SERGEI PROKOFIEV
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1, 'Classical' / Symphony No. 5 National Symphony Orchestra Of Ukraine / Theodore Kuchar [ Naxos / CD - released 9/Sep/1997 ] Sergey Prokofiev belongs to the generation of Russian musicians who completed their studies before the Communist Revolution of 1917. His early education had been at home, where he had tuition from Glière, before entering the St. Petersburg... |
SERGEI RACHMANINOV
Chill With Rachmaninov Vytautas Sondeckis (cello) Bernd Glemser (piano) / Ireland National Symphony Orchestra / Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra [ Naxos / CD - released 30/Nov/2007 ] Sergey Vasilyevich Rachmaninov was born at Semyonovo, Russia in 1873, the son of aristocratic parents. However, his father's extravagant lifestyle depleted the family's fortunes to the extent that they were forced to sell off most of their estate and... |
EDWARD ELGAR
An Introduction to Elgar (Incls 'Cello Concerto' & 'Enigma Variations) Ralph Kirshbaum (cello) / Scottish National Orchestra / Bournemouth Sinfonietta [ Chandos Intro / CD - released 1/Aug/2006 ] 'Richly expressive playing, heartfelt performance' The Penguin Complete Guide |
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) |
HAMERIK
Choral-Symphony No. 7 / Requiem Randi Stene / Danish National Symphony Orchestra & Choir / Thomas Dausgaard [ DACAPO / CD - released 1/Mar/2010 ] Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Choir, Thomas Dausgaard |
JOHN JOUBERT / ROBERT SIMPSON / CHRISTOPHER WRIGHT
British Cello Concertos Raphael Wallfisch (cello) / BBC National Orchestra of Wales, William Boughton [ Lyrita / CD - released 1/Jul/2015 ] "[Wallfisch] performs these pieces with the utmost musicianship." (MusicWeb) |
FINZI / LEIGHTON
Cello Concertos Raphael Wallfisch (cello), Royal Scottish National Orchestra / Bryden Thomson [ Chandos Classics / CD - released 1/Sep/2001 ] This is a new coupling featuring these two cello concertos |
PATRIC STANFORD
Stanford: Symphony No. 1 / Cello Concerto / Prelude to a Fantasy Raphael Wallfisch (cello) / Royal Scottish National Orchestra, David Lloyd-Jones [ Naxos / CD - released 20/Feb/2015 ] Patric Standford wrote in a wide variety of forms, from large-scale orchestral and choral music to a cappella, chamber and instrumental pieces. While teaching at the Guildhall School of Music in London he won several major international composition... |
PROKOFIEV
Divertimento, Op. 43 / Sinfonia Concertante, Op. 125 / Sinfonietta, Op. 5/48 Raphael Wallfisch (cello) / Royal Scottish National Orchestra / Neeme Jarvi [ Chandos Classics / CD - released 16/Oct/2006 ] 'The Divertimento is a lovely piece… its long neglect is puzzling since it is highly attractive and ought to be popular… the recording is first class - as, indeed are the performances. An indispensable item in any Prokofiev collection.' The Penguin... |
ALAN RAWSTHORNE
Rawsthorne: Cello Concerto / Oboe Concerto / Symphonic Studies Stephane Rancourt (oboe) Alexander Baillie (cello) / Royal Scottish National Orchestra / David Lloyd-Jones [ Naxos / CD - released 27/Apr/2008 ] "A fascinating release, in excellent sound; highly recommended." - Fanfare (Christopher Williams), July/August2001 |
FRANZ LEHAR
Lehar: Die Lustige Witwe [The Merry widow] (highlights in English) Joan Sutherland, John Brecknock, Francis Egerton, Regina Resnik, John Fryatt / National Philharmonic Orchestra, Richard Bonynge [ Decca Australian Eloquence / CD - released 20/Mar/2016 ] Turn of the century Paris provides the glittering setting for this operetta, first performed in Vienna in 1905 and here given by a cast lead by Joan Sutherland and also featuring John Brecknock, Valerie Masterson and Werner Krenn. |
MASCAGNI
Cavalleria Rusticana (Complete Opera recorded in 1978) Renata Scotto, Placido Domingo, Pablo Elvira / Ambrosian Opera Chorus & National Philharmonic Orchestra, James Levine [ Sony Opera House / CD - released 20/Feb/2010 ] "This now stands as a clear first recommendation for Mascagni's red-blooded opera, with Domingo giving a heroic account of the role of Turiddu, full of defiance...James Lveine directs with a splendid sense of pacing." Penguin Stereo Guide |
BELLINI
Norma (Complete opera recorded in 1980) Renata Scotto, Tatiana Troyanos, Giuseppe Giacomini / National Philharmonic Orchestra / James Levine [ Sony Opera House / 2 CD - released 1/Sep/2009 ] "…Scotto's Druid priestess grows in stature to give us an unbearably moving scene in which she contemplates the murder of her children and, best of all, the duets with the rival priestess of Tatiana Troyanos, who offers the most sheerly beautiful... |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1 - 9 (Recorded live from the Opéra Bastille and the Palais Garnier, Paris 2014-15) Ricarda Merbeth, Daniela Sindram, Robert Dean Smitm, Günther Groissböck / Paris National Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Philippe Jordan [ Arthaus DVD / 4 DVD Box Set - released 20/Sep/2016 ] "A seasoned Beethovenian will likely conclude that a lot of care and thought went into the interpretations as well." Classical-Net |
JACQUES OFFENBACH
Offenbach: Les Contes d'Hoffman (The Tales of Hoffman) (complete opera) Roberto Alagna, Jose van Dam, Natalie Dessay, Sumi Jo / l'Opera National de Lyon, Kent Nagano [ Erato / Warner Classics The Opera Collection / 3 CD - released 25/Jul/2011 ] "With Nagano taking a light, airy view and using the most scholarly text available, this new version certainly has its place." (Gramophone) |
FRANK BRIDGE
Orchestral Works Volume 5 (Includes Suite for Strings & Two Songs of Robert Bridges) Roderick Williams, baritone BBC National Orchestra of Wales Richard Hickox, conductor [ Chandos / CD - released 5/Oct/2004 ] "Charming miniatures performed with great refinement ... enchants from beginning to end. Strongly recommended" - MusicWeb Oct 2004 |
ANDRE MESSAGER
Messager: Les P'tites Michu (complete operetta) Romain Dayez, Pierre Dumoussaud, Anne-Aurore Cochet, Marie Lenormand / Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Pierre Dumoussaud [ Bru Zane / 2 CD/Book - released 11/Jan/2019 ] "The cast is predominantly youthful, as is the conductor Pierre Dumoussaud. Their account of the work is uniformly spirited, energetic, sympathetique and also full of comic broadness. But there's the rub." Opera |
NIELS W. GADE
Symphonies Vol 4 (Symphony Nos 1 & 5) Ronald Brautigam (piano) / Danish National Symphony Orchestra / Christopher Hogwood [ Chandos Classics / CD - released 2/Feb/2003 ] 'Splendidly played and evocative recordings to finish Hogwood's fine Gade cycle.' Gramophone |
THOMAS WILSON
Thomas Wilson: Symhonies Nos. 3 & 4 Rory Macdonald; Royal Scottish National Orchestra [ Linn Records / CD - released 8/Feb/2019 ] Rory Macdonald conducts the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in the premiere recording of three orchestral works by 'the father of Scottish music', composer Thomas Wilson (1927-2001). Wilson was an important figure in Scotland's musical renaissance,... |