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WELCOME TO THE ESS.A.Y SCROLLING CATALOGUE
last edited November 2002
This catalogue is indexed by CD content, except for the section immediately following the index/menu which is unclassified NEW and FORTHCOMING RELEASES
Music from Patrick O'Brian's Seafaring Novels Special Recent Releases
Baroque Piano Guitar Instrumental and Chamber
From Classical to Contemporary Vocal, Holiday and Jazz Children
New Releases - 1999 (NEW RELEASES 2000 SHOULD BE UP BY SEPTEMBER 2000)
Antonin Dvorak: The Complete Piano Music - Inna Poroshina, Piano
Astonishingly, the "complete" piano works become available for the first time on CD. Lustrous performances by the Kiev-based Inna Poroshina, whose Lyadov recording for ESS.A.Y (CD1045) received extravagant critical praise on both sides of the Atlantic.
Volume I: Early Works (1876-1879)
Theme and Variations, Op. 36 : Dumka, Op. 35 : Silhouettes, Op. 8 : Menuets, Op. 28
ESSCD1059
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Volume II - Middle Period Works (1877-1880)
Two Furianty, Op. 42 : Eight Waltzes, Op. 54 : Four Eclogues, Op. 56 : Scottish Dances, Op. 41
ESSCD1060
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Volume III - Middle Period Works (1880-1883)
Four Album Leaves, B. 109 : Four Album Leaves, B. 109 : Six Piano Pieces, Op. 52 : Six Mazurkas, Op. 56 : Moderato in A Major, B. 116 : Question, B.128a Six Piano Pieces, Op. 52 : Impromptu in D Minor, B. 129
ESSCD1061
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Volume 4 Late Works (1889)
Thirteen Poetic Tone Pictures, Op. 85
ESSCD1062
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Volume 5 Late Works (1884-94)
Eight Humoresques, Op. 101 : Dumka & Furiant, Op. 12 : Two Little Pearls, B.156 : Album Leaf in Eb Major, B.158 : Suite in A Major, Op. 98 : Theme, for Variations, B.303 : Humoresque in F# Major, B.138 : Two Pieces, B. 188
Release Date: June 15, 1999
ESSCD1063
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
J.S.Bach: Six Sonatas for Violin & Harpsichord, BWV 1014-1019
Mela Tenenbaum, Violin
Gerald Ranck, Harpsichord
Release Date: May 15, 1999
ESSCD1064 (2)
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
J.S. Bach: Six Sonatas for Violin & Piano, BWV 1014-1019
Mela Tenenbaum, Violin
Richard Kapp, Piano
Two versions of the same music? Yes, and no! Ms. Tenenbaum's insightful performances are offered on two very different instruments, in widely divergent interpretations that illustrate just how clearly the choice of instrument and musical partner can influence the musical outcome. Specially priced to encourage curious listeners to examine both!
ESSCD1066 (2)
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Pietro Antonio Locatelli: The Art of the Violin, Op. 3, Concertos 7 - 9
Mela Tenenbaum, Violin
Pro Musica Prague
Richard Kapp, Conductor
ESSCD1068
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Pietro Antonio Locatelli: The Art of the Violin, Op. 3. Concertos 10-12
Mela Tenenbaum, Violin
Pro Musica Prague
Richard Kapp, Conductor
With these two cds, Ms. Tenenbaum completes her astonishing traversal of The Art of the Violin. More important, Ms. Tenenbaum is the first to play the twenty four capricci, extended solo essays that exploit and go beyond the full panoply of violin techniques known to Locatelli and unsurpassed since. The concertos and the capricci they contain, culminate in Concerto No. 12, subtitled "The Labyrinth" by Locatelli, which contains a solo capriccio so insoluble that the composer wrote "Easy to enter - impossible to escape" into the score! Ms. Tenenbaum's solution, the first in two hundred fifty years that solves rather than avoids the issues presented in Locatelli's music, must be heard to be believed.
ESSCD1069
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
THE COMPLETE VIOLIN CONCERTOS OF MOZART IN A STUNNING NEW SERIES OF RECORDINGS FEATURING VIOLINIST MELA TENENBAUM
Mela Tenenbaum and Richard Kapp, assisted by the Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, have put together a fascinating collection of Mozartiana. Apart from superb performances of Mozart’s five violin concertos, presented as the exhibitions of violin virtuosity they were almost undoubtedly intended to be, these three CDs include performances (as sympathetic as possible) of three concertos once seriously thought to be genuine Mozart. Of the three, one has the merit of being a deliberate fake, the other two are, shall we say, interesting examples of past errors of judgement...
These new recordings, just completed in Prague, offer movingly beautiful playing and state-of-the-art recording. They are certain to become classics, the recording of choice for connoisseur collectors, for many years to come.
Ms. Tenenbaum is partnered by the Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra led by Richard Kapp.
Volume 1
THE REAL STUFF
VIOLIN CONCERTOS 1, 2 & 3 ARE UNDISPUTED ORIGINAL MOZART.
Concertos No. 1 in Bb K. 211, 2 in D K. 211, and No. 3 in G K216
ESSCD1070
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Volume 2
concertos numbers 4, 5 - and 6??
The 4th & 5th violin concertos are surely Mozart’s - MAYBE HIS FINEST ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE GENRE - but you don’t have to be Albert Einstein to detect that number six is a “crude forgery” - although it did fool many a hundred years ago.
Concertos 4 in D, K. 218, 5 in A K.219, No. 6 in Eb, K. 268
ESSCD1071
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Volume 3
Concertos 7 & 8 - can we be serious?
Once again, people were fooled. In the case of number 7 they were confused by an apparent documentary provenance when their ears should have known better.
Number “8”, the famous “Adelaide Concerto” at least has the merit of being a very clever and entirely deliberate forgery. This CDdoes have some genuine Mozart, by the way - three independent movements written for the violinist Brunetti: two alternatives to existing movements and a charming melodic rondo.
Concertos 7 in D K. 271a, Concerto in D K.Anh.294a -"Adelaide", Rondo in Bb K.269, Rondo in C K.373, Adagio in E, K. 261
ESSCD1072
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Walking on the Water - Hommages
Guitarist Ricardo Cobo's latest virtuoso collection.
Great guitarists and composers pay tribute to their idols
Roland Dyens Hommage à Villa Lobos
Roland Dyens L.B.Story - Homage to Leonard Bernstein & Leo Brouwer
Máximo Diego Pujol Homenaje por la Muerto de un Tanguero (Astor Piazzola)
Eduardo Sainz de la Maza "Campanas del Alba" (R. Sainz de la Maza) Hommage à Toulouse Lautrec
John Major Burning Circle (To Keith Jarrett)
Marco Pereira Pièces Brasiliennes (To Jobim, Neide, Nazareth)
Larry Cooperman Walking on the Water (To Ricardo Cobo)
Release Date: July 15, 1999
ESSCD1074
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESS.A.Y Recordings has issued two recordings entitled Musical Evenings with the Captain which contain musical works referred to in Patrick O'Brian's celebrated Aubrey-Maturin historical novels.
Acclaimed by critics and lovers of Mr. O'Brian's work, these recordings offer wide-ranging and representative selections that will add understanding, pleasure and satisfaction to any reader's musical encounters with Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin, whether aboard ship or in port.
Mr. O'Brian wrote the program note for the booklet in Volume 1. Volume 2 carries the musical encounters further, with citations and references to Mr. O'Brian's musical citations.
Musical Evenings with the Captain
Music from the Aubrey-Maturin Novels of Patrick O'Brian
Mela and Alexandr Tenenbaum, violins; Dorothy Lawson, cello; Richard Kapp, fortepiano
With program notes by Patrick O'Brian and a fascinating selection of duos and trio sonatas by Locatelli, Haydn, Handel, Boccherini and Leclair, this unique cd creates the ambiance of a contemporaneous performance of the sort of music essayed by Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin in the captain's cabin on a good night at sea. Indispensable for O'Brian fans and music lovers alike. "This is the sort of recording I scour record stores for." - Audio Magazine.
ESSCD1047
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Musical Evenings with the Captain - Volume 2
Music from the Aubrey-Maturin Novels of Patrick O'Brian
A second compendium of music referred to in the course of author Patrick O'Brian's 18 historical novels. Captain Jack Aubrey and his physician/spy friend and colleague, Stephen Maturin, spend many an unthreatened evening playing music together and with friends in the captain's quarters. Here is the Mozart Oboe Quartet, which figures prominently in The Yellow Admiral; here is the Bach Partita discussed so thoroughly in The Ionian Mission, as well as the Haydn Trio referred to in The Wine Dark Sea. All this and more, featuring oboist John Ferrillo of The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, violinist Mela Tenenbaum and fortepianist Richard Kapp. An absolute must for admirers of Mr. O'Brian's work!
ESSCD1056
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Here is a select list of recent recordings that have earned enthusiastic responses from critics and public alike:
The Paganinis at Home - An Evening of Casual Virtuosity
Mela Tenenbaum, violin & viola; Paul Bernard, guitar; Dorothy Lawson, cello.
"A highly personal reconciliation of the sensational and the intimate...this compilation of lightweight but brilliant entertainments should bring (Paganini) a wider audience than those who simply delight in dexterity." - FANFARE - May/June 1998
ESSCD1053
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Lullabies - A Songbook Companion
Julianne Baird & Madeline Kapp, vocals; Mela Tenenbaum and Richard Kapp, instrumentals.
Winner of the 1997 Silver Honors award from the Parent's Choice Foundation. ESS.A.Y's first collaboration with New York's esteemed Metropolitan Museum of Art. A charming collection of 39 lullabies and songs from around the world, to match the award-winning book. "A wonderful gift for that special child or grandchild in your life." - Art Times. "Best Bets of 1997" - San Francisco Chronicle. (Lullabies Songbook, published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Harcourt Brace, available upon request.)
ESSCD1054
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
MELA/VIOLA
Mela Tenenbaum, viola; Richard Kapp, piano
Jurgen Gothe, host of Canadian Broadcasting Corp's "Disc-Drive" program, recently selected MELA/VIOLA to head his 1998 Hit List! For anyone remotely interested in the viola, this disc is a must!
"That rara avis," a really fine viola recital disc...miles ahead of most other viola discs in technical polish, musicianship and repertoire." - The American Record Guide.
"The most hardened cynics will reach to toss out their viola jokebooks...there's a temptation to discuss each and every one of these pieces, so well characterized are they and played with such vivacity and tonal beauty." - FANFARE
Full listing of contents:
J.S.Bach (1685-1750) Adagio from the Organ Concerto No. 3 (after Vivaldi);
Granados (1867-1916) Orientale - Spanish Dance No. 2;
Mussorgsky (1839-1881) Hopak;
Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) Nocturne in d minor, Op. 19, No. 4;
Chausson (1855-1899) Pièce pour alto et piano, Op. 39 (1897) Brahms (1833-1897) Scherzo, opus posth.;
Mazas (1782-1849) Etude No. 19 - "The Gossip" - from Melodious and Progressive Studies, Book I;
Lyadov (1855-1914) Prelude, Waltz & Mazurka, Op. 57;
Vieuxtemps (1820-1881) Capriccio for Viola - from Hommage à Paganini, Op. 9);
Debussy (1862-1918) Beau Soir;
Brahms (1833-1897) Hungarian Dance Nos.2 & 3;
Villa Lobos Aria (Cantilena) - from "Bachianas Brasileras No. 5;
Fauré (1845-1924) Après un Rêve;
Massenet (1842-1912) Meditation from "Thäis";
C. Bohm (1844-1920) Perpetuo mobile - from the Little Suite, No.6
ESSCD1055
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Antonio Vivaldi
Vivaldi at his most appealing. Memorable performances of favorite works and intriguing discoveries.
The Four Seasons
Paul Peabody, violin; Philharmonia Virtuosi, Richard Kapp, conductor
"How do you pick one Four Seasons out of more than 50 available recordings? Easy, just buy this one... for me this disc eliminates all competitors. 10/10 Rating" - CD Review. (Also includes Concerto Op. 3, No. 8 in A minor).
ESSCD1001
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Vivaldi's Favorites, Vol.1: Six Concertos for Diverse Instruments
Philharmonia Virtuosi, Richard Kapp, conductor
Theorbos, mandolins, dual harpsichords, viola d'amore, salmò, flutes, trumpets. "Utterly distinctive and absorbing...the most pleasurable, sensibility-cleansing surprise in a long time." - Time Magazine.
ESSCD1022
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Vivaldi: The Miraculous Mandolin: Concertos and Sonatas for Mandolin and Guitar
Peter Press, mandolin and guitar; Philharmonia Virtuosi, Richard Kapp, conductor
Our best-selling Vivaldi cd - a comprehensive collection of the master's music for plucked instruments, including the famous concertos for guitar and mandolin as well as the concertos for two mandolins, viola d'amore and guitar, and the trio sonatas for violin and guitar and continuo.
ESSCD1004
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Vivaldi's Favorites, Vol.2: Six Violin Concertos
Paul Peabody, violin; Philharmonia Virtuosi, Richard Kapp, conductor
Six stunning yet less well-known violin concertos to add to the Four Seasons. Concertos in A, D, G major, C and G minor and the concerto for two violins and cello, Op. 3, No. 11. Indispensable to any Vivaldi collector.
ESSCD1024
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Vivaldi's Favorites. Vol. 3: Concertos for Violin with Two Orchestras.
Mela Tenenbaum, violin; Philharmonia Virtuosi Richard Kapp, conductor.
Mela Tenenbaum is soloist in Vivaldi's most spectacularly virtuosic concertos. This cd is a hi-fi marvel, with two orchestras on opposite sides of the sound stage! "An especially striking testimonial to Vivaldi's productivity, in performances as exuberant as they are eloquent." - Robert Maxham, Classical Net.
ESSCD1046
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Johann Sebastian Bach
"The strongest argument I've heard in recent years for the feasibility of playing Bach on modern instruments." - CD Review
J.S.Bach: The Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin, BWV 1001-1006
Mela Tenenbaum, violin
Mela Tenenbaum's Bach will come as a revelation, combining unparalleled technical mastery with a stream of musical insight. As a companion to her stunning interpretations, ESS.A.Y. includes a third cd on which Ms. Tenenbaum provides a running analysis of the interpretive and technical issues presented by each of the works, with verbal and performance illustrations. Destined to become a classic, the standard against which others will be measured.
ESSCD1049-51
Please email to confirm price
J.S. Bach: Violin Concertos
Paul Peabody, violin; Philharmonia Virtuosi, Richard Kapp, conductor
Solo concertos in A minor and E Major, the concerto in C minor for oboe and violin (with Stephen Taylor) and the concerto in D Major for three violins. A recording so powerful that we urge you not to listen to it all in one sitting! "Decidedly among the most beautiful readings I have heard, beautifully played and beautifully recorded." - American Record Guide.
ESSCD1002
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
J.S.Bach: The Brandenburg Concertos
Philharmonia Virtuosi, Richard Kapp, conductor
Bach's complete Brandenburgs in outstanding performances, brought to life with virtuosity and panache. "High strung in temper, lean but well-muscled in physique." - CD Review. The six concertos issued in a specially-priced 2-CD Brilliant Box.
ESSCD1037(2)
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
And...Baroque with a Difference
More orchestral recordings to whet the baroque appetite.
Baroque Trumpetissimo
David Bilger, Stephen Burns, Edward Carroll, trumpets; Philharmonia Virtuosi, Richard Kapp, conductor
Three of America's foremost trumpet virtuosi join for concertos by Telemann, Vejvanovsky, Vivaldi. With additional works by Altenburg, Biber and Riedl for four, five and seven trumpets! Bilger is the principal trumpet of the Philadelphia Orchestra.
ESSCD1035
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Telemann: Six Violin and Viola Concertos
Paul Peabody, violin and viola; Philharmonia Virtuosi, Richard Kapp, conductor
Elegant discoveries by a great baroque master. Includes two violin concertos in D as well as others in A and E, the well-known viola concerto in G and the concerto in C for two violins. "An intensely pleasurable listening experience." - Record Notes.
ESSCD1016
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Telemann: La Bizarre, La Buffonne, La Changeante Suites for Orchestra
Philharmonia Virtuosi, Richard Kapp, conductor
Brim-full of skill, humor and musical intelligence, these little-known suites reflect French influence and the baroque instinct to use music to depict the sights and sounds of nature. "A lovely statement of the genius of Telemann...belongs in any library collection of classical music." - Morse Press-News.
ESSCD1017
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Johann Fasch: Three Suites for Orchestra
Pro Music Orchestra, Kiev; Richard Kapp, conductor
These three suites for large orchestra by one of Bach's great contemporaries are a shock and a revelation. They reveal a musical personality of great distinction and a unique voice. "This disc offers an hour of musical eloquence and erudition." American Record Guide. "A major addition to current Baroque listings Highest recommendation." - InTune.
ESSCD1041
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Locatelli: The Art of the Violin, Op.3, Concertos 1 - 6 (Vols. 1 & 2)
Mela Tenenbaum, violin; Philharmonia Virtuosi, Pro Musica Kiev, Richard Kapp, conductor
These concertos are among the most transcendentally difficult ever composed for the violin, surpassing even Paganini's efforts of 75 years later. Each first and last movement of each concerto contains an extended Capriccio for solo violin. Locatelli also calls for original cadenzas, offered here for the first time. An unparalleled display of violin virtuosity and vocabulary as well as a treasure-trove of late baroque violin writing. "Visceral revelations. This set can make it to the Want List on its own merits. Highest commendation!" - Fanfare.
ESSCD1043/44
Please email to confirm price
Lyadov: Piano Music
Inna Poroshina, piano; Pro Musica Kiev, Richard Kapp, conductor
A compilation of highly evocative Mazurkas, Preludes, Barcarolles, and characteristic pieces (Musical Snuffbox, Of Olden Times, etc.) by this minor Russian master working in a fragrant, impressionistic style. Most of this music appears for the first time on CD. "A sterling new collection played to perfection. It should move near the top of current piano releases." - InTune.
ESSCD1045
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
My First Recital
Ruth Laredo, piano
For everyone who has ever taken piano lessons! "America's first lady of the piano" presents a collection of pieces well known to both students and casual listeners. Includes favorites by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Schumann, Debussy and Prokofiev. "One of the most charming piano records I have heard in a long time." - Washington Post.
ESSCD1006
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
My Second Recital
Ruth Laredo, piano
Further favorites exploring the pianistic world available to talented young pianists and their more mature family members. Selections include Bach's Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, Mozart's Turkish March, Debussy's Sarabande and others by Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms, Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Khachaturian. Each piece is a jewel - and a challenge.
ESSCD1026
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Complete Piano Music: Mily Balakirev
Alexander Paley, Piano
A landmark traversal of the solo music for piano by the leader of the Russian "Mighty Handful." In turns surpassingly difficult, supremely beautiful and amazingly colorful, this oeuvre, composed over a period of nearly fifty years, represents a major musical - and pianistic - achievement. Organized in three 2-CD "Brilliant Box" sets and specially priced.
Vols. 1 & 2 Fantasies, Nocturnes and Sonatas.
ESSCD1028/29
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Vols. 3 & 4 Transcriptions and Waltzes.
ESSCD1030/31
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Vols. 5 & 6 Mazurkas, Scherzos & Miscellaneous Pieces.
ESSCD1032/33
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
The Paganinis at Home - An Evening of Casual Virtuosity
Mela Tenenbaum, violin & viola; Paul Bernard, guitar; Dorothy Lawson, cello.
"A highly personal reconciliation of the sensational and the intimate...this compilation of lightweight but brilliant entertainments should bring (Paganini) a wider audience than those who simply delight in dexterity." - FANFARE - May/June 1998
ESSCD1053
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Tales for Guitar
Ricardo Cobo, guitar.
A unique collection of recent programmatic works by contemporary guitar composers Astor Piazzolla, Leo Brouwer, Salvador Brotons, Roland Dyens and Nikita Koshkin. Cobo's virtuosity and ability to imbue these works with an extreme palette of colors is remarkable. "Cobo's clean, precise playing remains full of power and passion throughout. Outstanding!" - Acoustic Guitar.
Order CD1034
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Bach with Pluck!
Vol. 1 - The Six Trio Sonatas, BWV 525-530
Dusan Bogdanovic, guitar; Elaine Comparone, harpsichord
Bach's trio sonatas (usually heard as organ sonatas) in a startlingly new and colorful way. "It's a technical accomplishment of the highest order and an intriguing and satisfying musical exercise." - CD Review (10/10 Rating)
ESSCD1023
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Vol. 2 - The Two and Three Part Inventions, BWV772-801
Dusan Bogdanovic, guitar; Elaine Comparone, harpsichord
Following the success of BWP I, the artists apply the same deft touch to Bach's well-known Two Part Inventions and Three Part "Sinfonias."
ESSCD1039
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Leo Brouwer: Guitar Concertos Nos. 3, "Elegiaco" and 4, "Concierto de Toronto"
Ricardo Cobo, guitar; Pro Musica Kiev, Richard Kapp, conductor
World-premiere recording of the Toronto concerto. Colombian-born virtuoso, Ricardo Cobo, offers phenomenal performances. Both works are previously unrepresented on CD. "These are definitive performances!" - American Record Guide. "This ESS.A.Y offering cannot be too highly recommended." - Fanfare.
ESSCD1040
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Instrumental And Chamber Music
MELA/VIOLA
Mela Tenenbaum, viola; Richard Kapp, piano
Jurgen Gothe, host of Canadian Broadcasting Corp's "Disc-Drive" program, recently selected MELA/VIOLA to head his 1998 Hit List! For anyone remotely interested in the viola, this disc is a must!
"That rara avis," a really fine viola recital disc...miles ahead of most other viola discs in technical polish, musicianship and repertoire." - The American Record Guide.
"The most hardened cynics will reach to toss out their viola jokebooks...there's a temptation to discuss each and every one of these pieces, so well characterized are they and played with such vivacity and tonal beauty." - FANFARE
Songs Without Words
Mela Tenenbaum, violin; Richard Kapp, piano
After receiving critical enconiums for her first collection, Tea Time (CD1042), Ms. Tenenbaum has undertaken a second that includes twenty-four small gems for violin in treasurable performances. Selections by Kreisler-Porpora, Gossec, Rubinstein, Paganini, Brahms, Gliére, Wieniawski, Kreisler, Delibes, Dvorak, Moszkowski, Alard, White, Gautier and Dinicu. A great violinist's testimonial to the magic of small pieces! This is playing that "could charm the bark off of oak trees." - InTune Magazine. "If you buy this one, you'll be amply rewarded. Here is all the technique and refinement that marked the recitalists of yore, with every bit of the personality that they lavished on this repertoire." - Classical Net.
ESSCD1048
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Greatest Hits for String Quartet
Mela Tenenbaum and Heidi Stubner, violins; John Dexter, viola; Roger Shell, cello (Members of Philharmonia Virtuosi).
A compendium of eleven favorite movements for string quartet, alone and with "guest" instruments (clarinet, guitar, cello and castanets!). Works by Haydn, Mozart, Boccherini, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Borodin, Tchaikovsky, Dvorák and Shostakovich. An elegant introduction to the enlightened world of the string quartet, featuring particularly beautiful performances.
ESSCD1036
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Stravinsky: Apollon Musagète and Tchaikovsky: Souvenir de Florence
Members of Philharmonia Virtuosi.
ESSCD1015
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
The Flute Album
Michael Parloff, flute; Gerald Ranck, harpsichord; Warren Jones, piano
Parloff, principal flutist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, does for the flute what Ruth Laredo has done for the piano. A collection of favorite works by Bach, Handel, Mozart, Gossec, Bizet, Satie, Fauré, Chaminade and Doppler which transforms small works into high art; a pleasure for listeners and a model for aspiring instrumentalists! "Parloff plays beguilingly and brilliantly... Excellent accompanying and fine sound." - Turok's Choice.
ESSCD1027
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Tea Time: A Collection of Favorites for the Violin and Piano
Mela Tenenbaum, violin; Anton Nel, piano
An idea born aboard the great ocean liner, QE2 - a collection of nostalgia, fireworks, sentiment and virtuosity the way it used to be! Brilliantly played by Ms. Tenenbaum on the renowned General Kyd Stradivarius, the collection includes Brahms' Hungarian Dances played with flair and panache to make you ache for times gone by! "Tenenbaum, who plays at times like a gypsy, at times like a singer, and at all times like an artist, is one of the most exciting contemporary violinists I have heard on disc. Don't miss this." - American Record Guide.
ESSCD1042
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
From Classical To Contemporary
Dmitri Klebanov: Japanese Silhouettes - Viola Concerto
Japanese Silhouettes - Natalia Biorro, soprano; Mela Tenenbaum, viola d'amore;
Philharmonia Virtuosi, Igor Blazhkov, conductor
Viola Concerto - Mela Tenenbaum, viola; Philharmonia Virtuosi, Richard Kapp, conductor
A startling and heart-breaking story inspires great music! Klebanov, hounded by Stalin's ghost for thirty years, creates two final masterpieces which are to serve as his rehabilitation in the harsh world of Soviet power and politics. Then he dies just before they are performed and his music is lost in the revolutionary turmoil that follows. Until now! The amazing story of how the music was found again, how the artists to whom these stunningly emotional works were dedicated were reassembled and brought to New York for the premiere performances, and the remarkable music itself - is all captured in ESS.A.Y's astonishing recordings of Dmitri Klebanov's Japanese Silhouettes and Viola Concerto.
ESSCD1052
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Leo Brouwer: Guitar Concertos Nos. 3, "Elegiaco" and 4, "Concierto de Toronto"
Ricardo Cobo, guitar; Pro Musica Kiev, Richard Kapp, conductor
World-premiere recording of the Toronto concerto. Colombian-born virtuoso, Ricardo Cobo, offers phenomenal performances. Both works are previously unrepresented on CD. "These are definitive performances!" - American Record Guide. "This ESS.A.Y offering cannot be too highly recommended." - Fanfare.
ESSCD1040
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Gifts for My Wife - Mozart's Serenade No. 10 (Gran Partita) and Wagner's Siegfried Idyll
Philharmonia Virtuosi, Richard Kapp, conductor
Two of music's greatest gifts - offered by the composers to their wives upon very special occasions - are here in scintillating performances. "Kapp's performance takes wing and remains aloft until the closing bars...the most convincing modern chamber-orchestra version to come my way." - Fanfare.
ESSCD1020
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Virgil Thomson: The River and The Plow That Broke the Plains
Philharmonia Virtuosi, Richard Kapp, conductor
Memorable performances of this American original's two legendary Depression-era documentary film scores. First recordings of the complete scores, reconstructed from the composer's manuscripts. "Superb musicians who play with style, insight and character. I am confident that [Thomson] would have been overjoyed with the recording." - Musical America.
ESSCD1005
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Frank Martin: Petite Symphonie Concertante, Concerto for Seven Winds, Timpani, Percussion and Strings, Ballade for Flute
Philharmonia Virtuosi, Richard Kapp, conductor
20th Century classics by the great Swiss composer in new digital performances that replace classic analog interpretations by Ansermet and Martinon. "This meticulous and magisterial recording is totally and unreservedly recommended to one and all." - Fanfare.
ESSCD1014
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Sousa for Orchestra: Dwellers in the Western World, Three Quotations, Six Songs from the Broadway Musical "Teddy and Alice"
Original Broadway cast members; Philharmonia Virtuosi, Richard Kapp, conductor
Only recordings of songs from the lamented Broadway musical "Teddy and Alice". Yes, the great band-master also composed for orchestra! Only recordings of rollicking period-pieces of prime Americana. This will leave you tapping your foot and whistling! "10/10 Rating" - CD Review.
ESSCD1003
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Shostakovich: The Complete String Quartets
The Manhattan String Quartet
One of the supreme musical statements of the 20th century, Shostakovich's fifteen quartets are a highly personal testament and a profound reflection of twentieth century history. This recording by The Manhattan String Quartet has been hailed as "a monumental achievement, a landmark in digital recording" (CD Review) and was selected by Time Magazine as 1991 Classical Recording of the Year. The quartet recordings, complete on 6 CD's, are available singly - as indicated below - or as a specially-priced complete set.
Quartets 1, 2 and 3
ESSCD1007
Quartets 9 and 10
ESSCD1010
Quartets 4 and 5
ESSCD1008
Quartets 11, 12 and 13
ESSCD1012
Quartets 6, 7 and 8
ESSCD1009
Quartets 14 and 15
ESSCD1013
Mail Order Price per single CD £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Complete specially priced 6-CD set...ESSCD1021
Please email to confirm 6-CD set price
Vocal Music, Holiday Music and Jazz
Dear Harp of My Country
The Irish Melodies of Thomas Moore
James Flannery, the Renaissance Man of Irish Culture, has blessed us with the first recording of this most important collection of Irish songs. On two heart-stopping CDs, Mr. Flannery - for years Director of Dublin’s Abbey Theatre and one of the world’s foremost Yeats scholars as well as an Irish tenor of heart-meltingly beautiful voice and instincts - has revealed to us the Songs of Love and the Songs of Romance and Rebellion first transcribed and translated into English by the remarkable Thomas Moore, early in the 19th century. Mr. Moore’s great work has stood for almost two centuries as a symbol of Irish pride and Irish culture, inspiring and moving generations. Mr. Flannery’s singing - and his scholarship - transforms these great songs into living, breathing art that will move and inspire generations to come.
ESSCD1057/58
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Black Christmas - Spirituals in the African-American Tradition
Thomas Young, tenor, with Vanessa Ayers, mezzo-soprano; Robert Mosely, baritone; Chorus directed by Ronald Isaac; Dinard Smith, piano
Fourteen traditional Negro spirituals, performed by three outstanding soloists and a hand-picked chorus of African-American singers drawn from America's major opera companies and the Broadway stage. "Now that you've bought all the recordings of spirituals sung by Jessye Norman and Kathleen Battle, put them away, give them a rest, and go buy this one... a disc to get and treasure." - American Record Guide.
ESSCD1011
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
High Standards
Thomas Young, singer, with Mike Renzi (piano) and Jay Leonhart (bass)
This time, the extraordinary Thomas Young joins with two jazz greats for a romp through 15 classic standards and jazz vocals. Cheek to Cheek, Lulu's Back in Town, A Time for Love, Georgia's on My Mind, The Best is Yet to Come, On a Clear Day, 'Round Midnight, Brother Can You Spare a Dime?, Twisted, Do Nothin' Til You Hear from Me, Send in the Clowns, I've Got You Under My Skin, Lush Life, Gone with the Wind, There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New York. "He approaches my ideal of the American artistthe instrument is a major wonder. You can go to school with (Thomas) Young as well." - Steve Shwartz, Classical Net.
ESSCD1025
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)
Lullabies - A Songbook Companion
Julianne Baird & Madeline Kapp, vocals; Mela Tenenbaum and Richard Kapp, instrumentals.
Winner of the 1997 Silver Honors award from the Parent's Choice Foundation. ESS.A.Y's first collaboration with New York's esteemed Metropolitan Museum of Art. A charming collection of 39 lullabies and songs from around the world, to match the award-winning book. "A wonderful gift for that special child or grandchild in your life." - Art Times. "Best Bets of 1997" - San Francisco Chronicle. (Lullabies Songbook, published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Harcourt Brace, available upon request.)
ESSCD1054
Mail Order Price £11.50 plus postage (see order information page for details)