WALTER BRAUNFELS
Braunfels: Die Vogel [The Birds] (complete opera recorded in 2009) BLU-RAY Désirée Rancatore / Brandon Jovanovich / James Johnson / Martin Gantner / Los Angeles Opera Orchestra & Chorus / James Conlon [ Arthaus Musik Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 16/Feb/2011 ] "A rare chance to hear Braunfels's lighthearted, tenderly spiritual and little-known fable…" The New York Times "A marvelous performance…the orchestra sounded radiant." Los Angeles Times "Conlon conducted with lustrous élan…We should hear more... |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Otello (complete opera recorded in 2015) BLU-RAY Metropolitan Opera / Aleksandrs Antonenko, Sonya Yoncheva, Željko Lučić, Chad Shelton, Dimitri Pittas, Jennifer Johnson / Yannick Nézet-Séguin (cond) [ Sony Classical Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 24/Sep/2016 ] "Ms. Yoncheva, the fast-rising Bulgarian soprano, just 33, is poised for a major career, and this Desdemona shows why. Her luscious sound has just enough of an earthy tinge and texture to balance the shimmer of her singing." NY Times |
ARRIGO BOITO
Boito: Mefistofele (Complete opera recorded in 2013) BLU-RAY San Francisco Opera / Ildar Abdrazakov, Ramón Vargas, Patricia Racette, Erin Johnson / Nicola Luisotti (conductor) [ EuroArts San Francisco Opera BLU-RAY / Blu-ray Disc - released 10/Jul/2016 ] Boito's resplendent retelling of Goethe's Faust, a monumental work of "choral grandeur and melodic richness" (The New York Times) in one of the most impressive productions ever seen at the War Memorial Opera House. The cast includes Ramón Vargas,... |
FRANZ SCHUBERT
Complete Songs Volume 12: The Young Schubert Adrian Thompson (tenor), Graham Johnson (piano) [ Hyperion Complete Schubert Edition / CD ] The Young Schubert |
Al Johnson
Back for More [ Soulmusic.com / CD - released 18/Jul/2011 ] |
QUILTER / WARLOCK / GRAINGER / HOLST / GIBBS / etc
the Power of Love: An English Songbook Alice Coote (mezzo-soprano) Graham Johnson (piano) [ Hyperion / CD - released 10/Mar/2012 ] "From start to finish, the artistry of Alice Coote and Graham Johnson is of the highest order." (Gramophone) |
Alphonso Johnson
Moonshadows / Yesterday's Dreams / Spellbound [ Bgo / 2 CD - released 27/Nov/2015 ] |
QUILTER
Folk-Song Arrangements / Part-Songs for Women's Voices (Complete) Amanda Pitt (soprano) Joanne Thomas (mezzo-soprano) Philip Langridge (tenor) David Wilson-Johnson (bass-baritone) David Owen Norris (piano) [ Naxos English Song Series Vol 11 / CD - released 29/May/2005 ] "A worthy addition to British song history. Quilter enhances traditional tunes with understated, self effacing arrangements" (MusicWeb June 2005) |
FRANZ SCHUBERT
Complete Songs Volume 22: An 1815 Schubertiad (II) Simon Keenlyside (baritone), Patricia Rozario (soprano), Catherine Denley (alto), John Mark Ainsley (tenor), Michael George (bass), Graham Johnson (pi [ Hyperion Complete Schubert Edition / CD - released 1/Jan/2010 ] |
JOHANNES BRAHMS
Brahms: The Complete Songs, Vol. 1 (Incls 'Sieben Lieder, Op 48') Angelika Kirchschlager (mezzo-soprano), Graham Johnson (piano) [ Hyperion Brahms Song Edition / CD - released 20/Jun/2010 ] "All in all, this is another bag of riches from Johnson to look forward to, and a great start to Brahms." (AudAud.com) |
BENJAMIN BRITTEN
St Nicolas / Hymn to St Cecilia Anthony Rolf Johnson (tenor) Corydon Singers, English Chamber Orchestra, Matthew Best (conductor) [ Hyperion Helios / CD - released 1/Nov/2009 ] "A fresh and atmospheric account of Britten's colourful cantata" Penguin Guide |
J.S. BACH
St John Passion (Complete Oratorio) Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Marjana Lipovsek, Angela Maria Blasi / Concertus musicus Wien / Harnoncourt [ Teldec Das Alte Werk / 2 CD - released 1/Jun/2008 ] The Austrian cellist, viol player, and conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt was born in Berlin, grew up in Graz (Austria) and studied the cello in Vienna, where from 1952 to 1969 he was a cellist with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. |
BRITTEN
The Five Canticles / Purcell realizations Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Michael Chance, Alan Opie, Roger Vignoles, etc [ Hyperion Helios / CD - released 15/Oct/2012 ] Anthony Rolfe Johnson (tenor), Roger Vignoles (piano), Michael Chance (countertenor), Alan Opie (baritone), Sioned Williams (harp) & Michael Thompson (horn) |
J. S. BACH
Bach: Christmas Oratorio (complete oratorio) Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Nancy Argenta, Anne Sofie von Otter, Olaf Bar / The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists / John Eliot Gardiner [ Archiv Collectors Edition / 2 CD - released 1/Aug/2014 ] Gardiner's celebrated Christmas Oratorio, first released in 1987, offered at mid-price for the first time. With soloists including Anthony Rolfe Johnson (Evangelist), Nancy Argenta and Anne Sofie von Otter. |
CAROLINE NORTON / MAUDE VALERIE WHITE / LIZA LEHMANN / and others
In praise of Woman (English women composers) Anthony Rolfe Johnson (tenor) Graham Johnson (piano) [ Hyperion Helios / CD - released 13/Jul/2004 ] PICK OF THE YEAR, CD REVIEW GRAMOPHONE EDITOR'S CHOICE |
RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
Vaughan Williams: Five Mystical Songs / On Wenlock Edge (Chamber version) / English Folksongs Anthony Rolfe Johnson (tenor) / Graham Johnson (piano) / Simon Keenlyside (baritone) / Duke Quartet [ Naxos English Song Series / CD - released 16/Mar/2003 ] Ralph Vaughan Williams was born in the Gloucestershire village of Down Ampney in 1872, the son of a clergyman. His ancestry on both his father's and mother's side was of some intellectual distinction. |
VAUGHAN WILLAIMS
The Best of (Incls The Wasps Overture & Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis) Anthony Rolfe-Johnson (tenor) David Greed (violin) / Bournemouth Symphony / English Northern Philharmonia / New Zealand Symphony Orchestra / etc [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jul/2008 ] One of the leading English composers of his generation, Vaughan Williams went some way towards creating a specifically English musical idiom, influenced by his interest in folk-song yet underpinned by a personal vision and language. |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: The Symphonies complete (budget price) Arleen Auger, Catherine Robbin, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Gregory Reinhart / The Academy of Ancient Music / Christopher Hogwood [ Decca Collectors Edition / 5 CD - released 10/Aug/2007 ] "As befits Hogwood's performances, the L'Oiseau-Lyre recordings have a mingled size and clarity that tend to outshine not only Nimbus's obviously idiosyncratic sound but also the slightly grey sound of Norrington's EMI Seventh. Only time will tell... |
BENJAMIN BRITTEN
Canticles I-V Ben Johnson (tenor) James Baillieu (piano), Christopher Ainslie (countertenor), Benedict Nelson (baritone), Martin Owen (horn) & Lucy Wakeford (harp) [ Signum / CD - released 1/Mar/2013 ] As part of the celebration Britten's Centenary in 2013, this new recording presents Britten's five Canticles, performed by tenor Ben Johnson with James Baillieu accompanying. |