WILLIAM WALTON
Henry V: A Shakespeare Scenario Christopher Plummer (narrator) Celia Nicklin (oboe) / Academy of St.Martin / Sir Neville Marriner [ Chandos Classics / CD - released 1/Sep/2007 ] 'Chandos's stunning sound captures with unflinching ease the rousing spectacle of the battle music at full tilt. In all, another winner of a CD in what's turning out to be a most distinguished series.' Hi-Fi News |
PHILIP GLASS
The Passion of Ramakrishna [complete oratorio] Christopheren Numura, Janice Chandler Eteme, Kevin Deas, I Chin Feinblatt, Nicholas Preston / Pacific Chorale & Pacific Symphony, Carl St.Clair [ Orange Mountain Music / CD - released 1/Nov/2012 ] Orange Mountain Music presents the world premiere recording of Philip Glass' The Passion of Ramakrishna. Originally commissioned by the Pacific Symphony and premiered in 2006, this large scale 45 minute oratorio is a passion play and a tribute to the... |
TELEMANN / VIVALDI / ALBINONI / FASCH / HERTEL / etc
Concerto à la Carte Claude Monteux (flute) John Wilbraham (trumpet) / Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner [ SBS Australian Decca Eloquence / 2 CD - released 15/Feb/2016 ] "The most alert string-playing distinguishes this record … first-class quality of recording throughout" The Gramophone |
WAGNER / VERDI
Great Opera Choruses Czech Philharmonic Chorus of Brno / the St. Florian Boys' Choir / Bruckner Orchester Linz [ Chesky SACD / SACD - released 6/May/2004 ] On Hybrid Super Audio CD (SACD) format, presented in full 5.1 surround sound! PLAYABLE ON ANY CD SYSTEM - |
HANDEL
Ultimate Handel: Includes Water Music Suites, Concerto grosso in B flat & Messiah [selection] Daniel Chorzempa (Organ) Concerto Amsterdam / The Brandenburg Consort / David Hill / Gillian Fisher (Soprano) / Academy of St Martin in the Fields / e [ Decca Budget Boxes / 5 CD - released 22/May/2007 ] 5 CDs in presentation slip case at SUPER-BUDGET price. An outstanding collection of Handel Favourites. Great value gift purchase. |
Dawn Upshaw, Mandy Patinkin, Audra McDonald, Orchestra of St. Luke's Eric Stein
Bernstein - Leonard Bernsteins New York DELETED [ Nonesuch Records / CD - released 25/Apr/1997 ] The best of the show-biz Bernstein |
BARBER / MENOTTI / HARBISON / STRAVINSKY
Knoxville: Summer of 1915 Dawn Upshaw (soprano) / Orchestra of St. Luke's / David Zinman [ Nonesuch Records / CD - released 14/Sep/1990 ] German import (catalog 7559791872) |
Dearnley/St Pauls Cathedral Ch
Various: My Spirit Hath Rejoic [ Hyperion Helios / CD - released 31/May/2011 ] |
SERGEI RACHMANINOV
Piano Concerto No 1 (with works by Shchedrin & Stravinsky) Denis Matsuev (piano) / Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg / Valery Gergiev [ Mariinsky SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 20/Aug/2015 ] The Mariinsky Label's latest release showcases works for piano and orchestra by three of Russia's great composers, with the celebrated Russian pianist Denis Matsuev featured as soloist. Renowned for his interpretations of Russian music, and... |
SERGEI RACHMANINOV
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No 3 / Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini Denis Matsuev (piano) / Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg / Valery Gergiev [ Mariinsky SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 1/Jan/2010 ] "Here, for once, is the level of artistry that the work needs...for all his seemingly endless reserves of technical power [Matsuev] never makes an ugly sound." BBC Music Magazine |
SHOSTAKOVICH
Piano Concertos Nos 1 & 2 [with Shchedrin - Piano Concerto No 5] Denis Matsuev (piano) / Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg, Valery Gergiev [ Mariinsky SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 10/May/2012 ] "these new accounts of the two Shostakovich Concertos must be among the best currently available. He is brilliant and mercurial in the fast movements of both works, creatively negotiating tempo and style and bringing a sense of elan to the Second's... |
SERGEI RACHMANINOV
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 / Symphonic Dances, Op. 45 (with Rimsky-Korsakov - Scheherazade, Op. 35) Recorded in 2013 BLU-RAY Denis Matsuev (piano) / St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Yuri Temirkanov [ EuroArts Music Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Sep/2015 ] "One of the particular pleasures of this filmed concert is watching the avuncular maestro Yuri Temirkanov direct a group of players who know his every gesture so intimately. What wonderful and subtle effects he can achieve" Gramophone |
LISZT / MUSSORGSKY / ELGAR / etc
Liszt: Piano Concerto No 2 / Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition / Elgar: Enigma Variations Denis Matsuev (piano) / St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Yuri Temirkanov, Zoltán Kocsis [ EuroArts Music DVD / DVD - released 1/Oct/2016 ] "What wonderful and subtle effects Yuri Temirkanov can achieve with the absolute minimum - less is more - and the sound he produces seems to reflect his podium personality." (Gramophone) |
WAGNER
Das Reingold (complete opera recorded in 2008) BLU-RAY Deutsches Nationaltheater, Weimar / Mario Hoff / Alexander Gunther / Jean-Noel Briend / Erin Caves / Carl St. Clair (cond) [ Arthaus Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 20/Jun/2009 ] DVD Blu-Ray - "Weimar National Theatre opens a promising 'Ring' cycle with Wagner's original ur-scene." Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung |
WAGNER
Siegfried (complete opera recorded in 2008) BLU-RAY Deutsches Nationaltheater, Weimar / Tomas Mowes / Catherine Foster/ Frieder Aurich / Carl St. Clair (cond) [ Arthaus Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Aug/2009 ] BLU-RAY - Richard Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung refl ects the composer's autobiography as much as the political turmoil of his times. As work progressed, another figure grew to be as important as the hero Siegfried, the god Wotan, the mouthpiece for... |
VERDI
Verdi: Requiem Dinara Alieva (soprano), Olesya Petrova (mezzo), Francesco Meli (tenor), Dmitry Belosselskiy (bass) St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Bolshoi Cho [ Delos / Blu-ray - released 9/Nov/2018 ] In the wake of the beloved Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky's untimely passing in November 2017, tributes, memorials and musical event dedications have flowed non-stop. But none thus far has matched the sheer scope, power and sonic splendor of... |
GEORGY SVIRIDOV
Sviridov: Russia Cast Adrift Dmitri Hvorostovsky, St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra [ Delos / CD - released 9/Jun/0017 ] While greatly revered in Russia, the profound and beautiful music of neo-romantic composer Georgy Sviridov (1915-1998) is hardly known beyond his homeland's borders. His predominantly vocal output reflects his strong affinity for many of the nest... |
GABRIEL FAURE
Faure: Requiem (with Mozart-Ave verum corpus, K618, etc) Elin Manahan Thomas, Roderick Williams, Ruth Massey, Mark Dobell / The Sixteen / Academy of St Martin in the Fields / Harry Christophers [ Coro Live / CD - released 1/Apr/2008 ] The result of a brand new collaboration between two of the finest modern day exponents of classical music, this exquisite disc brings fresh life to Fauré's peerless Requiem and injects imaginative invention and poetic phrasing into two of Mozart's... |
CARL MARIA von WEBER
Weber: Symphonies, Overtures & Concertos Emma Johnson (clarinet) Peter Rösel (piano) / Academy of St Martin in the Fields, English Chamber Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, Neville Marriner [ Brilliant Classics / 4 CD Box Set - released 26/Aug/2013 ] Carl Maria von Weber is a name that is often cited with regard to the bridge between Classicism and Romanticism, and yet how many works of his is it possible to name? |
J.S. BACH / CARISSIMI / CLARKE / GRAZIANI / LEGRENZI / MONTEVERDI / PURCELL
Baroque Vocal Masterpieces Emma Kirkby (soprano) / St Albans Chamber Choir / Richard Stangroom (conductor) [ Griffin / CD ] A live concert recording by Lance Andrews, 26th February 1983 from St John's Smith Square, London. |