HECTOR BERLIOZ
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique Concertgebouw Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis [ Philips Originals / CD - released 15/Apr/2006 ] "… here at last is the version of the Symphonie fantastique we have all been waiting for from our (and the world's) principal Berlioz conductor" Gramophone |
JOHANNES BRAHMS
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15 (with works by Franck & Litolff) Clifford Curzon (piano) / London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult, London Symphony Orchestra, George Szell [ Decca Legends / CD - released 9/Aug/2010 ] Another great Brahms performance: Curzon's beautifully judged fantasy matched by a smiling, sympathetic Szell - James Jolly, Gramophone 1000th issue |
SUK
Asrael Symphony, Op. 27 Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras [ Supraphon / CD - released 8/Sep/2011 ] "this more recent Mackerras performance digs just that little bit deeper and for that reason edges nearest to the classics by Talich and Kubelík." (Gramophone Award Finalist 2011 - Orchestral) |
DVORAK
Dvorak - Symphonic Poems Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras [ Supraphon / CD Box Set - released 1/Oct/2010 ] "The Golden Spinning Wheel, a performance full of warmth and vitality, very realistically recorded and surely the highlight of the disc." Gramophone Awards 2010 WINNER - Orchestral |
SIR EDWARD ELGAR
Elgar: The Music Makers / The Spirit of England Dame Sarah Connolly (mezzo-soprano), Andrew Staples (solo tenor), BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis [ Chandos SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 2/Nov/2018 ] GRAMOPHONE AWARD NOMINATION 2019 - Choral |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Concerto for 2 & 3 Pianos / Piano Concerto in D minor, KV 466 Daniel Barenboim, Andras Schiff, Sir Georg Solti (pianos) / English Chamber Orchestra [ Decca ABC Australian Eloquence / CD - released 10/Feb/2006 ] 'The finale, a kind of rondo-minuet, is delightful, with energetic keyboard work that nevertheless dances' [Concerto for 3 Pianos] Gramophone |
W.A. MOZART
Greatest Hits Daniel Barenboim / Gianluigi Gelmetti / Hartmut Haenchen / Sharon Kam / Angelika Kirchschlager / Sir Neville Marriner / RenAC Pape / Gil Shaham / etc. [ EuroArts / DVD - released 12/Mar/2007 ] G :- All the very best of Mozart on one DVD. |
JOHANNES BRAHMS
Brahms: The Four Symphonies / Variations on a Theme by Haydn / Tragic Overture / Academic Festival Overture. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Sir John Barbirolli [ Warner Classics / 3 CD Box Set - released 19/Dec/2016 ] The music of Brahms held an important place in Sir John Barbirolli's repertoire and these recordings of the symphonies, made with the Vienna Philharmonic in 1966 and 1967, stand as one of the peaks of his discography. Barbirolli's relationship with... |
JOHANNES BRAHMS
Brahms: Piano Concertos 1 & 2 / Variations on a Theme by Haydn / Tragic Overture / Academic Festival Overture. Daniel Barenboim (piano) / New Philharmonia Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Sir John Barbirolli [ EMI Gemini / 2 CD - released 19/Oct/2005 ] Reissued at a special price |
ELGAR / WALTON / BRITTEN / DELIUS / KNUSSEN / TIPPETT / RODNEY-BENNETT
Best of British from the 2007 BBC Proms [2 CD set] Daniel Hope (violin), Philip Dukes (viola) Christian Poltéra, Paul Watkins (cello) / BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis, Jiríi Belohlávek [ Deutsche Grammophon / 2 CD - released 14/Jul/2014 ] This special priced two-CD set features selected highlights from the 2007 BBC Proms season, compiled to a survey of the best of British music of the last 100 years. The Album captures the world premiere performance of Sir Richard Rodney Bennett's... |
LEONARD BERNSTEIN
Bernstein: Wonderful Town Danielle de Niese, Alysha Umphress, Nathan Gunn, Duncan Rock / London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Sir Simon Rattle [ LSO Live SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 1/Oct/2018 ] 'I cannot imagine better casting for the sisters than the quintessentially sassy Danielle de Niese and the effortlessly funny Alysha Umphress.' The Times |
W. A. MOZART / HANDEL / JENKINS / MARCELLO
Diva [incls 'Exsultate, jubilate'] Danielle de Niese (soprano) with Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Sir Charles Mackerras & Bryn Terfel [ Decca Music Group / CD - released 10/Mar/2011 ] "Her vocal and musical vitality shines out of every track" (BBC Music) |
TCHAIKOVSKY / BRAHMS
Violin Concerto in D major, Op.35 / Violin Concerto in D major, Op.77 (Rec 1960/61) David Oistrakh (violin) / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Norman Del Mar; London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Malcolm Sargent [ BBC Legends / CD - released 7/Jan/2004 ] "The big tone, the generous gestures, the energy and the poetry, all are here, plus an extra shot of 'live' adrenalin" Gramophone |
BERLIOZ
Symphonie Fantastique / Béatrice et Bénédict, Op. 27: Overture London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis [ LSO Live / CD - released 12/Feb/2001 ] Gramophone Magazine Editor's Choice - May 2001 |
Dolora Zajick, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Charles MacKerras
The Art of Dramatic Mezzo-Soprano (Incls arias by Verdi, Gluck & Saint-Saens) [ Telarc Classics / CD - released 12/Aug/2000 ] This collection, amazingly enough, is Zajick's first solo recording! |
JOHANNES BRAHMS
Brahms: A German Requiem [Ein Deutsches Requiem] Dorothea Roschmann (soprano) Thomas Quasthoff (baritone) / Berlin Radio Choir / Berliner Philharmoniker / Sir Simon Rattle [ Warner Classics / CD - released 1/Apr/2007 ] 'This strikes me as probably the best new version of the Requiem I've heard in quite some years' Disc of the Month BBC Music Magazine (April 2007) |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Orchestra! - Introducing the Modern Symphony Orchestra Dudley Moore (presenter) / Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra / Sir Georg Solti [ DECCA / 2 DVD/CD - released 8/Oct/2007 ] G - Hosted by Sir Georg Solti and Hollywood star Dudley Moore, Orchestra! is the landmark UK Channel 4 TV series from 1991, introducing the modern symphony orchestra. |
Peter MAXWELL DAVIES
Strathclyde Concertos 7 & 8 / A spell for green corn: The MacDonald dances Duncan McTier (double-bass), Ursula Leveaux (bassoon), James Clark (violin) / Scottish Chamber Orchestra/Sir Peter Maxwell Davies [ Naxos / CD - released 10/Feb/2014 ] "The demise of Collins Classics - on which label many of the composer's recordings were originally issued - removed from the catalogue a great many valuable discs. It is to the great credit of Naxos they have over the years so assiduously re-released |
TCHAIKOVSKY
The Sleeping Beauty (complete ballet recorded in 2004) The Dutch National Ballet / Sir Peter Wright / Marius Petipa / Philip Prowse / Sofiane Sylve / Gael Lambiotte [ Opus Arte / Kultur / 2 DVD - released 1/Apr/2009 ] G :- Tchaikovsky and Petipa's timeless ballet - acknowledged to be the most pure and demanding piece in the classic romantic repertoire - brings out Petipa's rich dance vocabulary with the sparkling virtuosity a superb performance needs. |
BARTOK
Bluebeard's Castle Elena Zhidkova & Sir Willard White / London Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Chorus, Valery Gergiev [ LSO Live SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 5/Sep/2014 ] "…Gergiev and his superlative orchestral forces and vocal soloists, supported by magnificent sound quality, present the enigmatic piece with great power, leaving us, as adequate performances always do, feeling stunned and somewhat bewildered." (BBC) |