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: 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 |
VERDI / BIZET / BEETHOVEN / MOZART / GOUNOD / HANDEL / etc
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Dies Irae - The Essential Choral Collection The Monteverdi Choir. Coro Del Teatro Alla Scala, Münchener Bach-Chor, Wandsworth School Boys' Choir, Choir Of Westminster Abbey, etc [ Deutsche Grammophon / 2 CD - released 1/Feb/1997 ] 30 of the greatest classical choral works ever written. From Monteverdi to Orff, here are the choral bangers absolutely guaranteed to make your heart sing. |
J. S. BACH
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Bach: Brandenburg Concertos 4 - 6 / Orchestral Suite BWV 1069 Musica Antiqua Koln, Reinhard Goebel [ Deutsche Grammophon Archiv / CD - released 15/Jun/1986 ] These uncompromising performances of the Brandenburg Concertos and the Orchestral Suites set new standards in the 1980s and remain a monument to the keen spirit of enquiry that Reinhard Goebel has always applied to his performances and recordings. |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN / W. A. MOZART
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Great Pianists of the 20th Century - Rudolf Serkin Rudolf Serkin (piano) / Adolf Busch Chmaber Players / London Symphony Orchestra / Chamber Orchestra of Europe [ Deutsche Grammophon / EMI / 2 CD - released 9/Oct/2006 ] Rudolf Serkin (28 March 1903 - 8 May 1991) was a Bohemian-born pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Beethoven interpreters of the 20th century. |
GIOACCHINO ROSSINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Rossini: Barber of Seville, The [Il barbiere di Siviglia] complete studio recording of the opera recorded in 1972 Teresa Berganza / Luigi Alva / Hermann Prey / Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala / Claudio Abbado [ Deutsche Grammophon / DVD - released 21/Jun/2005 ] G :- All Regions - Regular 1.33:1 / 4:3 - PCM Stereo / DTS 5.1 Surround - Colour - 142 Minutes - NTSC In the 1970s, the era from which this production emanates, the director Jean Pierre Ponnelle was reaching the height of his powers. In his... |
TAN DUN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Tan Dun - Tea, A Mirror of Soul (complete opera recorded in 2002) Tokyo Opera / Haijing Fu, Nancy Allen Lundy, Christopher Gillett, Ning Liang / Tan Dun (cond) [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / DVD - released 2/Feb/2005 ] "Tea's real accomplishment, however, comes in the music...the vocal writing is in another league entirely, relying on neither Peking Opera references nor extended Western techniques but instead harking back to almost bel canto-like lyricism" Gramopho |
JOHANNES BRAHMS / ROBERT SCHUMANN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Great Pianists of the 20th Century - Wilhelm Kempff I Wilhelm Kempff (piano) [ Decca / Philips / Deutsche Grammophon / 2 CD - released 20/Jan/1998 ] Few pianists on record convey quite the impression of actually composing the music while they perform it that sets Wilhelm Kempff's artistry apart. |
SERGEI RACHMANINOV
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Rachmaninov: Complete Operas (Aleko; Francesca da Rimini; The Miserly Knight) Sergei Aleksashkin, Sergei Larin, Sergei Leiferkus, Ilya Levinsky, Anne Sofie von Otter / Gothenburg Opera Chorus & Orchestra. Neeme Jarvi [ Deutsche Grammophon Trio / 3 CD Box Set - released 21/Jun/2004 ] "Fine version" (Alexo)..."recording quality quite outstanding" (Francesca)..."A most desirable set" (Miserly Knight) (Penguin Guide) |
FRANZ LISZT / PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Tchaikovsky/Liszt: First Piano Concertos Alice Sara Ott (piano) / Munchner Philharmoniker, Thomas Hengelbrock [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 10/Mar/2011 ] "What makes these performances stand out is Ott's thoughtful approach to both concertos, eschewing empty display and bringing weight, detail and a range of colours to the solo parts. These bring their own rewards." (Gramophone) |
JOHANNES BRAHMS / ANTONIN DVORAK
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Brahms/Dvorak: String Quartets Amadeus Quartet [ Deutsche Grammophon Originals / 2 CD - released 5/May/2000 ] 1001 Classical recordings you must hear before you die (1851-1900) "The Amadeus are a superb Brahms group" - Records and Recording |
JOSEPH HAYDN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Haydn: String Quartets Op 76 Op 77 Op 103 (Complete on 3 CDs) Amadeus Quartet [ Deutsche Grammophon Trio / 3 CD Box Set - released 11/Sep/2002 ] "This excellent set [opp. 77 & 103] shows the Amadeus on their finest form: there is a sense of spontaneity as well as genuine breadth to these readings. The recordings have a warm acoustic and plenty of presence." The Penguin Guide to Compact... |
GEORGE GERSHWIN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: We Got Rhythm - A Gershwin Songbook Andre Previn (piano), David Finck (double bass) [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 12/Mar/1998 ] George Gershwin was the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants to the United States. Born in Brooklyn on 26 September 1898, he had only a rudimentary musical education, but his talent was such that he rose from humble beginnings as a Tin Pan Alley... |
GERSHWIN / MOZART / POULENC / SHOSTAKOVICH
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Great Pianists of the 20th Century - Andre Previn Andre Previn (piano) with David Finck (double bass) / Vienna Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Pittsburg Symphony [ Philips / Sony / Deutsche Grammophon / 2 CD - released 1/Jun/2000 ] "It's remarkable how many pop and especially jazz musicians had classical training, but far rarer for a credible classical musician to have emerged from the ranks of pop. Andre Previn" |
SERGEI PROKOFIEV / MAURICE RAVEL
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Andrei Gavrilov: Prokofiev & Ravel Andrei Gavrilov (piano) [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 1/Jun/1993 ] Recorded in 1992 in Wiesbaden |
BACH / CHOPIN / HANDEL / MOZART / PROKOFIEV / etc
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Great Pianists of the 20th Century - Andrei Gavrilov Andrei Gavrilov (piano) / City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Simon Rattle [ EMI / Deutsche Grammophon / 2 CD - released 1/Jun/2000 ] "The most gorgeous of Scriabin's studies has a fine sweep and sensitivity too, and the heavy torpor of the Rachmaninov Moments musicaux and the elegance of the Tchaikovsky Variations are nicely captured. Gavrilov's Islamey is justly famous," Gramophone |
RICHARD STRAUSS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Strauss: Vier letzte Lieder [Four last Songs] / Ein Heldenleben Anna Netrebko (soprano) / Staatskapelle Dresden, Daniel Barenboim [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 20/Jul/2016 ] "Netrebko sings with an opulence of voice and colour that doubters should be silenced." Financial Times, 5th December 2014 **** |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Verdi: La Traviata (Arias and Duets) Anna Netrebko / Rolando Villazon / Thomas Hampson / Wiener Philharmoniker / Carlo Rizzi [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 13/Nov/2005 ] "With talent and looks to burn, she has the world at her feet... she is such a singing actress, you thought mainly of Violetta, not of Anna Netrebko." (New York Sun) |
VERDI / BELLINI / DONIZETTI / PUCCINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Anna Netrebko - Sempre Libera Anna Netrebko (soprano) / Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, conductor [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 15/Aug/2004 ] "Few sopranos sing bel canto with the natural beauty she supplies." BBC Music Magazine, September 2006 |
W. A. MOZART
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: The Mozart Album - All-new recordings of Mozart's most popular opera arias and duets Anna Netrebko (soprano) Thomas Quasthoff, Bryn Terfel (baritones) Rene Pape (bass) / various orchestras and conductors [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 1/Aug/2006 ] A celebratory vocal feast to honour one of the greatest musical geniuses of all time: that's the aim of this gala of international stars. |
ANNA NETREBKO
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Anna Netrebko - The Woman, The Voice Anna Netrebko (soprano) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Gianandrea Noseda [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / DVD - released 4/Oct/2004 ] Presenting Anna and her astonishing rise to stardom, this DVD showcases five arias from Anna Netrebko's debut album - Faust, Don Giovanni, La Sonnambula, La Boheme, and Rusalka (filmed in Salzburg and Los Angeles). |
RICHARD STRAUSS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Ariadne auf Naxos (complete opera recorded 1986 with libretto) Anna Tomowa-Sintow, Agnes Baltsa, Kathleen Battle, Gary Lakes, Hermann Prey / Wiener Philharmoniker, James Levine [ Deutsche Grammophon / 2 CD Box Set - released 30/Oct/2014 ] "For its debut on CD, Ariadne auf Naxos receives a bright, clear DG recording, ... Much of this can be credited to James Levine's acute sense of tempo throughout" Gramophone |
JEAN-PHILIPPE RAMEAU / MARC-ANTONIE CHARPENTIER / MICHEL LAMBERT
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Anne Sofie von Otter - Ombre de Mon Amant: French Baroque Arias Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo) / Chœur et orchestre Les Arts florissants, William Christie [ Deutsche Grammophon Archiv / CD - released 25/Jan/2010 ] "Von Otter sounds utterly wretched in Medea's lament for her lost love; then she intensifies her tone as she summons up demons and monsters...[she] conveys Phaedra's various emotions with consummate ease." Gramophone Awards 2010 Finalist - Recital |