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A virtuoso pianist of the mid-twentieth century, William Kapell was an important link to early-twentieth century giants such as Horowitz and Rubinstein and the leader of the new guard of American pianists represented by Van Cliburn, Gary Graffman, and Leon Fleisher. Brooding good looks and explosive interpretations of Russian piano literature made him a star. His death in a plane crash at the age of 31 put an end to a career marked by fiery personality, technical mastery, and unstinting devotion to his craft. Many considered him the first virtuoso American pianist - certainly the most famous one until Van Cliburn - whose early death denied him more enduring popularity. These recordings are a stirring reminder of the talent upon which his fame rested during his lifetime.

These recordings, which first came to attention in 2004 with an article in The New York Times, include Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3, Bach's Suite in A Minor, BWV818, Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, Mozart's Sonata in B-flat, K. 570, and Chopin's Nocturne, Op. 55 No. 2, in E-flat, plus five works Kapell never previously released: Debussy's Suite bergamasque, Chopin's Barcarolle and Scherzo No. 1 in B Minor, Prokofiev's Sonata No. 7, and "God Save the Queen." These selections are taken from live performances recorded during his final three-month tour of Australia in 1953, shortly before his death.

The lavish digipak packaging for this release features liner notes by Pulitzer Prize-winning music critic Tim Page, who considers the recordings, "magnificent playing by any standard and a colossal enhancement to our understanding of William Kapell." The public owes the existence of this important recorded document to Roy Preston, a Melbourne, Australia department store salesman who passionately and obsessively made home recordings of radio broadcasts. Page puts Preston's remarkable contribution in the context of its time:

"It is nothing less than extraordinary that they should have come to light all these years later: back in 1953, the vast majority of live renditions - even those by the most celebrated of artists - vanished immediately into thin air. Today, at a time when any radio or television program will be recorded by thousands of people and perhaps even put out over the internet, it is difficult to conceive of how elusive such permanence once was."

This digitally remastered two-disc set - the latest in Sony BMG Masterworks' reDiscovered series - compiles performances from four of the concerts on Kapell's tour of Australia and makes them available for the first time as a lasting tribute to the incredible talent and influence of William Kapell.

Prize-winning pianist Denis Matsuev was invited by the Rachmaninoff Foundation to record two recently discovered early  works of Sergei Rachmaninoff - Fuga in D Minor and Suite for Orchestra in D Minor (transcription for piano by  the composer) - both written in 1891 when Rachmaninoff was completing his education at the St.Petersburg Conservatory. Unknown Rachmaninoff presents the world premiere recordings of these two compositions, along with performances of three of Rachmaninoff's Etudes Tableaux, Op.39 (Nos. 2, 6 & 9); the second edition of his Sonata No.2, Op.36; and two of his Preludes (G Minor, Op.23 No.5 and G-sharp Minor, Op.32, No.12). Mr.Matsuev recorded this repertoire on Rachmaninoff's piano at the Rachmaninoff residence, Villa Senar in Lucerne - also at the behest of the Foundation. The release date is March 18. 2008.

Matsuev is touring eastern U.S. in March 2008 with the State Symphony Orchestra of Russia under the direction of conductor Mark Gorenstein. From March 17-31, Matsuev, Gorenstein and the SSOR will play eleven concerts in ten cities in Florida, New York, and Massachusetts (see schedule below).  Matsuev will be featured in the third piano concerti of Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev. The tour coincides with the release of Unknown Rachmaninoff  (88697 1559125), Matsuev's fourth recording for RCA Red Seal/Sony BMG.

Denis Matsuev's U.S. tour is part of an extraordinary year that began in September as he opened the Houston Symphony Orchestra's season, playing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1 under conductor Hans Graf, and presented a recital at Carnegie Hall in November 2007 ("delicacy...poetic instincts...thrillingly precise...Tumultuous ovations elicited five encores." -New York Times), which RCA Red Seal recorded for later release.  Later in the season he tours Europe and Israel in both recital programs and in collaboration with conductors such as Vladimir Spivakov, Yuri Simonov and Yuri Temirkanov, goes on to perform with Valery Gergiev and the Kirov Orchestra in the new Mariinsky Hall in St.Petersburg in June, he makes his July debut at the Ravinia Festival with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Leonard Slatkin.

The critics agree: Paavo Järvi and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen’s new Beethoven cycle is an essential edition to the catalog. Reviewers from around the world have judged these performances revelatory, with many honoring the first release (Beethoven’s Symphonies Nos. 3 and 8) as the Best of the Year. The second recording in the Hybrid Super Audio CD series – now in stores – pairs enthralling performances of Beethoven’s Symphonies Nos. 4 and 7.

As Alex Ross wrote in his widely-read blog, “…Paavo Järvi and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, whose all-Beethoven concert at Mostly Mozart was an undisputed knockout, have launched a Beethoven cycle for RCA. The first disc, pairing the Third and the Eighth, preserves most of the virtues of the live experience: precise attacks, danceable rhythms, vivid phrasing, a grainy, gutsy sound quality from the musicians, no-nonsense tempos from Järvi… it's earthy, propulsive music making, Beethoven as pure physical specimen… Missing, of course, is the joy of witnessing performances such as this in a responsive hall and with a responsive crowd.”

The esteemed orchestra and its Grammy^®-award winning conductor will complete their Beethoven symphonic cycle in 2009. They recently travelled to Japan to perform all nine symphonies; Yomiuri hailed the concert as “reviving the original excitement in Beethoven’s music”.

Pianist Murray Perahia performs J.S. Bach’s Keyboard Partitas Nos. 2, 3 and 4 on his new Sony Classical recording, in stores March 18, 2008. One of the greatest living Bach interpreters, Perahia’s longtime affinity for the music of Bach is reflected in his discography, which features critically acclaimed performances of the solo Keyboard Concerti, the “Goldberg” Variations, and English Suites, among other works. These previous Bach recordings have garnered a Grammy^® Award, several Grammy^® nominations, a Gramophone Award for Best Instrumental Recording, and Top 10 Billboard Classical Chart positions.

In a refreshing juxtaposition of repertoire, Midori’s first new recording in five years, features J.S. Bach’s Unaccompanied Sonata No.2 in A Minor with Bartók’s Sonata No.1 in C-sharp Minor. The SONY BMG Masterworks recording becomes available on January 1, 2008. Pianist Robert McDonald joins Midori in the Bartók. “Both in my own personal listening and in concert programs, I really enjoy combining works from diverse historical periods - I believe they shed light on one another in the most wonderful way,” says Midori, “so I thought it would be terrific to put these two great sonatas next to one another on a recording.”

The 2007-2008 season marks Midori’s first quarter-century before the public. In a year characteristically replete with activity, Midori will play over 90 concerts, making six trips to Europe and three to Asia. Among the highlights of Midori’s season will be bringing a unique project to Lincoln Center combining the music of J.S. Bach, Takemitsu and Schnittke; traveling to Florida with the Cleveland Orchestra and to Japan with the Philadelphia Orchestra; making her third all-new music recital tour, this time to Europe; devoting significant energy to her myriad community engagement initiatives in the U.S. and in Asia, and significantly increasing her commitment to USC’s Thornton School of Music, as she assumes the position of Chair of the Strings Department in September. On September 21^st, the International Day of Peace, Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary General of the United Nations, designated Midori an official Messenger of Peace, a great honor  accorded fewer than 20 people since the U.N. program’s inception over ten years ago.

Another significant milestone of Midori’s 2007-08 season is the 15^th Anniversary of her very first community engagement program, Midori & Friends. The program, started by Midori in response to cutbacks in arts education in New York City schools, has blossomed from modest beginnings to a 4-tiered, 26-week program offering instrument instruction, elementary music theory, family concerts, and jazz and world music concerts, in addition to classroom appearances by Midori and other guest artists, to school children throughout the city of New York. Since its inception this program has reached 150,000 underprivileged children. As part of her other community engagement programs this season, Midori will visit Cambodia (Music Sharing International), Minnesota (Partners in Performance), Iowa (Orchestra Residencies Program), Montana (Partners in Performance) and South Dakota (Orchestra Residencies Program).

Sony BMG Masterworks is happy to offer a sampler of the artists featured on the Carnegie Hall 08/09 Season DVD.

The new album is a fusion of established works with material specially commissioned for the trio. Violinist Angella Ahn explains, “I don’t think there is anything really like playing music that was written for you, working with the composers and with each other, and introducing this music to our audiences. It’s really fun.” Included on the record are several tracks that build on the music of fellow Julliard-graduate and award-winning composer Kenji Bunch, a variety of commissioned works by Michael Nyman and Astor Piazzolla and innovative arrangements of music by Pat Metheny and David Bowie. The trio is joined vocally on the record by singer-songwriter Susie Suh. As a special addition, four bonus tracks are included with the new album, which features remixes by Tao of Sound, DJ Spooky, Superdrive and Ra.D.

For more information, go to http://www.eldadrjazz.com

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Grammy Award-winning violin virtuoso, newly-crowned winner of the coveted Avery Fisher Prize and Indiana University's favorite son Joshua Bell will return to his alma mater to join the faculty of the IU Jacobs School of Music, school officials announced May 3.

The 39-year-old native of Bloomington, Ind., will follow in the footsteps of his late mentor and longtime Jacobs School violin professor Josef Gingold and join the school as a senior lecturer in the String Department. Bell began studying the violin at the IU School of Music at age 8 and received an Artist Diploma in Violin Performance from IU in 1989. He will begin his involvement at the Jacobs School in 2008-2009 through two week-long residencies during which he will be involved in a variety of activities, including coaching ensembles, working with students both individually and in groups, and participating in performances, among other activities.

"I can think of no greater place than the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington, Indiana, to accept a faculty position," Bell said. "This continues an association that began back in 1980 when I first became a student of the legendary Josef Gingold, who had a profound impact on me as a musician and as a human being. I would only hope that I can impart even a fraction of his love of music and his wisdom to the students with whom I come in contact."

Bell is the latest addition to a long line of musical superstars who, in the last three years, have chosen to base their teaching careers in Bloomington. The list includes such luminaries as world-famous National Symphony Orchestra maestro Leonard Slatkin, pianists André Watts and Arnaldo Cohen, violinists Mark Kaplan, Alexander Kerr and Jaime Laredo, singers Carol Vaness, Sylvia McNair and Marietta Simpson, ballet master Michael Vernon, bassoonist William Ludwig and hornist Jeff Nelsen.

"Josh's decision to now develop an academic relationship with the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music gives us enormous pleasure and further confirms what those individuals who have chosen to center their professional lives already know -- that this environment is truly special, world-class and fully prepared to lead future generations of musicians toward greatness," said Jacobs School Dean Gwyn Richards. "With Josh's roots so firmly planted here, and with the wealth of young musicians who gather here, Bloomington seems an ideal place for this association. We look forward to the collaborations that will result from this appointment to the string faculty."

The appointment of one of the world's greatest and most well-known classical musicians adds a powerful dimension to the school's String Department, which has bolstered its ranks with the recent arrivals of Kaplan, Kerr, Laredo, cellist Sharon Robinson and violist Yuval Gotlibovich. The department also has strengthened its position as a leader in string pedagogy for years to come. Bell, Gotlibovich and Kerr, the former concertmaster of the famed Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam, are all under 40 years of age.

"Having Joshua Bell on campus to work, instruct and play with our string students is absolutely unique among all major U.S. music schools and conservatories," said String Department Chair Lawrence Hurst. "Here is a great artist with a career second to none, moving among our aspiring violinists, violists, cellists and bassists, not to mention all the other music students he will influence and touch while here. He is a terrific, musical resource for the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University and the state of Indiana."

Violinist Alex Kerr, the Linda and Jack Gill Chair in Music at the Jacobs School, has been a friend of Bell's and frequent collaborator for more than a decade. He said Bell's decision to join the faculty is a momentous one for the school, which he says is undergoing a "renaissance" and has become "the place to be" for many of the world's premier musicians.

"Josh is one of the most excellent performers on the stage today," Kerr said. "For students to have access to a performer of his caliber is unbelievable and almost unprecedented. It's very rare, in this day and age, for a musician of this magnitude to be giving back to students.

"It will be a really nice challenge for him," Kerr added, "and Josh is always searching for challenges. He's always taking risks. I think that Josh will find that these kids want to be inspired, and he'll also be inspired by them."

By now, Bell's story is well known. Born and raised in Bloomington, Ind., he began playing the violin at age four when his parents -- the late IU Professor Emeritus Alan P. Bell and Bloomington resident Shirley Bell -- bought him his first violin, after they noticed him plucking tunes on rubber bands that he had stretched around the handles of his dresser drawers. He began his studies with Mimi Zweig, director of IU's Summer St