BACH / CHOPIN / DEBUSSY / PROKOFIEV / STRAVINSKY
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Great Pianists of the 20th Century - Alexis Weissenberg Alexis Weissenberg (piano) [ EMI / BMG / Philips / Sony / Deutsche Grammophon / 2 CD - released 1/Jun/2000 ] In 1947, Weissenberg made his New York City debut with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and George Szell in Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 and with Philadelphia Orchestra and Eugene Ormandy, with which Weissenberg won the Leventritt... |
JACQUES OFFENBACH
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Offenbach: Arias and Scenes Anne Sophie von Otter (soprano) / Les Musiciens du Louvre, Marc Minkowski [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 15/Oct/2002 ] Recording of the Month: Gramophone Magazine (March 2003) GRAMOPHONE AWARD WINNER 2003 - recital |
BRITTEN / STANFORD / QUILTER / VAUGHAN WILLIAMS / WARLOCK / etc
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Silent Noon - English Songs Bryn Terfel (bass-Baritone) Malcolm Martineau (piano) [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD ] "The singer's dynamic range is quite superb. He can float his voice delicately and effortlessly like a seagull on a thermal as in Gurney's Sleep and Parry's Love is a bable. Where necessary he can build up with an organic power akin to a volcano... |
RICHARD WAGNER
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Wagner: Arias from Der Fliegende Hollander / Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg / etc Bryn Terfel (baritone) / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Claudio Abbado [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 6/Apr/2002 ] "This disc is only of extracts, but already it is clear that Terfel is going to be an outstanding Wagnerian bass-baritone of his generation, His tone colour is rich and full in the nest tradition, his declamation vivid and lively." Five Stars BBC |
GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Handel: Opera and Oratorio Arias (Judas Maccabaeus, Dettingen Te Deum, Serse +) Bryn Terfel (baritone) / Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 19/Jun/2000 ] "The singing here incorporates a good deal of embellishment, some of it of Sir Charles Mackerras's devising. He is an excellent conductor for Terfel, sharing with him an appreciation of the zest in Handel." Gramophone |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Bryn Terfel - Simple Gifts (Incl 'I'll walk beside you' & 'How great thou art') Bryn Terfel (bass-baritone) with Aled Jones (tenor) and John Williams (guitar) / London Voices / London Symphony Orchestra / Barry Wordsworth [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 18/Oct/2005 ] As one of the most acclaimed opera singers of our time, Bryn Terfel dedicates his golden voice to a program that celebrates the simple beauty of melody and song, making the album a must-have for every Terfel fan and a serene and inspiring gift for... |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Voices From Heaven Cecilia Bartoli, Andrea Bocelli, Bryn Terfel, Myung-Whun Chung [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 12/Nov/1998 ] Beautiful voices blended together with choir and orchestra |
W. A. MOZART
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro [The Marriage of Figaro] (complete opera directed by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle. Recorded in 1976) Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau / Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Mirella Freni, Hermann Prey, Maria Ewing / Vienna Philharmonic / Karl Bohm [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / 2 DVD - released 2/Jun/2005 ] "a visual treat, but having some solos delivered as interior monologues is distracting" Gramophone |
FRANZ LISZT / SERGEI PROKOFIEV
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Great Pianists of the 20th Century - Evgeny Kissin Evgeny Kissin (piano) / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra [ Philips / BMG / Sony / Deutsche Grammophon / 2 CD - released 1/Jun/2000 ] Few recent prodigies have endured like Evgeny Kissin. His technique is flawless, he articulates both notes and expression with a maturity beyond his years, and his romantic repertoire is some of the best available. |
HENRYK WIENIAWSKI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Wieniawski: Violin Concertos Nos 1 & 2 / Legende op. 17 (with Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen) Gil Shaham (violin) / London Symphony Orchestra, Lawrence Foster [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 14/Apr/2006 ] 1001 Classical recordings you must hear before you die (1851-1900) - "He is a marvellous violinist with a beautiful tone." (TP 1001 Classical) |
SERGEI PROKOFIEV
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Prokofiev: Violin Concertos Nos 1 & 2 / Sonata for Solo Violin in D minor Gil Shaham (violin) / London Symphony Orchestra, Andre Previn [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 20/Nov/2001 ] |
FAURE / HANDEL / MENDELSSOHN / MOZART / PURCELL / etc
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Kathleen Battle & James Levine Salzburg Recital Kathleen Battle (soprano) James Levine (piano) [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 11/Aug/1986 ] Grammy Awards 30th Awards (1987) Best Classical Solo Vocal Album |
ANTONIN DVORAK / LEOS JANACEK / BOHUSLAV MARTINU
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Dvorak/Martinu/Janacek: Love Songs Magdalena Kozena (soprano) Graham Johnson (piano) [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 30/Aug/2000 ] 2001 GRAMOPHONE AWARD WINNER - Vocal |
CHRISTOPH GLUCK / W. A. MOZART / JOSEF MYSLIVECEK
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Magdalena Kozena - Le Belle Immagini Magdalena Kozena (soprano) / Prague Philharmonia / Michel Swierczewski [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 7/Feb/2002 ] "With good support from orchestra and conductor this is a disc which should be bought even by those who resist hype on principle." - MusicWeb Feb 2005 |
BRITTEN / RAVEL / RESPIGHI / SCHULHOFF / SHOSTAKOVICH
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Magdalena Kozena: Recital Magdalena Kozena (soprano) Malcolm Martineau (piano) Henschel Quartet [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 10/Mar/2004 ] GRAMOPHONE RECORDING OF THE YEAR FINALIST 2004: Vocal |
W. A. MOZART
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mozart: Operatic Arias Magdalena Kozena (soprano) / Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment / Sir Simon Rattle [ Archiv / Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 6/Sep/2006 ] "Here is a singer with both a rich, colourful and 'alive'-sounding voice and the musical intelligence to use that gift." Recording of the Month - Gramophone Magazine (September 2006) |
ANTONIO VIVALDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Vivaldi: Opera and Oratorio arias Magdalena Kozena (mezzo soprano) / Venice Baroque Orchestra, Andrea Marcon [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 18/Jun/2009 ] "Magdalena Kozená has almost become the Barack Obama of mezzo-sopranos. With that mesmerising voice, that magnetic personality, everybody wants a piece of her." The Times, 5th June 2009 *** |
SERGEI PROKOFIEV
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Prokofiev: Violin Sonatas Nos 1 & 2 / 5 Melodien Martha Argerich (piano) Gidon Kremer (violin) [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 1/Jul/2008 ] "these performances are mercurial and provocative. Kremer and Argerich find expectedly dark resonances in the lyrical Second Sonata whilst projecting a radiant beauty in the Five Melodies." BBC Music Magazine, August 2008 ***** |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Rigoletto (Complete opera recorded in 1977) The Metropolitan Opera / Placido Domingo, Ileana Cotrubas, Cornell MacNeil / James Levine (cond) [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / DVD - released 27/May/2004 ] "Yes, Rigoletto is a singer's opera, but Verdi also poured into it some of his most dramatic as well as melodic music. That said, the vivid colours of the production have come up amazingly well and the sound is clear." (MusicWeb Dec 2006) |
BACH / BUSONI / BEETHOVEN / CHOPIN / etc
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Pletnev live at Carnegie Hall (Incls bonus CD) Mikhail Pletnev (piano) [ Deutsche Grammophon / 2 CD - released 28/Feb/2001 ] Rosette Recording - Penguin Stereo Guide |