New Releases

Welcome to the Meridian Records website.

MERIDIAN RECORDS are the original experts in ‘natural sound recordings’. Thirty years ago, at a dinner party, our founders presented their vision for an independent classical label that would reproduce the concert-hall experience as closely as possible. Everyone said it would never work. Thirty years on we hold a clutch of industry awards, including the honour of being the first independent label to win a GRAMOPHONE award, and we continue to astound listeners and artists with our stylish and captivating recordings using our revered ‘natural sound’ technique.
See Our ‘Natural Sound’ Philosophy for more.

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CDE 84561 MUSIC FOR STRINGS     ISIS ENSEMBLE
Bee Sting Dance in Rohan's Kitchen, Yigdal, Suite for Strings   
The Old Castle from Pictures at an Exhibition
Variations on a Ukrainian Folksong, Modlitwa ('Prayer')

Furthering our reputation for supporting new and upcoming artists and ensembles, Meridian Records are delighted to announce "Music for Strings", performed by the Isis Ensemble. 
Officially launched to audience acclaim at a concert in the prestigious St. James's, Piccadilly, "Music for Strings" is already proving a 'hit', having been featured on Radio 3's 'In Tune' just days after release. The CD, consisting entirely of World Premiere Recordings of string orchestra music, ranges from Malcolm Arnold to the brilliant 17 year old composer Salomon Cuellar. It also includes Andrzej Panufnik's last work which has been completed and arranged by his daughter Roxanna, and new works by Rohan Kriwaczek and the orchestra's conductor, Jacques Cohen. The Isis Ensemble was launched in 2005 and comprises some of the finest chamber and orchestral musicians working in the country today.

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CDE 84557     HANS GÁL     The Complete String Quartets 2 Disc Set
EDINBURGH QUARTET
Vol. 1
Quartet No.1 in f minor Op.16 (1916) 
Quartet No.4 in b flat major Op.99 (1970) 
Improvisation, Variations and Finale on a Theme by Mozart Op.60b (1934)

Vol. 2
Quartet No.2 in a minor Op.35 (1929) 
Quartet No.3 in b minor Op.95 (1969) 
5 Intermezzi Op.10 (1914) 
A contemporary of Schoenberg, Berg and Webern, on Hitler’s accession the Austrian Jew Hans Gál was stripped of his role as Director of Mainz Conservatory, and was one of the many composers whose works were banned from public performance. Fleeing to Edinburgh, Gál remained committed to the Austro-German tradition. Here, the Edinburgh Quartet - the composer’s foremost champions - interpret Gál with  style, clarity and intensity.  

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CDE 84551  PIANO MUSIC OF BRAZIL   EDUARDO MONTEIRO
Francisco Mignone, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Oscar Lorenzo Fernandez
Leopoldo Miguez, Marlos Nobre, Cláudio Santoro, Almeida Prado

Eduardo Monteiro has rapidly established himself as the one of the outstanding Brazilian pianists of his generation, and has performed at prestigious venues throughout his native Brazil, the USA and Europe. This recording, recently released to critical acclaim at London's premier chamber music venue, the Wigmore Hall, features music from the rich yet under-explored seam of Brazilian piano repertoire. From the famed early-twentieth century composer Heitor Villa-Lobos through to Almeida Prado student of Ligeti and Messiaen and one of the most significant figures in contemporary Brazilian music this recording uncovers the history and depth of twentieth-century piano music from Brazil. Monteiro plays throughout with skill, passion, and flair, creating a recording that simply must be heard by anyone wishing to discover a new and exciting repertoire for the piano.

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CDE 84548 Mozart Masterpieces arranged for Woodwind Quintet by Mordechai Rechtman  VOL. 2
Meridian Records is delighted to announce a further volume of recordings by the acclaimed Israel Woodwind Quintet. Once again featuring arrangements by the outstanding scholar-musician, Mordechai Rechtman, this disc of masterpieces by Mozart marks an important contribution to the repertoire of woodind quintet music.

Founded in 1963, the Israel Woodwind Quintet has consistently been formed of some of the world's finest players, and has always championed the creation of new music for this particular combination of instruments, either in the form of contemporary music or through arrangements of classic works. In this recording, Mordechai Rechtman, founder and director of the Israel Woodwind Quintet, has provided a set of skilful arrangements of works by Mozart that are sure to appeal to anyone who enjoys the music of the great composer, music for woodwind ensemble, and especially both together. From Mozart's moving Adagios to the impressive works for Mechanical Organ, this recording features music and musicianship of the very highest quality. 

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CDE 84550 THE BRITISH DOUBLE BASS

Meridian Records are thrilled to announce the release of the second of Leon Bosch's recordings on the Meridian label, The British Double Bass, performed by this virtuoso double bass player with pianist Sung-Suk Kang and I Musicanti under the direction of Susanna Candlin.

The British Double Bass is the first recording to feature works for the double bass by some of the most important British composers of the twentieth century. From Lennox Berkeley's lyrical 1971 Introduction and Allegro to the passionate romanticism of Alan Bush and Thomas Pitfield, and including John McCabe's ethereal 1986 Pueblo for Solo Double Bass written for Bosch, this recording displays the full range of 'the Cinderella of instruments'.

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CDE 84560
JANACEK - The Dante Quartet with Ferenc Rados - piano
String Quartet No. 1 “Kreutzer Sonata” (1923)
Allegro for Violin and Piano (1916)
Sonata for Violin and Piano (1914 rev. 1921)
String Quartet No. 2 “Intimate Letters” (1928)

“Janacek was stimulated above all by the inner lives of real human beings, and by the tragedy of their destinies”, the music scholar Paul Griffiths has noted, and the chamber works on this disc are undoubtedly some of the most important examples of this powerful quality in Janacek’s music. From the Allegro and Sonata to the two String Quartets, the works on this recording trace Janacek’s musical path from the moment at which he was finally recognised, following the 1916 Prague premiere of his opera Jenufa, through his most fruitful years up to his death in 1928. Known for the emotional intensity of their playing the Dante Quartet, here with pianist Ferenc Rados, are a perfect match for Janacek’s music, resulting in a recording of incomparable imagination, virtuosity and passion.

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