FERDINAND HEROLD / PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY / ADOLPHE ADAM
The Art of Natalia Osipova: La Fille mal gardée / Swan Lake / Giselle / Force of Nature BLU-RAY Royal Ballet, Covent Garden / Natalia Osipova, with Steven McRae, Philip Mosley, Christopher Saunders, Matthew Golding, Elizabeth McGorian & others [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / 4 Blu-ray Box Set - released 25/Sep/2020 ] Russian dance superstar Natalia Osipova joined The Royal Ballet as a Principal in 2013 and has since filled each of her leading roles with an unforgettable passion, fiery energy and technical prowess. |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Orchestral Favourites Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Choral Society, Owain Arwel Hughes, Philip Ellis, Nick Davies, with soloists [ Brilliant Classics / 4 CD Box Set - released 20/Nov/2020 ] Classical hits from one of the world's great orchestras: a fabulous introduction to the world of music at a super-budget price. |
PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
Tchaikovsky: Complete Ballets [Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker] Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Nicolae Moldoveanu, Barry Wordsworth & David Maninov [ Brilliant Classics Quintessence / 5 CD Box Set - released 22/Jan/2021 ] All three ballets by Tchaikovsky in one release! Tchaikovsky's ballets, Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake, are by far the most popular ballet music ever written, and count among the master's most famous works. |
HUGO ALFVEN
Alfven: Complete Symphonies, Suites & Rhapsodies Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Niklas Willen [ Naxos / 7 CD Box Set - released 25/Nov/2022 ] The music of Hugo Alfvén has always been close to the hearts of the Swedish people. He is regarded as representing the spirit of the country, partly owing to his intimate knowledge of Swedish folk music. |
ANTON BRUCKNER
The Complete Bruckner Symphonies Royal Scottish National Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Georg Tintner, conductor [ Naxos / 12 CD Box Set - released 22/Dec/2015 ] "The pattern of the later symphonies is set here, emotional slow movement, galumphing scherzo and all. But there are moments of almost Sullivanesque sparkle. Tintner's account is wonderfully cohesive and fresh." - The Sunday Times (Paul Driver), May |
ALBERT ROUSSEL
Roussel: The Complete Symphonies [4 CD set] Royal Scottish National Orchestra / Stéphane Denève [ Naxos / 4 CD Box Set - released 6/Dec/2010 ] "an excellent disc, splendidly and idiomatically performed and a superb advertisement for composer, conductor and orchestra. Highly recommended." Gramophone Magazine on Symphony No 4 |
LUGWIG van BEETHOVEN / W. A. MOZART / JOHANNES BRAHMS
The Rudolf Serkin Edition Rudolf Serkin (piano) / London Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado, with Mstislav Rostropovich (cello) [ Deutche Grammophon / 9 CD Box Set - released 19/Jun/2020 ] "Serkin was an artist who shaped the world's conceptions of the "Viennese school," and there's much to be gained by tracing the evolution of his style over his long life.' (AllMusic.com) |
FRANZ SCHUBERT
Schubert: Complete Secular Choral Works Ruth Ziesak, Angelika Kirchschlager, Christoph Prégardien, Robert Holl / Wiener Concert-Verein, Arnold Schoenberg Choir, Erwin Ortner, with András Sch [ Warner Classics / 7 CD Box Set - released 19/Mar/2021 ] A voyage of discovery through a lesser-known area of Schubert's rich and prolific output, this collection comprises seven themed CDs: Transience; Love; Eternity; Heroism; Nature; Celebrations, and Circle of Friends. |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Russian Orthodox Choral Music Rybin Male Choir, Dumka Choir, Yurlov Academic Choir [ Brilliant Classics / 6 CD Box Set - released 22/Jan/2021 ] A history of Russian Orthodox sacred music from the 'Moscow Baroque' to the present day, including many rare and long unavailable recordings. |
SERGEI PROKOFIEV
Prokofiev: Complete Symphonies (Nos 1-7) Scottish National Orchestra, Neeme Jarvi [ Chandos Classics / 4 CD Box Set - released 20/Nov/2008 ] "The recorded sound is great, the Scottish National Orchestra plays like a world class band. All in all, this is not only a set to complete your Prokofiev collection, it's also the one to start it - if you haven't yet." (MusicWeb bargain of the... |
SEGEI RUDNEV
Rudnev: Music for Guitar Sergei Rudnov, Aynur Begutov, Anton Baranov, Rovshan Mamedkuliev, Vladimir Mityakov (guitars) [ Brilliant Classics / 3 CD Box Set - released 25/Feb/2022 ] Russian guitarist and composer Sergei Ivanovich Rudnev was born in 1955 in Tula. In 1975 he graduated in the accordion and balalaika class of Tula's "Dargomyzhsky" Conservatory, and while attending this school he studied guitar. |
RICHARD WAGNER
Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen Simon O'Neill, Matthias Goerne, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Jaap van Zweden [ Naxos / 14 CD Box Set - released 9/Aug/2018 ] Wagner's visionary Der Ring des Nibelungen was first performed as a cycle of four operas in 1876. One of the most sustained and remarkable achievements in all music, the tetralogy is performed by an all-star cast, conducted by the new music director... |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Complete Symphonies Simona Šaturová, Mihoko Fujimura, Christian Elsner & Christian Gerhaher / ewandhausorchester Leipzig, Herbert Blomstedt [ Accentus / 5 CD Box Set - released 3/Jul/2017 ] "Blomstedt's Beethoven seems 'right': tempi are never too fast or too slow, but never staid, and phrasing is alive with rhythmic energy and cumulative momentum. His Leipzig players give their all- the strings in particular have a glorious burnished... |
DIETRICH BUXTEHUDE
Buxtehude: Complete Harpsichord Music Simone Stella (harpsichord) [ Brilliant Classics / 4 CD Box Set - released 30/Jan/2012 ] "you can hardly go wrong with Stella's performances which are very good. He uses the harpsichord well and explores its various stops, mostly in a convincing and stylistically appropriate manner." MusicWeb |
JOHANN PACHELBEL
Pachelbel: Complete Keyboard Music Simone Stella (harpsichord & organ) [ Brilliant Classics / 13 CD Box Set - released 1/Jan/2019 ] "..the organ used here has much greater possibilities in variety of tonal colours, and Stella uses it to fine effect in the many fugues and chorale variations." Choir & Organ |
JOSEPH HAYDN
Haydn: Symphonies [Complete] Sinfonia Finlandia, Patrick Gallois / Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Bela Drahos / Toronto Chamber Orchestra, Kevin Mallon [ Naxos / 34 CD Box Set - released 1/Jan/2009 ] One of the most extraordinary bequests in the history of music, Haydn's symphonies established his reputation as the greatest composer of his time. |
VLADIMIR MARTYNOV
Martynov Edition The Sirin Choir, Alexei Lubimov, Opus Posth Ensemble, Tatiana Grindenko and others [ Brilliant Classics / 9 CD Box Set - released 7/Oct/2022 ] Vladimir Martynov (b. 1946) is one of the leading composers of the Russian avant-garde, an experimentalist of serial, minimalist and electronic music. His ethno-musicological studies into the folk music of Russia, his philosophical and religious... |
HEITOR VILLA-LOBOS
Villa-Lobos: The Piano Music Of Sonia Rubinsky (piano) [ Naxo / 8 CD Box Set - released 2/Feb/2010 ] |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: The String Quartets [Live from Suntory Hall, Tokyo] Kuss Quartet [ Rubicon Classics / 8 CD Box Set - released 10/May/2020 ] "This is one of the finest cycles I've heard and one I'll most certainly be returning to, especially over this Beethoven anniversary year." MusicWeb Recommended July 2020 |
SERGEI RACHMANINOV
Rachmaninov: Orchestral Works (Incls Symphonies, Concertos & The Isle of the Dead) St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra & Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, Mariss Jansons, with Mikhail Rudy (piano) [ Warner classics / 5 CD Box Set - released 10/Nov/2014 ] 1001 Classical recordings you must hear before you die (1901-1950) - "Mariss Jansons is among the most respected musicians of his generation. He is a human dynamo, tireless in his pursuit of the highest musical standards." - David Gutman |