JEAN SIBELIUS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Sibelius: Symphonies Nos.1 & 6 Berliner Philharmoniker [Berlin Philharmonic] , Herbert von Karajan [ EMI Encore / CD - released 12/Feb/2007 ] "This is Karajan at his finest..very strongly recommended" (*** Penguin Stereo Guide) |
ANTON BRUCKNER
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Bruckner: Symphony No 8 Berliner Philharmoniker, Lorin Maazel (conductor) [ EMI Classics / CD - released 19/Mar/1997 ] Unlike other musical radicals such as Richard Wagner and Hugo Wolf, Bruckner showed extreme humility before other musicians, Wagner in particular. |
ANTONIN DVORAK
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Dvorak - Tone Poems (Incls Golden Spinning Wheel & Noon Witch) Berliner Philharmoniker [Berlin Philharmonic], Simon Rattle [ EMI Music / 2 CD - released 15/Sep/2005 ] "Rattle's readings of Dvorák's tone poems set a new standard" (Orchestral album of the Month BBC Music Sept 2005) |
JEAN SIBELIUS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 6 City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Simon Rattle [ EMI / CD - released 20/Mar/1988 ] Jean Sibelius (1865-1958) was one of the greatest symphonists of the 20th century and his music is as popular today as it was when he died over 50 years ago. |
MODEST MUSSORGSKY
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mussorgsky: The Nursery, Sunless & Songs and Dances of Death plus eight other songs (recorded 1955-7) Boris Christoff (bass) Alexandre Labinsky, piano, Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Francaise / Georges Tzipine [ EMI Great Recordings of the Century / CD - released 15/Feb/2003 ] "The Mussorgsky songs constitute a complete world in themselves, and they cast a strong spell: their range is enormous and their insight into the human condition deep. Christoff was at the height of his vocal powers when he made this set" Rosette:... |
BIZET / BERLIOZ / DEBUSSY / MUSSORGSKY / RAVEL / etc
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Great Conductors of the 20th Century: Andre Cluytens Boris Christoff (bass) / National Opera of Sofia / Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française, Orchestre du Théâtre National de l'Opéra, André [ EMI Classics / 2 CD - released 25/Feb/2018 ] Great Conductors of the 20th Century is a joint venture between the production and licensing expertise of IMG Artists and the international marketing and distribution clout of EMI. Sixty volumes were planned with hopes for even more. Unfortunately,... |
BORODIN / VERDI / MUSSORGSKY / GLUCK
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Boris Christoff: Opera Arias Boris Christoff (bass) with Ana Alexieva (mezzo) / Various orchestras & conductors [ EMI Studio / CD - released 14/Oct/1988 ] "...should on no account be missed by lovers of great singing." (MusicWeb Nov 2007) |
MUSSORGSKY / BORODIN / BOITO / GOUNOD / RIMSKY-KORSAKOV / VERDI / GLUCK
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Boris Christoff - The Very Best Of Boris Christoff (bass) with various orchestras and accompanists [ EMI Very Best of Singers / 2 CD - released 7/Feb/2005 ] Bass Boris Christoff was born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria on 18 May 1914 of a Bulgarian father and a Russian mother. The family was very well to do and Boris received the best education available, including a period of study at the University of Sofia. |
LEONARD BERNSTEIN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Bernstein: Candide Overture / Symphony No. 2 'Age of Anxiety' / Fancy Free Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Andrew Litton [ EMI American Classics / CD - released 3/Nov/1991 ] Three major works by the great American composer |
GUSTAV MAHLER
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mahler: Symphony No 10 (with Brahms/Schoenberg: Piano Quartet No 1) Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle [ EMI / 2 CD Box Set - released 5/May/1985 ] Simon Rattle has performed the 10th more times than any other conductor. In many ways it's become his signature work. |
FRANZ SCHUBERT
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Schubert: Winterreise Brigitte Fassbaender (mezzo) Aribert Reimann (piano) [ EMI Encore / CD - released 28/Sep/2007 ] "Brigitte Fassbaender has us travel with her through every shifting emotion of the journey...[this is a] constantly revelatory partnership." Gramophone |
EDVARD GREIG
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Grieg: Piano Concerto, Op. 16 (with Schumann: Piano Concerto Op. 54) Cecile Ousset (piano) / London Symphony Orchestra, Neville Marriner [ EMI Red Line / CD - released 30/Sep/1997 ] "Cecile Ousset is an arrestingly ebullient artist...who leaves her own distinctive stamp on everything she plays" Gramophone |
HOWELLS / RADCLIFFE / PARRY / ELGAR / etc
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Choral Evensong Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury [ EMI Classics Encore / CD - released 21/Jun/2008 ] "It goes without saying that the singing is superb: Stephen Cleobury and the choir could probably sing Evensong in their sleep, but they are certainly wide awake here." MusicWeb |
ROBERT SCHUMANN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Schumann: Requiem in D flat major, Op. 148 / Mass in C minor, Op. 147 Chor Des Städtischen Musikvereins Zu Düsseldorf, Düsseldorfer Symphoniker / Wolfgang Sawallisch& Berhard Klee [ EMI Classics Encore / CD - released 10/Mar/2011 ] "Schumann's neglected choral output includes several worthwhile pieces, notably the charming, light-filled oratorio The Pilgrimage of the Rose, and the late and dark-toned Mass and Requiem. Sympathetic performances realised in good sound." BBC Music |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 4 & 5 "Emperor" Christian Zacharias (piano) / Staatskapelle Dresden, Hans Vonk [ EMI Classics Nipper Collection / CD - released 1/May/2001 ] "This disc is a bargain! ... Piano Concerto no. 4 is the winner on this disc" Review |
FRANZ SCHUBERT
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Schubert: Music for Piano Duet (Volume One) Christoph Eschenbach, Justus Frantz (pianos) [ EMI Gemini / 2 CD - released 20/Oct/2006 ] "Christoph Eschenbach and Justus Frantz give no quarter in terms of performance or recorded sound - still highly recommended" (MusicWeb Nov 2006) |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos.29-32 Christoph Eschenbach (piano) [ EMI Gemini / 2 CD - released 28/Nov/2003 ] "(These) are performances of stature and should be snapped up without delay at this bargain price." Rosette (highest rating) Penguin Stereo Guide |
JEAN SIBELIUS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Sibelius: Symphony No 5 in E flat major, Op. 82 (with Nielsen - Symphony No. 4 'The Inextinguishable') City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra & Philharmonia Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle [ EMI Recommends / CD - released 14/Oct/2007 ] "Rattles account of the Fifth Symphony with the Philharmonia was to the 1980s what Karajan's Berlin account was to the 1960s. The Philharmonia Orchestra play spendidly and the EMI recording is very good indeed." (3 Stars Penguin Stereo Guide) |
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Shostakovich: Symphony No.10 City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Simon Rattle [ EMI / CD - released 30/Sep/1986 ] Shostakovich's triumphant Symphony No. 10 is a work of liberatory spirit, performed here by Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic. |
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH / BENJAMIN BRITTEN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Britten: Sinfonia da Requiem / Shostakovich: Symphony No.10 City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Simon Rattle [ EMI Studio Plus / CD - released 30/Sep/1993 ] The Sinfonia da Requiem, composed in 1940, was Britten's first major work for full orchestra without a soloist and is now regarded as the finest of all of Britten's orchestral works. |