Comment:This has to be some of the most extraordinary music ever composed. Craig Sheppard brings his own take on Bach after a period long time pondering over Bach's score. The final Contrapunctus is played in a completion by Dr. Kevin Korsyn.

Comment:MOW (Let's Speak) are Ania Bratek, vocals, Aga Derlak, piano and vocals, Mateusz Szewczyk, bass, Patryk Zakrzewski, percussion and guest on some tracks Jakub Mizeracki, guitar. Songs inspired by real life to sense and feel.

Comment:These violin and piano works by Andrew Downes showcase his interests in musical forms and their sometimes non-musical inspiration. The Sacred Mass was originally played in monasteries, while The God Marduk, goes back to 2nd century BC, Babylon.

Comment:Luigi Perrachio (1888-1966) belongs to the generation of Italian composers who include Respighi, Pizzetti and Malipiero. He released few works. These piano pieces reveal the influence of Ravel and Debussy. Beautifully played by David Korevaar.

Comment:At the end of the war Stalin expected a grandiose symphony, while Shostakovich's 9th is a masterwork of understatement. Symphony No. 10 of 1953, Mahlerian in concept, post Stalin, its second movement is said to be his musical portrait.

Comment:With Otto Hejnic, drums, are Josef Feco, bass and Ondrej Krajnak, piano, making a Classic Jazz trio of three Czech and Slovak Jazz greats. Their programme gives an Eastern European slant to some wonderful songs from down the decades of the 20th century.

Comment:In 1963 Sir John Barbirolli and the Philharmonia Orchestra toured South America. Now you can hear their wonderful performances, for the first time, preserved in good Mono sound. Loving Dvorak, exciting Sibelius, glorious Strauss and amazing Stravinsky.

Comment:These Sonatas by Viktor Kalabis (1923 - 2006) are late works composed in the wake of the Russian occupation of 1968, the Cello and Clarinet Sonatas reflect that tragic period. These are important works by a great Czech composer.

Comment:Cellist Marta Simidtchieva is Associate professor of cello at southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. Her selection of Bulgarian Sketches ranges over major figures in 20th century Bulgarian music.

Comment:Thre is some evidence to suggest that Vivaldi visited Prague around 1729. Vivaldi's religious works on this disc are known to have circulated in Moravia and Bohemia.