JOHANNES BRAHMS
Brahms: The Complete Symphonies & Concertos Daniel Barenboim (piano), New Philharmonia Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Sir John Barbirolli [ Warner Classics / 6 CD Box Set - released 17/Mar/2023 ] The music of Brahms held an important place in Sir John Barbirolli's repertoire, and these recordings of the symphonies, made with the Vienna Philharmonic in 1966 and 1967, stand as one of the peaks of his discography. |
JOSEPH HAYDN
Haydn: 48 Piano Sonatas (8CD Box Set) Daniel-Ben Peinaar (piano) [ Avie / CD Box Set - released 25/Aug/2023 ] Autumn 2020 offered Daniel-Ben Pienaar an opportunity, not because the world was in lockdown but rather for the benefit it provided. A professor at London's Royal Academy of Music, Daniel-Ben was allowed overnight access to the RAM's Angela Burgess... |
MAURO GUILIANI
Guiliani: Complete Music for Flute and Guitar Daniele Ruggieri (flute), Alberto Mesirca (guitar) [ Brilliant Classics / 4 CD Box Set - released 11/Mar/2022 ] The combination of flute and guitar was a popular and appealing one for many amateur musicians of the early 19th century, and the Italian guitarist-composer Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829) realised its full potential. |
JOHANNES BRAHMS
Brahms: TheComplete Symphonies, Ovetures, Haydn Variations, Violin Concerto, Requiem & Alto Rhapsody David Oistrakh, Christa Ludwig, Elizabeth Schwarkopf, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau / Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion, Otto [ Warner Classics / 6 CD Box Set - released 23/Aug/2024 ] Klemperer and Brahms had much in common, which may go some way to explaining the empathy with which Klemperer conducts the works of the composer. Richard Osborne says 'no detail was insignificant, yet none was allowed to subvert the larger whole'. |
BEETHOVEN / SZYMANOWSKY / SHOSTAKOVICH / FRANCK / MOZART / LALO / TANEIEV
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Les introuvables de David Oistrakh David Oistrakh (violin), with Lev Oborin (piano), Vladimir Yampolsky (piano), various orchestras [ EMI Classics / 4 CD Box Set - released 18/Oct/2005 ] "For many, Oistrakh remains the violinistic ideal," wrote The Strad magazine in 2019. "His winning combination of tonal sumptuousness, clear interpretative focus, musical humility and effortless technical poise across a broad repertoire remains... |
BEETHOVEN / SZYMANOWSKY / SHOSTAKOVICH / FRANCK / MOZART / BRAHMS / etc
David Oistrakh - The Warner Remastered Edition David Oistrakh (violin), with Lev Oborin , Vladimir Yampolsky (piano), Yehudi Menuhin (violin), Borodin Quartet, various orchestras & conductors [ Warner Classics / 61 CD/DVD Box Set - released 18/Oct/2024 ] "For many, Oistrakh remains the violinistic ideal...his winning combination of tonal sumptuousness, clear interpretative focus, musical humility and effortless technical poise across a broad repertoire remains unmatched to this day." The Strad |
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Shostakovich: Complete Symphonies & Concertos BLU-RAY Denis Matsuev, Daniil Trifonov (pianos) Mario Brunello, Gautier Capuçon (cellos) Alena Baeva, Vadim Repin (violin) / Mariinsky Theatre, Valery Gergiev [ Arthaus Blu-ray / 4 Blu-ray Box Set - released 1/Jul/2016 ] "Most successful are young violinist Alena Baeva, who gives a sensitive and appropriately fiery performance of Violin Concertoall the symphonies are given excellent, sometimes outstanding performances, with superb soloists…in Nos 13 and 14" BBC Music |
FRANCIS POULENC
Georges Pretre plays Francois Poulenc Denise Duval, Barbara Hendricks (soprano), Maurice Durufle (organ), Gabriel Tacchino (piano) / Societe des Concerts du Conservatoire, Georges Pretre [ Erato / 7 CD Box Set - released 13/Sep/2024 ] Composer Francis Poulenc, who celebrated the 125th anniversary of his birth in 2024, placed his deepest trust in conductor Georges Prêtre. |
RAVEL / RIMSKY-KORSAKOV / WAGNER / FRANCK / FAURE / BEETHOVEN / etc
Paul Paray - The Mercury Masters: Volume 1 Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Paul Paray, with Marcel Dupré (organ) [ Mercury Living Presence Eloquence / 23 CD Box Set - released 17/Jun/2022 ] Covering the first five years of their partnership on Mercury, this edition celebrates the legacy of French conductor, Paul Paray and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Recorded from 1953 to 1957, during the golden era of the orchestra. |
GABRIEL PIERNE
Pierne: Complete Piano Works / Chamber, Orchestral & Vocal Music Diane Anderson, Jean Hubeau (piano) Lily Laskine (harp) Jean-Pierre Rampal (flute) / Jean-Baptiste Mari, Andre Cluytens, etc [ Warner Classics / 10 CD Box Set - released 17/Mar/2023 ] Gabriel Pierné - composer, pianist, organist, and conductor - This edition presents his compositions in dazzlingly diverse performances, with the composer himself at the piano and baton, inviting the listener on an exciting exploration of his career |
SCOTT JOPLIN
Joplin: The Complete Works For Piano Dick Hyman (piano) [ Sony Classical / 3 CD Box Set - released 22/Sep/2023 ] In 1975, jazz pianist Dick Hyman made his definitive recording of all the piano works of ragtime legend Scott Joplin (1867 or 1868-1917) for RCA. Joplin's catchy tunes, which also have a certain cunning, had shortly before become better known through... |
BACH / BRAHMS / WOLF / SCHUMANN / BRAHMS / GLUCK / etc
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau: Early recordings on Deutsche Grammophon Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) with various accompaniments [ Deutsche Grammophon Original Masters / 9 CD Box Set - released 20/Mar/2013 ] "This nine CD set is a valuable commemoration of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau's inestimable contribution to song. It is a real and genuine tribute, for it gives a true overview of a remarkable career." (MusicWeb) |
RICHARD WAGNER
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Wagner: Tristan und Isolde (Complete Opera) Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Kirsten Flagstad, Ludwig Suthaus, Philhar. Furtwangler [ EMI Great Recordings of the Century / 4 CD Box Set - released 20/Aug/2001 ] 1001 Classical recordings you must hear before you die (1851-1900) "a uniquely compelling performance" Penguin Stereo Guide |
GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Handel: Giulio Cesare in Egitto (complete opera) Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Wolfgang Schene, Julia Hamari, Peter Schreier, Tatiana Troyanos / Munchener Bach-Orchester, Karl Richter [ Deutsche Grammophon Opera House / 4 CD - released 1/Dec/2006 ] 'Tatiana Troyanos copes marvellously well with Cleopatra's essentially soprano part' (Gramophone) |
BORODIN / RIMSKY-KORSAKOV / TCHAIKOVSKY / RACHMANINOV / VERDI / etc
Dmitri Hvorostovsky - The Philips Recitals Dmitri Hvorostovsky (baritone) with Mikhail Arkadiev (piano) & Olga Borodina (soprano) [ Philips Eloquence / 11 CD Box Set - released 2/Sep/2022 ] The collected Philips recital recordings commemorating the blazing career of baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky, who would have been 60 in October 2022. "He looked like Elvis and sang like a God" The Times |
GILBERT and SULLIVAN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Gilbert & Sullivan: The Grand Duke (Complete) / Henry VIII-Incidental Music / Overture di Ballo D'Oyly Carte Opera Company with John Reed, Meston Reid, Kenneth Sandford / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash [ Decca Records / 2 CD Box Set - released 1/Apr/1993 ] "This represents, perhaps the ideal way to sample Sullivan's least known major score. The recorded performance has both polish and vigour. The recording is characteristically brilliant." *** Three Stars. Penguin Stereo Guide. |
GILBERT and SULLIVAN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Gilbert & Sullivan: The Pirates of Penzance (Complete Operetta) D'Oyly Carte Opera Company with Valerie Masterson; Owen Brannigan; John Reed / Royal Philharmonic Orch. / Isadore Godfrey [ Decca Records / 2 CD Box Set - released 1/Apr/2003 ] "The recording is superbly spacious and clear throughout, with a fine sense of atmosphere. The CD transfer is remarkable in its added presence." (Penguin Guide) |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Edward Power Biggs plays Historic Organs of Europe E. Power Biggs (organ) [ Sony Classical / 6 CD Box Set - released 26/Jan/2024 ] The legendary English organist E. Power Biggs became a household name when his Sunday morning CBS broadcasts introduced radio listeners all over North America to the sound of historic pipe organs and the classical organ repertoire from every... |
SAMUEL ADLER
Adler: One Lives But Once, A 90th Birthday Celebration Eastman School of Music, Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester Frankfurt, Emily Freeman Brown [ Linn / 3 CD Box Set - released 23/Feb/2018 ] March 4th 2018 marks the 90th birthday of one of the twenty-first century's most influential and prolific composers: Samuel Adler. This three-disc boxed set provides a cohesive overview of his output and includes many premiere recordings. |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Don Giovanni (complete opera recorded in 1959) Eberhard Waechter, Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, Joan Sutherland, Giuseppe Taddei / Philharmonia Orchestra / Carlo Maria Giulini [ ALTO / 3 CD Box Set - released 10/May/2011 ] Eberhard Wächter (Don Giovanni), Giuseppe Taddei (Leporello), Joan Sutherland (Donna Anna), Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (Donna Elvira), Graziella Sciutti (Zerlina), Luigi Alva (Don Ottavio), Piero Capuccilli (Masetto) & Gottlob Frick (Commendatore) |