J. S. BACH
Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier Books 1 & 2 Andras Schiff (piano) [ ECM New Series / 4 CD Box Set - released 20/Sep/2012 ] GRAMOPHONE AWARD FINALIST 2013: Instrumental |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Europakonzert - 30th Anniversary Blu-ray Edition Andreas Ottensamer (clarinet) Magdalena Kožená (mezzo) Vadim Repin (violin) etc / Berliner Philharmoniker [Berlin Philharmonic] [ EuroArts Blu-ray / 31 Blu-ray Box Set - released 21/Jan/2022 ] An absolute must-have for collectors and fans of the annually celebrated event. Many renowned conductors have chosen to perform with the Berliner Philharmoniker over a time period of 30 years. |
CORELLI / VIVALDI / REBEL / MOZART
The Art of the Violin Andrew Manze (violin) with Richard Egarr (harpsichord), Jaap ter Linden (viola da Gamba) & English Concert [ Harmonia Mundi / 5 CD Box Set - released 20/Oct/2009 ] "You can't beat Andrew Manze when it comes to fiery, inspired violin playing." The Independent |
LEROY ANDERSON
Anderson: Orchestral Works (Complete) BBC Concert Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin, with Kim Criswell (soprano) & William Dazeley (baritone) [ Naxos / 5 CD Box Set - released 12/Nov/2021 ] Leroy Anderson etched out his own unique place in American music - a composer rigorously trained in the classical tradition whose records could top the pop charts, a reclusive personality whose compositions became household words. |
ERICH KORNGOLD
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Rendezvous with Korngold Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano) with Bengt Forsberg (piano) & friends [ Deutsche Grammophon / 2 CD Box Set - released 15/Apr/2015 ] "Von Otter brings beautiful tone, perfect diction and a rapt sense of submerging herself in the music. As an encore she sings Forsberg's arrangement of Korngold's most famous tune, 'Marietta's Lied' from Die tote Stadt." Gramophone |
JACQUES OFFENBACH
Offenbach: La princesse de Trébizonde (complete operetta) Anne-Catherine Gillet, Virginie Verrez, Antoinette Dennefeld, Josh Lovell / Philharmonic Orchestra, Opera Rara Chorus, Paul Daniel [ Opera Rara / 2 CD Box Set - released 22/Sep/2023 ] "... the whole thing has an immediacy that Daniel suggests is an attempt to recreate the acoustic of the Bouffes-Parisiens." Gramophone Recording of the Month November 2023 |
GUSTAV MAHLER
Mahler: Symphonies 1-10 (complete) Arleen Auger, Janet Baker / City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus & Orchestra / Berlin Philharmonic / Vienna Philharmonic / Simon Rattle [ Warner Classics / 12 CD Box Set - released 4/Aug/2017 ] "There's no doubt that Rattle has inspired all concerned to an achievement which joins his groundbreaking readings of the Third, Seventh and Tenth Symphonies in the Mahlerian heaven." ***** BBC Music Magazine, May 2005, on Mahler 8 |
W. A. MOZART
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mozart: Complete Operas Ann Murray, Andreas Schmidt, Werner Hollweg, Arleen Auger, Edita Gruberova, Edith Mathis, Peter Schreier, Thomas Moser, Kiri te Kanawa, Ingvar Wixell [ Decca Bargain Boxes / 44 CD - released 6/Jul/2009 ] A unique collection of the complete operatic works of Mozart, from the fascinating teenage works to the profound late masterpieces. Operas known and loved the world over such as "Le nozze di figaro", "Don Giovanni", "Così fan tutte" and "Die Zauberflöte" |
W. A. MOZART
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mozart: Violin Sonatas Arthur Grumiaux, Walter Klien, Gerard Poulet, Blandine Verlet, etc [ Philips Complete Mozart Edition Vol 15 / 7 CD Box Set - released 11/Jan/1991 ] Original Recording From 1975, 1985, 1991 |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas Artur Schnabel (piano) [ Warner Classics / 8 CD Box Set - released 1/Aug/2016 ] 50 GREATEST RECORDINGS OF ALL TIME (No 15) - BBC MUSIC |
CLAUDE DEBUSSY
Debussy: Préludes, Images and Children's Corner [CDs + Blu-ray audio] Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (piano) [ Deutsche Grammophon 2 CDs + Blu-ray audio / 3 CD/Blu-ray Disc - released 6/Mar/2020 ] "I loved the Images and Children's Corner when they first came out, in 1971, and still think them among the finest versions recorded." Gramophone |
CLAUDE DEBUSSY
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Debussy: Préludes, Images and Children's Corner Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (piano) [ Deutsche Grammophon / 2 CD Box Set - released 6/Mar/2020 ] "I loved the Images and Children's Corner when they first came out, in 1971, and still think them among the finest versions recorded." Gramophone |
JOSEPH HAYDN
Haydn: The Complete Concertos [6 CD set] Augustin Hadelich, Dmitri Babanov, Harald Hoeren, Ariadne Daskalakis, Jurgen Schuster, Maria Kleigel / Cologne Chamber Orchestra / Helmut Muller-BrAhl [ Naxos / 6 CD Box Set - released 10/Dec/2009 ] "All are new recordings, underpinned by warmly stylish accompaniments by the Cologne Chamber Orchestra, spiritedly and sensitively directed by Helmut Müller-Bühl." Gramophone Magazine, July 2009 |
ROBERT SCHUMANN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Schumann: Requiem fur Mignon / Nachtlied / Das Paradies und die Peri Barbara Boney, Bernarda Fink, Gerald Finley, etc / Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, John Eliot Gar [ Deutsche Grammophon Archiv / 2 CD Box Set - released 18/Mar/2013 ] Includes complete texts with translations |
ARNOLD BAX
Bax: The Symphonies BBC Philharmonic, Vernon Handley [ Chandos / 5 CD Box Set - released 20/Oct/2003 ] "Handley is in total sympathy with Bax's music and his direction is authoritative as well as idiomatic. Superb sound from the Chandos and BBC engineers. We would not be without this set." Penguin Guide |
SCRIABIN / SAINT-SAENS / RACHMANINOV / BEETHOVEN / SCHUMANN / CHOPIN
Bella Davidovich - The Philips Legacy Bella Davidovich (piano) [ Philips Eloquence / 8 CD Box Set - released 2/Sep/2022 ] The Philips recordings of Russian pianist BELLA DAVIDOVICH, collected together for the first time on CD and digitally. Includes recordings previously unreleased on CD and digitally. |
JOHN FIELD
Field: Piano Concertos, Nocturnes, Sonatas Benjamin Frith (piano), Northern Sinfonia, David Haslam [ Naxos / 6 CD Box Set - released 25/Jan/2019 ] 'Benjamin Frith has done a stellar job in bringing these concertos into the sunlight, brilliantly supported by the Northern Sinfonia under David Haslam' (Pianist magazine). |
SERGEI PROKOFIEV
Prokofiev: The Symphonies / Scythian Suite / Romeo and Juliet, Suites Nos 1-3 / etc Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Litton [ BIS SACD / 5 Hybrid SACD - released 3/Sep/2021 ] "Litton and the Bergen players brilliantly point up the wit, elegance and joy of this great work, turning out one of its finest performances on record...this superb set of Prokofiev's symphonies. Highly recommended!" MusicWeb Recommended |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Claudio Abbado conducts Beethoven Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, with Maurizio Pollini (piano) Cheryl Studer (soprano) Ilya Gringolts (violin), etc [ Deutsche Grammophon / 10 CD Box Set - released 17/Jul/2015 ] "One could say, briefly but not inaccurately, that this is the antithesis of Karajan. Where he was smooth, this is rugged. Where he went in for broad tempos in slow movements, Abbado moves things along." (BBC Music Five Stars) |
IGOR STRAVINSKY
Bernstein Conducts Stravinsky Boston Symphony, London Symphony, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein [ Sony Classical / 6 CD Box Set - released 21/May/2021 ] "Bernstein was an incomparably great Stravinsky interpreter, certainly a better conductor than the composer himself, and this set of his complete recordings for Sony has more than it's share of reference versions." ClassicsToday |