GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi Heroines Maria Callas (soprano) / Philharmonia Orchestra / Orchestre de la Societe des Concerts du Conservatoire, Nicola Rescigno [ EMI Classics / CD - released 5/Mar/2007 ] "Classic Callas recordings, which should be in every opera lover's collection" Penguin Guide |
ROBERT SCHUMANN
Schumann: Requiem For Mignon / Mass in C minor Orchestre de la fondation Gulbenkian de Lisbonne, Choeur de la Fondation Gulbenkian de Lisbonne, Michel Corboz [ Warner Classics Apex / CD - released 4/Feb/2017 ] Classic recording now reissued |
Lianne La Havas
Lianne La Havas [ Warner UK / CD - released 17/Jul/2020 ] Lianne's third album and her first in five years is an album of startling beauty and insight. Working on writing and exploring her own identity, La Havas spent a lot of time moving back and forth between the UK and the States. As a result, 'Lianne... |
MASCAGNI
Cavalleria rusticana (complete opera recorded in 1953) Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Rolando Panerai, Anna Maria Canali, Ebe Ticozzi / Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala Milan, Tullio Serafin [ Warner Classics Maria Callas Remastered / CD - released 10/Dec/2014 ] In 1939, as a 15-year-old student in Athens, Maria Callas made her stage debut in the demanding role of Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana. Five years later she sang it professionally with the Greek National Opera Company. In 1953, when she was already... |
HECTOR BERLIOZ
Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique / Overture: 'Le Corsaire' / Royal Hunt and Storm & Trojan March ('Les Troyens') (recorded 1957-59) Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Francaise; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Thomas Beecham [ Warner Classics Masters / CD - released 1/Feb/2012 ] Rosette Recording (highest rating) Penguin Stereo Guide - 'If you want a genuinely French Symphonie fantastique, wonderfully performed and superbly recorded, go out and get this release before it's snapped up by your neighbour.' (Gramophone) |
FRANZ LISZT
Liszt: Prometheus; Mephisto Waltz No. 1; Mazeppa; Hamlet. (with Wagner: Siegfried Idyll) Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Paris Conservatoire Orchestra, Members of L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Karl Munchinger [ Decca Australian Eloquence / CD - released 1/Nov/2019 ] A quartet of Liszt tone-poem recordings, new to CD, plus a cherishable recording of Wagner's musical birthday card to his wife. Karl Münchinger founded the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra in 1946, and Decca began making records with them three years... |
La Roux
La Roux [ Polydor Records / CD - released 9/Jul/2009 ] La Roux present their eponymous debut album, which entered the UK album chart at #2. The band are quickly notching up very big hit singles here & in the UK with their debut track, and current NZ single "In for the Kill", ranking as the highest... |
GABRIEL FAURE / ERNEST CHAUSSON / PAUL DUKAS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Faure: Pelleas et Melisande / Dukas: Sorcerer's Apprentice / Chausson: Symphony Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Ernest Ansermet [ Decca Eloquence / CD - released 20/Jul/2002 ] The best-loved French classics performed by the famous Orchestre de la Suisse Romande |
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Saint-Saens: Symphony No. 3 "Organ" / Carnival of the Animals (with Poulenc: Model Animals - Suite) Maurice Durufle (organ) / Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, Georges Prêtre [ EMI Classics Encore Collection / CD - released 2/Feb/2001 ] Original recording from 1964 & 1967 |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Verdi: Otello (highlights, recorded in 1986) Placido Domingo, Katia Ricciarelli, Justino Diaz / Milan La Scala Chorus & Orchestra / Lorin Maazel [ EMI Studio / CD - released 18/Aug/1997 ] "I have no hesitation in making this set my first choice in this ever-potent opera. I have seldom heard a more tender, vulnerable Desdemona than Ricciarelli's, absolutely ideal in the many dolce, piano moments in the role, bringing tears to the eye." |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Verdi: Otello (highlights, recorded in 1986) Placido Domingo, Katia Ricciarelli, Justino Diaz / Milan La Scala Chorus & Orchestra / Lorin Maazel [ EMI Red Line / CD - released 18/Aug/1997 ] "I have no hesitation in making this set my first choice in this ever-potent opera" - Gramophone on the complete recording |
RUGGERO LEONCAVALLO
Leoncavallo: I Pagliacci (Complete opera recorded in 1954) Maria Callas, Giuseppe Di Stefano, Tito Gobbi, Rolando Panerai / Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala Milan, Tullio Serafin [ Warner Classics Maria Callas Remastered / CD - released 10/Nov/2014 ] While Pagliacci's regular companion piece, Cavalleria rusticana, figured prominently in Callas's early career, Leoncavallo's one-acter had no place in her stage repertoire. But as Gramophone wrote of this recording: 'When Callas [as Nedda] and Gobbi... |
JACQUES MOREL
Morel: Premier Livre de Pièces de Violle Alejandro Marías (viola da gamba) / La Spagna [ Brilliant Classics / CD - released 1/Apr/2019 ] French Baroque chamber music by a much-admired contemporary of Marin Marais. In a personal introduction to his own authoritative booklet essay, the Spanish violist Alejandro Marías relates how he acquired the rare facsimile of an even rarer... |
ANTONIO CALDARA
Caldara: Missa Dolorosa Ensemble La Silva, Nanneke Schaap [ Brilliant Classics / CD - released 10/Apr/2017 ] Antonio Caldara (1670‐1736) was an Italian Baroque composer. Born in Venice he was a chorister in the famous San Marco, where Legrenzi was his teacher. He soon spread his wings across Europe and held several important posts in Mantua, the Spanish... |
PIZZETTI
La Pisanella - Suite / Concerto de l'estate (with works by Respighi and Rota) I Musici / L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande / Lamberto Gardelli / Argo Chamber Orchestra / Laszlo Heltay [ Decca Australian Eloquence / CD - released 24/Aug/2006 ] Appearing on CD for the first time, Lamberto Gardelli's Pizzetti recording has been one of the most venerated in the Decca catalogue, not only because the music is comparatively rare, but because the recording is true state-of-the-art. |
BEETHOVEN / SCHUMANN / MOZART / BARTOK / etc
Piano Music for Children Klára Würtz (piano) / Prima La Musica, Dirk Vermeulen [ Brilliant Classics / CD - released 20/Aug/2015 ] This CD is a reissue of one of the most successful Brilliant Classics recordings, Piano Music for Children, a simple and powerful concept aimed at a wide audience of music lovers, teachers, parents, grandparents and (of course..)... |
COLOMBANO
Colombano: Psalms for Six Voices La Cappella Musicale Della Cattedrale di Vercelli, Denis Silano [ Brilliant Classics / CD - released 1/Nov/2018 ] The conventual franciscan Orazio Colombano (c.1554-after 1595) hailed from Verona and came to the ancient city of Vercelli, in Piedmont, east of Turin, in 1579 to take up his first professional appointment as Moderator for Music at the Cathedral, a... |
MENDELSSOHN
Sacred Choral Works La Chapelle Royale, Collegium Vocale, Philippe Herreweghe - conductor [ Harmonia Mundi / CD - released 10/May/2003 ] "Elegant and fluent singing" - Gramophone |
ALESSANDRO STRADELLA
Cantata for Christmas Eve and Sinfonias La Magnifica Communita [ Brilliant Classics / CD - released 14/Oct/2008 ] A contemporary of Buxtehude and Lully Antonio Stradella (1644-1682) remained in Italy his entire life. He benefited from important patrons in Rome, including Christina of Sweden. Here in the mid-seventeenth century, with the theatres being closed for... |
BOCCHERINI
String Quintets Volume 7 La Magnifica Comunita [ Brilliant Classics / CD - released 12/Dec/2009 ] Luigi Boccherini (1743-1805) was an exact contemporary of Josef Haydn, and knew his Austrian colleague well. He also knew the younger Mozart. |