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.

Join our mailing list to receive a discount on our recordings.

CDE 84476 Chopin - Busoni - Mompou
Kaoru Bingham - Piano
Featuring Chopin's 24 Preludes, Opus 28, Bingham casts this magnificent work in a new light by framing it with two sets of variations on Chopin themes, Ferruccio Busoni's Ten Variations on a Chopin Prelude and Federico Mompou's Variations on a Theme of Chopin. Though both following at least a full generation after Chopin, the Italian, Busoni (1866-1924) and Catalan composer, Mompou (1893-1987) demonstrate the wide-reaching and continued influence of Chopin's body of work, providing a window onto European pianism of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.  

From the Bach-inspired Chopin Preludes through Busoni's late romanticism to Mompou's decadent, often witty Variations, Kaoru Bingham once again displays her ability as one of the great pianists of her generation.

CLICK  IMAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CDE 84558 The Musical Legacy of Frederick the Great

This important recording of flute sonatas composed by Frederick II, King of Prussia, and some of the most significant composers associated with his court, C.P.E. Bach, J.J. Quantz, and F. Benda, brings together for the first time on disc some of the works that represent the pinnacle of flute music from Northern Germany. It is this music that directly precedes the flowering of the Classical tradition, with baroque polyphony from France and Germany looking back to the great J.S. Bach, and the incorporation of a more melodic Italian style looking forward to W.A. Mozart. Providing a window onto the musical life of the court of King Frederick the Great, this recording is both an important historical document and a sumptuous display of music of the period, performed by two of Australia's most renowned and best-loved musicians, Gerhard Mallon - Flute and Julian Byzantine - Guitar.

CLICK  IMAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

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.

CLICK  IMAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CDE84559 Piano Music by Brahms

Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann, Op.9

Variations on an Original Theme, Op.21, No.1

Variations on a Hungarian Song, Op.21, No.2

Variations on a Theme of G. F. Handel, Op.24

Featuring the principal variation sets written by Brahms, this recording displays the full gamut of Brahms' technical and expressive mastery, from the neo-Baroque spirit of the Variations on a Theme of G.F. Handel, Op. 24 to the more Romantic Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann, Op. 9. Described by Schumann as the heir to Beethoven, with these displays of piano virtuosity Brahms perhaps brings the genre of the variation to its very summation. Canadian pianist Paul Berkowitz once again provides superb interpretations of Brahms' piano music.

CLICK  IMAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

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'.

CLICK  IMAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CDE 84562 Alexander Goehr
Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano
Suite for Violin and Piano
Largamente from Op.18
Piano Quintet

We are proud to announce an historic recording of chamber works by the world-renowned composer, Alexander Goehr. Ranging from the 1966 Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano, Opus 20, through to the Suite for Violin and Piano and the Piano Quintet (2000), this disc is an important and fitting tribute to Alexander Goehr, recorded to mark his 75th birthday year.

One of Britain's foremost composers, Goehr has pursued an extraordinary career as a musician and educator, having also taught many of the finest composers of the next generation, most notably at Cambridge where he was appointed to the Professorship of Music in 1975. It seems appropriate, therefore, that this disc features upcoming musicians Daniel Becker (piano), Ning Kam (violin), Thomas Carroll (cello) and the Elias Quartet, some the most gifted musicians of the fast-emerging next generation.   

CLICK  IMAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION