Jorge Federico Osorio: Salón Mexicano
Cedille Records CDR 90000 132

Ponce: Mazurca de Salón (2:55)
Castro: Vals melancólico, Op 36, #2 (4:29)
Villanueva: Vals Poético: Vals de Salón para piano (3:40)

Jorge Federico Osorio, piano

Mexican-born, European-trained pianist Jorge Federico Osorio has been hailed by the Los Angeles Times as “one of the more elegant and accomplished pianists on the planet.” His new recording presents 20 buried treasures from a bygone Romantic era. It’s a program of instantly enjoyable gems of intimate “party music” by influential Mexican composers.

Wolf-Ferrari: Wind Concertinos
Naxos 8.572921

Wolf-Ferrari: Idillio-concertino in A major, Op 15 (23:16)

Andrea Tenaglia, oboe; Rome Symphony Orchestra / Francesco La Vecchia

Although Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari is known mainly for his operas, he wrote a number of expressive orchestral works, devoting the majority of his time in later life to composing instrumental music. The three delightfully melodic and at times elegiac works featured on this recording represent his complete wind concerto output.

Natalie Clein: Works of Bruch & Bloch
Hyperion CDA-67910

Bloch: Schelomo (Rhapsodie hébraïque) (20:06)

Natalie Clein, cello; BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra / Ilan Volkov

The main part of this disc comprises three works for cello and orchestra by Ernest Bloch. The most famous is Schelomo, a work inspired by passages from Ecclesiastes, where the cello can be seen as ‘the incarnation of King Solomon.” Natalie Clein is a celebrated figure in British musical life since winning BBC Young Musician of the Year in 1995.

Casals Quartet Plays Schubert
Harmonia Mundi HMC-902121

Schubert: String Quartet in E-flat major, D 87 (23:33)

Casals Quartet

For their first Schubert recording, the Casals Quartet invites us to discover two works situated at the two extremes of the composer’s life. Wrongly dated much later on its publication in 1830, the Quartet in E-flat is in fact the work of a 16-year-old musician. Its companion here was to be Schubert’s very last quartet.

Cartellieri: Complete Symphonies

Antonio Cartellieri: Symphony #2 (11:13)

Evergreen Symphony Orchestra / Gernot Schmalfuss

Little is known about Cartellieri’s life. He was born in Gdansk to an Italian father and German mother who were traveling vocalists, and he spent his formative years in Berlin and Vienna. Cartellieri’s music bears the audible mark of Beethoven’s influence but also displays early Romantic influences of its own. We have conductor Gernot Schmalfuss to thank for the rediscovery of these symphonies.

Daniil Trifonov Plays Tchaikovsky
Mariinsky MAR-0530

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto #1 in B-flat minor, Op 23 (34:28)

Daniil Trifonov, piano; Mariinsky Theater Orchestra / Valery Gergiev

Since winning the Tchaikovsky Competition in 2011, Daniil Trifonov has established himself as one of the world’s most exciting young pianists. On his debut Mariinsky recording, he plays Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto #1 and presents a unique selection of recital repertoire.

Israeli Chamber Project: Opus 1
Azica ACD-71274

Martinů: Chamber Music #1 (19:34)

Israeli Chamber Project

Winner of the 2011 Israeli Ministry of Culture Outstanding Ensemble Award, the Israeli Chamber Project brings together some of the finest young Israeli musicians to perform classic and contemporary chamber music of the highest quality. Based both in New York and Israel, they present chamber music concerts, educational and outreach programs.

Doug Lofstrom: Concertino
Origin Classical OC-33014

Doug Lofstrom: Concertino for Harp & Orchestra (10:55)

Kelsey Molinari, harp; New Philharmonic Orchestra / Kirk Muspratt

“Concertino” introduces three works from Chicago composer Doug Lofstrom. His virtuosic Concertinos for oboe and harp were part of a commission initiated by conductor Kirk Muspratt and the New Philharmonic Orchestra and were premiered in 2007 and 2009. ”The Plumed Serpent” was recorded in 1982 with some of Chicago’s finest classical and jazz performers.