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ROSS HARRIS
Symphonies Nos. 2 and 3 Madeleine Pierard (soprano) / Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Marko Letonja [ Naxos / CD - released 20/Mar/2012 ] Described as "often beautiful and sometimes frightening" (NZ Listener), Ross Harris's Symphony No 2 is a setting of poems on the subject of New Zealand soldiers shot for desertion in World War One. |
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GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: Tosca (complete opera recorded in 2003) Madrid Teatro Real / Daniela Dessi, Fabio Armiliato, Ruggero Raimondi / Maurizio Benini (cond) [ Opus Arte Essential Opera Collection DVD / DVD - released 20/Oct/2013 ] "...An absolutely magnificent cast of voices." EL MUNDO, Madrid |
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TRADITIONAL
Christmas Carols From Oxford Magdalen College Choir, John Harper, conductor [ Alto / CD - released 1/Dec/2014 ] "..Magdalen College Oxford played an important part in the Victorian revival of the celebration of Christmas and especially of carol singing.. key figure.. J R Bloxam, Fellow of Magdalen.. first held a musical entertainment for Magdalen choristers.. |
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RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
Vaughan Williams: Phantasy Quintet / String Quartets Nos.1 & 2 Maggini String Quartet [ Naxos / CD - released 1/May/2001 ] 2001 GRAMOPHONE AWARD WINNER: Chamber - Rosette [highest rating] - Penguin Stereo Guide |
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FRANCESCO CILEA
Cilea: Adriana Lecouvreur (Complete Opera recorded in 2021) Maggio Musicale Fiorentino / Maria José Siri, Ksenia Dudnikova, Martin Muehle, Paolo Antognetti / Daniel Harding (cond) [ Naxos / Dynamic DVD / DVD - released 9/Sep/2022 ] Francesco Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur was inspired by the real-life story of a celebrated actress at the Comédie-Française who was much admired by Voltaire. Hailed as a masterpiece, the opera was triumphantly staged in cities around the world. |
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GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL
Handel: Rinaldo (complete opera recorded in 2020) BLU-RAY Maggio Musicale Fiorentino / Raffaele Pe, Carmela Remigio, Leonardo Cortellazzi, Francesca Aspromonte / Federico Maria Sardelli (cond) [ Dynamic Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 28/May/2021 ] "Sardelli directs a stylish performance, drawing some fine playing from the modern instruments of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino orchestra...It is only right that this famous staging should have been preserved on film" Opera |
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Mantovani & His Orchestra
Classical Encores & Christmas [ Vocalion / 2 CD - released 20/Dec/2010 ] |
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HANS LEO HASSLER
Hassler: Complete Organ Music Manuel Tomadin (organ) [ Brilliant Classics / 11 CD Box Set - released 25/Feb/2022 ] Another labour of love from the Italian organist Manuel Tomadin, adding to his much-praised catalogue of collections by masters of the German and Italian Baroque. |
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Marco Beltrami
Venom 2: Let There Be Carnage Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [ Sony Classical / CD - released 12/Nov/2021 ] Original Motion Picture Soundtrack from the superhero film Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021). The film music is scored by Marco Beltrami ( Fear Street, Chaos Walking, Nine Perfect Strangers). Venom: Let There Be Carnage (also known as Venom 2) is... |
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SCOTT JOPLIN
Elite Syncopations: Marco Fumo plays Scott Joplin Marco Fumo [ ODRADEK RECORDS / CD - released 1/Nov/2024 ] Italian pianist Marco Fumo always brings joy and unique insight to his Odradek recordings, and this album of the music of Scott Joplin is particularly special, reflecting his specialist knowledge of ragtime, and representing his last... |
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FRANCESCO PAOLO TOSTI
Tosti: The Song of a Life, Volume 3 Marco Severin (baritone) Delphine da Pontello (soprano) Giulia De Blasis (soprano) Alessandro Luciano (tenor) / Marco Moresco, Isabella Crisante (pian [ Brilliant Classics / 4 CD Box Set - released 1/May/2019 ] Based on 33 years of scholarship and promotion by the Istituto Nazionale Tostiano and a lifetime of studies on the part of Francesco Sanvitale, this volume lives up to its predecessors in bringing to wider attention the work of a born songsmith, at... |
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Various Composers
Lys (LP) Mari Samuelsen (violin) [ Deusche Grammophon / CD - released 26/Jan/2024 ] Inspired by light in all its forms, Samuelsen's latest album features 14 works by female composers, from Hildegard of Bingen to Beyoncé. All are new commissions or arrangements, ambient and glowing, without an ugly bump or crevice in sight. |
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ANTON & PAUL WRANITZKY
Wranitzky: Concertos and Symphonies Veriko Tchumburidze (violin) Chiara Enderle (cello) / Münchener Kammerorchester, Howard Griffiths [ Sony Classical / CD - released 20/Sep/2016 ] Anton & Paul Bohemian composers Paul Wranitzky (1756-1808) and Anton Wranitzky (1761-1820) were among the most important personalities on the Viennese music scene in around the year 1800. Both Wranitzky enjoyed an excellent reputacion among their... |
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FRANCESCO PAOLO TOSTI
Tosti: The song of a life, Complete Vocal Chamber Music, Vol 4; Maria Bagalà (soprano), Glenn Morton (piano), John Viscardi (baritone), Donata D'Annunzio Lombardi (soprano), Isabella Crisante (piano), etc [ Brilliant Classics / 5 CD Box Set - released 14/Feb/2020 ] "this is a great tribute to the legacy of the greatest composer of Italian songs...it is an invaluable treat to have them collected - I doubt there will ever be a similar project again - and at Brilliant Classics's give-away price." MusicWeb |
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BELLINI / ROSSINi / DONIZETTI / VERDI / PUCCINI / BIZET / etc
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Maria Callas - 100 Best Classics Maria Callas (soprano), with Richard Tucker, Luiso Villa, Tito Gobbi, Giuseppe di Stefamo, Nicolai Gedda, etc [ EMI / 6 CD Box Set - released 4/Jun/2007 ] Maria Callas was an American-born Greek soprano and one of the most renowned and influential opera singers of the 20th century. Many critics praised her bel canto technique, wide-ranging voice and dramatic interpretations. |
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Maria Callas (soprano), Angelina Jolie (narrator), Pierfrancesco Favino (narrator), Vincent Macaigne (narrator)
Maria (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (LP) [ Warner / 2 LP - released 14/Feb/2025 ] The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack from the movie Maria, directed by Pablo Larraín, written by Steven Knight, which delves into the tumultuous final days of the iconic opera singer in 1970s Paris, interpreted by Angelina Jolie. |
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FREDERIC CHOPIN
The Chopin Masters - 28 Great Albums Maria Joao Pires, Geza Anda, Martha Argerich, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Stefan Askenase, Daniel Barenboim, Maurizio Pogorelich, etc [ Deutsche Grammophon / 28 CD Box Set - released 4/Mar/2022 ] Deutsche Grammophon presents a 28-CD set highlighting the riches of their Chopin catalogue: including eight Chopin Competition winners and many of the most legendary Chopin artists of all time. |
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BEETHOVEN / ELGAR / BRAHMS / SAINT-SAENS / FAURE / POPPER / etc
Maria Kliegel - Anniversary Edition Maria Kliegel (cello) / with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Bournemouth Sinfonietta, Camerata Transsylvanica, National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland [ Naxos / 3 CD Box Set - released 11/Nov/2022 ] "Her playing has great virtuosity, but it is her phrasing especially in the Elgar, which suggests a great musical intelligence" - Classic CD |
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EVGUENI GALPERINE
Galperine: Theory of Becoming (LP) Maria Vasyukova (voice), Sergei Nakariakov (trumpet), Sebastien Hurtaud (violoncello) [ ECM New Series / LP - released 18/Nov/2022 ] The ECM New Series debut of Evgueni Galperine is one of the most strikingly original and evocative albums of the year. A composer of Russian and Ukrainian heritage, living in Paris since 1990, Galperine is working with sound, texture and dynamics in... |
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SPIRITUALS / VERDI / BRAHMS / SCHUMANN / HAYDN / SCHUBERT / etc
Marian Anderson - Beyond the Music - Her complete RCA Victor recordings [15 CDs with large book] Marian Anderson (contralto) [ Sony Classical / 15 CD/Book - released 27/Aug/2021 ] "Special mention must be made of this set's presentation, which stands among the glories of the CD era not just for its musical comprehensiveness, but also for its artful design." Opera |