This recording of Richard Strauss's opera Elektra by De Nederlandse Opera (The Netherlands Opera) was made in November 2011 at the Amsterdam Music Theatre. In addition to an impressive cast, it features the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and the Toonkunst Choir Amsterdam conducted by Marc Albrecht.

The transcription on this CD was prepared by the eminent Polish-Jewish composer from Lvov, Józef Koffler, who arranged the Variations for a chamber orchestra (flute, oboe, English horn, bassoon and string quintet). This transcription, completely unknown until only recently, is undoubtedly one of the best 20th-century transcriptions of Bach's music.

On 'Vivaldi and Friends', Apollo’s Fire, directed by Jeannette Sorrell, serve up an album of baroque concertos with a twist, just ahead of their UK debut at London’s Wigmore Hall in November. The Cleveland-based baroque orchestra Apollo’s Fire, with their founder/ director Jeannette Sorrell, has made an indelible impression on the international music market since launching on Avie with recordings of Bach, Mozart and Monteverdi.

A marquee name among classical pianists since the 1970s, Maurizio Pollini has been noted for performances of some of the most monumental of contemporary music, and for pairing such works with standard repertory of the 19th century. Pollini's decades-long relationship as a recording artist with the Deutsche Grammophon label has been among the most stable in years. Pollini was born January 5, 1942, in Milan. His father was modernist architect and educator Gino Pollini. In 1957, in Milan, he performed a concert of Chopin Etudes that drew wide attention.

Having bought this cd as a complete blind purchase [usually not, i have to admit, a successful venture] i was pleasantly surprised. it is a daring, envelope-pushing guitar cd, and mats bergström's executes the difficult repertoire with finesse and panache. The music is all 20th century [none of your romantic spanish guitar here…], including steve reich's 'electric counterpoint' [originally written for pat metheny and reproduced here in all its chattering, cascading glory] and toru takemitsu's characteristically difficult but rewarding 'all in twilight'.

Leif Ove Andsnes has long been renowned for his powerfully emotive and disciplined performances of Rachmaninov: attributes prized by the supreme composer-pianist himself. This set brings together for the first time the complete cycle of acclaimed concerto recordings, including the perennially loved Second in an award-winning live performance, acclaimed by Gramophone as ‘a Rolls-Royce reading.’

This double CD set of Schumann’s Complete Works for Piano Trio is a welcome addition to the chamber music catalogue. The trio prove to be fine ensemble giving both stirring and satisfying performances. There is a something very natural about the musicianship on show here.

Deep Purple - Deep Purple in Rock (1970). In 1970 heavy metal was just beginning and it was Deep Purple that combined the heaviness and the speed to form what we now know as heavy metal. "In Rock" is one of those seminal albums. Deep Purple's fourth studio album, and the first with the classic Mk II lineup was their breakthrough album. Heavy guitar riffs from Ritchie Blackmore and heavily fuzzed organ from Jon Lord were now the order of the day. The opening track, the fully restored, un-edited, complete, full-length 5:55 version of "Speed King" shows no mercy as it instantly blasts out of the speakers with a raw, unbridled hard rock sound. Also included is the 10-minute epic and all-time concert favorite, "Child in Time"…

Since 1979, Buckwheat Zydeco has been synonymous with good vibes, party music and zydeco itself. Trouble is far more than just an example of an artist of his reputation coasting on his laurels. This album was originally released in 1997 by Mesa/Atlantic. That release and Mesa's corporate structure were, to say the least, problematic, and it was good fortune that "Buckwheat" Dural was able to retain rights to the master, as it has now been properly released. From the smoking meltdown of "It's So Hard to Stop" to the title track (which is as good as a New Orleans R&B-based dance track as you'll ever hear), this album is easily one of Buckwheat Zydeco's finest efforts. This CD also includes a super-funky version of the Robert Johnson classic "Crossroads," which gives a great new spin on one of the greatest blues-rock warhorses of all time. This record is infectious, fun (like that's new for this band), and one of their most worthwhile discs.

The unusual Theatre is nearly as much theater and performance art as it is jazz. The music is frequently dramatic, featuring the vocals of Sheila Jordan on two of the four works. "El Chancho" is a showcase for the bandoneon of Dino Saluzzi, while the 25-minute "The Holy Grail of Jazz and Joy" has portrayals of the Knights of the Round Table with short spots for many of the musicians in the all-star group. Slightly more conventional are "In the Tradition of Switzerland" (even if it has a spot for Seppo "Baron" Paakkunainen on a Finnish birch bark flute) and "No One Can Explain It" (though Jordan's vocal is otherworldly). There are solo spots along the way for avant-garde altoist and soprano saxophonist Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky, trombonists Dave Bargeron, bass trombonist David Taylor, and trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg.

Stomu Yamashta is a master percussionist who studied Jazz drumming at Berklee School of Jazz. In the 1970’s he recorded a string of innovative albums for Island records fusing his percussion talents with jazz, electronic and classical music. "Freedom Is Frightening" features a fine band, including Soft Machine bass guitarist Hugh Hopper and guitarist Gary Boyle. It was a fine achievement which propelled Yamashta to a wider audience which would eventually lead to his acclaimed Go albums featuring collaborators Steve Winwood, Michael Shrieve, Klaus Schulze. Never before released on CD, this Esoteric reissue has been re-mastered from the original master tapes and fully restores the original vinyl artwork and continues Esoteric's series of Yamashta’s work for Island Records.

Rudy Adrian’s second release on the Lotuspike label, Desert Realms, is a beautifully crafted study in deeply serene and contemplative soundscapes, exploring the spectacular stillness and vast landscape of the American Southwest desert. Rudy’s compositions are by themselves both vast and serene, but an additional level of emotion is provided by the poignant and moving flute expressions of Nick Prosser on a few of the tracks. Prosser’s stirring musical statements interact with Rudy’s vast soundscapes, filling the spectacular sonic vista with just the right amount of life and feeling; reminding the listener that although the desert realms may appear at first stark and barren, they are in fact full of life and captivating beauty.