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This release is featured in the editorial Spotify playlist of handpicked new classical Releases - August 2, 2019

Spotify Editorial Staff

Very touched. Thank YOU!

'Halyna Myroslava' on YouTube about the movie with "Ave Maria" von Morten Lauridsen

Absolutely beautiful!

'Johanna K.' on YouTube about the movie with "Ave Maria" von Morten Lauridsen

***** The best sounding recording of a piano

This performance of two Beethoven sonatas recorded before a live audience in a castle in Germany by pianist Lilya Zilberstein is incredible in two respects. First, the Appassionata is played as well as anyone I know, including the many legends of the keyboard who have recorded this masterpiece. Zilberstein has it all--technique, style, and passion. Equally remarkable is the sound. This is the best sounding recording of a piano I have ever heard--it must be heard to be believed, and if you are lucky to have a fine sound system you are in for a stupendous aural treat. If wish to hear a magnificant performance in otherwordly fidelity I urge you to track this release down before it becomes unavailable.

'Oldnslow' on Amazon.com

***** Exceptional Appassionata

Sonata 23 is a war horse. There are literally 3-5 dozen versions online from older versions Schnabel (much too fast) to Brendel and Horowitz (quite staid) Kissin Gilels Schiff Goode and others. This one has superb recording. It is live and one can feel the tension with the audience. It is exceptionally clean and not exceedingly fast. You can hear the nuances that lay buried in the ear with the speedsters. She has wonderful rubato moments and the phrase to phrase dynamics are exceptionally well done. Importantly it is very exciting to hear though you know every note; it appears fresh as I feel it is new, modern interpretation. Congratulations Lilya. I hope to hear you in concert in Boston.

'George R. Collison' on Amazon.com

***** Even among all Beethoven sonatas on the market, this one stands out

The disc is a product of Germany's K&K label, which specializes in live performances held in historically significant, if not acoustically appropriate, locations. Here they manage both. The Castle Church of Bad Homburg offers a fine ambiance for piano music in general and for Zilberstein's muscular, dynamic style in particular.
The disc offers the first half of a live concert whose date is localized only to October 2007; the second half was devoted to music of Brahms. At 52 minutes the program is short, but it is complete in itself, and one wants to hear the other disc if only to find out whether Zilberstein can sustain the intensity level from this half.
Zilbertstein has managed to devise fresh, fully realized interpretations of these two sonatas - no small feat, especially in the case of the ubiquitous Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 ('Appassionata'). Hear Zilberstein's exquisite shaping of the work's brooding opening page. The Beethovenian short-short-short long motif that plays such an important role in binding the music together is introduced in the shadows, but soon enough emerges as an exclamation with sufficent force to propel the main theme through its numerous harmonic transformations.
The level of tension in the entire sonata is remarkable; even the middle movement seems to see the with repressed energy. The early Piano Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 2, No. 2, is equally strong, with a unique rhythmic conception of the main theme. Just sit and listen: even among all the Beethoven sonatas on the market, this one stands out.

James Manheim, All Music Guide USA

***** A wonderful and delicate piece of music...

I wish to write this review not only praising the quality and beauty of music contained on this album but also to thank K&K Verlagsanstalt personally for their generosity towards me. I am a film student who has just finished producing my graduate film. During post production I sort through many different recordings of Schubert Impromptus in particular the Impromptu Op.90 No.3 in G flat major. I felt this music would be appropriate for my film as it holds a certain bitter sweet quality that is rarely found is seldom come across. I chose the recording of K&K's as I believed it to be the most beautiful, with the lovely expression contained in the performance and overall clarity of the piece. I contacted K&K shortly after hearing it and they were kind enough to grant me the use of their recording for which, I am forever grateful.
I cannot explain my gratitude towards K&K Verlagsanstal and also Franz Vorraber for such a virtuoso performance. All I can give is my support of their products and recommendation to others purchase their music.

'Glynncat' on Amazon.com

***** Beauty

This is real music... it's classic and its a beautiful melody... verry catchy and it's soothing. Pretty much just awesome!... not kiddnig.

'Holly Jo McCoy' on iTunes

Qualitative recording

This is a qualitative recording without background noise.

'TianSky' on iTunes

A sincere thumbs up to this most gifted of pianists...

This fascinating concert recorded live in the mystic Castle of Bad Homburg is a truly mystical tour-de-force showcasing the magnificent talents of this young pianist who will surely become a household name in the very near future. Tebenikhan is unfazed by the monumental difficult of Schubert's A Major sonata and he sails through it with the professionalism and aplomb of a seasoned master such as Jorge Bolet or Alfred Brendel. Even more wizardry is to be displayed in Prokofiev's Fourth Piano Sonata with the Toccata also receiving a lightning-quick interpretation. Tebenikhin leaves the best for last in the shape of Schumann's monumental Piano Sonata #3 and even in this work he comes off superbly with flying colours. Truly a disc to relish and a sincere thumbs up to this most gifted of pianists.

Gerald Fenech on Classical Net

An inspired performance, perfectly coordinated

OUVERTURE - Das Klassik-Blog, December 2017

HI-RES AUDIO

Awarded by Qobuz with the HI-RES AUDIO

March 2012

Audiophile CD of the month

Stereoplay, July 2007

***** Music is alive in this performance

This is a performance full of live feeling like listening to the live performance as shown in the picture of the cover in front of you. (5 Stars out of 5 Stars)

'Matt' on Amazon Japan, published on Amazon.co.uk, 7 February 2016

Featured in Napster's Playlist "Best of Mozart"

Napster, October 2016

HI-RES AUDIO

Awarded by Qobuz with the HI-RES AUDIO

March 2012

A fine compilation

This fine compilation of show stopping organ works is done full justice by the imposing Bad Homburg Church Organ played with relish and gusto by Ulrike Northoff. Starting off with Bach, appropriately enough, she gives a titanic interpretation of the 'Great' Fantasia and Fugue, BWV 542. The rarely heard Sonata by Bach's son Carl Philipp Emanuel also comes across quite nicely as does an interesting discovery by Christian Rinck, a rather obscure name whose Concerto for organ (originally for flute) certainly warrants some attention. We finally conclude with some Mendelssohn, his fourth sonata which comes across very well played indeed. K&K's presentation is quite excellent with expansive notes and some very striking photographs. The sound is very vivid and immediate although some boom is also detected due to the large, cavernous acoustic.

Gerald Fenech on Classical Net

HI-RES AUDIO

Awarded by Qobuz with the HI-RES AUDIO

March 2012

***** Live and exciting...

Here is another great cd from Paris Washboard... It was recorded live in June 2012 and the audience factor makes this group even more exciting. Rarely heard treats such as Fats Wallers' composition "Dancing At The Waldorf" and Duke Ellingtons' "Frolic Sam" are played with excellent execution. Old favorites such as "Keepin' Out Of Mischief" and "Dinah" are also on this cd.

'Jack' on Amazon.com (Verified Purchase of the Audio CD)

Recommended by the Downbeat Magazine in the 'Holiday Gift Guide 2019'

The German, Belgian and Dutch members of the New Orleans Jazz Band of Cologne find their passion in New Orleans traditional jazz. "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" (K&K Verlagsanstalt 134; 66:52) maintains the level of energy necessary to keep nostalgia away on this live album. A round-robin of decent solos is the order of the day.

The Rastatt Favorite Palace in Germany

This concert took place in the "Sala Terrena" (Garden Hall) of Rastatt Favorite Palace (Schloss Favorite Rastatt) in Germany. The Palace is the oldest German "porcelain palace" and the only one to survive almost unchanged to this day. The palace and the garden are one of 60 historic monuments in the Germany's Southwest. The "State Organisation for Palaces and Gardens of Baden-Württemberg" (in German: "Staatliche Schlösser und Gärten Baden-Württemberg") makes accessible, communicate, develops and preserves these state-owned historic monuments with the aim of preserving the authenticity of the cultural heritage, filling them with life and preserving them for future generations. Detailed information about these unique "Soundscapes" can be found at: www.schloesser-und-gaerten.de

***** A memorable mash-up

A musical revolution occurred in about 1720, with the "style galant" replacing the more learned and complicated music in vogue before then. K&K Verlagsanstalt, which specializes in audiophile recordings made in historic churches and palaces, has put together a winning project here, with the venerable Quantz Collegium (established in 1936) performing highly appealing music from the Garden Hall of the Rastatt Favorite Palace in Baden-Württemberg. Recorded at two live concerts, we have here four concertos for viola or flute, or both, by Graupner, Telemann and FWH Benda, all written in the accessible, tuneful new style. Mention should be made of Josef-Stefan Kindler's superb photos in the CD notes, which I at first took for paintings in the Rococo style of Tiepolo. They capture both the spirit of the original music and venue and that of the Quantz Collegium and K&K's Historically Informed reconstructions.
"Every current of fashion or of worldview", says Walter Benjamin in The Arcades Project, "derives its force from what is forgotten." Three centuries on, the stripping down of J. S. Bach's erudite polyphonic puzzles can seem, according to one's sensibilities or mood, either a vital breath of fresh air or a savage dumbing down for the kind of mindless 18th century twits personified by Hugh Laurie's Prince George in Blackadder's Third Series. Luckily we can still take pleasure in the simple joys of melody and a direct and honest, if sometimes guileless, clarity. This music is well-crafted, but the strongest movements, those in Telemann's Viola Concerto especially, can seem very much self-aware. It won't be long before the streamlining process leads to a new round of mannerist complexities.
Though one won't find the final degree of authentic style from the Quantz Collegium, including the three soloists, flutist Jochen Baier and violists Agata Zieba and Killian Ziegler, there is much to admire in these performances. The admirably spare technology and truly galant way of playing combined with the elaborate costumes and the rococo porcelain excesses of the venue make for a memorable mash-up.

Dean Frey on several-instruments.blogspot.com, on Arkiv Music and on Amazon

Featured by Amazon Music

An excerpt of this release is featured in the playlist
BEST OF CLASSICAL MUSIC - Popular classical melodies interpreted by outstanding musicians and orchestras of our time

Curated by the Amazon Music Editorial Team

***** BEST RECORDING

This is the best recording I have found of Dvorak's String Serenade!

A customer on iTunes

***** My favourite

Your version of Dvorak's String Serenade is my favourite... Gotta loveit...damn! This guy is so good!

A listener on YouTube

***** An ideal introduction

An ideal introduction to one of Poland's most talented and exciting young conductors, whose work has been compared to that of Carlos Kleiber and Svjatoslav Richter.

New Classics UK

***** Five Stars

PLEASED. ORDER.

Laura J Hefner on Amazon.com (Verified purchase of the Audio CD)

BEST SELLER on Amazon.com

February 16, 2015: Dvorak's String Serenade Op.22 is BEST SELLER on Amazon.com:
Best Sellers Rank 1 in 'Symphonies / Romantic'
Best Sellers Rank 2 in 'Periods / Romantic'
Best Sellers Rank 3 in 'Symphonies / Classical'

***** Superb

I heard this piece (Dvorak's String Serenade) at a summer concert in Symphony Hall and was thoroughly enchanted by it. I downloaded it on to my ipod and it features regularly. It is a very melodic, uplifting, life-enhancing piece, superbly played.

Mr. P. Skeldon on Amazon.uk (Verified Purchase)

A heady experience...

This beautifully-recorded CD brings together two fine works in what can only be termed as superb interpretations by Polish orchestras. K&K are an extremely enterprising German label who have given us some outstanding recordings in the choral, organ and piano and genre from such wonderful locations as centuries old monasteries so their new attention to orchestral music is very commendable indeed. Mozart's 'Linz' is one of those works were a carefully nuanced approach reaps considerable dividends as the great Peter Maag amply demonstrated. Przytocki is a consummate interpreter bringing a beautiful lift to the First movement and a busy energy to the Finale which are two miraculously charged movements. He is also in his element in the lovely Serenade for Strings by Dvořák which dances around quite ravishingly especially in the bucolic scherzo. This CD receives plaudits all around from me and it deserves a hearty recommendation. The presentation is beautiful with large photographs and the distinctive K&K colours provide for a heady experience which is reinforced by the interpretations.

Gerald Fenech on Classical Net

***** FAV DVORAK

The 'Beethoven Akademie Orchester' does Dvorak justice with its excellent performance of his serenade. The 2nd and 3rd movements are definitely my favorites.

'J Dog1945' on iTunes