RICHARD STRAUSS
Strauss, (R.): Ariadne auf Naxos (Complete Opera recorded in 1969) Gundula Janowitz, James King, Peter Schrier, Hermann Prey / Straatskapelle Dresden, Rudolf Kempe [ EMI Classics / 2 CD Box Set - released 20/Sep/1992 ] "Gundula Janowitz sings the role of Ariadne with incomparable line and style. Her knowledge of Strauss singing has never been bettered." (review) |
JEAN SIBELIUS
Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies / Orchestral Works Hallé Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli [ Warner Classics / 6 CD Box Set - released 19/Mar/2021 ] Sir John Barbirolli's electrifying interpretations of the works of Jean Sibelius have inspired audiences all over the world. In a letter to Barbirolli, Sibelius declared himself to be a 'devoted admirer' of the conductor, adding that he was always... |
MAURO GIULIANI
Giuliani: Complete Original Works for Flute and Guitar Mikael Helasvuo (flute) & Jukka Savijoki (guitar) [ BIS / 3 CD Box Set - released 2/Feb/2013 ] In the beginning of the nineteenth century the guitar enjoyed a wide popularity...The most celebrated of the several composer-guitarists active at this time was Mauro Giuliani, born in 1781 in southern Italy. |
BENJAMIN BRITTEN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Britten: The Turn of the Screw (Complete Opera with libretto) Helen Donath, Heather Harper, Robert Tear, Ava June / Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Sir Colin Davis [ Philips Classics / 2 CD Box Set - released 1/Aug/1995 ] "The Philips recording boasts luscious stereo sound and a good cast, including a youthful sounding Helen Donath as an appropriately idealistic Governess" (EnjoyTheMusic.com) |
FRANZ SCHUBERT
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Schubert: The Great Masses (D678 & D 950) Helen Donath, Peter Schreier, Ingeborg Springer, Theo Adam, Staatskapelle Dresden, Wolfgagng Sawallisch [ Philips / 2 CD Box Set - released 16/Jun/2003 ] Schubert's six masses cover the period 1814-28 and deserve to be much better known than they are at present. |
WALTER BRAUNFELS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Braunfels: Die Vogel [The Birds] (complete opera ) Hellen Kwon, Endrik Wottrich, Michael Kraus, Marita Posselt, Wolfgang Holzmair, Matthias Görne / Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Lothar Zagrosek [ Decca / 2 CD Box Set - released 16/Feb/2011 ] "Zagrosek's reading and the performances by his cast and orchestra are gripping and more than do justice to this wonderful score. Wottrich and Kraus are impressive in the male leads." ClassicalNet |
AARON COPLAND
Copland Conducts Copland Henry Fonda (narrator) Benny Goodman, Isaac Stern / London Symphony Orchestra, Columbia Symphony Orchestra, New Philharmonia Orchestra [ Sony Classical / 20 CD Box Set - released 12/Apr/2024 ] This boxset includes Aaron Copland's complete own recordings for Columbia Masterworks from 1935 to 1976 on 19 CDs plus recordings of two of his works by Leonard Bernstein on one additional CD. |
GIOACCHINO ROSSINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Rossini: Operas (Includes 'Il barbiere di Siviglia' & 'La Cenerentola') [9 CD set] Hermann Prey, Luigi Alva, Teresa Berganza, Margherita Guglielmi, Agnes Baltsa, Frank Lopardo, Samuel Ramey, Claudio Abbado (cond) [ Deutsche Grammophon Collector's Edition / 9 CD Box Set - released 20/Jun/2012 ] Here - in a single box-set for the first time - are Claudio Abbado's celebrated recordings of four great Rossini comic operas, featuring fine singers and first-rate orchestras and choruses. |
BACH / BEETHOVEN / BERNSTEIN / BARBER / MEYER / BRAHMS / etc
Hilary Hahn: The Complete Sony Recordings Hilary Hahn (violin) with various orchestras [ Sony Classical Masters / 5 CD Box Set - released 30/Oct/2015 ] "Spellbinding...there is mastery in every silken phrase, every poised lyrical phrase...an object lesson in beautiful violin playing." Chicago Tribune (for Mendelssohn / Shostakovich) |
HEINRICH SCHUTZ
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Schutz: Opus ultimate (Der Schwanengesang) The Hilliard Ensemble, Knabenchor Hannover, London Baroque, Heinz Hennig [ Virgin Veritas / 2 CD Box Set - released 24/Mar/1996 ] The male-voice Hilliard Ensemble was founded in 1974 and was disbanded after 40 years in 2014. Its singers were praised by Gramophone: "the superlative purity of their vibrato-free tone, perfect blend and balance of voices and immaculate intonation" |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Violin Concertos, Salzburg Divertimenti and Haffner Serenade Hungarian Chamber Orchestra, Kristóf Baráti / Amati Chamber Orchestra, Gil Sharon / Kammerorchestra 'C.P.E. Bach', Hartmut Haenchen [ Brilliant Classics Quintessence / 5 CD Box Set - released 25/Sep/2020 ] "..Baráti is out of the top drawer. With intensity of sound, unbridled athleticism and searing leaps into the stratosphere which send a tingle down the spine" (Gramophone) |
MICHAEL FINNISSY
The History of Photography in Sound Ian Pace (piano) [ Metier / 5 CD Box Set - released 1/Mar/2016 ] "You might think a piano cycle lasting more than five hours is asking too much. But when the music is as endlessly fascinating, engaging, challenging, puzzling, beautiful, thought-provoking and charming as Finnissy's, it is not a hardship" BBC Music |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Paderewski: The American Recordings [Complete Victor Recordings, 1914-31] Ignacy Jan Paderewski (piano) [ Appian APR / 5 CD Box Set - released 21/Nov/2016 ] IGNACY JAN PADEREWSKI (1860-1941) must be counted as one of the most famous pianists who ever lived, and he was certainly the most financially successful, yet his recorded legacy has always been something of a puzzle. Paderewski was from a generation... |
PIETRO ANTONIO LOCATELLI
Locatelli: Complete Edition Igor Ruhadze (violin), Jed Wentz (flute) / Ensemble Violini Capricciosi, Musica ad Rhenum [ Brilliant Classics / 21 CD Box Set - released 18/Sep/2015 ] Pietro Antonio Locatelli was one of the most important composers of the Baroque period, being a particularly celebrated composer of violin repertoire. |
GUSTAV MAHLER
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mahler: Symphonies 1 - 9 Ileana Cotrubas, Heather Harper, Hermann Prey, Hans Sotin & others / Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Bernard Haitink [ Philips / 10 CD Box Set ] "Some have even said that the Concertgebouw Orchestra at the time managed to deliver a spectacular performance not with Haitink, but despite Haitink, and though I think that statement's much too extreme, I understand that sometimes the credit of a... |
ANTONIN DVORAK
Dvorák: Complete Piano Music Inna Poroshina (piano) [ Brilliant Classics Quintessence / 5 CD Box Set - released 22/Jan/2021 ] Gramophone Magazine Re-issue of the Month - March 2011 |
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
Isabelle Faust plays Bach Isabelle Faust (violin) [ Harmonia Mundi / 8 CD Box Set - released 23/Sep/2022 ] For the past several years, Isabelle Faust has been exploring Johann Sebastian Bach's music for the violin. First came her recording of the solo Sonatas and Partitas, which earned widespread acclaim. It was followed by the sonatas for violin and... |
EDWARD ELGAR
Elgar: Orchestral Works, Cello Concerto, Sea Pictures, Dream of Gerontius Jacqueline du Pre (cello) Dame Janet Baker (mezzo) Richard Lewis (tenor) / Halle Orchestra / Philharmonia Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli [ EMI British Composers / 7 CD Box Set - released 25/Mar/2022 ] Born in London of Italian-French parents, Sir John Barbirolli (1899-1970) trained as a cellist and played in theatre and café orchestras before joining the Queen's Hall Orchestra under Sir Henry Wood in 1916. |
BACH / SATIE / VIVALDI / CHOPIN
Classic Jacques Loussier Jacques Loussier Trio [ Concord / Telarc / 5 CD Box Set - released 16/Mar/2019 ] Ever since his landmark recordings (over six million albums were sold) made with the Play Bach Trio in the '60s, the name of classically-trained pianist/composer Jacques Loussier has been linked with that of the great master of Western... |
GUSTAV MAHLER
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mahler: Kindertotenlieder / Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen / Das Lied von der Erde / Das Hnaben Wunderhorn / etc Janet Baker, Lucia Popp, Murray Dickie, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau / Halle & New Philharmonia Orchestras, Sir John Barbirolli, and more [ EMI / 2 CD Box Set - released 27/Aug/1999 ] 1001 Classical recordings you must hear before you die (1901-1950) [Kindertotenlieder/Ruckert Lieder] "The spontaneous feeling of soloist and conductor of this music comes over as in a live performance and brings out the tenderness to a unique... |