Champs Hill Records

British/American cellist Bartholomew LaFollette makes his debut recording with a programme of Brahms, bookended by the two great sonatas for cello, the second of which (F major Op 99) is heard in the brand new edition by Bärenreiter.

"To say that I’ve always had a great love for these sublime works is an understatement. I grew up knowing the sonatas by Brahms as so many cellists do – the E minor in particular being a piece I’ve played since I was 12 (although I’m sure not very well back then) so to me, playing these works feels like coming home."

The programme also includes transcriptions of Brahms’ Four Serious Songs (arr Shafran) which LaFollette describes as growing to love ‘by osmosis’ through hearing them at home, performed by his parents (his father a classically trained amateur musician, doctor and computer scientist and his mother a professional pianist). He describes this project as inspired by "Home and family. Two very important facets of both my existence as a human being and as an artist."

SEPTEMBER NEW RELEASE

Ilker Arcayürek

Franz Schubert: Der Einsame

Voted into the top ten of a new generation of rising stars and hailed for his golden voice by Opera Now Magazine, tenor Ilker Arcayürek is the winner of the 2016 International Art Song Competition of Stuttgart’s Hugo Wolf Academy. He was finalist of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition 2015 and is currently a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists. This, his debut recording, features Schubert songs exploring themes of solitude and loneliness. Ilker is joined by Simon Lepper at the piano.

“A golden and natural lyric tenor, even throughout the range and sensitive to text, with the benefit of solid top notes. … His good looks and easy charm convey well on stage and platform” Opera Now