W.A. MOZART
Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) Complete opera Alastair Miles, Nuccia Focile, Carol Vaness / Scottish Chamber Chorus / Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Sir Charles MacKerras [ Telarc Classics / CD - released 10/Oct/2009 ] 1001 Classical Recordings you must hear before you die - "There is something about Mackerras's rhythms, his placing of accents, his vitality and his allusiveness that makes this very much a performance of the theatre." (Gramophone) |
FREDERIC CHOPIN
Alexander Brailowsky plays Chopin: The Complete RCA Album Collection Alexander Brailowsky (piano) / RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra, William Steinberg / Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch [ RCA Red Seal / Sony / 8 CD Box Set - released 20/Aug/2019 ] Mr. Brailowsky has a sheer instinct for the secrets of the piano, declared the distinguished New York Times music critic Olin Downes in his review of the Ukrainian-American pianist s 1925 Carnegie Hall recital. He recreates his music with all the... |
W. A. MOZART
Piano Concertos, K482 & K595 (22 & 27) Alfred Brendel (piano) / Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Sir Charles Mackerras [ Philips / CD - released 26/May/2001 ] This release celebrated Alfred Brendel's 70th birthday. |
W.A. MOZART
Piano Concertos No 12 K414 & No 17 K453 Alfred Brendel (piano) / Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Sir Charles MacKerras [ Decca / CD - released 15/Nov/2005 ] This is the latest release in the highly acclaimed Philips series of Mozart Piano Concerti from two of the World's most distinguished Mozartians - pianist Alfred Brendel and conductor Sir Charles Mackerras (who celebrates his 80th birthday in 2005). |
CESAR FRANCK
Alfred Cortot - Franck: Symphonic Variations (rec 1934) with concertos by Saint-Saens and Ravel Alfred Cortot (piano) / London Philharmonic Orchestra / Landon Ronald / Paris Conservatoire Orchestra / Charles Munch [ Naxos Historical Great Pianists / CD - released 2/Jul/2001 ] "One of his precious few concerto recordings, this disc shows Cortot at his most beguiling. Mark Obert-Thorn's transfers are exceptional and all lovers of past but ever-present greatness will want this second and final Naxos volume of Cortot's sadly... |
SERGEI RACHMANINOV
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2 / Symphonic Dances, Op. 45 Alicia de Larrocha (piano) / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Concerto). The Philadelphia Orchestra (Symphonic Dances). Charles Dutoit [ Decca ABC Eloquence / CD - released 18/Aug/2005 ] Recorded early in Dutoit's career and originally coupled with the Schumann concerto, this is the first appearance on CD of his Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 with Alicia de Larrocha as a fine and poetic soloist. |
EDWARD ELGAR
Elgar: Cello Concerto / Enigma Variations / Froissart / Starlight Express / etc Alison Hagley (soprano) Bryn Terfel (bass-baritone) Robert Cohen (cello) / Royal Philharmonic / Welsh National Opera Orch. / Sir Charles Mackerras [ Decca SBS Australian Eloquence / 2 CD - released 1/Nov/2007 ] "Mackerras captures the wistful charm of the quieter pieces (on CD2) very effectively, and spirits are high in the more robust items" Gramophone |
LISZT / MAHLER
Der Himmlische Leben Anne Schwanewilms (soprano) & Charles Spencer (piano) [ ONYX / CD - released 10/Mar/2013 ] "Schwanewilms's voice is an acquired taste; those who crave full-bodied Italianate lushness of tone will not 'get' the singing of this gifted German jugendlich dramatisch soprano" (International Record Review) |
DUTILLEUX
Dutilleux Edition [6 CD set] Anssi Karttunen (cello) Barbara Hannigan (soprano) Lynn Harrell (cello) Renee Fleming (soprano) Esa-Pekka Salonen (cond) Charles Dutoit (cond), etc [ Deutsche Grammophon / 6 CD Box Set - released 20/Jul/2014 ] "Hannigan has made the music very much her own...a wonderful 97th birthday present for a musician who has patiently extended older French traditions of civility and high polish into an age of aesthetic meltdown." (Gramophone Award Winner for Correspo |
PETER ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY / FELIX MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY
Mendelssohn & Tchaikovsky - Violin Concertos Arabella Steinbacher (violin), Charles Dutoit, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande [ Pentatone / CD - released 1/Jun/2015 ] This release arguably features the two greatest concertos ever written for the violin: performed by one of the most brilliant violinists of her generation, together with one of the finest orchestras, and under the baton of one of the world's foremost... |
GAVIN BRYARS
Three Viennese Dances Arditti String Quartet / Pascal Pongy : French horn / Charles Fullbrook : percus [ ECM Records / CD - released 1/Jan/2001 ] Recorded February 1986 |
HELENA TULVE
Arboles lloran por lluvia Ariana Savall / Charles Barbier / Taniel Kirikal / NYYD Quartet [ ECM New Series / CD ] Recorded in churches in Tallinn as well as the Estonian Concert Hall, the five compositions heard on "Arboles lloran por lluvia" (Trees cry for rain) give deeper insight into the unique sound-world of Helena Tulve, into music which is nourished by... |
ARTHUR BLISS
A Colour Symphony / Things to Come / Cello Concerto / Christopher Columbus Suite / Checkmate - Suite / etc Arto Noras (cello) / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Charles Groves / Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Vernon Handley [ EMI / Warner Classics / 5 CD Box Set - released 1/Mar/2015 ] "Has Bliss's music dated irrevocably? These two discs will give you all the data you need to decide, with lively, committed performers who appear to believe in every note of these works." (BBC Music Feb 2006) |
BEETHOVEN
Piano Concertos 3, 4 & 5 Artur Pizarro (piano) / Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras [ Linn ECHO / 2 CD - released 20/Feb/2014 ] Renowned conductor Sir Charles Mackerras leads pianist Artur Pizarro and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in a truly memorable performance of these great works. Originally released in 2009, 'Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concertos 3, 4 & 5' has been... |
PURCELL
Complete Secular Solo Songs Barbara Bonney / Susan Gritton / Charles Daniels / Roger Covey-Crump / James Bowman / Michael George / The King's Consort / Robert King [ Hyperion / 3 CD - released 23/Mar/2010 ] 'Those who need all of Purcell's songs at their fingertips should invest in Hyperion's three-disk survey of secular songs, with outstanding performances by Barbara Bonney, Rogers Covey-Crump and James Bowman' (The New York Times) |
W.A. MOZART
Der Zauberflote (The Magic Flute) Highlights Barbara Hendricks / June Anderson / Ulrike Steinsky / Jerry Hadley / Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Sir Charles MacKerras [ Telarc Classics / CD - released 15/Feb/2006 ] "...the sound is outstanding-both clean and rich." -American Record Guide |
LEOS JANACEK
Janáček: From The House of The Dead (complete opera) Bayerische Staatsoper / Peter Rose, Evgeniya Sotnikova, Aleš Briscein, Charles Workman / Simone Young (cond) [ Bel Air DVD / DVD - released 20/Mar/2020 ] "The cast is large and too numerous to acknowledge everyone, and there are no weak links. Bo Skovhus scores another career highlight as Šiškov and makes almost a mini-opera of his long scene." Five Stars OperaNow |
LEOS JANACEK
Janáček: From The House of The Dead (complete opera) BLU-RAY Bayerische Staatsoper / Peter Rose, Evgeniya Sotnikova, Aleš Briscein, Charles Workman / Simone Young (cond) [ Bel Air Blu-ray / DVD - released 20/Mar/2020 ] Death is never far away in Leo Janáeks work : in The Cunning Little Vixen, the main character falls under the fire of a hunter, Katia Kabanova kills herself, Emilia Marty in The Makropulos Case has to deal with the hard consequences of eternal youth.... |
GRACE WILLIAMS
Ballads for Orchestra / Symphony No 2 / etc BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra, Vernon Handley / London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Charles Groves [ Lyrita / CD - released 10/Apr/2009 ] |
BEAUTIFUL WEDDING
Beautiful Wedding: Prelude (Incls 'Flower Duet', 'Clair de lune' & 'Air On A G String') Various artists and performers including Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Boston Baroque, Leonard Slatkin & Charles Mackerras [ Telarc / CD - released 9/Jun/2008 ] Set the mood for your beautiful wedding with Prelude. Serenade arriving guests with this lovely collection of classical music, featuring tranquil works from Satie, Handel, Mozart, Bach and more. From the first dreamy strains of Delibes' "Flower Duet"... |