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10-03: Watch Liza Ferschtman's performance in Vrije Geluiden
Last sunday, Liza Ferschtman gave a briljan opening in the TV show Vrije Geluiden. She played one of the most beautiful openings of the show ever with a a part of the Bach Sonata No. 1, the Adagio. You can watch her performance again on the website of Vrije Geluiden.
The first Sonata of Bach for Violin is one of the recordings of Liza Ferschtman newest album Works for Violin Solo.
"Only top violists like Liza Ferschtman succeed in conquering the enormous technical hazards as well as finding enough space to interpret the music with a ...
10-03: Jungle Boldie presents CD in the Bimhuis
Photo by Floris Scheplitz
On Saturday 27th of March, Jungle Boldie will present their new album in the Bimhuis, Amsterdam.
The Jungle Boldie consists of three of Hollands most renowned jazz musicians. Overwater, Ornstein and Kegel met at the Royal Conservatory in the Hague during their studies and have been playing together ever since. They have the shared vision of what it is to play and perform ‘free’ music in the true sense of the word - creating a joyful interplay without any assumptions. The group have performed with many international artists including Pat Metheny, Ilse de ...
10-03: Listen to the Matangi Quartet in the Spiegelzaal
Photo by Marco Borggreve
Last sunday the 7th of March, the Matangi Quartet was guest in the radio show Spiegelzaal, broadcasted from the Spiegelzaal of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, by radio 4. You can listen to that broadcast through the website of the Spiegelzaal.
The Matangi Quartet played several pieces of their new album to come "the Candybox" which will be released in april. That album celibrated their 10 year anniversary and holds a CD with all the pieces that have been of great importance during those last 10 years.
Learn more about the Matangi ...
09-03: Positive international reviews for Caecilia Concert
Kathryn Cok on harpsichord & organ, Wouter Verschuren on dulcian and Adam Woolf on trombone of the Caecilia Concert invited for their new baroque project and CD 'Schmelzer & Co' three guest musicians: Bruce Dickey: cornetto, Bjarte Eike: violin and Antina Hugosson: violin & viola
'Schmelzer and Co' is a wonderful blend of music which was played at the Habsburg Court where composers like Schmelzer, Fux, Neri, Bertali, Muffat and others worked in the 17th Century.
International critics have also heard this beautiful music. Here are some quotes:
"Challenge Classics' Schmelzer & Co: Music at the Habsburg ...
08-03: Joris Posthumus receives 4 stars in NRC
The Abyss of Joris Posthumus Quartet was reviewed today in the NRC by Amanda Kuyper. She valued the release by this rock 'n roll jazz saxophonist with 4 stars.
Excerpt from the article
On the Abyss, it stands out how the chemistry, tension and interaction between Posthumus, Van Vliet, Juriaan Dekker and Pascal Vermeer come together in a beautiful weaving piece. Nine songs of modern hard bop (now-bop) in which the melody and a certain accessibility stand at the heart. NRC, Amanda Kuyper
For more information about the album and listening samples, click here.
...
04-03: Alexei Volodin Celibrates Chopin's Birthday
This month Challenge Records can be really proud of the new release of Alexei Volodin with Chopin Works. This week Chopin's birthday has been celibrated worldwide with several events, concerts and broadcasts. On monday 1st of March, Alexei Volodin was seen on ARTE in a special show in honor of Chopin. ARTE broadcasted 20 minutes of a live recorded concert of Alexei Volodin on the 29th of January. You can view the broadcast again on the website of ARTE (you must have a login to watch).
On Volodin's newest record with Chopin Works are a selection of Chopin ...
04-03: Jazz Trompeter (Vloeimans) without Boundries
This wonderful article in the Ottowa Sun about Eric Vloeimans and his Fugimundi tour in the USA was published yesterday:
Excerpt from article:
Rooted in the smooth funk of seventies giants Grover Washington and John Klemmer, Heavensabove is just as laid-back, easy-listening and unpretentious jazz that doesn’t scare rock fans off. Like many young jazz musicians who grew up in the seventies and eighties, Vloeimans doesn’t pigeonhole himself just as a jazzman.
To read the whole article, click here.
...
03-03: Esra Dalfidan in Parool today
This morning an anouncement of the new album and release of Fidan - the band surrounding the Turkish singer Esra Dalfidan - appeared this morning in Het Parool. If you buy Het Parool today, you can fill out a coupon that gives you 3euro discount on the entering price of the release concert in Het Bimhuis on Sunday the 21st of March.
In the beginning of april, Counter Point from the band Fidan will be released on Challenge Records. You can already look forward to beautiful vocal jazz with many southern influences. This results in an exciting, new ...
03-03: Eric Vloeimans on a roll in USA
National trompet hero Eric Vloeimans is currently on tour with FUGIMUNDI in the USA and Canada. With a serie of 13 concerts his popularity in the land of dreams is fastly growing. But what else can we expect from great musicians like Eric Vloeimans, Anton Goudsmit and Harmen Fraanje.
You can read more about the FUGIMUNDI concerts and the great anticipation the Americans have for these concerts on the following links:
AnnarborPress CitizenDMcityviewDesmoines RegisterExaminer
Some reviews about Vloeimans former US tour:
“One of the great surprises of the entire weekend was the performance by trumpeter Eric ...
01-03: Liza ferschtman in Vrije Geluiden this sunday
This sunday 7th of March, Liza Ferschtman will be in Vrije Geluiden playing her new album Works for Violin Solo. This TV show will be broadcasted at 10.30am on Ned 1.
Fershtman's album has received wonderful critic reviews the last few weeks. The album was awarded 5 stars in het Parool and 4 stars in NRC. The websites Opus Klassiek, 50plusser, klassiek Centraal, hifi.nl and Written in Music published a review aswell.
Coming Thursday 4th of March, Liza Ferschtman's got carte Blanche in the concertgebouw for the series Tracks. Whe will bring some of her friends for ...
01-03: Matangi Quartet live in Spiegelzaal Sunday 7th of March
Photo by Marco Borggreve
Coming sunday 7th of March, the young and promising Matangi Quartet will be guest in the live radio show De Spiegelzaal. The show is broadcasted from the concertgebouw, Amsterdam sunday morning from 10.00am to 11.00am prior to the midday concert. Both are broadcasted on Radio 4.
Matangi Quartet will play some of the pieces that are on their new album Candybox, which will be released in april. Candybox was put together for the celibration of 10 years Matangi Quartet and contains the works that have been most important to them during these 10 ...
26-02: Gramaophone and Opernwelt love Prégardien and Gees
In the March 2010 issue of the English classical music magazine Gramophone the lateste cd of Christoph Prégardien and Michael Gees 'Between Lif and Death (CC72324) got an extremely positive review.
"Christoph Prégardien tackles these songs with rare vocal flexibility."
" ...Such a programme demands exceptional resources in its singer, and there is probably no one presently more suited than Christoph Prégardien.
"Michael Gees is one with the singer in the dedication of his own skills and in the imaginative sympathy that informs his touch." John Steane - Gramophone - March 2010
Also the German opera ...
25-02: Joris Posthumus on Dutch TV program 'Vrije Geluiden'
Sunday february 27th brilliant saxophoneplayer Joris Posthumus and his band will appear on the famous dutch TV program 'Vrije Geluiden' to promote their debut album 'The Abyss'. The band will play tracks of the album and also new compositions featuring Tom Beek.
Zondag 28 februari 2010 10:30 Ned 1
Zaterdag 6 maart 2010 09:00 Ned 1 (Herhaling)
'.. That Posthumus will be the promise of the future is very clear!
Koen Scherer - Volkskrant - Februari 2010.
Line up:
Joris Posthumus on Saxophone
Jeroen van Vliet on piano/Fender ...
24-02: Tracks in Concertgebouw with Liza Ferschtman 4th of March
On the 4th of March, Liza Ferchtman will be performing in the new serie in the Concertgebouw, called Tracks.
This serie of concerts is developped for the younger generation. The concert lasts only for 1 hour, has an exciting and daring program and afterwards there is a chance for a drink and a chat. The concert ends at 10 at night, so plenty of time then to go out.
Liza Ferchtman will play "the most beautiful music ever composed for 6 strings" together with her friends. You can watch a video of her announcing the concert on ...
23-02: 5 reviews for Challenge Classics on Klassiek Centraal
Photo by Marc Borggreve
Klassiek Centraal, a very active website in belgium on classical music, has just published 5 reviews of the latest releases on Challenge Classics. Specially the review of the Caecilia Concert stands out. They have given the release 5 stars!
Read the reviews of Caecilia Concert, Ars Antiqua Austria, Symphony No. 1 of the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, Liza Ferschtman and the debut album of Eleni Ocic via the link below.
An excerpt from the review of the new Caecili Concert:
Caecilia Concert makes you melt
The maximum is being asked from both the ...
22-02: Watch Charlotte Margiono in Vrije Geluiden again
Last Sunday, February 21, a new episode of the music program on Dutch television, Vrije Geluiden, was broadcasted. Vrije Geluiden is presented by Melchior Huurdeman since January and aires every sunday at 10.30 on Netherlands 1. Yesterday's episode had the famous Dutch soprano Charlotte Margiono, along with composer / pianist Frens Ehlhart as guests. They talked about their new album Hierdie Reis. Of course they played also some of the compositions.
This album is a musical collection of dark and sombre poems of the South African writer Igrid Jonker, put to music by Frens Ehlhart. Although she had a ...
19-02: A Precisly and judiciously interpretation of Tchaikovsky
The world premiere of the Fifth Symphony took place in St. Petersburg on November under Tchaikovsky’s baton. It was a triumph, and the composer received frenetic applause from an enthralled audience. However, the reaction from the press was cool and harshly critical of the work. One critic
even wrote that the piece contained no fewer than three waltzes and did nothing but repeat itself. Thus the insecure composer was assailed by acute feelings of self-doubt: “After having performed the symphony twice in St Petersburg and once in Prague, I am convinced it is a failure. There is something repellent in ...
18-02: Joris Posthumus Release Party in Paradox, Tilburg [NL]
Friday february 19th brilliant saxophoneplayer Joris Posthumus and his band will have their release party of debut album 'The Abyss' in Paradox, Tilburg [NL]. The band will play lot of tracks of the album and also new compositions featuring Tom Beek.
'.. That Posthumus will be the promise of the future is very clear!
Koen Scherer - Volkskrant - Februari 2010.
Paradox
Starts21.00h
Telegraafstraat 62
5038 BM Tilburg
The Netherlands
...
17-02: Overwhelming reviews for the new Matthäus Passion
The first reviews of the wonderful new version of the Matthäus Passion by La Petite Bande and Sigiswald Kuijken have been published.
Some Excerpts
"There will always be discussion about the size of the musical ensemble in performing the Mattheus Passion, but what is an indisputable fact is that Kuijken with his minimal cast, convinces in all aspects." Klassieke Zaken
...
15-02: Another wonderful review for Liza Ferschtman
This weekend, another wonderful review appeared on Opus Klassiek of the new album of Liza Ferschtman, works for violin solo.
"Only top violists like Liza Ferschtman succeed in conquering the enormous technical hazards as well as finding enough space to interpret the music with a warm and intens tone." - Opus Klassiek, februari 2010
Read the whole article here.
...
08-02: Dutch trumpet sensation Eric Vloeimans returns to US and Canada
Holland’s award-winning trumpet sensation Eric Vloeimans brings his joyous and compelling music to the US and Canada again with his FUGIMUNDI band featuring Eric Vloeimans with guitarist Anton Goudsmit and pianist Harmen Fraanje. The tour will start on february 20th till march 8th.
20/02 Vancouver, BC Winterruption
22/02 Oakland, CA Yoshi’s
23/02 Soquel,CA Mr. Ockeloen
25/02 La Jolla, CA Athenaeum
27/02 Ann Arbor, MI Kerrytown
28/02 Chicago,IL Cultural Center
02/03 Iowa City (lunchtime) Hospital
02/03 Des Moines, IA (evening) Caspe Terrace
03/03 Des Moines workshop Waukkee High School
04/05 Washington,DC Twins
05/03 Charlottesville,VA ...
08-02: 4 stars for Liza Ferschtman in NRC
Last Friday, Liza Ferschtman received 4 stars for her new album Works for Violin Solo by Mischa Spel, classical journalist from the NRC.
Excerpt from the review
"you can't go any more naked than this. Ferschtman achieves virtuosity and a deep round tone. In the elegant piece Malinconia, she really shows what makes her her. Ferschtman playing Bach sounds clean, clear and controlled, with an infectious joy in the beauty of her tone. The slower dances in the Partita No. 3 really swing and shine because of that."
Mischa Spel, NRC Friday 5th of February
...
05-02: Netherlands Symphony Orchestra and Liza Ferschtman play Beethoven tonight
Tonight, Liza Ferschtman and the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra play Beethoven. You can still visit this concert in the Frits Philipshall in Eindhoven.
In few other works, Beethoven really sings his love for the joy of life, than in his Violin Concerto. He wrote this piece in the same period as his Fourth Symphony (opus 60). Both works embed the same passion for live and living your life. There aren't many concerts that last longer then 45 minutes, but with Beethoven you enjoy every minute of this loving roomance. The caracter of his Fifth Symphony is different. About the ...
03-02: 5 star review for Liza Ferschtman in Parool
This morning a wonderful review of Liza Ferschtman's new album Works for Violin Solo appeared on the website of the newspaper Het Parool.
Excerpt from the article:
"Hoed af, pet af, fez af, alle denkbare hoofddeksels af voor violisten die zich wagen aan de sonates en partita's van Johann Sebastian Bach en aan de sonates van zijn twintigste-eeuwse Belgische muzikale erfgenaam Eugène Ysaÿe. En nog meer hoeden, petten en fezzen af voor violisten die erin slagen de luisteraar tijdelijk te laten vergeten dat hier gigantische technische horden moeten worden genomen en werkelijk muziek weten te maken van het ...
03-02: Harry Allen recieves loads of great reviews
We recieve loads of great reviews and comments about the latest release 'New York state of Mind' from star-saxophonist Harry Allen. Here you find some really nice quotes from all over the world;
'This album is perfect for those who like to hear top quality songs treated in a respectfully intelligent and yet still virtuosic way.' - Patrick Johns - BBC UK.
'The CD is again an enrichment of Harry Allen's dicography with an outstanding example for absolutely perfect and ageless Modern Swinging Mainstream Jazz.' - Gerhard Hopfe -Jazzpodium - Germany
'The big, fat, ...
03-02: Renske Taminiau supported Joan as a Police Woman!
Last saturday january 30th Renske Taminiau was supporting the world famous band 'Joan as a Police Woman' in The Melkweg, Amsterdam.
Renske played songs of her latest album "Waiting to be told". also the band played new songs of her upcoming album which will be released september 2010 on our pop division Supertracks Records.
It was great to see and hear Renske playing in the new venue of the melkweg, The Rabozaal for such a big audience who appreciated her music very well.
More info about Renske, click here. ...
02-02: Ton Koopman finally receives his ECHO Classic Award
Yesterday, after his concert of Buxtehude in De Doelen Rotterdam, Ton Koopman received his ECHO Klassik Award. ECHO is a German music award granted every year by the Deutsche Phono-Akademie. Because of his busy schedual, Ton Koopman could not be there at the award ceremony last October in Dresden.
Ton Koopman won the ECHO Klassik Award for his album Opera Omnia VII Vocal Works Volume 3. More info about this album here.
Other winners of the 2009 ECHO Klassik Award were David Fray, Emmanuel Pahud, Christian Gerhaher, Anna Netrebko, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Placído Domingo and more.
...
01-02: Vincent Herring on Challenge Records
This month Challenge will release the latest album 'Morning Star' of Vincent Herring with the band Earth Jazz Agents. To celebrate this funky jazz album the group will play three times in a row at the world famous jazz club Ronnie Scotts in London on 4th, 5th and 6th february.
Undoubtedly, one of today's most important voices of the jazz saxophone, Vincent has recorded over 14 CD's as a leader and over 200 as a sideman. His long list of credits includes:The Freddie Hubbard Quintet, Nat Adderley Quintet, Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers, Horace Silver Quintet, Kenny ...
29-01: Liza Ferschtman live on Radio 4 this Sunday!
Liza Ferschtman will appear on the live radio show Spiegelzaal this Sunday on Radio 4 from 10.00u - 11.00u. Tune in! Her music will also be played in Diskotabel on sunday afternoon.
Cd-presentation concert Liza Ferschtman in Amsterdam
On January 28th, Dutch violinist Liza Ferschtman gave a soloconcert and cd-presentation in the Engelse Kerk in Amsterdam. She started playing the Partita no.3 (E major BWV 1006) of J.S. Bach and Sonata no.2 (a minor op.27 no.2) of Eugène Ysaÿe in a passionate way, going deep into the core of these works.
Liza Ferschtman's intense tone, which has ...
29-01: Steve Hobbs #1 in US National Airplay Charts
We're very proud to announce that Vibraphonist Steve Hobbs has reached the #1 in this weeks National Airplay Charts in the USA with his album 'Vibes, Straight Up'. It took the album, which was released on Challenge Records last year, two weeks to climb up to the #1 position. Vibes, Straight Up leaves new albums from the Gerald Wilson Orchestra and Jeff Hamilton Trio behind. This chart info was presented to us by mediaguide Jazzweek.
Congratulations to Steve Hobbs with this great result and we are looking forward to what next week charts will bring.
"Steve Hobbs ...
22-01: A 'bare', vulnerable St Matthew Passion of sky-high perfection
To have a strong, innovative vision and a 100% belief that such a vision can bear fruit. A vision that creates controversy: people are against it, or they love it. And then, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.
With their new and masterly recording of the St Matthew Passion of J.S. Bach, La Petite Bande and Sigiswald Kuijken provide a very tasty and nutritious pudding, at the same time proving the idea of not using a full choir but leaving solo- as well as choral parts up to the ...
20-01: Cappella Pratensis' Obrecht Record of the Month
On the international music website www.musicweb-international.com the latest cd of Cappella Pratensis (FL 72414) with music of Jacob Obrecht has been chosed Record of the Month.
This production consists of an audio CD ánd a DVD with the same piece performed and also with a documentary with footage of Bruges and information about this particular mass by Obrecht.
Gary Higginson of Musicweb writes: "They stand in front of a reredos of the deposition of Christ by one of those, probably anonymous, Flemish primitivist painters - part of the picture is reproduced in the booklet. The scene ...
15-01: Anton Goudsmit wins Boy Edgarprijs 2010
Thursdaynight January 14th it was announced in the Dutch national televisionprogramme De Wereld Draait Door, that jazzguitarplayer Anton Goudsmit will win the Boy Edgar Award 2010!
Guitarist, composer and bandleader Goudsmit will receive this most precious and important Dutch award in the field of jazz and improvised music. It consists of a plastics by famous Dutch writer and artist Jan Wolkers and Goudsmit will receive € 12.500,-.
The VPRO/Boy Edgar Award 2010 will be handed out to Anton Goudsmit on April 26th 2010 with a festive programme in the Bimhuis in Amsterdam.
The jury about Anton Goudsmit:...
15-01: Challenge artists in the 'Tom Hull's Extended Year-End Jazz List 2009'.
Tom Hull has finally finished his personal Jazz Critics poll of 2009. It's a list with jazz albums from different labels from all over the world. Tom Hull explains that even the album on the bottom of the list, isn't awful or is an album he dislikes. On the contrary, he says that albums lower ranked places, stand there because they are albums that he likes more.
The List containes 6 Challenge Record albums, and these are quite high on the list. It regards the album so the David Berkman Quartet - Live at Smoke ...
14-01: Artvark Saxophone Quartet on Opium TV.
Opium TV thursday 13th of january 2010.
With special attention by John Buijsman [in Dutch] for the CD presentation of the Artvark Saxophone Quartet in co-oporation with Kees van Kooten.
The new album of Artvark "Truffles" is disc we are really proud of. It's a swinging album that was recorded in the beautiful Fattoria Musica Studio in Osnabrück, Germany. They describe themselves as a saxophone quartet where all the dust has been whiped of.
On Sunday 10th of January 2010 Artvark presented their long awaited album ...
13-01: Positive international reviews for moderntimes_1800
In the internationally important classical magazine Fono Forum, this January a review was published with four stars for sound and four also for music. This very postive review shows us the value of the latest new cd of moderntimes_1800, a double cd with works of Graun (CC 72317) :
"The ensemble moderntimes_1800 and their soloists Ilia Korol and Piroska Batori show us a lively and detailed image of the violinist and composer Johann Gottlieb Graun, who's music of belongs to the preclassical 'emfindsamen' or 'Galanten' Stil, and who also had to have the taste in mind of the Prussian ...
12-01: Joris Posthumus in Young VIPs Tournee
On january 9th 2010 Young VIP tour started in Bimhuis, Amsterdam. the Joris Posthumus Quartet played a lot of songs from their forthcoming album 'The Abyss' which will be released next month on Challenge Records.
Saxophone; Joris Posthumus, Piano; Jeroen van Vliet, Drums; Pascal Vermeer and on Doublebass; Jurriaan Dekker.
Maartje Den Breejen from daily newspaper 'Parool' wrote;
Joris Posthumus is really surprising and heavy. He gets up to play at marbles on the stage with loads of energy and has an awaken, emotional and alarming tone on his intrument.
Check out the below clip on ...
08-01: New cd Pregardien and Gees recommended by Klassik.com
On the important classical website Klassik.com the new cd by Christoph Prégardien and Michael Gees 'Between Life and Death' (Challenge Classics - CC 72324) is highly recommended with five stars (out of five) for interpretation! The review was written by Dr. Matthias Lange.
A few quotes out of the review:
"Only few singers of the Lied speaks in such a superb way and with such clearness, without a whiff of affectation. A versatile stylist, Prégardien combines strenght and decency..."
"Intonation and phrasing are ideal..."
"Michael Gees corresponds very well with Prégardien. He creates moods, finds connections ...
06-01: 'Between Life and Death' is a winner!
In december of 2009 the cd 'Between Life and Death' by Christoph Prégardien and Michale Gees was presented and reviewed on BBC Radio 3's 'CD review'. Hilary Finch had chosen this songrecital-cd as her favorite newcomer. She likes the juxtapositions of songs which are about life ánd about death and the very profound and refined way this is done on this cd.
"It moves (as the title says) between life and death. These are songs which take us from the experience of full life-force into what it can be like to either welcome or angered by or reject death", ...
06-01: High promises for a new interpretation of Mahler's First!
The first performance of the Symphonische Dichtung in Zwei Abtheilungen (Symphonic Poem in Two Parts), later his First Symphony, was conducted by Mahler in Budapest on 20 November 1889. It got a cool if not hostile reception, mainly because of the ‘bizarre, vulgar and cacophonic extravaganza’s’ of the last two movements. At least this was how it was felt, with the public and the critics in bewilderment especially after the finale’s unsurpassed ferocity. The final chords were followed by utter silence, until a few members of the audience hesitantly began to applaud, quickly interspersed with demonstrative sounds of disapproval. Mahler ...
28-12: Weihnachtsoratorium recorded by Monteverdi Media
Monteverdi Media recorded the Weihnachtsoratorium live, preformed by Combattimento Consort Amsterdam and Nederlands Kamer Koor last week.
Everybody can watch the consort on now their website for a small price.
Other Christmas concerts are also recorded and can be watched.
Monteverdi Media will broadcast more concerts through their website in the coming months.
Click here to watch the Weihnachtsoratorium
...
17-12: Vote for Bye-Ya
The song 'Tranquilidad', composed by Randal Corsen from the latest Bye- Ya! album 'Further Arrivals' is nominated for 'best latin jazz song' at the Solar Latin Club Blog.
If you have 20 seconds time please go and vote for us.
Go to the website and scroll down a little - on the right side of the page you will find 'Mejor Cancion Latin Jazz' - and there it is: Tranquilidad'.
http://solarlatinclub.blogspot.com
Thank you very much - and by the way - feel free to forward ...
16-12: Kendra Shank's Mosaic receives honorable mention
Kendra Shank's "Mosaic" receives honorable mention in Gene Seymour's Best-of-the-Year list.
check this link;
Seymour & Nahikian: GENE SEYMOUR'S TOP TEN JAZZ DISCS OF 2009
GENE SEYMOUR is a film critic at Newsday, where he has worked since 1990, and for which he also writes a monthly jazz column. His writings have appeared in The Los Angeles Times, The Nation, Entertainment Weekly and other publications. He is a contributor to The Oxford Companion to Jazz and is the author of Jazz the Great American Art (Franklin Watts), a history for young adults. He ...
16-12: 8CD box Nederlands Blazers Ensemble available with Volkskrant
In honor of the 10th anniversary of NBElive, the label of Nederlands Blazers Ensemble, the Volkskrant journalist Roland de Beer selected 8 of the most beautiful concerts and compiled these to a 8cd box. In the booklet, Roland de Beer, explains the beauty and importance of these pieces.
"The playful, perfectionistic, flexible, willing to work, a little hip, often visual or theatrical surprising NBE excels in versatility." Roland de Beer
Order the box here: www.volskrant.nl/webwinkel
...
11-12: Christmas with Ralph Rousseau and Lenny Kuhr
Viola da gambaplayer Ralph Rousseau has released his Christmas cd in October this year. On that intimate album four songs are sung by singer Lenny Kuhr. With Christmas knocking on our door soon, this album is the perfect music for this season.
But not only have Ralph and Lenny worked together on this cd, also a very special theatertour of Ralph, Lenny together with pianist Frans de Berg is at this moment well on its way. It is a very special blend of three musicians who have a real chemistry. It seems awkward to ...
11-12: Weihnachts-Oratorium tour Combattimento Consort
Not only did Jan Willem de Vriend and his Combattimento Consort Amsterdam recently receive a Golden Record for Bach’s Weihnachts-Oratorium in the televisionprogramme Vrije Geluiden. Also the ensemble and condutor have a small tour ahead of them next week.
This gives the musiclover a great oppurtunity to hear their interpretation of this famous masterpiece so he or she can experience why this performance has been awarded with a Golden Record.
The details of the concert tour:
Johann Sebastian Bach
Weihnachts-Oratorium (BWV 248, 1-VI)
Together with the Nederlands Kamerkoor ...
09-12: Positive review for Rudolf Koelman on Klassik-heute.com
The well-known and important classic website klassik-heute.com has published a review of the cd of Rudolf Koelman and the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra with conductor Jan Willem de Vriend.
"The Dutch violinist Rudolf Koelman, one of the last students of Jascha Heifetz and up to 1999 first concertmaster of the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra, has a perfect technique on his instrument and plays the soloparts rectilinear and with an always existing seductive euphony. The orchestral tutti ...are somewhat flat, but the accompaniment of the soloists by the Orchestra is done carefully, rhytmically and sonically flawless"
The points that the ...
08-12: Interview and video of Rudolf Koelman
Rudolf Koelman just turned 50 years old in October 2009. He was once one of those lucky young students who could study with the legendary violinist Jascha Heifetz in the years 1978 until 1981 in Soutern California/ Los Angeles in the USA. Before these lessons with Heifetz, Rudolf Koelman had a enormously rich violin-education with the Dutch violinist Herman Krebbers. Krebbers made sure that Koelman studied all the main and important pieces in the violin repertoire. You had to have a broad fundament to begin with and deepen yourself from there. Because of his valuable ...
04-12: The best record ever of Bert van den Brink (trio)!
According to Klaas Koopman of the specialized pianomagazine Pianowereld (dec. 2009 issue) Reflections is the best record of Bert van den Brink together with bass-player Hein Van de Geyn and drummer Hans van Oosterhout. It can be compared to cd’s by Brad Mehldau, Koopman states.
On the DVD which goes with this wonderful new cd, Bert van den Brink says: ‘My piano is a mirror’. It mirrors Van den Brink in what he is doing and says to him: ‘you can do that better, you can make it sound more beautiful.’ ...
03-12: The Ploctones on Radio 6
Friday december 4th The Ploctones will performing 3 stunning tunes on the program 'Mijke's Middag' on Radio 6.
The radio show will be recorded at Club Panama in Amsterdam between 16h - 19h.
Tune in and have fun with The Ploctones!!
...
27-11: Jan Willem De Vriend receives Golden Record
This Sunday, 29th of November, in Vrije Geluiden on Nederland 3 at 10.30, Jan Willem De Vriend receives a golden record for the exceeding sales of 10.000 units of the Weihachtsoratorium of Combattimento Consort Amsterdam.
Congratulations Jan Willem de Vriend and the Combattimento Consort Amsterdam!
Look for Jan Willem de Vriends first reaction after receiving the golden record here.
Also there is a short video interview with Jan Willem de Vriend to be seen here ...
27-11: Short video-interview with Jan Willem de Vriend
This week Challenge Records had the opportunity to speak to one of her famous musicians, Jan Willem de Vriend of the Combattimento Consort and the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra. He just received a golden record for the performance of the Weihnachts-Oratorium of J.S. Bach. A enormous achievement!
In the short video-interview, in Dutch, we could ask Jan Willem two questions of the dividing of his time between the two orchestras and how he works with the music togeher with his ensemble members of the Combattimento Consort.
You can watch the interview here or go to Videos on this site. ...
24-11: Piet Noordijk with Han Bennink in 'De Wereld draait door'
Yesterday, 23rd of November, Piet Noordijk and Han Bennink were guests in the TV program 'De Wereld Draait Door'. Together with Michiel Borstlap and Ernst Glerum they played 'Blue Monk'. The song was played in honour of the 65th birthday of Jules Deelder, poetry legend in Holland.
To watch it again, click here.
The album that Piet Noordijk gives as a present to Jules Deelder is Swinging with Strings, recorded with the Metropool orchestra and availble on this Challenge Website. Han Bennink also just released his new album Parken [distributed by Challenge].
...
24-11: Jan Willem De Vriend in Vrije Geluiden
Jan Willem de Vriend and the lovely Combattimento Consort will be in Vrije Geluiden on Sunday 29th of November. They will play 2 pieces of Haydn, of their release Divertimenti. There is also a surprise in the show for Jan Willem de Vriend, so do watch!
More about the Divertimenti album:
4 less known works for the Haydn Year 2009.Freek Borstlap plays the rarely played and very difficult Baryton, family of the viola da gamba.This 17th century instrument has next to 9 normal strings, 24 others strings thqt resonate with the sounds and the can also be ...
23-11: Iberia Tour by Yoram Ish-Hurwitz extended due to success
The Iberia Tour of Yoram Ish-Hurwitz will be extended due to success with 10 extra concerts in 2010, the 150th anniversary of the Birth year of Composer Isaac Albéniz.
The Luister Magazine of oct/nov published an article of Yoram Ish-Hurwitz and his new album Book 3&4 of the Iberia Suite. Read it here.
Concert dates
8 january 2010 - Reeuwijk | De Brug
20.15u. Info www.recum.nl
29 january 2010 - Arnhem | Office Heckelman
20.15u. Reservation (026) 377 71 11 or www.studiopiano.nl
6 february 2010 - Bussum | Spant!
20.15u. Reservation (035) 69 139 ...
18-11: Artvark Saxophone Quartet in Vrije Geluiden
We're proud to announce the upcoming album release of our new artistgroup Artvark Saxophone Quartet. We will release their fantastic CD 'Truffles' in January 2010.
This week sunday november 22th ASQ will play in the Dutch TV show 'Vrije Geluiden'. Hans Flupsen will also interview the band. In this broadcasting they find coorporation with the project 'Busy, Busy, Busy' with drummer Arend Niks band 'New Niks'.
The Broadcasting wil take place at november 22th 10.30h on Nederland 1 and will be repeated November 28th at 09.00. The show also will be repeated on the Cultura Channel ...
17-11: State of Monc on tour with Ben van den Dungen
With an energetic kick off in Theater de Regentes in The Hague on October 1, State of Monc started their theatre tour with special guest Ben van den Dungen. The visual collective .notDef (Sibe Kokke and Charlotte Aal) boosts the performance to a thrilling musical journey. With spectacular video projections and challenging soundscapes, State of Monc will give you a Dutch Nu-Jazz experience to the bone. You won't easily forget it so don't miss it. Next performance: January 23 (2010) at the Bimhuis, Amsterdam.
State of Monc also welcomes Robin Koerts as their new ...
13-11: Sigiswald Kuijken interviewed in Meesterwerk
On Saturday, November 14th 2009, Sigiswald Kuijken will be a guest in 'Meesterwerk' on Klara Radio in Vlaanderen, Belgium. Topic of the programme will be Mozart's Requiem.
A new Requiem is available now and it is of the well-known writer Jeroen Brouwers together with drawings of Roger Raveel. In this 'new Rquiem' Brouwers formulates a contemporary answer to Mozarts Requiem. A new Requiem is also a production of I Solisti del Vento and muziektheater Transaprant, which is premiered soon. All this is a perfect opportunity to invite Sigiswald Kuijken and listen together with him to the old and ...
06-11: Rudolf Koelman in Vrije Geluiden on national television
On November 15th 2009, violinist Rudolf Koelman will appear on national television in the Dutch musicprogramme Vrije Geluiden of the VPRO, starting at 10.30 AM
Rudolf Koelman just released his cd Paganini Violinconcertos 1 & 2 (CC72343) which he performed live with the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra and conductor Jan Willem de Vriend. The first review in the Netherlands of this cd is enthusiastic:
Siebe Riedstra of www.opusklassiek.nl writes:
"Rudolf Koelman has a clear affinity with this repertoire and one can sense his being proud that he can play all this beautiful music with its exiting double ...
06-11: Eric Vloeimans Gatecrash on tour in the Far East.
It's Time! In the month of November, Eric Vloeimans and his band Gatcrash will go on tour in the 'Far East'.
The whole of November, Gatecrash gives concerts in India, China and Japan. Tthe latest album Heavensabove! is part of the program that will be played. Eric Vloeimans will describe and update you on his experience of the trip in the Far East on his blog. Weblog Eric Vloeimans.
Tour data's:
06-nov Hong Kong Friday Fest
08-nov Beijing Star Live Club
10-nov Tianjin Nankai University
11-nov Shanghai Jiaotong University
12-nov ...
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Last sunday, Liza Ferschtman gave a briljan opening in the TV show Vrije Geluiden. She played one of the most beautiful openings of the show ever with a a part of the Bach Sonata No. 1, the Adagio. You can watch her performance again on the website of Vrije Geluiden.
The first Sonata of Bach for Violin is one of the recordings of Liza Ferschtman newest album Works for Violin Solo.
"Only top violists like Liza Ferschtman succeed in conquering the enormous technical hazards as well as finding enough space to interpret the music with a ...
Photo by Floris Scheplitz
On Saturday 27th of March, Jungle Boldie will present their new album in the Bimhuis, Amsterdam.
The Jungle Boldie consists of three of Hollands most renowned jazz musicians. Overwater, Ornstein and Kegel met at the Royal Conservatory in the Hague during their studies and have been playing together ever since. They have the shared vision of what it is to play and perform ‘free’ music in the true sense of the word - creating a joyful interplay without any assumptions. The group have performed with many international artists including Pat Metheny, Ilse de ...
Photo by Marco Borggreve
Last sunday the 7th of March, the Matangi Quartet was guest in the radio show Spiegelzaal, broadcasted from the Spiegelzaal of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, by radio 4. You can listen to that broadcast through the website of the Spiegelzaal.
The Matangi Quartet played several pieces of their new album to come "the Candybox" which will be released in april. That album celibrated their 10 year anniversary and holds a CD with all the pieces that have been of great importance during those last 10 years.
Learn more about the Matangi ...
09-03: Positive international reviews for Caecilia Concert
Kathryn Cok on harpsichord & organ, Wouter Verschuren on dulcian and Adam Woolf on trombone of the Caecilia Concert invited for their new baroque project and CD 'Schmelzer & Co' three guest musicians: Bruce Dickey: cornetto, Bjarte Eike: violin and Antina Hugosson: violin & viola
'Schmelzer and Co' is a wonderful blend of music which was played at the Habsburg Court where composers like Schmelzer, Fux, Neri, Bertali, Muffat and others worked in the 17th Century.
International critics have also heard this beautiful music. Here are some quotes:
"Challenge Classics' Schmelzer & Co: Music at the Habsburg ...
The Abyss of Joris Posthumus Quartet was reviewed today in the NRC by Amanda Kuyper. She valued the release by this rock 'n roll jazz saxophonist with 4 stars.
Excerpt from the article
On the Abyss, it stands out how the chemistry, tension and interaction between Posthumus, Van Vliet, Juriaan Dekker and Pascal Vermeer come together in a beautiful weaving piece. Nine songs of modern hard bop (now-bop) in which the melody and a certain accessibility stand at the heart. NRC, Amanda Kuyper
For more information about the album and listening samples, click here.
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This month Challenge Records can be really proud of the new release of Alexei Volodin with Chopin Works. This week Chopin's birthday has been celibrated worldwide with several events, concerts and broadcasts. On monday 1st of March, Alexei Volodin was seen on ARTE in a special show in honor of Chopin. ARTE broadcasted 20 minutes of a live recorded concert of Alexei Volodin on the 29th of January. You can view the broadcast again on the website of ARTE (you must have a login to watch).
On Volodin's newest record with Chopin Works are a selection of Chopin ...
This wonderful article in the Ottowa Sun about Eric Vloeimans and his Fugimundi tour in the USA was published yesterday:
Excerpt from article:
Rooted in the smooth funk of seventies giants Grover Washington and John Klemmer, Heavensabove is just as laid-back, easy-listening and unpretentious jazz that doesn’t scare rock fans off. Like many young jazz musicians who grew up in the seventies and eighties, Vloeimans doesn’t pigeonhole himself just as a jazzman.
To read the whole article, click here.
...
This morning an anouncement of the new album and release of Fidan - the band surrounding the Turkish singer Esra Dalfidan - appeared this morning in Het Parool. If you buy Het Parool today, you can fill out a coupon that gives you 3euro discount on the entering price of the release concert in Het Bimhuis on Sunday the 21st of March.
In the beginning of april, Counter Point from the band Fidan will be released on Challenge Records. You can already look forward to beautiful vocal jazz with many southern influences. This results in an exciting, new ...
National trompet hero Eric Vloeimans is currently on tour with FUGIMUNDI in the USA and Canada. With a serie of 13 concerts his popularity in the land of dreams is fastly growing. But what else can we expect from great musicians like Eric Vloeimans, Anton Goudsmit and Harmen Fraanje.
You can read more about the FUGIMUNDI concerts and the great anticipation the Americans have for these concerts on the following links:
AnnarborPress CitizenDMcityviewDesmoines RegisterExaminer
Some reviews about Vloeimans former US tour:
“One of the great surprises of the entire weekend was the performance by trumpeter Eric ...
This sunday 7th of March, Liza Ferschtman will be in Vrije Geluiden playing her new album Works for Violin Solo. This TV show will be broadcasted at 10.30am on Ned 1.
Fershtman's album has received wonderful critic reviews the last few weeks. The album was awarded 5 stars in het Parool and 4 stars in NRC. The websites Opus Klassiek, 50plusser, klassiek Centraal, hifi.nl and Written in Music published a review aswell.
Coming Thursday 4th of March, Liza Ferschtman's got carte Blanche in the concertgebouw for the series Tracks. Whe will bring some of her friends for ...
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Photo by Marco Borggreve
Coming sunday 7th of March, the young and promising Matangi Quartet will be guest in the live radio show De Spiegelzaal. The show is broadcasted from the concertgebouw, Amsterdam sunday morning from 10.00am to 11.00am prior to the midday concert. Both are broadcasted on Radio 4.
Matangi Quartet will play some of the pieces that are on their new album Candybox, which will be released in april. Candybox was put together for the celibration of 10 years Matangi Quartet and contains the works that have been most important to them during these 10 ...
In the March 2010 issue of the English classical music magazine Gramophone the lateste cd of Christoph Prégardien and Michael Gees 'Between Lif and Death (CC72324) got an extremely positive review.
"Christoph Prégardien tackles these songs with rare vocal flexibility."
" ...Such a programme demands exceptional resources in its singer, and there is probably no one presently more suited than Christoph Prégardien.
"Michael Gees is one with the singer in the dedication of his own skills and in the imaginative sympathy that informs his touch." John Steane - Gramophone - March 2010
Also the German opera ...
Sunday february 27th brilliant saxophoneplayer Joris Posthumus and his band will appear on the famous dutch TV program 'Vrije Geluiden' to promote their debut album 'The Abyss'. The band will play tracks of the album and also new compositions featuring Tom Beek.
Zondag 28 februari 2010 10:30 Ned 1
Zaterdag 6 maart 2010 09:00 Ned 1 (Herhaling)
'.. That Posthumus will be the promise of the future is very clear!
Koen Scherer - Volkskrant - Februari 2010.
Line up:
Joris Posthumus on Saxophone
Jeroen van Vliet on piano/Fender ...
On the 4th of March, Liza Ferchtman will be performing in the new serie in the Concertgebouw, called Tracks.
This serie of concerts is developped for the younger generation. The concert lasts only for 1 hour, has an exciting and daring program and afterwards there is a chance for a drink and a chat. The concert ends at 10 at night, so plenty of time then to go out.
Liza Ferchtman will play "the most beautiful music ever composed for 6 strings" together with her friends. You can watch a video of her announcing the concert on ...
Photo by Marc Borggreve
Klassiek Centraal, a very active website in belgium on classical music, has just published 5 reviews of the latest releases on Challenge Classics. Specially the review of the Caecilia Concert stands out. They have given the release 5 stars!
Read the reviews of Caecilia Concert, Ars Antiqua Austria, Symphony No. 1 of the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, Liza Ferschtman and the debut album of Eleni Ocic via the link below.
An excerpt from the review of the new Caecili Concert:
Caecilia Concert makes you melt
The maximum is being asked from both the ...
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Last Sunday, February 21, a new episode of the music program on Dutch television, Vrije Geluiden, was broadcasted. Vrije Geluiden is presented by Melchior Huurdeman since January and aires every sunday at 10.30 on Netherlands 1. Yesterday's episode had the famous Dutch soprano Charlotte Margiono, along with composer / pianist Frens Ehlhart as guests. They talked about their new album Hierdie Reis. Of course they played also some of the compositions.
This album is a musical collection of dark and sombre poems of the South African writer Igrid Jonker, put to music by Frens Ehlhart. Although she had a ...
The world premiere of the Fifth Symphony took place in St. Petersburg on November under Tchaikovsky’s baton. It was a triumph, and the composer received frenetic applause from an enthralled audience. However, the reaction from the press was cool and harshly critical of the work. One critic
even wrote that the piece contained no fewer than three waltzes and did nothing but repeat itself. Thus the insecure composer was assailed by acute feelings of self-doubt: “After having performed the symphony twice in St Petersburg and once in Prague, I am convinced it is a failure. There is something repellent in ...
Friday february 19th brilliant saxophoneplayer Joris Posthumus and his band will have their release party of debut album 'The Abyss' in Paradox, Tilburg [NL]. The band will play lot of tracks of the album and also new compositions featuring Tom Beek.
'.. That Posthumus will be the promise of the future is very clear!
Koen Scherer - Volkskrant - Februari 2010.
Paradox
Starts21.00h
Telegraafstraat 62
5038 BM Tilburg
The Netherlands
...
The first reviews of the wonderful new version of the Matthäus Passion by La Petite Bande and Sigiswald Kuijken have been published.
Some Excerpts
"There will always be discussion about the size of the musical ensemble in performing the Mattheus Passion, but what is an indisputable fact is that Kuijken with his minimal cast, convinces in all aspects." Klassieke Zaken
...
This weekend, another wonderful review appeared on Opus Klassiek of the new album of Liza Ferschtman, works for violin solo.
"Only top violists like Liza Ferschtman succeed in conquering the enormous technical hazards as well as finding enough space to interpret the music with a warm and intens tone." - Opus Klassiek, februari 2010
Read the whole article here.
...
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Holland’s award-winning trumpet sensation Eric Vloeimans brings his joyous and compelling music to the US and Canada again with his FUGIMUNDI band featuring Eric Vloeimans with guitarist Anton Goudsmit and pianist Harmen Fraanje. The tour will start on february 20th till march 8th.
20/02 Vancouver, BC Winterruption
22/02 Oakland, CA Yoshi’s
23/02 Soquel,CA Mr. Ockeloen
25/02 La Jolla, CA Athenaeum
27/02 Ann Arbor, MI Kerrytown
28/02 Chicago,IL Cultural Center
02/03 Iowa City (lunchtime) Hospital
02/03 Des Moines, IA (evening) Caspe Terrace
03/03 Des Moines workshop Waukkee High School
04/05 Washington,DC Twins
05/03 Charlottesville,VA ...
Last Friday, Liza Ferschtman received 4 stars for her new album Works for Violin Solo by Mischa Spel, classical journalist from the NRC.
Excerpt from the review
"you can't go any more naked than this. Ferschtman achieves virtuosity and a deep round tone. In the elegant piece Malinconia, she really shows what makes her her. Ferschtman playing Bach sounds clean, clear and controlled, with an infectious joy in the beauty of her tone. The slower dances in the Partita No. 3 really swing and shine because of that."
Mischa Spel, NRC Friday 5th of February
...
Tonight, Liza Ferschtman and the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra play Beethoven. You can still visit this concert in the Frits Philipshall in Eindhoven.
In few other works, Beethoven really sings his love for the joy of life, than in his Violin Concerto. He wrote this piece in the same period as his Fourth Symphony (opus 60). Both works embed the same passion for live and living your life. There aren't many concerts that last longer then 45 minutes, but with Beethoven you enjoy every minute of this loving roomance. The caracter of his Fifth Symphony is different. About the ...
This morning a wonderful review of Liza Ferschtman's new album Works for Violin Solo appeared on the website of the newspaper Het Parool.
Excerpt from the article:
"Hoed af, pet af, fez af, alle denkbare hoofddeksels af voor violisten die zich wagen aan de sonates en partita's van Johann Sebastian Bach en aan de sonates van zijn twintigste-eeuwse Belgische muzikale erfgenaam Eugène Ysaÿe. En nog meer hoeden, petten en fezzen af voor violisten die erin slagen de luisteraar tijdelijk te laten vergeten dat hier gigantische technische horden moeten worden genomen en werkelijk muziek weten te maken van het ...
We recieve loads of great reviews and comments about the latest release 'New York state of Mind' from star-saxophonist Harry Allen. Here you find some really nice quotes from all over the world;
'This album is perfect for those who like to hear top quality songs treated in a respectfully intelligent and yet still virtuosic way.' - Patrick Johns - BBC UK.
'The CD is again an enrichment of Harry Allen's dicography with an outstanding example for absolutely perfect and ageless Modern Swinging Mainstream Jazz.' - Gerhard Hopfe -Jazzpodium - Germany
'The big, fat, ...
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Last saturday january 30th Renske Taminiau was supporting the world famous band 'Joan as a Police Woman' in The Melkweg, Amsterdam.
Renske played songs of her latest album "Waiting to be told". also the band played new songs of her upcoming album which will be released september 2010 on our pop division Supertracks Records.
It was great to see and hear Renske playing in the new venue of the melkweg, The Rabozaal for such a big audience who appreciated her music very well.
More info about Renske, click here. ...
Yesterday, after his concert of Buxtehude in De Doelen Rotterdam, Ton Koopman received his ECHO Klassik Award. ECHO is a German music award granted every year by the Deutsche Phono-Akademie. Because of his busy schedual, Ton Koopman could not be there at the award ceremony last October in Dresden.
Ton Koopman won the ECHO Klassik Award for his album Opera Omnia VII Vocal Works Volume 3. More info about this album here.
Other winners of the 2009 ECHO Klassik Award were David Fray, Emmanuel Pahud, Christian Gerhaher, Anna Netrebko, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Placído Domingo and more.
...
This month Challenge will release the latest album 'Morning Star' of Vincent Herring with the band Earth Jazz Agents. To celebrate this funky jazz album the group will play three times in a row at the world famous jazz club Ronnie Scotts in London on 4th, 5th and 6th february.
Undoubtedly, one of today's most important voices of the jazz saxophone, Vincent has recorded over 14 CD's as a leader and over 200 as a sideman. His long list of credits includes:The Freddie Hubbard Quintet, Nat Adderley Quintet, Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers, Horace Silver Quintet, Kenny ...
Liza Ferschtman will appear on the live radio show Spiegelzaal this Sunday on Radio 4 from 10.00u - 11.00u. Tune in! Her music will also be played in Diskotabel on sunday afternoon.
Cd-presentation concert Liza Ferschtman in Amsterdam
On January 28th, Dutch violinist Liza Ferschtman gave a soloconcert and cd-presentation in the Engelse Kerk in Amsterdam. She started playing the Partita no.3 (E major BWV 1006) of J.S. Bach and Sonata no.2 (a minor op.27 no.2) of Eugène Ysaÿe in a passionate way, going deep into the core of these works.
Liza Ferschtman's intense tone, which has ...
We're very proud to announce that Vibraphonist Steve Hobbs has reached the #1 in this weeks National Airplay Charts in the USA with his album 'Vibes, Straight Up'. It took the album, which was released on Challenge Records last year, two weeks to climb up to the #1 position. Vibes, Straight Up leaves new albums from the Gerald Wilson Orchestra and Jeff Hamilton Trio behind. This chart info was presented to us by mediaguide Jazzweek.
Congratulations to Steve Hobbs with this great result and we are looking forward to what next week charts will bring.
"Steve Hobbs ...
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To have a strong, innovative vision and a 100% belief that such a vision can bear fruit. A vision that creates controversy: people are against it, or they love it. And then, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.
With their new and masterly recording of the St Matthew Passion of J.S. Bach, La Petite Bande and Sigiswald Kuijken provide a very tasty and nutritious pudding, at the same time proving the idea of not using a full choir but leaving solo- as well as choral parts up to the ...
On the international music website www.musicweb-international.com the latest cd of Cappella Pratensis (FL 72414) with music of Jacob Obrecht has been chosed Record of the Month.
This production consists of an audio CD ánd a DVD with the same piece performed and also with a documentary with footage of Bruges and information about this particular mass by Obrecht.
Gary Higginson of Musicweb writes: "They stand in front of a reredos of the deposition of Christ by one of those, probably anonymous, Flemish primitivist painters - part of the picture is reproduced in the booklet. The scene ...
Thursdaynight January 14th it was announced in the Dutch national televisionprogramme De Wereld Draait Door, that jazzguitarplayer Anton Goudsmit will win the Boy Edgar Award 2010!
Guitarist, composer and bandleader Goudsmit will receive this most precious and important Dutch award in the field of jazz and improvised music. It consists of a plastics by famous Dutch writer and artist Jan Wolkers and Goudsmit will receive € 12.500,-.
The VPRO/Boy Edgar Award 2010 will be handed out to Anton Goudsmit on April 26th 2010 with a festive programme in the Bimhuis in Amsterdam.
The jury about Anton Goudsmit:...
15-01: Challenge artists in the 'Tom Hull's Extended Year-End Jazz List 2009'.
Tom Hull has finally finished his personal Jazz Critics poll of 2009. It's a list with jazz albums from different labels from all over the world. Tom Hull explains that even the album on the bottom of the list, isn't awful or is an album he dislikes. On the contrary, he says that albums lower ranked places, stand there because they are albums that he likes more.
The List containes 6 Challenge Record albums, and these are quite high on the list. It regards the album so the David Berkman Quartet - Live at Smoke ...
Opium TV thursday 13th of january 2010.
With special attention by John Buijsman [in Dutch] for the CD presentation of the Artvark Saxophone Quartet in co-oporation with Kees van Kooten.
The new album of Artvark "Truffles" is disc we are really proud of. It's a swinging album that was recorded in the beautiful Fattoria Musica Studio in Osnabrück, Germany. They describe themselves as a saxophone quartet where all the dust has been whiped of.
On Sunday 10th of January 2010 Artvark presented their long awaited album ...
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In the internationally important classical magazine Fono Forum, this January a review was published with four stars for sound and four also for music. This very postive review shows us the value of the latest new cd of moderntimes_1800, a double cd with works of Graun (CC 72317) :
"The ensemble moderntimes_1800 and their soloists Ilia Korol and Piroska Batori show us a lively and detailed image of the violinist and composer Johann Gottlieb Graun, who's music of belongs to the preclassical 'emfindsamen' or 'Galanten' Stil, and who also had to have the taste in mind of the Prussian ...
On january 9th 2010 Young VIP tour started in Bimhuis, Amsterdam. the Joris Posthumus Quartet played a lot of songs from their forthcoming album 'The Abyss' which will be released next month on Challenge Records.
Saxophone; Joris Posthumus, Piano; Jeroen van Vliet, Drums; Pascal Vermeer and on Doublebass; Jurriaan Dekker.
Maartje Den Breejen from daily newspaper 'Parool' wrote;
Joris Posthumus is really surprising and heavy. He gets up to play at marbles on the stage with loads of energy and has an awaken, emotional and alarming tone on his intrument.
Check out the below clip on ...
On the important classical website Klassik.com the new cd by Christoph Prégardien and Michael Gees 'Between Life and Death' (Challenge Classics - CC 72324) is highly recommended with five stars (out of five) for interpretation! The review was written by Dr. Matthias Lange.
A few quotes out of the review:
"Only few singers of the Lied speaks in such a superb way and with such clearness, without a whiff of affectation. A versatile stylist, Prégardien combines strenght and decency..."
"Intonation and phrasing are ideal..."
"Michael Gees corresponds very well with Prégardien. He creates moods, finds connections ...
In december of 2009 the cd 'Between Life and Death' by Christoph Prégardien and Michale Gees was presented and reviewed on BBC Radio 3's 'CD review'. Hilary Finch had chosen this songrecital-cd as her favorite newcomer. She likes the juxtapositions of songs which are about life ánd about death and the very profound and refined way this is done on this cd.
"It moves (as the title says) between life and death. These are songs which take us from the experience of full life-force into what it can be like to either welcome or angered by or reject death", ...
The first performance of the Symphonische Dichtung in Zwei Abtheilungen (Symphonic Poem in Two Parts), later his First Symphony, was conducted by Mahler in Budapest on 20 November 1889. It got a cool if not hostile reception, mainly because of the ‘bizarre, vulgar and cacophonic extravaganza’s’ of the last two movements. At least this was how it was felt, with the public and the critics in bewilderment especially after the finale’s unsurpassed ferocity. The final chords were followed by utter silence, until a few members of the audience hesitantly began to applaud, quickly interspersed with demonstrative sounds of disapproval. Mahler ...
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Monteverdi Media recorded the Weihnachtsoratorium live, preformed by Combattimento Consort Amsterdam and Nederlands Kamer Koor last week.
Everybody can watch the consort on now their website for a small price.
Other Christmas concerts are also recorded and can be watched.
Monteverdi Media will broadcast more concerts through their website in the coming months.
Click here to watch the Weihnachtsoratorium
...
17-12: Vote for Bye-Ya
The song 'Tranquilidad', composed by Randal Corsen from the latest Bye- Ya! album 'Further Arrivals' is nominated for 'best latin jazz song' at the Solar Latin Club Blog.
If you have 20 seconds time please go and vote for us.
Go to the website and scroll down a little - on the right side of the page you will find 'Mejor Cancion Latin Jazz' - and there it is: Tranquilidad'.
http://solarlatinclub.blogspot.com
Thank you very much - and by the way - feel free to forward ...
Kendra Shank's "Mosaic" receives honorable mention in Gene Seymour's Best-of-the-Year list.
check this link;
Seymour & Nahikian: GENE SEYMOUR'S TOP TEN JAZZ DISCS OF 2009
GENE SEYMOUR is a film critic at Newsday, where he has worked since 1990, and for which he also writes a monthly jazz column. His writings have appeared in The Los Angeles Times, The Nation, Entertainment Weekly and other publications. He is a contributor to The Oxford Companion to Jazz and is the author of Jazz the Great American Art (Franklin Watts), a history for young adults. He ...
In honor of the 10th anniversary of NBElive, the label of Nederlands Blazers Ensemble, the Volkskrant journalist Roland de Beer selected 8 of the most beautiful concerts and compiled these to a 8cd box. In the booklet, Roland de Beer, explains the beauty and importance of these pieces.
"The playful, perfectionistic, flexible, willing to work, a little hip, often visual or theatrical surprising NBE excels in versatility." Roland de Beer
Order the box here: www.volskrant.nl/webwinkel
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Viola da gambaplayer Ralph Rousseau has released his Christmas cd in October this year. On that intimate album four songs are sung by singer Lenny Kuhr. With Christmas knocking on our door soon, this album is the perfect music for this season.
But not only have Ralph and Lenny worked together on this cd, also a very special theatertour of Ralph, Lenny together with pianist Frans de Berg is at this moment well on its way. It is a very special blend of three musicians who have a real chemistry. It seems awkward to ...
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Not only did Jan Willem de Vriend and his Combattimento Consort Amsterdam recently receive a Golden Record for Bach’s Weihnachts-Oratorium in the televisionprogramme Vrije Geluiden. Also the ensemble and condutor have a small tour ahead of them next week.
This gives the musiclover a great oppurtunity to hear their interpretation of this famous masterpiece so he or she can experience why this performance has been awarded with a Golden Record.
The details of the concert tour:
Johann Sebastian Bach
Weihnachts-Oratorium (BWV 248, 1-VI)
Together with the Nederlands Kamerkoor ...
The well-known and important classic website klassik-heute.com has published a review of the cd of Rudolf Koelman and the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra with conductor Jan Willem de Vriend.
"The Dutch violinist Rudolf Koelman, one of the last students of Jascha Heifetz and up to 1999 first concertmaster of the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra, has a perfect technique on his instrument and plays the soloparts rectilinear and with an always existing seductive euphony. The orchestral tutti ...are somewhat flat, but the accompaniment of the soloists by the Orchestra is done carefully, rhytmically and sonically flawless"
The points that the ...
Rudolf Koelman just turned 50 years old in October 2009. He was once one of those lucky young students who could study with the legendary violinist Jascha Heifetz in the years 1978 until 1981 in Soutern California/ Los Angeles in the USA. Before these lessons with Heifetz, Rudolf Koelman had a enormously rich violin-education with the Dutch violinist Herman Krebbers. Krebbers made sure that Koelman studied all the main and important pieces in the violin repertoire. You had to have a broad fundament to begin with and deepen yourself from there. Because of his valuable ...
According to Klaas Koopman of the specialized pianomagazine Pianowereld (dec. 2009 issue) Reflections is the best record of Bert van den Brink together with bass-player Hein Van de Geyn and drummer Hans van Oosterhout. It can be compared to cd’s by Brad Mehldau, Koopman states.
On the DVD which goes with this wonderful new cd, Bert van den Brink says: ‘My piano is a mirror’. It mirrors Van den Brink in what he is doing and says to him: ‘you can do that better, you can make it sound more beautiful.’ ...
Friday december 4th The Ploctones will performing 3 stunning tunes on the program 'Mijke's Middag' on Radio 6.
The radio show will be recorded at Club Panama in Amsterdam between 16h - 19h.
Tune in and have fun with The Ploctones!!
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This Sunday, 29th of November, in Vrije Geluiden on Nederland 3 at 10.30, Jan Willem De Vriend receives a golden record for the exceeding sales of 10.000 units of the Weihachtsoratorium of Combattimento Consort Amsterdam.
Congratulations Jan Willem de Vriend and the Combattimento Consort Amsterdam!
Look for Jan Willem de Vriends first reaction after receiving the golden record here.
Also there is a short video interview with Jan Willem de Vriend to be seen here ...
This week Challenge Records had the opportunity to speak to one of her famous musicians, Jan Willem de Vriend of the Combattimento Consort and the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra. He just received a golden record for the performance of the Weihnachts-Oratorium of J.S. Bach. A enormous achievement!
In the short video-interview, in Dutch, we could ask Jan Willem two questions of the dividing of his time between the two orchestras and how he works with the music togeher with his ensemble members of the Combattimento Consort.
You can watch the interview here or go to Videos on this site. ...
Yesterday, 23rd of November, Piet Noordijk and Han Bennink were guests in the TV program 'De Wereld Draait Door'. Together with Michiel Borstlap and Ernst Glerum they played 'Blue Monk'. The song was played in honour of the 65th birthday of Jules Deelder, poetry legend in Holland.
To watch it again, click here.
The album that Piet Noordijk gives as a present to Jules Deelder is Swinging with Strings, recorded with the Metropool orchestra and availble on this Challenge Website. Han Bennink also just released his new album Parken [distributed by Challenge].
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24-11: Jan Willem De Vriend in Vrije Geluiden
Jan Willem de Vriend and the lovely Combattimento Consort will be in Vrije Geluiden on Sunday 29th of November. They will play 2 pieces of Haydn, of their release Divertimenti. There is also a surprise in the show for Jan Willem de Vriend, so do watch!
More about the Divertimenti album:
4 less known works for the Haydn Year 2009.Freek Borstlap plays the rarely played and very difficult Baryton, family of the viola da gamba.This 17th century instrument has next to 9 normal strings, 24 others strings thqt resonate with the sounds and the can also be ...
The Iberia Tour of Yoram Ish-Hurwitz will be extended due to success with 10 extra concerts in 2010, the 150th anniversary of the Birth year of Composer Isaac Albéniz.
The Luister Magazine of oct/nov published an article of Yoram Ish-Hurwitz and his new album Book 3&4 of the Iberia Suite. Read it here.
Concert dates
8 january 2010 - Reeuwijk | De Brug
20.15u. Info www.recum.nl
29 january 2010 - Arnhem | Office Heckelman
20.15u. Reservation (026) 377 71 11 or www.studiopiano.nl
6 february 2010 - Bussum | Spant!
20.15u. Reservation (035) 69 139 ...
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18-11: Artvark Saxophone Quartet in Vrije Geluiden
We're proud to announce the upcoming album release of our new artistgroup Artvark Saxophone Quartet. We will release their fantastic CD 'Truffles' in January 2010.
This week sunday november 22th ASQ will play in the Dutch TV show 'Vrije Geluiden'. Hans Flupsen will also interview the band. In this broadcasting they find coorporation with the project 'Busy, Busy, Busy' with drummer Arend Niks band 'New Niks'.
The Broadcasting wil take place at november 22th 10.30h on Nederland 1 and will be repeated November 28th at 09.00. The show also will be repeated on the Cultura Channel ...
With an energetic kick off in Theater de Regentes in The Hague on October 1, State of Monc started their theatre tour with special guest Ben van den Dungen. The visual collective .notDef (Sibe Kokke and Charlotte Aal) boosts the performance to a thrilling musical journey. With spectacular video projections and challenging soundscapes, State of Monc will give you a Dutch Nu-Jazz experience to the bone. You won't easily forget it so don't miss it. Next performance: January 23 (2010) at the Bimhuis, Amsterdam.
State of Monc also welcomes Robin Koerts as their new ...
13-11: Sigiswald Kuijken interviewed in Meesterwerk
On Saturday, November 14th 2009, Sigiswald Kuijken will be a guest in 'Meesterwerk' on Klara Radio in Vlaanderen, Belgium. Topic of the programme will be Mozart's Requiem.
A new Requiem is available now and it is of the well-known writer Jeroen Brouwers together with drawings of Roger Raveel. In this 'new Rquiem' Brouwers formulates a contemporary answer to Mozarts Requiem. A new Requiem is also a production of I Solisti del Vento and muziektheater Transaprant, which is premiered soon. All this is a perfect opportunity to invite Sigiswald Kuijken and listen together with him to the old and ...
On November 15th 2009, violinist Rudolf Koelman will appear on national television in the Dutch musicprogramme Vrije Geluiden of the VPRO, starting at 10.30 AM
Rudolf Koelman just released his cd Paganini Violinconcertos 1 & 2 (CC72343) which he performed live with the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra and conductor Jan Willem de Vriend. The first review in the Netherlands of this cd is enthusiastic:
Siebe Riedstra of www.opusklassiek.nl writes:
"Rudolf Koelman has a clear affinity with this repertoire and one can sense his being proud that he can play all this beautiful music with its exiting double ...
It's Time! In the month of November, Eric Vloeimans and his band Gatcrash will go on tour in the 'Far East'.
The whole of November, Gatecrash gives concerts in India, China and Japan. Tthe latest album Heavensabove! is part of the program that will be played. Eric Vloeimans will describe and update you on his experience of the trip in the Far East on his blog. Weblog Eric Vloeimans.
Tour data's:
06-nov Hong Kong Friday Fest
08-nov Beijing Star Live Club
10-nov Tianjin Nankai University
11-nov Shanghai Jiaotong University
12-nov ...
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