VARIOUS COMPOSERS
The Berlin Concert - Live From the 'Waldbuhne' Placido Domingo, Anna Netrebko. Rolando Villazon / Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin / Marco Armiliato [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / DVD - released 18/Jan/2007 ] "Three charming singing actors giving their audience a real treat, this concert is something to return to" (MusicWeb Feb 2007) |
JACQUES OFFENBACH
Offenbach: Les Contes D'Hoffman (The Tales of Hoffman) complete opera recorded in 1981 Placido Domingo / Ileana Cotrubas / Agnes Baltsa / Luciana Serra / Geraint Evans / Georges Pretre [ NVC Arts / Kultur DVD / DVD - released 6/Oct/2003 ] Placido Domingo leads an all-star cast in John Schlesinger's exciting production of Offenbach's opera. Performed at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
The Verdi Opera Selection: "Shakespeare" Otello / Macbeth / Falstaff Plácido Domingo, Barbara Frittoli, Leo Nucci, Thomas Hampson, Ruggero Raimondi, Manuel Lanza, etc [ Arthaus Opera Editrion / 3 DVD - released 1/Jul/2020 ] Otello - Live from the Teatro alla Scala Milan, 2001 Macbeth - Live from the Opernhaus Zurich, 2001 Falstaff - Live from the Teatro del Maggio Muusicale Fiorentino, 2006 |
JIA DAQUN / MARTIN LODGE / MICHAEL DAUGHERTY / MICHAEL F. WILLIAMS / PARAM VIR
Flow - new music for string quartet Polaris String Quartet [ Atoll / CD - released 5/Sep/2018 ] A project to link composers from four continents in a joint musical statement on the Taoist / Buddhist theme of 'flow'. |
J. S. BACH
Bach: St Matthew Passion Julian Prégardien, Stéphane Degout, Sabine Devieilhe, Hana Blažiková, Tim Mead / Pygmalion, Raphaël Pichon [ Harmonia Mundi / 3 CD Box Set - released 29/Apr/2022 ] "With its glowing inner vitality and penetrating observations, this is a Passion that makes a very definite statement about what this work can communicate in our times." Gramophone Award WINNER 2022 - Choral |
SERGEI RACHMANINOV
The Best Of Rachmaninov Budapest Symphony Orchestra, Gyorgy Lehel (conductor), Ireland National Symphony Orchestra [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Oct/1999 ] |
W. A. MOZART / LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mozart / Beethoven: Quintets for Piano and Wind Radu Lupu (piano) with Han de Vries (oboe), George Pieterson (clarinet), Vicente Zarzo (horn), Brian Pollard (bassoon) [ Decca / CD - released 14/Jul/1986 ] Iconic pianist Radu Lupu first recorded for Decca in 1970 and his recorded repertory has centred round a small number of composers - chiefly Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Mozart and Schumann. |
JENNY MCLEOD
McLeod: Portrait With Piano Rae de Lisle, Stephen De Pledge (piano), Eric Renick, Lenny Sakofsky (percussion), Sarah Watkins (piano), Andrew Beer (violin), James Yoo (cello) [ Atoll Records / CD - released 14/Jan/2022 ] With an emphasis on rhythm these piano-orientated pieces link McLeod's classical training and her early experiences as a rock keyboard player. Includes her two Rock Sonatas, the energetic "Music for Four" for two pianos and percussion, "Seascapes"... |
GIUSEPPE SAVERIO MERCADANTE
Mercadante: Il Proscritto (complete opera) Ramón Vargas, Irene Roberts, Elizabeth DeShong, Sally Matthews / Britten Sinfonia, Carlo Rizzi [ Opera Rara / 2 CD Box Set - released 14/Apr/2023 ] "Mercadante wrote for a stellar cast, and Opera Rara field fine singers too" BBC Music Opera Choice July23 |
GAETANO DONIZETTI
Donizetti: Don Pasquale (complete opera recorded in 2006) BLU-RAY Ravenna Festival / Claudio Desderi, Mario Cassi, Francisco Gatell & Laura Giordano / Riccardo Muti (conductor) [ Arthaus Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 10/May/2010 ] Watching this realistic, young and vital production, directed by the young Andrea da Rosa and listening to a high potential and unspent young cast, you feel how powerful, charming and timeless this score by Gaetano Donizetti is. |
SCHUMANN / WOLF / DEBUSYY / POULENC
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Regine Crespin - In Recital Regine Crespin (soprano) John Wustman (piano) [ Decca SBS Eloquence / 2 CD - released 20/Feb/2012 ] The larger-than-life Régine Crespin, made only one song recital record for Decca, of music by Schumann, Wolf, Debussy and Poulenc. This is the first time the entire recital has been made available on CD. As her career progressed, Crespin became... |
CILEA / PUCCINI / MASSENET / JANACEK / KORNGOLD / TCHAIKOVSKY / etc
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Homage: The Age of the Diva Renee Fleming (soprano) / Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre, St.Petersburg / Valery Gergiev [ Decca / CD - released 20/Nov/2006 ] 2008 Grammy Award nomination for Best Classical Album |
RICHARD STRAUSS / ANTON BRUCKNER / HUGO WOLF
Renee Fleming in Concert (recorded live in 2011 & 2012) Renee Fleming (soprano) / Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, Christian Thielemann [ Opus Arte DVD / 2 DVD Box Set - released 5/Mar/2018 ] Two unforgettable evenings showcase the artistry of Renée Fleming alongside Christian Thielemann's mastery of the Austro-German Romantic idiom...."Beautifully filmed and recorded … worthy of special praise." (MusicWeb Nov 2013) |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Renee Fleming: Sacred Songs - Live from the Mainz Cathedral Renee Fleming (soprano) with the Mainzer Domchor & the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen conducted by Trevor Pinnock [ Decca Music Group Limited DVD / DVD - released 30/May/2006 ] On Sunday, 13 November 2005, the renowned American soprano, Renée Fleming, performed a selection of the world's best-loved sacred songs and arias in front of a packed audience in Mainz's beautiful Romanesque Cathedral. |
TRADITIONAL
Christmas In New York Renee Fleming, with guests incls Rufus Wainwright, Chris Botti, Gregory Porter & Wynton Marsalis [ Decca / CD - released 7/Nov/2014 ] American soprano Renee Fleming's first-ever holiday album celebrates the beloved and iconic Christmas season in New York City. |
GEORG PHILIPP TELEMANN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Telemann: Italian Opera Arias Nuria Rial (soprano) / Kammerorchester Basel, Julia Schroder [ Deutsche Harmonia Mundi / CD - released 14/Nov/2011 ] "Rial's enchanting recital with the Basel Chamber Orchestra comprises high-quality arias...the orchestral performance is beautifully poised to support Rial's serene soprano?" BBC |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1 - 9 (Recorded live from the Opéra Bastille and the Palais Garnier, Paris 2014-15) BLU-RAY Ricarda Merbeth, Daniela Sindram, Robert Dean Smitm, Günther Groissböck / Paris National Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Philippe Jordan [ Arthaus Blu-Ray / 3 Blu-ray Box Set - released 20/Sep/2016 ] "A seasoned Beethovenian will likely conclude that a lot of care and thought went into the interpretations as well." Classical-Net |
EDVARD GRIEG / JOHANNES BRAHMS / FRANZ LISZT
Richard Farrell Complete Recordings Vol 1 Richard Farrell (piano) / The Halle Orchestra, conducted by George Weldon [ Atoll Records New Zealand / 2 CD - released 13/Nov/2008 ] "Richard Farrell brings new excitement and insights to familiar repertoire making listening an experience of rewarding re-discovery." (TheWholenote.com) |
FELIX MENDELSSOHN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mendelssohn: Complete Music for Cello Richard Lester (cello) / Susan Tomes (piano) [ Hyperion Helios / CD - released 11/Nov/2005 ] 'Chamber-music playing of the highest order, empathetic and warm-hearted' (Birmingham Post) |
RICHARD NUNNS
Tuhonohono: The Weaving Richard Nunns / Judy Bailey / Steve Garden [ Rattle Records / CD - released 1/Nov/2004 ] Tühonohono, marries European (read ECM) form with Pacific texture. This is an unashamedly lush, ambient, spacious album, evoking a sense of mystery as it weaves together the strands of two apparently distant musical tonalities. |