BLOCH / BRIDGE / HOUGH
In The Shadow of War Steven Isserlis (cello) / Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Hugh Wolff / Tapiola Sinfonietta, Gábor Takács-Nagy [ BIS SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 1/Jan/2013 ] "this profoundly engaging reading [of the Bridge] sets a new standard. [in Schelomo] nothing is forced or overdone, no rhetoric or posturing gets in the way of the work's own soulful expression." (5 Stars BBC Music) |
Strauss/Berlin State Opera Orc
Beethoven:symphonies 5 & 7 [ Naxos / CD - released 3/Jul/2000 ] |
MAX REGER
Reger: Violin Concerto in A / Two Romances Tanja Becker-Bender (violin) / Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Lothar Zagrosek [ Hyperion Romantic Violin Concerto Vol 11 / CD - released 10/Jul/2012 ] "it's one of [Reger's] most heart-warming works, allowing his intensely lyrical streak free rein...Aided by first-rate orchestral playing, [Zagrosek] finds transparency in Reger's original" BBC Music Five Stars |
HARTMANN
20TH CENTURY PORTRAITS TATJANA MASURENKO (VIOLA), FRANK-IMMO ZICHNER (PIANO), RUNDFUNK-SINFONIEORCHESTER BERLIN, MAREK JANOWSKI [ CAPRICCIO / SACD ] |
LORTZING / WEBER / WAGNER / RICHARD STRAUSS
Evening Star-German Opera Arias Thomas Quasthoff, baritone, Berlin Deutsche Opera. Thielemann (with Christiane Oelze) [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 2/Jul/2002 ] Editor's Choice (Gramophone Magazine) July 2002 |
J.S. BACH
Dialogue Cantatas (BWV49 BWV57 BWV152) Thomas Quasthoff / Dorothea RAschmann / Mitglieder des RIAS-Kammerchor Berlin / Rainer Kussmaul [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 16/Nov/2007 ] "Performances of extraordinary beauty and intensity. Quasthoff brings to these works a richness of characterisation that connects at the deepest level with these powerful religious utterances . . . this is a powerful experience…" (Gramophone Awards... |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Symphonies Nos 1 - 9 (1970s recordings) [BLU-RAY DOBLY ATMOS] Anna Tomowa-Sintow, Agnes Baltsa, Peter Schreier, Jose van Dam / Berlin Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan [ Deutsche Grammophon / 2 Blu-Ray Audio - released 20/Oct/2019 ] Grammy Award Winning Cycle: Winner of "Best Orchestral Performance" - 1978. |
BARTOK
Herzog Blaubarts Burg (Duke Bluebeard's Castle) / Canata profana Topper, Fischer-Dieskau, Krebs / RIAS Kammerchor / Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin / Ferenc Fricsay [ DG The Originals / CD - released 23/Jul/2004 ] "Fricsay's conducting is like a man possessed, the orchesral playing is utterly magnificent...A quite wonderful disc." - www.musicweb.uk.net |
WAGNER
Rienzi (complete opera recorded in 2010) BLU-RAY Berlin Opera / Torsten Kerl, Kate Aldrich, Camilla Nylund / Sebastian Lang-Lessing (cond) [ Arthaus Musik Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 21/Dec/2010 ] "…spectacularly thanks to brilliant pseudo-historic footage in the style of Leni Riefenstahl's Nazi propaganda films…The production is a knockout." The Sunday Times |
Tortelier/Cappone/Berlin Po
Strauss: Don Quixote [ Testament / CD - released 24/Feb/2003 ] |
Trojahn/Deutsches So Berlin
Pettersson: Symphony No.6 [ Cpo / CD ] |
MAHLER
Symphony No 8 Twyla Robinson, Erin Wall, Adriane Queiroz, Robert Holl / Cor der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin / Staatskapelle Berlin / Pierre Boulez [ Deutsche Grammophon / 2 CD - released 26/Jan/2008 ] "I enjoyed the experience...Firstly, the presentation...soloists, orchestra and choruses...is top-drawer. The collective weight and momentum of these massive forces are well contained by DG's engineers, wave upon wave of exultant sound" Gramophone... |
SPOHR
Concertantes No. 1 in A major, for two violins and orchestra, Ulf Hoelscher, Gunhild Hoelscher (violins) / Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin / Christian Frohlich [ CPO / CD - released 30/Oct/2004 ] "A refreshing alternative to the usual repertoire. Well performed and recorded!" (MusicWeb Aug 2004) |
MAX BRUCH
Works for Violin and Orchestra Ulf Wallin (violin) / Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Okko Kamu [ BIS SACD / CD - released 20/Aug/2015 ] A highly versatile musician, Ulf Wallin has recorded a succession of discs for BIS, including music by Schoenberg, Schnittke, Janacek and Hindemith. Lately he has focussed on Romantic composers, resulting in an acclaimed recording of Schumann's... |
KURT ATTENBERG
Violin Concerto / Varmlands Rhapsody Ulf Wallin (violin) / Rundfunk Symphony Orchestra Berlin / Roger Epple [ CPO / CD - released 20/May/2006 ] "This is a disc not to be missed" (Recording of the Month MusicWeb May 2006) |
KURT WEILL
Ute Lemper Sings Kurt Weill Volume 1 Ute Lemper / BIAS Berlin Kammerensemble / John Mauceri [ Decca Records / CD - released 11/Jan/1989 ] This European imported CD compilation features Ute Lemper's cover versions of Kurt Weill favourites. |
Spontini,
Olympie Varady, Fischer-Dieskau, Toczyska, Tagliavini, Fortune, Becker; RSO Berlin, Albrecht [ ORFEO / 2 CD - released 11/Aug/1987 ] |
MACHALA / MEDAGLI / BARBER / CARTER / VILLA-LOBOS / etc
Summer Music Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet, with Nigel Shore (cor anglais) [ BIS / CD - released 1/Jan/2000 ] |
BRUCKNER
Symphony No.8 in C minor Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Carlo Maria Giulini [ Testament / 2 CD - released 16/Nov/2009 ] Giulini's haunting interpretations of Bruckner with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra still linger in the memory. On 11 and 12 February 1984 he conducted his Symphony No.8. According to Klaus Geitel (Berliner Morgenpost on 14 February), Giulini's... |
BARTOK / DORATI / MARTINU
Concert for Lidice Will Quadflieg (speaker) HdK Chamber Choir, Berlin / Dresden Trio / Members of the Czech Chamber Orch / New Berlin Chamber Or / Martin Fischer-Dieskau [ BIS / CD - released 1/Dec/1992 ] Martin Fischer-Dieskau was born in Berlin to a musical family; his father is the noted singer Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Fischer-Dieskau's older brother, Mathias, is a highly regarded stage designer, and his younger brother, Manuel, is a cellist.... |