The two pieces below have a similar concept: piano commenting on audio soundbites.  One of them I found fascinating; the other wears out its welcome before long:    

The "Love Symbol" album is my fave.  It is so rich and satisfying to listen to.

Holligar's Scardanelli Cycle is a masterpiece of (mostly) choral music and, although it is conceived rather abstractly, can pack an emotional punch.  The movement "Winter III" is especially beautiful.  Otherwise I find his compositions rather hit-and-miss, and as most of them are released under...

Just got this album     Concert pianist Simon Tedeschi plays a series of works by Australian composers.  Most of the composers have jazz credentials, but the aesthetic of the music is very new-agey.  A really pleasant listen.

A superb conductor that I've the fortune to hear in concert is Lawrence Foster.  Foster is a strong advocate for the music of George Enescu, and has recorded much of Enescu's orchestral works (including the opera Oedipe) under EMI (now Warner Classical).  As you might expect, these aren't...

Schubert's late Piano Sonatas will do very well in setting a desolate, sombre mood.  I'm partial to Claudio Arrau: people says he overdone the romanticism, but for such music I don't think this is a fault.

Many absolutely astounding musicians choose to teach (and occasionally record), instead of going the glamorous, globe-trotting, concert soloist route, as a result they are not well-known.  Many year ago I had the fortune of listening to the cellist Collin Carr.  He was standing in for the (much...

Yes what used to be EMI Classics is now Warner Classics (for a very short while it belonged under the Universal Classics banner -- confusing, I know).  Since the change I'm seeing large number of big budget-line box sets, and it seems the new management wastes no time raiding the EMI Classics...

Brilliant Classics's Minimal Piano Collection, performed by Jeroen van Veen, has 3 fairly well-filled discs dedicated to Philip Glass -- most of his early piano works are here (though not the more recent Piano Etudes).  Also included are many interesting works by other composers.  Sound is a bit...

1.  The Book of Secrets -- Loreena McKennitt 2.  Between Tides -- Roger Eno 3.  The Standing Stones of Callanish -- Jon Mark

Try:   Space Hotel and Kamasutra Experience by Al Gromer Khan. Call of the Valley by Shivkumar Sharma, Hariprasad Chaurasia and friends. Devotion by Rasa.

JPC often have amazing deals, especially for small indie labels.  They ship at a flat rate so it is better to buy in big batches.

Yes -- usually against my will.

What kinds of CDs are you looking for?  For Independent-label classical/jazz, go to Shung Cheong (Rm 801, Bank Centre, Mong Kowk).  But in general I don't recommend brick and mortar stores in HK. (high prices, impolite and unprofessional staff).

Dungeon of Grimrock, an indie 3-D dungeon crawler.  Fun and solid old-school RPG experience, but I have no idea why the system requirement is so high (minimum Intel Dual Core 2GHz).  Because of the high portal of entrance I give it 6/10.  

But the HD remake of BG1 was almost universally panned...   And I now think of a game that should have made it to my top 5: an indie, old-school gem called Avernum 5.  While the graphics won't awe you, I found the story very involving, almost exact opposite of the common "divine power hero...

1.  Ultima V 2.  Baldur's Gate II - Shadows of Amn 3.  Dragon Quest V 4.  Bard's Tale III 5.  Wizardy 8

Now for something completely different, something cool and suave:     Aquaria is an exquisite indie action game with strong music.  Indeed music is woven straight into the story: much of the game's music is derived from a 12-note motif that turns out to be important to the plot.  

You may check out:   Bill Douglas's albums under Hearts of Space, especially Cantilena and Deep Peace. Eire: Isle of the Saints by John Doan Celtic Passage by Ceol Mor Song of the Irish Whistle Vol.1 by Joanie Madden (avoid Vol. 2) Celtic Legends: Bard & Warrior by Jeff Johnson...

Here is a little collection of essays that affects me so strongly that I feel compelled to write a long commentary on it: Piano Pieces by Russell Sherman. Sherman is a concert pianist and teacher, and his tightly-composed, aphoristic essays -- often a mere paragraph or two -- is permeated...

  Water From the Well by The Chieftains.

  Reeds and Rosin by Todd Denman and Dale Russ

  Stalker by Robert Rich and Lustmord

Quote:   That's a pretty big claim you know.   Especially considering Poland has never been short of prominent and influential composers, like Szymanosky, Lutosławski, Penderecki or even Gorecki.   You might better be pointing out that Komeda is widely respected by jazz greats such as...

Perhaps you'd be interested in two easily available albums by Gino d'Auri, Flamenco Mystico and Flameco - Passion and Soul.  Both the playing and the recording are -- as the label name -- First Class.  And then there are a number of great musicians on the label Alula Records, such as Gerardo...