Press Room

Warner Classics & Erato releases November & December 2024

Highlights include:

  • A new recording of Hasse’s Serpentes ignei in deserto featuring a star-studded cast (incl. Philippe Jaroussky, Jakub Józef Orliński, and Bruno de Sá)
  • The complete Erato recordings of William Christie and Paavo Järvi
  • Schubert Lieder from countertenor Philippe Jaroussky
  • Cellist Edgar Moreau’s recording of Tchaikovsky’s “Rococo” Variations
  • Yoav Levanon‘s interpretation of Liszt’s concertos
  • Organist-composer Yves Castagnet’s setting of the Magnificat for Maîtrise Notre-Dame de Paris

New titles

Schubert Lieder
Philippe Jaroussky, countertenor
Jérôme Ducros, piano
CD / digital
Release date: Nov 1

AudioAssets

Countertenor Philippe Jaroussky brings elegance, precision, and exquisite phrasing to this new album of Schubert Lieder. He says: “Schubert’s music has been with me always, throughout my career as a musician: violinist, pianist, and ultimately singer. This album is a declaration of love, for his genius but also for the German language. I am delighted to rejoin Jérôme Ducros, on this our third album together, and in this program of Lieder we’ve carefully selected.”

Schumann: Bilder aus Osten 
Beatrice Rana & Yannick Nézet-Séguin, piano four-hands
Digital-only EP
Release date: Nov 1

Audio & artwork

Bilder aus Osten (“Pictures from the East”) features some of Schumann’s lesser-known music for piano four-hands, a suite of six Impromptus performed here by Beatrice Rana and Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Rana says: “Robert Schumann had the personality of a poet, using music as a language to really write poems in music. I think that this aspect emerges very strongly in the Bilder aus Osten, where he uses the sound and the musical language to create images and suggestions on the ’emotional level.'”

Winter Gardens
Lucienne Renaudin Vary, trumpet
Orchestre de Chambre de Paris / Sascha Goetzel
CD / digital
Release date: Nov 1

AudioAssets

As the days grow shorter, trumpeter Lucienne Renaudin Vary invites listeners to join her, the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, and conductor Sascha Goetzel in the musical haven of her Winter Gardens. Combining popular songs with favorites of the classical repertoire, the album features composers including Bach, Vivaldi, Rossini, Dvořák, Kreisler, Falla, Richard Rodgers, Charlie Chaplin, and Uruguay’s Efraín Oscher. “Winter Gardens is designed to be listened to while tucked up snug and warm at home,” writes Lucienne. “My intention was to create an atmosphere of warmth, simplicity, and authenticity – a soft and comforting glow in the depths of winter.”

Rococo
Edgar Moreau, cello
David Kadouch, piano
Luzerner Sinfonieorchester / Michael Sanderling
CD / digital
Release date: Nov 8

AudioAssets

Cellist Edgar Moreau excels as both a soloist and a chamber musician, as the two main works on this album make clear: Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme, performed with the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra and its chief conductor, Michael Sanderling, and Chopin’s Cello Sonata in G minor, for which Moreau is joined by pianist David Kadouch, his regular duo partner. Completing the program are arrangements and transcriptions of six shorter “encore” pieces by composers Dvořák, Rachmaninov, Chopin, and Shostakovich. The “Rococo” Variations helped to launch Moreau’s international career when he performed them in the finals of the 2011 Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow.

Liszt: Piano Concertos 1 & 2, Totentanz
Yoav Levanon, piano
Luzerner Sinfonieorchester / Michael Sanderling
CD / digital
Release date: Nov 8

AudioAssets

Now 20 years old, Yoav Levanon recorded both Liszt’s concertos with the Luzerner Sinfonieorchester and chief conductor Michael Sanderling. Levanon says, “Liszt’s first piano concerto is a tour de force of virtuosity and drama, while the second offers a more nuanced, introspective exploration. Together, they capture Liszt’s artistic vision, combining technical brilliance with deep emotional resonance.” There are further works by Liszt on the album: Totentanz for piano and orchestra, and two pieces for solo piano, “O pourquoi donc” and a transcription of Schumann’s “Frühlingsnacht.” A further transcription by Levanon himself completes the program: a Lisztian take on Hugo Wolf’s song “Verschwiegene Liebe.”

Songbook
Pierre Génisson, clarinet
Bruno Fontaine, piano
CD / vinyl / digital
Release date: Nov 8

AudioAssets

The latest album from French clarinetist Pierre Génisson offers a laidback mix of French popular repertoire with material from the American Songbook. He is accompanied by pianist Bruno Fontaine and special guests including Monica Bellucci on “I Got You Under My Skin,” Lambert Wilson on “My Funny Valentine,” and Thibaut Garcia on Salvador’s “Syracuse and Smile.”

Angels and Demons
Andrew von Oeyen, piano
CD / digital
Release date: Nov 15

AudioAssets

“I have long imagined a recital program dedicated to the opposing themes of heaven and hell, spiritual and corporal, saints and sinners,” writes pianist Andrew von Oeyen of his album Angels and Demons. Combining works conceived for solo keyboard with transcriptions of music from the orchestral, operatic, and choral repertoires, he takes the “angelic” route with Bach, Debussy, Fauré, and Messiaen, and the “demonic” one with Liszt, Saint-Saëns, and Edward MacDowell.

Hasse: Serpentes ignei in deserto 
Philippe Jaroussky, Jakub Józef Orliński, Bruno de Sá, Julia Lezhneva, Carlo Vistoli, David Hansen
Les Accents / Thibault Noally
CD / digital
Release date: Nov 22

AudioAssets

Six virtuoso vocal soloists and the instrumentalists of Les Accents rise to the dramatic and expressive challenges of Serpentes ignei in deserto (“Fiery Serpents in the Desert”), a biblical oratorio by Johann Adolf Hasse. The central role of Moses is taken by countertenor Philippe Jaroussky, who is joined by soprano Julia Lezhneva, male soprano Bruno de Sá, and three star countertenors: Jakub Józef Orliński, Carlo Vistoli, and David Hansen. “The score is demanding for all the singers,” says conductor Thibault Noally. “Every character is very different from the others and each of our soloists has a unique personality and a unique vocal timbre. The result is a huge variety of temperaments and colors.”

Magnificat
Yves Castagnet, composer and organist
Maîtrise Notre-Dame de Paris / Henri Chalet
CD / vinyl / digital
Release date: Nov 29

Audio – Assets

On Dec 8, 2024, five and a half years after the devastating fire of 2019, the great Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris reopens to the public. Officially marking this “rebirth” is this recording of a new choral setting of the Magnificat by the organist-composer Yves Castagnet. The Magnificat will be performed live at Notre Dame this December at the inauguration ceremony for the new organ. Completing the album are three Psalm settings by Castagnet: Psalms 18 and 26, composed in 1996, and Psalm 115, first performed in 2011.

Hollywood
Sebastian Knauer, piano
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin / David Newman
CD / vinyl / digital
Release date: Nov 29

AudioAssets

German pianist Sebastian Knauer explains the inspiration behind Hollywood: “My encounter with the great American film composer and conductor David Newman led me to dedicate an entire album to American film music from its beginnings to the present day.” David Newman, who made the orchestral arrangements for several of the album’s tracks, is the son of Alfred Newman (1900-70), a towering figure in 20th-century film music and the leader of the list of luminaries whose scores appear on the album. David, his younger brother Thomas Newman, and Conrad Pope all composed original works for Hollywood, alongside works by Aaron Copland, Elmer Bernstein, Jerry Goldsmith, Morton Gould, James Horner, and Alex North.

Nosferatu – A Symphony of Horror 
Christopher Young
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich / Frank Strobel; Saya Hashino, organ
CD / vinyl / digital
Release date: Nov 29

AudioAssets

A masterpiece of silent film, F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu: Eine Symphonie des Grauens(“Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror”) was first seen in 1922. Just over a century later, in February 2023, Nosferatu was screened in Zurich with a new 90-minute score by the American film composer Christopher Young, whose name is closely linked with the horror genre. His score for Nosferatu was premiered by the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, conductor Frank Strobel – a master interpreter of film music – and organist Saya Hashino.

Schubert
Aimi Kobayashi, piano
CD / digital
Release date: Dec 6

AudioAssets

Aimi Kobayashi, who rose to prominence as a prizewinner at the 2021 International Chopin Piano Competition, releases a Schubert recital: the four Impromptus D935, the Sonata in C minor D958 and the Rondo in A major D951, a substantial piece for piano duet. Joining her for the duet is Kyohei Sorita, a fellow laureate of the Chopin competition – and also her husband. “Schubert’s music has a special beauty that is unique to him,” she says. “The pieces I recorded for the album were written towards the end of his life, when he was 30 or 31 years old. I will turn 30 in 2025. … I thought it would be meaningful for me to play them at the same age that this composer of genius wrote them. … Schubert’s works are lonely, but full of tenderness. … It is as if the composer is conscious of death, but in the midst of it, he discovers a little happiness and expresses it in his music.”

Beyond classical

Wintersleep
Matteo Myderwyk
Digital-only album
Release date: Nov 1

Audio & artwork

Composer-pianist Matteo Myderwyk presents Wintersleep, rearrangements of holiday favorites, and an original composition, recorded on a solo upright piano. The tracks include reworkings of Bach / Gounod’s Ave Maria, “Silent Night,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and more. Myderwyk says: “Reminiscing about early childhood Christmas memories inspired me to create Wintersleep. These are the songs I adored, … music that evoked warmth, gathering, family — universal truths at Christmastime. … It’s a nostalgic soundtrack to accompany new memories this holiday season.”

Catalogue

Paavo Järvi: The Complete Erato Recordings
31-CD box
Release date: Nov 8
Artwork and booklet

Born in Tallinn in 1962, Paavo Järvi is renowned for his dynamic interpretations and innovative programming. He has held prominent positions with leading orchestras, including the Cincinnati Symphony, Orchestre de Paris, and, more recently, the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich. His numerous recordings have received prestigious awards, including a Grammy Award for his Sibelius Cantatas, solidifying his reputation as one of the foremost conductors of his generation.

This 31-CD box includes the complete recordings made for Virgin Classics, EMI, and Erato, with a bonus CD of an unpublished recording of César Franck’s Symphony in D minor (made in 2023).

William Christie: The Complete Erato Recordings
61-CD box
Release date: Nov 15

Artwork and booklet

William Christie is renowned for his pioneering work in the revival of Baroque music. Born in 1944, in 1979 he founded the ensemble Les Arts Florissants, which has become a leading force in historically informed performance. Christie’s expertise in French Baroque opera, particularly works by composers like Lully, Rameau, and Charpentier, has earned him international acclaim. His dedication to historically informed performance has set new standards in the field and breathed new life into forgotten masterpieces.

Celebrating Christie’s 80th birthday this December 19, this box set includes all the recordings he made for Erato and Virgin Classics between 1994 and 2011.

Giacomo Puccini – The Warner Classics Edition
23-CD box
Release date: Nov 15

Artwork

Celebrated for his masterful compositions and poignant storytelling, Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) remains one of the most beloved opera composers of all time. This collection, designed for opera enthusiasts and newcomers alike, brings together his most renowned masterpieces alongside lesser-known gems. The operas are presented in performances by world-class orchestras, conductors, and singers, alongside Puccini’s Messa di Gloria and five CDs of recitals, including the iconic 1954 performance by Maria Callas.

Vinyl

Paganini: Violin Concerto No. 1, Sarasate: Carmen Fantasy
Itzhak Perlman, violin
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Lawrence Foster
1 LP (black vinyl)
Release date: Nov 1

Artwork

Itzhak Perlman, born in 1945, is the supreme violinist of our time. This vinyl reissue of the 1972 recording that launched his Warner Classics catalogue features works composed by Nicolò Paganini and Pablo de Sarasate — two virtuosos who in their own eras defined the art of the violin.

Associated labels

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concertos & Paganini Rhapsody
Mikhail Pletnev, piano
Rachmaninoff International Orchestra / Kent Nagano
Bluray
Release date: Nov 15

Artwork

Mikhail Pletnev and the then newly-formed Rachmaninoff International Orchestra (RIO) perform all four Rachmaninoff piano concertos and the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganiniunder the baton of Kent Nagano. This live recording was made in October 2023, to mark the composer’s 150th anniversary.

Massenet: Werther (Houston Grand Opera)
Isabel Leonard, Matthew Polenzani, and others
Houston Grand Opera Orchestra / Robert Spano
CD / digital
Release date: Nov 15

Audio [password: Werther1!] – Artwork

This recording of Massenet’s Werther features four artists making their Houston Grand Opera debuts: three-time Grammy-winning mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard, as Charlotte; tenor Matthew Polenzani as Werther; soprano Jasmine Habersham as Charlotte’s sister Sophie; and baritone Sean Michael Plumb, a 2021 Tucker Grant recipient, as Charlotte’s betrothed, Albert.

Bellini: I puritani
Lisette Oropesa, Lawrence Brownlee, and others
Dresdner Philharmonie / Riccardo Frizza
CD / digital
Release date: Nov 29

Audio [password: Bellini1!] – Artwork

Riccardo Frizza conducts the Dresden Philharmonic’s account of Bellini’s I Puritani, featuring Lisette Oropesa in one of her signature roles as Elvira, with Lawrence Brownlee as Arturo.

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