GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL
Handel: Concerti grossi Op. 3 and Op. 6 Georg Kallweit, Bernhard Forck, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin [ Pentatone / 3 CD Box Set - released 12/Mar/2021 ] BRILLIANT PERFORMANCES OF HANDEL'S MASTERWORKS Handel's concerti grossi Op. 3 and Op. 6 are among the most exceptional instrumental music of the baroque age, and the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin brings out all the brilliance of these delightful... |
BARTOK / CHOPIN / W. A. MOZART
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Great Pianists of the 20th Century - Geza Anda Geza Anda (piano/conductor) / RSO Berlin, Ferenc Frisay, Camerata Academica des Salzburger Mozarticum [ BMG / Philips / Deutsche Grammophon / 2 CD - released 25/Jan/2000 ] .The New Grove Dictionary cites Geza Anda's "charismatic readings of Bartók and Schumann".He was regarded as the principal Bartók interpreter of his generation. |
JOSEPH HAYDN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Haydn: Die Jahreszeiten (The Seasons) - highlights Gundula Janowitz, Werner Hollweg, Walter Berry / Chor der Deutschen. Opera Berlin. Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan [ EMI Classics Encore / CD - released 1/Dec/1987 ] Original recording made in 1973 |
WALTER BRAUNFELS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Braunfels: Die Vogel [The Birds] (complete opera ) Hellen Kwon, Endrik Wottrich, Michael Kraus, Marita Posselt, Wolfgang Holzmair, Matthias Görne / Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Lothar Zagrosek [ Decca / 2 CD Box Set - released 16/Feb/2011 ] "Zagrosek's reading and the performances by his cast and orchestra are gripping and more than do justice to this wonderful score. Wottrich and Kraus are impressive in the male leads." ClassicalNet |
RICHARD WAGNER
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Jonas Kaufmann - Wagner Jonas Kaufmann (tenor) / Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin, Donald Runnicles, with Markus Brück (bass-baritone) [ Decca / CD - released 21/Feb/2013 ] BBC Music Magazine Awards 2014 - Vocal WINNER |
VERDI / PONCHIELLI / PUCCINI / LEONCAVALLO / MASCAGNI / etc
Jonas Kaufmann - An Italian Night - Live from the Waldbuhne Berlin (recorded in 2018) Jonas Kaufmann (tenor) with Anita Rachvelishvili (mezzo) / Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Jochen Rieder [ Sony Classical DVD / DVD - released 1/Nov/2018 ] A magical evening dedicated to beautiful Italian music with the world's greatest tenor. Captured live for release on CD. Featuring Anita Rachvelishvili. This is the key release this year from "The world's greatest tenor" (The Telegraph). |
VERDI / PONCHIELLI / PUCCINI / LEONCAVALLO / MASCAGNI / etc
Jonas Kaufmann - An Italian Night - Live from the Waldbuhne Berlin (recorded in 2018) BLU-RAY Jonas Kaufmann (tenor) with Anita Rachvelishvili (mezzo) / Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Jochen Rieder [ Sony Classical Blu-ray / Blu-ray - released 1/Nov/2018 ] A magical evening dedicated to beautiful Italian music with the world's greatest tenor. Captured live for release on CD. Featuring Anita Rachvelishvili. This is the key release this year from "The world's greatest tenor" (The Telegraph). |
HANS WINTERBERG
Winterberg: Symphony No. 1 / Piano Concerto No. 1 / Rhythmophonie Jonathan Powell (piano) / Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Johannes Kalitzke [ Capriccio / CD - released 2/Sep/2022 ] "...It certainly receives persuasive advocacy from Johannes Kalitzke and the Berlin Radio Symphony, and Jonathan Powell does a terrific job in projecting the piano concerto's dynamic energy." -BBC Music Magazine |
DVORAK / STRAVINSKY / RICHARD STRAUSS / BERNSTEIN / SHOSTAKOVICH
New Year's Eve Concert 2017 BLU-RAY Joyce DiDonato (mezzo) / Berliner Philharmoniker [Berlin Philharmonic], Sir Simon Rattle [ EuroArts Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Apr/2018 ] With her flexible, slender but dark-timbred mezzo-soprano, Joyce DiDonato is the star guest at Sir Simon Rattle's side during the New Year's Eve Concert, singing Richard Strauss's lavishly beautiful orchestral songs. The programme also includes works... |
ANTONIO VIVALDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Vivaldi: The Four Seasons / Concertos & Sinfonia Michel Schwalbe (violin) / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 2/Feb/1990 ] Recorded 1971 $ 1972 |
GEORGES BIZET
Bizet: L'Arlesienne Suites Nos. 1 & 2 / Carmen - Suite No.1 Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 2/Feb/1988 ] Original recordings from 1983 & 1985 |
GUSTAV MAHLER
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde [Song Of The Earth] Christa Ludwig, Rene Kollo / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 30/Nov/2001 ] "perfectly drilled execution, refined instrumental balancing and superb solo work distinguish virtually every measurer." New York Times on the original release |
GUSTAV MAHLER
Mahler: Symphony No 2 in C minor 'Resurrection' Kate Royal (soprano), Magdalena Kozena (mezzo) / Berliner Philharmoniker & Rundfunkchor Berlin, Sir Simon Rattle [ Warner Classics / 2 CD - released 1/May/2011 ] "Kožená brings her customary depth of feeling to the still maternal voice of "Urlicht"...Rattle's famous piano-pianissimos are deployed to breathtaking effect." (Gramophone Magazine Editor's Choice March 2011) |
PYOTR Il'yich TCHAIKOVSKY / SERGEI PROKOFIEV
Tchaikovsky/Prokofiev: Piano Concertos Kirill Gerstein (piano) / Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, James Gaffigan [ Myrios SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 10/Apr/2015 ] "Zimmermann and Hoppe capture the poetry of these works, in their hands free from sentiment and rich as short stories." (Observer) |
JAROMIR WEINBERGER
Weinberger: Frühlingsstürme [complete operetta recorded in 2020] Komische Oper Berlin / Stefan Kurt, Alma Sade, Vera-Lotte Boecker / Jordan de Souza (cond) [ Naxos DVD / 2 DVD - released 6/Nov/2020 ] Czech-born composer Jaromír Weinberger, best known for his opera Schwanda the Bagpiper, was forced to flee to America in order to escape Nazi terror. Frühlingsstürme was first staged in 1933. |
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) |
SERGEI PROKOFIEV / BELA BARTOK
Prokofiev / Bartok: Piano Concertos [CD plus DVD documentary] Lang Lang (piano) / Berlin Philharmonic, Simon Rattle [ Sony Classics / 2 CD/DVD - released 1/Dec/2013 ] "this is a performance [of the Prokofiev] that glides by, impeccably beautiful and fleet, yet a trifle short of character. Still, Lang Lang's easy virtuosity is delicious; so is the absence of keyboard thumping...[the Bartok] offers genuine bite, whe |
VARIOUS ECM COMPOSERS
Sounds and Silence - Travels with Manfred Eicher BLU-RAY Lisa Batiashvili (violin) Truls Mork (cello) / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra / Simon Rattle [ ECM Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 10/Dec/2011 ] Over a period of five years, Swiss filmmakers Norbert Wiedmer and Peter Guyer followed producer Manfred Eicher and the artists of ECM around the world. |
FRANZ LEHAR
Lehar: Der Zarewitsch (Highlights) Rudolf Schock, Pelz von Felinau, Renate Holm, Karl-Ernst Mercker / Berlin Symphony, Berlin Opera Choir, Robert Stolz [ Brilliant Classics / CD - released 19/Apr/1994 ] Very rare recording |
MARTYNOV / RICHTER / GLASS / VASKS / ENO / JOHANNSSON
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mari Samuelsen Mari Samuelsen (violin) / Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Jonathan Stockhammer [ Deutsche Grammophon / 2 CD - released 28/Jul/2019 ] Mari has enjoyed a remarkable rise on the international concert stage through a characteristic mixture of artistry and enterprise. Her concerts combine breathtaking musical virtuosity and an imaginative and innovative approach to presentation. |