JACQUES OFFENBACH
Offenbach: Orphée aux Enfers [Orpheus in the Underworld] (complete operetta recorded in 2019) Salzburg Festival / Kathryn Lewek, Joel Prieto, Anne Sofie von Otter, Martin Winkler / Enrique Mazzola (cond) [ C Major DVD / DVD - released 17/Jul/2020 ] "A frantic and fabulous show" (New York Times) |
JACQUES OFFENBACH
Offenbach: Orphée aux Enfers [Orpheus in the Underworld] (complete operetta recorded in 2019) BLU-RAY Salzburg Festival / Kathryn Lewek, Joel Prieto, Anne Sofie von Otter, Martin Winkler / Enrique Mazzola (cond) [ C Major Blu-ray / Blu-ray - released 17/Jul/2020 ] Operetta enthusiast Barrie Kosky has landed a gigantic success with Offenbach's subversive and hilarious reversion of the Orpheus myth at the Salzburg Festival. Kosky created a magically precise and witty staging with numerous extravagant costumes in... |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Così fan tutte, K588 (complete opera recorded in 2013) Salzburg Festival / Malin Hartelius, Luca Pisaroni, Marie-Claude Chappuis, Martin Mitterrutzner, Gerald Finley / Christoph Eschenbach (cond) [ EuroArts DVD / 2 DVD - released 18/Feb/2018 ] "It is all beautifully performed by a convincingly young-looking cast. Malin Hartelius sings a ravishing 'Per pietà'…Martin Mitterrutzner's free, easy tenor is just right for the high-lying part of Ferrando" Gramophone |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Così fan tutte, K588 (Recorded live at Salzburg Festival, August 2013) BLU-RAY Salzburg Festival opera / Malin Hartelius (Fiordiligi), Luca Pisaroni, Marie-Claude Chappuis, Martin Mitterrutzner, Martina Janková / Christoph Eschen [ EuroArts Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Jan/2017 ] "Gerald Finley is a wryly humorous Alfonso. Under Christoph Eschenbach, the Vienna Philharmonic is admirably light on its feet." Gramophone |
TCHAIKOVSKY
The Nutcracker, Op. 71 (complete ballet recorded in 2008) BLU-RAY San Francisco Ballet / Damian Smith / Elizabeth Powell / David Karapetyan / Martin West (cond) [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Aug/2011 ] 'The opulent new version of the seasonal classic, launched spectacularly by the San Francisco Ballet, is every parent's dream of a holiday treat. It looks scrumptious, tastes delicious, offers substantial nourishment and won't cause cavities.' San... |
TCHAIKOVSKY
The Nutcracker (complete ballet choreographed by Helgi Tomasson recorded in 2007) San Francisco Ballet / Damian Smith / Elizabeth Powell / Davit Karapetyan / Martin West (conductor) [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 1/Jan/2009 ] G : - Recorded live at the War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, California, on 19 and 20 December 2007. |
SERGEI PROKOFIEV
Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64 (complete ballet recorded in 2015) BLU-RAY San Francisco Ballet / Maria Kochetkova & Davit Karapetyan / Martin West (cond) [ C Major BLU-RAY / Blu-ray Disc - released 20/Mar/2017 ] "this is a wonderful piece performed extremely well and captivating throughout. Well worth your while!" AudAud.com |
PACHELBEL / PURCELL / HANDEL / ALBINONI / VIVALDI
The Best of Baroque (Incls Albinoni's Adagio & The arrival of the Queen of Sheba) Sara Barrington (oboe) William Bennett (piccolo) Philip Jones (trumpet) Alastair Ross (organ) / Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields / Richard Hickox [ Decca Eloquence / CD - released 6/Feb/1997 ] All those popular baroque favourites at a special price |
TEDDY BEARS' PICNIC
Teddy Bears' Picnic Sara Stowe & Matthew Spring / Nat Gonella / Martin Souter / Henry Hall / etc [ Children's clasics / The Gift of Music / CD - released 1/Aug/2011 ] Children will love this album! A selection of old-fashioned music for children, with more than a hint of nostalgic memories for parents and grandparents. Henry Hall and Uncle Mac join with radio hits of the 50s and piano pieces written specially for... |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Tudor & Stuart Spirit Sara Stowe (Soprano) Matthew Spring (Lute) Martin Souter (virginals, harpsichord, organ) [ Heritage of Music / Gift of Music / CD - released 20/Jun/2011 ] From dancing to dreaming, this selection of music from Tudor and Stuart times encompasses the joys and sorrows of the age from traditional country tunes to expressions of royal fortunes and misfortunes. |
HUMPERDINCK
Hänsel und Gretel (complete opera) Sayaka Shigeshima, Elisabeth Wimmer, Uwe Schenker-Primus, Rebecca Teem, Alexander Günther / Staatskapelle Weimar, Martin Hoff [ MDG SACD / 2 Hybrid SACD - released 16/Aug/2014 ] A gigantic success story - Engelbert Humperdinck's fairy-tale opera Hänsel und Gretel has been delighting young and old alike for exactly 120 years. To celebrate this special anniversary, the opera now for the first time is being released on a... |
DVORAK
String Quartet American, Piano Quintet Schidlof Quartet, Martin Roscoe(Piano) [ LINN / CD ] |
CARL MARIA von WEBER
Weber: Wind Concertos Maximiliano Martin (clarinet) Peter Whelan (bassoon) Alec Frank-Gemmill (horn) / Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Alexander Janiczek [ Linn SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 17/Sep/2012 ] "When you hear Peter Whelan play the Bassoon Concerto, you'll forgive Weber anything; his is such an expressive, plangent sound...Both [clarinet works] are dispatched with wit and fire by Maximiliano Martín...This is a beguiling CD; feelgood music of |
BRAHMS / MASSENET / MENDELSSOHN / ROSSINI / WEBER / etc
The Voice of the Clarinet Sharon Kam (clarinet) / MDR Sinfonieorchester, Bühl, with Martin Helmchen & Itamar Golan (pianos) [ Berlin Classics / CD - released 1/Jun/2010 ] |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Symphony No 9 'Choral' Sharon Prero, Elizabeth Campbell, Keith Lewis, Bruce Martin / Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, David Porcelijn [ ABC Classics / CD - released 1/Aug/2011 ] Beethoven's final symphony offers a mighty and enduring message - a call to peace, and an acknowledgement of the universal concerns of all humanity. The Finale, often called 'Ode to Joy', is unrivalled in its emotional power and popular appeal. |
Sinatra Frank / Dean Martin / Sammy Davis Jr
The Rat Pack - Rakish & Rampant [ Primo / 2 CD - released 22/Feb/2010 ] |
BRAHMS / LIGETI / MOZART / SCHUMANN
Horn Trios Martin Owen (horn), Francesca Dego (violin), Alessandro Taverna (piano) [ Chandos / CD - released 14/Jul/2024 ] The renowned horn player Martin Owen is joined by the violinist Francesca Dego and pianist Alessandro Taverna in this varied and compelling programme. |
WILLIAM WALTON
Richard III: A Shakespeare Scenario / Major Barbara: A Shavian Sequence / etc Sir John Gielgud (narrator) / Academy of St Martin in the Fields / Sir Neville Marriner [ Chandos / CD - released 30/Nov/2007 ] Among the sumptuous and deeply romantic music on this disc is the substantial selection from Walton's score for Richard III; colourful and richly detailed music, the suite is conducted by Sir Neville Marriner and makes a fitting tribute to William... |
WALTON
Richard III: A Shakespeare Scenario / Major Barbara: A Shavian Sequence Sir John Gielgud (narrator) / Academy of St.Martin-in-the-Fields / Neville Marriner [ Chandos Classics / CD - released 1/Sep/2007 ] 'The Chandos series of William Walton Film Music is simply and obviously certain to be a great classic of recording art. It serves all the higher purposes of truly distinguished record-making: not only are all aspects of performance and recording... |
RICHARD WAGNER
Wagner: Die Walkure (complete opera recorded in 2011) Sofia Opera / Martin Iliev, Tsvetana Bandalovska, Nikolay Petrov, Bayasgalan Dashnyam / Pavel Baleff (cond) [ Dynamic / Blu-ray - released 18/Jun/2021 ] Die Walküre is the second part of Der Ring des Nibelungen and has remained the most popular of the tetralogy of operas. |