Bohuslav Martinů's distinctive musical voice, which infuses the great Czech tradition with modern idioms, is showcased in this captivating survey of his concertante works, performed by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Marseille conducted by Lawrence Foster. The Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra is a lively and rhythmic tour de force. Breezily energetic and relentless, it is full of jazzy inflections and high speed fireworks, pausing only in the tranquillity of the slow movement for moments of serene calm. By contrast, the Concerto for Two Violins and Orchestra is a warm, lyrical work in the Romantic tradition. With its intricate and interweaving solo lines, expansive melodies and dance-like syncopations it's an engaging work of considerable charm which deserves a wider audience. The Rhapsody-Concerto for Viola and Orchestra is a dreamily nostalgic work whose simple melodies, radiant lyricism and soaring viola line make it one of the 20th century's most performed viola concertos.

Together for the first time in the recording studio, sisters Mari and Momo Kodama are scintillating on these lively arrangements from Tchaikovsky’s ballets "Swan Lake", "Sleeping Beauty" and "Nutcracker". In another first, the release contains the first ever recording of Arensky’s transcription of the timeless Nutcracker together with notable arrangements by Debussy and Rachmaninov. Conceived on a grand scale, Tchaikovsky’s colourful, often passionate scores abound with graceful melodies, arresting harmonies and exuberant orchestration. Composers such as Arensky, Debussy and Rachmaninov made arrangements of these works for piano, not mere reductions but wholesale realizations of the works, combining subtlety and insight with their own technical polish.

Messiaen, who was an enthusiastic and accomplished ornithologist, investigated for his Catalogue d'oiseaux 13 birds with their songs and their specific sound environments. "I'm very attracted by the works of Messiaen. Catalogue d'oiseaux offers a new musical language. Each bird is evoked by his singing, his travels in its environment, the surrounding landscape etc. The music changes depending on whether the bird is found in the air of morning or evening, or depending on the weather. There are many birds in the catalogue, which gives a great diversity in sounds. The work reflects the beauty of nature, but there is also plenty of humor". – Momo Kodama