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ANTON BRUCKNER
The Complete Bruckner Symphonies Royal Scottish National Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Georg Tintner, conductor [ Naxos / 12 CD Box Set - released 22/Dec/2015 ] "The pattern of the later symphonies is set here, emotional slow movement, galumphing scherzo and all. But there are moments of almost Sullivanesque sparkle. Tintner's account is wonderfully cohesive and fresh." - The Sunday Times (Paul Driver), May |
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ALBERT ROUSSEL
Roussel: The Complete Symphonies [4 CD set] Royal Scottish National Orchestra / Stéphane Denève [ Naxos / 4 CD Box Set - released 6/Dec/2010 ] "an excellent disc, splendidly and idiomatically performed and a superb advertisement for composer, conductor and orchestra. Highly recommended." Gramophone Magazine on Symphony No 4 |
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ALEXANDER GLAZUNOV
Glazunov: Complete Symphonies & Concertos Rachel Barton Pine (violin), Wen-Sinn Yang (cello), Alexander Romanovsky (piano) / Royal Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Russian National Orchestra, Jose [ Warner Classics / 8 CD Box Set - released 10/Sep/2018 ] "Clear and slightly reverberant recording maximises the textures and appeal of these works making the disc worthy of consideration as a benchmark recording" (MusicWeb on Symphony 5 & Seasons) |
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DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
Shostakovich: The Golden Age (Complete Ballet) Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Gennady Rozhdestvensky [ Chandos Classics / 2 CD Box Set - released 21/Sep/2001 ] "..anyone with the least interest in Shostakovich, or ballet music, or Soviet music, or indeed Soviet culture as a whole, from investigating this weird and intermittently wonderful score. A really fascinating disc." Gramophone |
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DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
Shostakovich: Complete String Quartets Rubio Quartet [ Brilliant Classics Quintessence / 5 CD Box Set - released 11/Oct/2019 ] "The Rubio performances are refreshing, emotionally satisfying within the parameters of their smooth-edged approach, and highly accomplished." Fanfare |
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MUSSORGSKY / RAVEL / BRAHMS / BEETHOVEN / JANÁČEK / FRANCK / etc
Rudolf Firkusny Edition Rudolf Firkušný (piano), with Erica Morini (violin) & Pierre Fournier (cello) [ Deutsche Grammophon / Eloquence / 12 CD Box Set - released 5/Jul/2024 ] "Firkušný is a sensitive, intellectual pianist, and his refined musical playing falls very pleasantly on the ear. He plays [Pictures] remarkably well … The Ravel pieces are beautifully done too, and as the recording quality is quite outstandingly." |
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LUGWIG van BEETHOVEN / W. A. MOZART / JOHANNES BRAHMS
The Rudolf Serkin Edition Rudolf Serkin (piano) / London Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado, with Mstislav Rostropovich (cello) [ Deutche Grammophon / 9 CD Box Set - released 19/Jun/2020 ] "Serkin was an artist who shaped the world's conceptions of the "Viennese school," and there's much to be gained by tracing the evolution of his style over his long life.' (AllMusic.com) |
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PAGANINI / BETTHOVEN / BRUCH / MENDELSSOHN / KHACHATURIAN / PROKOFIEV / etc
Ruggiero Ricci - Complete Decca Recordings Ruggiero Ricci (violin) with Ernest Lush, Carlo Bussotti, Julius Katchen, Louis Persinger (piano) [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 20 CD Box Set - released 29/Oct/2021 ] "... the great advantage of this box is its completeness. If you have a vacant two inch gap on your shelves, this box will fit nicely. The transfers come direct from the source material and have been well remastered." MusicWeb Jan 22 |
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PAGANINI / SARASATE / VIVALDI / KREISLER / SAINT-SAËNS / BACH / etc
Ruggiero Ricci - Complete American Decca Recordings Ruggiero Ricci (violin) with Leon Pommers, Brooks Smith (piano) / Stradivarius Chamber Orchestra / Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Max Rudolf [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 9 CD Box Set - released 29/Oct/2021 ] "His hand has never been surer, his tone never more beautiful than in these enchanting performances, which are aglow with spontaneity, wit, and sheer delight … a classic matching of interpreter and material." Stereo Review |
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CHOPIN / LISZT / SAINT-SAENS / SCHUMANN / VILLA-LOBOS / BARTÓK / etc
Ruth Slenczynska - Complete American Decca Recordings Ruth Slenczynska (piano) [ Deutsche Grammophon Eloquence / 10 CD Box Set - released 20/Nov/2020 ] A debut on CD for the American Decca legacy of Ruth Slenczynska, a prodigious Romantic-age keyboard lioness. 'Slenczynska has technique to burn, has it under complete control, and uses it with masculine vigour and shrewd musicianship' HighFidelity |
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FRANZ SCHUBERT
Schubert: Complete Secular Choral Works Ruth Ziesak, Angelika Kirchschlager, Christoph Prégardien, Robert Holl / Wiener Concert-Verein, Arnold Schoenberg Choir, Erwin Ortner, with András Sch [ Warner Classics / 7 CD Box Set - released 19/Mar/2021 ] A voyage of discovery through a lesser-known area of Schubert's rich and prolific output, this collection comprises seven themed CDs: Transience; Love; Eternity; Heroism; Nature; Celebrations, and Circle of Friends. |
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VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Russian Orthodox Choral Music Rybin Male Choir, Dumka Choir, Yurlov Academic Choir [ Brilliant Classics / 6 CD Box Set - released 22/Jan/2021 ] A history of Russian Orthodox sacred music from the 'Moscow Baroque' to the present day, including many rare and long unavailable recordings. |
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HEITOR VILLA-LOBOS
Villa-Lobos: Complete Symphonies São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, Isaac Karabtchevsky [ Naxos / 6 CD Box Set - released 13/Nov/2020 ] Villa-Lobos's symphonies well reflect the composer's status as the single most significant creative figure in 20th-century Brazilian art music, from the early works that challenge European traditions through to his twelfth and final symphony |
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LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven Révolution Vol. II Symphonies 6 to 9 Sara Gouzy, Salome Fischer, Mingjie Lei, Manuel Walser / Le Concert des Nations, La Capella Nacional de Catalunya, Jordi Savall [ Alia Vox / 3 CD Box Set - released 25/Feb/2022 ] "This is a very special release...Savall's may well have just become my favourite period-instrument Beethoven cycle of them all." Gramophone Award Finalist 2022 - Orchestral |
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RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
Vaughan Williams: Symphonies 1-9 / Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis / On Wenlock Edge; etc (7 CD set) Sarah Chang (violin) Ian Bostridge (tenor) / London Philharmonic Orchestra. Bernard Haitink [ Warner Classics Budget Boxes / 7 CD Box Set - released 25/Sep/2013 ] Building a Library - First Choice - May 2002 |
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SERGEI PROKOFIEV
Prokofiev: Complete Symphonies (Nos 1-7) Scottish National Orchestra, Neeme Jarvi [ Chandos Classics / 4 CD Box Set - released 20/Nov/2008 ] "The recorded sound is great, the Scottish National Orchestra plays like a world class band. All in all, this is not only a set to complete your Prokofiev collection, it's also the one to start it - if you haven't yet." (MusicWeb bargain of the... |
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SEGEI RUDNEV
Rudnev: Music for Guitar Sergei Rudnov, Aynur Begutov, Anton Baranov, Rovshan Mamedkuliev, Vladimir Mityakov (guitars) [ Brilliant Classics / 3 CD Box Set - released 25/Feb/2022 ] Russian guitarist and composer Sergei Ivanovich Rudnev was born in 1955 in Tula. In 1975 he graduated in the accordion and balalaika class of Tula's "Dargomyzhsky" Conservatory, and while attending this school he studied guitar. |
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RICHARD WAGNER
Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen Simon O'Neill, Matthias Goerne, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Jaap van Zweden [ Naxos / 14 CD Box Set - released 9/Aug/2018 ] Wagner's visionary Der Ring des Nibelungen was first performed as a cycle of four operas in 1876. One of the most sustained and remarkable achievements in all music, the tetralogy is performed by an all-star cast, conducted by the new music director... |
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DIETRICH BUXTEHUDE
Buxtehude: Complete Harpsichord Music Simone Stella (harpsichord) [ Brilliant Classics / 4 CD Box Set - released 30/Jan/2012 ] "you can hardly go wrong with Stella's performances which are very good. He uses the harpsichord well and explores its various stops, mostly in a convincing and stylistically appropriate manner." MusicWeb |
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JOHANN PACHELBEL
Pachelbel: Complete Keyboard Music Simone Stella (harpsichord & organ) [ Brilliant Classics / 13 CD Box Set - released 1/Jan/2019 ] "..the organ used here has much greater possibilities in variety of tonal colours, and Stella uses it to fine effect in the many fugues and chorale variations." Choir & Organ |