MANUEL PONCE
Complete Guitar Music Gérard Abiton (guitar) & Beatrice Martin (harpsichord) Ensemble Orchestral Stringendo, Jean Thorel [ Brilliant Classics / 4 CD Box Set - released 20/Oct/2014 ] Manuel Ponce was one of Mexico's best and most popular composers. His compositions are imbued with the native music and folklore of his beloved Mexico, irresistably lively, sensual and passionate. |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: 6 String Quartets dedicated to Haydn / String Quintets Guarneri Quartet, with Ida Kavafian & Kim Kashkashian (violas) [ Sony / RCA Classical Masters / 6 CD Box Set - released 1/Jun/2012 ] "The E flat major Quartet has a high seriousness that the Guarneri rightly bring out without, I think, overloading the music...The Guarneri bring plenty of vigour and weight to the more boisterous Hunt Quartet." (original Gramophone review) |
CARL ORFF
Carl Orff Edition Gundula Janowitz, Gerhard Stolze, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau / Berlin Opera, Eugen Jochum [ Deutsche Grammophon Originals / 11 CD Box Set - released 10/Jul/2020 ] To celebrate the 125th birthday of one of Germany's most famous composers (July 10th 2020), Deutsche Grammophon presents The Carl Orff Edition 11-CD Original Jackets Collection - Complete Deutsche Grammophon Recordings of Carl Orff |
R. STRAUSS / BRAHMS / SCHUBERT / MOZART / HAYDN / WAGNER / etc
The Gundula Janowitz Edition: A Voice of Silver & Gold Gundula Janowitz (soprano) / with Irwin Gage (piano), James King (tenor), Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan, etc [ Deutsche Grammophon / 14 CD Box Set - released 6/Mar/2020 ] This box set celebrates the beloved Gundula Janowitz's clear and honest soprano voice through a selection of her opera, oratorio and Lieder recordings. |
CHARLES IVES
Charles Ives - The Anniversary Edition Helen Boatwright (soprano), Charles Ives (piano), Gregg Smith Singers, Thomas Stewart (baritone), American Symphony Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski, etc [ Sony Classical / 5 CD Box Set - released 18/Oct/2024 ] On the 150th anniversary of the birth of Charles Ives - acclaimed by his champion Leonard Bernstein as the "first great American composer", who, "all alone in his Connecticut barn, created his own private musical revolution". |
J. S. BACH
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Bach: Cantatas / Masses Soloists, Chorus & Orchestra of the Collegium Vocale, Philippe Herreweghe/ [ Virgin Classics / 4 CD Box Set - released 8/Nov/1999 ] 'Wonderful works, affectionately realized with solo contributions of distinction... strongly recommended.' (Gramophone) |
GYORGY LIGETI
Ligeti: The Grand Macabre Dieter Weller, Penelope Walmsley-Clark, Olive Fredricks, Peter Haage / ORF Symphonie Orchester, ORF Chor Elgar Howarth [ Wergo / 2 CD Box Set ] Ligeti's two-act opera in four scenes, Le grand macabre, is an entertaining, taut example of musical theater residing somewhere between parody and ominous seriousness, between clowning and wisdom. The opera's hero, Nekrotzar (Dracula), alias Le grand... |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas Nos. 1-32 Idil Biret (piano) [ Naxos / 10 CD Box Set - released 10/Oct/2011 ] Turkish pianist Idil Biret's series of Beethoven Sonatas prove the depth of her expression and performing power. Biret is one of the finest interpreters of her generation, and on this collection, favors slower tempos and a light touch, all the more... |
FREDERIC CHOPIN
Chopin: Complete Piano Music Idil Biret (piano) / Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra, Kosice / Robert Stankovsky [ Naxos / 15 CD Box Set - released 5/May/1999 ] "anyone wanting a Chopin cycle, will be well served by this set. Biret is one of the finest pianists before the public today… Definitely a rewarding reissue." ClassicalNet |
SCHUMANN
Chamber Music [5 CD set] Ilya Gringolts (violin), Gringolts Quartet, with Peter Laul (piano) and Dmitry Kouzov (cello) [ Onyx / 5 CD Box Set - released 17/Mar/2013 ] Ilya Gringolts won the 1998 Premio Paganini international violin competition, in fact he won two prizes for the youngest ever competitor, and for the best Paganini Caprices interpretation. This 5CD box represents both great value for money and music... |
DVORAK
Complete Piano Works Inna Poroshina (piano) [ Brilliant Classics Piano Library / 5 CD Box Set - released 6/Dec/2010 ] Gramophone Magazine Re-issue of the Month - March 2011 |
BIZET / MAHLER / BEETHOVEN / GERSHWIN / IVES / STRAVINSKY / BERNSTEIN / etc
Leonard Bernstein - Maestro on Record (12 CDs plus 224 page book) Andre Watts (piano) Zino Francescatti (violin) Glenn Gould (piano) Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) / Conducted by Leonard Benstein [ Sony Music / 13 CD/Book - released 15/Sep/2023 ] Leonard Bernstein first signed with Columbia Masterworks in 1956, and up to 1979 he recorded over 500 compositions as conductor, pianist, and commentator for the label. Just a year before, legendary photographer Don Hunstein joined Columbia Records... |
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
Isabelle Faust plays Bach Isabelle Faust (violin) [ Harmonia Mundi / 8 CD Box Set - released 23/Sep/2022 ] For the past several years, Isabelle Faust has been exploring Johann Sebastian Bach's music for the violin. First came her recording of the solo Sonatas and Partitas, which earned widespread acclaim. It was followed by the sonatas for violin and... |
WILLIAMS / MORRICONE / BONFA / PREVIN / BERNSTEIN / LEGRAND / etc
John Williams Conductor Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell (violins) Yo Yo Ma (cello) / Pittsburg Symphjony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, John Williams [ Sony Classics / 20 CD Box Set - released 20/Jan/2018 ] In 1980, composer John Williams became one of the most visible conductors on the planet after being named Music Director of the Boston Pops Orchestra. Since then he has lead hundreds of high-profile concerts with the Pops and with many other leading... |
BACH / SATIE / VIVALDI / CHOPIN
Classic Jacques Loussier Jacques Loussier Trio [ Concord / Telarc / 5 CD Box Set - released 16/Mar/2019 ] Ever since his landmark recordings (over six million albums were sold) made with the Play Bach Trio in the '60s, the name of classically-trained pianist/composer Jacques Loussier has been linked with that of the great master of Western... |
FRANK BRIDGE
Bridge: Complete Songs Janice Watson (soprano), Louise Winter (mezzo soprano), Jamie MacDougal (tenor), Gerald Finley (baritone), Roger Vignoles (piano) [ Hyperion / 2 CD Box Set - released 10/Aug/2014 ] "These two CDs, finely recorded and thoughtfully presented, are a most timely and valuable addition to the catalogue" Gramophone Magazine |
FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN
Haydn: Complete Piano sonatas Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano) [ Chandos / 11 CD Box Set - released 3/Nov/2023 ] This boxed-set of the complete Haydn piano sonatas performed by Jean-Efflam Bavouzet is presented in a clam-shell box, retailing at eleven discs for the price of five. Recorded between 2009 and 2021, this mammoth project has consistently drawn the... |
DEBUSSY / FELDMAN / DAHL / BERNSTEIN / TCHAIKOVSKY / COSTELLO / GRIEG / SCHUMANN
Michael Tilson Thomas - Complete Deutsche Grammophon & Argo Recordings Jean-Marc Luisada (piano), Paul Zukofsky (violin), Frederica von Stade; Thomas Hampson / London Symphony, Boston Symphony, etc, Michael Tilson Thomas [ Deutsche Grammophon Eloquence / 14 CD Box Set - released 25/Oct/2024 ] Michael Tilson Thomas's complete recordings for Deutsche Grammophon (1970-2003) and Argo (1992-1995) encapsulate the conductor's restlessly exploratory nature and masterful handling of the modern orchestra. The recordings in this collection... |
FREDERIC CHOPIN
Jean-Marc Luisada plays Chopin Jean-Marc Luisada (piano) with Quatuor Talich [ RCA Red Seal / 7 CD Box Set - released 10/Dec/2021 ] "These are unabashedly full-blooded readings....overall the quality of his pianism and his total emotional and intellectual commitment add up to a very impressive disc indeed - beautifully recorded too." (BBC Music) |
BACH / MESSIAEN / WIDOR/ HANDEL / FRANCK / etc
Jeanne Demessieux - The Decca Legacy Jeanne Demessieux (organ) [ Decca Eloquence / 8 CD Box Set - released 19/Mar/2021 ] From her legendary debut through the succeeding years, Jeanne Demessieux brought virtuosity allied to intellect and sensitivity, and went on to become the glory of the French organ school. |