ABC Jazz is excited to announce the very first commercial release of a recording by Paul Cutlan's Coltrane Project, including a complete performance of John Coltrane's unfathomable masterpiece, Ascension. The Coltrane Project was formed by Paul Cutlan and John Mackey as a one-off tribute concert in 1997 to mark the 30th anniversary of Coltrane's death. Gathering together some of Australia's finest improvisers, the popularity of the concept and the transformative energy of the ensemble has seen it regroup for a number of very special shows over the years, unique gatherings, never to be repeated, and never to be heard beyond those lucky few in the room - until now.  This release chronicles the highpoint of the project, when the ensemble swelled to 10 people in order to perform Ascension, that gigantic opus of Coltrane’s late repertoire, at the Side On Café in Annandale, in Sydney's inner-west.  "To me," says Cutlan, "Coltrane has always represented many things: an unreachably high standard of saxophone playing, the complexity and mystery of his harmonic and technical innovations, the inspiration of his untiring quest to always be better, to always be searching for greater spiritual and technical modes of expression, and an honest, human, universal quality which inspires my own efforts to discover what makes me unique and worthwhile as a musician." Recorded for Radio National's Live on Stage program, this concert featured two sets: the first featured a sextet of Adam Ponting (piano), Steve Elphick and Steve Arié (basses), Toby Hall (drums), Andrew Robson (alto sax) and Paul Cutlan on tenor sax, bass clarinet and E-flat clarinet, performing both Coltrane compositions and originals by members of the project inspired by Coltrane’s output.  This gig began with Cutlan's own Blue Step, a piece in the style of Coltrane Plays the Blues, fused with a progression from his iconic Giant Steps. Equinox follows in a minor key with a slower, moodier blues: it gives the two basses plenty of space to interact, blending with bass clarinet. Then the key shifts up a semitone, unleashing a searing alto sax solo from Andrew Robson, before sinking back to the depths.  Naima is John Coltrane’s best known and loved ballad, written for his first wife. In this version, the bass clarinet and two basses once again create a dark, velvety texture, before a sublime piano solo from Adam Ponting. Kaleidoscope is a quirky, Calypso melody built on the harmonic progression to Giant Steps, written by Tony Gorman. Alto sax and piccolo clarinet duet before trading choruses, then the two basses also trade choruses. Then came the second set - Ascension itself: a massive piece of intense expression, in which the players collectively create walls of sound. Each performer is featured in turn against this visceral environment, galvanised to transcend themselves in sound. For this set, the sextet is joined by Sandy Evans (tenor sax), Mathew Clare (alto sax), Phillip Slater (trumpet) and Jeremy Borthwick (trombone) - an incredible lineup featuring some of the most creative and accomplished jazz performers in Sydney.  "Among the inspiring line up of players on this performance," says Cutlan, "I want to make special mention of alto saxophonist Mathew Clare. This special musician died tragically young and isn’t documented on many recordings. I’m thrilled that audiences will now be able to hear Mathew’s highly emotive solo on Ascension, starting at 16:30."  "I’ve often wondered what to do with these recordings over the years, wanting to make them publicly available, but reticent to commit to producing an album or compilation. I think there are some incredible performances among all three recordings, but the original Coltrane albums are a daunting yardstick to be measured against. I’m really happy that this last ABC recording is finally being released - this seems to be the most appropriate way to share the accomplishments of a band which certainly developed an exciting and individual identity, as it came to grips with this awe-inspiring repertoire."   Tracklisting: 1. Blue Step (Paul Cutlan) 2. Equinox (John Coltrane) 3. Naima (John Coltrane) 4. Kaleidoscope (Tony Gorman) 5. Ascension (John Coltrane)   Paul Cutlan – tenor saxophone (1, 5), bass clarinet (2, 3), E-flat clarinet (4) Andrew Robson – alto saxophone Adam Ponting – piano Steve Elphick & Steve Arié – bass Toby Hall – drums   Plus (track 5 only): Sandy Evans – tenor saxophone  Matthew Clare – alto saxophone Phillip Slater – trumpet Jeremy Borthwick – trombone   

WINNER OF TWO HELPMANN AWARDS 2019:• BEST SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERT (WASO) • BEST INDIVIDUAL CLASSICAL MUSIC PERFORMANCE (ASHER FISCH) ABC Classic is proud to announce the release of a landmark new recording of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, one of the towering creations in the history of music.This recording – captured live in concert in August 2018 – features a remarkable cast of singers including Stuart Skelton, one of the world’s greatest Wagner singers, who makes his long-awaited debut recording as Tristan. One of his signature roles, Skelton has performed Tristan to great acclaim all over the world, from The Metropolitan Opera in New York to the English National Opera and Germany’s Baden-Baden Festival, hailed as “a Tristan for the ages”, his performance “an unflagging, glorious lighthouse of Wagnerian singing, with inexhaustible power, vibrant resonance allied to warmth, subtlety and grace, and committed dramatic expression”.Isolde is sung by German soprano Gun-Brit Barkmin, acclaimed over her glittering career for her interpretation of leading roles in works by Janáček, Britten, Berg, Wagner and Richard Strauss. Her Isolde was hailed as “thrilling”, “an extraordinarily complete portrayal” that was “a revelation”.They are joined on this recording by an all-star cast includingEkaterina Gubanova, Boaz Daniel and Ain Anger, alongside theWest Australian Symphony Orchestra conducted by their Principal Conductor Asher Fisch, one of today’s supreme Wagner interpreters.Tristan und Isoldechanged forever the rules about what music should and could be, and introduced concepts – including chromaticism, dissonance and even atonality – which would define the development of music throughout the 20th century.But it is above all a work of staggering beauty, of love unfulfilled, where singers and orchestra come together in some of the most sublime music ever written. “Life and death, the whole import and existence of the outer world,” wrote Wagner himself, “here hang on nothing but the inner movements of the soul.”Praise for the concerts at which this recording was made:“An astonishing gift to audiences and a triumph of music making… WASO has never sounded better, and you’ll not encounter this stunning cast again.” –Limelight “I was there — and knew I was in the presence of greatness.” –The West Australian“Superlative” – BachTrack“There was a loud and universal standing ovation, richly deserved after this unforgettable account of Wagner’s masterpiece.” –Australian Book Review“One of the most revelatory Wagner experiences I’ve had in my life.” –Daily Review“As impressive a cast as you’d be lucky to find at Covent Garden or The Met.” – Limelight Album available to preview here Tristan und IsoldeMusic and libretto by Richard Wagner 1813–1883 Stuart Skelton TristanGun-Brit Barkmin IsoldeEkaterina Gubanova BrangäneBoaz Daniel KurwenalAin Anger King MarkeAngus Wood MelotPaul O’Neill Young Sailor / ShepherdAndrew Foote Steersman WASO ChorusSt George’s Cathedral Consort West Australian Symphony OrchestraAsher Fisch Conductor Recorded live in concert, 16 & 19 August 2018

Since 2008, Latitude 37 has been delighting audiences around Australia and beyond with its unique approach to early music, combining musical integrity with a passion for communicating the beauty and humanity of Baroque music through performance.This album contains all-new recordings of music which has brought the trio joy over its first ten years together. ‘We’ve chosen works that are close to our heart as Baroque players – traditional favourites such as Marin Marais’s Bells of St Genevieve as well as lesser-known gems by Erlebach, Cavalli andUccellini. And we also wanted to celebrate those times when we kick off our shoes and have some collective fun: exotic Bulgarian dances, French folk songs, and exquisite music by Erik Satie, reimagined for the 17th century.’The three members of Latitude 37 – two from Australia and one originally from New Zealand – are all graduates of the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, drawn together by their commitment to historically informed performance of 17th- and 18th-century music, and their performances marry scholarship with virtuosity, creative flair and a warm rapport with audiences.Named after the latitudinal position which links Melbourne to New Zealand, the trio has become a firm favourite on the Australasian early music scene, with regular festival appearances, concerts at the Melbourne Recital Centre, tours for Chamber Music New Zealand, numerous broadcasts on ABC Classic and three CD albums, including two ARIA nominations. Its distinctive combination of Baroque violin, viola da gamba and harpsichord opens up a wealth of repertoire that is rarely explored by other Australian ensembles. TRACKLISTING1 TRAD. BULGARIAN arr. Latitude 37 Bulgarjaska 1 & 22 PHILIPP HEINRICH ERLEBACH Sonata Seconda: IV. Sarabande3 ERIK SATIE arr. Latitude 37 Gnossienne No. 34 LEV KNIPPER arr. Latitude 37 Song of the Steppes5 TRAD. FRENCH arr. Latitude 37 Où êtes-vous allés mes belles amourettes6 TRAD. FRENCH arr. Latitude 37 Dedans une plaine7 FRANCESCO CAVALLI Canzona à 3: IV. Passacaglia8 PALESTRINA arr. BASSANO Tota pulchra es9 MARCO UCCELLINI Sonata Seconda ‘La Luciminia Contenta’10 MARIN MARAIS Sonnerie de Sainte-Geneviève du Mont de Paris Latitude 37:Julia Fredersdorff Baroque violinDonald Nicolson harpsichord & organLaura Vaughanviola da gamba & lirone with special guests:Hannah Lane triple harpLizzy Welsh Baroque violinNicholas Pollock theorbo & gallichon

When the mighty Sydney Town Hall Organ, one of the wonders of the musical world, emerged from 12 solid years of repairs and refurbishment in the mid 1980s, the organist chosen to capture its magnificence on disc for the first time was the Australian virtuoso David Drury. This 3 album set begins with that extraordinary recording, made to celebrate the centenary of this unique and glorious instrument: built by William Hill in 1890, the biggest and best-preserved 19th-century Romantic organ in the world.Drury’s flawless technique is coupled with an extraordinary sensitivity to the vast range of tonal colours available on its 8,756 pipes, which range in size from barely 10cm – no bigger than a ball-point pen – to a record-breaking 64 foot (19½ metre) Contra-Trombone stop. There is music of whisper-light delicacy and music of earth-shaking grandeur, and every possible shade and timbre in between. A second disc, released in 1993 and included as #2 of this collection, continues this magical pairing of master-organist and world-renowned instrument, while extensive liner notes trace the organ’s fascinating history.Album 3 takes us to Melbourne, where Drury explores the power and the subtlety of another splendid instrument: the T.C. Lewis organ in St Paul’s Cathedral. Across all three discs, Drury offers a dazzling range of repertoire, from monumental organ works by Reger and Liszt to orchestral classics by Bach, Elgar, Saint-Saëns and Wagner, brilliantly arranged for the ‘king of instruments’. This collection also features three thrilling improvisations by Drury himself – the only Australian ever to win the prestigious Tournemire Prize for improvisation. TRACKLISTING CD1 Music for a Grand Organ William Hill & Son Grand Organ, Sydney Town Hall 1        MENDELSSOHN arr. Best           War March of the Priests from Athalie2        FRANCK Cantabile3        GIGOUT Toccata4        WAGNER transcr. Lemare           Pilgrims’ Chorus from Tannhäuser5        DUPRÉ Cortège et Litanie6        PEETERS Aria7        SAINT-SAËNS transcr. Lemare           Danse macabre8        STANFORD Fantasia and Toccata9        DRURY Improvisation on a Theme of Nigel Butterley10      HOLLINS A Song of Sunshine11      MOSZKOWSKI arr. Goss-Custard           Romance sans paroles12      KOEHNE Gothic Toccata CD2 Pomp & CircumstanceWilliam Hill & Son Grand Organ, Sydney Town Hall 1        ELGAR transcr. Lemare           Pomp and Circumstance No. 12        BACH arr. Phillips Orchestral Suite No. 3: Air3-4     WHITLOCK Sonata in C minor5        LISZT Fantasy and Fugue on the Chorale ‘Ad nos, ad salutarem undam’6        ELGAR arr. Harris Enigma Variations: ‘Nimrod’7        DRURY Improvisation on a Theme of Peter Sculthorpe8        HOLLINS A Trumpet Minuet9        VIERNE Carillon de Westminster CD3 On a Grand ScaleT.C. Lewis Organ, St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne 1-2     SAINT-SAËNS Prelude and Fugue in C major3        DRURY Improvisation4-6     JACKSON Toccata, Chorale and Fugue          JONGEN 4 pièces, Op. 37 7        I. Cantabile 8        II. Improvisation – Caprice 9        III. Prière 10      IV. Choral11-12  REGER Fantasy on the Chorale ‘Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme!’ David Drury organ

The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge is unquestionably one of the finest choirs in the world. Founded in the 15th century and drawing on an unbroken tradition of musical excellence, the Choir has captured the hearts of listeners all around the world. Generations of Australian audiences have thrilled to the exquisite beauty of the Choir’s annual Christmas festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, in radio broadcasts from the BBC; in July and August this year, they have the opportunity to hear these inspirational singers in the flesh, as the Choir embarks on a national tour for Musica Viva Australia.To celebrate this event, ABC Classic is delighted to release this limited edition collection of classic King’s College recordings, featuring three of its most respected directors: Stephen Cleobury, David Willcocks and Philip Ledger, and drawing on the repertoire being presented on the Choir’s Australian tour. The album takes us on a journey through the English choral music tradition, from a cappella Renaissance jewels by English masters William Byrd and Orlando Gibbons to the masterpieces of the 20th-century British cathedral tradition: Charles Stanford, Gerald Finzi, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Hubert Parry and, at the heart of the album, Benjamin Britten’s meltingly beautiful and infinitely joyous A Ceremony of Carols, for treble voices and harp.TRACKLISTING  1        GIBBONS Hosanna to the Son of David 2        PURCELL Iehovah, quam multi sunt 3        FINZI Lo, the Full, Final Sacrifice 4        STANFORD For Lo, I Raise Up 5-16   BRITTEN A Ceremony of Carols 17      PURCELL Remember Not, Lord, Our Offences 18      VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Valiant-for-Truth 19      BYRD Laudibus in sanctis 20      PARRY I Was Glad  Choir of King’s College, Cambridgeconducted bySir Stephen Cleobury (tracks 2, 4–16, 18 and 19)Sir David Willcocks (tracks 3 and 20)Sir Philip Ledger (tracks 1 and 17)Choir of King’s College, Cambridgeconducted bySir Stephen Cleobury (tracks 2, 4–16, 18 and 19)Sir David Willcocks (tracks 3 and 20)Sir Philip Ledger (tracks 1 and 17)