CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS
Saint-Saëns Edition Victoria de los Angeles, Marie-Claire Alain, Maurice Andre, Michel Beroff, Frank Braley, Gautier Capucon, Stephen Hough, Alexandre Tharaud, and more [ Warner Classics / 34 CD Box Set - released 15/Oct/2021 ] "Arriving in time to mark the centenary of his death, this is more than merely a sensible collection. It presents some of the very best recordings of the composer's music ever made" MusicWeb |
JULES MASSENET
Massenet: Operas Victoria de los Angeles, Nicolai Gedda, Cheryl Studer, Beverly Sills, Renee Doria, Teresa Berganza, Jose van Dam, Sherrill Milnes, etc [ Erato / 16 CD Box Set - released 1/May/2018 ] "This is as good a performance as we are likely to get of this persuasive work. Victoria de los Angeles as Charlotte is adorable, both in character and in the sheer beauty of sound." (Gramophone on Werther) |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Symphonies 1-9 / Overtures Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, English Baroque Orchestra, Hermann Scherchen [ Deutsche Grammophon / 8 CD Box Set - released 24/Apr/2020 ] Complete symphony cycle in mono in remarkable sound quality Newly transferred from the original tapes and remastered to the highest standards |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: The Piano Concertos (complete) / Bagatelles Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano) / Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Sir Georg Solti [ Decca Collector's Edition / 3 CD Box Set - released 5/Aug/2013 ] "He is one of those pianists who so often seems to me to sound just right. No gimmicks, the music just speaks as it should . . . innate musicality, impeccable taste." Jed Distler, Gramophone (London) |
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
Shostakovich: Symphonies (Complete) (Rec 1995-2000) WDR Radio Chorus. Alla Simoni (soprano) Sergei Aleksashkin (bass) / WDR Symphony Orchestra, Cologne, Rudolf Barshai [ Brilliant Classics / 11 CD Box Set - released 14/Aug/2005 ] "you would be unlikely to hear the works better played or better recorded except occasionally. As a way to experience one of the greatest symphonic cycles of the 20th century this has to be an essential purchase at this price." (MusicWeb June 2002) |
MENDELSSOHN / BEETHOVEN / SPOHR / SCHUBERT / BERWALD / BORODIN / etc
Wiener Oktett - The Decca Recordings Wiener Oktett [Vienna Octet] [ Decca Eloquence / 27 CD Box Set - released 19/Jan/2024 ] The sweet, silvery tone of the Wiener Oktett and the easy give-and-go of its phrasing helped establish it as one of the most distinguished of Viennese chamber ensembles. Its sound was that of the sublime Vienna Philharmonic in microcosm and the group... |
RICHARD STRAUSS / WAGNER / BEETHOVEN
Hans Knappertsbusch: The Opera Edition Wiener Philharmoniker, Bayerisches Staatsorchester, Hans Knappertsbusch, with Kirsten Flagstad, Martti Talvela, Hans Hotter, George London, etc [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 19 CD Box Set - released 11/Feb/2022 ] A priceless collection of Hans Knappertsbusch's opera recordings made for Universal Music, including the legendary live Parsifal performances of both 1951 and 1962, the Vienna studio Die Meistersinger of 1950-51, the Munich Fidelio of 1961, etc. |
ANTON BRUCKNER
Bruckner: Complete Symphonies Edition Wiener Philharmoniker, Christian Thielemann [ Sony Classical / 11 CD Box Set - released 13/Oct/2023 ] Sony Classical is excited to release the full cycle of Bruckner's symphonies recorded by the Vienna Philharmonic under Christian Thielemann on CD. |
BEETHOVEN / TCHAIKOVSKY / DVORAK / BRAHMS
Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt Edition - Volume 1 Wiener Philharmoniker, Hamburg Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt, with Vladimir Ashkenazy, Wilhelm Backhaus, Joan Sutherland, etc [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 14 CD Box Set - released 29/Sep/2023 ] The two stereo Beethoven cycles, those of the Symphonies (1965-70) and the Piano Concertos (with Wilhelm Backhaus, 1958-59), form the core of this edition of the complete Decca recordings of Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt (1900-1973). |
R. STRAUSS / J. STRAUSS / VERDI / BEETHOVEN / DVORAK / WAGNER / etc
Clemens Krauss - Complete Decca Recordings Vienna Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, Clemens Krauss, with Pierre Fournier (cello) Wilhelm Backhaus (piano) Kathleen Ferrier (contralto) etc [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 16 CD Box Set - released 26/Nov/2021 ] The most comprehensive collection ever issued of Clemens Krauss's commercial legacy of recordings, newly remastered and presented as an original jackets limited edition. |
RICHARD STRAUSS / BRUCKNER / BEETHOVEN / BRAHMS / WAGNER / etc
Hans Knappertsbusch: The Orchestral Edition Wiener Philharmoniker, Münchener Philharmoniker, L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Hans Knappertsbusch, with Sir Clifford Curzon (piano) [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 18 CD Box Set - released 11/Feb/2022 ] Gathered together for the first time on Universal Music labels, including several first CD releases on Decca, is the orchestral legacy of an inimitable genius of the podium: Hans Knappertsbusch. |
MAHLER
The People's Edition: Symphonies 1 - 10 Wiener Symphoniker, Berliner Philharmoniker, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Chicgao Symphony, various conductors [ Deutsche Grammophon / 13 CD Box Set - released 1/Aug/2012 ] Over 5000 votes were cast in DG's Mahler web poll, over 400 customers have submitted their suggestions for a complete Mahler Symphony cycle … and now we know who will appear in the People's Edition. |
BEETHOVEN / BRUCKNER / BRAHMS / HINDEMITH / SCHUBERT / etc
Edition Wilhelm Furtwängler - Complete Rias Recordings Wilhelm Furtwangler [ Audite / 13 CD Box Set - released 25/May/2009 ] "It is quite something to follow the trajectory of such an interpretive genius" BBC Music |
GEORGE GERSHWIN
Gershwin: Porgy and Bess (Complete Opera) Willard White, Cynthia Haymon, Cynthia Clarey / Glyndebourne Chorus & London Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle [ Warner Classics Home of Opera / 3 CD Box Set - released 20/Jan/2017 ] GRAMOPHONE MAGAZINE 100 GREATEST RECORDINGS OF ALL TIME "A performance that entranced audiences at Glyndebourne and which crosses over to CD virtually intact, revealing what a great dramatic world Gershwin conjured up." (Gramophone) |
LOUIS VIERNE
Vierne: Complete Organ Music Wolfgang Rübsam (organ) [ Brilliant Classics / 8 CD Box Set - released 11/Mar/2022 ] Organ works account for only 17 of Vierne's 62 opus numbers, and yet no one would now question his status as the organ's greatest symphonist after Franck and Widor. |
BEETHOVEN / MENDELSSOHN / SCHUMANN / SCHUBERT / WAGNER / FRANCK / etc
The complete Wilhelm Furtwangler on record Yehudi Menuhin (violin) Edwin Fisher (piano) / Philharmonia Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Berliner Philharmoniker, Wilhelm Furtwängler [ Warner Classics / 55 CD Box Set - released 24/Sep/2021 ] Wilhelm Furtwängler is a musical titan, one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century. Some would say he is the greatest of all. A supreme, inimitable interpreter of the Austro-German symphonic repertoire, and of Wagner's music dramas. |
DVORAK / HERBERT / BRITTEN / BRAHMS / SAINT-SAENS / BACH / WALTON / etc
Yo-Yo Ma: The Classical Cello Collection Yo-Yo Ma (cello) / with Emanuel Ax (piano) / New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Kurt Masur, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, David Zinman, etc [ Sony Classical / 15 CD Box Set - released 21/Dec/2016 ] Excellent value, budget-priced x15 CD Box-set. The set features great works from the classical cello repertoire with compositions by 23 classical composers. |
J. S. BACH / ELGAR / DVORAK / TCHAIKOVSKY / HAYDN / SCHUMANN
Yo-Yo Ma Plays Cello Masterworks (8CD box set) Yo-Yo Ma (cello) / various accompaniments [ Sony Classical / 8 CD Box Set - released 1/Apr/2013 ] "The CD gives an absolutely truthful projection of a cello image which in the concert hall can seem too reticent, but here is perfectly balanced with the orchestra." (Gramophone on the Lalo / Saint-Saens) |