ANTHONY RITCHIE / JOHN RITCHIE
Father & Son: Music By John & Anthony Ritchie Rebecca Ryan / Tessa Petersen / Stephen Cranefield / Justine Cormack [ Ode Records / CD - released 27/Aug/2015 ] This album represents an investigation into the violin, and its multi-faceted character. The Variations for G.B.P. and Thoughts from an Inner Garden were written around the same time as Anthony was working on a Violin Concerto. |
TRADITIONAL
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Moonlight Over Moscow Red Red Army Chorus, Pyatnitsky State Russian Folk Choir, Yurlov State Choir, with Ivan Petrov, Evgeni Nesterenko (bass) [ Melodiya / CD - released 6/Sep/1996 ] Classic recordings from the legendary Melodiya archives of Russia folk music. Plaintive melodies, passionate dances: Melancholy vocal solos and artfully crafted airs; vigorous dance songs like the famous "Kalinka", which accelerates from a slow start... |
ROSSINI / BERLIOZ / MASSENET / WAGNER / VERDI / SCHUMANN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Regine Crespini - The Very Best Of Regine Crespini Regine Crespin (soprano) with various orchestras & conductors [ EMI Classics / 2 CD - released 4/Feb/2003 ] Régine Crespin was unquestionably one of the great sopranos of the twentieth century, although her career was marked by periods of struggle with her instrument. EMI's The Very Best of Régine Crespin is concentrated in the years 1958-1961, (AllMusic) |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart Arias II Regula Mühlemann (soprano) / Basel Chamber Orchestra, Umberto Benedetti Michelangeli [ Sony Classical / CD - released 18/Sep/2020 ] "Her voice is gently luminous and true in pitch, her singing of a scale ideal for this acoustic - yet she can pack an emotional punch." BBC Music |
GRAUN / HASSE / HANDEL / LEGRENZI / VIVALDI / etc
Cleopatra - Baroque Arias Regula Mühlemann (soprano) / La Folia Barokorchester, Robin Peter Müller [ Sony Classical / CD - released 21/Sep/2017 ] "Mühlemann makes everything sound easy. But it's not just virtuosity, as the beauty of her voice also stops you in your tracks." BBC Music |
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
Mozart: Die Entführung aus dem Serail / Die Zauberflöte René Jacobs, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, RIAS Kammerchor Berlin [ Harmonia Mundi / 5 CD Box Set - released 10/Mar/2023 ] The alpha and omega of Mozart! With Die Entführung aus dem Serail (1782), probably his first absolute masterpiece, and Die Zauberflöte (1791 - the year of his death), René Jacobs penetrates to the heart of Mozartian singspiel. Featuring singers, a... |
GUSTAV MAHLER
Mahler: The Complete Symphonies / Das Lied von der Erde [12 CD set] René Kollo (tenor), Christa Ludwig (mezzo-soprano) / New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein [ Sony Classics / 12 CD Box Set - released 13/Mar/2020 ] "All performances are remastered from the original tapes with a plausible claim that they have never sounded better. Such vigour and transparence! Such joyous heartbreak! And 48 minutes of Mahler reminiscences to boot." The Sunday Times |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Verdi: Requiem Mass (with Cherubini - Requiem in C minor) Renata Scotto, Agnes Baltsa, Evgeny Nesterenko / Ambrosian Chorus / Philharmonia Orchestra / Riccardo Muti [ EMI Classics Double Forte / 2 CD - released 12/Nov/2004 ] "With spectacular analogue sound Muti's 1979 Kingsway Hall performance makes a tremendous impact. Unashamedly, from first to last, this is an operatic performance, with a passionately committed quartet of soloists." (Three Stars Penguin Stereo Guide) |
UMBERTO GIORDANO
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Giordano: Andrea Chenier (Complete opera recorded in 1976 with libretto) Renata Scotto, Placido Domingo, Jean Kraft, Sherrill Milnes / National Philharmonic Orchestra, James Levine [ RCA Red Seal / 2 CD Box Set - released 20/Feb/1997 ] "for Scotto's sake and to a slightly lesser extent for Domingo's, I think I would choose RCA" Gramophone |
GIACOMO PUCCINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Puccini: La Boheme (Highlights from the opera) Renata Tebaldi, Carlo Bergonzi, Gianni d'Angelo / Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Tullio Serafin [ Decca Opera Gala / CD - released 28/May/1988 ] "it still sounds astonishingly vivid,with a very convincing theatrical atmosphere. Vocally the performance achieves a consistently high standard, with Tebaldi as Mim the most affecting." Penguin Guide |
ALFREDO CATALANI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Catalani: La Wally (complete opera recorded in 1960 with libretto) Renata Tebaldi, Giacinto Prandelli, Dimitri Lopatto, Jolanda Gardino / Orchestra Sinfonica Di Roma Della RAI, Arturo Basile [ Hommage / 2 CD Box Set - released 16/Jan/1979 ] Recorded Rome 1960 |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Verdi: La Forza del Destino (highlights recorded in 1955) Renata Tebaldi, Mario del Monaco, Ettore Bastianini / Orchestra e coro dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Roma / Francesco Molinari-Pradelli [ Decca / CD - released 1/Oct/1997 ] 'Tebaldi, as always, makes some lovely sounds, and the mezza voce in the soaring theme (first heard in the overture) in 'madre, madre, pietosa Vergine' is exquisite...the brilliance and atmosphere of the recording add much to the listener's pleasure" |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Sonatas For Piano & Violin Renaud Capuçon (violin), Kit Armstrong (piano) [ Deutsche Grammophon / 4 CD Box Set - released 7/Jul/2023 ] This 4-CD album of Mozart's 16 Sonatas for violin and piano, played by Renaud Capuçon and Kit Armstrong, showcases the brilliance of the composer's chamber music and mastery of both instruments. The sonatas have been central to this duo's partnership... |
BOHUSLAV MARTINU
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Martinu: Double Concerto / Concerto for String Quartet / Sinfonietta La Jolla / etc Jean-François Heisser, Alain Planès (pianos), Jean Camosi (timpani), Brandis Quartet, French National Orchestra, James Conlon [ Erato Classics / 2 CD - released 2/Oct/1998 ] "Conlon keeps a tight rein on things, making the most of the edgy ostinati and driving neo-classical allegros...on a purely artistic level these are pretty compelling performances." MusicWeb |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Guilty Pleasures (featuring "Danny Boy") Renee Fleming (soprano), Philharmonia Orchestra, Sebastian Lang-Lessing [ Decca / CD - released 4/Oct/2013 ] "The American soprano takes us on a whistle-stop tour of Europe on this offbeat and enjoyable album...The diva is in peachy voice throughout." Sunday Times |
ANDRE PREVIN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Previn: Diversions - Songs Renee Fleming, Barbara Bonney (sopranos) / Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Andra Previn (piano/conductor) [ Deutche Grammophon / CD - released 25/Jul/2001 ] Recording Venue: The American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York City Recording Venue: Abbey Road Studios, London |
MOZART / DONIZETTI / LEHAR / DVORAK & OTHERS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Renee and Bryn - Under the Stars Renee Fleming, Bryn Terfel / The Orchestra of Welsh National Opera / Gareth Jones / Paul Gemignani [ Decca DVD / DVD - released 24/Mar/2003 ] Filmed 'live' in the magical mountains of Wales at Bryn Terfel's Faenol Festival, this exclusive 'Under The Stars' DVD is released to co-incide with the CD of the same title. |
RICHARD STRAUSS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Strauss, (R.): Der Rosenkavalier (complete opera) BLU-RAY Renee Fleming / Diana Damrau / Sophie Koch / Franz Hawlata / Munich Philharmonic Orchestra / Christian Thielemann (cond) [ Decca Music Group Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 5/Nov/2009 ] Renée Fleming finally appears on DVD in one of her greatest roles - the Marschallin, in Richard Strauss's magnificent period-comedy of ever-changing love, Der Rosenkavalier. Her peerless performance is supported by "a galactic cast" (Thielemann). |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Verdi: La Traviata (complete opera) BLU-RAY Los Angeles Opera / Renee Flemin, Rolando Villazon, Renato Bruson / James Colon (cond) [ Decca Music Group Limited Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 9/Mar/2009 ] "With the benefit of the latest picture technology, this performance goes to the top of the list for those preferring a traditional production." (Recording of the Month May 2008) |
DVORAK / TCHAIKOVSKY / RACHMANINOV / HUMPERDINCK / STRAVINSKY
Summer Night Concert 2017 BLU-RAY Renee Fleming (soprano) / Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Christoph Eschenbach [ Sony Classical Blu-ray / Blu-ray - released 10/Jul/2017 ] Fairytales and myths have inspired composers from time immemorial, and audiences, too, have invariably been enthralled by the unending struggle between good and evil. Central to the Vienna Philharmonic's 2017 Summer Night Concert are German, French,... |