EDWARD ELGAR
Elgar: Enigma Variations / Cockaigne Overture (LP) Philharmonia Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli [ Warner Classics Vinyl / LP - released 1/Jun/2020 ] An iconic recording of Sir John Barbirolli dedicated to Edward Elgar's masterpiece, the Enigma Variations, together with the Cockaigne Overture, all performed with passion by Barbirolli and the Philharmonia Orchestra. remastered from original tapes... |
TCHEREPNIN / RIMSKY-KORSAKOV / STRAVINSKY / SATIE / PROKOFIEV / BALAKIREV / etc
Diaghilev - Ballets Russes Pierre Boulez, André Cluytens, Igor Markevitch, Seiji Ozawa, André Previn, Sir Simon Rattle, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Jean Martinon, Charles Dutoit, et [ Warner Classics / 22 CD Box Set - released 11/Mar/2022 ] The Ballets russes was founded in Paris in 1909 by the visionary impresario Serge Diaghilev. Innovative and flamboyant, he had a genius for bringing together the most brilliant composers, dancers, choreographers and designers. |
W.A. MOZART
Cosa fan tutte (Complete opera) SPECIAL PRICE Pilar Lorengar / Teresa Berganza / Tom Krause / London Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Georg Solti [ Decca Compact Opera / 3 CD - released 1/Apr/2006 ] "Berganza’s voice is rich, strong and secure with a well focused tonal beauty" (MusicWeb Feb 2006) |
GUSTAV HOLST
Holst: - The Planets Ambrosian Singers, Philharmonia Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle [ Warner Classics Original Jacket Reissues / CD - released 25/May/2016 ] Simon Rattle's original 1980 recording of The Planets with the Philharmonia Orchestra. |
GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: Madama Butterfly (Complete Opera recorded in 1967) Renata Scotto, Carlo Bergonzi, Anna di Stasio, Rolando Panerai / Rome Opera, Sir John Barbirolli [ Warner Classics The Home of Opera / 2 CD - released 25/Apr/2018 ] 'a performance that will remind you of the first time you fell in love with this opera' (Good CD Guide) |
EDWARD ELGAR
Elgar: Dream of Gerontius Op 38 (Complete oratorio) Richard Lewis (tenor) Dame Janet Baker (mezzo) Kim Borg (bass) / Halle Choir and Shieffield Philharonic Chorus / Sir John Barbirolli [ Warner Classics / 2 CD - released 15/Sep/2003 ] "Barbirolli's red-blooded reading of Gerontius is the most heart-warmingly dramatic ever recorded" *** Three Stars. Penguin Stereo Guide |
J. S. BACH
St Matthew Passion, BWV244 (complete oratorio sung in English) Robert Tear, John Shirley-Quirk, Felicity Lott, Neil Jenkins / Bach Choir / Sir David Willcocks [ Decca Classics / 3 CD - released 10/Apr/2007 ] The classic recording, sung in English. This much loved English language performance of Bach's great setting of the Passion of Christ makes a welcome return to the Decca catalogue. |
EDVARD GREIG
Grieg: Peer Gynt / Symphonic Dance No.2 / In Autumn / etc. Ilse Hollweg (soprano) / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Thomas Beecham [ Warner Classics / CD - released 13/Feb/2012 ] "Beecham showed a very special feeling for this score and to hear (these excerpts) under his baton is a uniquely rewarding experience. Ilse Hollweg makes an excellent soloist." Rosette - Penguin Stereo Guide |
J. S. BACH
Cantatas Nos BWV140 & BWV147 Ruth Holton (soprano) Michael Chance (alto) Anthony Rolfe Johnson (tenor) / English Baroque Soloists / Sir John Elliot Gardiner [ DG Archiv / CD - released 21/Oct/2000 ] "The solo singing is by and large excellent. I very much enjoyed the unpretentious vocal quality of Ruth Holton" (Gramophone) |
JEAN SIBELIUS
Sibelius: Violin Concerto / Six Humoresques Salvatore Accardo (violin) / London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis [ Philips Eloquence / CD - released 16/Oct/2016 ] "this set of six miniatures [Humoresques] would probably tempt me to lay out the whole price of the disc by themselves." Fanfare |
JACQUES OFFENBACH
Offenbach: Fantasio (complete operetta) Sarah Connolly, Brenda Rae, Russell Braun, Neal Davies / Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment & Opera Rara Chorus, Sir Mark Elder [ Opera Rara / 2 CD - released 27/Apr/2018 ] 'Opera' - Recording of the Month - December 2014 |
WEBER
Der Freischutz (Complete opera) Siegfried Lorenz, Karita Mattila, Eva Lind, Thomas Thomaschke / Staatskapelle Dresden / Sir Colin Davis [ Decca Classic Opera / 2 CD - released 20/Oct/2008 ] "The actual sound in this new recording is, especially in the Wolf's Glen, vivid and detailed, well capturing the eloquence of Weber's wonderful scoring." (Gramophone) |
Sir Douglas Quintet
The Mono Singles '68 - '72 [ CD ] |
KARL JENKINS
Karl Jenkins: Piano Sir Karl Jenkins (piano) [ Decca / CD - released 13/Oct/2019 ] "Simple and honest renderings of Sir Karl's most familiar tunes, played by the man himself. It's a lovely disc which is let down by consistent room noise." BBC Music |
HANDEL / HOLST / ROSSINI / SIBELIUS / VAUGHAN WILLIAMS / etc
Icon: Malcolm Sargent - The Great Recordings Sir Malcolm Sargent (conductor) with Isobel Baillie, Gladys Ripley, James Johnston, Norman Walker, etc [ Warner Classics / EMI Icon / 18 CD Box Set - released 1/Aug/2015 ] Malcolm Sargent's reputation as one of the great popularisers of classical music in Britain arose not only through his long association with the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts (1947-67), but was in evidence much earlier through chief conductorships of... |
Sir Paul McCartney, Various Artists
Party At The Palace - The Queen's Golden Jubilee [ Kultur / Opus Arte / DVD - released 29/Jul/2008 ] |
LEONARD BERNSTEIN
Bernstein: Wonderful Town Kim Criswell, Audra McDonald, Thomas Hampson / Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, London Voices, Sir Simon Rattle [ Warner Original Jacket Recordings / CD - released 15/Feb/2018 ] An enormous success at the time, with a Broadway run of 559 performances, Wonderful Town shows off the talents of Bernstein, Comden and Green, who wrote the songs against the clock in just four weeks. Whether it's jazz, cod-Irish, ragtime, ballad or... |
GUSTAV MAHLER
Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 (2LP) Sir Simon Rattle & Berliner Philharmoniker [ ANTON BRUCKNER / 2 LP - released 23/Aug/2024 ] Bruckner was working on the Ninth Symphony until the day he died. He left a stark and magnificent torso that marks the end of the 19th-century symphony - but he also left fragments and sketches for a magnificent finale that would cap his life's work.... |
GUSTAV MAHLER
Mahler: Symphony No. 5 Sir Simon Rattle & Berliner Philharmoniker [ Warner Classics / 2 LP - released 23/Aug/2024 ] In 1999, Sir Simon Rattle was appointed as successor to Claudio Abbado as the Berliner Philharmoniker's principal conductor. He gave his first concert as principal conductor on 7 September 2002, leading performances of Gustav Mahler's Symphony no.5... |
RICHARD WAGNER
Wagner: Favourite Overtures [incls 'Ride of the Valkyries'] Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Georg Solti [ Decca Opera Gala / CD - released 20/Jul/2016 ] Richard Wagner was one of the most revolutionary figures in the history of music, a composer who made pivotal contributions to the development of harmony and musical drama that reverberate even today. Indeed, though Wagner occasionally produced... |