BACH / HANDEL / MENDELSSOHN / PARRY / etc
Sir Adrian Boult - The Decca Legacy, Volume 2 - Baroque & Sacred Music London Philharmonic & London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus / Kirsten Flagstad, Jennifer Vyvyan, Norma Procter, Kenneth McKellar, Joan Sutherland, etc [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 13 CD Box Set - released 7/Oct/2022 ] The second volume of Sir Adrian Boult's Decca legacy brings together the conductor's Messiah recordings of 1954 and 1960, plus Baroque and sacred music recitals from Kenneth McKellar, Kirsten Flagstad and Kathleen Ferrier. LIMITED EDITION. |
NICOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade / Russian Easter Festival Overture London Philharmonic Orchestra, Adrian Boult / London Symphony Orchestra, Pierre Monteux [ Decca SBS Australian Eloquence / CD - released 10/Aug/2015 ] In his most famous orchestral composition, Scheherazade, Rimsky-Korsakov, like Beethoven in his 'Pastoral' Symphony before him, was more interested in evoking feelings and impressions than in spoon-feeding listeners a pre-digested program. So the... |
ERIC & ALBERT COATES / EDWARD ELGAR / NOEL COWARD
Coates, Elgar, Coward: Orchestral Music London Philharmonic Orchestra, Geoffrey Corbett / New Symphony Orchestra of London, Eric Coates / London Symphony Orchestra, Malcolm Sargent [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 2 CD - released 5/Feb/2021 ] Four 1950s Decca records of popular English music, newly remastered and issued complete for the first time on CD. |
PETER ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
Orchestral Works (Incls Nutcracker Suite & Serenade for Strings) London Philharmonic Orchestra / London Symphony Orchestra / Leopold Stokowski [ Philips Eloquence / 2 CD - released 1/Nov/2007 ] If you think you know these pieces, then listen again! Stokowski, the magician, sprinkles star-dust over the Nutcracker and gives the orchestra a jolly old workout in a couple of places. The Serenade has been considered one of the best ever recorded... |
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
Symphony No. 6 in E minor / Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (with works by Berg, Bax & Hadley) [recorded 1966-72] London Philharmonic Orchestra, New Philharmonic Orchestra & BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult [ BBC Legends / CD - released 20/Apr/2010 ] "…characteristically unforced, humane and, above all, honest readings of the Tallis Fantasia and Sixth Symphony… Boult aficionados will not want to miss this absorbing anthology." Gramophone Magazine, August 2009 |
RAWSTHORNE
Overture Street Corner / Piano Concertos 1 & 2 / Symphonic Studies Malcolm Binns (piano) / London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir John Pritchard / London Symphony Orchestra, Nicholas Braithwaite [ Lyrita / CD - released 11/Nov/2007 ] "It's not the only performance of course. You can find competing and newer recordings on Chandos and Naxos. All three are excellent and recommendable. But these performances are as fine as any and the Studies is a truly compelling... |
FREDERICK DELIUS
Delius: Orchestral Works, Vol. 1 (1928, 1938) London Select Choir / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Thomas Beecham [ Naxos Historical Great Conductors / CD - released 13/Jan/2002 ] "Classic and mostly pioneering recordings of Delius by his finest ever interpreter, Sir Thomas Beecham." - Classic FM (Robert Layton), August, 2000 |
GEORGE DYSON
Dyson: Symphony in G / Overture, At the Tabard Inn / In Honour of the City London Symphony Chorus / City of London Sinfonia / London Symphony Orchestra / Richard Hickox, conductor [ Chandos Classics / CD - released 3/May/2005 ] 'This is a very fine recording, beautifully set in the glowing acoustic of the Blackheath Hall.' - Gramophone on In Honour of the City and At the Tabard Inn |
EDWARD ELGAR
Elgar: The Black Knight, Op.25 / Scenes from the Bavarian Highlands, Op.27 London Symphony Chorus / London Symphony Orchestra / Richard Hickox [ Chandos Richard Hickox Legacy / CD - released 28/Jul/2017 ] Rosette Recording - Penguin Stereo Guide |
MAURICE RAVEL
Ravel: Daphnis & Chloe (complete ballet) / Bolero / Pavane pour une infante defunte London Symphony Chorus & Orchestra, Valery Gergiev [ LSO Live SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 18/Nov/2015 ] "Gergiev conjures up an intoxicatingly languorous soundworld for Daphnis, fully indulging its glittering palette of orchestral colours" Classic FM |
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
Shostakovich: Complete Symphonies National Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Moscow Academy Symphony, Mstislav Rostropovich [ Warner Classics / 12 CD Box Set - released 19/Mar/2007 ] Composed over a period of nearly 50 years, Dmitri Shostakovich's 15 symphonies are astonishingly diverse in conception and expression, reflecting the composer's personal experiences, the history of the 20th century and the tensions and struggles of... |
SAMUEL BARBER
Barber: Adagio for Strings / Piano Concerto / Violin Concerto / 4 Choral Pieces Ittai Shapira (violin) Tedd Joselson (piano) / Joyful Company of Singers / London Symphony Orchestra, Andrew Schenk [ Alto / CD - released 1/May/2016 ] "Particularly beautifully captured, are the LSO's strings in the Adagio for Strings ... However, it is the Piano Concerto which is the main attraction, with superb playing by the soloist. His piano is nicely placed in a sensible relationship with the... |
RALF VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis (plus works by Britten & Elgar) London Symphony Orchestra String Ensemble, Roman Simovic [ LSO Live SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 18/Nov/2016 ] "The playing is outstanding, and the textures brim with life and, and, in a great performance of Britten's Frank Bridge Variations, which bounds off the page with spectacular characterisation, sheer energy." Herald Scotland |
ALEXANDRE DESPLAT
Original Soundtrack: The Shape Of Water London Symphony Orchestra [ Decca / CD - released 8/Dec/2017 ] Alexandre Desplat composed, produced and conducted the music for The Shape of Water, which was performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and recorded at Abbey Road Studios. Opera star Renée Fleming sings on the track 'You'll Never Know', which was... |
TCHAIKOVSKY
The Sleeping Beauty (Complete ballet) London Symphony Orchestra / Andre Previn [ EMI Gemini / 2 CD - released 8/May/2004 ] 1001 Classical recordings you must hear before you die (1851-1900) - "André Previn's new version is much the best there has ever been-the best played and the best recorded." (Gramophone) |
PROKOFIEV
Cinderella, Op. 87 (Complete ballet) [with Glazunov - 'Raymonda' highlights] London Symphony Orchestra, Andre Previn [ EMI Ballet Edition / 2 CD - released 12/Feb/2010 ] "Previn's imaginative, highly sympathetic direction combines both warm-hearted affection as well as a most seductive theatrical flair (Act 2 is particularly memorable in this regard). Throughout, the LSO respond with considerable dash and character."... |
PYOTR Il'yich TCHAIKOVSKY
Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Complete Ballet) (with Lovenskjold - La Sylphide) London Symphony Orchestra, Andre Previn [ EMI Ballet Edition / 2 CD - released 1/Dec/2009 ] "The performance is fresh and has a lively spontaneity. It is particularly good in the famous dances of Act 2, which have the orchestra on their toes.... excellent value." (Gramophone) |
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty & Swan Lake (Ballet Highlights) London Symphony Orchestra, Andre Previn [ Warner Classics Redline / CD - released 15/Oct/2018 ] The performance is fresh and has a lively spontaneity. It is particularly good in the famous dances of Act 2, which have the orchestra on their toes.... excellent value." (Gramophone on Nutcracker) |
PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
The Sleeping Beauty (highlights from the complete ballet) London Symphony Orchestra, Andre Previn [ Warner Classics Inspiration Series / CD - released 20/Apr/2015 ] 1001 Classical recordings you must hear before you die (1851-1900) - "André Previn's new version is much the best there has ever been-the best played and the best recorded." (Gramophone) |
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty (Complete ballets) London Symphony Orchestra, Andre Previn [ Warner Classics / 7 CD Box Set - released 12/Aug/2016 ] 1001 Classical recordings you must hear before you die (Sleeping Beauty) - "André Previn's new version is much the best there has ever been-the best played and the best recorded." (Gramophone on Sleeping Beauty) |