ROBERT SCHUMANN / CARL MARIA von WEBER
Schumann: Piano Concerto in A Minor / Weber: Konzertstück in F minor (LP) Alfred Brendel (piano) / London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado [ Philips / LP - released 6/May/2016 ] Presented with original artwork and pressed at optimal GmbH, this release has been carefully mastered from original analogue sources at Abbey Road Studios. Every effort has been made to faithfully reproduce the original intentions of the musicians an |
TCHAIKOVSKY / SARASATE / LALO / WIENIAWSKI / etc
The Bel Canto Violin Vol 4 Alfredo Campoli (violin) / London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 2 CD - released 1/Feb/2018 ] One of the most significant violinists in gramophone history, Alfredo Campoli enjoyed tremendous success in the 1930s as a purveyor of light music, both in concerts with his own salon orchestra and on Decca. A series of six 2CD reissues from... |
SERGEI RACHMANINOV / ARAM KHACHATURIAN
Rachmaninov & Khachaturian: Piano Concertos Alicia de Larrocha (piano) / London Symphony Orchestra, André Previn, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos [ Decca Australian Eloquence / CD - released 1/Jul/2017 ] "The slow movement of the Piano Concerto as interpreted by a Spanish pianist and a Spanish conductor sounds evocatively like Falla and the finale is also infectiously jaunty." Penguin Guide |
ARRIGO BOITO
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Boito: Mefistofele (Complete opera recorded in 1995 with Libretto) Ambrosian Opera Chorus / London Symphony Orchestra / Norman Treigle (bass), Placido Domingo (tenor), Montserrat Caballe (soprano) etc... [ EMI / 2 CD - released 1/Aug/1987 ] Inspired by the Faust legend, Arrigo Boito's Mefistofele is an imaginative work which is also faithful to Goethe's original conception. |
GERSHWIN / DEBUSSY / LISZT / RACHMANINOFF
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Great Pianists of the 20th Century - Andre Watts Andre Watts (piano) / New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein, London Symphony Orchestra, Erich Leinsdorf [ Philips Great Pianists Of The 20th Century Vol 96 / 2 CD - released 1/Jan/1999 ] A compilation of works performed by Andre Watts. There is some dazzling yet thoughtful Liszt, including Totentanz, and a spirited performance of the First Piano Concerto. |
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Tchaikovsky: Piano Concertos Nos 1 / Violin Concerto Andrei Gavrilov (piano) Augustin Dumay (violin) / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Ashkenazy / London Symphony Orchestra, Emil Tchakarov [ EMI Red Line / CD - released 21/Oct/1997 ] Andrei Gavrilov was born into a family of artists in Moscow. His father was Vladimir Gavrilov (May 30, 1923 - December 4, 1970), one of the eminent Russian painters during the middle of the 20th century, through whom Gavrilov also has German... |
KRZYSZTOF PENDERECKI
Penderecki: Hommage a Penderecki Anne-Sophie Mutter (violin) Lambert Orkis (piano) Roman Patkolo (double bass) / London Symphony Orchestra [ Deutsche Grammophon / 2 CD - released 10/Aug/2018 ] In these intensely emotional performances, Mutter and Orkis respond to rapt audiences with playing of exceptional intimacy |
EDVARD GRIEG / FREDERIC CHOPIN / CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS
Grieg/Chopin/Saint-Saens: Piano Concertos Arthur Rubinstein (piano) / London Symphony Orchestra / Andre Previn [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / DVD - released 1/Aug/2006 ] "There are new discoveries in the performances… …and the visual aspect is managed with sensitivity and intelligence." - Washington Post |
FREDERIC CHOPIN
Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos 1 & 2 Arthur Rubinstein (piano) / New Symphony Orchestra of London / Symphony of the Air [ Sony Classical Masters / CD - released 10/Apr/2012 ] "The result is wonderfully exciting. This is a really superb account of this lovely music." (Gramophone) |
FREDERIC CHOPIN
The Best Of Chopin [Piano Concertos, Waltzes, Polonaises, Nocturne & more] Arthur Rubinstein (piano) / New Symphony Orchestra of London, Symphony of the Air, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, Alfred Wallenstein [ RCA Rubinstein Collection / 2 CD - released 25/Oct/2018 ] "the playing is full-hearted and honest, without distortion or neurotic excess. Melodies, textures and ideas well over from the piano and flow from heart to heart." - Washington Post |
IGOR STRAVINSKY / GYORGY LIGETI / ALBAN BERG / ANTON WEBERN
Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring / Ligeti: Mysteries of the Macabe / etc (Blu-ray/DVD) Barbara Hannigan (soprano) London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle [ LSO Live DVD + BLU-RAY / Blu-ray Disc/DVD - released 24/Nov/2017 ] Sir Simon Rattle is joined by virtuosic soprano Barbara Hannigan for a modernist programme that showcases the immense capabilities of the London Symphony Orchestra. |
SERGEI RACHMANINOV
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2 / Preludes Barry Douglas (piano) / London Symphony Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas [ RCA Red Seal / CD - released 1/Apr/1993 ] Originally recorded in November 1992 |
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto / Sérénade mélancolique / Valse-Scherzo Joshua Bell (violin) Midori (violin) / The Cleveland Orchestra, Vladimir Ashkenazy, London Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin [ Decca Virtuoso / CD - released 23/Apr/2012 ] "Bell's is a masterly performance full of flair, Ashkenazy's contribution adds considerably to the performance." Gramophone |
WILLIAM WALTON
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Walton: Belshazzar's Feast / Violin Concerto / Coronation Te Deum Benjamin Luxon (baritone), London Philharmonic Choir & Orchestra, Sir Georg Solti / Kyung Wha Chung (violin) London Symphony Orchestra, Andre Previn [ Decca The World of British Classics / CD - released 14/Apr/1994 ] Three classic performances on one budget CD |
GEORGES BIZET
Bizet: Carmen (Complete opera recorded in 1977) [CDs plus Blu-ray audio / Dolby Atmos] Teresa Berganza, Placido Domingo, Sherril Milnes, Ilena Cotrubas / Ambrosian Singers / London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado [ Deutsche Grammophon / 3 CD/Blu-ray Disc - released 5/Jun/2020 ] 1001 Classical recordings you must hear before you die (1851-1900) - Still a benchmark recording of the most famous opera of all, with an idiomatic assumption of the title role by Teresa Berganza and the young Plácido Domingo. |
Bing Crosby, London Symphony Orchestra
Bing At Christmas (Limited Clear & Silver Vinyl LP) [ Decca / LP - released 13/Oct/2023 ] Bing's voice and The London Symphony Orchestra breathe new life into the best Christmas songs in existence. The set includes the classics "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas", "The Christmas Song", and "The Little Drummer Boy" with David... |
RICHARD WAGNER
Birgit Nilsson Sings Wagner Birgit Nilsson (soprano) / Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Leif Segerstam / London Symphony, Sir Colin Davis [ Decca SBS Australian Eloquence / 2 CD - released 1/Sep/2008 ] "Even allowing for the fact that these were demonstration records when they first appeared, the sound on this CD is astonishing in its lifelike presence and its warmth." Gramophone |
IGOR STRAVINSKY
Bernstein Conducts Stravinsky Boston Symphony, London Symphony, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein [ Sony Classical / 6 CD Box Set - released 21/May/2021 ] "Bernstein was an incomparably great Stravinsky interpreter, certainly a better conductor than the composer himself, and this set of his complete recordings for Sony has more than it's share of reference versions." ClassicsToday |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Bryn Terfel - Simple Gifts (Incl 'I'll walk beside you' & 'How great thou art') Bryn Terfel (bass-baritone) with Aled Jones (tenor) and John Williams (guitar) / London Voices / London Symphony Orchestra / Barry Wordsworth [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 18/Oct/2005 ] As one of the most acclaimed opera singers of our time, Bryn Terfel dedicates his golden voice to a program that celebrates the simple beauty of melody and song, making the album a must-have for every Terfel fan and a serene and inspiring gift for... |
DEBUSSY / MUSSORGSKY / RAVEL / CHOPIN / RACHMANINOV / FAURE / etc
Cécile Ousset - The Complete Warner Recordings Cecile Ousset (piano) / London Philharmonic Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony, Bournemouth Symphony, London Symphony Orchestra [ Warner Classics / 16 CD Box Set - released 1/Apr/2022 ] "Cecile Ousset is an arrestingly ebullient artist...who leaves her own distinctive stamp on everything she plays" Gramophone |