VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Misteri d'Elx - Homenatge al: La Vespra (Sacred Drama for the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary) Montserrat Figuerras, Marlia Vargas, Arianna Savall, La Capella Reial de Catalunya. Jordi Savall [ Alia Vox / CD - released 15/May/2004 ] "Listed by UNESCO on its list of masterpieces of oral history, the Mystery of Elche is a powerful work with deep roots. Jordi Savall does this sort of music with a tremendous sense of idiom, and he conjures some amazing sounds from his Catalonian... |
BIZET / CHABRIER / TCHAIKOVSKY / IBERT / DELIBES / POULENC / etc
Roger Desormiere - The Decca Recordings National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire de Paris, Roger Desormiere, with Janine Micheau, soprano [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 4 CD Box Set - released 5/Jun/2020 ] A landmark tribute to Roger Désormière, a great French conductor of the mid-twentieth century, including many recordings new to CD. |
AIRAT ICHMOURATOV
Ichmouratov: Symphony 'On the ruins of an Ancient Fort' / Overtures Orchestre de la Francophonie, Jean-Philippe Tremblay [ Chandos / CD - released 10/Jul/2020 ] The second album of orchestral works by Airat Ichmouratov features three works united by an ear for bold orchestral colour, a dramatic sense of form, and a firm dedication to tonality. |
FRANK MARTIN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Frank Martin - Petite Symphonie Concertante, 6 Monologe aus 'Jedermann'. etc Gilles Cachemaille (baritone) / Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. Armin Jordan [ Erato Apex / CD - released 14/Nov/2002 ] Recorded 1989 & 1991, in Victoria Hall, Genève |
JACQUES OFFENBACH
Offenbach: Neeme Järvi conducts Offenbach Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Neeme Järvi [ Chandos SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 22/Nov/2015 ] "A melt-in-the-mouth confection, attractively played and presented; Järvi père is back on form at last." (MusicWeb Nov 2015) |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Verdi: Otello (complete opera recorded in 1986) Placido Domingo, Katia Ricciarelli, Justino Diaz / Milan La Scala Chorus & Orchestra / Lorin Maazel [ EMI / 2 CD Box Set - released 18/Aug/1986 ] "I have no hesitation in making this set my first choice in this ever-potent opera" - Gramophone |
ALBINONI / CALDARA / CORRELLI / TARTINI / TORELLI / VIVALDI
The Italian Job: Baroque Instrumental Music from the Italian States Rachel Chaplin and Gail Hennessy (oboes) Peter Whelan (bassoon), La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler (violin / director) [ Avie / CD - released 24/Feb/2017 ] "the whole underpinned by a scholarly attittude to programming and performance style which is yet worn with a light grace." Gramophone Award WINNER 2017 - Baroque Insrumental |
SAINT-SAENS / FAURE / BERLIOZ / MASSENET etc
Sandrine Piau - Si j'ai aimé Sandrine Piau (soprano) / Le Concert de la Loge, Julien Chauvin [ Alpha Classics / CD - released 24/May/2019 ] Gramophone Awards 2020 WINNER - Recital BBC Music Award Finalist 2020 |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven Révolution Vol. II Symphonies 6 to 9 Sara Gouzy, Salome Fischer, Mingjie Lei, Manuel Walser / Le Concert des Nations, La Capella Nacional de Catalunya, Jordi Savall [ Alia Vox / 3 CD Box Set - released 25/Feb/2022 ] "This is a very special release...Savall's may well have just become my favourite period-instrument Beethoven cycle of them all." Gramophone Award Finalist 2022 - Orchestral |
MANUEL de FALLA
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Falla - El amor brujo / 7 Chansons populaires espagnoles / Nuits dans les jardins d'Espagne Victoria de los Angeles (soprano) Gonzalo Soriano (piano) / Orchestre de la Societe des Concerts du Conservatoire, Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos, etc [ EMI Classics / 2 CD - released 20/Aug/2003 ] "Make shelf space for this...the French EMI vaults yielded a rich trove of Gonzalo Soriano's (neglected) Falla keyboard specialties, plus very collectable orchestral fireworks by Artur Rodzinski and André Vandernoot." (Cody Robert) |
Yo La Tengo
I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One (25th Anniversary Edition Limited 2LP) [ Matador / 2 LP - released 12/Aug/2022 ] "A stone cold classic." - Rolling Stone "The greatest band in the universe." - Pitchfork "I Can Hear The Heart helped teach people how to listen to music." - Stereogum |
FRANCESCA CACCINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Caccini: La liberazione di Ruggerio dall'isola di Alcina (complete opera) Allabastrina, La Pifarescha / Elena Sartori (harpsichord/direction) [ Glossa / CD - released 13/Jan/2016 ] With this production of Francesca Caccini's 'La liberazione di Ruggerio dall'isola di Alcina', directed by Elena Sartori, an important stepping-stone in the development of 17th-century opera receives a superb new recording from Glossa. For much of... |
GUISEPPE MARTUCCI
Martucci: Orchestral Music (Complete), Vol. 1 - Symphony No. 1 / Nocturne / Andante / Canzonetta / Giga Andrea Noferini (cello) / Rome Symphony Orchestra / Francesco La Vecchia [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Apr/2009 ] The foremost Italian orchestral composer of the late nineteenth century, as well as an accomplished pianist and conductor, Giuseppe Martucci was one of the first of a line of composers, which included Sgambati, Mancinelli and Faccio and, later,... |
OLAFUR ARNALDS / LUDOVICO EINAUDI / MAX RICHTER / JOHANN JOHNANSSON etc
Pulsations Angèle Dubeau & La Pietà [ Analekta / CD - released 4/Oct/2019 ] One of the most prominent violin virtuosos of her generation, Angèle Dubeau has been leading an exceptional career, performing in the greatest concert halls of the world. While her virtuosity and musicality have seduced critics, the public has... |
IGOR STRAVINSKY
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms / Symphony in C / Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments Boris Berman (piano) / Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Neeme Jarvi, Choeur de Chambre Romand, Choeur pro Arte de Lausanne [ Chandos Classics / CD - released 30/Jun/1993 ] "(This recording) contains some superb performances by an orchestra with a long Stravinsky tradition, and Järvi's dedication to this composer has produced some of his finest efforts." ClassicsToday |
MODEST MUSSORGSKY
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mussorgsky: The Nursery, Sunless & Songs and Dances of Death plus eight other songs (recorded 1955-7) Boris Christoff (bass) Alexandre Labinsky, piano, Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Francaise / Georges Tzipine [ EMI Great Recordings of the Century / CD - released 15/Feb/2003 ] "The Mussorgsky songs constitute a complete world in themselves, and they cast a strong spell: their range is enormous and their insight into the human condition deep. Christoff was at the height of his vocal powers when he made this set" Rosette:... |
BIZET / BERLIOZ / DEBUSSY / MUSSORGSKY / RAVEL / etc
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Great Conductors of the 20th Century: Andre Cluytens Boris Christoff (bass) / National Opera of Sofia / Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française, Orchestre du Théâtre National de l'Opéra, André [ EMI Classics / 2 CD - released 25/Feb/2018 ] Great Conductors of the 20th Century is a joint venture between the production and licensing expertise of IMG Artists and the international marketing and distribution clout of EMI. Sixty volumes were planned with hopes for even more. Unfortunately,... |
VINCENZO BELLINI
Bellini: Norma (complete opera recorded in 1960) Maria Callas, Christa Ludwig, Franco Corelli, Nicola Zaccaria / Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala Milan, Tullio Serafin [ Warner Classics Maria Callas Remastered / 3 CD - released 18/Nov/2014 ] Callas first sang Bellini's Norma in 1948, when she was just 25. She went on to perform the role of the heroic, but vulnerable Druid priestess - the ultimate embodiment of bel canto - more frequently than any other. In this second studio recording... |
BELLINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Bellini: La Sonnambula (complete opera in hard cover with full libretto) Cecilia Bartoli, Juan-Diego Florez, Ildebrando D'Arcangelo / Orchestra La Scintilla / Alessandro De Marchi [ Decca Music Group / 2 CD - released 5/Nov/2008 ] "In this recording, thanks to the soloists and conductor, it manages to come over as I suspect Bellini and Romani intended, as a mini-drama with a happy ending. I have enjoyed the performance immensely and will return to it. (MusicWeb) |
PACINI / BELLINI / MENDELSSOHN / HUMMEL / ROSSI / etc
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Cecilia Bartoli - Maria Cecilia Bartoli (soprano) with Maxim Vengerov (violin) / Orchestra La Scintilla / International Chamber Soloists / Adam Fischer [ Decca / CD - released 19/Sep/2007 ] GRAMOPHONE MAGAZINE AWARD WINNER 2008 - Recital - "Diva Bartoli is on brilliant form in this recording and Adam Fischer provides loving and sensitive handling of the orchestra, which plays superbly." (MusicWeb Sept 2007) |