FRANZ SCHUBERT / JOHANNES BRAHMS
Murray Perahia plays Schubert and Brahms Murray Perahia (piano) with Radu Lupu (piano), The Amadeus Quartet & Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) [ Sony Classical Masters / 8 CD Box Set - released 13/Nov/2020 ] "The performance of Lupu and Perahia is full of haunting poetry, with each of these highly individual artists challenging the other in imagination." (*** Three Stars. Penguin Stereo Guide on the Schubert Fantasie ) |
ROBERT SCHUMANN
Nathalie Stutzmann sings Schumann Nathalie Stutzmann (contralto), Inger Södergren (piano), Catherine Collard (piano) [ Sony Classical Masters / 5 CD Box Set - released 1/May/2018 ] "The French contralto Nathalie Stutzmann's voice is a magnificent instrument with a range that must stretch a good three octaves; the bass of her tessitura is profound and resonant, and her top notes are steady and impeccably modulated." Classical-music |
GUSTAV HOLST
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Holst: Planets / Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein [ Sony Classical Masters / CD - released 20/May/1997 ] Originally released in 1969 and 1973 |
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOSVKY
Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture / Marche Slave / Romeo and Juliet / Capriccio Italien / Hamlet / Symphonies New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein [ Sony Classical / 5 CD Box Set - released 13/Mar/2020 ] "The 1812 Overture in particular (has) a freshenss and exultancy notable even among the best of the other high-powered versions...the sound is thrillingly vivid throughout." (High Fidelity) |
RICHARD STRAUSS
Eugene Ormandy Conducts Richard Strauss Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy, with Rudolf Serkin (piano) & Lorne Munroe (cello) [ Sony Classical / 4 CD Box Set - released 13/Mar/0020 ] Ormandy is best known for his longstanding post as the conductor of The Philadelphia Orchestra. He also developed what came to be known as the "Philadelphia Sound" emphasizing lush string sonorities and, legato phrasing and rounded tone. |
VERDI / PUCCINI / BIZET / WAGNER / LEONCAVALLO
The Best of the 3 Tenors Placido Domingo / Luciano Pavarotti / Jose Carreras / various conductors [ Sony Classical Masters / CD - released 20/May/2011 ] Here they are! The greatest tenor lineup in the world in a special programme of popular tenor arias and duets. |
BACH / GABRIELI / HANDEL / MOZART / VIVALDI / etc
Canadian Brass: from Monteverdi to Mozart [5 CD set] Canadian Brass [ Sony Classical Masters / 5 CD Box Set - released 1/Sep/2011 ] This album is a re-issue of the acclaimed ensemble Canadian Brass who have recorded works from the Renaissance and Baroque as well as a number of works by Mozart. |
GUSTAV MAHLER
Mahler: The Complete Symphonies / Das Lied von der Erde [12 CD set] René Kollo (tenor), Christa Ludwig (mezzo-soprano) / New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein [ Sony Classics / 12 CD Box Set - released 13/Mar/2020 ] "All performances are remastered from the original tapes with a plausible claim that they have never sounded better. Such vigour and transparence! Such joyous heartbreak! And 48 minutes of Mahler reminiscences to boot." The Sunday Times |
ANTON WEBERN
The Complete Music of Anton Webern Robert Craft (conductor & musical director) with Marni Nixon, Grace-Lynne Martin, Richard Robinson, Charles Scharbach & others [ Sony Classical Masters / 4 CD Box Set - released 10/Dec/2021 ] The most comprehensive collection of Anton Webern. All of the performers, as well as additional instrumentalists and choral singers, were selected from Hollywood film studios. |
ZIEHRER / LEHAR / LANNER / STOLZ / STRAUSS FAMILY
Robert Stolz in Vienna : Waltzes, Marches, Polkas, etc Berlin Symphony Orchestra, Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Robert Stolz [ RCA Red Seal / Sony music Masters / 12 CD Box Set - released 3/Dec/2017 ] Robert Stolz was operetta royalty, and his recordings with the Berliner Symphoniker and Wiener Symphoniker document the world of light orchestral music with unique authority. Across 12 CDs, this Sony Classical Masters collection brings together... |
J. S. BACH
Rudolf Serkin plays Bach Rudolf Serkin (piano) with Peter Serkin, Ruth Laredo, Mieczyslaw Horszowski, Pablo Casals, etc [ Sony Classical Masters / 3 CD Box Set - released 5/Jun/2019 ] Rudolf Serkin is rightly revered for his powerful interpretations of the Austro-German Classical and Romantic piano repertoire, but he was also an outstanding Bach player. In the 1920s he began a decades-long partnership with the great German... |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Tokyo String Quartet plays Beethoven [9 CD set] Tokyo String Quartet [ Sony Classical Masters / 9 CD Box Set - released 1/Nov/2012 ] "I doubt whether quartet playing comes much better than in this Tokyo set of the Op. 18. Quite frankly I don't think that you can go far wrong with this set: the playing is unfailingly alive, sensitive and poised." (Gramophone) |
IVES / COPLAND / DELLO JOIO / SATIE / BOWLES / etc
William Masselos - The Complete RCA and Columbia Album Collection [7 CD set] William Masselos (piano) [ Sony Classical Masters / 7 CD Box Set - released 7/Aug/2020 ] Sony Classical's William Masselos Edition on 7 newly mastered and transferred CDs is a re- lease for which devotees of American piano music have long been clamouring. At last, the wait is over |
HECTOR BERLIOZ
Pierre Boulez conducts Berlioz (Incls 'Symphonie fantastique & Les Nuits d'ete) Yvonne Minton (mezzo-soprano) Stuart Burrows (tenor) / New York Philharmonic, London Symphony, BBC Symphony, Pierre Boulez [ Sony Classics / 4 CD Box Set - released 13/Mar/2020 ] Sony Classical is now making available all of their Berlioz recordings conducted by Pierre Boulez. All at a very attractive price. The recordings have all been remastered and remixed, and the box set is available at budget price. |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Piano sonatas 10, 11, 16 / Fantasia K475 / Rondo K511 Alicia de Larrocha (piano) [ Sony Classical Masters / CD - released 10/Dec/2012 ] "She is sharply responsive, to the variety of mood and texture in the opening variations of K331..her fine shading and shaping of detail in the Adagio variation where, as at other points on this disc, she adds her own discreet ornamentation in... |
FELIX MENDELSSOHN
Claus Peter Flor conducts Mendelssohn Lucia Popp (sop) Marjana Lipovšek (mezzo) Josef Protschka (tenor) Sergei Edelmann (piano) Kyoko Takezawa (violin) / Bamberg Symphony, Claus Peter Flor [ Sony / RCA Classical Masters / 6 CD Box Set - released 1/Jun/2017 ] "Claus Peter Flor's Mendelssohn enjoys the classical virtues of good taste, fine attention to detail, and a real sense of style...these are perfectly respectable and entertaining performances, well recorded. You won't be disappointed." (ClassicsToday) |
W. A. MOZART / ANTON BRUCKNER / ROBERT SCHUMANN
Rafael Kubelik conducts Great Symphonies Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Rafael Kubelik [ Sony Classical Masters / 7 CD Box Set - released 20/Sep/2017 ] "These are on the whole extremely satisfying performances-well organized, beautifully played, and strongly classical in style without any frills or tricks of any kind." (Gramophone on the Mozart) |
GABRIEL FAURE
The Secret Fauré 3: Sacred Vocal Works Benjamin Appl (baritone), Katja Stuber (soprano) / Sinfonieorchester Basel, Balthasar-Neumann-Chor, Ivor Bolton [ Sony Classical Masters / CD - released 12/Jun/2020 ] Recording: August 23-29, 2019, Goetheaneum Dornach |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Symphonies 1 - 9 (5 CD set) Boston Symphony Orchestra, Erich Leinsdorf [ Sony Classical Masters / CD - released 20/May/2012 ] "The recording is atmospheric in the Boston manner, and with Dynagroove makes even small machines give an impression of opulence." (Gramophone on the LP release) |
CHOPIN / SCHUMANN / LISZT / RACHMANINOV / BEETHOVEN / etc
Byron Janis: The RCA Recordings 1950 - 1959 [5 CD set] Byron Janis (piano) / Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fritz Reiner [ Sony / RCA Classical Masters / 5 CD Box Set - released 16/Oct/2016 ] Byron Janis has been called one of the most exciting and dynamic American pianists to emerge on the post-war scene. All of his RCA recordings, dating from 1947 to 1959, are collected in the new 5-CD set. |