New release - Navarra Quartet - NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

Haydn: The Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross

ALT 1040

Altara is thrilled to be releasing this debut release by the Navarra Quartet of Haydn's masterpiece. A masterly performance is accompanied in the booklet by reproductions of a dramatic and moving series of paintings by the world-renowned artist Jamie Boyd based on the Seven Last Words which makes this release a feast for the eyes as well as the ears.

This project, which has already received coverage in the Sunday Telegraph will be released in July around the world but is now available on this website.

The Navarra Quartet will be performing the Haydn on the 26 June at 6:00pm
in the City of London Festival at St Stephen Walbrook, London. Some of Jamie Boyd's paintings will also be exhibited.

Our thanks go to the Borletti-Buitoni Trust for their support of this project.

Poland's foremeost classical magazine reviews Peter Jablonski's disc of Mazurkas.

Chopin, Szymanowski & Maciejewski   ALT 1030

' one always fears that a (foreign )pianist will have problems with the mazurkas these fears are not warranted here....

'....he has a wonderful feel for the very essence of this music and captures the delicate balance between sentimentality and sentiment exquisitely.
'..from dreamy longing to folksy liveliness the discreet pulse of the dance is always there.
'3 three mazurkas by Maciejewski are masterfully played.
'it was a long time ago I last heard such refined performances of these works'.
RUCH MUZUCZNY (Poland) by Josef Kanski (Editor) May 2009

Further acclaim for Peter Katin

Mozart: The Complete Piano Sonatas ALT 1026 (5)

'This five-CD set is a feast of fine pianism, by a man who was Britain's most blazing talent in the Fifties. His speciality then was Rachmaninov: only later did he gravitate to Chopin and then to Mozart. But his Mozart is exemplary: as he say in his liner note, there's no point being doctrinaire about historical accuracy in terms of repeats or ornamentation - each player must simply follow his own taste. Luckily, Peter Katin's taste is impeccable.'

Michael Church - Independent/The Information. 20th December 2008

Congratulations to Peter Katin on being named one of 3 runners-up in the International Piano Awards 2008 - Best Reissue/Vintage Recording section.

Mozart: The Complete Piano Sonatas  ALT 1026 (5)

'This outstanding set by Peter Katin... Throughout, Katin's pearly, seamless legato is articulated by an infinitely subtle ranged of 'lifted' articulation, dynamic shadings and exquisite pedalling.

Altogether worthy to stand at the pinnacle of recorded Mozart sonata cycles'

Julian Haylock - International Piano. November/December 2008

BBC Music Magazine: November 2008

The Dark Pastoral - review and Interview. ALT 1035

We are delighted that BBC Music Magazine gives a very warm welcome to this disc.

'Andrew Kennedy and Julius Drake..., in deeply felt performances which make the most of these songs.

'Interleaved with the songs are relevant poems, read with restrained feeling by Simon Russell Beale.

'Altogether a fine if distinctly gloom-laden recital, cleverly put together and sensitively performed.'

Michael Scott Rohan. BBC Music Magazine November 2008

There is also a fascinating interview with Andrew and Kate Kennedy about this disc in the magazine.

New Releases

This exciting new release is now available online:-

Altara Classic

Haydn: The Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross

Navarra Quartet

ALT 1040

Available now

Valentine.

Petra Jablonski - mezzo-soprano

Patrik Jablonski - piano

ALT 1037

AVAILABLE NOW - Special Offer Price

Strauss Lieder

Inger Dam-Jensen - soprano

Malcolm Martineau - piano

ALT 1033

AVAILABLE NOW

Schubert - The complete Piano Trios

The David Trio

ALT 1038(2)

AVAILABLE NOW

SEE CATALOGUE PAGE FOR FULL DETAILS OF ALL OUR RELEASES

Paul Myers

Distinguished Record Producer Paul Myers is an Artistic Adviser to Altara.See Paul's articles about Pinchas Zukerman and Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli on our News pages. Click here