KENNETH FUCHS
Falling Man Roderick Williams (baritone) / London Symphony Orchestra / Jo Ann Falletta (Conductor) [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Sep/2014 ] Kenneth Fuchs, one of America's leading composers, deepens his bond with conductor JoAnn Falletta and the London Symphony Orchestra with this superb recording of vocal music featuring baritone Roderick Williams. The new works include Falling Man, a... |
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
Symphonies Nos 6 & 8 / Nocturne Roderick Williams (baritone) / London Symphony Orchestra / Richard Hickox [ Chandos Classics / CD - released 7/Sep/2003 ] 'Finally, there's a real treat: the first recording of a recently discovered Nocturne, an intensely moving setting of Walt Whitman's 'Whispers of Heavenly Death' composed in 1908. It's evocatively sung here by Roderick Williams.' (BBC Music Magazine) |
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
Symphonies Nos 6 & 8 / Nocturne Roderick Williams (baritone) / London Symphony Orchestra / Richard Hickox [ Chandos SACD / SACD - released 7/Sep/2003 ] "The surround sound balance offers considerably enhanced definition" (Gramophone) - On Hybrid Surround Super Audio CD (SACD) format - PLAYABLE ON ANY CD SYSTEM. |
HECTOR BERLIOZ
Berlioz: Grande Messe des Morts [Requiem Mass] Ronald Dowd (tenor) / Wandsworth School Boys Choir / London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus / Sir Colin Davis [ Pentatone SACD / 2 Hybrid SACD - released 10/Aug/2008 ] "AT LONG LAST! WE GET TO HEAR THE FIRST REALLY GOOD RECORDING OF THE BERLIOZ REQUIEM THE WAY IT WAS MEANT TO BE HEARD!!!" (SA-CD.net *****) |
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
A Cotswold Romance / The Death of Tintagiles Rosa Mannion / Thomas Randle / London Symphony Orchestra / Richard Hickox [ Chandos / CD - released 1/Aug/2012 ] 'Richard Hickox directs a vivid performance [of A Cotswold Romance] with splendid support from his assembled forces. Although not major works, these are notable additions to the catalogue, and the performances could hardly be better' BBC ***** |
ELGAR
Enigma Variations / Cockaigne Overture / Pomp and Circumstance Marches 1 - 5 (recorded 1926-33) Royal Albert Hall Orchestra / London Symphony Orchestra / BBC Symphony Orchestra / Edward Elgar [ Naxos Historical Elgar Conducts Elgar / CD - released 26/Feb/2011 ] "No one has conducted Elgar better than Elgar himself. The daringly fast tempos, the transparency of texture, flexibility of phrasing and sheer spring in the attack that he calls out of players he knew well, are the absolute benchmarks for how this... |
VIVALDI / TCHAIKOVSKY / SCHUMANN / BACH / BRAHMS / RIMSKY-KORSAKOV / CHOPIN / etc
Four Seasons: generous selection of music suitable for the respective seasons Royal Philharmonic / Academy of St Martins / Armenian Philharmonic / London Symphony Orchestra / etc [ brilliant classics / 4 CD - released 17/Nov/2005 ] "Safe gift fodder then, for all grandmothers and relatives who have ‘good taste’." (MusicWeb Feb 2006) |
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS / MOZART / HANDEL / VERDI / ROSSINI / KHACHATURIAN / etc
Classics for Pleasure Volume 2 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / London Symphony Orchestra, Adrian Boult / John Ogdon (piano) / Barry Tuckwell (horn) / etc [ EMI Classics for Pleasure / CD - released 2/Feb/1983 ] The perfect introduction to the classics from the vast EMI catalogue |
ARTHUR BENJAMIN
Symphony / North American Square Dance Suite / etc. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Myer Fredman / London Symphony Orchestra, Nicholas Braithwaite / London Philharmonic Orchestra, Barry Wordsworth [ Lyrita / CD - released 12/Apr/2007 ] "Benjamin's light and serious sides generously represented in vivid performances and with recording to match" (Recording of the Month MusicWeb March 2007) |
TCHAIKOVSKY / PROKOFIEV / SHOSTAKOVICH / GLAZUNOV / RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
Russian Masterpieces (Incls 'Sabre Dance', 'Procession of the Nobles' & 'The Flight of the Bumble Bee') Royal Scottish National Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra / Neeme Jarvi [ Chandos / CD - released 1/Sep/1990 ] All the best Russian classics from the large Chandos catalogue. |
GRIEG / SIBELIUS
Grieg & Sibelius Favourites 'From Fjord & Forest' RPO & New Symphony Orchestra of London, Charles Mackerras [ ALTO / CD - released 10/Jul/2012 ] 'I enjoyed this (Mackerras) record very much indeed, for its excellent performances, and for its variety, sensibly arranged to afford the greatest enjoyment -a good blend of the very familiar and the less well known….Mackerras is as sympathetic to... |
JEAN SIBELIUS
Sibelius: Symphony No 1 / Pohjola's Daughter / Tapiola London Symphony Orchestra; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Robert Kajanus [ Naxos Historical Kajanus Conducts Sibelius Vol 1 / CD - released 1/Oct/2012 ] "Kajanus's understanding of Sibelius's novel structures is fully in evidence in that most mysterious of scores, Tapiola." Gramophone |
LUGWIG van BEETHOVEN / W. A. MOZART / JOHANNES BRAHMS
The Rudolf Serkin Edition Rudolf Serkin (piano) / London Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado, with Mstislav Rostropovich (cello) [ Deutche Grammophon / 9 CD Box Set - released 19/Jun/2020 ] "Serkin was an artist who shaped the world's conceptions of the "Viennese school," and there's much to be gained by tracing the evolution of his style over his long life.' (AllMusic.com) |
BENJAMIN BRITTEN
War Requiem (Complete recorded in 2011) Sabina Cvilak (soprano), Ian Bostridge (tenor), Simon Keenlyside (baritone) / London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra, Gianandrea Noseda [ LSO Live SACD / 2 CD - released 10/Aug/2012 ] "Keenlyside is excellent throughout...Decisive and confident, the soprano Sabina Cvilak has the Slavic edge to her voice that has seemed hard-wired into the part since the incomparable Vishnevskaya" (Gramophone) |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Fidelio, Op. 72 (complete opera recorded May 2006) Sally Matthews, Christine Brewer, John MacMaster, Daniel Borowski, Juha Uusitalo / London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Colin Davis [ LSO Live SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 1/Dec/2008 ] "Davis's version is crisp and dramatic...Abscheulicher brings out all [Brewer's] masterly qualities to the full, thanks to her big, firm, creamy voice, perfectly controlled." Penguin Guide |
JOSEF HAYDN
Die Schopfung (The Creation) [complete] Sally Matthews (soprano) Ian Bostridge (tenor) Dietrich Henschel (baritone) / London Symphony chorus & orchestra / Sir Colin Davis [ LSO Live SACD / 2 Hybrid SACD - released 1/Aug/2009 ] "What is offered here is an unapologetically opulent-sounding large-scale performance." Sunday Times, 21st June 2009 *** |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Mass in C major, Op. 86 / O welche Lust! (Prisoners' Chorus) Sally Matthews (soprano) Sara Mingardo (mezzo) John Mark Ainsley (tenor) Alastair Miles (bass) / London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus / Colin Davis [ LSO Live SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 1/Dec/2008 ] Sir Colin Davis recently collected the Best Male Artist award at the Classical Brits for the second time. |
WILLIAM WALTON
Walton: Symphony No.1 in B flat minor / Violin Concerto in B minor Salvatore Accardo (violin) / London Symphony Orchestra, Richard Hickox / Philharmonia Orchestra, Louis Frémaux [ ALTO / CD - released 1/Mar/2011 ] "no lack of brilliance... the fireworks are dashingly despatched..there are the sudden flashes of Paganinian dazzle" (Gramophone) |
JEAN SIBELIUS
Sibelius: Violin Concerto / Six Humoresques Salvatore Accardo (violin) / London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis [ Philips Eloquence / CD - released 16/Oct/2016 ] "this set of six miniatures [Humoresques] would probably tempt me to lay out the whole price of the disc by themselves." Fanfare |
Sarah Brightman & London Symphony Orchestra
Timeless [ WEA Records / CD - released 13/Jan/2008 ] This U.K imported CD includes "Time To Say Goodbye" featuring Andrea Bocelli. |