DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 1 (with Rihm: Time Chant) Jaap van Zweden (violin) / Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra; Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra [ Naxos / CD - released 9/Jan/2014 ] "Van Sweden's virtuosity as a violinist…is here shown to be of the highest class, in an account of the great Shostakovich Concerto that holds its own with the finest." Musical Opinion |
MOZART
Horn Concertos Nos. 1-4 Jacek Muzyk (horn) / Polish Radio Amadeus Chamber Orchestra / Agnieszka Duczmal [ Naxos / CD - released 5/Sep/2007 ] The concertos belong to the final period of Mozart's life, works written at the height of his powers. |
SAINT-SAENS
Samson et Dalila (Complete opera recorded in 1973) James King, Christa Ludwig, Bernd Weikl / Munich Radio Orchestra / Giuseppe Patane [ Sony Opera House / 2 CD - released 1/Sep/2009 ] "King and Ludwig are not to be underestimated, of course. They are best in the 'speaking' chromaticisms of the Trio with the Old Hebrew, best where the music is nearest to the Wagner idiom." (Gramophone) |
HAVERGAL BRIAN
Symphonies Nos.4 and 12 Jana Valaskova (soprano) / Slovak Choirs / Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra / Adrian Leaper [ Naxos / CD - released 6/Feb/2007 ] "The Fourth Symphony opens with a cheery neobaroque march, whose triumph and joy is thrown into confusion and dissonance by the chorus until all Hell literally breaks loose. The change of mood is shocking. The chorus roars with blood lust, as soprano... |
JOHANNES BRAHMS
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 / Schumann: Introduction and Allegro appassinato Jenö Jandó (piano) / Belgian Radio and Television Philharmonic, Alexander Rahbari [ Naxos / CD ] "satisfying and thoroughly sympathetic and musical" Classic CD |
JOHANNES BRAHMS / ROBERT SCHUMANN
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 / Schumann: Piano Concerto, Op. 54 Jenö Jandó (piano) / Belgian Radio and Television Philharmonic Orchestra; Budapest Symphony Orchestra [ Naxos / CD ] The Budapest Symphony Orchestra, part of the Hungarian Television and, Broadcasting Organisation, was established after the Second World War and under its Principal Conductor György Lehel has won some distinction. |
JOHANNES BRAHMS
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 / Schumann: Introduction and Concerto-Allegro Jeno Jando (piano) Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Antoni Wit [ Naxos / CD - released 26/Jul/1999 ] "Jeno Jando and his Polish colleagues strike me as getting the balance just about right" Classic CD |
DAN LOCKLAIR
Symphony of Seasons / Harp Concerto / Lairs of Soundings Janeanne Houston (soprano) / Jacquelyn Bartlett (harp) / Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra / Kirk Trevor [ Naxos American Classics / CD - released 13/Sep/2007 ] A professional organist by the age of fourteen, Dan Locklair's prolific output includes symphonic works, a ballet and an opera. |
SHOSTAKOVICH
Symphony No.13 'Babi Yar' Jan-Hendrik Rootering (bass) / Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra / Netherlands Radio Choir / Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra [ BIS SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 1/Aug/2006 ] "A prime recommendation for an SACD version of this many-facetted symphony…This is thanks to the tremendous sound and the singing of Rootering and the Netherlands Radio singers excels." (MusicWeb Recording of the Month Sept 2006) |
PADEREWSKI
Paderewski: Piano Concerto Janina Fialkowska (piano), Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Antoni Wit [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jan/1999 ] "Paderewski's...Piano Concerto of 1888 is a lovely work, a vehicle for virtuoso display, as is the Fantasy. Janina Fialkowska is an articulate, sensitive soloist." - The Independent |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 21 & 24 Jean-Claude Pennetier (piano) / Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Christoph Poppen [ Mirare / CD - released 1/Jul/2017 ] Following Schubert and 3 well-received volumes of Fauré for Mirare, the veteran French pianist Jean-Claude Pennetier, accompanied by the Orchestra of Radio France and Christoph Poppen now turns his hands to Mozart. With these two concertos he finds... |
SERGEI PROKOFIEV / BENJAMIN BRITTEN / CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS
Prokofiev: Peter And The Wolf / Saint-Saens: Carnival Of The Animals / Britten: The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra Jeremy Nicholas (Narrator) / Marian Lapsansky / Peter Toperczer / Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra / Ondrej Lenard [ Naxos / CD ] "excellent value at budget price" - Classic CD |
GRAZYNA BACEWICZ
Violin Concertos Nos 1, 3 & 7 Joanna Kurkowicz (violin) / Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Lukasz Borowicz [ Chandos Classics / CD - released 10/Sep/2009 ] "A generation younger than Szymanowski and half a generation older than Lutosawski and Panufnik, Grazyna Bacewicz is a revered figure in Polish music. The orchestral heart of her output as a composer is the seven concertos she wrote for her own... |
GRAZYNA BACEWICZ
Violin Concertos Nos 2, 4 & 5 Joanna Kurkowicz (violin) / Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Lukasz Borowicz [ Chandos Classics / CD - released 1/Jul/2011 ] This is Volume 2 in our series devoted to the music of Grażyna Bacewicz who was regarded by Witold Lutosławski as 'a distinguished Polish composer of the twentieth century and one of the foremost women composers of all time'. Bridging the gap between... |
GIOVANNI BATTISTA PERGOLESI
Pergolesi: Stabat Mater in F minor (with Haydn: Symphony No. 49 in F minor 'La Passione') Jodie Devos; Adèle Charvet; Julien Chauvin / Maîtrise de Radio France; Le Concert de la Loge [ Alpha Classics / CD - released 11/Feb/2022 ] Pergolesi's Stabat Mater has enjoyed enormous fame ever since the eighteenth century - Rousseau called its first movement 'the most perfect and touching that has ever come from the pen of any composer'. |
ROBERT SCHUMANN
Schumann: Missa Sacra Johan Hammarström / The Swedish Radio Choir (Radiokören), Kaspars Putniņš, conductor [ BIS SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 15/Sep/2023 ] Less well known among his works, the Missa sacra, Op. 147, bears witness to Robert Schumann's late interest in sacred music - and in particular in Catholic church music. The work would have a rather difficult fate: during Schumann's lifetime, it was... |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Classical Masterworks: from Bach's Brandenburg Concertos via some of Paganini's violin concertos to Satie's piano miniatures. John Lill (piano) / Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra / Radio-Sinfonie-Orchester Frankfurt / Eliahu Inbal / Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra / etc [ Brilliant Classics / 40 CD - released 1/Oct/2006 ] Make your acquaintance with the some of the best music written in over three centuries and revel at its beauty. These 40 CD’s cover highlights of classical music |
ERNST MIELCK
Symphony in F Minor / Concert Piece for Violin and Orchestra John Storgards (violin) / Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra / Sakari Oramo, conductor [ Ondine 20th anniversary / CD - released 25/Feb/2005 ] "the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra give an ardent account of the symphony" (Gramophone) |