BENJAMIN BRITTEN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Britten: Peter Grimes (complete opera with libretto) Philip Langridge, Janice Watson, Alan Opies, Anne Collins / Opera London, City of London Sinfonia, Richard Hickox [ Chandos / 2 CD Box Set - released 2/Feb/1997 ] "The casting of Philip Langridge in the title-role is central to the set's success. As on stage, he is unrivalled at conveying the character's moutning hysteria, and the result is chilling. Janice Watson makes a most touching Ellen Orford." Penguin |
PYOTR Il'yich TCHAIKOVSKY
Tchaikovsky: Cherevichki [The Slippers] (complete opera recorded in 2009) BLU-RAY Royal Opera House / Larissa Diadkova, Maxim Mikhailov, Vladimir Matorin, Olga Guryakova, Vsevolod Grivnov / Alexander Polianichko (cond) [ Opus Arte Royal Opera House Collection Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Aug/2011 ] "…this expensive-looking production that combines the forces of the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet…" The Guardian |
ARAM KHACHATURIAN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Khachaturian: Piano & Violin Concertos / Symphony No 2 / Maskerade Alicia de Larrocha (piano) Ruggiero Ricci (Violin) / Philharmonia Orchestra, Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos & Anatole Fistoulari [ Double Decca / 2 CD - released 10/Apr/2014 ] "As befits Ricci's imperturbable individuality this is an individual reading and unusually relaxed. Maybe that quality was at least partially dictated by Fistoulari.." MusicWeb (Violin Concerto) |
KAPSBERGER / LANDI / CAVALIERI / LA TARANTELLA
La tarantella e un po'di follie L'Arpeggiata, Christina Pluhar [ Alpha Classics / 6 CD Box Set - released 14/Oct/2022 ] L'Arpeggiata and Christina Pluhar have blazed new trails in the rediscovery and interpretation of Baroque music, Italian in particular. The five recordings they made for Alpha are among the biggest-ever successes in this repertory. La Tarantella,... |
ALBINONI / CORELLI / COUPERIN / HANDEL / LOCATELLI / PURCELL / etc
Baroque [25 CD set] L'Arte Dell'arco, Musica Amphion, Violini Capricciosi, Amsterdam Bach Soloists, Concerto Koln, etc [ Brilliant Classics / 25 CD Box Set - released 14/Feb/2020 ] This 25CD set presents the most famous, iconic and best-loved works from the Baroque Era, including Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, Marcello's Oboe Concerto, Handel's Organ Concertos, Telemann's Tafelmusik, and Vivaldi's Concertos Op 8. |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: All In The April Evening Laudibus / Michael Brewer [ Hyperion / CD - released 1/Jan/1996 ] 'This is a delightfully nostalgic trip through English part-singing from the first half of the 20th century. The programme is deftly chosen and Laudibus give heart-warming accounts' (BBC Music Magazine) |
RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Vaughan Williams: A Cappella Choral Works Laudibus, Mike Brewer [ Delphian / CD - released 28/Jul/2008 ] "This is choral singing of the very first rank" International Record Review "I struggle to think of groups that could do this better" BBC Music |
FRANZ LISZT
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Liszt: Piano Concertos Nos 1 & 2 / Les Preludes / etc Lazar Berman (piano) / Wiener Symphoniker, Carlo Maria Giulini, Wiener Philharmoniker, Giuseppe Sinopoli [ Deutsche Grammophon Entree / CD - released 20/May/1997 ] "Berman's infallible octaves at the opening of the First Concerto is every bit as thundering as Richter, and the cadenza is a perfect blend of forcefulness and flashiness." TopEar |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: La finta giardiniera, K196 (complete opera sung in Italian recorded in 2014) Le Concert d'Astrée / Carlo Allemano, Erin Morley, Enea Scala, Marie-Adeline Henry / Emmanuelle Haim (cond) [ Erato / Warner Classics DVD / 2 DVD - released 1/Jun/2015 ] The French conductor Emmanuelle Haïm conducts here her music ensemble Le Concert d'Astrée during this performance of Mozart's La Finta Giardiniera at the Opéra de Lille (France) on March 22nd and 25th 2014. This production, directed by David Lescot |
CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI
Monteverdi Edition Le Nuovo Musiche, Krijn Koetsveld [ Brilliant Classics / 30 CD Box Set - released 10/Nov/2023 ] Played and sung by leading musicians in the field of Early Music: Sergio Vartolo, Le Nuove Musiche/Krijn Koetsveld and others. |
GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Handel: Chamber Music: Trio Sonatas L'Ecole d'Orphee, with John Holloway (violin) & Philip Pickett (recorder) [ Regis Records / CD - released 20/May/2008 ] John Holloway is one of the pioneers of the modern "Early Music" movement in Britain. He played his first public concert in aid of Hungarian refugees in 1956. |
ANTONIN DVORAK
Dvorak: Poetic Tone Pictures, Op.85 (LP) Leif Ove Andsnes (piano) [ Sony Classical / 2 LP - released 28/Oct/2022 ] "a pianist of magisterial elegance, power and insight" (New York Times). |
ROBERT SCHUMANN / JOHANNES BRAHMS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Brahms/Schumann: Piano Quintets Leif Ove Andsnes (piano) / Artemis Quartet [ Virgin Classics / CD - released 13/Oct/2007 ] GRAMOPHONE MAGAZINE AWARD WINNER 2008 - Chamber - "Those who desire the Schumann and Brahms on one disc cannot do better than this supremely accomplished and excellently engineered release." (ClassicsToday 9/9) |
EDWARD GRIEG / ROBERT SCHUMANN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Grieg/Schumann: Piano Concertos Leif Ove Andsnes (piano) / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra / Mariss Jansons [ EMI Classics / CD - released 5/Oct/2003 ] GRAMOPHONE MAGAZINE AWARD WINNER 2004: CONCERTO RECORDING "Though the Schumann concerto does pop up on programmes relatively frequently, it's remarkable how rarely the Grieg appears on concert programmes that don't fall into the classical pops event.... |
FRANZ SCHUBERT
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Schubert: Piano Sonata No.17, D.850 / Lieder: Der liebliche Stern; Tiefes Lied; Auf der Bruck; Der Wanderer, etc Ian Bostridge (tenor) Leif Ove Andsnes (piano) [ EMI Music / CD - released 17/Jul/2003 ] "In an imaginative move, EMI decided to fill up Leif Ove Andsnes's Schubert piano sonata series with a number of Schubert songs for which the Norwegian pianist was joined by Ian Bostridge...the gambit has paid off." Gramophone |
SERGEI RACHMANINOV
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 3 & 4 Leif Ove Andsnes (piano) / London Symphony Orchestra, Antonio Pappano [ Warner Classics / CD - released 10/Jan/2011 ] "If Andsnes's playing is arresting for the quantity of relevant detail that he conveys, so too is the orchestra's." Editor's Choice Gramophone Magazine, Awards Issue 2010 |
BARTOK / PAGANINI / YSAYE / ERNST / KREISLER
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Leila Josefowicz - Solo music Leila Josefowicz (violin) [ Philips / CD - released 22/Feb/2001 ] Distinctive solo works for the violin |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1 - 9 Leipzig Radio Choir / Dresden Opera Chorus / Staatskapelle Dresden. Herbert Blomstedt [ Brilliant Classics / 5 CD Box Set - released 20/Apr/2012 ] "Highlights of this cycle are many: a grand and glorious Eroica, a lithe and lyrical Second and Fourth, a pellucid Sixth with luminous wind playing, an exciting Ninth (with) a marvelously well sung finale." (ClassicsToday 10/10) |
FELIX MENDELSSOHN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mendelssohn: String Quartets Vol. 4: Octet & String Quartet [1823] Leipziger Streichquartett [ MDG / CD - released 1/Mar/2013 ] "This is a fine recording of the Octet. The Leipzig Quartet is joined by four musicians of equal caliber and like musical minds." |
BEETHOVEN / BRAHMS / MOZART
Leon Fleisher Plays Beethoven & Brahms [5 CD set] Leon Fleisher (piano) / The Cleveland Orchestra, George Szell [ Sony Classical Masters / 5 CD Box Set - released 20/May/2012 ] "Fleisher has the ability to take the slow movement slowly, and the molto adagio cadenza near its end is for once as slow as the composer could wish, and very impressive. The finale has plenty of fire" (Gramophone on the Brahms Concerto No 1) |