GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi - Simon Boccanegra (Original 1857 Version) German Enrique Alcantara, Eri Nakamura, William Thomas, Ivan Ayon-Rivas / The Halle, Opera North Chorus, Sir Mark Elder [ Opera Rara / 2 CD Box Set - due 21/Mar/2025 ] The original version of Simon Boccanegra, first performed in 1857, is a masterpiece of concision and spare vocal delivery, having many important differences from the later 1881 version, including one of Verdi's most innovative central finales. |
WITOLD LUTOSŁAWSKI / KAROL SZYMANOWSKI / GRAŻYNA BACEWICZ / IAIN FARRINGTON
Bacewicz, Lutosławski & Szymanowski Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Thomas Søndergård [ Linn Records / CD - due 28/Mar/2025 ] Music Director Thomas Søndergård conducts the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in a programme showcasing three leading composers from twentieth-century Poland. |
Bill Frisell & Thomas Morgan
Small Town [ ECM / CD - released 16/Jun/2017 ] Small Town presents guitarist Bill Frisell and bassist Thomas Morgan in a program of duets, the poetic chemistry of their playing captured live at New York's hallowed Village Vanguard. Frisell made his debut as a leader for ECM in 1983 with the... |
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Christus am Ölberge Sebastian Kohlhepp, Eleanor Lyons, Thomas Bauer / Collegium Vocale Gent, Orchestre Des Champs-Élysées, Philippe Herreweghe [ Phi / CD - released 4/Nov/2022 ] Beethoven composed the oratorio Christus am Ölberge (Christ on the Mount of Olives) in just 'a fortnight, amid all sorts of tumult and other unpleasant and alarming events in my life'. It marked the first time since the two 'imperial cantatas' of... |
Dylan Thomas
Dylan Thomas Reads Under Milk Wood [ Alto: Take:2 / 2 CD - released 19/Apr/2010 ] "Ever since its first iconic BBC broadcast in 1954, Under Milk Wood has shone a definitive, iconic and humorous light on small-town communities... |
CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Sacred vocal music of Claudio Monteverdi Emma Kirkby, Ian Partridge, David Thomas / Parley of Instruments / Roy Goodman & Peter Holman [ Hyperion / CD - released 10/Mar/2010 ] Rosette (Highest Rating) Penguin Stereo Guide 'One of the most beautiful records I have heard this year' (The Guardian) |
HEINRICH SCHUTZ
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Schutz: Christmas Story (with Praetorius: Motets) Emma Kirkby, Nigel Rogers, David Thomas / Taverner Consort, Choir and Players / Andrew Parrott [ EMI Reflexe / CD - released 1/Nov/1987 ] "If Schutz's Christmas Story is your quarry, then this performance by the Taverner Consort, Choir and Players must be considered very carefully..it is far and away the best version available on record" Gramophone |
FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS
Murder on the High C's Florence Foster Jenkins (soprano) with additional tracks by Alexander Kipnis; John Charles Thomas; Josephine Tumminia; Ezio Pinza; Jeanette MacDonald [ Naxos Nostalgia / CD - released 1/Oct/2003 ] "Hilariously ignorant of all musical rules and delightfully incapable of hitting, never mind holding the note, she recorded just nine songs. Priceless." -- Andrew Clarke, The Independent |
Giovanni Guidi, James Brandon Lewis, Thomas Morgan, Joao Lobo
A New Day [ ECM / CD - released 12/Jul/2024 ] Rekindling the familiarly flowing interplay with fellow travellers Thomas Morgan and João Lobo - the trio's musical partnership goes back over a decade at this point -, on A New Day Italian pianist Giovanni Guidi moreover expands the group's... |
Hannah Griffin, Thomas Voyce, Norman Meehan
Wahine [ Rattle Records / CD - released 25/Feb/2023 ] An album of poems set to music by Hannah Griffin, Thomas Voyce and Norman Meehan. The poets are Hinemoana Baker, Cilla McQueen, and Janet Frame. The album design features artwork by Viky Garden. Hannah Griffin (voice) Thomas Voyce (bass, guitar,... |
J. S. BACH
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Bach: Secular Cantatas BWV 212, 213 Ingeborg Danz, Thomas Quasthoff, Sibylla Rubens, Andreas Schmidt, Christine Schäfer / Bach-Collegium Stuttgart, Gächinger Kantorei, Helmuth Rilling [ Hanssler / CD - released 11/Aug/1999 ] Contains full notes and translations |
ADÈLE HUGO
Hugo: Mélodies sur des poèmes de Victor Hugo Karine Deshayes (soloist), Sandrine Piau (soloist), Isabelle Druet (soloist), Anaïde Apelian, Laurianne Corneille, Axelle Fanyo (soloist), Thomas Saul [ Alpha Classics / CD - released 15/Nov/2024 ] The composer Richard Dubugnon has orchestrated 14 of her songs, and his instrumentations lend an idiomatic, sometimes colourful, often mellow slant to some appealing melodies. - The Guardian |
RICHARD STRAUSS
Salome (complete opera recorded in 2009) BLU-RAY Royal Opera House / Nadja Michael, Michael Volle, Michaela Schuster, Thomas Moser / Philippe Jordan [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Aug/2010 ] "Nadia Michael… is an attractive Salome, moving like a dancer, as physically unafraid as she is vocally… Michael Volle is an imposing, rich-toned Narraboth" (Gramophone) |
J. S. BACH
Bach: Famous Concertos [Includes 'Brandenburg Concertos'] Thomas Zehetmair (violin), Amsterdam Bach Soloists / Pieter-Jan Belder, Musica Amphion / Erik Bosgraaf, Ensemble Cordevento [ Brilliant Classics Quintessence / 5 CD Box Set - released 22/Jan/2021 ] "This is a most rewarding reissue. Even those lovers of baroque music who usually avoid modern instrument performances, should consider this disc at budget price." (MusicWeb Sept 2013 Violin Concertos) |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
The Verdi Opera Selection: "Shakespeare" Otello / Macbeth / Falstaff Plácido Domingo, Barbara Frittoli, Leo Nucci, Thomas Hampson, Ruggero Raimondi, Manuel Lanza, etc [ Arthaus Opera Editrion / 3 DVD - released 1/Jul/2020 ] Otello - Live from the Teatro alla Scala Milan, 2001 Macbeth - Live from the Opernhaus Zurich, 2001 Falstaff - Live from the Teatro del Maggio Muusicale Fiorentino, 2006 |
GIACOMO PUCCINI
The Best Of Puccini Miriam Gauci (solo soprano), Alexander Rahbari (conductor), Thomas Harper (solo tenor), Michael Halasz (conductor) [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jun/1997 ] From 'In quelle trine morbide' from Manon Lascaut, to 'Nessun Dorma' from Turandot this is an excellent selection of Puccini classics |
Rob Thomas
Chip Tooth Smile [ Atlantic / CD - released 31/May/2019 ] Three-time GRAMMY® award winner Rob Thomas progresses by recognising his roots. In fact, the singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and Matchbox Twenty co-founder picks up a thread from his formative years and weaves a bold and bright new chapter... |
DONIZETTI / BELLINI / MOZART / PONCHIELLI / VERDI / PUCCINI / ROSSINI
Casta Diva: Famous Italian Arias and Scenes BLU-RAY Roberto Alagna, Angela Gheorghiu, Thomas Hampson, Yvonne Kenny, Eva Marton, Ann Murray, Dame Joan Sutherlan and others [ Arthaus Musik Blu-Ray / Blu-ray - released 10/Feb/2019 ] This collection of Famous Arias and Scenes, opera's finest, most exciting moments, will dazzle opera lovers and newcomers alike. |
LUDWIG MINKUS
Minkus: Don Quixote (Complete ballet recorded in 2023) BLU-RAY Royal Ballet / Gary Avis, Liam Boswell, Thomas Whitehead, Mayara Magri, Matthew Ball / Martin Yates (cond) [ Opus Arte Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 21/Feb/2025 ] Teeming with comedy, wit and an abundance of bravura choreography, Carlos Acosta's production brings the Spanish heat and romance of Cervantes' classic novel to life. |
LEHAR / STOLZ / J. STRAUSS / MILLOCKER / ZELLER
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Thomas Hampson - Operetta Arias Thomas Hampson (baritone) / London Philharmonic Orchestra, Franz Welser-Most [ EMI / Virgin / Warner Classics / 10in - released 9/Feb/1999 ] Recorded X.1994 & XI.1998, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London |