GIACOMO MEYERBEER
Meyerbeer: L'étoile du nord (complete opera) Elizabeth Futral, Darina Takova, Agnete Munk Rasmussen, Patrizia Cigna, Juan Diego Flórez / National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Vladimir Jurowski [ Naxos / 3 CD Box Set - released 13/May/2022 ] After composing a spectacular series of grand operas for the Paris Opéra, Meyerbeer turned to two comic operas with spoken dialogue. One of these was L'Étoile du Nord ('The North Star'). |
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas [ Capital / CD - released 6/Nov/2006 ] O Holy Night; Joy to the World; We Three Kings; Silent Night; O Come All Ye Faithful, and Away in a Manger join Abide with Me; the Old Rugged Cross; in the Garden, and more enchanting Ella. 27 tracks! |
FELIX MENDELSSOHN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mendelssohn: Elias [Elijah], Op. 70 (sung in German) Elly Ameling, Renate Krahmer, Annelies Burmeister, Peter Schreier, Theo Adam, etc / Rundfunkchor und Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Wolfgang Sawallisch [ Philips Duo / 2 CD - released 3/Mar/1993 ] "Among the German versions, Sawallisch's (with Theo Adam, Elly Ameling, and Peter Schreier; Philips) is probably the most convincing." MusicWeb |
J. S. BACH
Elly Ameling - Bach Edition Elly Ameling (soprano) with Hermann Prey, Helen Watts, Peter Pears, Marga Höffgen, Fritz Wunderlich ,Werner Krenn, etc [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 20 CD Box Set - released 21/Apr/2023 ] Compiled here for the first time are all of Elly Ameling's Bach recordings for both Decca and Philips: an 'original jackets' treasury of Cantatas, Passions and oratorios which would make a first-rate introduction to the composer's sacred music. |
BACH / VIVALDI / HANDEL / MOZART / SCHUBERT / BRAHMS / WOLF / etc
Elly Ameling - The Philips Recitals Elly Ameling (soprano) with various accompaniments [ Philips Australian Eloquence / 29 CD Box Set - released 21/Apr/2023 ] All of Elly Ameling's recital discs for Philips (together with Schubert trios and quartets she recorded for Deutsche Grammophon) collected for the first time. A glorious celebration of 'the Dutch nightingale': all of Elly Ameling's song-recital... |
W. A. MOZART
Prussian Quartets Emerson String Quartet [ Sony Classical / CD - released 1/Nov/2011 ] "the elegant flow of the musicians' fingers brings both pleasures and perils. As always, there's considerable comfort in the certainty of pitch, the warm colours, the general air of civilised ease, matched to music of high artistry" (The Times) |
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
Shostakovich: The String Quartets (Complete) Emerson String Quartet [ Deutsche Grammophon / 5 CD - released 20/May/2006 ] Winner Gramophone Awards 2000 - Chamber! |
JOHN DOWLAND
Honey from the Hive Emma Kirkby (soprano) / Anthony Rooley (lute) [ BIS SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 1/Jan/2006 ] "A well-articulated, piercing clarity, delicacy and perfect intonation, not to mention sympathetic accompaniment, combine to make this a superb version of Dowland's inventive and touching songs" (MusicWeb Dec 2006) |
HANDEL
Handel in Italy - solo cantatas Emma Kirkby (soprano) / London Baroque [ BIS SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 1/Jun/2008 ] This exciting programme is presented by Emma Kirkby and London Baroque, household names in the sphere of 'early music' and beyond, and certainly no new-comers to the works of Handel. |
Emmy Rossum/Gerard Butler
O.S.T. - Phantom Of The Opera [ Sony Classical / CD - released 6/Dec/2004 ] |
BRITTEN
String Quartets / Three Divertimenti / Miniature Suite Emperor Quartet [ BIS SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 1/Jun/2010 ] Benjamin Britten always enjoyed performing with small ensembles - he played the viola as well as the piano - and his natural facility in writing for strings was evident from a very early age. |
OLD ROMAN CHANT
Chant de l'eglise de Rome: Old Roman Chant: Christmas Masses Ensemble Organum / Marcel Peres (director) [ Zig Zag Territories / CD - released 20/Nov/2008 ] "If you think that you would like to recreate in your sitting room the world of a thousand years ago in a land somewhere between Jerusalem and Athens - whilst discovering the mysterious by-ways of Karanic cantillation - then this disc is for you."... |
Ensemble Zefiro
Beethoven: Harmoniemusik [ Sony Classical / CD - released 15/Jan/2007 ] |
Epica
The Classical Conspiracy [ Back On Black / 2 LP - released 13/Sep/2010 ] |
TELEMANN / BACH / HANDEL / VIVALDI / EYCK
Baroque Edition, the Artistry of Erik Bosgraaf Erik Bosgraaf (recorder), Ensemble Cordavento [ Brilliant Classics / 5 CD Box Set - released 1/Oct/2021 ] "That man can do anything!" exclaimed Frans Brüggen, after hearing a concert by Erik Bosgraaf in 2007. The eminent recorder player and conductor's encouragement was the starting point of an international career and rise to fame of the young player. |
MICHAEL HAYDN
Michael Haydn Collection [28 CD set] Ernst Schlader (clarinet) Johannes Hinterholzer (horn) Norbert Salvenmoser (trombone), Linde Brunmayr-Tutz (flute) Franz Landlinger (trumpet) etc [ Brilliant Classics / 28 CD Box Set - released 2/Sep/2019 ] "This is a wonderful set without a single duff disc and one which should win some new friends for Michael Haydn's music" MusicWeb Recommended Feb 2020 |
Erwin Schrott
Various: Rojotango [ Sony Classical / CD - released 18/Apr/2011 ] |
GUSTAV MAHLER
Mahler: Symphonies Nos. 1-7 (Blu-ray) Eteri Gvazava (soprano) / Anna Larsson (contralto) / Magdalena Kožená (mezzo-soprano) / Lucerne Festival Orchestra / Claudio Abbado [ EuroArts Blu-Ray / 4 Blu-ray Disc - released 8/Aug/2011 ] "Has there ever been a suaver, more transparent Mahler performance or one in which everything stays so beautifully in tune? ... Abbado's music-making is a celebration of the purest joy." The Gramophone Magazine |
Eugene Fodor
Tchaikovsy: Violin Concertos [ Sony Classical / CD - released 8/Apr/2013 ] |
GRIEG
Complete Solo Piano Music (12 CDs for the price of 3) Eva Knardahl, Love Derwinger (pianos) / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Kjell Ingebretsen / Norrkaping Symphony Orchestra / Jun'ichi Hirokami [ BIS / 12 CD - released 1/Oct/2006 ] Eva Knardahl's recordings of Grieg's music for solo piano - here completed with recordings by Love Derwinger of the works unpublished during Grieg's lifetime - have been a milestone ever since they were first released on LP at the end of the 1970s. |