LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Famous Overtures Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan [ Deutsche Grammophon Eloquence / CD - released 20/Mar/2016 ] Blazing and saturated sound - of the aptly-described ' gold brick' variety - characterises these celebrated performances of eight of Beethoven's best-loved overtures. All the favourites are there and the recordings have been stunningly remastered for... |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Symphonies Nos 39, 40 & 41 Jupiter Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Karl Bohm [ Deutsche Grammophon Eloquence / CD - released 20/Dec/2018 ] "An excellent bargain, and not just for the historical specialist, but for all Mozartians." (Penguin Stereo Guide) |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 34, 39, 40 / Eine kleine Nachtmusik / etc Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano) / Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 2 CD - released 10/Jul/2019 ] Zubin Mehta was one of Decca's stars in the 1960s and 1970s, known more for his recordings of 19th and 20th-century repertoire than of the 18th. Yet, he has long had an abiding love for Mozart and conducts his symphonic and operatic music on a... |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 3, 7, 8 & Consecration of the House Overture Berliner Philharmoniker [Berlin Philharmonic], Paul van Kempen [ Decca SBS Australian Eloquence / 2 CD - released 25/Mar/2015 ] "this is an outstanding issue. […] Van Kempen and the Berlin orchestra do indeed play the work in a wonderfully sensitive manner" (Gramophone on Symphony 3) |
BEETHOVEN
Symphony No 2 / Symphony No 4 Berliner Philharmoniker / Herbert von Karajan [ DG Eloquence / CD - released 20/Jun/2007 ] "Of Karajan's four recorded cycles, the 1961-62 set is the most compelling, combining high polish with a biting sense of urgency and spontaneity..these are incandescent performances, superbly played." (Penguin Stereo Guide) |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 / Symphony No. 8 (Rec 1961-62) Berliner Philharmoniker [Berlin Philharmonic], Herbert von Karajan [ ABC Australian Deutsche Grammophon Eloquence / CD - released 20/Jun/2007 ] "Of Karajan's four recorded cycles, the 1961-62 set is the most compelling, combining high polish with a biting sense of urgency and spontaneity..these are incandescent performances, superbly played." (Penguin Stereo Guide) |
TCHAIKOVSKY / BORODIN / MUSSORGSKY / GLINKA
Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 5 & Russian Orchestral Works Berliner Philharmoniker, Paris Conservatoire Orchestra, Sir Georg Solti [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 2 CD - released 20/Jul/2016 ] "Solti's hurricane-like Tchaikovsky Serenade has to be heard to be believed - the finale almost flies off with the gale" (Penguin Guide) |
RICHARD WAGNER
Wagner Heroines Birgit Nilsson, Susan Dunn, Gundula Janowitz, Kristen Flagstad, Dame Gwyneth Jones, Regine Resnik, Joan Sutherland [ Decca SBS Australian Eloquence / CD - released 14/Jul/2014 ] This is a 31-year retrospective (1956 - 1987) of great Wagner singing on Decca and Deutsche Grammophon featuring fourteen extracts from nine operas with seven great singers. Wagner's heroines make for some of the most pivotal moments in his operas... |
SERGEI PROKOFIEV
Prokofiev: Violin Concertos Nos 1 & 2 / Love for Three Oranges: Suite Boris Belkin (violin) / London Philharmonic Orchestra / Kirill Kondarshin. Rudolf Barshai [ Decca ABC Australian Eloquence / CD - released 1/Sep/2005 ] Now, ABC release, for the first time on CD, Belkin's sizzling accounts of the two Prokofiev Concertos. |
PETER ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY / DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
Tchaikovsky / Shostakovich: Violin Concertos Boris Belkin (violin) /New Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic, Vladimir Ashkenazy [ ABC Decca Australian Eloquence / CD - released 1/Sep/2018 ] Now, Eloquence release, for the first time, Belkin's sizzling accounts of the Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich Violin Concertos.. |
JOHANN STRAUSS 11
Strauss Waltz Gala The Waltz Collection (Incls The Blue Danube & Roses from the South) Boston Pops Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Antal Dorati, Arthur Fiedler [ Australian Decca SBS Eloquence / CD - released 14/Jul/2014 ] From 'On the Beautiful Blue Danube' to 'Roses from the South'. The ideal romantic evening escape with the Austrian waltz master. |
CLAUDE DEBUSSY
Debussy: Chamber Music (Incls Violin Sonata, Cello Sonata, Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp, etc) Boston Symphony Chamber Players [ Deutsche Grammophon Australian Eloquence / CD - released 27/Jul/2005 ] 'remarkably transparent [Prelude] ... an attractive collection' (Penguin Guide to CDs) |
PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
Tchaikovsky - Symphonies 1 'Winter Daydreams', 2 "Little Russian", 4 / 'Nutcracker' Suite Boston Symphony Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas [ Deutsche Grammophon Eloquence / 2 CD - released 16/Mar/2017 ] "The New Philharmonia play with precision and polish … and on recording quality this DGG version […] is clearly the smoothest and most faithful" Gramophone Symphony No 2 |
DEBUSSY
Images / Nocturnes / Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune Boston Symphony Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas & Claudio Abbado [ Deutsche Grammophon SBS Eloquence / CD - released 10/Jan/2014 ] "Abbado's account of the Nocturnes is one of the finest in the catalogue ... The playing of the Boston Orchestra is immensely polished but not glossy, and there is a naturalness about this performance that also distinguishes the recording" Penguin |
JEAN SIBELIUS
Sibelius: Tone Poems (Incls Pohjola's Daughter & Karelia Suite) Boston Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis [ Philips ABC Eloquence / CD - released 1/May/2005 ] 'In short, what you have here are Sibelius' three greatest tone poems (En Saga, Pohjola's Daughter, and Tapiola) in outstanding interpretations and great sound, along with two popular favorites done every bit as well. Need I say more?' 10/10... |
BEDRICH SMETANA / ANTONIN DVORAK / GEORGE ENESCU
Dvorak / Smetana / Enescu: Orchestral works (Incls 'Die Moldau' & 'Romanian Rhapsody No 1') Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Istvan Kertesz, Antal Dorati [ Australian Decca Eloquence / CD - released 16/Oct/2016 ] |
J.S. BACH
A Bach Christmas: Magnificat, BWV 243a / Cantata: Christen, atzet diesen Tag / etc Catherine Bott & Elizabeth Scholl (sopranos) Christopher Robson (countertenor) Paul Agnew & Andrew King (tenors) / New London Consort / Philip Pickett [ ABC Philips Eloquence / CD - released 1/Dec/2005 ] "Marvellous life-enhancing music ... can be enjoyed at any time of the year, not just at Christmas" (MusicWeb Feb 2006) |
ARRIGO BOITO
Boito: Mefistofele (Great scenes from the complete opera) Cesare Siepi, Giuseppe di Stefano, Renata Tebaldi, Lucia Danieli / Orchestra e coro dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Roma, Tullio Serafin [ Decca Australian Eloquence / CD - released 1/Jun/2018 ] "It is a pleasure to hear again that eager tone [of Di Stefano], ardently filling such passages as […] the Garden scene and the aria in the Epilogue. All the work's plums are here" Opera, May 1973 |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Pianists of the Sydney International Piano Competition (1992-2016) Charlie Albright, Hiroshi Arimori, Yurij Bogdanov, Michele Bolla, Kenneth Broberg, Olivier Cazal, John Chen, Roberto Cominati , Hanna Cyba, etc [ Australian Eloquence / 11 CD Box Set - released 16/Jul/2021 ] Described by The Australian as 'a boon for lovers of the piano and those keeping an ear on exciting musical talent', the Sydney International Piano Competition (The Sydney) has become a fixture on the classical music landscape. |
RICHARD WAGNER
Wagner Duets Cheryl Studer, Gundula Janowitz, Josephine Veasey, Thomas Stewart, Helgar Dernesch, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Peter Hofman, etc [ Australian Deutsche Grammophon SBS Eloquence / 2 CD - released 20/Mar/2014 ] The recordings are among the finest ever made. The singers are a Who's Who of great names from the sixties, seventies and eighties - Fischer-Dieskau, Janowitz, Vickers, Thomas, Price, Kollo… with conductors like Karajan, Kleiber and Jochum directing |