ROBERTO GERHARD / WILLIAM WALTON / IGOR STRAVINSKY
Gerhard: The Plague / Walton: Facade / Stravinsky: L'Histoire du soldat [The Soldier's Tale] Alec McCowen, Glenda Jackson, Rudolf Nureyev, Dame Peggy Ashcroft, Paul Scofield (narrators) / National Symphony Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, etc [ Australian Deutsche Grammophon Eloquence / 2 CD - released 9/Apr/2021 ] A trio of twentieth-century classics, sardonic and timely tales, in long-unavailable Decca/Argo recordings from the 1970s. |
W.A. MOZART
Piano Concertos Nos. 22 & 24 Angela Hewitt (piano) National Arts Centre Orchestra, Hannu Lintu [ Hyperion / CD - released 20/Jun/2014 ] Here Angela Hewitt is joined by her compatriot National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada and frequent collaborator Hannu Lintu for sparklingly stylish renditions of Mozart's Piano Concertos Nos 22 and 24. |
FREDERIC CHOPIN
Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 Benjamin Grosvenor (piano) / Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Elim Chan [ Decca Music Group / CD - released 6/Mar/2020 ] "It's the kind of disc that makes you rethink these works and appreciate them all over again. And let's hope that this is the start of a wonderful recording partnership with Elim Chan." Gramophone Awards 2020 WINNER - Concerto |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Under The Stars: Music from the shows Bryn Terfel (bass) Renee Fleming (soprano) with the Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera conducted by Paul Gemignani [ Decca Records / CD - released 24/Mar/2003 ] Renée Fleming and Bryn Terfel are two of the world's most popular classical stars. Their first CD together is Under The Stars, a feast of great songs from recent musical theatre. |
DARIUS MILHAUD
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Milhaud: Le Carnaval d'Aix / Le boeuf sur le toit / la creation du monde / Concertos Claude Helffer (piano) Frederique Cambreling (harp) / Orchestre National de France, Orchestre de l'Opera de Lyon [ Warner Classics Erato / 2 CD - released 16/Nov/1998 ] Distinctively French, yet cosmopolitan in his personal and artistic horizons, Darius Milhaud (1892-1974) was adventurous, prominent, and prolific. A pupil of Dukas and d'Indy, he became a member of Les Six and a distinguished teacher in the USA and... |
Cook Islands National Arts Theatre
Drums Songs & Chants Of The Cook Islands [ Ode Records / CD ] |
PYOTR TCHAIKOVSKY
Tchaikovsky - None But The Lonely Heart [Incls Violin Concerto] Daniel Lozakovich (violin) / National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia, Vladimir Spivakov [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 29/Nov/2019 ] "the entire album is hugely enjoyable and offers ample proof that the violinist, still in his teens, is no mere flash in the pan." Gramophone Editor's Choice March 2020 |
CARL NIELSEN
Nielsen: The Symphonies Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Fabio Luisi [ Deutsche Grammophon / 3 CD - released 12/May/2023 ] "These are quite marvellous - and in the case of the Fourth Symphony, incendiary - performances" Gramophone Award Finalist 2023 - Orchestral (Symphonies 4 & 5) |
GIACOMO MEYERBEER
Meyerbeer: Grand Opera (Deluxe Packaging) Diana Damrau (soprano) / Orchestre et Choeur de l'Opéra National de Lyon, Emmanuel Villaume [ Erato Warner Classics / CD - released 6/May/2017 ] "The surprise of this disc is how much more than "grand opera" Meyerbeer actually has to offer...[Damrau] is adept at portraying a variety of characters and the Orchestre de l'Opéra national de Lyon under Emmanuel Villaume offers stylish support." |
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
An introduction to Shostakovich (Incls 'Piano Concerto No 2' & 'Symphony No 5') Dmitri Shostakovich Jnr (piano) / I Musici de Montreal / Scottish National Orchestra / Neeme Jarvi / Maxim Shostakovich [ Chandos Intro / CD - released 1/Aug/2006 ] 'Neeme Järvi's understanding of the bleak world inhabited by Shostakovich's symphonies continues to impress. Chandos's sound is superb as always.' American Recird Guide |
BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Piano Concerto Nos. 3 & 4 Elisabeth Leonskaja (piano), Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Tugan Sokhiev [ Warner Classics / CD - released 19/May/2023 ] "When I play, I am not presenting myself on the stage, but the music I am playing. It is the music that matters."- Elisabeth Leonskaja Elisabeth Leonskaja's recordings of Beethoven's Piano Concertos Nos 3 and 4, with the Orchestre National du... |
GOUNOD / PUCCINI / STEIBELT / MASSENET / MOZART / ROSSINI / etc
Miroir(s): Opera Arias Elsa Dreisig (soprano), Orchestre National Montpellier Occitanie Pyrénées Méditerranée, Michael Schønwandt [ Erato Warner Classics / CD - released 20/Mar/2019 ] GRAMOPHONE AWARD NOMINATION 2019 TOP THREE - Recital |
BOHUSLAV MARTINU
Martinu: Špalíček [suites] / Rhapsody -Concerto Mikhail Zemtsov (viola) / Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi [ CHANDOS / CD - released 26/Jan/2016 ] "The Estonian strings sing their hearts out…the woodwind solos are very lovely, too. Viola-player Mikhail Zemtsov impresses with the sheer beauty of tone." BBC Music |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Violin Concertos 3 & 4 Francesa Dego (violin), Francesca Leonardi (piano), Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Sir Roger Norrington (conductor) [ Chandos / CD - released 21/Sep/2021 ] "These performances capture the very essence of Mozart's Salzburg style best, setting up, meticulously matching and weaving in and out of the solo line with captivating suppleness and alertness." Five Stars BBC Music Recording of the Month Nov 21 |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Violin Concertos, Vol. 2 Francesca Dego (violin) / Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Sir Roger Norrington [ Chandos / CD - released 14/Oct/2022 ] Following their critically acclaimed first volume of Mozart's violin concertos (CHAN 20234), Francesca Dego and Sir Roger Norrington complete the set, once again with outstanding support from a reduced Royal Scottish National Orchestra. |
From the National Gallery, London
Exhibition on Screen: Vermeer and music - the Art of Love and Leisure [ Seventh Art Productions DVD / DVD - released 10/Feb/2015 ] Johannes Vermeer is a fascinating painter whose life and works are explored here in amazing detail. Filmed in London's National Gallery, New York's Met and other galleries in the USA and the Netherlands, this stunning film delves into a breath-taking... |
GRIEG / BARBER / MORRICONE / DVORAK / PROKOFIEV / etc
Gautier Capuçon: Sensations Gautier Capuçon (cello) Jerome Ducros (piano) / Orchestre national de Bretagne, Johanna Malangré [ Erato Classics / CD - released 18/Nov/2022 ] The follow-up to Intuition (2018) and Emotions (2020), Sensations is a collection of 20 peices from cellist extraordinaire Gautier Capuçon, working alongside regular arranger and pianist Jerome Ducros. Remarkably, Capuçon sounds every bit as... |
ENNIO MORRICONE / BERNARD HERRMANN / SONY BONO / NINO ROTO
Agents Are Forever - Recorded Live in Concert Hans Ulrik (saxophone) Tuva Semmingsen (mezzo) Christine Nonbo Andersen (soprano) / Danish National Symphony, Sarah Hicks [ Euroarts CD / CD - released 6/Nov/2020 ] Agents are Forever is performed by the Danish National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of film music expert Hans Ek, with spectacular spy and detective film soundtracks and the very best of James Bond film music. |
ENNIO MORRICONE / BERNARD HERRMANN / SONNY BONO / NINO ROTO / BRAHMS / KONCZ / DVORAK
The Morricone Duel - The most dangerous concert ever [Recorded live in Copenhagen, 2018] BLURAY Hans Ulrik (saxophone) Tuva Semmingsen (mezzo) Christine Nonbo Andersen (soprano) / Danish National Symphony, Sarah Hicks [ EuroArts / Blu-ray - released 9/Nov/2018 ] The Wild West meets the soulful sound of Italy. Fearless New York gangsters meet cowboys from the dusty prairie. Godfather meets Taxi Driver. And the magic of cinema meets the rich sound of a first-class symphony orchestra. This exclusive live... |
BEETHOVEN / SCHUBERT / DVORAK / TCHAIKOVSKY / KREISLER / etcc
Ida Haendel - The Decca Legacy Ida Haendel (violin) with Ivor Newton (piano) Adela Kotowska (piano) National Symphony Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra [ Decca Eloquence / 6 CD Box Set - released 20/Oct/2020 ] "That special, spontaneous warmth of response … places Haendel's Tchaikovsky performance for Decca among the finest recordings ever made of this wonderful concerto." Gramophone, July 1999 |