CHEN GANG / XIAN XING-HI
The Yellow River Piano Concerto / The Butterfly Lovers Piano Concerto Chen Jie (piano) / New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Carolyn Kuan [ Naxos / CD - released 20/Nov/2012 ] The Yellow River Concerto is one of the most popular of all Chinese works, a richly melodic exploration of scenic variety, and a forceful expression of patriotic pride. Written in 1958 by Chen Gang and He Zhanhao, The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto... |
FERDINAND RIES
Ries: Piano Concertos Vol 1: No 6 Op 123 & No 8 Op 151 Christopher Hinterhuber (piano) / New Zealand Symphony Orchestra / Uwe Grodd (conductor) [ Naxos / CD - released 25/Nov/2005 ] "If its successors are as good as this, the series will introduce us to a lot of very attractive music." (MusicWeb Jan 2006) |
FERDINAND RIES
Ries: Piano Concertos Vol 5: Piano Concerto in E flat, Op. 42 / Piano Concerto in G minor, Op. 177 / etc Christopher Hinterhuber (piano) / New Zealand Symphony Orchestra / Uwe Grodd (conductor) [ Naxos / CD - released 10/Dec/2012 ] The fourteen works for piano and orchestra of Ferdinand Ries stand alongside those of Hummel as the finest and most important of their kind from the early decades of the 19th century. Intensely lyrical and yet displaying at times a rugged... |
LONG ZHOU / YI CHEN
Symphony, "Humen 1839" / The Rhyme of Taigu / The Enlightened New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Darrell Ang [ Naxos / CD - released 5/May/2015 ] "This is thrilling, cinematic music that, although challenging at times, is always gripping." The Kansas City Star |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Egmont (complete incidental music) / Ah! perfido, / Marches Madeleine Pierard (soprano) / New Zealand Symphony Orchestra / James Judd [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Feb/2010 ] "Those curious for some not too often heard music by Beethoven can safely invest in this well played disc" MusicWeb May 2010 |
DOUGLAS LILBURN
Lilburn: A Song of Islands / Aotearoa Overture / Forest / etc New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, James Judd [ Naxos / CD - released 5/Oct/2006 ] "A Kiwi legend is handsomely served by his homeland. James Judd and his New Zealand forces find an openness and an energy in the music that evokes all the majesty of that country's landscape." Editor's Choice - Gramophone Magazine (Dec 2006) |
AARON COPLAND
Copland: Symphony No 3 / Billy the Kid (Suite) New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, James Judd [ Naxos American Classics / CD - released 1/Jan/2002 ] "It's the Billy the Kid Suite that makes the stronger impression. The pace is compelling through to the end, the flavouring is sharp and fresh, and it's hard to keep the feet from tapping spontaneously in the Mexican Dance." - Stephen Johnson, BBC... |
EDWARD ELGAR
Elgar: Dream Children / Wand of Youth / Nursery Suite New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, James Judd, conductor [ Naxos / CD - released 2/Apr/2004 ] "The freshness of inspiration is a delight, superbly brought out in these fine performances from New Zealand, with James Judd always an idiomatic Elgarian. The Wand of Youth Suites in particular range wonderfully wide in mood and invention; they... |
RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
Vaughan Williams: Tallis Fantasia / Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1 / Fantasia on Greensleeves and others New Zealand Symphony Orchestra / James Judd (conductor) [ Naxos / CD - released 25/Aug/2003 ] "The whole is nicely balanced in a warm but clear acoustic. There is good solo work, too, from the leading string players as well as the woodwind and brass soloists." Gramophone |
RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Vaughan Williams: Tallis Fantasia / Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1 / Fantasia on Greensleeves and others New Zealand Symphony Orchestra / James Judd, conductor [ Naxos SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 15/Jan/2005 ] "Helped by vivid sound, James Judd conducts the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in glowing performances of these favourite [sic] Vaughan Williams works." (Gramophone) |
JULES MASSENET
Massenet: Orchestral Suites 1-3 / Herodiade (Ballet Suite) New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Jean-Yves Ossonce [ Naxos / CD ] "The playing of the New Zealand orchestra is first class, polished and vivid." Penguin Guide |
JEAN SIBELIUS
Sibelius: Symphony No 2 / Karelia Suite New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Pietari Inkinen [ Naxos / CD - released 20/Apr/2011 ] "Inkinen takes an unashamedly romantic view of the Second Symphony, and the Karelia Suite provides an atmospheric filler." Financial Times, 2nd April 2011 **** |
EINOJUHANI RAUTAVAARA
Rautavaara: Symphony No. 8, The Journey / Manhattan Trilogy / Apotheosis New Zealand Symphony Orchestra / Pietari Inkinen [ Naxos / CD - released 13/Apr/2008 ] "This is a very well-balanced ensemble, and Naxos has captured them in excellent sound." (AudAud.com May 2008) |
ARTHUR HONEGGER
Honegger: Symphony No. 3 / Liturgique / Rugby / Pacific 231 New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Takuo Yuasa (conductor) [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Oct/2004 ] "His Third Symphony is one of his most powerful works, a purely musical requiem written towards the end of the Second World War and full of its horrors and its hopes for peace… The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra under Takuo Yuasa makes a highly... |
ROSS HARRIS
Harris: Face / Symphony No. 6 'Last Letter' Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Giordano Bellincampi, Antony Hermus [ Naxos / CD - released 4/Dec/2020 ] In Symphony No. 6 'Last Letter', Ross Harris explores settings of four poems by Vincent O'Sullivan, interlinking them with three musical interludes. The darkness of the subject matter draws from the composer music of powerful and at times despairing... |
VAUGHAN WILLAIMS
The Best of (Incls The Wasps Overture & Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis) Anthony Rolfe-Johnson (tenor) David Greed (violin) / Bournemouth Symphony / English Northern Philharmonia / New Zealand Symphony Orchestra / etc [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jul/2008 ] One of the leading English composers of his generation, Vaughan Williams went some way towards creating a specifically English musical idiom, influenced by his interest in folk-song yet underpinned by a personal vision and language. |
EDWARD ELGAR
Very Best of Elgar (The) BBC Philharmonic Orchestra / Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra / New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and many more [ Naxos / 2 CD - released 25/Nov/2006 ] From raucous marches to private enigmas, the music of Elgar represents, for many, the ultimate symbol of England in the early 20th century, contrasting royal ceremonies with intimate family gatherings. This 2-CD set features Elgar's most frequently... |
FERDINAND RIES
Ries: Piano and Orchestra Works (complete) Christopher Hinterhuber (piano) / Gavle Symphony Orchestra, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra; Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Uwe Grodd [ Naxos / 5 CD Box Set - released 28/Jan/2022 ] Ferdinand Ries' works for piano and orchestra stand alongside those of Hummel as the finest and most important of their kind from the early decades of the 19th century. |
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS / HOWELLS / WALTON / BOWEN
British Music for Viola and Orchestra Helen Callus (viola) / New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Marc Taddei [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jun/2018 ] "Helen Callus plays with sumptuous tone matched by flawless intonation" Gramophone |
FELIX MENDELSSOHN
Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream - Complete Incidental Music Jenny Wollerman, Pepe Becker (sopranos) / Varsity Voices / New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, James Judd [ Naxos / CD - released 20/Jul/2010 ] "The self-contained numbers...may be familiar items, but on disc...you discover and enjoy so much more: the flashes of instrumental colour, the exquisite little tone paintings that intersperse or accompany the spoken text...Judd's New Zealand and... |