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GILBERT and SULLIVAN
Gilbert & Sullivan: Operettas (Nine operettas and other miscellaneous works) George Baker, Owen Brannigan, Elsie Morison, Richard Lewis, etc / Glyndebourne Festival, Sir Malcolm Sargent [ Warner Classics / 16 CD Box Set - released 15/May/2015 ] A splendiforous collection of Gilbert and Sullivan's finest operettas including, Patience, Pirates Of Penzance, Mikado, HMS Pinafore, The Yeomen of the Guard and Ruddigore. Also includes the Symphony in E "Irish" and the Cello Concerto. |
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Sir PETER MAXWELL DAVIES
A Celebration of Scotland [incls 'An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise'] George MacIlwham (Highland bagpipes) & Sir Peter Maxwell Davies (conductor/pianist) / Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Choir of St. Mary's School, Edinburg [ Unicorn-Kanchana / CD - released 20/May/2016 ] "Davies is a master story-teller in this vividly detailed tone painting…." (Gramophone) |
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C. P. E. BACH / J. C. BACH / THOMAS ARNE
Arne, CPE Bach & JC Bach: Harpsichord Concertos George Malcolm (harpsichord) / Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner [ Decca Australian Eloquence / CD - released 16/Sep/2017 ] There were many worlds in George Malcolm's (1917-1997) universe - organist, harpsichordist, pianist, composer, choral director and conductor - and this one demonstrates his unique skill as a solo performer who, throughout his career, more than any... |
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Mozart, Wo
Symphonie B-Dur KV 319, Symphonie C-Dur KV 551 "Jupiter", Symphonie G-Dur Hob. I:92 "Oxford", Ballade für Orchester op. George Szell, Sir Clifford Curzon, Rudolf Firkusny, Concertgebouw Orkest Amsterdam, Orchestre National de la RTF, Tschec [ ORFEO / 7 CD - released 31/Jul/2007 ] |
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HUGH WOOD
Wood: Symphony & Scenes From Comus Geraldine McGreevy (soprano) / Daniel Norman (tenor) / BBC Symphony Orchestra / Sir Andrew Davis (conductor) [ NMC / CD - released 1/Jan/2001 ] "One of the outstanding British symphonies of the last century." BBC Music Magazine 2002Gramophone Awards nomination 2002 |
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GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi - Simon Boccanegra (Original 1857 Version) German Enrique Alcantara, Eri Nakamura, William Thomas, Ivan Ayon-Rivas / The Halle, Opera North Chorus, Sir Mark Elder [ Opera Rara / 2 CD Box Set - released 21/Mar/2025 ] The original version of Simon Boccanegra, first performed in 1857, is a masterpiece of concision and spare vocal delivery, having many important differences from the later 1881 version, including one of Verdi's most innovative central finales. |
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HECTOR BERLIOZ
Berlioz: La damnation de Faust (Complete) Giuseppe Sabbatini; Enkelejda Shkosa; Michele Pertusi / London Symphony Chorus; London Symphony Orchestra; Sir Colin Davis [ LSO Live / 2 CD - released 4/Aug/2003 ] 1001 Classical recordings you must hear before you die (1801-1850) - '[The] LSO Live series goes from strength to strength...outshines previous sets at whatever price' (Editor's Choice Gramophone) |
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VARIOUS COMPOSERS
The Very Best of the Glasgow Orpheus Choir Glasgow Orpheus Choir, Sir Hugh Roberton [ Alto Records / CD - released 10/Jul/2017 ] "Choir fanciers starting out on an Orphean collection would do very well to start here. The technical aspects have been lovingly handled. The only real criticism is the surfeit of the smooth and the dreamy - but that's the recorded legacy of the... |
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GLUCK
Alceste (complete opera recorded in stereo in 1981) Philip Gelling, Maldwyn Davies, Janet Baker, John Shirley-Quirk / The Royal Opera Chorus & Orchestra / Sir Charles Mackerras [ Royal Opera House / 2 CD - released 10/Apr/2008 ] "A great evening at Covent Garden rescued for posterity." (Gramophone on a previous release) |
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CHARPENTIER
Louise (complete opera recorded in 1943) Grace Moore, Raoul Jobin, Ezio Pinza / Metropolitan Opera / Sir Thomas Beecham [ Naxos Historic Great Opera Performances / 3 CD Box Set - released 1/Oct/2010 ] |
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HECTOR BERLIOZ
Berlioz: Benvenuto Cellini (complete opera) Gregory Kunde, Laura Claycomb, Darren Jeffery, Andrew Kennedy / London Symphony Chorus & Orchestra / Sir Colin Davis [ LSO Live SACD / 2 Hybrid SACD - released 16/Jun/2008 ] 'Conductor and tenor are the joint heroes of this exhilarating release...Davis remains the supreme Berliozian of our day, brilliantly evoking the mercurial wit of the comic repartee...anyone who doesn't own this fabulous score should snap it... |
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GUSTAV HOLST
Holst - Orchestral Works, Vol 4 [Includes Symphony 'The Cotswolds'] Guy Johnston (cello), BBC Philharmonic, Sir Andrew Davis [ Chandos SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 14/Oct/2018 ] "Remarkably translucent SACD sound distinguishes this latest addition to a highly collectable Holst series. None of the music recorded here was published in his lifetime, but all of it is worthy of the attention of Holstians." CD Choice |
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HELEN GRIME
Night Songs Hallé & Hallé Soloists, Sir Mark Elder & Jamie Phillips [ NMC Debut Discs / CD - released 17/Sep/2014 ] "The performances are a tribute to the dedication of Hallé players, whether in orchestral or ensemble guise, and have all been recorded with the spaciousness and immediacy which this music needs." (Gramophone Award Nomination 2015 - Contemporary) |
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DELIUS / ELGAR / VAUGHAN WILLIAMS / SULLIVAN / WALTON / BLISS / etc
Sir Charles Groves: British Music London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Charles Groves [ Warner Classics / 24 CD Box Set - released 20/Sep/2015 ] "The wonderful aggregate of soloists and musical personnel remains first-class." AudAud Feb 2017 |
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SIBELIUS
Symphony No 2 / Pohjola's Daughter / The Oceanides Hallé, Sir Mark Elder [ Halle / CD - released 6/May/2013 ] "under Elder, [Pohjola's Daughter is] a primal folktale rather than an urbane fantasy...[in the Symphony] Elder's elemental strength, relieved by a sense of light and space and the Halle's intense playing, help to make this highly recommendable." (BBC Mus |
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RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No 1 'A Sea Symphony' Katherine Broderick (soprano) Roderick Williams (baritone) / Halle Choir, Youth Choir & Orchestra, Sir Mark Elder [ Halle / CD - released 6/Nov/2015 ] "The superbly honed choral and orchestral contribution surely testifies to many hours of painstaking preparation." (Gramophone Award Nomination 2016 - Orchestral) |
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HECTOR BERLIOZ
Berlioz: Benvenuto Cellini (complete opera recorded in 2015) BLU-RAY Dutch National Opera / John Osborn, Mariangela Sicilia, Maurizio Muraro, Michèle Losier / Sir Mark Elder (cond) [ Naxos Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 5/May/2018 ] "Osborn has all the vocal verve and dash to make the devil-may-care sculptor the constant centre of attention. Mariangela Sicilia uses her fearless, technically brilliant vocalism to sustain his beloved Teresa's vibrant personality…a musical treat" |
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GUSTAV MAHLER
Mahler: Symphonies Nos 1 & 3 Helen Watts (mezzo-soprano) Wandsworth School Boys Choir & Ambrosian Opera Chorus / London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Georg Solti [ ABC Decca Australian Eloquence / 2 CD - released 20/Jul/2017 ] "As a combination of top-class recording, orchestral playing and conducting, this is one of the finest recordings I have ever listened to." Gramophone on No 1 |
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W.A. MOZART
Die Zauberflote [The Magic Flute] (recorded 1937 & 1938) Helge Roswaenge, Tiana Lemnitz, Gerhard Husch, Erna Berger / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Thomas Beecham [ Naxos Historic Great Opera Recordings / 2 CD - released 26/Jan/2008 ] "These singers, and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, come through with unprecedented clarity in this new transfer by the gifted sound engineer Mark Obert-Thorn. The new reissue looks likely to replace them in the hearts of Mozart fans, offering a... |
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DELIUS
Piano Concerto / Paris / Brigg Fair / etc Howard Shelley (piano) / Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis [ Chandos / Hybrid SACD - released 15/Oct/2012 ] "Sonics are excellent for a standard CD." (AudAud.com) |