Divine Art Records

Product Cat: Recording

  • Porgy, Preludes & Paris – Gershwin arrangements for piano duo

    Porgy, Preludes & Paris – Gershwin arrangements for piano duo

    Husband and wife team Robert and Linda Ang Stoodley are an adventurous duo with a very wide range of repertoire from the pops to major classical works which they present to appreciative audiences all around the world, spending much time as recitalists on cruise ships. They are also accomplished arrangers, as demonstrated by the brilliant transcriptions on their recordings.

    Following their well received Divine Art debut album ‘France Revisited’ they present superb new arrangements of George Gershwin works from the serious (Porgy & Bess) to tin pan alley songs, often interwined and merged. Purists may frown but such arrangements, sampling and “medleying” were well known to Gershwin himself.

    This album is not only performed with great virtuosity, it is immensely entertaining too. See Piano-a-Deux performing on YouTube

    “The Stoodleys are fine, often exuberant, pianists well tuned to each other’s phrasing and occasional subtleties.” – Michael Ullman (Fanfare)

  • Artyomov – Star Wind and other works

    Artyomov – Star Wind and other works

    Vyacheslav Artyomov is considered by many to be Russia’s greatest living composer. His music is deep, ultimately spiritual and brilliantly crafted, with influences from the Russian symphonic tradition colored by Mahler, Scriabin, Honegger and Messiaen to name a few – but melded into a unique voice.

    The Divine Art Artyomov Retrospective (which to date has received wonderful reviews internationally) is a mix of new recordings and former Melodiya releases. This is the ninth instalment, which comprises six works for varying chamber ensembles, and while embodying the composer’s overall wide ranging compositional style, spirituality and mysticism, these pieces express this in a more intimate, lyrical style than his massive symphonic works. ‘Scenes’ was originally written as a ballet score for a film, but as the movie was banned by the Soviet authorities and never shown, the work now stands in its own right as a balletic suite.

    Some of Russia’s finest soloists and chamber players contributed to this album:
    Star Wind:
    Mikhail Tsinman, violin; Alexander Rudin, cello; Konstantin Yefimov, flute; Andrei Kuznetsov, French horn; Anatoly Sheludiakov, piano;
    Alexander Suvorov, glockenspiel; Murad Annamamedov, conductor
    Variations: Nestling Antsali:
    Alexander Korneyev, flute; Vyacheslav Artyomov, piano
    Moonlight Dreams:
    Nelly Lee, soprano; Alexander Golyshev, alto flute; Vladimir Tonkha, cello; Dmitri Alexeyev, piano
    Romantic Capriccio:
    Igor Makarov, French horn; Yuri Smirnov, piano;
    Alikhanova String Quartet (Yevgenia Alikhanova & Valentina Alykova violins, Tatiana Kokhanovskaya, viola, Olga Agranovich, cello)
    Mattinate:
    Iana Besiadinskaya, soprano; Zarius Shikhmurzayeva, violin; Vladimir Pakulichev, flute; Nikolai Komolyatov, guitar
    Scenes:
    Mikhail Tsinman, violin; Igor Abramov, clarinet; Nikolai Gorbunov, bass; Anatoly Sheludiakov, piano; Valeriy Polivanov & Alexander Suvorov, percussion; Murad Annamamedov, conductor

  • Jonathan Östlund : Voyages (Download album)

    Jonathan Östlund : Voyages (Download album)

    Jonathan Östlund is a composer from Sweden who has pursued his passion for music with a BA and MA in Composition at the LTU, in Sweden. He has so far completed more than 100 works, including several orchestral pieces, a Piano Concerto and a Violin Concerto, and has been awarded many prizes in international competitions.

    ‘Voyages’, his second release under Divine Art (after ‘Lunaris’, in 2016), is a double album (issued in digital form only), featuring vocal, instrumental and chamber music, as on ‘Lunaris’, while in addition also featuring two orchestral recordings and works for organ. This new album with a focus on nature, enigmatic atmospheres and introspective journeys, is presented by top international soloists, some of whom have given the world premieres of these works.

    Östlund writes music with natural poetic melodies and highly sophisticated harmonies, blending tradition with contemporary expression.

    This album can also be obtained as a double CD (two tracks omitted in order to fit on 2 discs) HERE

  • “Jubilee” – Carson Cooman organ music vol. 10

    “Jubilee” – Carson Cooman organ music vol. 10

    Carson Cooman is many things musical – organist and Composer in Residence at the Memorial Church, Harvard University; writer, critic and consultant, concert organist, and above all a highly prolific composer of music in a wide variety of genres, from orchestral to song.

    His organ compositions come in many styles, from liturgical models, to more gritty and substantial pieces such as his organ symphonies and preludes and fugues. This album contains a mix of liturgical and secular works of great variety and individuality.

    Erik Simmons is a superb organist, making his tenth Cooman organ album for Divine Art. He is playing the wonderful ‘Sun Organ’ of St. Peter & Paul, Görlitz, recorded through the Hauptwerk system.

    This is volume 10 of this highly praised series, which now extends to vol. 12 (vol. 13 to be released in June 2020). Click composer name above or in the composer index to access all volumes and the discounted complete set (1-12)

  • ‘To the Northeast’ – Choral music by John Buckley

    ‘To the Northeast’ – Choral music by John Buckley

    John Buckley is one of a group of highly talented and inspired composers from Ireland who have embraced today’s need for music which is rich and diverse, complex but accessible too. His considerable output includes chamber and vocal works as well as his exceptional choral music of which we have a selection here. From folk song adaptations to classic text settings and a range of serious, pastoral and witty pieces, the new album ‘To the Northeast’ is one that stands out from the crowd and is truly memorable.

    Also from Dublin, Mornington Singers are superbly conducted by Orla Flanagan, and provide a performance which in each work is totally in tune with the text and the setting. Most songs are in English, though the Five Two-Part songs for children are sung in Gaelic Irish.

  • Vyacheslav Artyomov: In Memoriam and other works

    Vyacheslav Artyomov: In Memoriam and other works

    Vyacheslav Artyomov is considered by many to be Russia’s greatest living composer. His music is deep, ultimately spiritual and brilliantly crafted, with influences from the Russian symphonic tradition colored by Mahler, Scriabin, Honegger and Messiaen to name a few – but melded into a unique voice. The Divine Art Artyomov Retrospective is a mix of new recordings and former Melodiya releases. This is the eighth instalment, containing three orchestral works, with an over-arching sorrowful cast – remembering, like his Requiem, the suffering of the Russian peoples under Soviet rule (and for In Memoriam, a tribute to the composer’s mother), and all typifying Artyomov’s true genius as a truly individual composer who can make thoroughly modern music listenable and demanding further regular hearings.

    Three fine orchestras and conductors, and superb soloists, provide a rich and satisfying program of substantial modern orchestral music.

  • Galuppi Piano Sonatas, volume 4

    Galuppi Piano Sonatas, volume 4

    Peter Seivewright was amongst the first musicians to seriously research (in 1994) the 100 keyboard sonatas by Venetian composer Galuppi, also famed as a pioneer of opera buffa. While others have since come to appreciate and record the fine variety and novelty of these works, for many personal and career reasons, Seivewright’s series was held up after volume 3 was released in 2004 but is now back on track with this intermediate album which includes also the G major Piano Concerto. Many of the sonatas have had to be reconstructed from single movement manuscripts. They show amazing diversity, from single-movement works to two- and three-movement pieces, and from traditional baroque style to a Romanticism prescient of Schumann. Seivewright strongly believes that the works were specifically written for the pianoforte rather than harpsichord due to their frequent need for sostenuto and other factors.

    Peter Seivewright studied at Oxford then at the Royal Northern College of Music. He has performed extensively as recitalist and concerto soloist and has taught in colleges around the world, from Scotland to Trinidad to Afghanistan and most recently in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
    Find Volume 1 | Volume 2 | Volume 3

  • Gershwin and Ravel: Music for Piano Duo

    Gershwin and Ravel: Music for Piano Duo

    With over forty CDs to their credit and a busy concert schedule stretching back more than thirty years, the British piano duo of Anthony Goldstone and Caroline Clemmow was firmly established as a leading force. Their recordings are not only brilliant performances but usually innovatively programmed, leading to rave reviews for every album. Sadly Goldstone died in January 2017 but their legacy lives on.

    This album was originally released in 2007 (dda 25057) but withdrawn due to complex issues regarding one track. Now available again (without that track!) this is a superb rendition of music inspired by jazz and popular idioms, including the original piano duo versions (not transcriptions) of several of the pieces. The combination of these two great composers and one of the world’s best-ever duos makes for a stunning recital album.

  • Artyomov: A Sonata of Meditations, etc.

    Artyomov: A Sonata of Meditations, etc.

    Vyacheslav Artyomov is considered by many to be Russia’s greatest living composer. Since the fall of the Soviet regime his music has travelled the world to great acclaim. It is deep, ultimately spiritual and brilliantly crafted, with influences from the Russian symphonic tradition colored by Mahler, Scriabin, Honegger and Messiaen to name a few – but melded into a unique voice.

    The Divine Art Artyomov Retrospective is a mix of new recordings and former Melodiya releases. It continues with the seventh album containing two works for percussion ensemble and one orchestral – all typifying Artymov’s true genius as a truly individual composer who can make thoroughly modern music listenable and demanding further regular hearings. The three works on this album are all typical of Artyomov’s individual and impressive genius

    Mark Pekarsky leads the first percussion ensemble established in Russia and still the foremost group in that country. They perform A Sonata of Meditations and Totem while Russian-American conductor Virko Baley directs the superb Moscow Philharmonic in A Garland of Recitations.

  • The Mystery of Christmas – Greek Kalanda (Carols)

    The Mystery of Christmas – Greek Kalanda (Carols)

    There is a tradition among the Greek peoples of the singing of carols (‘Kalanda’) on Christmas Eve. This album is a set of carols newly composed by Greek-Cypriot composer Cilia Petridou. As musical works they also qualify as art-song in fine performances by three excellent sopranos. For those who love Christmas music but want something new, this album will fit the bill.

    The three sopranos each take a number of solo carols and form a trio for the last two; Lesley-Jane and Alison have both worked with the composer for some time and also made several highly-praised recordings for Divine Art and Metier.

    Cilia Petridou was an accomplished pianist until her career was ended by major surgery, since when she has concentrated on composition. Though she moved to England in 1965, she is deeply affected by the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 and the still unresolved political situation on the island. While some of her music such as that included on the album “Sounds of the Chionistra” reflects this tragedy, her Kalanda are bright and full of joy.

    The Carols are sung in Greek. texts and English translations included in the booklet.

  • Sea Dream – Carson Cooman Organ Music volume 9

    Sea Dream – Carson Cooman Organ Music volume 9

    Carson Cooman is many things musical – organist and Composer in Residence at the Memorial Church, Harvard University; writer, critic and consultant, concert organist, and above all a highly prolific composer of music in a wide variety of genres, from orchestral to song.

    His organ compositions come in many styles, from liturgical models, to more gritty and substantial pieces such as his organ symphonies and preludes and fugues. This album includes several works written to honor fellow musicians and the fine Organ Symphony No. 2, a work of restraint and mainly pastoral mood.

    Erik Simmons is a superb organist, making his ninth Cooman organ album for Divine Art. He is playing the main and transept organs of Laurenskerk,  Rotterdam, recorded through the Hauptwerk system.

    This is volume 9 of this highly praised series. Volumes 10 and 11 have been recorded and are scheduled for release in 2019.

  • Artyomov: Requiem

    Artyomov: Requiem

    Vyacheslav Artyomov is considered by many to be Russia’s greatest living composer. Since the fall of the Soviet regime his music has travelled the world to great acclaim. It is deep, ultimately spiritual and brilliantly crafted, with influences from the Russian symphonic tradition colored by Mahler, Scriabin, Honegger and Messiaen to name a few – but melded into a unique voice.

    The Requiem, together with his massive Symphony cycles, was the work which brought enormous acclaim to Artyomov both in Russia and in the USA. It was the first Requiem to be written by a Russian after the 1917 Revolution and the first to be performed in the former USSR. Dedicated ‘to the Martyrs of Long-Suffering Russia’ it is a true masterpiece in which several parts of the mass are given treatments very different from the ‘norm’. Exciting, moving and bristling with power and passion, this is a Requiem to stand alongside the established great Requiems of the past. The performers are those who gave the Moscow premiere, and give a stunning performance.
    Soloists: Yelena Brilova, Inna Polianskaya & Lyubov Sharnina (Sopranos); Alexei Martynov (tenor); Mikhail Lanskoi (baritone); Andrei Azovsky (treble);
    Oleg Yanchenko (organ); Sveshnikov Boy’s Chorus; Kaunas State Chorus.