WOLF-FERRARI
Susanna's Secret / Serenata Dora Rodrigues, Marc Canturri / Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Vasily Petrenko [ Avie / CD - released 20/Aug/2010 ] "This addictive entertainment was as much a showcase for Vasily Petrenko and the Liverpool Phil as it was for Canturri's incisive, handsome baritone and Rodrigues's smooth, well-focused soprano" The Independent on Sunday (on the live performance of... |
RACHMANINOV
Piano Concertos / Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini Earl Wild (piano) Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Jascha Horenstein [ Chandos Classics / 2 CD - released 9/Jun/2003 ] 'Wild is a 'larger than life' pianist, one who can spin out a lyrical line and use romantic gestures without ever sounding self-conscious. His balance of excitement and control, and, indeed, his gorgeous sound, are a constant marvel.' - American... |
FRANZ LISZT
Liszt: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 / Totentanz Eldar Nebolsin (piano) / Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Vasily Petrenko [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jan/2009 ] "Nebolsin, winner of the first Sviatoslav Richter International Piano Competition in 2005, is a virtuoso of power and poetry. Try the scintillating final pages of the E flat Concerto in which Petrenko, always an alert partner, catches the ball and... |
EMILY HOWARD
Howard: Magnetite Elias String Quartet, scapegoat, Alexandra Dariescu (piano), Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Gourlay (conductor), Lucy Goddard (mezzo-s [ NMC / CD - released 16/Jan/2017 ] Emily Howard's degree in maths and computer science has informed her work, but, as she stresses, "I'm a composer, not a mathematician. |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 & 'Triple' Concerto Elizabeth Sombart (piano), Richard Harwood (cello), Duncan Riddell (violin) / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Pierre Vallet [ Signum Classics / CD - released 9/Oct/2020 ] Born in Strasbourg, Elizabeth Sombart studied piano from the age of seven. She studied all over the world with various teachers, including Bruno-Leonardo Gelber, Peter Feuchtwanger, Hilde Langer-Rühl and Sergiu Celibidache. Elizabeth received the... |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 3 & 4 Elizabeth Sombart (piano) / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Pierre Vallet (cond) [ Signum Classics / CD - released 12/Jun/2020 ] Born in Strasbourg, Elizabeth Sombart studied piano from the age of seven. She studied all over the world with various teachers, including Bruno-Leonardo Gelber, Peter Feuchtwanger, Hilde Langer-Rühl and Sergiu Celibidache. Elizabeth received the... |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Piano Concertos 3 & 4 Elizabeth Sombart (piano) / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Pierre Vallet (conductor) [ Signum / CD - released 19/Jun/2020 ] Born in Strasbourg, Elizabeth Sombart studied piano from the age of seven. She studied all over the world with various teachers, including Bruno-Leonardo Gelber, Peter Feuchtwanger, Hilde Langer-Rühl and Sergiu Celibidache. |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 Elizabeth Sombart (piano) / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Pierre Vallet (conductor) [ Signum / CD - released 13/Mar/2020 ] Born in Strasbourg, Elizabeth Sombart studied piano from the age of seven. She studied all over the world with various teachers, including Bruno-Leonardo Gelber, Peter Feuchtwanger, Hilde Langer-Rühl and Sergiu Celibidache. |
CONSTANT LAMBERT
Pomona / Music for Orchestra / Romeo and Juliet / King Pest English Chamber Orchestra, Norman Del Mar / London Philharmonic Orchestra, Barry Wordsworth / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Simon Joly [ Lyrita / CD - released 1/Sep/2007 ] Constant Lambert was a man of outstandingly wide cultural range, a man as well-informed about painting and literature as about music. For this reason his contribution to the development of what is now the Royal Ballet proved invaluable.A triumvirate... |
R. STRAUSS
Elektra & Ariadne auf Naxos (Final Scenes) Erna Schlüter / Ljuba Welitsch / Maria Cebotari / Karl Friedrich / Margaret Field-Hyde / Royal Philharmonic Chorus and Orchestra / Sir Thomas Beecham [ Naxos Historical Great Opera Recordings / CD - released 1/Aug/2011 ] For the recording of Elektra, Beecham was fortunate to be to able call upon the renowned interpreters of Strauss's music Erna Schlüter, Ljuba Welitsch and Paul Schöffler, who were appearing with the Vienna State Opera at the Royal Opera House, Covent... |
MOZART
Mozart: Cosi fan tutte European Opera Centre, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Laurent Pillot (conductor) [ Rubicon Classics / 2 CD - released 23/Nov/2018 ] A Così with a difference: studies of the composer's manuscript by Ian Woodfield reveal that Mozart was undecided whether to 'cross' the lovers or keep them uncrossed. Key passages are altered often to startling effect - Ferrando opens the opera... |
GRIEG
Complete Solo Piano Music (12 CDs for the price of 3) Eva Knardahl, Love Derwinger (pianos) / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Kjell Ingebretsen / Norrkaping Symphony Orchestra / Jun'ichi Hirokami [ BIS / 12 CD - released 1/Oct/2006 ] Eva Knardahl's recordings of Grieg's music for solo piano - here completed with recordings by Love Derwinger of the works unpublished during Grieg's lifetime - have been a milestone ever since they were first released on LP at the end of the 1970s. |
ADIGEZALOV / GULIYEV / BADALBEYLI
Azerbaijani Piano Concertos Farhad Badalbeyli (piano) / Murad Adigezalzade (piano) / Joan Rogers (soprano) / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Dmitry Yablonsky [ Naxos / CD - released 20/Nov/2011 ] All of the composers here combine elements of ancient Azerbaijani tradition with Western forms, colourful orchestration and vivid musical storytelling. |
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
Shostakovich: Symphonies, Vol 10: Symphony No. 14 in G minor, Op. 135 Gal James (soprano), Alexander Vinogradov (baritone) / Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Vasily Petrenko [ Naxos / CD - released 10/Apr/2014 ] At its première in June 1969 Shostakovich described his Symphony No. 14, in effect a symphonic song cycle, as 'a fight for the liberation of humanity... a great protest against death, a reminder to live one's life honestly, decently, nobly...'... |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven - Piano Concertos Nos. 4 & 5 Mario Galeani (piano) / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Grzegorz Nowak [ Orchid Classics / CD - released 7/Sep/2009 ] Recorded in 2007, and featuring one of the most important and active Italian pianists of his generation, Mario Galeani. This recording reflects a bright and fresh version of these concerti, particularly the attention given to the dialogue between... |
ALUN HODDINOTT
Clarinet Concerto / Harp Concerto / Piano Concerto Nos. 1 & 2 Gervase de Peyer (clarinet) Osian Ellis (harp) Philip Fowke, Martin Jones (pianos) / London Symphony Orchestra / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra [ Lyrita / CD - released 11/Nov/2007 ] "This recording of four concertos is a welcome addition to the other two fine Hoddinott CDs already in the Lyrita catalogue. The colourful music, performances and recording may be confidently recommended" (MusicWeb Oct 2007) |
SHOSTAKOVICH
Symphony No. 13 Babi Yar Gidon Saks (bass) / Men's voices of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir / Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra / Gerard Schwarz [ Avie / CD - released 1/Sep/2007 ] "For the deeply felt singing of Gidon Saks the present version should be heard and savoured by anyone with a liking for this symphony, irrespective of how many other recordings one already has...Full texts, transliterated and translated by Andrew... |
BETSY JOLAS / ANDRE JOLIVET / FLORENT SCHMITT / HENRI TOMASI
Håkan Hardenberger plays French Trumpet Concertos Håkan Hardenberger (trumpet) / Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra [ BIS SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 3/Jun/2022 ] During the second half of the 19th century, a French school of trumpet playing was established, with French musicians and composers at the forefront of the instrument's musical and technical development. |
PARRY / CLARKE / BYRD / ELGAR / WALTON / HANDEL
Rule Britannia: Stirring songs and patriotic music Harlow Chorus / The Elizabethan Consort / Martin Souter / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / London Pro Arte Orchestra [ Britannia / Gift of Music / CD - released 20/Jun/2011 ] Music chosen for its thrill factor: from trumpets and drums to soaring choral voices, this programme has a 'Last Night of the Proms' feel. It features the great and the good of English music of the past including Handel, Holst, Elgar and Walton. |