JOHANN WENZEL KALLIWODA
Kalliwoda: Violin Concertinos & Overtures Ariadne Daskalakis (violin) / Die Kölner Akademie, Michael Alexander Willens [ CPO / CD - released 10/Apr/2017 ] Kalliwoda was perhaps the most important mediator between classicism and romanticism, and our new series featuring his overtures and violin concertos firmly substantiates this judgment. Kalliwoda was interested in composing works tailored to the... |
FRANZ SCHUBERT
Schubert: Music for Violin I Ariadne Daskalakis (violin), Die Kölner Akademie / Michael Alexander Willens, Paolo Giacometti (fortepiano) [ BIS SACD / CD - released 9/Aug/2019 ] Violin music isn't what one normally associates with Franz Schubert, but he did in fact receive his first violin lessons as a young boy from his father. At the age of 11 he was accepted as a member of the choir of the imperial court chapel, and as... |
GEORG PHILIPP TELEMANN
Telemann: Die Donner-Ode, TWV 6:3 / Deus judicium tuum Patrizia Kwella (soprano), Catherine Denley (contralto), Mark Tucker (tenor), Michael George (bass), Stephen Roberts (bass) / Collegium Musicum 90, Ri [ Chandos / CD - released 1/Oct/1993 ] Patrizia Kwella (soprano), Catherine Denley (contralto), Mark Tucker (tenor), Michael George (bass), Stephen Roberts (bass) |
Robert Schumann
Liederkreis Nos 1, 2 / Frauenliebe und-leben Audrey Michael (soprano), Theodore Paraskivesco (piano) [ Calliope / CD - released 28/Apr/2008 ] |
PURCELL
Complete Secular Solo Songs Barbara Bonney / Susan Gritton / Charles Daniels / Roger Covey-Crump / James Bowman / Michael George / The King's Consort / Robert King [ Hyperion / 3 CD - released 23/Mar/2010 ] 'Those who need all of Purcell's songs at their fingertips should invest in Hyperion's three-disk survey of secular songs, with outstanding performances by Barbara Bonney, Rogers Covey-Crump and James Bowman' (The New York Times) |
JOHANN ADOLF HASSE
Hasse: Reloaded Valer Barner-Sabadus (countertenor) / Hofkapelle München, Michael Hofstetter [ Oehms Classics / CD - released 27/Nov/2012 ] "Barna-Sabadus dazzles with the swiftness and surety of his execution." (International Record Review) |
RICHARD WAGNER
Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (complete opera recorded live in 2008) Bayreuth Festival / Michael Volle, Klaus Florian Vogt, Johannes Martin Kränzle, Anne Schwanewilms / Philippe Jordan (cond) [ Deutsche DVD / 2 DVD - released 20/Jun/2019 ] "The performances of the cast are of a high standard dramatically and mostly musically. Volle now paces himself well and Lehmkuhl is a magical and unclichéd Magdalene." Gramophone |
WITOLD LUTOSLAWSKI
Orchestral Works 4 [Incls 'Symphony No. 1'] BBC Symphony Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Michael Collins (clarinet), Tasmin Little (violin) [ Chandos SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 1/Mar/2013 ] "Gardner's interpretative decisions vary from Lutoslawski's, swifter in the fast movements, very slow in the Poco adagio...The composer had the balance between them just right but Gardner is very persuasive...Highly recommended." Editor's Choice Gram |
MICHAEL TIPPETT
Symphonies No.2 & No.4 BBC Symphony Orchestra / Michael Tippett (conductor) [ NMC / CD - released 1/May/2007 ] "It richly deserves bringing into general circulation ... These are rich, glowing, utterly convincing performances. As for No.2..., this is the performance - the one performance - in which its fresco-like single movement makes something like complete... |
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue / The Physician's Tale (Unabridged) Richard Bebb, Philip Madoc, Michael Maloney (narrators) [ Naxos Audiobooks / 2 CD - released 30/Jan/2006 ] The Canterbury Tales are widely read and studied. The Middle English in which they were first written differs sufficiently from modern English, in vocabulary and usage, that most of us require a contemporary translation. On this recording, the... |
RCAHMANINOV / DVORAK / MOZART / BIZET / ORFF / etc
Voice Of The Violin Joshua Bell (violin) / Orchestra of St. Luke's, Michael Stern [ Sony Classical / CD - released 18/Sep/2006 ] "The playing is unfailingly exquisite; the arrangements are generally sensitive - Mozart's Laudate Dominum being notably effective." Gramophone |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: The Violin Sonatas Bella Hristova (violin), Michael Houstoun (piano) [ Rattle Records / 4 CD - released 26/Apr/2019 ] The complete Beethoven violin sonatas, 33 wonderful pieces of music, performed by two of the greatest Beethoven interpreters working today. Over 4 hours of beautifully produced, expertly performed Beethoven in a handsome 4-CD hard-cover... |
AARON COPLAND
DVOŘÁK'S PROPHECY - Film 4: Aaron Copland: American Populist Benjamin Pasternack, PostClassical Ensemble, Angel Gil-Ordóñez, Francis Guinan, Joseph Horowitz, Michael Kazin, Beth Levy, Joseph McCartin [ Naxos DVD / DVD - released 12/Nov/2021 ] DVOŘÁK'S PROPHECY A New Narrative for American Classical Music A PostClassical Ensemble 'More than Music' film series. Written and produced by Joseph Horowitz Visual presentation by Peter Bogdanoff |
TCHAIKOVSKY
The Nutcracker (Complete ballet recorded in 2014) BLU-RAY Berlin State Ballet / Iana Salenko, Marian Walter, Michael Banzha, Arshak Ghalumyan / Robert Reimer (cond) [ Bel Air Classiques Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Feb/2016 ] In combination with the brilliance of modern dance, this production - a loving reconstruction designed as a great ballet féerie - reveals its nostalgic charm and the promise of Christmas: it's as if Tchaikovsky had composed the falling of snowflakes |
MAHLER
Symphony No. 7 Berliner Philharmoniker [Berlin Philharmonic], Michael Gielen [ Testament / CD - released 15/Mar/2015 ] "In this fabulously executed account, all lead inexorably toward the apocalyptic nightmare world of the Rondo-Finale, Mahler's most avant-garde music: never more "contemporary" in its sound than Gielen makes it here." (Sunday Times) |
PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
Tchaikovsky - Symphonies 1 'Winter Daydreams', 2 "Little Russian", 4 / 'Nutcracker' Suite Boston Symphony Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas [ Deutsche Grammophon Eloquence / 2 CD - released 16/Mar/2017 ] "The New Philharmonia play with precision and polish … and on recording quality this DGG version […] is clearly the smoothest and most faithful" Gramophone Symphony No 2 |
DEBUSSY
Images / Nocturnes / Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune Boston Symphony Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas & Claudio Abbado [ Deutsche Grammophon SBS Eloquence / CD - released 10/Jan/2014 ] "Abbado's account of the Nocturnes is one of the finest in the catalogue ... The playing of the Boston Orchestra is immensely polished but not glossy, and there is a naturalness about this performance that also distinguishes the recording" Penguin |
THOMAS LARCHER
Larcher: Das Jagdgewehr [The Hunting Gun] (complete opera) Bregenz Festival / Sarah Aristidou, Giulia Peri, Olivia Vermeulen, Robin Tritschler, Andre Schuen / Michael Boder (cond) [ C Major DVD / DVD - released 1/May/2020 ] "a clear, powerful text, some striking imagery and a luminous score of great beauty and originality ensure this opera's success." (The Observer) |
YORK BOWEN
Viola Sonatas Nos. 1 & 2 The Bridge Duo: Matthew Jones (viola) & Michael Hampton (piano) [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Dec/2011 ] "Admirers of Bowen will not have any pause for thought and certainly people who enjoy fine recitals of viola and piano playing will find much to give pleasure here." (MusicWeb March 2012) |
Michael Buble
Caught in the Act [ Warner Music Entertainment / Blu-ray Disc - released 6/Jul/2009 ] PG :- PCM Stereo / DTS 5.1 Surround - Colour - 120 Minutes Includes :- -20-Minute behind-the scenes documentary On this Blu-ray release, charismatic Canadian singer Michael Buble is featured in a vibrant concert setting. Here Buble is... |