A selection of recent releases by our artists: BIS has released Leonidas Kavakos’ stunning account of the Six Sonatas for Solo Violin by Ysaye. “He plays on the austerity, introversion and slowness of the music, searching for a kind of absolute purity of the violin. His technique is staggering, the quality of his intonation exceptional and the clarity of his sound absolutely perfect.” (Répertoire) During the recording the earth moved, literally: Kavakos taped the Ysaye during the Athens earthquake in September 1999. The third installment of Richard Goode’s critically-acclaimed Mozart concerti project with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra has been released by Nonesuch (K 488 & 491). “Maybe the way of performing these works exemplified here will one day become another orthodoxy? I doubt it, but if it does I shall be happy! What I like is not just the freshness but an extra dimension to the vitality which has resulted from the fact that the current flowing through has been the responsibility of everybody, not just the soloist’s. As with the great interpretations of the past, we are given an object lesson in what the music can yield when an attempt is made to realise as many aspects of it as possible.” (Gramophone, February 2000) Just in time for Easter and to celebrate the Bach Year in 2000, EMI has released a collection of the composer’s most popular choral works including the motets and his Magnificat, sung by the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge under Stephen Cleobury and featuring Ian Bostridge, Michael Chance and other soloists. The disc was recorded in the magnificent acoustic of King’s Chapel, which lends the music a unique and magical quality. Following the Alban Berg Quartet’s performances with Alfred Brendel in London and other musical capitals last season, EMI has released their recording of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 12, arranged for piano quintet by the composer, and the Piano Quartet in Eb. Britten collaborated with Auden on his first opera Paul Bunyan, written whilst he was in the US in 1940. These recording sessions with Richard Hickox followed immediately upon Francesca Zambello’s hugely successful production by the Royal Opera House, which was awarded the Evening Standard Award and the Sir Lawrence Olivier Award. It is one of a series of Britten operas recorded by Hickox for Chandos, including Peter Grimes which won a Grammy. Next out is Billy Budd with the London Symphony Orchestra, following a white-hot concert performance at the Barbican last Autumn. Hot on the heels of Louis Lortie’s recording of Beethoven and Schumann solo piano works transcribed by Liszt, To the Distant Beloved, Chandos has released Volume I of Liszt’s works for piano and orchestra with the Residentie Orchestra under George Pehlivanian. The disc features the composer’s transcription of the very rare Grande fantaisie symphonique on themes from Berlioz’ Lélio.