FREDERIC CHOPIN
Emanuel Ax plays Chopin Emanuel Ax (piano) with Pamela Frank (violin), Yo - Yo Ma (cello) Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Sir Charles Mackerras [ Sony & BMG Music / 6 CD Box Set - released 3/Dec/2017 ] Polish by birth and a victor of the Chopin Competition, Six CDs present Emanuel Ax's interpretations of a stimulating range of concertante, solo and chamber works by his compatriot. The two concertos are played with Sir Charles Mackerras conducting... |
SIBELIUS
Finlandia / LemminkANinen Suite, Op. 22 / Kuolema (with music by Grieg, Sinding & Svendsen) Adele Stolte (Soprano) Egon Morbitzer (Violin) / Berlin Octet / Berlin Staatskapelle Orchestra / Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra / Berlin Symphony Orch [ Berlin Classics Basics / CD - released 10/Mar/2008 ] A special concert of popular Nordic favourites. |
BRAHMS / LISZT / BARTOK / KODALY / etc
Hungarian Classics (incls Hungarian Rhapsody No 2, Hary Janos Suite & Hungarian Dances) Sylvia Geszty (Soprano) David Oistrakh (Violin) Naum Walter (Piano) / Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra / Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra / etc [ Berlin Classics Basics / CD - released 10/Mar/2008 ] Although part of the Basics series, there are a number of unusual items here - the voice and piano version of Bartok's 'Village Scenes' and the spirited, rarely-heard 'Overture' by Bela Keler. |
OLIVER KNUSSEN
Autumnal Alexandra Wood (violin) Huw Watkins (piano) Leila Josefowicz (violin) / BBC Symphony Orchestra, Oliver Knussen [ NMC / CD - released 29/Oct/2012 ] GRAMOPHONE AWARD FINALIST 2013: Contemporary |
WITOLD LUTOSLAWSKI
Lutosławski: Symphonies / Concertos / Choral and Vocal Works Olga Pasichnyk (soprano) Andrzej Bauer (cello) Krzysztow Bakowsk (violin) / Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Polish Radio Choir, Antoni Wit [ Naxos / 10 CD Box Set - released 29/Jul/2013 ] "Naxos has collected its existing recordings and issued a 10-CD box Lutosławski-Symphonies; Concertos; Choral and Vocal Works…featuring the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (and others) under the direction of Antoni Wit." The WholeNote |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Music for the Mind: Classic Music for Your Well-Being [2 CD set] Seraphim Trio, Lin Jiang (horn), Barbara Jane Gilby (violin), Stephanie McCallum (piano), Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, etc [ ABC for Life / 2 CD - released 5/Jul/2012 ] This collection is called 'Music for the Mind' but really it's for the mind and the heart. |
BEETHOVEN
My First Beethoven Album Various artists including Gerard Willems (piano), Seraphim Trio, Goldner, Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra, & Dene Olding (violin) [ ABC Kids / CD - released 15/Jul/2016 ] Beethoven is an unlikely musical hero. His friends found him difficult to get on with; and worst of all for a composer - he went deaf! But unlike Beethoven himself, his music is full of joy - not to mention the beautiful tunes, and spectacular... |
GLAZUNOV
The Seasons / Violin Concerto Ilya Kaler (violin) / Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra / Camilla Kolchinsky (conductor) [ Naxos / CD - released 6/Mar/2008 ] Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov has not fared well at the hands of later critics. He enjoyed a remarkably successful career in music, becoming Director of the St Petersburg Conservatory in 1905 in the aftermath of the political disturbances of... |
DVORAK
Dvorak Jubilee set Various artists incls Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Yehudi Menuhin, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Walter Susskind, Ruggiero Ricci (violin) [ Brilliant Classics Masterworks / 10 CD - released 16/Dec/2006 ] All composers are represented by some of their best known works. Also included are some pieces one might not expect. Performances are by prominent musicians. Some of the recordings were made as recent as only a few months ago. |
CLASSICAL MUSIC / BEETHOVEN / MOZART/ TCHAIKOVSKY / PIANO / VIOLIN / LULLABY / ORCHESTRA / BALLET
My First Classical Albums Various performers from the vast Naxos catalogue [ Naxos / 9 CD Box Set - released 10/Nov/2016 ] The 'My First' album series from Naxos is the ideal springboard for a lifelong journey through classical music. Each selection is carefully tailored for younger listeners and includes famous tracks as well as unexpected gems. The booklet is full of... |
POUL RUDERS
Music of Poul Ruders Vol. 6 Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen (violin) Vassily Primakov (piano) Mikko Luoma (accordion) / Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Thomas Sondergard [ Bridge / CD - released 1/Jul/2011 ] Gramophone Awards 2011 Finalist - Contemporary |
PERGOLESI
Collection (Incls Stabat Mater, Salve Regina & Violin Concerto in B flat major) Veronica Cangemi, Rachel Harnisch, Sara Mingardo, Teresa Romano, Ciuliano Carmignola / Orchestra Mozart / Claudio Abbado [ Deutsche Grammophon Archiv / 3 CD - released 10/Jul/2012 ] |
MOZART / SCHUBERT / MENDELSSOHN
Violin Concerto No. 5 in A, KV 219 / Rondo in A for violin and strings, D. 438 / Violin Concerto in D minor Vesko Eschkenazy (violin) / Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra / Conducted by Marco Boni [ Pentatone SACD / SACD - released 20/Apr/2005 ] "This is the most enjoyable recording of the young Mendelssohn ever put on record". ---Luister (September 2002) |
IGNAZ JOSEPH PLEYEL
Symphonies Concertantes / Violin Concerto in D Major Victoria Chiang, Isabella Lippi, David Perry (violins) / Baltimore Chamber Orchestra / Markand Thakar [ Naxos / CD - released 1/May/2009 ] Pleyel's symphonies concertantes are characteristic expressions of his idiosyncratic style. They are expansive, leisurely-paced works, texturally transparent in their solo sections and rich in melodic invention. |
BORIS TISHCHENKO
Tishchenko: Concerto for violin, piano & string orchestra, Op. 144, etc. Victoria Postnikova (piano) & Alexander Rozhdestvensky (violin) String Orchestra of St. Petersburg & Moscow Symphony Orchestra, Gennady Rozhdestvensky [ Fuga Libera / CD - released 29/Oct/2007 ] Boris Tishenko's composer's career spans the modest thaw under Khrushchev, the Brezhnev freeze, Gorbachev's perestroika and the great leap into liberal economics under Yeltsin that continues strong under Putin.Though he was Shostakovich's favourite... |
STRAVINSKY / BARTOK / SHOSTAKOVICH / PROKOFIEV
The 20th Century Violin Concerto Vikoria Mullova (violin) / Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Esa-Pekka Salonen / Andre Previn [ Philips / 2 CD - released 1/Apr/2006 ] "This reissue brings together superb recordings of the Stravinsky and Prokofiev concertos, an excellent alternative reading of the Bartók and a decent performance of the Shostakovich. Great value from a greatly underrated artist." (MusicWeb June... |
FRANZ WAXMAN
Rebecca (Film Score) Viktor Simcisko (violin) / Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra / Adriano [ Naxos / CD - released 9/Nov/2005 ] "At budget price interested parties could hardly refuse such a textually intelligent, well-played and con amore production." (MusicWeb Oct 2005) |
ARVO PART
Arvo Part Viktoria Mullova (violin) / Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Jarvi [ Onyx / CD - released 21/Sep/2018 ] "Immutable, austere, impassable - the strength of Arvo Pärt's music lies in its ability to project an image as powerful and complete as the religious iconography it often seeks to replicate." Gramophone |
BEETHOVEN / MENDELSSOHN / BRUSTAD / GRIEG
Europakonzert 2016 from Røros, Norway - Beethoven: Symphony No 3 / Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto / etc Vilde Frang (violin) / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle [ EuroArts DVD / DVD - released 1/Dec/2016 ] The Berliner Philharmoniker celebrate their founding day (May 1st, 1892) in a European city of cultural significance every year. In 2016, they travelled to Røros in Norway, to play in the town's beautiful baroque church. Norwegian violinist Vilde... |