First movement of Telemann's delightful Concerto in E Minor for Recorder and Flute (TWV 52:e1). Performed on an Akai EWI USB wind controller using virtual instruments (sampled and modeled): alto recorder (Wallander Instruments), flute (Samplemodeling), strings (Garritan/EWI), and harpsichord (Mondartt).

Telemann: Concerto in E Minor for Recorder and Flute, TWV 52:e1 - 1. Largo (2014.07.12)

THOMAS GOULD Live in Riga
Sinfonietta Riga

1-3. Violin Concerto in D, Op. 61 - Ludwig van Beethoven
	I. Allegro ma non troppo
	II. Larghetto
	III. Rondo (Allegro)

4. The Lark Ascending - Ralph Vaughan Williams  

Produced by Raphaël Mouterde
Executive producer Dave Stapleton

‘Live in Riga’ is the major new album from the celebrated 31 year old British violinist Thomas Gould.  Recorded live in concert with Sinfonietta Riga on April 11th 2014 at the Great Guild Hall in Riga, Latvia, it confirms Gould’s enormous potential as one of the most inventive and colourful instrumentalists of his generation.  Gould is no ordinary classical musician but one of a new generation who refuse to be defined by a single genre.  He has developed impressive jazz credentials, but it is in this environment as soloist/director of classical repertoire where he really excels.  The Times recently described Gould as “intent on becoming the Nigel Kennedy of his generation”.  Gould, however, is incomparably his own musician.  Bold and courageous enough to forge his own path and follow his singular vision, he steps outside the footsteps of the greats.

‘Live in Riga’ is a defining album for Gould, his first disc of a three-album deal with forward-thinking British jazz and classical record label Edition Classics.  Over the last decade he has been in demand as a soloist with major orchestras worldwide, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Hallé Orchestra and LA Phil New Music Group.  He is also much in demand as a leader/director, working with Britten Sinfonia, Aurora Orchestra, Mahler Chamber Orchestra and the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s ACO2, but it’s when he brings these disciplines together that the magic happens.  As Gould explains, “It means that everyone plays in a more engaged way. There is a group commitment to making it work, so the process is much more collaborative than when working with conductor.”

Sinfonietta Riga is an orchestra with a story to tell.  Formed in 2006, their vision is as bold as Gould’s.  Equally happy to play in concert dress or T-shirts they are intent on building new audiences for the music while reaching for the highest artistic standards.  Their collaboration is a perfect match and a unique experience for both the orchestra and for Gould.  This live concert recording bears witness to this special musical symbiosis.

To release an album featuring Beethoven’s Violin Concerto and Vaughan Williams’s The Lark Ascending is a bold decision.  As two cornerstones of the violin repertoire, there are plenty of performances to compare, but Gould’s versions demonstrate a brilliance of tone and colour that demands attention.  His flexibility and breadth of musical interests is fully evident.  Gould’s playing has the clarity you would expect from any major performer but radiates a freedom in its expression as though improvised with an immediate elegance and poise.

For Gould it’s all about achieving the right balance.  Whether it’s jazz or classical, written or improvised, as soloist or director, Gould is right in the eye of the storm.  If the dark clouds gathering in the wider music world imply that the days of the single-minded virtuoso are coming to an end; if to succeed in that brave new world we need to attract more diversity and brighter colours, then in Thomas Gould we may have found the lightning conductor to spark a new generation.


THOMAS GOULD Beethoven - Violin Concerto In D, Op.61 - II. Larghetto

Claude Debussy - Rêverie L.68

Chopin - Tarantelle in A flat major, Op. 43

The second movement of the Swedish composer Kraus's String Quartet in G Major is a "Scozzese", or Scottish dance. Part of the Bellevue String Quartet's program, "Nordic Bridges".

Classical art music and folk music have coexisted in Scandinavia since the 17th century. At times, folk music has found its way into classical works, while folk musicians have also adopted melodies from art music and transformed them into folk tunes. Nordic Bridges explores the connection between art music and folk music, as a bridge between two musical worlds. These bridges also extend across the Nordic countries and over different time periods, from the Baroque era to the present day.


About Bellevue String Quartet
As Scandinavia’s only period instrument string quartet, the Bellevue String Quartet engages audiences through their unique, conceptual programs. Jewels of the string quartet repertoire are combined with newly commissioned works, 17th-century consort and arrangements of Scandinavian folk music, offering a musical experience seldom found at a standard string quartet concert. In order to seek out a new and diverse audience, the quartet creates an intimate concert environment, both on the concert stage and in small, non-traditional venues. 

Based in Malmö, Sweden, the quartet performs regularly in a variety of venues in the Öresund region including Klubb Krinolin and Andy’s Corner in Malmö, Magle Konserthus in Lund, Valfisken in Simrishamn and Early Monday in Copenhagen, as well as at Trigonale Festival in Austria. They are planning to release their first CD recording of the “For Four program in 2026.

https://www.bellevuestringquartet.com/

Joseph Martin Kraus: String Quartet in G Major, VB 187: II. Scozzese

Chopin - Nocturne in F Major, Op. 15 No. 1

Chopin - Nocturne in G Minor, Op. 15 No. 3

What Child Is This

Janacek: On An Overgrown Path

Etude No. 11 Pour Les Arpeges Composes

Welcome to Archie Chen's magical nocturnal voyage with Grieg's "Notturno," Op. 54, No. 4 – a gem from the Lyric Pieces that'll whisk you away to a mystical realm of serenity and enchantment! 🌙✨

Inspired by Grieg's rejuvenating trip to the Jotunheimen Mountains and his encounter with the lovely Gjendine Slålien, this "Notturno" showcases the composer's finest expressive and fresh elements. In fact, Grieg himself couldn't resist playing it in multiple concerts! 🎹🏔️

Get ready to be immersed in a twilight dreamscape, painted with shimmering extended chords and captivating harmonic shifts. Feel the gentle chill of autumn and the warmth of tender memories as Archie Chen's performance brings this piece to life. 🍂🔥

A precursor to the likes of Debussy and Ravel, Grieg's "Notturno" whispers a blend of post-Romantic and nationalist tones that resonate through time – so much so that you might even recognize it from popular TV shows and commercials! 📺🎶

So, sit back, relax, and let Archie Chen guide you through this enchanting musical world where the wonders of the past and present intertwine. It's an experience you'll cherish forever – or, as Grieg might have said, "en opplevelse for livet!" 🌌💫

This is a studio recording made for RTE's Arena broadcast on July 20th 2017.

My SoundCloud Channel: @archie-chen
Official Website: www.archiechen.com
Youtube DIPF www.youtube.com/c/PianofestivalIe
Youtube Archie www.youtube.com/c/ArchieChenPianist
Festival Website: www.pianofestival.ie
Teaching Website: www.pianoacademy.ie

Piano: Steinway B
Recorded at RTE Radio Centre, Dublin

Edvard Grieg Notturno op. 54, no. 4

This track is from the album Illumination and is available for purchase on CD or download;. Beautiful relaxing instrumental piano by Bill Whitfield. #SCFIRST
Bill's website: http://billwhitfieldmusic.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Serenity-Bill-Whitfield/dp/B01MRKMQBT/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Bill+Whitfield&qid=1587033905&s=dmusic&search-type=ss&sr=1-1
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t07HwXtbPnc
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/bill-whitfield/578479004
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2vsmftXvzst7kEEK4sUWeg

Chopin - Nocturne in G Minor, Op. 15 No. 3

Classical Music