Between Worlds

“Avital's follow-up to his superb recording of Bach concertos only confirms that we already knew: that here is a musician who recognises no boundaries except those of good taste, and who has the artistry to persuade listeners to follow him anywhere.” --Gramophone Magazine, February 2014

“The six Bartók miniatures of the Romanian Folk Dances are deftly managed, with subtle string washes setting off Avital’s delicate filigree picking, and De Falla’s “Siete Canciones” offers the broadest range of tempo and emotion. But the most satisfying is Piazzolla’s highly rhythmic “Fuga y Misterio”” --The Independent on Sunday, 2nd February 2014 ***

Avi Avital (mandolin)

A genre-defying tour of the globe exploring the nexus between classical, popular and traditional music uniquely inhabited by Avi Avital and his magical mandolin. From Bach to Bluegrass to Balkan Beats, Avi Avital plays all with charismatic charm.

After the success of “Bach”, Avi returns to again defy expectations with a selection of beautiful melodies and delightful dances from Europe, Central Asia, and the Americas, each with roots in popular folk traditions, arranged by some of the world’s greatest classical composers. For this journey, Avi is joined by a host of special guests: from music legends such as Richard Galliano and Giora Feidman, to DG stars such as Catrin Finch, accompanied by a hand-picked ensemble of virtuoso friends from around the world. Repertoire highlights include the popular Monti Czardas, Bachianas Brasilieras (Villa-Lobos), Bloch’s spiritual Nigun, the finale from Dvořák’s “American” String Quartet, Spanish, Bulgarian, Romanian, Cuban and Georgian folk dances, and a very special Piazzolla tango.

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Villa-Lobos: Piano Music

'Magnificent. Easily the most sophisticated Villa-Lobos piano disc currently in the catalogue.' --International Record Review

'Marc-André Hamelin’s transcendental sheen and facility bless everything he plays. He makes As três Marias wink and scintillate with an inimitable verve … leaves all others standing.' --Gramophone

'Hamelin presents another hour of hair-raising (not to say spine-tingling) music in performances few could match … awesome.' --Classic CD

'An impressive disc' --BBC Music Magazine

‘Enough technical dazzle to satisfy even the most virtuoso-hungry listeners’ --Fanfare, USA

'Revelatory. In short, this is a must-buy release. It’s thrillingly exciting. Recommended with all possible enthusiasm' --Fanfare, USA

'Hamelin grasps [the music’s] sprawl clearly and delivers it with unrivalled perfection of pianistic mechanism. He relishes the delights of the lighter pieces with equal virtuosity' --Irish Times

‘Marvellously iridescent in these magnificent interpretations … a fantastically varied succession of miniatures that will hardly fail to please’ --The Magic Flute

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Villa-Lobos: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 7

“Karabtchevsky keeps this bustling music firmly under control at all times. It’s certainly a promising start to this cycle, even if the writing is competent rather than outstanding. No quibbles about the playing or recording though; both are splendid.” --MusicWeb International, December 2012

“Karabtchevsky and the orchestra are on home terrain...Karabtchevsky makes Villa-Lobos's zig-zagging, lopsided melodic line sound as boldly and brashly scultped as Mount Rushmore...To continue the mountain-based metaphor, Karabtchevsky's performance has a sense of ascent: you can hear the different strata, feel air blowing through the structure” --Gramophone Magazine, January 2013

“The language of both works is essentially neoclassical, but the shapes of the melodies and the ways in which they are coloured are entirely Villa-Lobos's own. The SPSO make a good job of them” The Guardian, 20th September 2012 ***

“Written for a huge orchestra, his "Symphony No. 7" opens in striking fashion, the Allegro vivace grabbing the narrative and dashing forward with it to its imposing climax” The Independent, 10th November 2012 ***

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