Divine Art Records

Label: Divine Art

  • David Matthews: Romanza

    David Matthews: Romanza

    World Première Recording

    This work was commissioned by Madeleine Mitchell, who also gave the first performance with Nigel Clayton in 2012, following her premiere earlier that year of a version for violin and orchestra. It is a beautiful piece full of emotional warmth and lyricism. This digital single is also from Madeleine’s album of lyrical contemporary music for violin “Violin Muse”.

    Foremost British violinist Madeleine Mitchell commissioned this piece from David Matthews. She gave its first performance in the version for violin and orchestra in October 2012, and in this violin and piano version the following month. It is a remarkable work, thoroughly of today but filled with lyricism and warmth.

    Madeleine Mitchell has performed in over 50 countries and is one of the UK’s most distinguished violinists; she is a ‘pioneer of new music’ (The Times) and specializes in new music of the more lyrical kind rather than the avant-garde. She recently premiered Guto Puw’s Violin Concerto with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales – another work included in the Violin Muse album.

  • Russian Piano Music, Vols. 1-15

    Russian Piano Music, Vols. 1-15

    25% PERCENT OFF USUAL PRICE

    A major series mixing familiar and less-known music, from the Russian Romantic school, from Rachmaninov to Ustvolskaya by way of Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Rebikov, Gliere, Lyapunov, Arensky, Weinberg, Mussorgsky and more.

    Each CD has been critically acclaimed. Featuring pianists Natalia Andreeva, Anthony Goldstone, Murray McLachlan, Alfonso Soldano, Stefania Argentieri and Sergei Dukachev.

    Explore the series :

    Digital downloads include all booklets in PDF format.
    This set consists of 14 single albums and one double.

  • Diana Boyle – Bach Goldberg Varations

    Diana Boyle – Bach Goldberg Varations

    The first of our new digital-only ‘Intangible Classics’ series and of the Diana Boyle edition; a superb rendition of this timeless masterpiece. Though recorded in 2003, this recording has never been available until now and demonstrates Diana Boyle’s deep and thoughtful approach to the works of Bach.

    Like Die Kunst der Fuge, Bach’s Goldberg Variations, BWV 899, have come to be seen as one of the pinnacles of keyboard writing, not only of the baroque era but of all time. The Aria with diverse variations for a harpsichord with two manuals as it is formally named is the capstone of the Clavierübung publication project which was finalised in 1741. Amazingly, like much of Bach’s work, it remained an esoteric and little-known work until introduced into the repertoire by Rudolf Serkin in the 1920s.

    Diana Boyle is a fine pianist who records little but prepares each recording with years of thought, consideration and meditation on the music. She moved to the Goldberg Variations after recording Book II of the Well-Tempered Clavier as a stepping stone to the inscrutable Art of Fugue. She avoided listening to any other versions, because as she says, “I need to find my own voice when studying these masterpieces and then try to express those thoughts at the keyboard.” Like all of Boyle’s work this is a very carefully prepared and well crafted performance, an excellent addition to the library of recordings of this work.

  • Wind Blown – Sonatas for Wind Instruments

    Wind Blown – Sonatas for Wind Instruments

    Peter Hope is one of those remarkably talented composers whose music is far netter known than his name. An arranger and composer of light music for decades, working with the BBC Concert Orchestra and writing themes for public events, his music has been heard worldwide – and by millions of British watchers of BBC TV News which used Peter’s theme for over a decade.

    A selected set of wind soloists present the first CD devoted to Peter Hope’s compositions which are fresh, vigorous and enchanting – and as the composer says, ‘unashamedly tonal’.

  • Artyomov: On the Threshold of a Bright World

    Artyomov: On the Threshold of a Bright World

    The foremost composer living in Russia today, Artyomov is producing works in the grand symphonic and post-Romantic traditions, unquestionably masterpieces of the modern age. The ‘Threshold’ symphony, part of his tetralogy ‘Symphony of the Way’ is typically underpinned by his deep spirituality but is universal and cosmic in scope. ‘Ave Atque Vale’ is another major work – for percussion and orchestra, while ‘Ave, Crux Alba’ is a far more traditional (and very beautiful) choral piece.

    A companion CD contains the symphony ‘Gentle Emanation’ and ‘Tristia II’ for piano and orchestra (DDA 25144). The Artyomov series continues with a further nine albums.

  • Artyomov: Gentle Emanation Symphony, etc

    Artyomov: Gentle Emanation Symphony, etc

    The foremost composer living in Russia today, Artyomov is producing works in the grand symphonic and post-Romantic traditions, unquestionably masterpieces of the modern age. The ‘Gentle Emanation’ symphony, part of his tetralogy ‘Symphony of the Way’ is typically underpinned by his deep spirituality but is universal and cosmic in scope. Tristia II is a fantasy for piano and orchestra which incorporates prayers and readings from the writings of Nicolai Gogol.

    A companion CD contains the symphony ‘On the Threshold of a Bright World’ and other works (DDA 25143). The Artyomov series now consists of 11 albums in all.

  • Henderson: New York, Sing Me!

    Henderson: New York, Sing Me!

    This beautiful ballad is from the album ‘From the Old World to the New World’ from composer Philip Henderson. It tells in music the story of a young man leaving the rural landsape of Kent, England, in the 1930s and traveling to America by working as a galley boy on a merchant ship. In this song, the spirit of New York calls out to him.

    The full album: From the Old World to the New World (DDA 25141)

  • Mozart: Serenades for Wind Instruments

    Mozart: Serenades for Wind Instruments

    Mozart’s Wind Serenades need little introduction as staples of the repertoire and true works of genius. This fine performance by the EUCO brings fresh life to these well-loved works, but something more: Mozart revised the E-flat serenade into Octet form (it was previously a septet) but the publishers made serious errors in the score, omitting part of the minuet and inserting a spurious bar. Santiago Mantas has prepared a new performing edition to correct these errors, and this is the first recording of the complete Serenade as intended by Mozart.

  • Russian Piano Music Volume 12 – Sergei Bortkiewicz

    Russian Piano Music Volume 12 – Sergei Bortkiewicz

    It is quite puzzling why, until very recently, the music of Bortkiewicz has not been widely known and loved: his high Romantic style makes him a natural to the legacy of Tchaikovsky, and he was a close contemporary of Rachmaninov. Born of Polish parentage, and later an Austrian citizen, Bortkiewicz lived in many parts of Europe but always considered himself truly Russian. This recording gives a wide sample of his work and will surely whet the appetite for more. Performed by Alfonso Soldano in his CD debut for Divine Art, a professor at the Conservatorio G. Braga in Teramo, Italy; he is also the biographer of the composer, a role which has given him unique insight into the mind and spirit of Bortkiewicz.

  • From the Old World to the New World

    From the Old World to the New World

    From the pen of celebrated Theater composer Philip Henderson comes a concept album based on the true story of his father’s journey in the 1930s from rural Kent to New York. Expressed in music that follows the story, from pastoral string ensemble, to the excitement and bustle of an Atlantic cargo vessel, to the buzz of Broadway where our hero, represented by a cor anglais, plays against the now-synthezised strings of the city.

  • Opening the Door to the Music of Roy Heaton Smith

    Opening the Door to the Music of Roy Heaton Smith

    A feast of music by the late Roy Heaton Smith includes chamber works for clarinet, recorder and viola, solo piano music, string quartets and songs all bubbling with inspiration and freedom of expression and style, in excellent performances from top Manchester (UK) musicians.

    As a bonus we include a recording made from a radio broadcast in 1958. This was recorded from an AM broadcast off-air to an acetate disc which became damaged; Richard Scott has done wonders to make it not just playable but in decent sound balance too, and it remains the only recording of Smith’s fine Divertimento.

  • Preludio – Organ music by Carson Cooman

    Preludio – Organ music by Carson Cooman

    Following two celebrated CDs of Carson Cooman‘s organ music (“benchmark recording” – Classical Music Sentinel), Erik Simmons now takes us to a special area of the composer’s work – music inspired by renaissance and early baroque music. This double album will be a delight to early-music lovers as well as followers of the modern organ repertoire.

    Organ of the Basilica Mariä-Himmelfahrt