbury's Marlowe Theatre two years later. After moving to Cheshire, he regularly played in festivals, winning prizes including in the Birmingham Festival, 3rd prize in Young Pianist of The North 2012, and 1st prize in the 2014 Warrington Competition for Young Musicians. Since 2015, Thomas has studied with Andrew Ball, initially at the Purcell School for Young Musicians and now at Royal College of Music, where he is a third-year undergraduate.

Thomas has won first prizes including Pianale International Piano Competition 2017, Kharkiv Assemblies 2018, Lucca Virtuoso e Bel Canto festival 2018, RCM Joan Chissell Schumann competition 2019, Kendall Taylor Beethoven Competition 2019 and BPSE Intercollegiate Beethoven Competition 2019. He has also performed in venues including the Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Hall, Holy Trinity Sloane Square, St James' Piccadilly, Oxford Town Hall, St Mary's Perivale, St Paul's Bedford, Poole Lighthouse Arts Centre, Stoller Hall, Paris Conservatoire, the StreingreaberHaus in Bayreuth, the Teatro del Sale in Florence, in Vilnius and Palanga. Thomas' studies at RCM are generously supported by Pat Kendall-Taylor, Ms Daunt and Ms Stevenson and C. Bechstein pianos.

Damir Durmanovic began his studies at age of eight with Maja Azabagic, then at the Yehudi Menuhin School where he studied with Marcel Baudet. He is currently an ABRSM scholar at the Royal College of Music London, studying with Dmitri Alexeev.

Damir has performed in venues and festivals including the Wigmore Hall, Champs Hill Studios, YPF Festival Amsterdam, Wimbledon Music Festival, Renia Sofia Audotorium Madrid, Gstaad Menuhin Festival, Derby Multifaith Center, Flusserei Flums, 'Ballenlager' Vaduz. He has won prizes in numerous international competitions including The Beethoven Intercollegiate Junior Competition in London, Adilia Alieva International Piano Competition in Geneva and Isidor Bajic International Piano Competition in Novi Sad. He has performed in masterclasses with Claudio Martinez-Mehner,
Dmitri Bashkirov, Pascal Devoyon, Jacques Rouvier, Robert Levin, Jean-Bernard Pommier, Tatyana Sarkisova, and chamber ensembles such as the Emerson Quartet. Damir is also a scholar at the ''Musikakademie Liechtestein'' and regularly participates and performs at the events organised by the Academy there.

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DOWNLOAD LINKS

TARTINI, THE DEVIL'S TRILL
- iTunes
- Qobuz
- Amazon Music

BRAHMS, VIOLIN SONATA NO. 3
- iTunes
- Qobuz
- Amazon Music

DEBUSSY, SZYMANOWSKI, FRANCK AND FALLA
- iTunes
- Qobuz

STREAM ON SPOTIFY

Album Details

Tartini, Sonata in D Minor: The Devil's Trill (Kumi Matsuo, piano)
UPC 5054526848429

Brahms, Violin Sonata No.3 (Kumi Matsuo, piano)
UPC 5054526848399

Debussy, Beau Soir, arr. Jascha Heifetz (Damir Dumanovic, piano)
Szymanowski, Nocturne and Tarantella (Thomas Kelly, piano)
Franck, Violin Sonata (Damir Dumanovic, piano)
Falla: Nana, Polo and Asturiana from Suite popular espagnole, arr. Paul Kochanski (Kumi Matsuo, piano)
Debussy, Clair de lune, arr.  Alexandre Roelens

UPC 5053526807990

Ulysses Arts introduces Cristian Grajner de Sa's debut recording of music by Kreisler and Sarasate on Friday 12 June, on ITunes, Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer, Qobuz and all major digital service providers.

Cristian Grajner de Sa plays Fritz Kreisler's nostalgic Liebesleid and Marche Miniature Viennoise, with Marina Nadiradze, piano, and Pable de Saraste's virtuoso masterpiece Zigeunerweisen, accompanied by Mark Kinkaid. Cristian comments:

'Zigeunerweisen is a violin sensation: spectacular virtuoso music with heartfelt Romantic melodies and astonishing technical fireworks. These qualities first inspired me at a young age; after playing it many times, I am fascinated by its musical freedom that allows the violinist's interpretation to evolve spontaneously with every performance. It is hugely exciting for me to present Zigeunerweisen on my first album, alongside the suave nostalgia of Fritz Kreisler's Liedesleid and Marche Miniature Viennoise.'

Cristian Grajner de Sa was born in 1994 to Italian and Portugese parents: attendıng The Purcell School for Young Musicians: he was awarded the Royal Academy of Music's Leverhulme Scholarship aged 13: he studied with Maurice Hasson and Tasmin Little, then at the Salzburg Mozarteum with Pierre Amoyal.

A recipient of the Gold Meda with High Distinction at the 2019 International Vienna Music Competition, where his performances were praised for 'huge musicality, a depth of understanding and technical virtuosity,', Cristian previously received the First Prize at the inaugural 'Global' International Violin Competition and was a string finalist at the BBC Young Musician. In 2017 he was honored and humbled to receive the distinguished J. and A. Beare Prize from the Royal Academy of Music, its most renowned award, gifted to the most outstanding violin graduate. In the same year. the Academy also invited him to perform chamber music alongside his mentor, Maxim Vengarov, in Vengerov's final performance as Menuhin professor.

He has performed at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Salzburg Mozarteum, Bucharest Atheneum, the Wigmore Hall in London, Cheltenham Festival, Salle Paderewski Lausanne and Ateneo de Madrid, playing violin concertos by Sibelius, Tchaikovsky, Elgar, Glazunov, Mendelssohn, Bruch and Lalo. He has been broadcast on BBC Television, BBC Radio 3 and TVR Romanian National Television.

Cristian plays a Camillo Camilli violin from 1740, on generous loan from The Benslow Trust, and is supported by UK music charity Talent Unlimited.

​http://www/cristiangrajnerdesa.com
​

Marina Nadiradze, piano, was born in Georgia and studied at Tiblisis Stat eConservatoire and Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. She won the first of her international awards aged nine in Vilnus, Lithuania, and subsequently Second Prize at the inaugural Tblisis International Piano Competition, LASMO Saffa Award First Prize in 2000, and Scottish Interntional Piano Competition Second Prize and Lawrence Glover Silver Medal in 2001. Supported by the Myra Hess Trust and Craxton Memorial Trust, Marina has performed in Argentina, Austrian, France, Georgia, Iceland, Russia, South Korea and Switzerland; Uk venues include Bridgewater Hall in Manchester and the Wigmore Hall in London. Marina has a substantial concerto repertoire, and has worked with conductors including Vakhtang Kakhidze, Takuo Yuasa, Alexander Lazarev, Min Kim and Tadaaki Otaka. She is also the pianist for Ken Loach's film 'Ae Fond Kiss'.

Mark Kinkaid, piano, was born in 1965 and started piano aged six He both performs with orchestra and as an accompanist at the Royal College and Royal Academy of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and BBC Symphony Orchestra. Mark has broadcast a duet recital with ClassicFM with  Lisa Friend, and has performed with flautist James Dutton at London's Purcell Room as part of the Park Lane Group Recitals. Previous recordings include for Hyperion, 'Luminance' with Lisa Friend and Anna Stokes (Champs Hill Records, 2014) and 'Serenity' with violinists Nicole Crespo O'Donoghue (2019).

DOWNLAND NOW

ITUNES: https://music.apple.com/album/cristian-grajner-de-sa-plays-kreisler-and-sarasate-single/1513313481

QOBUZ: https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/cristian-grajner-de-sa-plays-kreisler-and-sarasate-cristian-grajner-de-sa/goxyj0iky9hpa

Catalogue Number: UA000018
UPC 5054536078536