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J. S. BACH
Bach: Brandenburg Concertos Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin [ Harmonia Mundi / 2 CD - released 30/Apr/2020 ] Perfect Synthesis. Bach's exploration of the Italian concerto grosso took the principles of instrumental 'rivalry' to the point of paroxysm, bringing to the form an unprecedented harmonic and contrapuntal refinement. |
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LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Symphonies Nos.1 & 2 (with CPE Bach: Symphonies Wq 175 & 183/4) Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Bernhard Forck [ Harmonia Mundi / CD - released 2/Jul/2020 ] BBC Music Award Nomination 2021 - Orchestral |
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GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL
Handel: Concerti Grossi Op.3 Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin [ Pentatone / CD - released 14/Aug/2020 ] The Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin complete their Handel trilogy with this recording of the Op. 3 concerti grossi. Even if this selection of concertos was most likely compiled by Handel's publisher rather than by the composer himself, the overall... |
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LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN / JUSTIN Heinrich KNECHT
Beethoven: Symphony no.6 "Pastoraleˮ / Knecht: Symphonie "Le Portrait musical de la Natureˮ Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Bernhard Forck [ Harmonia Mundi / CD - released 28/Feb/2020 ] ""Freshness and vitality are the two words which spring to mind. Concertmaster Bernhard Forck pushes the work along with a driving impetuosity which has all the burgeoning energy of springtime." MusicWeb Recommended |
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GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL
Handel: Concerti grossi: Op. 6 (7-12) Akademie fϋr Alte Musik Berlin, Bernhard Forck [ Pentatone / CD - released 14/Feb/2020 ] The Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin continue their Handel trilogy with this recording of the last six concerti grossi of the composer's Op. 6. Originally designed as attractive interludes to English oratorio performances, Handel's concerti grossi soon... |
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ALESSANDRO SCARLATTI
Scarlatti: Griselda Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, René Jacobs [ Harmonia Mundi / 3 CD Box Set - released 19/Jul/2019 ] Scarlatti's Griselda, premiered in Rome in 1721, received a single performance at the Teatro Capranica, and was never taken into the repertoire elsewhere, both for financial reasons and because of the changing tastes of the time. The tragic story of... |
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J.S. BACH
Bach: Mass In B Minor Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, RIAS Kammerchor, René Jacobs [ Harmonia Mundi / CD - released 2/Sep/2022 ] A composition as brilliant as it is protean - the earliest sections date back to 1724, others were written in 1733 in the hope of obtaining a post in Dresden - the Mass in B minor occupied Bach until the end of his life. The work, which is more... |
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HANS PFITZER
Pfitzer: Cello Concertos Alban Gerhardt (cello) / Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Sebastian Weigle [ Hyperion Romantic Cello Concerto Vol 4 / CD - released 25/Feb/2014 ] "Gerhardt holds it all together with his sustained singing lines, while Weigle and his Berlin band provide vividly pointillist backing." (BBC Music) |
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RICHARD WAGNER
Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg [complete opera] Albert Dohmen, Robert Dean Smith, Edith Haller / Rundfunkchor Berlin & Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Marek Janowski [ Pentatone SACD / 4 Hybrid SACD - released 1/Nov/2012 ] "a swift, light, comic reading of the score, more Lortzing than Tristan...Albert Dohmen sounded at home across the whole spectrum of Sachs's poetry, wistfulness and wit" (Gramophone Award Finalist 2012 - Opera) |
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CESAR FRANCK / GABRIEL FAURE
Franck: Symphony in D minor / Fauré: Pelléas et Mélisande Albrecht Meyer (oboe), Emanuel Pahud (flute), Dominik Wollenweber (cor anglais), Berlin Philharmoniker, Daniel Barenboim [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 31/Jan/2025 ] "Barenboim, ever the elder statesman, takes [the Franck's 'inherent grandness'] his stride. He also has the Berlin Philharmonic at his bidding and for organ-like sonorities that seem to come up through the bass lines they are the business" Gramophone |
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COLIN MATTHEWS
Machines & Dreams (Incls 'Hidden Variables') Alexander Baillie / London Sinfonietta / Berlin Radio Symphony Orch. / John Carewe (cond.) / London Symphony Orch. / Michael Tilson Thomas (cond.) [ NMC / 2 CD - released 25/Mar/2008 ] "This set offers a rounded portrait of a restlessly questing composer … big architectonic pieces in performances of impressive might under Carewe." The Sunday Times 2004 |
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GEORG PHILIPP TELEMANN
Telemann: Miriways (complete opera recorded in 2017) André Morsch, Robin Johannsen, Sophie Karthäuser / Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Bernard Labadie [ Pentatone / 2 CD - released 8/May/2020 ] PENTATONE presents Telemann's rarely-performed opera Miriways (1728) with a stellar cast and the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin conducted by Bernard Labadie. Star vocalists such as André Morsch (Miriways), Robin Johannsen (Sophi), Sophie Karthäuser... |
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W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro (complete opera) Andreas Schmidt, Lella Cuberli, Joan Rodgers, John Tomlinson, Cecilia Bartoli / Berlin Philharmonic / Daniel Barenboim [ Erato / Warner The Home of Opera / 3 CD Box Set - released 1/May/2017 ] "Everything that Barenboim does provides some sort of illumination of the drama," said Gramophone of this Figaro; "It has something to say, something that arises from deep and serious musical perception." |
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GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL
Handel: Ombra mai fu Andreas Scholl, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin [ Harmonia Mundi / CD - released 29/Oct/2023 ] Handel at the height of his glory. In this recital, the young Andreas Scholl and the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin invited listeners to rediscover some of Handel's finest arias, from Giulio Cesare to Serse by way of Rodelinda and Alcina, not... |
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VARIOUS COMPOSERS
The Essential Andreas Scholl Andreas Scholl (Counter-tenor) with Andreas Martin (lute) / Ensemble 415 / Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin [ Harmonia Mundi / 3 CD - released 1/Dec/2006 ] |
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GIOVANNI GABRIELI
Berliner Dom - Music for Brass & Organ Andreas Sieling (organ), Berlin Brass, Lucas Vis [ Pentatone SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 25/Nov/2013 ] "An outstanding recording that should be part of every audiophile's collection thanks to its magnificence of sound." - Hifi & Records |
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EDWARD GRIEG / ROBERT SCHUMANN
Grieg / Schumann: Piano Concertos Leif Ove Andsnes (piano) / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Mariss Jansons [ EMI Recommends / CD - released 24/Sep/2007 ] |
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ROBERT SCHUMANN
Piano Concerto / Introduction and Allegro / etc Angela Hewitt (piano) / Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Hannu Lintu [ Hyperion / CD - released 1/Jul/2012 ] Angela Hewitt's recordings of Schumann's solo piano works for Hyperion have been described as 'revelatory … something to cherish' (Gramophone) and 'unreservedly superb' (The Guardian). Now she turns her attention to the works for piano and orchestra... |
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PERGOLESI
Stabat Mater / Salve Regina Anna Prohaska (soprano) / Bernarda Fink (mezzo) / Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin / Berhard Forck [ Harmonia Mundi / CD - released 1/Sep/2010 ] "The Akademie establishes the poignancy of atmosphere at the start, and all the performances are stylish and emotionally in keeping." (Daily Telegraph) |
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JOHANNES BRAHMS
Anna Tsybuleva: Brahms Anna Tsybuleva (piano) / Ruth Reinhardt (conductor), Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin [ Signum Classics / CD - released 25/May/2021 ] Signum Records presents an exciting new collaboration and debut recording with Leeds International Piano Competition Winner (2015), Anna Tsybuleva, of music by Johannes Brahms together with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, conducted by Ruth... |