JEAN SIBELIUS
Sibelius: Tapiola / En Saga / Eight Songs Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano) / Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hannu Lintu (conductor) [ Ondine SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 24/Aug/2017 ] "Lintu's Tapiola does indeed settle into one of the finest performances on record, reconciling the obvious with the mysterious...Again, [En Saga] is a superb performance: rich down below, perky up top, full of delectable solos" Gramophone |
MAGNUS LINDBERG
Lindberg: Al Largo, Cello Concerto No. 2 & Era Anssi Karttunen (cello) / Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hannu Lintu [ Ondine SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 1/Mar/2017 ] Magnus Lindberg (b. 1958) is among the most important European contemporary voices in classical music. This recording includes some of Lindberg's most recent orchestral works written during and after hiscomposer-in-residence years with the New York... |
RICHARD STRAUSS / RICHARD WAGNER
Transfiguration - Wagner and Strauss Scenes Camilla Nylund (soprano) / Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra / Hannu Lintu [ Ondine / CD - released 27/Feb/2011 ] "Nylund is temperamentally suited to this kind of thing - Isolde's so-called Liebestod is the disc's big success...yet she manages the conversational tone of [the Arabella scene] well, and her long address to the tree in Daphne is attractive too" BBC |
JOHANNES BRAHMS
Brahms: Song of Destiny - Works for Choir and Orchestra Eric Ericson Chamber Choir & Gävle Symphony Orchestra, Jaime Martín [ Ondine / CD - released 1/Aug/2018 ] "A clean and deft approach to Brahms. Darkly-hued choral pieces concerning fate and destiny are balanced by the delicious Liebeslieder Waltzes." BBC Music |
HUMMEL / MOZART / WINTER / ROSSINI
Bassoon Concertos Jaakko Luoma (bassoon), Tapiola Sinfonietta, Janne Nisonen (Concertmaster) [ Ondine / CD - released 19/Jul/2019 ] As an instrument, the bassoon has had a remarkable history. Beginning with its Renaissance ancestry as the dulcian, it developed during the Baroque period into an almost indispensable part of the ensemble. Antonio Vivaldi recognized the versatility... |
JUKKA TIENSUU
Tiensuu: Vie / Missa / False Memories I-III Kari Kriikku (clarinet) / Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra / John Storgårds [ Ondine / CD - released 10/Feb/2011 ] "This release might well be the best introduction possible to Tiensuu's highly personal sound world." (Recording of the Month MusicWeb Jan 2011) |
KARITA MATTILA
The Irresistible Karita Mattila (Incls 'Song to the Moon' & 'Round Midnight') Karita Mattila (soprano) with Ilmo Ranta (piano) / Turku Philharmonic Orchestra / Finnish Radio Symphony [ Ondine / CD - released 20/Apr/2010 ] Celebrated soprano Karita Mattila has proved herself to be irresistible in any musical genre. |
OTTORINO RESPIGHI
Respighi: Concerto in Modo Misolido / Fountains of Rome Olli Mustonen (piano) / Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra / Sakari Oramo [ Ondine / CD - released 26/Oct/2010 ] "Oramo and his Finnish players to give us a highly atmospheric reading of exemplary clarity and, in the "Trevi", powerful dramatic effect." Gramophone |
ROBERT SCHUMANN
Schumann: Introduction & Allegro Appassionato / "Geistervariationen" for piano solo / Introduction & Concert Allegro Tzimon Barto, Christph Eschenbach (pianos) / NDR Sinfonieorchester, Christoph Eschenbach [ Ondine / CD - released 1/Mar/2010 ] To mark the 200th birthday of Robert Schumann in 2010, this new recording includes a unique program of the great German Romantic composer's late piano works. This release also marks the 70th birthday of Christoph Eschenbach - one of the great... |
JOHANNES BRAHMS
Brahms: Liebeslieder Aldis Liepiņš & Dace Kļava (pianos) Latvian Radio Choir, Sigvards Klava [ Ondine / CD - released 10/Jul/2015 ] "Under Sigvards Kļava these singers don't wallow in over-sentimentality but give an impressive interpretation of this glorious music, aided by two superb pianists." Choir & Organ |
HEINO ELLER
Heino Eller: Violin Concerto / Symphony No 2 / etc Baiba Skride (violin) / Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Olari Elts [ Ondine / CD - released 9/Nov/2018 ] "Estonian composer Heino Eller was a wonderful orchestrator, as revealed in these beautiful, if slightly forgettable, works. Skride, Elts and co, however, give the strongest advocacy for them with terrific playing" BBC Music |
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH / SERGEI PROKOFIEV / KURT WEILL
Shostakovich: Preludes / Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives / etc Benjamin Schmid (violin) Lisa Smirnova (piano) [ Ondine / CD - released 2/Feb/2015 ] "What cannot be denied is the passionate engagement of the soloist, a big-toned player…[and] an accomplished jazz musician…this long-gestated project has a dangerous exuberance all its own" (Gramophone) |
UUNO KLAMI / EINAR ENGLUND
Klami / Englund: Violin Concertos Benjamin Schmid (violin) / Oulu Symphony Orchestra, Johannes Gustavsson [ Ondine / CD - released 27/Sep/2016 ] "A vital imagination is evinced by every aspect of this disc" MusicWeb |
J. S. BACH
Bach: Sonatas / Partitas / Suites [Complete Arrangements For Solo Recorder By Frans Brüggen] Bolette Roed (recorder) [ Ondine / 2 CD - released 11/Nov/2016 ] This new Ondine release by Danish-born recorder player Bolette Roed includes the music of Johann Sebastian Bach arranged for solo recorder. The works were arranged by Frans Brüggen (1934-2014), the famous Dutch recorder player and conductor |
HECTOR BERLIOZ
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Berlioz: Harold in Italy (with Paganini: Sonata per la grand viola, MS 70) David Aaron Carpenter (viola) / Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Ashkenazy [ Ondine / CD - released 29/Aug/2011 ] "Carpenter rises to all the challenges with great dexterity...the performance of Harold, too, has much to recommend it ...There are some especially imaginative touches of tone-painting" Gramophone |
J. S. BACH
Bach: Sonatas & Partitas for solo violin Christian Tetzlaff (violin) [ Ondine / 2 CD - released 8/Sep/2017 ] "His tonal palette is richly chromatic, and when the violin sound turns from the earthly to the ethereal, the effect is almost that of a philosophical discourse between body and soul" BBC Music Five Stars |
BELA BARTOK
Bartók: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 Christian Tetzlaff (violin) / Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hannu Lintu [ Ondine / CD - released 1/Jun/2018 ] "Ondine's new Bartók CD is an out-and-out winner...Tetzlaff's account of the First Concerto elevates this work to a whole new level of musical excellence..It's that good!" Gramophone Award WINNER 2018 - Concerto |
JOSEPH MARTIN KRAUS
Kraus: Viola Concertos David Aaron Carpenter (viola) / Tapiola Sinfonietta, Janne Nisonen [ Ondine / CD - released 1/Nov/2012 ] "Carpenter is a sensitive and knowledgeable guide through these works, which he plays as if they've always been with him. Viola players will surely rejoice that their concerto repertoire now has three challenging and beautiful... |
MAGNUS LINDBERG
Lindberg: Graffiti / Seht die Sonne Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Helsinki Chamber Choir / Sakari Oramo [ Ondine / CD - released 1/Mar/2010 ] "..the truly individual moments are the most affecting - particularly the ethereal conclusion. In both works the orchestra under Sakari Oramo is a treasure trove of colour" BBC Music Five Stars |
MAGNUS LINDBERG
Lindberg: Tempus Fugit / Violin Concerto No 2 Frank Peter Zimmermann (violin) / Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hannu Lintu [ Ondine SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 14/Sep/2018 ] "Under Hannu Lintu, the Finish Radio Symphony Orchestra plays with such clarity and insight that is feels like a beautifully balanced clockwork mechanism - albeit one with a mightily exuberant spirit." The Strad |