WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Shakespeare: Richard II (recorded live at the Globe Theatre London in 2015) Globe Theatre / Charles Edwards, Henry Everett, William Gaunt, Jonny Glynn , David Sturzaker [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 20/Feb/2017 ] Ruling by divine right, but himself ruled by caprice, King Richard exiles Henry Bolingbroke and seizes his father's vast states. While Richard is distracted by a rebellion in Ireland, Bolingbroke returns to England, intent on recovering... |
CHARLES IVES
Charles Ives - The Anniversary Edition Helen Boatwright (soprano), Charles Ives (piano), Gregg Smith Singers, Thomas Stewart (baritone), American Symphony Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski, etc [ Sony Classical / 5 CD Box Set - released 18/Oct/2024 ] On the 150th anniversary of the birth of Charles Ives - acclaimed by his champion Leonard Bernstein as the "first great American composer", who, "all alone in his Connecticut barn, created his own private musical revolution". |
MAX BRUCH / JOHANNES BRAHMS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Bruch/Brahms: Violin Concertos Hideko Udagawa (violin) / The London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras [ Chandos / CD - released 2/Feb/1991 ] Originally recorded in Henry Wood Hall, London, May, 1989 |
HENRY PURCELL
Purcell: Anthems Inia Te Wiata, Robert Tear, Charles Brett, Paul Esswood / Choir of St. John's College, Cambridge, George Guest [ Decca Australian SBS Eloquence / 2 CD - released 20/Sep/2015 ] "Vibrant readings of some of Purcell's best loved choral works unalloyed by 'authentic' prissiness" (Gramophone) |
GILBERT AND SULLIVAN
G & S: The Pirates of Penzance (complete operetta) John Mark Ainsley, Rebecca Evans, Donald Adams, Richard Suart / Orchestra & Chorus of Welsh National Opera, Charles Mackerras [ Telarc Records / CD - released 1/Jan/2007 ] "Sir Charles Mackerras directs a riveting performance with an exceptional cast. The numbers race along without any dragging tempos - witness the Pirate Kings song and 'How beautifully blue the sky'." Mel@Marbecks |
BERNHARD HENRIK CRUSELL
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Crusell: The 3 Clarinet Concertos Emma Johnson (clarinet) / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, Günther Herbig, Charles Groves, Gerard Schwarz [ ASV / CD ] Recorded: 1986 Now only available elsewhere as download |
HECTOR BERLIOZ
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Berlioz: Requiem (Grande Messe des morts) / Chants pour choeur / Grande Symphonie funebre et triomphale Kenneth Riegel (tenor) / Cleveland Orchestra & Chorus, Lorin Maazel / Choeur et l'orchestre symphonique de Montreal, Charles Dutoit [ Double Decca / 2 CD Box Set - released 20/Nov/1996 ] With comprehensive booklet and translation |
EDOUARD LALO / CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS
Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole / Cello Concerto / Saint-Saens: Violin Concerto No. 1 Kyung Wha Chung (violin) Orchestre Symphonique De Montreal,Charles Dutoit / Lynn Harrell (cello) Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Riccardo Chailly [ Decca Ovation / CD - released 12/Oct/1993 ] Original recordings from 1981 and 1986 (Lalo Cello) |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Sacred Treasures of Spain The London Oratory Schola Cantorum / Charles Cole (cond) [ Hyperion / CD - released 30/Oct/2020 ] Music to illustrate the Golden Age: a selection of motets from sixteenth-century Spain culminating in Alonso Lobo's great funerary ode for Philip II, Versa est in luctum. |
ERIC WHITACRE
Whitacre: The Sacred Veil Los Angeles Master Chorale, Charles Anthony Silvestri [ Signum / CD - released 28/Aug/2020 ] The Sacred Veil - a project led by Eric Whitacre and Charles Anthony Silvestri - was created following the passing of Charles' wife, Julia in 2005. It represents a journey towards the answer for many questions, including whether departed loved ones... |
W. A. MOZART
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mozart: "Haffner" Serenade / "Serenata Notturna" Prague Chamber Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras [ Telarc / CD - released 22/Sep/2003 ] Recorded in The Hall of Artists, Prague. July, 1987 |
FREDERIC CHOPIN
Chopin: Piano Concertos 1 & 2 Martha Argerich (piano) / Orchestre Symphonique De Montreal / Charles Dutoit [ Warner Classics / CD - released 14/Oct/2007 ] "In Martha Argerich's newest coupling her pianism remains as mercurial and her virtuosity as incadendescent as ever; indeed she has rarely sounded as captivating or characterful. Admirers of Argerich need not hesitate." (3 Stars Penguin Stereo Guide |
Milt Jackson & Ray Charles
Soul Brothers (LP) [ Rhino / Warner / LP - released 18/Jun/2021 ] A stunning collaboration, this is Ray Charles's second "true" studio album for Atlantic (after The Great Ray Charles). While he released R&B singles for the pop market during his time with the label, he used his LPs to explore modern jazz. Here he... |
GEORGES BIZET
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Bizet - Carmen & L'Arlesienne suites Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Charles Dutoit [ Decca The Full Works / CD - released 25/Jun/2018 ] This is a re-issue of an outstanding "demonstration" disc featuring colourful French orchestral music....playing that is both elegant and vivid in superb, demonstration-worthy sound. |
MAURICE RAVEL
Ravel: Bolero / La Valse / Rapsodie Espagnole / Ma Mere l'Oye / Daphnis et Chloe Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Charles Dutoit [ Double Decca / 2 CD - released 12/Jul/2000 ] "Anyone beginning a Ravel collection, or coming fresh to most of this repertoire and willing to duplicate, will find this Double Decca unbeatable value" A Rosette recording - Penguin Stereo Guide |
JOHN BLOW
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Blow: Venus & Adonis Nancy Argenta (sop), Lynne Dawson (sop), Stephen Varcoe (bass) / London Baroque, Charles Medlam [ Harmonia Mundi Musique d'abord / CD - released 29/Sep/1992 ] First performed before the court at Oxford in 1681, Venus and Adonis was presented as a "masque for the entertainment of the King" (Charles II). Like Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, it is in fact a true opera. |
SERGEY RACHMANINOV / FREDERIC CHOPIN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Natalie Clein - Romantic Cello: sonatas Natalie Clein (cello) Charles Owen (piano) [ EMI Classics / CD - released 20/May/2008 ] Recorded 17-20 April 2006 at Wathen Hall, St Paul's School, Barnes, London |
IGOR STRAVINSKY
Igor Stravinsky Edition Natalie Dessay, Marie McLaughlin, Charles Dutoit, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Sabine Meyer, Alban Berg Quartett, Michael Collins, Pierre Boulez, etc [ EMI The Opera Series / 23 CD Box Set - released 12/Mar/2021 ] The release of this edition marks 50 years since the death of Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971), the most influential composer of the 20th century. |
RAVEL / BERLIOZ / HONEGGER / ROUSSEL / BEETHOVEN / BLOCH / etc
Charles Munch - The Complete Warner Classics Recordings Nicole Henriot-Schweitzer (piano) André Navarra (cello) Alfred Cortot (piano) Denise Soriano (violin) Pierre Bernac (baritone) Charles Munch (cond) [ Warner Classics / 13 CD Box Set - released 10/Feb/2019 ] Prominent in the musical evolution of 20th century France, Charles Munch (1891-1968) also spent 13 epoch-making years with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. This collection assembles newly-remastered versions all the recordings he made for EMI and Erato... |
CARL MARIA von WEBER
Weber: Piano Concertos Nikolai Demidenko (piano) / Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras (conductor) [ Hyperion Romantic Piano Concertos Vol 10 / CD - released 15/Apr/2003 ] Throughout his youth, his father, Franz Anton, relentlessly moved the family between Hamburg, Salzburg, Freiberg, Augsburg and Vienna. Consequently he studied with many teachers-his father, Johann Peter Heuschkel, Michael Haydn, Giovanni Valesi,... |