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BENJAMIN WALLFISCH
Escape Velocity Michael Collins (clarinet) / Gould Piano Trio / Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra / Orchestra of St John's / York 2, piano duo / etc [ Quartz / CD - released 10/May/2008 ] Described by Humphrey Burton on BBC Radio 3 as "a major new name on the new music horizon", Benjamin Wallfisch's fast-growing list of large-scale orchestral, vocal and chamber works shows him, at the age of 27, to be a serious composer for our times. |
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WAGNER / MOZART / LORTZING / WEBER / NICOLAI
German Operatic Choruses Slovak Philharmonic Choir, Hungarian Festival Chorus, Budapest Radio Chorus [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jan/1994 ] German opera came into its own in the nineteenth century, notably with the first great romantic German opera of Weber, Der Freischutz. |
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BRAHMS / LISZT / BARTOK / KODALY / etc
Hungarian Classics (incls Hungarian Rhapsody No 2, Hary Janos Suite & Hungarian Dances) Sylvia Geszty (Soprano) David Oistrakh (Violin) Naum Walter (Piano) / Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra / Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra / etc [ Berlin Classics Basics / CD - released 10/Mar/2008 ] Although part of the Basics series, there are a number of unusual items here - the voice and piano version of Bartok's 'Village Scenes' and the spirited, rarely-heard 'Overture' by Bela Keler. |
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J. STRAUSS
J. Strauss II: Waltzes, Polkas, Marches And Overtures, Vol. 3 Polish State Philharmonic Orchestra, Katowice, Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra, Kosice, Martin Sieghart, Ondrej L [ Naxos / CD - released 5/Feb/1993 ] "... first-rate performances, ... there is elegance and effervescence aplenty, and no shortage of charm." - Which Compact Disk Magazine |
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WITOLD LUTOSLAWSKI
Lutosławski: Symphonies / Concertos / Choral and Vocal Works Olga Pasichnyk (soprano) Andrzej Bauer (cello) Krzysztow Bakowsk (violin) / Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Polish Radio Choir, Antoni Wit [ Naxos / 10 CD Box Set - released 29/Jul/2013 ] "Naxos has collected its existing recordings and issued a 10-CD box Lutosławski-Symphonies; Concertos; Choral and Vocal Works…featuring the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (and others) under the direction of Antoni Wit." The WholeNote |
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WAGNER
Orchestral Music & Arias Bryn Terfel (bass-baritone) Swedish Radio Choir / Berliner Philharmoniker [Berlin Philharmonic], Claudio Abbado [ Deutsche Grammophon Duo / 2 CD - released 15/Mar/2012 ] "Terfel brings a wide palette of tone to peer into the Dutchman's soul and express Wolfram's evening thoughts, where his legato and half-voice are admirable" (Gramophone) |
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SERGEI RACHMANINOV / DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
Rachmaninov/Shostakovich: Piano Concertos Bernd Glemser (piano) Michael Houstoun (piano) / New Zealand Symphony Orchestra; Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jan/2000 ] The Piano Concerto No. 2 in F major was written in 1957 for Shostakovich's son Maxim, who gave the first performance of the work on his nineteenth birthday. The work has about it a youthful appeal for performers and audience alike. |
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SERGEI RACHMANINOV
Rachmaninov: Complete Symphonies and Concertos Bernd Glemser (piano) / Polish National Radio Symphony, Antoni Wit / Ireland National Symphony, Alexander Anissimov [ Naxos / 5 CD Box Set - released 1/Oct/2001 ] "There are shattering climaxes when music calls for them, and the symphony ends in rousing style...thoroughly recommendable" Gramophone [Symphony No 3] |
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MAX REGER
Reger Collection [11 CD set] Amadeus Webersinke (piano) Manfred Scherzer (violin) Annelies Burmeister (alto) / Radio Chorus Berlin, Dietrich Knothe / RSO Leipzig / Dresden Philhar [ Brilliant Classics / 11 CD Box Set - released 22/Apr/2015 ] "splendid music in excellent, sympathetic performances." MusicWeb International, 1st July 2013 |
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GLAZUNOV
The Seasons / Violin Concerto Ilya Kaler (violin) / Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra / Camilla Kolchinsky (conductor) [ Naxos / CD - released 6/Mar/2008 ] Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov has not fared well at the hands of later critics. He enjoyed a remarkably successful career in music, becoming Director of the St Petersburg Conservatory in 1905 in the aftermath of the political disturbances of... |
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VERDI / CATALANI / PUCCIN
Soprano Arias From Italian Operas Miriam Gauci (soprano) / Belgian Radio and Television Philharmonic Orchestra, Alexander Rahbari [ Naxos / CD ] "For those interested in hearing a talented young soprano with serious potential for an important career, this is recommended" Fanfare |
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RICHARD WAGNER
Wagner: Orchestral Highlights Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Johannes Wildner [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jan/2014 ] Richard Wagner inspired in his contemporaries extremes of reaction. For some his music seemed as misguided and repulsive as his anti-Semitism, while others were overwhelmed by the size of his ambition and achievement. |
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JOHANNES BRAHMS / JOSEPH JOACHIM
GERMANY - Bavarian Lakes and Schloss Herrenchiemsee - A Musical Tour BRT Philharmonic Orchestra, Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Rahbari, Meir Minsky [ NAXOS MUSICAL JOURNEYS / DVD - released 20/Apr/2010 ] Bavaria has a place of its own in Germany, both geographically and culturally. The tour stars with the Alpine lake known as Königssee and explores the surrounding landscape, including the Berchtesgaden National Park and the gardens of Ludwig II's... |
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ARVO PART
Spiegel im Spiegel / Fratres / Cantus in memory of Benjamin Britten / etc Vadim Gluzman (violin), Angela Yoffe, Alexei Lubimov (piano) Hans-Ola Ericsson (organ) Håkan Hardenberger (trumpet), Swedish Radio Choir, Tallinn Quar [ BIS / CD - released 1/Oct/2013 ] "There's much to be said for the BIS disc. Despite a rather pale performance of the violin and piano version of Fratres (Gluzman and Yoffe redeem themselves on Spiegel im Spiegel) this might well be the disc I'd plump for because of the inclusion of... |
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ORCHESTRAL SPECTACULAR
Orchestral Spectacular (Incls 'Bolero', 1812 Overture & 'Polovtsian Dances') Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra / Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra / various conductors [ Naxos Super Budget Series / CD - released 30/Jun/2008 ] "The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra provide their own Spanish magic" - Essex Chronicle |
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POUL RUDERS
Music of Poul Ruders Vol. 6 Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen (violin) Vassily Primakov (piano) Mikko Luoma (accordion) / Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Thomas Sondergard [ Bridge / CD - released 1/Jul/2011 ] Gramophone Awards 2011 Finalist - Contemporary |
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GEORGES BIZET
Bizet: Carmen (Complete Opera recorded in 1959) Victoria de los Angeles, Nicolai Gedda, Janine Micheau / French National Radio Symphony Orchestra / Sir Thomas Beecham [ ALTO / 3 CD Box Set - released 20/Nov/2010 ] "This superb Carmen wipes the floor with any other version I know. The instinctive rightness of the whole conception is simply marvellous." (Gramophone) |
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Vienna Radio So/Botha/De Billy
Beethoven/Brahms: Symphony No [ Oehms Classics / Hybrid SACD - released 27/Nov/2012 ] |
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MEHUL / GOUNOD / HALEVY / DELIBES / LECOCQ / OFFENBACH / etc
Opéra-Comique Overtures Vienna Radio Symphony, Michael Halász [ Naxos / CD - released 1/May/2020 ] With innovative features, colourful orchestration, drama, wit and atmospheric writing, these operettas proved very popular and these overtures encapsulate their immense vivacity and charm. |