W.A. MOZART
Symphonies No. 31, No. 33 & No. 34 Prague Chamber Orchestra / Sir Charles Mackerras [ Telarc Classics / CD - released 22/Apr/2003 ] "Mackerras's is an outstanding series, with electrifying performances of the early as well as the later symphonies." (Penguin Guide) |
W.A. MOZART
Symphonies No. 32, 35 Haffner36 38 "Prague" 39"" Prague Chamber Orchestra/ Sir Charles Mackerras [ Telarc Everybody's Classics / 2 CD - released 20/May/2009 ] Sir Charles Mackerras's performances of Mozart's Symphonies with the Prague Chamber Orchestra were considered to be benchmark recordings when they first appeared. This specially priced 2-CD set includes five of the late symphonies, Nos. 32, 35... |
W.A. MOZART
Symphonies No. 32, No. 35 & No. 39 Prague Chamber Orchestra / Sir Charles Mackerras [ Telarc Classics / CD - released 22/Apr/2003 ] "Mackerras's is an outstanding series, with electrifying performances of the early as well as the later symphonies." (Penguin Guide) |
W.A. MOZART
Symphonies No. 38 & 39 Prague Chamber Orchestra/ Sir Charles Mackerras [ Telarc Classics / CD - released 22/Apr/2003 ] 1001 Classical recordings to hear before you die (1761-1800) - "Mackerras's is an outstanding series, with electrifying performances of the early as well as the later symphonies." (Penguin Guide) |
W.A. MOZART
Symphonies No. 40 & No. 41 Prague Chamber Orchestra / Sir Charles Mackerras [ Telarc Classics / CD - released 22/Apr/2003 ] "Mackerras's is an outstanding series, with electrifying performances of the early as well as the later symphonies." (Penguin Guide) |
W.A. MOZART
Symphonies No. 8, 9, 44, 47, 45 & 11 Prague Chamber Orchestra / Sir Charles Mackerras [ Telarc Classics / CD - released 22/Apr/2003 ] "Mackerras's is an outstanding series, with electrifying performances of the early as well as the later symphonies. Consistently Mackerras finds light and shade in Mozart's inspirations, both early and late..." (Series awarded the highest rating of... |
W.A. MOZART
Symphonies Nos 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 55 Prague Chamber Orchestra / Sir Charles Mackerras [ Telarc Classics / CD - released 14/Sep/2007 ] "Mackerras's is an outstanding series, with electrifying performances of the early as well as the later symphonies. Consistently Mackerras finds light and shade in Mozart's inspirations, both early and late..." (Series awarded the highest rating of... |
BEETHOVEN
Symphony No. 3 E flat Major op. 55 & No. 4 B flat Major op. 60 Radio Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart; Sir Roger Norrington [ Hanssler / CD - released 10/Jan/2004 ] "A great, wild fantasy… hardly a symphony" one audience member from the premiere of the Third Symphony proclaimed. Another moaned: "…it lasts a whole hour!" With the premiere of the Third Symphony in 1804, Beethoven forever altered the relationship... |
BEETHOVEN
Symphony No. 1 C Major op. 21 & No. 2 D Major op.36 Radio Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart / Sir Roger Norrington [ Hanssler / CD - released 10/Jan/2004 ] It would be no coincidence that Beethoven would choose the year 1800 for the premiere for his First Symphony, ushering in with the new century, a new major work. |
DVORAK
Symphony No 9 / Carnival Overture Radio Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart; Sir Roger Norrington [ Hanssler Classic / CD - released 1/Dec/2009 ] Roger Norrington and his historically sensitive orchestra turn to the music of Dvorak, beginning with the composer's most famous symphony. Norrington and company provide a performance as exciting as discovering a New World. The programme is completed... |
WILLIAM WALTON
Belshazzar's Feast / Symphony No. 1 / Cello Concerto / etc Ralph Kirshbaum (cello) Sherrill Milnes (baritone) / Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Sir Alexander Gibson [ Chandos 241 / 2 CD - released 1/Mar/1999 ] "An excellent account of Belshazzar's Feast (1930)...this is a spectacular recording and there is particularly clear enunciation from the Royal Scottish National Chorus and from Sherill Milnes." (MusicWeb) |
DVORAK
Cello Concerto (with Dohnányi - Konzertstück for Cello and Orchestra) Raphael Wallfisch (cello) / London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras [ Chandos Classics / CD - released 26/Apr/2012 ] The Cello Concerto in B minor by DvoĆák has become one of his most popular works, and perhaps the most popular concerto ever written for the instrument. He was asked to write this piece by a friend of Wagner, the cellist Hanuš Wihan. Initially... |
GUSTAV HOLST
Holst: - The Planets Ambrosian Singers, Philharmonia Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle [ Warner Classics Original Jacket Reissues / CD - released 25/May/2016 ] Simon Rattle's original 1980 recording of The Planets with the Philharmonia Orchestra. |
SIR RICHARD BURTON
The Arabian Nights - The book of a thousand nights and a night (Read by Philip Madoc) [ Naxos Audio Books / 3 CD Box Set - released 20/Aug/2009 ] Though The Arabian Nights are generally known as stories for children, they were originally tales for adults full of adventure, sexuality, violence and the supernatural. They certainly inspired the imagination of Sir Richard Burton, the... |
GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: Madama Butterfly (Complete Opera recorded in 1967) Renata Scotto, Carlo Bergonzi, Anna di Stasio, Rolando Panerai / Rome Opera, Sir John Barbirolli [ Warner Classics The Home of Opera / 2 CD - released 25/Apr/2018 ] 'a performance that will remind you of the first time you fell in love with this opera' (Good CD Guide) |
RICHARD WAGNER
Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (highlights) Theo Adam, Sir Geraint Evans, Rene Kollo / Staatskapelle Dresden, Herbert von Karajan [ EMI Studio / CD - released 23/Mar/1988 ] "For some, the finest Meistersinger recorded; for others, too self-consciously 'chamber' in style. There's enough punch in the big moments, though." BBC Music Five Stars |
EDWARD ELGAR
Elgar: Dream of Gerontius Op 38 (Complete oratorio) Richard Lewis (tenor) Dame Janet Baker (mezzo) Kim Borg (bass) / Halle Choir and Shieffield Philharonic Chorus / Sir John Barbirolli [ Warner Classics / 2 CD - released 15/Sep/2003 ] "Barbirolli's red-blooded reading of Gerontius is the most heart-warmingly dramatic ever recorded" *** Three Stars. Penguin Stereo Guide |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Shakespeare In Music & Words Richard Pasco, Vanessa Redgrave, Dame Peggy Ashcroft, Sir John Gielgud, Paul Hardwick, Bryn Terfel, Renee Fleming & others [ Decca / 2 CD - released 22/Apr/2016 ] To celebrate 400 years of William Shakespeare, Decca presents a 2 disc set of music inspired by the Bard as well as highlights of his greatest written work. |
J. S. BACH
St Matthew Passion, BWV244 (complete oratorio sung in English) Robert Tear, John Shirley-Quirk, Felicity Lott, Neil Jenkins / Bach Choir / Sir David Willcocks [ Decca Classics / 3 CD - released 10/Apr/2007 ] The classic recording, sung in English. This much loved English language performance of Bach's great setting of the Passion of Christ makes a welcome return to the Decca catalogue. |
ANDZEJ PANUFNIK
Symphony No. 9 / Bassoon Concerto Robert Thompson (bassoon) / BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Andzej Panufnik [ Heritage / CD - released 1/May/2015 ] "[the Bassoon Concerto] has a pronounced grainy grimness offset by dramatic impulses and Thompson's beautiful lyric tone. The hopeful symphony not only takes the rainbow as a symbol, but endeavours to translate its optical principles into music." (Su |