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HECTOR BERLIOZ
Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique / Overture: 'Le Corsaire' / Royal Hunt and Storm & Trojan March ('Les Troyens') (recorded 1957-59) Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Francaise; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Thomas Beecham [ Warner Classics Masters / CD - released 1/Feb/2012 ] Rosette Recording (highest rating) Penguin Stereo Guide - 'If you want a genuinely French Symphonie fantastique, wonderfully performed and superbly recorded, go out and get this release before it's snapped up by your neighbour.' (Gramophone) |
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GLIERE
The Glière Orchestral Collection [5 CD set] Peter Dixon (cello) Richard Watkins (horn) / BBC Philharmonic, Sir Edward Downes [ Chandos Classics / 5 CD Box Set - released 8/Sep/2011 ] Sir Edward Downes enjoyed a long association with the BBC Philharmonic, serving as its Chief Guest Conductor, then Principal Conductor, and finally as Conductor Emeritus. His recording of Glière's Symphony No. 3 Ilya Muromets proved the beginning of... |
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MUSSORGSKY
Pictures at an Exhibition & other Russian works (Recorded 1956/57) Philharmonia Orchestra / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Eugene Goossens [ Medici Masters / CD - released 20/Oct/2007 ] Sir Eugene Goossens was the third member of the illustrious Goossens family - Leon and Sidonie being the others. After leaving the Royal College of Music (1907-1912) he became a violinist with the Queen's Hall Orchestra (1912-15) before becoming an... |
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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... |
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ARNOLD BAX
Four Orchestral Pieces / Phantasy / etc Philip Dukes (viola) / BBC Philharmonic, Sir Andrew Davis [ Chandos / CD - released 20/Aug/2014 ] "Dukes deliver the Phantasy's solo part with a forthright energy that seems to thwart loveliness of tone. In every other department these performances could hardly be finer. The orchestral playing is vivid and precise." (BBC Music) |
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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. |
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GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Un ballo in maschera [A Masked Ball] (complete opera recorded in 1990) Placido Domingo / Josephine Barstow, Leo Nucci, Sumi Jo, Florence Quivar / Wiener Philharmoniker / Sir Georg Solti [ ArtHaus Musik DVD / DVD - released 1/Aug/2011 ] The outstanding production of Verdi's Un ballo in maschera at the Salzburg Festival 1989/90 was Herbert von Karajan's legacy to the Festival. |
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W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Complete Violin Concertos & Sinfonia Concertante Rachel Barton Pine (violin) / Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner, with Matthew Lipman (viola) [ Avie / 2 CD - released 18/Apr/2015 ] "there is much to enjoy in Barton Pine's sensitive, finely honed performances, especially of Nos. 4 & 5 (plenty of temperament in the latter's 'Turkish' eruption). With a nod to period performance, she articulates crisply and uses vibrato modestly." |
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BEETHOVEN
Symphony No. 3 E flat Major op. 55 & No. 4 B flat Major op. 60 Radio Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart; Sir Roger Norrington [ Hanssler / CD - released 10/Jan/2004 ] "A great, wild fantasy… hardly a symphony" one audience member from the premiere of the Third Symphony proclaimed. Another moaned: "…it lasts a whole hour!" With the premiere of the Third Symphony in 1804, Beethoven forever altered the relationship... |
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BEETHOVEN
Symphony No. 1 C Major op. 21 & No. 2 D Major op.36 Radio Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart / Sir Roger Norrington [ Hanssler / CD - released 10/Jan/2004 ] It would be no coincidence that Beethoven would choose the year 1800 for the premiere for his First Symphony, ushering in with the new century, a new major work. |
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DVORAK
Symphony No 9 / Carnival Overture Radio Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart; Sir Roger Norrington [ Hanssler Classic / CD - released 1/Dec/2009 ] Roger Norrington and his historically sensitive orchestra turn to the music of Dvorak, beginning with the composer's most famous symphony. Norrington and company provide a performance as exciting as discovering a New World. The programme is completed... |
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WILLIAM WALTON
Walton: Belshazzar's Feast / Symphony No. 1 / Cello Concerto / etc Ralph Kirshbaum (cello) Sherrill Milnes (baritone) / Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Sir Alexander Gibson [ Chandos 241 / 2 CD - released 1/Mar/1999 ] "An excellent account of Belshazzar's Feast (1930)...this is a spectacular recording and there is particularly clear enunciation from the Royal Scottish National Chorus and from Sherill Milnes." (MusicWeb) |
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DVORAK
Cello Concerto (with Dohnányi - Konzertstück for Cello and Orchestra) Raphael Wallfisch (cello) / London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras [ Chandos Classics / CD - released 26/Apr/2012 ] The Cello Concerto in B minor by DvoĆák has become one of his most popular works, and perhaps the most popular concerto ever written for the instrument. He was asked to write this piece by a friend of Wagner, the cellist Hanuš Wihan. Initially... |
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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. |
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SIR RICHARD BURTON
The Arabian Nights - The book of a thousand nights and a night (Read by Philip Madoc) [ Naxos Audio Books / 3 CD Box Set - released 20/Aug/2009 ] Though The Arabian Nights are generally known as stories for children, they were originally tales for adults full of adventure, sexuality, violence and the supernatural. They certainly inspired the imagination of Sir Richard Burton, the... |
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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) |
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ANDZEJ PANUFNIK
Symphony No. 9 / Bassoon Concerto Robert Thompson (bassoon) / BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Andzej Panufnik [ Heritage / CD - released 1/May/2015 ] "[the Bassoon Concerto] has a pronounced grainy grimness offset by dramatic impulses and Thompson's beautiful lyric tone. The hopeful symphony not only takes the rainbow as a symbol, but endeavours to translate its optical principles into music." (Su |
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HECTOR BERLIOZ
Berlioz: Grande Messe des Morts [Requiem Mass] Ronald Dowd (tenor) / Wandsworth School Boys Choir / London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus / Sir Colin Davis [ Pentatone SACD / 2 Hybrid SACD - released 10/Aug/2008 ] "AT LONG LAST! WE GET TO HEAR THE FIRST REALLY GOOD RECORDING OF THE BERLIOZ REQUIEM THE WAY IT WAS MEANT TO BE HEARD!!!" (SA-CD.net *****) |
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HAYDN / BEETHOVEN
Haydn: Symphonies Nos 88 & 99 / Beethoven: Symphony No 1 in C Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra / BBC Symphony Orchestra / Sir Colin Davis [ Pentatone SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 12/Apr/2005 ] "With its warmth, exuberance and pungency of detail, this is modern-instrument Haydn as its finest." Richard Wigmore, Daily Telegraph |
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W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute) (complete opera recorded in 2003) Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Simon Keenlyside / Dorothea Roschmann / Will Hartmann / Diana Damrau / Franz-Josef Selig / Sir Colin Davis (cond) [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 24/Oct/2003 ] G :- "This production by David McVicar has been rightly lauded, and with such a cast of singers and sound quality to match, I urge you to take advantage of a first-rate venture." -CLASSICWEB |