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ARVO PART
Part: In Principio Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir / Tallinn Chamber Orchestra / Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Tonu Kaljuste [ ECM Records / CD - released 1/Jun/2009 ] "This is a superbly constructed recital of some of the most recent music of Estonian composer Arvo Part." (Five Stars AudAud.com) |
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SERGEI RACHMANINOV
Rachmaninov: All-Night Vigil, Op. 37, Vespers Eugen Antoni (tenor) / Raisa Palmu (soprano) / Erja Wimeri (contralto) / Finnish National Opera Chorus. Eric-Olof Soderstrom, conductor [ Naxos SACD / SACD - released 15/Jan/2005 ] Rachmaninov had been in contact with Orthodox sacred music since his childhood. The influence of Orthodox chant is clearly detectable in his music, for instance in his use of stepwise motion, a characteristic of Orthodox chant, in his themes. -... |
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GUSTAV MAHLER
Mahler: Symphony No. 3 / Symphony No. 10 (Adagio) Ewa Podles (alto) / Cracow Philharmonic Choir / Cracow Boys' Choir / Polish NAtional Readio Symphony Orchestra / Antoni Wit [ NAXOS / 2 CD - released 1/Jan/2007 ] "This is a very impressive recording indeed" (American Record Guide) |
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SERGEI PROKOFIEV
Prokofiev: Alexander Nevsky / Lieutenant Kije Suite Ewa Podles (Mezzo-soprano), Latvian State Choir, Lille National Orchestra / Jean-Claude Casadesus (Conductor) [ Naxos / CD - released 9/May/2006 ] "These are fine performances...the disc is worth purchasing for the wonderful six-and-a-half minutes of PodleÅ›'s performance of "The Field of Death"." (MusicWeb July 2006) |
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RICHARD STRAUSS
Four Last Songs / Lieder Felicity Lott (soprano) / Royal Scottish National Orchestra / Neeme Jarvi [ Chandos Classics / CD - released 20/Oct/2008 ] 'Voice, orchestra and sound are all gorgeous; this is well worth having, and I think you will play it often, as I have already. I could never tire of a voice as beautiful as this.' (American Record Guide) |
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RICHARD STRAUSS
Strauss, (R.): Orchestral Songs Vol 1 Felicity Lott (soprano) / Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Neeme Jarvi [ Chandos / CD - released 26/May/2003 ] 'Voice, orchestra and sound are all gorgeous; this is well worth having, and I think you will play it often, as I have already. I could never tire of a voice as beautiful as this.' (American Record Guide) |
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SEBASTIAN FAGERLUND
Fagerlund: Höstsonaten (Autumn Sonata), an opera Finnish National Opera Chorus, Anne Sofie von Otter, Tommi Hakala, Helena Juntunen, Finnish National Opera Orchestra [ BIS / CD - released 28/Sep/2018 ] Sebastian Fagerlund has made a name for himself primarily through his concertos and orchestral works. As demonstrated on previous recordings, his music displays a huge range of colours and an uncommon rhythmic vitality, as well as a sure feel for... |
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ERICH KORNGOLD
Korngold: Die Tote Stadt, Op. 12 (complete opera recorded in 2010) Finnish National Opera / Klaus Florian Vogt, Camilla Nylund, Markus Eiche, Sari Nordqvist / Mikko Franck (conductor) [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 25/Nov/2013 ] "Holten's surreal evocation of Bruges, the dead city of the title, is wonderfully creepy...Vogt excels as the wild-eyed, obsessive Paul, desperately trying to make over Camilla Nylund's slutty Marietta in saintly Marie's image. Mikko Franck's conduct |
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EINOJUHANI RAUTAVAARA
Rasputin (Complete opera) Finnish National Opera / Matti Salminen / Lillia Paasilivi / Jorma Hynninen / Jyrki Anttila / MIkko Franck (cond) [ Ondine DVD / DVD - released 4/Apr/2006 ] G :- "This is a grand show." [10/10 for performances and sound Classics Today] |
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KANTELINEN
The Snow Queen: Ballet Suite Finnish National Opera Orchestra, Tuomas Kantelinen [ Ondine / CD - released 15/Jan/2014 ] The Snow Queen was a hit with the Finnish National Ballet - for this timeless tale, Kantelinen created a musical score that is at once nostalgic and easily accessible. |
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HOLST
'The Perfect Fool', Op. 39 / The Golden Goose, Op. 45 No 1 / The Morning of the Year, Op. 45 No. 2 Joyful Company of Singers & BBC National Orchestra of Wales / Richard Hickox [ Chandos SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 1/Jan/2009 ] "Holst's distinctive sound is carefully manicured in this recording; the rapid "mercurial" passages of string-and wind-writing of The Perfect Fool are delivered with exemplary crispness and vitality…" Disc of the Month Gramophone Magazine, Feb 2009 |
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Various Composers
Ferrum Splendidum Florian Sempey (baritone), Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine, Chœur de l'Opéra National de Bordeaux, Victor Jacob [ Alpha Classics / CD - released 15/Nov/2024 ] Following his Rossini recital (Alpha 791), Florian Sempey shares another of his passions: his enthusiasm for the world of knights and medieval narrative. |
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W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Violin Concertos 3 & 4 Francesa Dego (violin), Francesca Leonardi (piano), Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Sir Roger Norrington (conductor) [ Chandos / CD - released 21/Sep/2021 ] "These performances capture the very essence of Mozart's Salzburg style best, setting up, meticulously matching and weaving in and out of the solo line with captivating suppleness and alertness." Five Stars BBC Music Recording of the Month Nov 21 |
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PROKOFIEV / RAVEL
Piano Concertos (plus Schlime - 3 Improvisations) Francesco Tristano Schlime (piano) / Russian National Orchestra / Mikhail Pletnev [ Pentatone SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 18/Apr/2006 ] "A shining new talent forces you to listen to these concertos anew. If you can judge a pupil by his teachers, Schlimé comes with the highest pedigree, counting Mikhail Pletnev as his tutor. It is the Russian who conducts him here and his faith is... |
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RAVEL
The Very Best of Ravel Francois-Joel Thiollier (Piano) / Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra / Antoni Wit (Conductor) / Howard Zhang (Violin) [ Naxos / 2 CD - released 9/May/2006 ] Maurice Ravel was one of the most important French composers in the early twentieth century and developed his own musical idiom through the combination of French and Spanish influences. The 2 CD set contains selections of the most frequently... |
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From the National Gallery, London
Exhibition on Screen: Vermeer and music - the Art of Love and Leisure [ Seventh Art Productions DVD / DVD - released 10/Feb/2015 ] Johannes Vermeer is a fascinating painter whose life and works are explored here in amazing detail. Filmed in London's National Gallery, New York's Met and other galleries in the USA and the Netherlands, this stunning film delves into a breath-taking... |
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GARRETT SCHUMANN / YANIV SEGAL / GABRIEL PROKOFIEV
Beethoven Reimagined Gabriel Prokofiev (electronics), BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Yaniv Segal [ Naxos / CD - released 27/Mar/2020 ] " the two main works on the disc make this a must for adventurous Beethovenians …" CD Choice (UK) |
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JOSEF HAYDN
Haydn: The Seasons (1801) Carolyn Sampson (sop) Jeremy Ovenden (ten) / Gabrieli Consort & Players, National Forum of Music Choir, Wroclaw Baroque Orchestra, Paul McCreesh (cond [ Signum / 2 CD Box Set - released 24/Mar/2017 ] "McCreesh and his massed Anglo-Polish forces have given us a Seasons that thrillingly catches both the work's bucolic exhilaration and its invocations of the sublime..for sheer sonic splendour it's in a class of its own" Gramophone Award Nomination |
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GRIEG / BARBER / MORRICONE / DVORAK / PROKOFIEV / etc
Gautier Capuçon: Sensations Gautier Capuçon (cello) Jerome Ducros (piano) / Orchestre national de Bretagne, Johanna Malangré [ Erato Classics / CD - released 18/Nov/2022 ] The follow-up to Intuition (2018) and Emotions (2020), Sensations is a collection of 20 peices from cellist extraordinaire Gautier Capuçon, working alongside regular arranger and pianist Jerome Ducros. Remarkably, Capuçon sounds every bit as... |
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Mozart, Wo
Symphonie B-Dur KV 319, Symphonie C-Dur KV 551 "Jupiter", Symphonie G-Dur Hob. I:92 "Oxford", Ballade für Orchester op. George Szell, Sir Clifford Curzon, Rudolf Firkusny, Concertgebouw Orkest Amsterdam, Orchestre National de la RTF, Tschec [ ORFEO / 7 CD - released 31/Jul/2007 ] |