DEBUSSY
Rhapsody for clarinet & piano [or orchestra] (with concertos by Kaipainen & Tiensuu) Kari Kriikku (clarinet) / Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra / Avanti! Chamber Orchestra / Jukka-Pekka Saraste [ Ondine / CD - released 1/Jun/2009 ] An extremely sensitive player with a seemingly flawless command of his instrument, Kriikku is undoubtedly one of the world's foremost clarinetists. |
WEBER
Clarinet Concerto Nos 1 & 2 / Concertino for Clarinet and Orchestra / Clarinet Quintet Kari Kriikku (clarinet) / Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra / New Helsinki Quartet / Sakari Oramo (conductor) [ Ondine / CD - released 20/Sep/2006 ] "The Finnish clarinettist Kari Kriikku gives a performance which is light and nimble but never flashly, with subtly shaded dynamics adding depth of expression." BBC Music Magazine |
KIMMO HAKOLA
Clarinet Concerto / Verdoyances crépuscules for orchestra / etc Kari Kriikku (clarinet) / Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra / Sakari Oramo [ Ondine / CD - released 1/Jun/2009 ] "Superbly played and recorded works from a driving force in Finnish music." Gramophone Magazine |
MAGNUS LINDBERG
Lindberg: Clarinet Concerto / Gran Duo / Chorale Kari Kriikku (clarinet) / Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra / Sakari Oramo (conductor) [ Ondine / CD - released 26/Jan/2006 ] GRAMOPHONE MAGAZINE AWARD WINNER 2006: Contemporary - "A marvellous vehicle for the amazing virtuosity of clarinettist Kari Kriikku, this is a shiny, sophisticated, nostalgic cultural artefact... a stunning disc." BBC Music Magazine |
CRUSELL
Concertos for Clarinet and orchestra Kari Kriiku (clarinet) Finnish Radio Symphony / Sakari Oramo [ Ondine 20th Anniversary / CD - released 21/Feb/2005 ] "The recording is also outstanding, creating a perfect balance between soloist and orchestra, allowing all those details to be heard without any 'spotlighting', and never losing the clarinet in the more heavily scored passages. NOT TO BE MISSED!" -... |
BELA BARTOK
Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra Karina Canellakis, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra [ Pentatone / CD - released 28/Apr/2023 ] Grammy Awards 66th Awards (2024) Nominee - Best Orchestral Performance |
KARITA MATTILA
Karita Mattila: Live in Helsinki (Includes 'song to the Moon', 'Vissi d'arte' & 'summertime') Karita Mattila (soprano) / Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Jukka-Pekka Saraste, conductor (with Peter Lerche, guitar) [ Ondine / CD - released 26/Feb/2005 ] "Mattila's singing is spectacular" - Robert Levine, ClassicsToday.com |
KALMAN
Csardasfurstin (Die) (The Gypsy Princess) (Complete operetta) Karl-Michael Ebner (tenor) Mojca Erdmann (soprano) Heinz Holecek (bass) Yvonne Kenny (soprano) / Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra / Richard Bonynge [ Naxos Opera Classics SACD / 2 SACD - released 1/Mar/2005 ] Kálmán's great contribution to the musical language of Viennese operetta was to bring to it the brilliant colours, the heady rhythms and the dynamic energy of his native Hungary - not just as an imitator, like so many other composers, but as one who... |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Complete Masses Vol. 2 Katharina Konradi (soprano) Sarah Romberger (mezzo) Martin Mitterrutzner (tenor) Mikhail Timoshenko (bass) / Cologne Radio Choir & Orchestra, Christop [ Naxos / CD - released 25/Nov/2022 ] This second album of Mozart's complete Masses pairs one work of exceptional dimensions and ambition with a miniature example. The 'Great' Mass in C minor is one of Mozart's most spectacular. |
GERSHWIN
Rhapsody in Blue / Piano Concerto / An American in Paris Kathryn Selby (piano) / Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra / Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra / Richard Hayman (conductor) [ Naxos / CD - released 26/Oct/2005 ] "Kathryn Selby makes a strong showing in the Gershwin Concerto" - Fanfare |
REINHOLD GLIERE
Gliere: Symphony No. 2 / The Zaporozhy Cossacks Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, Keith Clark [ Naxos / CD - released 2/Feb/1988 ] "This is still by far the best rendition of this symphony, even as of late 2002. This masterfully orchestrated symphony couldn't be more Russian, romantic sounding, as is the accompanying symphonic poem honoring the heroism of the Cossacks." |
BELA BARTOK
Bartok: Concerto for Viola and Orchestra (with works by Eotvos & Kurtag) Kim Kashkashian (viola) Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra, Peter Eotvos [ ECM New Series / CD - released 10/Aug/2008 ] Typically impassioned, committed performances distinguish Kim Kashkashian's New Series recording of music for viola by three great Hungarian composers. Kashkashian's intense focus, superb craftsmanship and explosive virtuosity are brought to bear on... |
BERIO
Voci / Naturale (with Traditional - Sicilian Folksongs) Kim Kashkashian : viola, Radio Symphonieorchester Wien [ ECM Records / CD - released 1/Mar/2002 ] Superb performances by Kim Kashkashian distinguish this exceptional recording |
WAGNER
Gotterdammerung (complete opera recorded live in 1956) Kirsten Flagstad / Set Svanholm / Ingrid Bjoner / Olso Philharmonic, Norwegian State Radio Orchestra, Oivin FjeldstadErich Leins [ Naxos Historical Great Opera Performances / 4 CD Box Set - released 10/May/2012 ] Flagstad, the great Wagnerian, is in resplendent voice and Svanholm proves a worthy partner. This elusive set remains a milestone in Wagner performance. |
MARCIN BLAZEWICZ / BRONISLAW KAZIMIERZ PRZYBYLSKI / MIKOLAJ MAJKUSIAK
Polish Accordian Concertos Klaudiusz Baran (accordion) / Polish Radio Symphony orchestra, MichaĆ Klauza [ Naxos / CD - released 11/Nov/2022 ] Since the 1960s the Polish accordion concerto has enjoyed increasing popularity and in recent years no one has inspired more composers to write for the instrument than Klaudiusz Baran. The three most important Polish concertos are showcased in this... |
Komatsu/Garben/Ndr Radio Philh
Mahler:kindertotenlieder/Liede [ Naxos / CD ] |
KRZYSZTOF PENDERECKI
Penderecki: Orchestral Works, Vol. 4 (Violin Concerto No. 1 Violin Concerto No. 2) Konstanty Kulka (violin) Chee-Yun (violin) / Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (Katowice) / Antoni Wit, conductor [ Naxos / CD - released 20/May/2003 ] Krzystof Penderecki's orchestral recordings continues on Naxos |
MAHLER
Kindertotenlieder / Adagio from the 10th Symphony (with Webern's Passacaglia op. 1) Kornelia Kallisch (Mezzo-Soprano) / SWR Radio-Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg / Michael Gielen (Conductor) [ Hanssler / CD - released 26/May/2003 ] "For most of us Gielen's reputation rests primarily on his disc-based repertoire. That reputation is secure. I was very impressed by this disc" (ClassicWeb) |
OLIVIER MESSIAEN
Eclairs sur l'Au-dela SWR Radio-Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg, Sylvain Cambreling (conductor) [ Hanssler / CD - released 26/May/2003 ] "Typically excellent sonics from the SWR radio engineers make this disc essential listening for anyone intrigued by the possibilities offered by Messiaen's last major work, and if forced to choose just one version, this would be it." ArkivMusic |
Korstick/Ndr Radio/Francis
Kabalevsky: Complete Piano Con [ Cpo / 2 CD - released 3/Sep/2012 ] |