This disc celebrates the centenary of Jean Francaix.  A precocious talent, Francaix wrote his first chamber work for winds - the Quartet - in 1933 at the age of 21, and completed his Quintet No 2 more than 50 years later.  Francaix's works are favourites not only with audiences but also with the musicians themselves, who enjoy the challenges of his virtuosic writing, his fleet way with rhythms and timbres and the conversational character of the interplay between individual parts. The highly regarded Bergen Woodwind Quintet, consisting of solo players from the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, perform four chamber works for winds which all share these characteristics.  The versatile ensemble released its first disc on BIS in 1985, and has recorded chamber music by Carl Nielsen as well as by David Maslanka, to critical acclaim.

Wind Quintets No 1
Wind Quintet No 2
Wind Quartet
Divertissement for oboe, clarinet and bassoon

Collegium Musicum 90 was founded by Simon Standage and the late Richard Hickox in 1990, and is today a well-established ensemble for the performance of baroque and classical music. The works presented here all survive in autograph scores, or have autograph connections. Today only eighteen such scores of instrumental music survive from Telemann's long and prolific career as a composer, and nine of them are included in a collection that belonged to his grandson Georg Michael Telemann.

Ouverture-Suite in A major TWV55:A7
Ouverture-Suite in F major TWV55:F16
Concerto in D major TWV43:D4
Ouverture-Suite in D major TWV55:D23
Fanfare in D major TWV50:44
Divertimento in E flat major TWV50:21

Paul Watkins is the cello soloist in a recording that showcases some of Elgar's most popular works. He is accompanied by the BBC Philharmonic and Sir Andrew Davis, a conductor steeped in the English music tradition. Elgar started writing his Pomp and Circumstance Marches in 1901 in the wake of his national successes with the Enigma Variations and The Dream of Gerontius. The First March gained worldwide fame largely due to the trio melody, which Elgar considered 'a tune that comes once in a lifetime'. The Cello Concerto in E minor, written in 1918-19, was the last major work Elgar completed. Its mood is often described as 'autumnal', and being highly reflective of the ageing composer's own state of mind. Paul Watkins says: 'It is a privilege to have the opportunity to add my voice to the many different interpretations of this iconic work.'

Cello Concerto Op 85
Introduction and Allegro Op 47
Elegy for Strings Op 58
Pomp and Circumstance Marches Nos 1-5

This is the fourth and final volume of colourful and highly appealing orchestral works by Norwegion composer Johan Halvorsen, performed by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra under Neeme Jarvi. Halvorsen considered his Norwegian Fairy Tale Pictures to be one of his best works. The suite is colourful and vividly programmatic, drawn from music that Halvorsen had written for a children's comedy. Also on this disc is Halvorsen's orchestration of Grieg's piano piece Norwegian Bridal Procession. Halvorsen's lush, but non-idealising orchestration of Grieg's piece proved an immediate success, and at concerts and in the theatre over the next twenty-six years Halvorsen conducted the work at least 140 times.

Rhapsodies norvegiennes Nos 1 and 2
Passacaglia for violin and viola
Norwegian Fairy Tale Pictures including Dance of the Troll Maidens
Dance Scene from Queen Tamara
Symphonic Intermezzo from The King
Norwegian Festival Overture
Grieg arr. Halvorsen Norwegian Bridal Procession

This is the first volume in a new series devoted to the works for solo piano by Johannes Brahms, starting with a selection of highly personal collections of capriccios, intermezzi, ballades, rhapsodies and a romance. The series also marks the first major Chandos project of internationally acclaimed pianist Barry Douglas. Since winning the Gold Medal at the 1986 Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow, Douglas has established a major international career, and his reputation as a pianist and conductor continues to grow. Featuring some of Brahms's greatest works, the mood of this disc varies from introspective and reflective, to passionate and playful and everything in between.

Rhapsodies Op 79 Nos 1 and 2
Intermezzos Op 116 No 4, Op 117 No 1, Op 118 No 2
Capriccios Op 116 Nos 1, 3 and 7
Romances Op 118 No 5
Ballade Op 10 No 4
Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op 24

The Brodsky Quartet celebrates its fortieth anniversary this year. Formed in 1972, the Quartet quickly emerged at the forefront of the international chamber music scene. It has performed more than 2000 concerts and made more than fifty highly acclaimed recordings. The Quartet are now releasing their second disc on Chandos with guest piano soloist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet and the harpist Sioned Williams. The Piano Trio is an early work, written before Debussy established his own very distinctive musical language, and another early piece, Reverie, was written by the young struggling composer at a time when he was trying to make a living in Paris. In a somewhat different league, the String Quartet is considered a defining work in the history of chamber music. Sensual and impressionistic, it employs a cyclic structure that constituted a split from the rules of classical form and pointed the way forward. The Deux Danses, made up of the 'Danse sacree' and 'Danse profane', complete the disc.

String Quartet
Danse sacree et danse profane
Reverie (arr. Paul Cassidy)
Piano Trio

The Welsh flautist Emily Beynon plays a selection of British flute concertos, accompanied by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Bramwell Tovey. Beynon is the Principal Flute of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. Sir Lennox Berkeley was on of the leading British composers of the mid-twentieth century, a Francophile who brought to his music clarity, economy, and elegance. His Flute Concerto, composed in 1952, displays these qualities in abundance. William Alwyn was seventy-five years old and contemplating giving up composition when he was approached by the English Chamber Orchestra Wind Ensemble to write a piece for them. The work, a Concerto for Flute and Winds, was completed in 1980 and in 2006, at the request of the William Alwyn Foundation, John McCabe arranged it for flute and full orchestra, the version included on this disc.

Alwyn Flute Concerto
L Berkeley Flute Concerto
Poulenc Flute Sonata (orch. L Berkeley)
Dove The Magic Flute Dances

A composer of both popular and classical music, David Bedford was one of the most well-respected British musicians of his generation. Born in London, Bedford studied both in the UK and later in Italy with Luigi Nono and was influenced early on in his musical life by the works of Nono, Hindemith, Webern and Schoenberg. His avant-garde piece Star's End was first recorded in 1974 with prog rock stars Mike Oldfield (guitars) and Chris Cutler (percussion) adding an extra dimension to the recording.

Star's End Parts 1 and 2

In 2004 Bernarda Fink released a recording of Dvorak songs that created a genuine sensation, winning awards including Diapason d'Or Arte, Diapason de l'Annee, and 10 de Repertoire. Now, eight years later, she returns to the composer, in the company of the young soprano Genia Kuhmeier, to sing thirteen of the Moravian Duets which brought the young Dvorak fame far beyond his homeland. The other two cycles, for solo voice, round out the portrait of a Dvorak still attached to musical traditions, whether sacred (Biblical Songs) or secular (Gypsy Melodies).

Zigeunerlieder (Ciganske Melodie / Gypsy Songs) Op 55
Moravian Duets (Moravske Dvojzpevy) Op 32
Biblical Songs (Biblicke Pisne) Op 99

Matthias Goerne continues a Schubert survey that has already established him as one of the most fantastically gifted exponents of the song repertoire; Goerne does not 'interpret' Schubert, he lives each song from the inside and invites the listener to share this poetic and musical intimacy without ever falling into the trap of overstatement. This sixth volume in the series also features an unforgettable performance of Schubert's last piano sonata by one of the baritone's favourite partners, Christoph Eschenbach. Offered on a free bonus CD, this 'second swansong' reveals hitherto unexplored resonances under his expert fingers.

Schwanengesange
Sonate D960

Celebrated tenor Mark Padmore joins with Britten Sinfonia in some of the most beautiful English music for voice and orchestra. The centrepiece is Britten's magical evocation of twilight and nightfall, the Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings (with Stephen Bell, horn). In Gerald Finzi's war-time cycle Dies natalis, the ecstatic mood reflects a child's wide-eyed wonder at the world. Britten's poignant Nocturne - equal in impact to the Serenade - completes the program.

Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings Op 31
Nocturne Op 60
Finzi Dies Natalis Op 8

On this delightful album the Freiburger Baroque Consort has chosen to illustrate the compositions of Johann Heinrich Schmelzer as elements in a veritable little 'world theatre', an ideal concept for exploring the multiple facets of one of the great masters of 17th-century Austrian instrumental music, whose sonatas and dance suites had such influence both at the Habsburg court for which they were written and with the composers who followed in his footsteps (notably Biber).

Sonatas, Balletti, Serenata con altre arie, Polnische Sackpfeiffen, La bella pastora

Composer and conductor Bob Chilcott has been steeped in the British choral tradition since he was a boy chorister. A former member of The King's Singers, he is now one of the UK's most prolific and creative choral composers, writing appealingly direct and accessible music with memorable melodies reminiscent of John Rutter at his best. Of his most recent large-scale work, his Requiem (2010), is characterised by a gentle, forgiving atmosphere clearly modelled on Faure's Requiem, with a crystalline, reflective 'Pie Jesu' for solo soprano at the emotional heart of the work. This and the other works performed here, all first recordings, are beautifully performed by Wells Cathedral Choir and Matthew Owens, The Nash Ensemble and two superb young soloists.

Requiem
Salisbury Motets - I Sing of a Maiden, When to the Temple Mary went, Lovely Tear of Lovely Eye, Hail Star of the Sea Most Radiant
Downing Service
Pilgrim Jesus
The Nine Gifts
Jesus springing

The colourful folk melodies and rhythms of Spain knit seamlessly with 20th-century French compositional sophistication in Joaquin Turina's chamber works. Born in Seville, the young composer went to study in Paris in 1905, where he was greatly attracted to the forward-looking style of the likes of Debussy. However, his musical course was altered when he encountered countrymen Falla and Albeniz, who encouraged him to write in a style that fully embraced his Andalucian musical heritage. Later in life the composer himself explained 'my music is the expression of the feeling of a true Sevillian who did not know Seville until he left it'. The acclaimed Nash Ensemble here demonstrates what a satisfying artistic homecoming he made.

Piano Quartet in A minor Op 67
Violin Sonata No 2 in G major Op 82 'Sonata espagnola'
Escena andaluza Op 7
Piano Trio No 1 Op 35
La oracion del torero Op 34

Beethoven had little liking for organised religion, but he was deeply spiritual, believing in God as an all-powerful, loving Father. The awesome, sublime Missa Solemnis is one of his supreme achievements, which he headed 'From the heart - may it in turn go to the heart!' In this live concert recording, the fervour of Beethoven's vision is powerfully realised by conductor Christoph Eschenbach with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir. A prolific recording artist over five decades, Christoph Eschenbach has a longstanding association with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and this release adds to their critically acclaimed recording of Bruckner's Symphony No 6 (LPO0049) released in 2011. The stellar quartet of soloists includes the great lyric soprano Anne Schwanewilms, who enjoys an unparalleled reputation for her performances of Strauss and Wagner, and tenor Nikolai Schukoff who is destined to become a leading voice of his generation.

On its second album, American Stringbook, the young do.gma chamber orchestra led by Mikhail Gurewitsch demonstrates its high sound culture mixed with nonstop performance joy and an absolutely enthusing freshness. 'Presented with youthful elan, nuanced, magnificent in sound, and with just the right dose of refinement.' (SWR). Alongside Barber's famous Adagio are other equally engaging American works for strings.

Diamond Rounds for String Orchestra (1944), Foote Suite in E major Op 63, Barber Serenade Op 1, Adagio for Strings

This stunning new disc features Chopin's first and second piano concertos, pillars of the Romantic piano repertoire and works that demand both virtuosity and elegance. Award-winning pianist and conductor Christian Zacharias was Artist of the Year at the MIDEM Classical Awards in 2007, Winner of the 2008, 2009, and 2010 ECHO Klassik Award, and was also made Officier dans l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres de la Republique Francaise. 'Certainly he can play Chopin beautifully, for this is a very attractive recording, notable for the warmth and naturalness of its sound, for Zacharias' unaffected phrasing and sweet tone, and for the subtlety of his interactions with the chamber orchestra he leads. Zacharias never overacts.' (Fanfare)

Piano Concerto No 1
Piano Concerto No 2

Fascinating indeed, how Anette Maiburg always finds just the right new partners for her popular 'Classica...' concept series released on MDG! These musicians most naturally and inspiringly combine the particular local colour of their traditional instruments and the characteristic sound of the transverse flute, classical guitar, and double bass. After Cuban, Venezuelan, and Argentine albums, this time the musical pleasure tour takes us to the rich and varied regions of Spanish folklore and classical music.

Granados Andaluza (Danza espanola No 5), Albeniz Malaguena (Espana No 3), Acosta Jazmin (Tango), Albeniz Sevilla (from Suite Espanola Op 47), De Falla Danza espanola No 1 (from La Vida Breve), Acosta Sevillanas criollas, Rabbath Ode d'Espagne, Lama La risa, Granados Oriental (Danzas espanolas No 2), Falla Danza ritual del fuego (Ritual Fire Dance from El Amor Brujo), Acosta Por Alegrias, Granados Villanesca (Danza espanola No 4), Acosta Bulerias de Anette, Albeniz Rumores de la Caleta (from Recuerdos de Viaje), Corea Spain, Albeniz Tango (from Espana)

A contemporary of Mozart, Joseph Eybler has often been overshadowed by his friend's overwhelming reputation. Nevertheless, some true gems abound in his catalogue of published works, among them the String Quintet and the Trio Op 2 featured on this beautifully recorded disc. 'In this sumptuous recording of his Quintetto and Trio for strings, Eybler's delightful yet reserved music is brought wonderfully to life by the Germany's Quintett Momento Musicale.' (AllMusic.com)

Quintetto
Trio Op 2

The three string quartets on this disc are taken from Opus 20, known as the 'Sun' Quartets, which earned Haydn the nickname 'The Father of the String Quartet'. Composed in 1772, they are considered one of the milestones of the quartet genre, furthering its development and introducing stylistic hallmarks that would define the string quartet in the Classical era and beyond. The Leipzig String Quartet is widely regarded as one of the foremost chamber groups in the world. Formed in 1988, with nearly 70 CDs and countless critically-acclaimed international coincert tours to its credit, 'these artists help fulfil Haydn's aim to make "the greatest impression possible on the soul''' (The Strad)

String Quartet in A major Op 20 No 6 (Hob III:36)
String Quartet in D major Op 20 No 4 (Hob. III:34)
String Quartet in C major Op 20 No 2 (Hob. III:32)

Although his music has been overshadowed by the music of his son, Leopold Mozart composed a great deal of music in his own lifetime, working as both a church and court musician and teacher. The Horn Concertos are among Leopold Mozart's most well-known works today and are expertly rendered here by Dutch horn virtuoso Herman Jeurissen, principal horn with the Residentie Orchestra in The Hague, who has performed in orchestras and as a soloist all over the world and made a number of recordings. 'the playing throughout is sensitive yet lively; the recording sets everything in a good clear perspective.' (HiFi News)

Sinfonia pastorella for Alphorn and Strings in G major
Symphony in G major, G 9 'Sinfonia da caccia'
Concerto for 2 Horns in E flat major
Sinfonia da camera for Horn, Violin, 2 Violas and Basso Continuo in D major

Widely regarded as the founder of the French violin school, Jean-Marie Leclair was one of the foremost Baroque violinists and composers of his generation. A formidable performer as well as composer, Leclair was able to incorporate into his music the national styles and fashions of European nations and produce work of the highest quality. Although murdered in Paris under suspicious circumstances in 1764, Leclair's legacy survives through his rich output of instrumental music, of which these Trio Sonatas are just a few examples. 'Highly recommended.' (Fanfare)

Six Trio Sonatas for 2 violins and basso continuo Op 4

Stefan Irmer has a special fondness for French piano music. After his complete overview of the sins of Rossini's old age and a recently released recording of Gabriel Faure's thirteen nocturnes, he now turns to another complete recording full of unknown yet simply charming compositions from the piano oeuvre of Jules Massenet.

Grande Fantaisie sur le Pardon de Ploermel (1861), Dix pieces de genre Op 10, Le roman d'Arlequin, Pantomime enfantine (1870-1), Sept imrpovisations (1875), Toccata (1892), Deux impressions (1892), Un Momento musicale (1897), Devant la Madonne (Souvenir de la campagne de Rome, Nuit de Noel 1864) (1897), Valse folle (1898), Valse triste lente (1901), Musique pour bercer les petits enfents (1902),
Deux pieces pour piano (1907)

Austrian composer Michael Haydn,  brother of Joseph, produced a significant amount of music during his lifetime which is only now beginning to be heard by modern audiences. The Requiem featured on this marvellous album was composed after the death of the Count Archbishop Sigismund von Schrattenbach in 1771 in Salzburg, though Haydn is believed to have commenced the work following the death of his daughter earlier in the same year. Both the Swiss Chamber Choir and the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra shine on this disc, which also includes two rarely-heard Sinfonias. 'The orchestra plays brilliantly and flawlessly. There is not a single moment where this recording fails to deliver these masterpieces in all of their refined glory.' (MusicWeb International)

In 1705, Giuseppe Sala published in Venice Antonio Vivaldi's Opus 1. This set of trio sonatas marked the official debut of a composer who was already more than a mere youth, and probably contains the earliest works of his that have come down to us. L'Estravagante is the fruit of the association of four internationally recognised musicians eager to share their passion for chamber music played on period instruments, and the award-winning group has quickly become established internationally.

Trio Sonatas Nos 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12

Accentus chamber choir, one of Naive's most successful ensembles, turns 20 in 2012. This is a stunning disc consisting of recordings taken from some of Accentus' 18 recordings for Naive over the last few decades, including rarely recorded monuments like Richard Strauss's masterpieces for a capella choir, and many other choral favourites. The result is more than a mere compilation - more of a voyage of discovery and a great celebration.

Special 20th Anniversary album with music by Faure, Barber, Buxtehude, Poulenc, Schumann, R Strauss, Brahms, Sibelius, Mendelssohn, Dusapin, Ravel, Schoenberg, Dvorak, Schubert, Haydn, Rachmaninov, Vivaldi and Handel

Perhaps the most celebrated ballet of the Romantic era, Adolphe Adam's intoxicating Giselle is the dramatic story of a peasant girl whose betrayal by her aristocratic lover causes her to go mad before dying and returning as a ghost. Featuring the fabulous Alina Cojocaru in the title role and Johan Kobborg as a torn Count Albrecht, Peter Wright's sparkling production and John Macfarlane's pastoral designs create an opulent feast for the eyes, here captured in High Definition video and true surround sound.

Also available on Blu-ray BAC474

Already brimming with symbols and transformations, the epic fairytale recounted by Strauss and his librettist Hofmannsthal in Die Frau ohne Schatten acquires a further allegorical dimension in Christoph Loy's inventive production for the Salzburg Festival. The central character, the Empress - half-spirit, half-human, and unable to bear children until she finds a shadow - here becomes a young soprano who makes a voyage of personal and professional discovery as she records the opera. A superb cast fulfils the complex vocal and dramatic demands of the piece while Christian Thielemann and the Vienna Philharmonic rise gloriously to the challenges of Strauss's most ambitious and splendid operatic score.

Also on Blu-ray OABD7104D

From the opening notes of the overture to the final curtain, Emilio Sagi's classic, triumphant production fully brings to life all the elegant wit and theatricality of Mozart's comic masterpiece. A continuation of the plot of The Barber of Seville, and set several years later, Le nozze di Figaro explores the intricate relationships between men and women of different social classes, weaving passion and humour with genuine dramatic tension. Leading baritone Ludovic Tezier shines as the lustful Count Almaviva who attempts to obtain the favours of Figaro's bride-to-be, Susanna (Isabel Rey), while Luca Pisaroni gives a feisty performance as Figaro. Conductor Jesus Lopez Cobos masterfully captures the enchanting score. A witty yet profound tale of love, betrayal, and forgiveness. 'An incontestable success...full of Sevillian atmosphere. [Tezier] is in exceptional vocal shape and the role suits him perfectly.' (Musicweb International) 'Brilliant, beautiful...Tezier is a great baritone...Sagi's [production] allows us to breathe Seville.' (Concertonet.com)

Also on Blu-ray TR97001BD

Created by Antonio Gades in collaboration with Carlos Saura, this matchless production shows how the explosive power and intensity of feeling in traditional Spanish flamenco can bring vividly to life the sultry passion, earthy emotion, love and rivalry that is Carmen. Vanessa Vento lives and breathes Carmen, emphasising the many faces of this character - female, passionate and freedom fighter. But Carmen's gypsy wildness becomes her own downfall when she discards Don Jose's (Angel Gil) love for that of the bullfighter (Jairo Rodriguez), as possessed by a piercing despair Don Jose kills her. Filmed in High Definition at the Teatro Real, Madrid for the 75th anniversary celebration of Gades' birth, the Compania Antonio Gades performs Carmen to perfection. 'When the passion of Bizet's tragic love story is combined with the depth of flamenco and the energy that Gades' disciples demonstrate on stage, the result is simply explosive. It's a show full of colour and feeling.' (esMadrid.com)

Also on Blu-ray TR97004BD

The Great Classics series from Naxos is the perfect introduction to myriad genres of classical music. Comprising both complete and compiled selections from the greatest works in the repertoire, the boxes are bursting with wonderful pieces of music, both recognisable and unfamiliar. The boxes take the listener on a thrilling tour of some of the world's most dramatic musical media, encompassing music from six centuries and featuring sensational performers. All boxes come with a fascinating booklet with detailed information on the genre itself, chronological placement of each work, and a comprehensive study of the music. A fitting celebration of 25 years of superb music from Naxos, the world's favourite classical label.

Mozart Don Giovanni, Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute); Rossini Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), Verdi La traviata, Aida, Bizet Carmen, Mascagni Cavalleria Rusticana, Leoncavallo Pagliacci, Puccini Tosca, Madama Butterfly, La Boheme

The Great Classics series from Naxos is the perfect introduction to myriad genres of classical music. Comprising both complete and compiled selections from the greatest works in the repertoire, the boxes are bursting with wonderful pieces of music, both recognisable and unfamiliar. The boxes take the listener on a thrilling tour of some of the world's most dramatic musical media, encompassing music from six centuries and featuring sensational performers. All boxes come with a fascinating booklet with detailed information on the genre itself, chronological placement of each work, and a comprehensive study of the music. A fitting celebration of 25 years of superb music from Naxos, the world's favourite classical label.

Adam Giselle, Delibes Coppelia, Sylvia; Tchaikovsky Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker; Glazunov The Seasons, Raymonda; Khachaturian Gayane, Spartacus; Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet, Ravel Daphnis et Chloe, Stravinsky The Firebird, Petrushka, The Rite of Spring

The Great Classics series from Naxos is the perfect introduction to myriad genres of classical music. Comprising both complete and compiled selections from the greatest works in the repertoire, the boxes are bursting with wonderful pieces of music, both recognisable and unfamiliar. The boxes take the listener on a thrilling tour of some of the world's most dramatic musical media, encompassing music from six centuries and featuring sensational performers. All boxes come with a fascinating booklet with detailed information on the genre itself, chronological placement of each work, and a comprehensive study of the music. A fitting celebration of 25 years of superb music from Naxos, the world's favourite classical label.

Mozart Nos 20, 21, 23, 25, 27;  Beethoven Nos 3, 4 and 5; Brahms Nos 1 and 2; Liszt Nos 1 and 2; Grieg, Schumann, Chopin Nos 1 and 2; Tchaikovsky No 1, Rachmaninov No 2, Ravel Piano Concerto in G  major, Prokofiev No 3, Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue

The Great Classics series from Naxos is the perfect introduction to myriad genres of classical music. Comprising both complete and compiled selections from the greatest works in the repertoire, the boxes are bursting with wonderful pieces of music, both recognisable and unfamiliar. The boxes take the listener on a thrilling tour of some of the world's most dramatic musical media, encompassing music from six centuries and featuring sensational performers. All boxes come with a fascinating booklet with detailed information on the genre itself, chronological placement of each work, and a comprehensive study of the music. A fitting celebration of 25 years of superb music from Naxos, the world's favourite classical label.

Schubert Nos 8 and 9, Brahms Nos 1 and 4, Schumann Nos 1 and 4, Mendelssohn Nos 3 and 4, Berlioz Symphonie fantastique, Benvenuto Cellini Overture, Roman Carnival; Mahler No 1, Bruckner No 4, Saint-Saens No 3 'Organ', Franck Symphony in D minor, Dvorak No 9, Symphonic Variations, R Strauss Alpine Symphony, Don Juan

The Great Classics series from Naxos is the perfect introduction to myriad genres of classical music. Comprising both complete and compiled selections from the greatest works in the repertoire, the boxes are bursting with wonderful pieces of music, both recognisable and unfamiliar. The boxes take the listener on a thrilling tour of some of the world's most dramatic musical media, encompassing music from six centuries and featuring sensational performers. All boxes come with a fascinating booklet with detailed information on the genre itself, chronological placement of each work, and a comprehensive study of the music. A fitting celebration of 25 years of superb music from Naxos, the world's favourite classical label.

CD 1 - Vivaldi The Four Seasons, Bach Nos 4 and 5
CD 2 - Mozart Nos 4 and 5, Spohr No 8
CD 3 - Beethoven, Mozart No 3
CD 4 - Mendelssohn, Bruch No 1, Vieuxtemps No 5
CD 5 - Brahms, Paganini No 1
CD 6 - Saint-Saens No 3, Lalo Symphonie Espagnole
CD 7 - Tchaikovsky, Glazunov
CD 8 - Elgar, Wieniawski No 2
CD 9 - Dvorak, Sibelius
CD 10 - Shostakovich No 1, Prokofiev No 1

The Great Classics series from Naxos is the perfect introduction to myriad genres of classical music. Comprising both complete and compiled selections from the greatest works in the repertoire, the boxes are bursting with wonderful pieces of music, both recognisable and unfamiliar. The boxes take the listener on a thrilling tour of some of the world's most dramatic musical media, encompassing music from six centuries and featuring sensational performers. All boxes come with a fascinating booklet with detailed information on the genre itself, chronological placement of each work, and a comprehensive study of the music. A fitting celebration of 25 years of superb music from Naxos, the world's favourite classical label.

CD 1 - Tchaikovsky No 4, Borodin No 2
CD 2 - Tchaikovsky No 5, Romeo and Juliet
CD 3  - Tchaikovsky No 6, 1812 Overture
CD 4 - Prokofiev No 5, Myaskovsky No 25
CD 5 - Shostakovich No 5, Prokofiev No 1
CD 6 - Shostakovich No 7
CD 7 - Rimsky-Korsakov No 2, Sheherazade
CD 8 - Rachmaninov No 2, The Rock
CD 9 - Scriabin No 3, La Poeme de l'extase
CD 10 - Glazunov No 6, Kalinnikov No 1

The Great Classics series from Naxos is the perfect introduction to myriad genres of classical music. Comprising both complete and compiled selections from the greatest works in the repertoire, the boxes are bursting with wonderful pieces of music, both recognisable and unfamiliar. The boxes take the listener on a thrilling tour of some of the world's most dramatic musical media, encompassing music from six centuries and featuring sensational performers. All boxes come with a fascinating booklet with detailed information on the genre itself, chronological placement of each work, and a comprehensive study of the music. A fitting celebration of 25 years of superb music from Naxos, the world's favourite classical label.

CD 1 - Haydn Nos 45 'Farewell', 88 and 92 'Oxford'
CD 2 - Haydn Nos 94 'Surprise', 100 'Military' and 101 'Clock'
CD 3 - Haydn Nos 95, 103 'Drumroll' and 104 'London'
CD 4 - Haydn Nos 96 ' Miracle', 98 and 102
CD 5 - Mozart Nos 25, 35 'Haffner' and 41 'Jupiter'
CD 6 - Mozart Nos 38 'Prague', 39 and 40
CD 7 - Mozart Nos 29, 34 and 36 'Linz'
CD 8 - Beethoven Nos 3 'Eroica' and 8
CD 9 - Beethoven Nos 5 and 6 'Pastoral'
CD 10 - Beethoven No 9 'Choral'

The Great Classics series from Naxos is the perfect introduction to myriad genres of classical music. Comprising both complete and compiled selections from the greatest works in the repertoire, the boxes are bursting with wonderful pieces of music, both recognisable and unfamiliar. The boxes take the listener on a thrilling tour of some of the world's most dramatic musical media, encompassing music from six centuries and featuring sensational performers. All boxes come with a fascinating booklet with detailed information on the genre itself, chronological placement of each work, and a comprehensive study of the music. A fitting celebration of 25 years of superb music from Naxos, the world's favourite classical label.

CD 1 - Baroque favourites by Handel, Marcello, Bach, Corelli, Pachelbel, Torelli, Albinoni, Sammartini, Locatelli, Geminiani
CD 2 - Bach Brandenburg Concertos Nos 1, 2, 3 and 6
CD 3 - Bach Brandenburg Concertos Nos 4 and 5, Concertos in A minor and F major
CD 4 - Bach Orchestral Suites Nos 1-4
CD 5 - Handel Water Music, Fireworks Music
CD 6 - Handel Concerti Grossi Op 3 No 2, Op 6 Nos 7 and 12, Organ Concertos 'The Cuckoo and The Nightingale' and Op 4 No 4
CD 7 - Vivaldi The Four Seasons, Violin concertos RV253, RV180, RV362
CD 8 - Vivaldi Violin Concerto RV356, Guitar Concerto in D major, Flute Concerto RV428, Flautino Concerto in C major, Oboe Concerto RV454, Cello Concerto RV406, Bassoon Concerto RV502
CD 9 - Telemann Viola Concerto in G major, Recorder Suite in A minor, Musique de Table - Triple Violin Concerto in F major, Double Horn Concerto
CD 10 - Italian Concerti Grossi - Sammartini, Albinoni, Vivaldi, Locatelli, Manfredini, Corelli, Geminiani, A Scarlatti

The Great Classics series from Naxos is the perfect introduction to myriad genres of classical music. Comprising both complete and compiled selections from the greatest works in the repertoire, the boxes are bursting with wonderful pieces of music, both recognisable and unfamiliar. The boxes take the listener on a thrilling tour of some of the world's most dramatic musical media, encompassing music from six centuries and featuring sensational performers. All boxes come with a fascinating booklet with detailed information on the genre itself, chronological placement of each work, and a comprehensive study of the music. A fitting celebration of 25 years of superb music from Naxos, the world's favourite classical label.

CD 1 - Favourite Sacred Masterpieces including Tallis Spem in alium, Allegri Miserere, Pergolesi Stabat Mater
CD 2 - Bach Mass in B Minor highlights
CD 3 - Bach St Matthew Passion highlights
CD 4 - Handel Messiah highlights
CD 5 - Haydn The Creation highlights
CD 6 - Mozart Requiem
CD 7 - Mendelssohn Elijah highlights
CD 8 - Beethoven Missa Solemnis
CD 9 - Verdi Requiem highlights
CD 10 - Faure Requiem

William Bolcom, named ‘2007 Composer of the Year’ by Musical America, has written in many genres. His Gospel Preludes, based on hymns, are amongst his most fascinating and compulsive works. Bold, brilliant, sometimes bizarre, but always hugely enjoyable, the Preludes vary widely, sometimes adorned by jazzy chords and rich swing, sometimes exuding tour-de-force brilliance or - when the music is quiet and reflective - possessed of a mesmeric reassurance. The GRAMMY Award-winning Naxos recording of Bolcom's Songs of Innocence and Experience is available on 8.559216-18.

This triumvirate of composers represents an essentially lyrical impulse in American music. Leonard Bernstein's Arias and Barcarolles was completed in 1988 but had existed in some form since 1955. The cycle of songs about love and marriage was written for voice and piano (four-hands) but orchestrated, under Bernstein's supervision, by Bright Sheng, and premiered by Gerard Schwarz. Eclectic, exciting, jazzy, and Mahlerian, it reflects Bernstein in all his multi-faceted glory. Barber's concert overture is a vibrant work, fizzing with energy, whilst Diamond's Elegy offers a poignant, noble and at times violent lament for Ravel.

Bernstein Arias and Barcarolles
Barber The School for Scandal Overture
Diamond Elegy in Memory of Maurice Ravel

Stravinsky's music for violin and piano was written for his duo with violinist Samuel Dushkin. Both the Suite italienne and Divertimento are arrangements of ballet scores, each work in turn an alchemic transformation of Baroque and Romantic styles into Stravinsky's distinctive idiom. The enigmatic but unwaveringly expressive Duo Concertant was Stravinsky's only original work in this form. Huebl and Wait were acclaimed for their recording of Schnittke's complete Sonatas (8.570978). Mark Wait received two GRAMMY nominations for his disc of Elliott Carter's Piano Concerto (8.559151).

Suite Italienne, Divertimento, Duo Concertant

Both the works on this recording were written during wartime. Debussy's 1915 En blanc et noir, composed during a late creative burst, is his musical response to the horrors of World War I. Messiaen's revolutionary Visions de l'Amen from 1943, written to be performed by the composer and his teenage pupil, Yvonne Loriod, is a profound religious meditation whose emotional intensity is overwhelming. The role of the two pianos is clearly divided. Melodic and expressive elements are confined to the second piano, Messiaen's part, whereas all that is percussion, brilliance and rhythmic development is heard in the first piano, Loriod's part.

A richly endowed composer, selfless teacher, and a rare human being' proclaims Robert Fuchs' memorial stone, and this esteem is reflected in his astonishing roster of pupils - Mahler, Sibelius, Wolf and Korngold among them. His own compositions, though, have been overlooked, unaccountably so on the evidence of these lovely Serenades. The Third is quite Brahmsian with a wonderfully bracing Hungarian finale. No. 4 is a highly expressive and richly scored work, whilst No. 5 casts its net yet wider - with anticipations of Mahler, and joyous references to the Vienna of the Strauss family. Serenades Nos. 1 and 2 are available on Naxos 8572222.

Arriving in Europe from Buenos Aires in 1957, Mauricio Kagel soon developed his own subversive and theatrical musical aesthetics. Performed here by the work's dedicatee, Das Konzertis his typically oblique response to writing a flute concerto, ranging from spectral atmospheres to hectic confrontation. The humor of Pan is clear from the outset, with its invocation and parody of Mozart's Papageno. The two contrasting versions of Phantasiestuckshow the composer's trademark wit at its keenest. The title refers to the influence of Schumann on Kagel.

Leos Janacek was an authority on his native folk-music, and the Lachian and Moravian Dances preserve and celebrate culture and traditions which were vanishing even in his own lifetime. Based on Gogol's historical novel, Janacek's inspired orchestral rhapsody on Taras Bulba depicts three moving and dramatic episodes in the violent life of the Cossack leader, climaxing in his stirring and triumphant prophecy of liberation. This release follows Antoni Wit's acclaimed Warsaw recording of Janacek's Glagolitic Mass and Sinfonietta (8.572639).

Swiss-born Bloch, a pupil of Eugene Ysaye, emigrated to the United States in 1916. Written in 1926, two years after Bloch had become an American citizen, America: An Epic Rhapsody, is the composer's tribute to his adopted country. This romantic and patriotic score vividly surveys the history of the US from the native American melodies of pre-colonial days to the modern era of 1920s jazz and beyond. The Concerto Grosso No 1 is a bold statement which unites the eighteenth-century concerto grosso form with a modern tonal language.

Weinberg is increasingly recognised as one of the outstanding composers of the second half of the twentieth century. His Rhapsody on Moldavian Themes is a concise medley of tunes that embrace folk influence, both melancholic and high spirited, culminating in a joyous and unstoppable dance. Scored for a very large orchestra and a children's choir, Symphony No 6 is a work of huge expression, anguished and dynamic, encompassing lament, circus gallops, burlesque, and a cataclysmic and heartrending slow movement. Weinberg's friend, Shostakovich, was so impressed that he used it as teaching material in his own classes.

Described as a 'conductor who makes a difference' (Daily Telegraph), and acclaimed for her artistic vision and commitment to accessibility in classical music, Marin Alsop founded String Fever in 1981. Its pioneering blend of jazz, pop and classical repertoire took critics and audiences by storm, breaking the boundaries between musical genres through remarkable versatility and a palpable sense of fun. This album reflects String Fever's forays into standards ranging from Rogers and Hart's early hit Manhattan to Dave Brubeck's famously rhythmic Blue Rondo a la Turk.

It Don't Mean A Thing, Mood Indigo, My Heart Belongs To Daddy, Liberated Brother, Blue Rondo a la Turk, Stompin' At The Savoy, Come Rain Or Shine, In The Mood, Four Brothers, Manhattan Medley: Manhattan, Lullaby Of Broadway, 42nd Street)

Rafael Aguirre is acknowledged as one of today's most celebrated virtuoso guitarists, having won first prize at 13 of the world's most prestigious international competitions: a record-breaking achievement for a Spanish musician. Following on from his previous, acclaimed recording (8.572064), this full-blooded recital is of music by Spanish composers or those influenced by Iberia, from the pure flamenco of Paco de Lucia's Guajiras to Debussy's impressionistic Soiree dans Grenade, and from Albeniz's Triana, named after the gypsy quarter in Seville, to the virtuoso fireworks of Tarrega's Gran Jota.

Music by Giminez, Debussy, de Lucia, Assad, Lopez-Quiroga, Albeniz, Rodrigo, Tarrega, Malats

The operas of Nicola Vaccaj, renowned as a vocal teacher and still known today for his Metodo di Canto, employ a similar bel canto style to that of his rival Bellini. Based on a tragedy by Friedrich Schiller, the powerfully dramatic plot of La sposa di Messina deals with the inescapable and, in this case, destructive nature of destiny. Vaccaj's own 1839 première was dogged by bad luck, and the subject proved too controversial for Venetian audiences despite its numerous superb set pieces. After one complete and one partial performance, it was not staged again until the 2009 revival heard on this live recording.

World premiere recording

The Flagello brothers combined their remarkable musical talents to create the unique artistic synergy of these recordings. Ezio’s career flourished at the Metropolitan Opera and abroad, and composer Nicolas made good use of his rich bass-baritone voice in luxuriant settings of Tennyson's verses in The Land, here partnered with Leopardi's L'Infinito, a gloomy expression of humility and awe in the face of the Infinite. The texts used in the Passion of Martin Luther King emphasize faith, endurance and brotherly love, and this previously unissued premiere recording restores the moving original version of the work, with Dr King's 'Dream' re-asserted through Ezio Flagello's towering performance as soloist.

In January 1956 Norwegian Radio broadcast an almost complete performance of Gotterdammerung starring Kirsten Flagstad and Set Svanholm, and conducted by Oivin Fjeldstad. Despite opportunities to re-record the work in Vienna, Flagstad was insistent that this performance be released. Most of the missing sections were then recorded, and the resultant LP was the first (almost complete) commercial recording of the work on disc. Flagstad, the great Wagnerian, is in resplendent voice and Svanholm proves a worthy partner. This elusive set remains a milestone in Wagner performance.

Memorials, Name Days, and aristocratic connections were just some of the many incentives for Johann Strauss the Elder to pour forth his unrivalled series of waltzes, quadrilles and polkas for his ravenous Viennese public. During 1846-47 such opportunities included a work to honour the celebrated singer Jenny Lind (Swedish Songs), whilst New Year provided a supreme example of his festive skill. Nor did he ignore the professions: lawyers and doctors received dedicatory waltzes, and so did a couple of much beloved comic book characters.

Charivari-Quadrille Op 196, Bouquets Walzer Op 197, Landlich sittlich! Walzer Op 198, Neujahrs-Polka Op 199, Souvenir de Carneval 1847 Quadrille Op 200, Themis-Klange Walzer Op 201, Eisele- und Beisele-Sprunge Polka Op 202, Herz-Tone Walzer Op 203, Helenen-Walzer Op 204, Triumph-Quadrille Op 205, Najaden-Quadrille Op 206, Schwedische Lieder Walzer Op 207

A Musical Visit to Bavarian Palaces and Italy's Southern Tyrol

The Places Ludwig II of Bavaria followed family precedent in undertaking an extravagant building programme during his relatively short reign from 1864 to 1886. The castles constructed on his orders included the romantic Neuschwanstein and the magnificent Schloss Linderhof, with its elaborate formal gardens, grottoes and fountains. The tour ends with a brief glimpse of the mountainous Southern Tyrol in winter snow.

The Music Richard Wagner’s innovative and immensely influential musicdramas were largely based on older German legend, notably on the Nibelungenlied, the basis of his tetralogy The Ring. Ludwig II was fascinated by Wagner and by his operas, on subjects that had long been dear to him. These include the opera Lohengrin, which Ludwig first saw in 1861, the beginning of his preoccupation with Wagner, and the earlier opera Tannhäuser. The music chosen also includes an overture by Heinrich Marschner to an opera based on the old Bohemian legend of Hans Heiling, son of an Earth Spirit.

A Musical Visit to Kulmbach and the Tin Soldier Museum

The Places On a hill above the ancient town of Kulmbach stands the imposing 12th century Hohenzollern fortress of Plassenburg. Among various collections on display is the remarkable Tin Soldier Museum, with various figures and dioramas that recreate battles and mirror the great castle itself, with a variety of scenes from all periods of human history.

The Music The March has an inevitable part to play in human history. Marco Polo remarked on the use of music by the armies of China to terrify the enemy before a battle. Military music, however, has a more precise purpose, whatever alarm it may strike into the hearts of those who hear it. Drums and trumpets may serve as useful signals, to advance or retreat, to eat or to sleep. The same instruments and their near relations may serve to keep an army moving together, and may serve to inspire feelings of bravery and patriotism. At the same time a march can provide a suitable accompaniment to an occasion of solemnity, a wedding, a funeral or a state ceremony. The music chosen for this tour offers a series of Marches by different composers, culminating in Mendelssohn’s Wedding March.