TELEMANN / LECLAIR / LALANDE / COUPERIN / RAMEAU / etc
French Baroque Music Jean-François Paillard Chamber Orchestra, Jean-François Paillard, with Jean-Pierre Rampal (flute), Pierre Pierlot (oboe), Maurice Andre (trumpet), etc [ Erato / 14 CD Box Set - released 26/Aug/2022 ] A founding member of Erato, Jean-François Paillard always placed French Baroque music at the heart of his orchestra's repertoire and maintained it in a privileged position despite the growth of musical range and number of concerts. |
MOZART / TARTINI / TELEMANN / C.P.E. & J. S. BACH / MERCADANTE / VIVALDI / etc
Jean-Pierre Rampal: Famous Flute Concertos Jean-Pierre Rampal (flute) with various orchestras & soloists [ Erato / 12 CD Box Set - released 25/Aug/2023 ] Legendary flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal devoted just as much effort to establishing the masterpieces in their rightful place as to unearthing countless works from the baroque, classical and romantic eras. As far as concertos are concerned, cornerstones... |
LEONARD BERNSTEIN
Leonard Bernstein: The Composer [25 CD set] Jennie Tourel, Zino Francescatti, Benny Goodman, Nancy Walker, Carol Lawrence, Yo-Yo Ma, Alan Titus, Harolyn Blackwell, etc / Leonard Bernstein (cond) [ Sony Classical Masters / 25 CD Box Set - released 20/May/2017 ] With his centenary upon us, Sony Classical releases the most comprehensive recorded collection ever released of the music of American conductor, composer and educator Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990). |
ERIK SATIE
Satie: Complete Piano Music Jeroen van Veen (piano) with Sandra Van Veen (piano) [ Brilliant Classics / 9 CD Box Set - released 20/Apr/2016 ] This set contains the complete music for piano by Erik Satie, including the works for 4 hands. |
RYUICHI SAKAMOTO
Sakamoto: For Mr Lawrence - Piano Music; Jeroen van Veen (piano) with Sandra van Veen (piano) [ Brilliant Classics / 5 CD Box Set - released 2/Sep/2019 ] "This is an interesting and enjoyable set. I would not recommend that you sit down and listen to the whole set at once...this was an enjoyable listen. Brilliant Classics should be applauded for bringing us such a comprehensive set as this." MusicWeb |
GIOACCHINO ROSSINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Rossini: Il Barbiere di Siviglia [The Barber of Seville] (Complete Opera recorded in 1992) Jerry Hadley, Bruno Praticò, Susanne Mentzer, Thomas Hampson, Samuel Ramey / Orchestra della Toscana, Gianluigi Gelmetti [ EMI Classics / 3 CD Box Set - released 10/Dec/1993 ] "..an absolutely complete text (the recent critical edition by Alberto Zedda is used) shorn of the accretions of nearly 200 years, and singers of the calibre of Thomas Hampson and Samuel Ramey." Classical-Music |
GIACOMO PUCCINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Puccini: Turandot (Complete Opera with complete libretto) Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Montserrat Caballe, Nicolai Ghiaurov / London Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta [ Decca Records / 2 CD Box Set - released 17/Feb/2015 ] "Sutherland gives an intensely appealing interpretation, while Pavarotti gives a performance equally imaginative. Mehta directs a gloriously rich and dramatic performance. Still the best-sounding Turandot on CD." Penguin Guide |
TRADITIONAL
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Christmas with the Divas [4 CD set at a special price] Joan Sutherland, Leontyne Price, Kiri te Kanawa, Renata Tebaldi [ Decca Records / 4 CD Box Set - released 28/Aug/2014 ] Four original Christmas albums starring legendary divas - four CDs at a special price, an ideal Christmas gift. |
W. A. MOZART
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mozart Operas [18 CD set] Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Anne Sofie von Otter, Bryn Terfel, Alison Hagley, Rodney Gilfrey, Sylvia McNair,etc / John Eliot Gardiner (cond) [ Deutsche Grammophon Archiv / 18 CD Box Set - released 9/Jun/2011 ] This superbudget box contains some of the most famous Mozart Operas all on 18 CDs. With starring roles from Ann Sophie Von Otter, Bryn Terfel, the English Baroque Soloists and the Monteverdi Choir all under the baton of Sir John Eliot Gardiner. |
GERSHWIN / RODGERS / BERLIN / HERRMANN / SCHOENBERG / WAXMAN / etc
John Mauceri - The Sound of Hollywood John Mauceri, with Julie Andrews, Ben Kingsley, Marilyn Horne, Kiri Te Kanawa, Sir John Gielgud, Patti LuPone [ Decca / Eloquence / 16 CD Box Set - released 17/Nov/2023 ] The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra breathed new life into the orchestral pops repertoire, told new stories and brought in new audiences when it was revived under the conductor John Mauceri in the 1990s. |
PAISIELLO / BEETHOVEN / MONTEVERDI
Jonas Kaufmann: Opera Collection Jonas Kaufmann (tenor) with Cecilia Bartoli, Camilla Nylund, Vesselina Kasarova, and Dietrich Henschel [ Arthaus DVD / 3 DVD - released 26/Jul/2019 ] Experience Jonas Kaufmann, opera world's top star, in this impressive opera collection from his time at the Zurich Opera House still before his great international breakthrough. He feels closely connected to the opera house, boosted his career there... |
GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL
Handel: Agrippina (complete opera) Joyce DiDonato, Elsa Benoit, Biagio Pizzuti, Franco Fagioli, Andrea Mastroni, Jakub Józef Orliński / l Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev [ Erato Classics / 3 CD - released 31/Jan/2020 ] "With DiDonato nonpareil in the title-role and a uniformly strong cast, this now becomes a first choice for Handel's Venetian masterpiece." Gramophone Awards 2020 WINNER - Opera |
J. S. BACH
Jörg Demus - The Bach Recordings on Westminster Jörg Demus (piano), with Paul Badura-Skoda (piano) [ Westminster Australian Eloquence / 11 CD Box Set - released 2/Dec/2022 ] Bach playing to refresh the spirits as well as satisfy the mind: the early recordings of consummate Viennese pianist, Jörg Demus, unfailingly lively as well as faithful. |
GAETANO DONIZETTI
Donizetti - La Fille du Régiment [Daughter of the Regiment] & Don Pasqual (recorded 2005/2006) Juan Diego Florez, Patricia Ciofi, Isabel Rey, Ruggero Raimondi, etc [ Decca Music Group DVD / 3 DVD Box Set - released 12/Dec/2019 ] Juan Diego Flórez proves he's the new King Of The High C's in one of his greatest stage roles. He gives a sensational performance of Tonio's aria 'Ah! mes amis...' - with 9 top Cs sung not once, but twice! |
MILHAUD / MOZART / BARTOK / BERG / COPLAND / SCHOENBERG / etc
Juilliard Quartet - The Early Columbia Recordings Juilliard String Quartet, with Leontyne Price (soprano) Samuel Barber (piano) [ Sony Classical Masters / 16 CD Box Set - released 18/Jun/2021 ] Following up its widely acclaimed reissues of the Juilliard String Quartet's complete Epic and RCA Victor albums - originally issued between 1956 and 1960 - Sony Classical is excited to present a new 16-CD box set collecting the earliest albums of... |
DVORAK / TCHAIKOVSKY / SMETANA / STRAVINSKY / SHOSTAKOVICH / PROKOFIEV
The Karel Ancerl Edition Karel Ancerl conducting the Wiener Symphoniker, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Berliner Philharmoniker, with Wolfgang Schneiderhan (violin) [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 9 CD Box Set - released 28/Jul/2023 ] A Czech maestro in his element: the complete Philips and Deutsche Grammophon albums of Karel Ančerl collected as a single edition to mark the 50th anniversary of his death (3 July 1973). |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Seiji Ozawa Kazuyoshi Akiyama / Saito Kinen Orchestra / Berliner Philharmoniker / Marcus Roberts Trio / Anne-Sophie Mutter / Martha Argerich [ EuroArts DVD / 5 DVD Box Set ] Seiji Ozawa has dedicated most of his life to the service of music. He is not only one of Japan's best-known conductors but also the founder of the Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto, better known as the Seiji Ozawa Festival. This Seiji Ozawa edition... |
W. A. MOZART
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro (Complete Opera with full libretto) Kiri te Kanawa, Lucia Popp, Frederica von Stade, Samuel Ramey, London Philharmonic. Georg Solti [ Decca Records / 3 CD Box Set - released 20/Feb/2010 ] "Samuel Ramey, a firm-toned baritone, makes a virile Figaro, superbly matched to the most enchanting of Susannas on record, Lucia Popp." *** Three Stars. Penguin Stereo Guide |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Verdi: Otello (complete opera recorded in 1991) Kiri Te Kanawa, Luciano Pavarotti, Leo Nucci / Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Sir Georg Solti [ Decca / 2 CD Box Set - released 1/Jun/1991 ] "Te Kanawa always sang beautifully for Solti and delivers a tender, moving performance, spinning her famous pure tone to very touching effect and soaring wonderfully in the ensemble concluding Act 3." MusicWeb |
FRANZ SCHUBERT
Schubert: Piano Trios, String Quintet, String Quartets Klavertrio Amsterdam / Brandis Quartet [ Brilliant Classics Quintessence / 5 CD Box Set - released 25/Sep/2020 ] "I really admire these heartfelt accounts for their warm expressiveness and sumptuous textures." MusicWeb [Quartets] |