June 2012

Two of Rachmaninov's lesser known piano concertos, Nos 1 and 4, performed by one of the best and brightest pianists of her generation, Noriko Ogawa. This disc also includes the famous Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, one of Rachmaninov's most popular - and virtuosic - piano works.

Piano Concerto No 1 in F sharp minor Op 1 (Revised version 1891/1917)
Piano Concerto No 4 in G minor Op 40 (Final version 1926/41)
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Op 43

A former child prodigy who had already made his concerto debut by the age of 10, Russian pianist Evgeny Kissin is one of today's most celebrated musicians. With music that runs the full gamut of emotions, from exuberance to extreme sorrow, Kissin's recital is a brilliant introduction to the music of two of the greatest piano virtuoso-composers that ever lived: Frederic Chopin and Franz Liszt.

Chopin Piano Concertos Nos 1 and 2, Piano Sonata No 3, Fantasie in F minor, selection of waltzes, mazurkas and nocturnes
Liszt Rhapsodie Espagnole, Walderauchen, La Leggierezza, Liebestraum No 3, Hungarian Rhapsody No 12, Etude d'execution transcendante No 10 'Appassionata'

The Royal Liverpool Orchestra became identified with Carl Davis's score for the 1925 Ben-Hur after several performances in Liverpool and Cardiff in 1988. So well received were the shows that this recording was made in 1989. In the Olympic year of 2012 the Philharmonia decided to screen the film, on the 9th June at the Royal Festival Hall, prompting this re-release, which has been re-mastered by K and A Productions. The booklet comes with a short history on the making of the film, and an essay by Carl Davis explaining how the music brings the silent film to life.

Conducting the musicians of the Freiburger Barockorchester, Rene Jacobs offers us a chance to rediscover two symphonies whose 'classic' status is such that we thought we knew everything there was to know about them! The guiding principle of this interpretation is clarity of texture, with the aim of bringing out the most powerful element in this music: its sense of drama. It forsakes the 19th-century symphonic tradition for a quite different style of rhetoric.
With Harmonia Mundi Catalogue

Chilean pianist Claudio Arrau (1903-1991) was described at various times as 'Prince', 'Emperor' and 'King' of the keyboard, conveying something of the awe in which he was held. These live recordings of two of the pinnacles of the piano concerto repertoire have been brilliantly remastered by ICA Classics.

Beethoven Piano Concerto No 4 in G major Op 58
Chopin Piano Concerto No 1 in E minor Op 11

Naxos 25th Anniversary -  Bestselling Recordings 1987-2012.  All of these best-selling titles come from the first 10 years of the label and feature Naxos' most successful artists. 'This compilation is a tribute to all the artists who made the success of Naxos possible in the early days of the label.' (Klaus Heymann, Naxos founder)

Copland Fanfare for the Common Man, Hildegard von Bingen O pastor animarum, Bach Violin Concerto in A minor BWV 1041 - Allegro, Mozart Requiem - Dies irae, Beethoven Piano Sonata No 14 'Moonlight' - Adagio sostenuto, Brahms Hungarian

Dance No 1 (version for orchestra), Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No 2 - Adagio sostenuto, Ravel Valses nobles et sentimentales - Modere, Orff Carmina Burana - O Fortuna, Gorecki Three Olden Style Pieces No 1, Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez - Allegro con spirito, Handel Water Music Suite No 2 - Alla Hornpipe, Satie Gymnopedie No 1, Vivaldi The Four Seasons: Spring - Allegro, Mozart Eine kleine Nachtmusik - Rondo, Faure Requiem - Sanctus, Gershwin Piano Concerto - Allegro agitato, Dvorak Symphony No 9 'From the New World' - Allegro con fuoco

One of the great sopranos of her generation, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, sings masterpieces of 19th-century Italian opera including Puccini's famous Vissi d'arte from Tosca, and Tu che le vanita from Verdi's Don Carlos. 'It is a pleasure to recommend this programme of Verdi and Puccini arias without reservation. The beautiful voice has never sounded better.' (Gramophone)

Includes Vissi d'arte, Tu che le vanita, E strano / Ah fors'e lui, Quando me'n vo' soletta per la via, Un bel di vedremo and other arias

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show as the RPO plays themes and excerpts from all of your favourite Hollywood films. This first volume in the RPO's Hollywood series is jam-packed with music by some of Hollywood's best composers including Bernstein, Rozsa, and Steiner, expertly conducted by Jose Serebrier.

Themes and excerpts from: The Big Country, Casablanca, Spellbound, Psycho, The Guns of Navaronne, Ben Hur, Taxis Driver, The Sea Hawke, Dangerous Moonlight, Gone with the Wind, The Magnificent Seven. Includes the Warsaw Concerto.
Also available: Volume 2 RPO022, Volume 3 RPO023

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show as the RPO plays themes and excerpts from all of your favourite Hollywood films. The second volume in the RPO's Hollywood series is jam-packed with music by some of Hollywood's best-known composers including Hermann, Korngold, and Rota, expertly conducted by Jose Serebrier.

Themes and excerpts from Vertigo, Citizen Kane, The Godfather, To Kill a Mocking Bird, North by Northwest, Dial M for Murder, The Caine Mutiny, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, Sunset Boulevard and A Place in the Sun
Also available: Volume 1 RPO017, Volume 3 RPO023

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show as the RPO plays themes and excerpts from all of your favourite Hollywood films. The third volume in the RPO's Hollywood series is jam-packed with music by some of Hollywood's best-known composers including Bernstein, Rose, and Auric, expertly conducted by Richard Bernas.

Themes and excerpts from On the Waterfront, Birdman of Alcatraz, Around the World in 80 Days, Murder on the Orient Express, The Philadelphia Story and many more
Also available: Volume 1 RPO017, Volume 2 RPO022