The Seattle Symphony releases Des canyons aux étoiles… (“From the Canyons to the Stars…”), which takes inspiration from the rock spires, birdsong and night sky of Utah’s national parks. With Conductor Emeritus Ludovic Morlot at the podium and guest artist Steven Osborne on piano, the Symphony presents Messiaen’s starry-eyed journey through nature and the divine. Two concerts of the entire 110-minute-long work were recorded in the stunning acoustics of Benaroya Hall. Digital downloads and CDs will be available through all major online music retailers and streaming services on November 17, 2023.

Experience a programme of modern classics from Eastern Europe performed by the talented Peter Toperczer and the Prague Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Jindřich Rohan, as well as the Milton Katims leading the Seattle Symphony Orchestra with Béla Síki. This Naxos release seamlessly blends the elegance of Tomášek's Piano Concerto No. 1 with the playful charm of Dohnányi's Variations on a Nursery Song. Síki and Toperczer's virtuosic piano skills, coupled with the symphonic brilliance of both orchestras, breathe life into these captivating compositions, creating an album that's a true treasure for classical music enthusiasts.

Istomin and Schwarz have performed these immortal concertos many times, and insisted on recording them in long, complete takes in order to capture the live experience. "Prof." Johnson's wizardry pays large dividends in natural, high-resolution string textures and huge, three-dimensional soundstage.