Some of today’s favorite classical music masters released albums over the past few weeks. Joshua Bell leads the Academy of St Martin in the Fields — where he is about to embark on his fifteenth season as Music Director — in Niccolò Paganini’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with a new cadenza. In advance of the Metropolitan Opera’s season opening with Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen, Decca Classics presents the star soprano’s new album of Verdi arias. Cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han (artistic directors of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS)) present Beethoven’s six Piano Trios in a landmark new recording project bringing together six of today’s leading violinists — all of whom are alumni of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Bowers Program. In the world of orchestral music, Kent Nagano and the Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra complete their Brahms symphony cycle with this landmark recording of the first two symphonies. Finally, a brilliant young 16-year old pianist releases his debut album with Deutsche Grammophon.
New Releases September 15: Joshua Bell, Lise Davidsen, and more
Cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han (artistic directors of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS), founders and directors of Music@Menlo festival, and founders of the classical record label ArtistLed) present Beethoven’s six Piano Trios in a landmark new recording project bringing together six of today’s leading violinists — Benjamin Beilman, Chad Hoopes, Paul Huang, Kristin Lee, Arnaud Sussmann, and Danbi Um. The violinists all are alumni of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Bowers Program and have since assumed prominent roles among the Society’s distinguished roster of artists. Benjamin Beilman, featured in the Op. 97 “Archduke” Trio, is an alumnus of the Music Institute of Chicago Academy where he studied with the legendary teachers Roland and Almita Vamos. The other five violinists for the three Op. 1 trios and the two Op. 70 trios are well-known to audiences who attend CMS concerts at the Harris Theater and enjoy CMS’s weekly program syndicated by the WFMT Radio Network.
Kent Nagano and the Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra complete their Brahms symphony cycle with this landmark recording of the first two symphonies. Recorded in concert, Nagano brings unrivalled authority to this music having won the prestigious 2024 Prize of the Schleswig-Holstein Brahms Society. With this new album, Nagano crowns his decade leading the orchestra in Hamburg where was principal conductor from 2015 until 2025. Their recording of the latter two Brahms symphonies was released in 2025.
Joshua Bell leads the Academy of St Martin in the Fields — where he is about to embark on his fifteenth season as Music Director — in Niccolò Paganini’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with a new cadenza by Bell. The Grammy Award-winner and honorary Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to Music first performed Paganini’s Violin Concerto No. 1 at just 13 years old. More than 40 years later, he returns to one of the violin repertoire’s most technically demanding works with the insight and artistry that come from a lifetime of performing. Bell explains: “Just a decade after [the composition of] Beethoven’s iconic Violin Concerto, Paganini pushed the violin’s physical capabilities further than anyone had before. Despite its obvious technical difficulty, this concerto is rich with musical challenges – it is extraordinarily operatic, straight out of The Barber of Seville, full of wit, charm, and drama. As the soloist, you get to play every character! This is not just a ‘showpiece,’ it is a masterpiece in its own way.” The all-Paganini album includes James Stephenson’s chamber orchestra arrangement of Cantabile and Bell’s recording of Carnival of Venice as a bonus track.
Following the announcement of having signed Justus Eichhorn to the label, Deutsche Grammophon releases the debut album 16-year-old German pianist. Justus Eichhorn is already one of the most exceptional and distinctive classical artists of his generation and has given sold-out performances at prestigious venues from Hamburg and Zurich to Shenzhen and Seoul. His charisma, authenticity, and creative use of social media (@justus.pianist) have helped him build an impressive international profile. With half a million followers and counting, he is attracting classical fans and new listeners of all ages to his live appearances as well as his online content. The Source is an homage to his home city of Weimar featuring music by composers closely connected with Weimar, including J.S. Bach, Hindemith, Felix Mendelssohn, Liszt, and Richard Strauss. The album also includes a Vivaldi arrangement, the world premiere recordings of three of Eichhorn’s own works, and the etudes by Czerny (Liszt’s piano teacher) which are among Eichhorn’s most popular online content.
In advance of the Metropolitan Opera’s season opening with Lise Davidsen starring as Verdi’s Lady Macbeth, Decca Classics presents the star soprano’s new album of Verdi arias. Recorded with Edward Gardner and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the album marks the Norwegian soprano’s first recording devoted entirely to Verdi, bringing together scenes from five of the composer’s greatest operas: Macbeth, Un ballo in maschera, La forza del destino, Don Carlo, and Aida. Although Davidsen first sang Verdi early in her career, she deliberately waited before taking on the composer’s great heroines until her voice and artistic maturity had fully developed. Described by Metropolitan Opera General Manager Peter Gelb as “in a league of her own,” Davidsen is widely recognized as one of today’s leading dramatic sopranos.
