A selection of recent releases by our artists: Chanticleer’s latest CD, Magnificat, reached #4 on the Billboard Classical Chart, joining albums by Yo-Yo Ma and Andrea Bocelli in the coveted Top 5. The Teldec recording features Gregorian chant and a cappella works by Josquin, Palestrina, Taverner and Victoria - a return to the group’s roots and the early music which established their reputation as “an orchestra of voices”. Ingo Metzmacher continued his innovative New Year’s concert tradition in Hamburg and once again conducted an entire programme of 20th century music including works by Gershwin, Adams, Takemitsu, Antheil, Honneger, Shostakovitch, Copland and others. EMI recorded the event live, resulting in Who is Afraid of 20th Century Music? Vol. 2, rush-released within a week of the event! As part of their excellent American Classics series, Naxos has released a follow-up CD with the RSNO under Marin Alsop, continuing their recordings of the orchestral works of Samuel Barber. This recording includes the rare suite version of Barber’s Medea ballet music, as well as his lyrical Cello Concerto with soloist Wendy Warner. BIS has released a recording of music for violin and piano by Fritz Kreisler. Viennese Rhapsody, featuring Leonidas Kavakos and Peter Nagy, was recorded at the Athens Megaron last summer. In February BMG released Charming Weill: Dance Band Arrangements, performed by the Max Raabe and the Palastorchester under the artistic direction of HK Gruber. These are the original publisher’s dance band arrangements, made by master arrangers of Weill’s time. Celebrated violinist Midori made a live recording of a disc of the Mozart Sinfonia Concertante and Concerto for Violin and Piano with Christoph Eschenbach and the NDR in Hamburg for Sony Classical for release this Spring. James MacMillan’s music is featured on a disc conducted by the composer, released by BIS in February. The Scottish Chamber Orchestra performs his Symphony No. 2 (premiered in 1999), Cumnock Fair, and Sinfonietta.