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Update: 4th Jan 2022
During the current unprecedented situation, Chandos Records continues to trade as normally as possible. As many of our staff are working remotely, we would ask you to submit any queries online here rather than by telephone. CD orders are being despatched on the next working day, but understandably due to the pandemic delivery times will vary and take significantly longer than usual, depending on your location. Please note there are also countries ‘on suspension’ by UK’s Royal Mail. We thank you for your understanding.
Presto Record of Year
English Music for Strings is Presto Music's 2021 Pick
Gramophone Awards
Peter Grimes named 'Record of the Year!'
Sinfonia of London debut!
SoL & John Wilson make stunning Proms debut
Recording with Sir Roger
Francesca Dego shares experiences in the Strad
The Times Album of Week
The Times name Donohoe's Busoni highlight of the week
BBC R3 Record of Week
Bruckner is Record Review's pick of the week!
Thais wins Juno Award!
Sir Andrew Davis disc wins Best Classical Album (Vocal)
BBC Orchestral Winner
Wilson & SoL's Respighi wins BBC Orchestral Award
BBC Chamber Winner
Little & Lane win BBC Chamber Award
The Prison wins a GRAMMY
Smyth premiere recording wins at March 2021 awards.
Barry Douglas Podcast
Father-son-duo Barry & Liam start new music podcast.
Artist in Focus
Michael Collins
Expore the virtuoisty and musicianship of one of the world's leading clarinettists.
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Latest Reviews
Interpretation **** (Very Good) Sound Quality ***** (Excellent) Repertoire Value *** (Good) Booklet * (Below Average)
“… The courage to create something new, something that has never been on the music market, finds a captivating sound on this CD, both instrumentally and vocally. Every instrument gets clear, often very extravagant sound lines in which it can unfold and the more often you hear "Songs & Poems", the more facets of sound you discover. This is absolute feel-good music, always refined and completely unexpected with abysmal sound effects with goose bumps across the stylistic epochs in symbiosis with Asian influences. What begins as a dancer-like menuet continues to pulsate in our sense of time in "There - on a mountain" and transforms seamlessly into an exotic Chinese melody in "Do you know". Rarely do you hear strings in such a diverse range, and old instruments develop such a multi-faceted world of sound.”
Interpretation **** (Very Good) Sound Quality ***** (Excellent) Repertoire Value *** (Good) Booklet * (Below Average)
“… The courage to create something new, something that has never been on the music market, finds a captivating sound on this CD, both instrumentally and vocally. Every instrument gets clear, often very extravagant sound lines in which it can unfold and the more often you hear "Songs & Poems", the more facets of sound you discover. This is absolute feel-good music, always refined and completely unexpected with abysmal sound effects with goose bumps across the stylistic epochs in symbiosis with Asian influences. What begins as a dancer-like menuet continues to pulsate in our sense of time in "There - on a mountain" and transforms seamlessly into an exotic Chinese melody in "Do you know". Rarely do you hear strings in such a diverse range, and old instruments develop such a multi-faceted world of sound.”
Interpretation **** (Very Good) Sound Quality **** (Very Good) Repertoire Value **** (Very Good) Booklet *** (Good)
“… These sorts of upscale popular music have a best attorney in Kenneth Alwyn. He was one of the most distinguished conductors in Great Britain in this genre between 1950 and 2000 and was associated with the BBC Concert Orchestra for over forty years. This not only ensures authenticity of the recording, but also manifests itself in the right feeling for timing, a cleverly dosed alternation of drive and sentiment and the organic build-up of increases… The high-gloss sound of the recording invites you to relax and is not only recommended for fans of British 'light music'.”
Interpretation **** (Very Good) Sound Quality **** (Very Good) Repertoire Value **** (Very Good) Booklet *** (Good)
“… These sorts of upscale popular music have a best attorney in Kenneth Alwyn. He was one of the most distinguished conductors in Great Britain in this genre between 1950 and 2000 and was associated with the BBC Concert Orchestra for over forty years. This not only ensures authenticity of the recording, but also manifests itself in the right feeling for timing, a cleverly dosed alternation of drive and sentiment and the organic build-up of increases… The high-gloss sound of the recording invites you to relax and is not only recommended for fans of British 'light music'.”
Interpretation **** (Very Good) Sound Quality **** (Very Good) Repertoire Value *** (Good) Booklet **** (Very Good)
“… this CD as a whole can be described as a discovery … Kiesler has definitely closed an existing gap in the repertoire with the orchestra of the University of Michigan. Finally, it should also be mentioned that all recordings are of a high tonal quality - especially in the orchestral songs, but also in the piano concerto, a careful balance between soloist and orchestra was maintained…”
Interpretation **** (Very Good) Sound Quality **** (Very Good) Repertoire Value *** (Good) Booklet **** (Very Good)
“… this CD as a whole can be described as a discovery … Kiesler has definitely closed an existing gap in the repertoire with the orchestra of the University of Michigan. Finally, it should also be mentioned that all recordings are of a high tonal quality - especially in the orchestral songs, but also in the piano concerto, a careful balance between soloist and orchestra was maintained…”
“… The right person to rediscover de Boismortier's score is the conductor and harpsichordist György Vashegyi. He has shaped the Hungarian early music scene since the 1990s and has a good reputation internationally with the ensembles he founded at the time, the Purcell Choir and the Orfeo Orchestra. With a sense of style, he enlivens the entertaining sequence of elegant, colorfully orchestrated melodies. For the vocal side, an experienced vocal sextet with experts like Chantal Santon Jeffery and Judith Wanroij is on hand, whose sublime phrasing, finely woven trills and ornaments are listened to with pleasure.”
“… The right person to rediscover de Boismortier's score is the conductor and harpsichordist György Vashegyi. He has shaped the Hungarian early music scene since the 1990s and has a good reputation internationally with the ensembles he founded at the time, the Purcell Choir and the Orfeo Orchestra. With a sense of style, he enlivens the entertaining sequence of elegant, colorfully orchestrated melodies. For the vocal side, an experienced vocal sextet with experts like Chantal Santon Jeffery and Judith Wanroij is on hand, whose sublime phrasing, finely woven trills and ornaments are listened to with pleasure.”
Review for entire series
Interpretation **** Sound Quality **** Repertoire value **** Booklet ******
Review for entire series
Interpretation **** Sound Quality **** Repertoire value **** Booklet ******
“… All of this music is well payed by the Lahti Orchestra, and the BIS engineers have done their usual fine job in multi-channel audio. Highly recommended!”
“… All of this music is well payed by the Lahti Orchestra, and the BIS engineers have done their usual fine job in multi-channel audio. Highly recommended!”
“… In both concertos, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra under conductor Olari Elts provide expert and characterful accompaniments. These premiere recordings should be considered definitive – it is unlikely that other competing versions will be produced, and if there are, it is hard to imagine better playing. The BIS SACD recording is vividly detailed and warmly resonant, with exemplary balance between the soloists and orchestra. Lovers of Sibelius and Rautavaara should find Aho’s music equally thrilling – he is surely one of the finest living composers today. Long may this fruitful relationship continue.”
“… In both concertos, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra under conductor Olari Elts provide expert and characterful accompaniments. These premiere recordings should be considered definitive – it is unlikely that other competing versions will be produced, and if there are, it is hard to imagine better playing. The BIS SACD recording is vividly detailed and warmly resonant, with exemplary balance between the soloists and orchestra. Lovers of Sibelius and Rautavaara should find Aho’s music equally thrilling – he is surely one of the finest living composers today. Long may this fruitful relationship continue.”
“… His [Neset] 2019 saxophone concerto Manmade deals with great human inventions and is a fascinating mix of themes, styles, cultures, rhythms and colors, indeed something very original that is as enjoyable to listen to as the other three compositions on this SACD. The lush music is superbly interpreted by the composer himself as a brilliantly virtuosic soloist on saxophone and also by the Bergen Philharmonic.” ****
“… His [Neset] 2019 saxophone concerto Manmade deals with great human inventions and is a fascinating mix of themes, styles, cultures, rhythms and colors, indeed something very original that is as enjoyable to listen to as the other three compositions on this SACD. The lush music is superbly interpreted by the composer himself as a brilliantly virtuosic soloist on saxophone and also by the Bergen Philharmonic.” ****
