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CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI
Monteverdi: L'Incoronazione di Poppea (complete opera recorded in English in 1971) Janet Baker / Robert Ferguson / Anne Collins / Katherine Pring / Clifford Grant / Sadler's Wells Chorus and Orchestra / Raymond Leppard [ Chandos / 2 CD - released 1/Jun/2010 ] "Richly enjoyable...Baker catches the langour and the selfish ambition of this unpleasant character with subtly varied tone...And the diction! Put down the libretto, listen, and weep for what was." Gramophone Award Finalist 2011 - Historic |
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GUSTAV HOLST
Holst: Double Concerto / St Paul's Suite / Brook Green Suite Janice Graham (violin) / Sarah Ewing (violin) / Andriy Viytovych (viola) / Anne Pyne (flute) / Philip Palmer (oboe) / English Sinfonia / Howard Griffi [ Naxos / CD - released 15/May/2007 ] The English composer Gustav Holst served for many years as director of music at St Paul's Girls' School in London, and it was for the pupils there that he wrote his St Paul's Suite, his most famous work for amateurs and, shortly after, his Brook... |
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VIVALDI
Orlando Furioso RV728 Anne Desler, Nicki Kennedy, Marina De Liso, Lucia Sciannimanico / Coro da Camera Italiano & Modo Antiquo / Eico Maria Sardelli [ CPO / 3 CD Box Set - released 28/Jun/2008 ] Orlando Furioso is one of Vivaldi's most important operas. The story goes back to the epic of the same name by Ludovico Ariosto, set on an island ruled by the sorceress Alcina, and tells of Orlando's unhappy love for Angelica. Composed in 1727, the... |
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TRISTAN e ISEULT
Tristan & Iseult: A Medieval Romance in Music and Poetry Anne Azema, Henri Ledroit, Andrea von Ramm / The Boston Camerata, Joel Cohen [ Warner Music / CD - released 20/Mar/2008 ] The oldest versions of 'Tristan' from the Celtic lands of Western Europe were recited by bards and minstrels, and to a greater extent, were never written down. |
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MARIN MARAIS
Pieces de Viole des Cinq Livres (Livre 1686, 1701, 1711, 1717 & 1725) Jordi Savall (viol) Ton Koopman (harpsichord) Hopkinson Smith (theorbe & guitar) Christophe Coin & Anne Gallet [ Alia Vox SACD / 5 Hybrid SACD - released 10/Feb/2011 ] "These marvelous discs are from 1975, 1977, 1978, 1983, and 1992, but you will be very hard-pressed to find much difference in sound quality, especially in these stunningly gripping SACD remasterings-they are simply beautiful," (AudAud) |
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CHRISTOPH WILLIBALD GLUCK
Gluck: Iphigénie en Aulide Judith van Wanroij; Stéphanie d'Oustrac; Cyrille Dubois; Tassis Christoyannis; Jean-Sébastien Bou; David Witczak; Anne-Sophie Petit; Jehanne Amzal; Ma [ Alpha Classics / 2 CD - released 4/Oct/2024 ] Since the Baroque revival of the late 1980s, Iphigénie en Aulide is Gluck's only French opera to have remained unrecorded on period instruments. |
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DEBUSSY / MAHLER / MESSIAEN / RAVEL / STRAVINSKY
Boulez & The Cleveland Orchestra Juliane Banse (soprano) Pierre-Laurent Aimard (piano) Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano) / Cleveland Orchestra, Pierre Boulez [ Deutsche Grammophon Conductors & Orchestras / 8 CD Box Set - released 25/Jul/2017 ] The sound throughout is exceptionally vivid, and Boulez, the orchestra and his soloists provide exemplary performances at almost every turn: heartily recommended." Gramophone Editor's Choice June 2004 [on the Debussy/Ravel] |
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GOUNOD
Faust (complete opera) Jussi Bjorling (tenor) Cesare Siepi (bass) Dorothy Kirsten (soprano) Frank Guarrera (baritone) Lawrence Davidson (baritone) Anne Bollinger (sop) [ Naxos Historical Great Opera Recordings / 3 CD - released 27/Jul/2005 ] 1001 Classical recordings you must hear before you die (1851-1900) - "This 3 CD set contains some of the most glorious tenor singing ever recorded. Buy it!!!" - Göran Forsling, MusicWeb international, July 2005 |
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SCHOENBERG / WEBERN / BERG
Second Viennese School (5 CD set incls 'Gurrelieder') Karita Mattila, Anne Sofie von Otter, Philip Langridge / Berlin Philharmonic Simon Rattle [ EMI Classics Budget Box Sets / 5 CD Box Set - released 10/Feb/2011 ] GRAMOPHONE AWARD WINNER 2002 - Choral (for Gurrelieder) |
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MICHAEL TIPPETT
King Priam (recorded on film, 1985) BLU-RAY Kent Opera / Rodney Macann, Sarah Walker, Howard Haskin & Anne Mason / Sir Roger Norrington (cond) [ Arthaus Monarda Arts Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Feb/2016 ] Rodney Macann heads a strong cast in the title role, giving a compelling performance as Priam, alongside Sarah Walker's moving portrayal of Hector's wife, Andromache. Howard Haskin plays Priam's rebellious son Paris, who elopes with Helen. |
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SIBELIUS
The Essential Sibelius (15 CDs at a budget price) Leonidas Kavakos / Anne Sofie von Otter / Monica Groop / Jorma Hynninen / Helsinki University Choir / Lahti Symphony Orch / Gothenburg Symphony Orch [ BIS / 15 CD - released 1/Nov/2006 ] "The Essential Sibelius...will provide hours of pleasure, discovery and rediscovery for not very much money. If this were your only Sibelius you would have his best music. Alongside this you will become acquainted with some pieces which although not... |
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PYOTR Il'yich TCHAIKOVSKY
Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin (complete opera with libretto) Thomas Allen, Mirella Freni, Anne Sofie von Otter, Neil Shicoff / Staatskapelle Dresden, James Levine [ Deutsche Grammophon Originals / 2 CD Box Set - released 2/Feb/1988 ] "James Levine's 1984 recording is characterised by an appropriately full recorded sound and much gutsy playing from his orchestral forces." (MusicWeb) |
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GABRIEL FAURE
Fauré & his poets Marc Mauillon (baritone), Anne Le Bozec (piano) [ Harmonia Mundi / CD - released 10/Jan/2020 ] The poetic renewal embodied by Hugo, Baudelaire, Verlaine and so many others after them radically changed the musical landscape and propelled French art song into a true golden age. This tribute to Fauré, the supreme master of the mélodie, gains its... |
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HARRISON BIRTWISTLE
Gawain (complete opera) Marie Angel / Anne Howells / Richard Greager / John Tomlinson [ NMC / 2 CD - released 5/Sep/2014 ] Birtwistle's fascination with myth and ritual has influenced many of his works and this opera, its libretto by David Harsent, is based on the Arthurian legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, with a plot featuring castles, eerie nocturnal... |
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50 BEST ROMANTIC CLASSICS
50 Best Romantic Classics: Includes Offenbach 'Barcarolle', Debussy 'Clair de lune' & Dvorak 'Song to the Moon' Martha Argerich, Julian Bream, Herbert von Karajan, Moura Lympany, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Carlo Bergonzi, etc [ EMI Classics / 3 CD - released 20/Jun/2010 ] All the greatest romantic classics performed by the world's greatest soloists, instrumentalists and orchestras. |
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ARNOLD BAX
Orchestral Works, Volume 8 (Incls 'Enchanted Summer' & 'Walsinghame') Martyn Hill (tenor) Anne Williams-Kingm, Lynore McWhirter (sopranos) / Brighton Festival Chorus / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Vernon Handley [ Chandos Classics / CD - released 1/Feb/2007 ] 'This issue represents a considerable achievement for all involved. The spacious recording copes beautifully with everything Bax can muster.' Hi-Fi News |
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Mary-Anne Hobbs/Various Artists
Wild Angels [ 2 CD ] |
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BEETHOVEN
The Concertos & Overtures [5 CD set recorded 1966-1988] Maurizio Pollini (piano) Christian Ferras (violin) Yo-Yo Ma (cello) Anne-Sofie Mutter (violin) / Vienna Philhamronic, Berlin Philharmonic [ Deutsche Grammophon / 5 CD Box Set - released 1/Jun/2012 ] Recorded over a period of twenty years this is a mightly document featuring some of the world's most famous artists performing the music one of the world's greatest composers. |
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VERDI / MONTEVERDI / MOZART / BOESMANS
Festival d'Aix-en-Provence Vol.2 - La Traviata / L'Incoronazione di Poppea / Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail / Julie (complete operas) Mireille Delunsch / Anne Sofie von Otter / Matthew Polenzani / Marc Minkowski / Zeljko Lucic / Jean-Paul Fouchecourt / and more [ Bel Air Classiques / 4 DVD Box Set - released 17/Oct/2011 ] Four operas filmed in the Aix-en-Provence Festival from 2000 to 2006 in a limited edition box sets: internationnaly acclaimed productions of L'Incoronazione di Poppea by Klaus Michael Grüber, Die Entführung aus dem Serail by Deschamps & Makeïeff or... |
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J.S. BACH
Bach: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 / Double Concerto Anne-Sophie Mutter, Salvatore Accardo (violins) / English Chamber orchestra, Salvatore Accardo [ Emi Classics / CD - released 23/Jan/1984 ] Recorded in 1983 |