VINCENZO BELLINI
Bellini: I Puritani (complete opera) Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Piero Cappuccilli, Nicolai Ghiaurov / Royal Opera House Covent Garden / London Symphony Orchestra / Richard Bonyng [ Decca / 3 CD - released 10/Aug/2006 ] 1001 Classical recordings to hear before you die (1801-1850) -- Building a Library First Choice - January 2005 |
ROSSINI
Semiramide (complete opera) Joan Sutherland, Marilyn Horne, John Serge, Joseph Rouleau / London Symphony Orchestra / Richard Bonynge [ Decca Classic Opera / 3 CD - released 1/Oct/2006 ] Joan Sutherland reigns supreme as the Queen Of Babylon in this definitive recording of Rossini's great bel canto showpiece. |
BENJAMIN BRITTEN
Britten: Piano Concerto / Johnson Over Jordan Suite Joanna MacGregor, piano / English Chamber Orchestra / London Symphony Orchestra / Steuart Bedford, conductor [ Naxos / CD - released 29/May/2005 ] "This is probably the finest version of the Britten Piano Concerto available, notwithstanding Britten's own justly revered rendition with Sviatoslav Richter on Decca" |
BRAHMS
Piano Concerto No 2 / Three Intermezzi Op 117 (concert recorded in 2009) [with documentary] Joaquin Achucarro (piano) / London Symphony Orchestra / Colin Davis [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 1/Jun/2010 ] "Achúcarro's approach is unorthodox in today's stick-to-theletter-of-the-score, mechanically perfect musical world. His rubati seem excessive to some; to others, like a throwback to a Golden Age." Washington Post |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
An Olde English Christmas (Incls 'Hark, the Herald Angels Sing' & 'We Three Kings of Orient Are') John Alldis Choir / London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Colin Davis [ Decca / CD - released 9/Nov/2007 ] "The ideal Christmas collection of 18 popular carols. Originally released by Decca in 1980, An Olde English Christmas presents 18 Christmas carols in opulent arrangements that should appeal to anyone who enjoys a "light classics" approach to the season." |
ERNEST JOHN MOERAN
Moeran: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra / Rhapsody in F sharp for Piano and Orchestra / Rhapsody No. 2 John Georgiadis (violin) John McCabe (piano) / London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult / London Symphony Orchestra, Vernon Handley [ Lyrita / CD - released 1/Jun/2007 ] "A fine coupling including some classic Moeran in enduringly rewarding performances and recordings." (MusicWeb June 2007) |
BEETHOVEN
Piano Concerto Nos 1, 3 & 4 John O'Conor (piano) / London Symphony Orchestra / Andreas Delfs [ Telarc / 2 CD - released 1/Apr/2009 ] '… in an overcrowded Beethoven concerto market these distinctive and excellently engineered performances are well worth hearing…….Beethoven's Second and Fifth concertos make for an uncommon yet attractively contrasted CD coupling. More importantly,... |
BEETHOVEN
Piano Concerto Nos 2 & 5 Emperor John O'Conor (piano) / London Symphony Orchestra / Andreas Delfs [ Telarc / CD - released 28/Sep/2007 ] John O'Conor returns to Telarc with Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op.19 and No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73, "Emperor" under the baton of Andreas Delfs and the London Symphony Orchestra. |
GIACOMO MEYERBEER
Meyerbeer: Le Prophète John Osborn, Elizabeth DeShong Mané Galoyan, Edwin Crossley-Mercer / London Symphony Orchestra, Lyon Opera Chorus, Sir Mark Elder [ LSO Live SACD / 3 Hybrid SACD - released 28/Jun/2024 ] Recorded live in concert at Festival d'Aix-en-Provence in 2023, this album sees the London Symphony Orchestra and conductor Sir Mark Elder join forces with Lyon Opera Chorus, Maîtrise des Bouches-du-Rhône, the Mediterranean Youth Orchestra, and an... |
VIVALDI / RODRIGO / CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO / GIULIANI / VILLA-LOBOS / PONCE
The Great Guitar Concertos John Williams (guitar) / English Chamber Orchestra / Philharmonia Orchestra / London Symphony / Louis Fremaux / Andre Previn / Charles Groves [ Sony / 2 CD - released 25/Oct/1990 ] 1001 Classical recordings you must hear before you die (1901-1950) - "You can't go wrong with this double disc set. John Williams is among the finest living classical guitar virtuosi today. His harmonics are similar to that of the great Christopher... |
KENNETH FUCHS
Canticle to the Sun / United Artists / etc Timothy Jones (french horn) / London Symphony Orchestra, JoAnn Falletta [ Naxos / CD - released 31/Dec/2007 ] "An American's salute to the LSO who again impress in his engaging music." (Gramophone) |
SERGEI RACHMANINOV
Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos 2 & 3 / Preludes / Piano Music Jorge Bolet (piano) / London Symphony Orchestra, Ivan Fischer / Montreal Symphony, Charles Dutoit [ Decca SBS Eloquence / 2 CD - released 20/Mar/2014 ] "a greatly superior recording is one of the attractions of this CD, and at countless points it highlights Bolet's absolute command of this work's myriad pianistic complexities … the finale's central scherzando is executed with great pianistic acuity" |
ELGAR
The Light of Life (Lux Christie) Op. 29 Judith Howarth, Linda Finnie / London Symphony Orchestra, Richard Hickox [ Chandos / CD - released 1/Aug/2012 ] 'Hickox's superior Elgarian credentials are immediately established in the glorious orchestral "Meditation", where his conducting demonstrates a noble flexibility, sensitivity to dynamic nuance and feeling for climax that are wholly beguiling'... |
KURT WEILL
The Seven Deadly Sins / The Threepenny Opera (Suite) Julia Migenes, Robert Tear, Stuart Kale, Alan Opie / London Symphony Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas [ Sony Opera House / 2 CD - released 1/Feb/2012 ] "Julia Migenes manages to bring out the bitterness and irony of the text, whilst combining it with an appropriately seductive, even erotic soprano sound. In support Michael Tilson Thomas weaves a dazzling sound, bringing out fully the symphonic and... |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos 13 & 20 / Six German Dances Julius Katchen (piano) / New Symphony Orchestra of London, Peter Maag [ SBS Decca Eloquence / CD - released 1/Jan/2013 ] "Katchen's Mozart is a joy, in which the musical dialogue, whether within the solo part or when it is pitted against the orchestra, provides a constant effervescent narrative" Gramophone |
ANTONIO VIVALDI
Vivaldi;The Four Seasons Gidon Kremer (violin) / London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado [ Deutsche Grammophon Galleria / CD - released 20/Jul/2016 ] Classic recording of one of the greatest and most popular of classical compositions. |
MAURICE RAVEL
Ravel: The Piano Concertos / Valses nobles et sentimentales (orchestral version) Krystian Zimerman (piano) Cleveland Orchestra / London Symphony / Pierre Boulez [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 20/Jul/2001 ] 1999 Gramophone Award Winner: Concerto - A Penguin Stereo Guide Rosette recording |
RACHMANINOV / BRAHMS / BEETHOVEN / CHOPIN / LISZT / KHACHATURIAN / etc
Lazar Berman: The Complete Sony Recordings Lazar Berman (piano) / London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado / Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Erich Leinsdorf [ Sony Classics Masters / 6 CD Box Set - released 20/Aug/2016 ] "These can be considered classic interpretations." (Gramophone March 2004) |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: La forza del destino [The force of destiny] (Complete Opera recorded in 1976) Leontyne Price, Placido Domingo, Sherrill Milnes, Fiorenza Cossotto / John Allois Choir & London Symphony Orchestra, James Levine [ Sony Opera House / 3 CD Box Set - released 1/Feb/2012 ] "strongly cast down to the smallest comprimario roles. Admirers of Leontyne Price will undoubtedly be tempted by a set which includes her Leonora, strongly supported by Domingo (his first attempt at Don Alvaro) and Miln." (Gramophone) |
HECTOR BERLIOZ
Berlioz: Grande Messe des morts [Requiem Mass] Robert Tear (tenor) / London Philharmonic Choir, London Symphony Orchestra, Andre Previn [ Warner Classics Original Masters / 2 CD - released 10/Feb/2019 ] Berlioz's magnificent setting of the Requiem Mass, with its mighty orchestral and choral forces, is ideally suited to André Previn's acute senses for dramatic structure and colour. The terror and awe of the Day of Judgement, the thundering climaxes... |