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GILBERT & SULLIVAN
Gilbert & Sullivan: H.M.S. Pinafore (complete operetta) Elizabeth Watts, Toby Spence, John Mark Ainsley, Andrew Foster-Williams / Scottish Opera, Richard Egarr [ Linn / 2 CD - released 2/May/2016 ] "The singers are first class and well suited to their roles - Toby Spence is well-suited the tenor role of Ralph, John Mark Ainsley as Sir Joseph gives the character an affected aloofness with sufficient dryness to provide believable comedy" MusicWeb |
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ROGERS & HAMMERSTEIN
Rodgers & Hammerstein at the Movies Sierra Boggess, Anna Jane Casey, Joyce DiDonato, Maria Ewing, Julian Ovenden / The John Wilson Orchestra & Maida Vale Singers, John Wilson [ EMI Classics / CD - released 1/Dec/2012 ] John Wilson and his orchestra have become a regular highlight at the BBC Proms, selling out faster than any other proms and bringing the house down each time. Their second appearance in 2010 was A Celebration of Rodgers & Hammerstein which is... |
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HECTOR BERLIOZ
Fantastique Berlioz [3 CD set] Simon Rattle, Renaud Capuçon, .Leonard Bernstein, Kent Nagano, Joyce DiDonato, Riccardo Muti, John Barbirolli, Louis Fremaux, Janet Baker, etc [ Erato / Warner Classics / 3 CD - released 10/Feb/2019 ] Hector Berlioz, France's greatest Romantic composer, exemplifies the spirit of his age - yet his genius was also ahead of its time. Reflecting his colourful life, his music is astonishing for its originality and ambition, and for orchestration of... |
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BENJAMIN BRITTEN / ARTHUR BLISS / FRANK BRIDGE / LENNOX BERKELEY
Britten, Bliss, Bridge, Berkeley: English Music For Strings Sinfonia of London, John Wilson [ Chandos SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 29/Jan/2021 ] GRAMOPHONE Award Nomination 2021 - Orchestral |
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ERICH WOLFGANG KORNGOLD
Korngold: Symphony in F Sharp / Straussiana / Theme & Variations Sinfonia of London, John Wilson (conductor) [ Chandos SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 30/Aug/2019 ] "The playing of the Sinfonia of London is astonishingly brilliant, with Hollywood-dream glories in the string tone" BBC Music Magazine Awards 2020 WINNER - Orchestral |
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FELIX MENDELSSOHN
Mendelssohn: Symphony No 2 'Lobgesang' Lucy Crowe (soprano), Jurgita Adamonyté (mezzo), Michael Spyres (tenor) London Symphony Orchestra, Monteverdi Choir, Sir John Eliot Gardiner [ LSO Live SACD + BLU-RAY AUDIO / 2 Hybrid SACD - released 22/Sep/2017 ] "The 44-strong Monteverdi Choir launch into 'Die Nacht ist vergangen' with real joy as day arrives...The final choral fugue is genuinely uplifting, a splendid way to conclude Gardiner's splendid cycle" Gramophone Editor's Choice Oct 2017 |
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SERGEI PROKOFIEV / CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS / W. A. MOZART
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Peter and the Wolf / Carnival of the Animals / Eine kleine Nachtmusik Sir John Gielgud (narrator) Academy of London, Richard Stamp [ Virgin Classics / CD - released 19/Oct/2004 ] "The new digital recording from Sir John Gielgud is a natural successor to that of his illustrious late colleague, Ralph Richardson, and every bit as enjoyable." (Gramophone) |
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SERGEI PROKOFIEV / CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf / Saint-Saens: Carnival of the Animals (with Bizet's Jeux d'enfants) Sir John Gielgud (narrator) Vivian Troon, Roderick Elms (pianos) / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Andrea Licata (cond) [ Royal Philharmonic / CD - released 10/Apr/2006 ] In line with the tradition begun by Sir Thomas Beecham, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra continues to be closely associated with some of the world's outstanding conductors and soloists. |
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JOHN TAVERNER / THOMAS TALLIS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Taverner: Western Wynde / Tallis: Missa Salve Intemerata Virgo St. John's College Choir Cambridge, George Guest [ EMI Eminence / CD - released 5/Nov/1989 ] "Listening in, the individual vocal strength of various singers, particularly in the back rows, came as no surprise - John's have long been a powerful crew... What did take me aback, though is just how much everyone seemed to be enjoying things ...... |
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PAVEL CHESNOKOV
Chesnokov: Sacred Choral Music St John's Voices, Cambridge University Chamber Choir, Graham Walker [ Naxos / CD - released 12/May/2023 ] "To my knowledge, this is the first recording dedicated exclusively to Chesnokov's work by British singers, and it provides an excellent showcase for his work, in chronological order." Gramophone Editor's Choice Gramophone July 2023 |
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GEORGE GERSHWIN
Gershwin: Orchestral Works [Incls 'An American in Paris'] St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, John Korman, Yuan Tung, George Silfies, Barbara Liberman, David Mortland, Leonard Slatkin [ Vox Classics / CD - released 16/Jun/2023 ] Soon after writing his great works for piano and orchestra (available on VOX-NX-3018CD), Gershwin turned to his 'tone poem for orchestra', An American in Paris. With indelible themes, and masterly string writing, it remains one of his best-known... |
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WILL TODD
Todd: Passion Music, Jazz Missa Brevis St Martin's Voices, Will Todd Ensemble, Shaneeka Simon( vocals), John Turville (piano), Will Todd (conductor) [ Signum / CD - released 1/Feb/2019 ] Will Todd has established himself as one of the UK's most popular choral composers. His anthem, The Call of Wisdom, was performed at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations with a TV audience of 45 million people. His breakthrough work, Mass in... |
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PRAISE TO THE LORD
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Praise to the Lord: Favourite Hymns from St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral Choir / John Scott, conductor (with the English Brass Ensemble) [ Hyperion Helios / CD - released 20/May/2008 ] 'Exemplary' (Gramophone) |
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ANONYMOUS / TALLIS / STANFORD / PURCELL / FAURE / BURGON / etc
Remembrance St Paul's Cathedral Choir, John Scott Master of Music [ Hyperion / CD - released 10/Sep/2003 ] 'A lasting souvenir of a moving occasion, a fitting tribute to a great man, but above all, fine listening' (Gramophone) |
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KENNETH LEIGHTON
Kenneth Leighton: Complete Organ Works Stephen Farr (organ & harpsichord), with John Butt (organ), Chloë Hanslip (violin) & Nicky Spence (tenor) [ Resonus Classics / CD - released 17/Mar/2017 ] Resonus Classics is proud to present a major new recording of the complete organ works of the British twentieth-century composer Kenneth Leighton (1929-1988). With vivid interpretations, acclaimed organ virtuoso Stephen Farr breathes new life into... |
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STEPHEN SONDHEIM
Sondheim: A Little Night Music Sian Phillips, Bonaventura Bottone & Susan Hampshire / Studio Cast, John Owen Edwards [ TER / Thats Entertainment / CD - released 3/Nov/2008 ] A Little Night Music is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. Inspired by the 1955 Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night, it involves the romantic lives of several couples. Its title is a literal English... |
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John Surman / John Warren
The Brass Project [ ECM Touchstones / CD - released 18/Jan/2019 ] The original conceptual idea for the Brass Project was to set John Surman's improvising trio with bassist Chris Laurence and drummer John Marshall at the centre of a radiant brass choir of trumpets and trombones. With John Warren invited to... |
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JACK HEGGIE
Heggie: Dead Man Walking (Complete Opera) Susan Graham, Frederica von Stade, John Packard / San Francisco Opera [ Elektra / Asylum Records / 2 CD - released 3/Mar/2002 ] A live recording of this critically acclaimed opera |
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GLUCK / STRAVINSKY / PURCELL / PUCCINI / MOZART / ARLEN / etc
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Sylvia McNair - A Portrait Sylvia McNair (soprano) with conductors, Claudio Abbado, John Eliot Gardiner, Christopher Hogwood, Neville Marriner, etc [ Philips / CD - released 20/Sep/1996 ] Recordings from 1991 to 1995 |
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BENJAMIN BRITTEN
Britten: Peter Grimes (complete opera recorded in 2012) BLU-RAY Teatre alla Scala / John Graham-Hall, Susan Gritton, Christopher Purves, Felicity Palmer / Robin Ticciati (cond) [ Opus Arte Blu-ray / DVD - released 31/Jul/2013 ] "Gritton's Ellen is remarkable...[Graham-Hall ] lives his role - earnest, lonely, impulsive, with a desperate desire for acceptance...Ticciati is in full control from the start" Gramophone DVD of the month July 2013 |