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NEW RELEASE 21 FEBRUARY 2025

A love letter to the viola

In his fourth project with harmonia mundi, Timothy Ridout presents a programme of unaccompanied works for the viola that ranges from Telemann to Benjamin Britten and Caroline Shaw—a veritable love letter to his instrument, prized for its warm and soulful timbre.

Combing through several centuries of viola repertoire, the young British virtuoso contrasts the music of the Baroque (Bach, Telemann) with that of our time (including Britten’s rarely heard Elegy and Caroline Shaw’s in manus tuas). A ravishing performance full of youthful freshness!

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A bumper crop of awards.

Nearly 100 distinctions garnered by harmonia mundi artists this year!

In 2024, our tally of awards has been nothing short of exceptional. In addition to the 3 Diapasons d’or of the year, 2 Chocs of the year from Classica, 2 Gramophone awards and no fewer than 4 entries into the Top 100 of Apple Music, a multitude of trophies awarded throughout the year served to highlight the diversity and artistic rigour of the talented musicians, ensembles and the label itself. Here is a chance to look back at the many releases that proved popular with the listening public, ranging from recordings by Isabelle Faust to Théotime Langlois de Swarte, from Jean-Guihen Queyras to Adam Laloum, from Pablo Heras-Casado to the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, from Pygmalion under Raphaël Pichon to the Ensemble Correspondances led by Sébastien Daucé, all of which you will find here, basking in the spotlight of the enthusiastic press. The new artist signings were greeted with equal enthusiasm, be it Aline Piboule or the Hanson Quartet!

The perfect occasion to take a look back on the finest moments of the year, before moving on to 2025, that promises to be just as plentiful and diverse…

Upcoming albums, projects, life of the label…

Timothy Ridout graces the cover of Gramophone magazine

The “superb young virtuoso” of the viola is a genuine phenomenon. On February 4, he could be heard at the Salle Cortot, offering a preview of his latest release titled “Solo.”

Recording an entire solo album before reaching the age of 30: this says a lot about the dazzling career of a viola prodigy capable of deftly pushing the envelope, as does his choice of juxtaposing unaccompanied works by two Baroque giants (Telemann and J.S. Bach) with music of our time (Benjamin Britten and Caroline Shaw). Breathtaking!

“SOLO” / AVAILABLE 21 FEBRUARY 2025

Erik Satie with a difference.

To mark this year’s centenary of the death of the composer known as the ‘maître of Arcueil,’ we are aided by an expert performer of his ‘Flaccid Preludes (For a dog)’!

Alain Planès offers a sparkling recital of Satie’s piano music, with baritone Marc Mauillon as his stellar guest. The recording (made on a splendid Pleyel grand piano from 1928) is illustrated with drawings by the composer and paintings by the pianist… and is our chance to discover their artistic bond via Jacques Février, a great interpreter of Satie who also taught Alain Planès.

“SATIE/PLANÈS” AVAILABLE 7 MARCH 2025

Welcome aboard, Maestro!

This year marks the launch of our new partnership with a top-ranked German orchestra: the NDR Radiophilharmonie under the direction of its chief conductor Stanislav Kochanovsky.

For harmonia mundi, the Saint Petersburg native has chosen to explore a repertoire he knows inside out: the music of nineteenth- and twentieth-century Russia. Here is a chance to hear an expert interpretation of Rimsky-Korsakov’s celebrated ‘Capriccio espagnol’ alongside works by Tchaikovsky (Orchestral Suite No.3) and Tcherepnin (Prelude to ‘La Princesse lointaine’).

AVAILABLE 21 MARCH 2025

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A passion for excellence 1958.

Now 65, the label cultivates an insolent youth. Exploring new repertoires, broadening our horizons, developing young talent and constantly striving for excellence: this is harmonia mundi’s motto. We are demanding, passionate and proud of our independence. This is our story…

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