OLIVER DAVIS
Davis: Solace Oliver Davis (Piano and Vocals), Kerenza Peacock, Jonathan Hill (Violins), Katherine Jenkinson, Nicholas Holland (Cellos) [ Signum / CD - released 12/Mar/2021 ] Recorded at the height of the international Covid lockdown, Oliver Davis's sixth album for Signum is a feat of both technological as well as artistic achievement. Following from draws together artists from across the globe for a selection of moving... |
MALCOLM ARNOLD
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Arnold: Serenade / Sinfoniettas / Concerto for Two Violins San Diego Chamber Orchestra, Donald Barra, with Igor & Vesna Gruppman (violins) [ Koch International Classics / CD - released 5/Jun/1992 ] "This 90s release is fine example of the late, lamented Koch International and Malcolm Arnold. For someone not familiar with Arnold's music, this long out-of-print CD is a fine introduction (especially the Serenade for Small Orchestra)" Thomas Martin |
J. S. BACH
Bach: Piano Concertos BWV 1052, 1054, 1056, 1058 & 1065 Alexandre Tharaud (piano) / Les Violins du Roy, Bernard Labadie [ Virgin Classics / CD - released 1/Feb/2012 ] "..played with stylish, spontaneous-sounding elaboration of lines and sparing use of the sustaining pedal...Yet it all works remarkably well...this is a thoroughly enjoyable 'piano' version of these glorious Concertos." (BBC Music) |
BELA BARTOK
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Bartok: 44 Violin Duos Angela & Jennifer Chun (violins) [ Harmonia Mundi / CD - released 1/Jan/2010 ] "The Chuns' caring, committed, and stylistically perceptive Bartók playing deserves serious consideration." (9 / 9 ClassicsToday) |
J.S. BACH / BRAHMS / TCHAIKOVSKY / etc
Bach/Brahms/Tchaikovsky: Violin Concertos David Oistrakh, Igor Oistrakh (violins) / Wiener Symphoniker / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Staatskapelle Dresden [ Deutsche Grammophon Originals / 2 CD - released 1/Dec/2006 ] "strong, warm performances which bring out both the sweetness and purity of Oistrakh's playing" (Gramophone) |
GIOACCHINO ROSSINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Rossini: Six String Sonatas Elizabeth Wallfisch, Marshall Marcus (violins) Richard Tunnicliffe (cello) Chi-Chi Nwanoku (double bass) [ Hyperion Helios / CD - released 17/Sep/2005 ] 'These wonderful works are best heard in their original quartet version' (Gramophone) |
LOUIS SPOHR
Spohr: Violin Duets Vol 1 Jameson Cooper, James Dickenson (violins) [ Naxos / CD - released 17/Jul/2018 ] "Jameson Cooper and James Dickenson combine on a new recording on the Naxos label, their playing dexterous, witty and nicely judged, the two instruments frequently required to swap roles in a delightfully playful interchange." The Observer |
MAX RICHTER
Richter: The Blue Notebooks Max Richter (piano), with Louisa Fuller, Natalia Bonner (violins), Chris Worsey, Philip Sheppard (cellos), John Metcalfe (viola) with Tilda Swinton [ Deutsche Grammophon / 2 CD - released 8/Jun/2018 ] A 15th anniversary reissue of Max Richter's masterpiece The Blue Notebooks. Released in 2004, the album was written and recorded in 2003 in response to the US invasion of Iraq. It's become one of the most iconic pieces of classical and protest music... |
MALCOLM ARNOLD
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Arnold - Concertos Michael Collins (clarinet) Richard Watkins (horn) Kenneth Sillito, Lyn Fletcher (violins) / London Musici, Mark Stephenson [ Conifer / CD - released 20/May/1990 ] "One of the most prolific British composers of the 20th century, Sir Malcolm Arnold remains best known for his phenomenal success in film and light music, as well as Concertos and Symphonies. |
JOHANNES BRAHMS
Brahms: String Sextets Nos. 1 & 2 Renaud Capuçon, Christoph Koncz (violins), Gérard Caussé, Marie Chilemme (violas) & Gautier Capuçon, Clemens Hagen (cellos) [ Erato Warner Classics / CD - released 15/Jun/2017 ] "Best of all, the musicians find a near-ideal balance of urgency and patience - the hallmark of a great Brahms interpretation." Gramophone Magazine: Editor's Choice - June 2017 |
HECTOR BERLIOZ
Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique (with Mark-Anthony Turnage: "Shadow Walker" Concerto) Vadim Repin, Daniel Hope (violins) / Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, Sascha Goetzel [ Onyx / CD - released 1/Oct/2018 ] "Vadim Repin and Daniel Hope are, not surprisingly, ideally fluent, and the excellent Turkish players recreate Turnage's enigmatic soundworld with aplomb." BBC Music |
GEORGE GERSHWIN
Play Gershwin Yehudi Menuhin and Stephane Grappelli (violins) [ EMI / CD - released 12/Nov/1988 ] Today it does not look in the least absurd, but in the early 1970s it seemed strange to match a self-taught, somewhat unorthodox jazz violinist who came to prominence with the guitarist Django Reinhardt and the Quintette du Hot Club de France with a... |
ANTONIO VIVALDI
Vivaldi: Concertos for Two Violins Giuliano Carmignola, Viktoria Mullova (violins) / Venice Baroque Orchestra / Andrea Marcon [ DG Archiv / CD - released 10/Dec/2008 ] "Mullova and Carmignola provide one of the most consummate displays of period instrument playing that I have heard. True masters of their instruments." (MusicWeb Feb 2009) |
NICCOLO PAGANINI
The Best of Paganini (Incls Violin Concerto No.1 in D, Op.6 & Moto perpetuo, Op.11) Henryk Szeryng, Ivry Gitlis, Arthur Grumiaux (violins) / Orchestre National de l'Opara de Monte-Carlo / Warsaw National Philharmonic / etc [ Philips Duo / 2 CD - released 11/Jun/2006 ] Classic recordings from the Philips catalogue |
HENRI DUTILLEUX
Dutilleux: Centenary Edition Mstislav Rostropovich, Truls Mørk (cellos), Renaud Capuçon, Christian Tetzlaff (violins), Dawn Upshaw, Renee Fleming (sops), Jérôme Ducros (piano), et [ Erato / Warner Classics / 7 CD Box Set - released 22/Nov/2019 ] "The performances here are uniformly excellent, while some must be taken as definitive - not in the sense of saying the last word…rather in indicating directions of travel." BBC Music Five Stars |
J S BACH / VASKS
Distant Light Renaud Capuçon & Celine Frisch (violins) / Chamber Orchestra of Europe [ Erato / CD - released 10/Apr/2014 ] Renaud Capuçon's first recording as both soloist and conductor is also his first recording with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. He has chosen to juxtapose Bach's violin concertos in A minor and E major with a haunting concerto written more than 350... |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Ultimate Violin Classics: Includes Violin Concerto in E minor [Mendelssohn] the Kreutzer & Spring sonatas [Beethoven] & Songs my mother taught me Ruggiero Ricci, Henryk Szeryng, David Oistrakh, Arthur Grumiaux (violins) [ Decca Budget Boxes / 5 CD - released 22/May/2007 ] 5 CDs in presentation slip case at SUPER-BUDGET price. Great value gift purchase. |
BERIO / DENISOV
Violin duos Alexandr Bulov and Ilya Gringolts (violins) [ BIS / CD - released 24/Feb/2001 ] Two contemporary works for violin duo |
JOSEPH HAYDN
Haydn: String Quartets Op. 76, Nos 4 - 6 Alina Ibragimova & Pablo Hernán Benedí (violins), Emilie Hörnlund, (viola), Claire Thirion, (cello) [ BIS SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 5/Mar/2021 ] The Chiaroscuros complete Haydn's last full set of quartets. |
W. A. MOZART
Style Galant: Concertone Amandine Beyer & David Plantier (violins) / Ensemble 415, Chiara Banchini (violin & direction) [ Zig-Zag Territories / CD - released 10/Apr/2010 ] Ensemble 415, Chiara Banchini (violin & direction) |