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NAXOS CD OF THE MONTH |
8570338
| CD | 747313033874
Canteloube Chants d'Auvergne Vol 2
Veronique Gens (soprano), Orchestre National de Lille, Serge Baudo (conductor)
- Second Volume of the top-selling set of Canteloube’s Songs of the Auvergne
- Vol 1 also available on Naxos 8557491
- Award-winning soprano Veronique Gens regularly performs with William Christie, Marc Minkowski, Philippe Herreweghe, Rene Jacobs, Christophe Rousset and other leading conductors
- Songs of the Auvergne is Canteloube’s best-loved work – gorgeous orchestral settings of traditional French chansons
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FROM THE HEART OF FRANCE WITH LOVE Since his death in 1957 Joseph Canteloube has become widely known for his folk-song arrangements, in particular his evergreen Chants d’Auvergne. The first volume was highly praised: '[Veronique Gens’] singing is smooth and delicate, with plenty of body in the tone for some of the earthier movements...This will no doubt become the interpretation for the present decade.' (The Gramophone). Vol 2 also includes two rarely performed works: excerpts from Chants de France and the Triptyque, three exquisite settings worthy of being ranked alongside the greatest songs by Chausson and Ravel.
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NAXOS |
8557757
| CD | 747313275724
Bloch Violin Concerto, Baal Shem for Violin Solo and Orchestra, Suite Hebraique
Zina Schiff (violin), Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Jose Serebrier (conductor)
- Ernest Bloch, recognised during his lifetime as a successor to Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms, wrote passionate Romantic music, rich in melodies and lushly orchestrated
- Violinist Zina Schiff, ‘luscious high voltage...vintage Heifetz’ (New York Times), is, in fact, a Jascha Heifetz protege who has dazzled audiences throughout North America, Europe and Australia
- The RSNO has a world-wide reputation for the quality of its recordings
- Jose Serebrier is one of the most recorded conductors of his generation, hailed by Leopold Stokowski as ‘The greatest master of orchestral balance’
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EPIC, PASSIONATE, POWERFUL A precocious violin talent, Ernest Bloch (1880-1959) left home at the age of seventeen to study with the illustrious Belgian violinist and composer, Eugene Ysaye. Bloch’s Violin Concerto is one of his most important works, drawing its major themes from American Indian songs heard on a visit to New Mexico. The Suite Hebraique, which draws on traditional melodies to evoke a sense of nostalgia, and the exotic tryptich Baal Shem (Three Pictures of Chassidic Life), are indelibly associated with this Romantic composer.
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NAXOS |
8557771
| CD | 747313277124
Haydn Symphonies Vol 32
Sinfonia Finlandia, Patrick Gallois (conductor)
- Haydn’s ever-popular music never fails to delight with its beauty, high spirits and superb craft: he deserves the name ‘Father of the Symphony’
- Sinfonia Finlandia performs with irresistible freshness and verve
- The famous flautist Patrick Gallois is now gaining a strong reputation as an outstanding conductor
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BIRTH OF THE CLASSICAL SYMPHONY The four symphonies included here (Nos 9-12), from early in Haydn’s career and from the beginnings of the Classical symphony, show that he was already a mature musician who approached each new symphony as an experiment in form and scoring. Symphony No 9 is more like an overture than a symphony, Symphonies Nos 10 and 12 dispense with the customary Minuet, while Symphony No 11, written in the older style of a church sonata, opens with a beautiful Adagio cantabile.
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NAXOS |
8570202
| CD | 747313020270
Hubay Fantaisie brillante on Bizet’s Carmen Op 3 No 3, Raff Duo on themes from Wagner’s Lohengrin, Op 63 No 3, Stravinsky Parasha’s Aria from Mavra, Golijov Desde mi ventana from Ainadamar Weill Song of Human Insufficiency/Mack the Knife, Prutsman Fantasy Extract on Themes from Der Rosenkavalier, Paganini I palpiti: Introduction and Variations on Di tanti palpiti from Rossini’s Tancredi, Bizet Au fond du temple saint from The Pearl Fishers, Lalo Aubade: Vainement, ma bien-aimee from Le roi d’Ys
Opera Fantasies for Violin
Livia Sohn (violin), Geoff Nuttall (violin, viola), Benjamin Loeb (piano)
- Perfect for opera lovers and violin/viola fans!
- Three world premieres: Golijov, Prutsman and Bizet
- First Prize in the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition, violinist Livia Sohn has been described as ‘having everything-youth, talent, and beauty’. She has appeared with over 65 orchestras on five continents.
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THE SINGING VIOLIN The virtuoso operatic fantasy came into its own in the 19th Century, notably with Paganini, whose variations on Rossini’s I Palpiti are included here. Stefan Frenkel's technically very demanding arrangements of songs from The Threepenny Opera provide a dazzling showpiece in the 19th-century virtuoso tradition. The haunting Desde mi ventana (From my window) from Osvaldo Golijov’s fusion opera Aimnadamar (Fountain of Tears) is heard in an arrangement for two violins and piano.
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NAXOS |
8570230
| CD | 747313023073
Liszt Hungarian Rhapsodies Nos 1-6
Staatskapelle Weimar, Arthur Fagen (conductor)
- Performed by Liszt's own orchestra
- The renowned Staatskapelle Weimar, founded more than 400 years ago, also employed JS Bach and Richard Strauss
- Its recording of Richard Strauss’ Alpine Symphony (Naxos 8557811) was Gramophone Editor’s Choice and BBC Music Magazine’s CD of the month
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THE ORIGINAL GYPSY ORCHESTRA Franz Liszt's fifteen Hungarian Rhapsodies, piano pieces in Hungarian gypsy style, won wide popularity, and six of these were later orchestrated, with the help of flautist and conductor Franz Doppler, to whom Liszt himself gave full credit for the work. The six orchestrations are, themselves, lively instrumental pieces, performed on this recording by the Weimar orchestra that Liszt himself once directed.
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NAXOS |
8570236
| CD | 747313023677
Grieg Peer Gynt Suites Nos 1 & 2, The First Meeting from The Fisher-Maiden Op 21 No 1, The Mountain Thrall Op 32, Six Orchestral Songs
Inger Dam-Jensen (soprano), Palle Knudsen (baritone), Malmo Symphony Orchestra, Bjarte Engeset (conductor)
- Includes all the best-loved movements from Peer Gynt: Morning, The Death of Ase, Anitra’s Dance and In the Hall of the Mountain King
- The multi-award-winning Malmo Symphony Orchestra is a young and vigorous ensemble from Sweden
- Inger Dam-Jensen ‘is a soprano who has everything – great looks, a sparkling voice that never loses its quality, glittering allure and intensity’ (Financial Times)
- Young baritone Palle Knudsen graduated from the Royal Opera Academy in 1998 and sings for the Royal Opera, Copenhagen
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NORDIC MAGIC Grieg’s greatly loved incidental music to Ibsen’s play Peer Gynt is among the foremost expressions of Norwegian national identity. Comprising the most popular numbers, Suite No 1 was an immediate success. Of Grieg’s 180 or so songs, many of which owe their inspiration to the composer’s wife, Nina, the yearning Solveig’s Song (track 11) is the most often performed. With The Mountain Thrall, the longest of Grieg’s orchestral songs, we enter the realm of the troll-forests, ruled by deadly dangerous supernatural powers.
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NAXOS |
8570289
| CD | 747313028979
Symphony No 2 in D minor ‘Elegiac’, Symphony No 5 in D major ‘L’Allegro ed il Penseroso’, Op 56
Stanford Symphonies Vol 2
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, David Lloyd-Jones (conductor)
- Stanford’s music is similar to that of Mendelssohn, Schumann and Brahms – melodious, Romantic repertoire – with a British accent
- The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra has an outstanding discography, including Stanford Symphonies Vol 1 (Nos 4 & 7) on Naxos 8570285
- ’Traditionalists will love these devoted performances’ (The Observer)
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VICTORIAN SYMPHONIES Among the British composers immediately before Elgar, the most significant was Sir Charles Villiers Stanford, whose seven symphonies cover the greater part of his career. These accomplished works boast resourceful and subtle orchestration. Symphony No 2, completed in 1880, is prefaced by a quotation from Tennyson’s In Memoriam. Symphony No 5 was inspired by Milton’s poems L’Allegro and Il Penseroso, lines from which are included in the score, and reprinted in the booklet accompanying this recording.
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NAXOS |
8570437
| CD | 747313043774
String Quartets No 1 in B flat minor Op 4, No 3 in D minor Op 7
Taneyev String Quartets Vol 1
Carpe Diem String Quartet
- Formed in 2004, Carpe Diem String Quartet is an exciting new group that has captured the imagination of audiences and critics alike
- Taneyev was the most trusted musician among Tchaikovsky's friends, and an accomplished composer in his own right
- In his music ‘Everything extraneous is discarded’, yet it possesses ‘extraordinary beauty and expressiveness’
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NOBLE RUSSIAN MUSIC A pupil of Tchaikovsky, Sergey Taneyev (1856–1915) is best known today for his four symphonies, though he also composed chamber music, including six string quartets. These beautifully crafted works are marked by technical assurance, dramatic inspiration and intense lyricism. The masterly five-movement Quartet No 1 includes two notable slow movements, while the lighter Quartet No 3 features a graceful theme with eight variations, alternately playful and contemplative.
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NAXOS EDUCATIONAL |
855818485
| CD2 | 636943199923
Wagner The Ring of the Nibelung
Opera Explained
Written and read by Stephen Johnson, performed by Stuttgart State Opera conducted by Lothar Zagrosek
- Uncovers the mystery of Wagner’s magnificent opera cycle The Ring, a saga of greed, deception, adventure, love, violence, murder and redemption
- One of the popular ‘Opera Explained’ music education titles on Naxos
- Stephen Johnson, voted Amazon.com Classical music Writer of the Year in 2003, is an engaging guide to this amazing music
- Great performances drawn from Naxos recordings (Das Rheingold 86617071, die Walkure 866017274, Siegfried 866017578, Gotterdammerung 866017982)
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SECRETS OF THE RING REVEALED This audiobook introduces in words and music the plot and background to one of the most ambitious operatic cycles in the history of Western music. For all its grandeur and complexity, Wagner's The Ring is much more accessible than is frequently thought, and this 2-CD guide introduces the characters, and shows how Wagner's revolutionary music adds fascinating layers of psychological insight and meaning to the ancient myths on which it is based. And, of course, it presents the most stirring musical highlights. Includes a 16-page booklet with notes by Jeremy Siepmann. ALSO AVAILABLE: An Introduction to Wagner's Tristan und Isolde (8558195) and The Flying Dutchman (8558013).
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CHANDOS CD OF THE MONTH |
CHAN10438
| CD | 095115143827
Korngold The Sea Hawke Suite (ed. Rumon Gamba)
Korngold Film Music Vol 2
BBC Philharmonic, Rumon Gamba (conductor)
- The ship-to-ship fights, chases, escapes, and of course sword fights in Errol Flynn's classic adventure film all find their way into Korngold’s score for The Sea Hawke
- The Korngold society considers this his film score masterpiece, eclipsing even the fabulous Robin Hood score
- Newly-created Suite on 1 CD
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THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD In the 50th Anniversary Year of Korngold's death comes this swashbuckling music from The Sea Hawke, specially arranged into a generous suite by Rumon Gamba, who also conducts. In six movements, the music follows the complete film score chronologically. Vol 1 of Korngold's Film Music - The Sea Wolf and The Adventures of Robin Hood - is also available (CHAN10336)
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HARMONIA MUNDI CD OF THE MONTH |
HMC90197071
| CD2 | 794881848126
Bach Solo Cello Suites
Jean-Guihen Queyras (cello)
- Cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras’ previous recordings have been Gramophone Editor's Choice, Chamber Music Choice in BBC Music Magazine, Strad Selection, 'E for Excepcional' in Scherzo magazine, BBC Radio 3’s CD of the week, and widely acclaimed around the world
- He has also been awarded the City of Toronto Glenn Gould International Protege Prize in Music by Pierre Boulez and the Glenn Gould Foundation
- His historic 1696 cello sounds simply divine – ideal for Bach
- 2-CD set with bonus DVD
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SMOOTH AS SILK JS Bach's Solo Cello Suites are among the supreme monuments of chamber music; when Jean-Guihen Queyras revels in this ‘irresistible vitality’ on his Gioffredo Cappa cello of 1696, the result is one of his most inspired recordings! BONUS DVD: complete filmed performance of the Third Suite and a behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of this set.
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HARMONIA MUNDI |
HMC90194950
| CD2 | 794881848423
Handel Solomon
Sarah Conolly (alto), Susan Gritton, Carolyn Sampson (soprano), Mark Padmore (tenor), David Wilson-Johnson (bass), RIAS Chamber Choir, Akademie fur Alte Musik, Daniel Reuss (conductor)
- Every musician is a star, including the choir and orchestra
- Includes ‘Arrival of the Queen of Sheba’
- ‘Solomon is universally recognized as one of Handel's finest masterpieces, not only with magnificent choruses, but more importantly containing rapturous love music, nature imagery, [and] affecting emotion’ (Gramophone Classical Good CD Guide)
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BAROQUE VOCAL SPLENDOUR Featuring the famous 'Arrival of the Queen of Sheba', Handel's oratorio Solomon here receives an outstanding performance by a dream cast of experts in Baroque music. Choruses both splendid and meltingly beautiful, with arias that rank among his very best, portray the wisdom and might of Israel's most glorious king - as only Handel can.
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HARMONIA MUNDI |
HMU90743132
| CD2 | 093046743123
JS Bach Well-tempered Clavier Book 1
Richard Egarr (harpsichord)
- The Well-tempered Clavier is a ‘must have’ classical masterpiece
- Unique release, based on the most recent scholarly research on Bach
- Richard Egarr is a world-renowned keyboardist whose recordings sell very well
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BACH'S OWN TEMPERAMENT Performing on a splendid 1638 Ruckers harpsichord tuned using the system recent research suggests that JS Bach himself advocated, Richard Egarr interprets Book 1 of the 'Old Testament' of keyboard music with customary taste and scholarship. This is a much-anticipated new release.
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HYPERION CD OF THE MONTH |
CDA67649
| CD | 034571176499
Rachmaninov Piano Concertos Nos 2, 3
Stephen Hough (piano), Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Andrew Litton (conductor)
- Special re-release of Rachmaninov’s best-loved concertos: ‘mouth-watering’ (Gramophone), ‘first-rate’ (BBC Music Magazine)
- The 3rd Piano Concerto is famous from the film Shine
- Stephen Hough received rave reviews across Australia during his recent Music Viva tour
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EXHILARATING, FRESH, JOYFUL Following on the heels of his acclaimed Australian tour for Musica Viva comes this re-release of Stephen Hough's acclaimed recordings of Rachmaninov's two most popular piano concertos. 'This is the best set of Rachmaninov's Piano Concertos ever recorded' exclaimed Classicstoday.com. Need anything more be said?
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NAIVE |
AM143
| CD4 | 822186001431
CD 1: Handel Flute and Oboe Sonatas CD 2: Vivaldi Flute and Cello Concertos CD 3: Furioso ma non troppo - works by Pandolfi, d'India, Selma y Salaverde, Frescobaldi, Falconieri, Caccini, Jacchini, Lotti, Corelli CD 4: Jeux des Dames a la Cour - Suites and Trio Sonatas by Barriere, de la Barre, Hotteterre, Philidor and Rameau
Europe Baroque
Heloise Gaillard (flute, oboe), Orphelie Gaillard (cello), Amaryllis
- 4 CDs FOR THE PRICE OF 1 - unbelievable value, an ideal gift!
- The Amarillis ensemble are a fresh, highly acclaimed young group
- Music by Baroque composers including Handel, Vivaldi, Corelli, and less familiar French and Italian masters
- Strongly recommended
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BEST OF BAROQUE Chamber music from the 17th and 18th Centuries rarely sounded so convincing, so deliciously coloured, so entrancing as on this 4-CD set featuring the multi-award-winning ensemble Amarillis. Its recordings are critically acclaimed. Also available: Telemann -Voyageur Virtuose (AM112), which was ABC Classic FM CD of the Week in April this year.
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NAIVE |
OP30455
| CD4 | 709861304554
CD 1: The Four Seasons CD 2: Concertos for Various Instruments CD 3: Concertos for Strings CD 4: Concertos for Bassoon, Oboe and Strings
Vivaldi Instrumental Music
Europa Galante, Fabio Biondi, Zefiro, Alfredo Bernardini, Concerto Italiano, Rinaldo Alessandrini, Sergio Azzolini, Hans Peter Westermann, Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca
- 4 CDs FOR THE PRICE OF 1 – unbelievable value, an ideal gift!
- ’Europa Galante are acknowledged as the world’s best.’ (Gramophone)
- Zefiro is renowned for its benchmark recordings of Baroque music featuring wind instruments
- Concerto Italiano has won 3 Gramophone Awards and innumerable other prizes
- Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca has worked with Cecilia Bartoli and won many awards in its own right
- With credentials like these, Vivaldi’s music is in great hands!
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VIVACIOUS VIVALDI Alongside The Four Seasons, this set presents concertos which feature solo instruments other than the violin in sparkling interpretations by leading European musicians who revel in Vivaldi's virtuosity and vibrancy. More than 30 works across four CDs make for a great introduction to Vivaldi's immensely popular compositions.
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NAIVE |
V5126
| CD4 | 822186051269
CD 1: Chants by Hildegarde von Bingen, from the Hortus Deliciarum of Harrad von Landsberg CD 2: Vivaldi Gloria, Magnificat, concertos CD 3: JS Bach Cantatas with violoncello piccolo BWV 180, 49, 115 CD 4: Mozart Mass in C Minor
Sacred Music
Discantus, Concerto Italiano, Barbara Schlick, Andreas Scholl, Christoph Pregardien, Gotthold Schwarz, Limoges Baroque Ensemble, Christophe Coin, Sandrine Piau, Paul Agnew, Frederic Caton, Accentus, La Chambre Philharmonique, Emmanuel Krivine
- 4 CDs FOR THE PRICE OF 1 – unbelievable value, an ideal gift!
- Includes Vivaldi’s immortal Gloria, Mozart’s magnificent Mass in C minor, delightful Bach cantatas and Medieval chants by Hildegarde of Bingen
- ’Swoon’ music by any standard, especially with such great performers
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DIVINE VOICES Sublime chant and masterpieces by Vivaldi, Bach and Mozart come to life in this great 4-CD set. Living legends such as Andreas Scholl (who visits Australia early next year), Sandrine Piau, Christophe Coin, Paul Agnew, Barbara Schlick and many more make this a 'must have' collection.
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NAIVE |
V5127
| CD4 | 822186051276
CD 1: Rodrigo Concertio de Aranjuez (1939), Sones en la giralda, Concierto Serenata (1952) CD 2: Ginastera Estancia, Harp Concerto, Glosses sobre temes de Pau Casals CD 3: French Music for Solo Harp by Caplet, Tournier, Faure, Pierne, Debussy, Sancan and Constant CD 4: Chamber Music for Harp by Ravel, Debussy, Caplet, Cras and Saint-Saens
Music for Harp
Isabelle Moretti (harp), Royal Symphony Orchestra of Seville, Edmon Colomer (conductor), Lyon National Orchestra, David Robertson (conductor), Michel Moragues (flute), Pascal Moragues (clarinet), Dominique Desjardins (double bass), Parisii Quartet
- 4 CDs FOR THE PRICE OF 1 – unbelievable value, an ideal gift!
- Includes Rodrigo’s famous Concierto de Aranjuez
- Delightful harp rarities from Argentina and France well worth discovering
- Outstanding performers from Spain and France play exquisitely
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INSTRUMENT OF THE ANGELS The harp is both one of the oldest instruments and ideally suited to modern music, as this exquisite 4-CD set shows. Isabelle Moretti is probably the finest classical harpist alive today. She is the youngest-ever full professor of harp at the Paris Conservatory. Her astounding musicianship brings the harp into focus as an instrument of true virtuosity and power.
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NAIVE |
V5128
| CD4 | 822186051283
CD 1: Beethoven Works for Flute and Piano CD 2: Schubert Introduction and Variations, Sonatas for Flute and Piano CD 3: Weber Sonatas for Flute and Piano CD 4: Works for Flute and Piano by Debussy, Varese, Dutilleux, Jolivet, Messiaen, Dusapin, Tanguy and Hersant
Music for Flute
Emmanuel Pahud (flute), Eric Lesage (piano), Juliette Hurel (flute), Helene Couvert (piano)
- 4 CDs FOR THE PRICE OF 1 – unbelievable value, an ideal gift!
- Melody is to the fore in this gorgeous set of irresistible flute classics
- Accomplished performers work together like a charm
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THE MAGIC FLUTES Emmanuel Pahud has toured with the Australian Chamber Orchestra to critical and audience acclaim. His colleagues Lesage, Hurel and Couvert - superlative artists all - breathe new life into charming music from the Classical, Romantic and Modern repertoires.
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CHRISTOPHER NUPEN FILMS |
A07CND
| DVD | 814446010031
Who was Jacqueline du Pre? Interlude with Brahms, Remembering Jacqueline du Pre PLUS previously unpublished interview
Jacqueline du Pre - A Celebration
Jacqueline du Pre, Daniel Barenboim, Pinchas Zukerman, Itzhak Perlman, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Lady Evelyn Barbirolli, Sir John Barbirolli, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Elizabeth Wilson, William Pleeth and others
- 3 ½ hours of music and documentaries exploring the tragically short career of cellist Jacqueline du Pre
- Unique archival footage, interviews and performances
- ’Heart-stopping’ (The Times)
- Excellent educational resource and highly enjoyable for the music-lover
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A FITTING TRIBUTE This carefully crafted DVD presents cellist Jacqueline du Pre through the eyes, ears and words of those who knew her best as well as through the music she made. Archival images and a previously unreleased interview filmed in 1980 complete an unforgettable tribute to a great performer.
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DRG |
DRGCD19106
| CD | 021471910629
Gilbert and Sullivan The Mikado
Groucho Marx, 1960 TV Cast
- Great for G&S fans and Groucho Marx devotees
- Historic TV production, long out of print, now on CD for the first time
- A highly collectible rarity
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WITH GROUCHO MARX as Ko Ko, Stanley Holloway as Pooh-Ba, Barbara Meister as Yum-Yum, Robert Rounseville as Nanki-Poo, Helen Traubel as Katisha and Denis King in the title role, this must be one of the wackiest productions of The Mikado ever! First time on CD for this Bell Television Hour presentation. 20 tracks with all the hit songs.
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STORYVILLE JAZZ |
26024
| DVD | 880491260240
The Spike Jones Story
Spike Jones, Milton Berle, Danny Thomas, Dr Demento, Billy Barty, George Rock, Earl Bennett, Ruth Foster, Joe Siracusa, Mousie Garner, Bernie Jones, Eddie Brandt
- Spike Jones fans are going crazy over this unique DVD!
- Star-studded cast of colleagues, footage from Spike’s TV show and much rare footage, too
- A fine and very funny tribute to a comic genius
- One of eleven superb new jazz DVDs (see ‘storyville films jazz legends’ section below)
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COMIC CLASSIC Lindley Armstrong 'Spike' Jones (1911-1965) was a popular musician and bandleader specializing in performing satirical arrangements of popular songs. On this 60-minute DVD, the ONLY audio/visual biography ever made, clips and quick editing capture Spike's unique brand of music. His friends, co-workers and family reveal details about the man himself in documentary style.
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naxos
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MARCO POLO |
8225316
| CD | 636943531624
String Quartets Nos 33 & 35, Potpourri No 1 Op 5
Spohr String Quartets Vol 12
Dima Quartet
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YOUNG ROMANTIC Louis Spohr was one of the most important violinist-composers of early German Romanticism. His quartets combine technical brilliance with loftier musical aims; No 33 includes an intensely felt Adagio molto, one of his finest slow movements. No 35 returns to the classical ideals of Haydn and Mozart. The Potpourri in G major was the 20-year-old’s first work for string quartet.
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NAXOS |
8503191
| CD3 | 747313319138
Rachmaninov Complete Symphonies, Caprice Bohemien Op 12, Morceaux de fantaisie Op 3 Nos 3 & 4
National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Alexander Anissimov (conductor)
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RUSSIAN SYMPHONIC CLASSICS Although Rachmaninov's First Symphony was a gargantuan failure at its premiere (he tore up the score, however after his death the orchestral parts were found in the Leningrad Conservatory and the score was reconstructed), the second and third symphonies are both considered among his greatest works.
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NAXOS |
8557525
| CD | 747313252527
Six Songs Op 8, Friede auf Erden Op 13, Six Pieces for Male Chorus a cappella Op 35, Ei du Lutte, Kol Nidre Op 39, Moses und Aron: Excerpts from ‘The Golden Calf and The Altar’ (Act II, Scene 3)
Schoenberg Orchestral Songs
Jennifer Welch-Babidge (soprano), David Wilson-Johnson (rabbi-narrator), Simon Joly Chorale, Philharmonia Orchestra, Robert Craft (conductor)
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VOLUME VII OF THE ROBERT CRAFT SCHOENBERG COLLECTION begins with the early Six Songs which show the influence of Wagner. The originality and the musical beauties of Six Pieces for Male Chorus must be heard to be believed. Kol Nidre is a little-known mini-masterpiece. The excerpts from the ‘Golden Calf’ scene of Schoenberg’s unfinished opera Moses und Aron depict the sacrifice of a young girl and a quartet of naked virgins, followed by an orgy of destruction and suicide.
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NAXOS |
8557735
| CD | 747313273522
includes world premiere recordings of Carnaval de Pierrot (1910) and Melodia da montanha (Serra da Piedade de
Belo Horizonte)
Villa-Lobos Piano Music Vol 6
Sonia Rubinsky (piano)
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BRAZILIAN PIANO MUSIC Of all the volumes in this series, this one presents the most diverse sample of Villa-Lobos’s musical language and techniques. The pieces take their inspiration from a wide variety of sources, including children’s games, Brazilian traditional music, avant-garde techniques, and extra-musical elements. It includes Villa-Lobos’s most important work for piano solo (the Rudepoema).
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NAXOS |
8559214
| CD | 636943921425
Rochberg Symphony No 1
Saarbrucken Radio Symphony Orchestra, Christopher Lyndon-Gee (conductor)
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WORLD PREMIER RECORDING Rochberg’s Symphony No 1, his first large-scale work, is unlike the anguished Second (Naxos 8559182). The First is a young composer’s exultant exploration of his maturing technique and powers of invention. More than fifty years on, this powerfully individual work has stood the test of time.
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NAXOS |
8559291
| CD | 636943929124
Thomson The Plow that Broke the Plains, The River
Post-Classical Ensemble, Angel Gil-Ordonez (conductor)
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LANDMARK AMERICAN DOCUMENTARIES The Plow that Broke the Plains (1936) and The River (1937) are available on Naxos DVD 2110521. Virgil Thomson’s scores are among the most famous ever composed for the movies. Aaron Copland praised the music for The Plow for its 'frankness and openness of feeling' and that for The River as 'a lesson in how to treat Americana'.
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NAXOS |
8559348
| CD | 636943934821
Capriccio, Tombeau d’Ernesto Nazareth, Cello Suite No 1 in C minor, Decalage, Dark Music, Cello Sonata
Bolcom Complete Works for Cello
Norman Fischer (cello), Jeanne Kierman (piano), Andrea Moore (timpani)
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AN AMERICAN MASTER William Bolcom’s Capriccio combines aspects of Milhaud and Brahms, Suite No 1 expands on music written for Arthur Miller’s tragic Broken Glass, Decalage is strongly influenced by the music of Pierre Boulez, and Dark Music recalls certain plays of Samuel Beckett. In contrast, Bolcom’s Cello Sonata echoes Schubert and Brahms.
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NAXOS |
8559366
| CD | 636943936627
Three Character Studies (2001), 24 Variations on a Bach Chorale (2002), Lyric Pieces for Trio (2004), Tango Bittersweet (1990, revised 2006), Saloon Songs (2005)
Hersch Concert Music 2001–2006
Natasha Paremski, Blair McMillen, Fred Hersch (piano), Dorothy Lawson (cello), The Gramercy Trio
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AWARD-WINNING JAZZ PIANIST AND COMPOSER Fred Hersch is one of the most important musicians in the world today. This is first collection of his through-composed concert works features the virtuosic 24 Variations on a Bach Chorale and the deeply romantic Lyric Piece for Trio, two sets of piano character pieces (including the stunning Nocturne for the Left Hand Alone) and the poignant Tango Bittersweet.
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NAXOS |
8570297
| CD | 747313029778
R Strauss Songs of Love and Death
Hedwig Fassbender (mezzo-soprano), Hilko Dumno (piano)
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LYRICAL MASTERPIECES Song was Richard Strauss’ lifetime companion, from Weihnachtslied written at the age of six and Nebel written when he was fourteen, to the Four Last Songs that completed his life’s work. This recording presents 22 Lieder, including such favourites as Ruhe meine Seele, Zueignung and Allerseelen, all of which display Strauss’ mastery.
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NAXOS |
8570465
| CD | 747313046577
Maslanka Symphony No 3 for Symphonic Wind Ensemble (1991), Sleeper Trumpet Concerto (2003)
Reflections
Craig Morris (trumpet), Frost Wind Ensemble at the University of Miami, Gary Green (conductor)
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MAGICAL, MYSTICAL BRASS MUSIC Thomas Sleeper's music has been described as ‘hauntingly mysterious’ and ‘richly lyrical’. His Trumpet Concerto was written for conductor Gary Green and soloist Craig Morris, who perform it here. David Maslanka is best known for his works for winds and percussion. The animal and Indian spirits of the Rocky Mountains echo in his Symphony No 3.
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NAXOS |
8570516
| CD | 747313051670
Apres une lecture de Dante ‘Dante Sonata’, ‘Dante Symphony’
Liszt Complete Piano Music Vol 26
Franz Liszt Piano Duo, Hungarian Radio Children’s Choir, Barbara Szmodics (treble), Gabriella Thesz (conductor)
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NAXOS LISZT PIANO MUSIC SERIES continues with the ‘Dante Sonata’ (Annees de pelerinage, Deuxieme Annee, Italie, No 7: Apres une lecture de Dante: Fantasia quasi Sonata) arranged for two pianos by Vittorio Bresciani and Eine Symphonie zu Dantes Divina Commedia, the ‘Dante Symphony’, transcribed for two pianos and chorus by the composer.
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NAXOS |
8570531
| CD | 747313053179
Arnold Overture Beckus the Dandipratt Op 5, Fantasy on a Theme of John Field Op 116, Concerto for Two Pianos (Three Hands) Op 104, Concerto for Piano Duet and Strings Op 32
Phillip Dyson, Kevin Sargent (pianos), Ulster Orchestra, Esa Heikkila (conductor)
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POPULAR BRITISH CONCERTOS Composed in 1951 the Concerto for Piano Duet and Strings is one of Malcolm Arnold’s finest concertos, full of technical display, melody, contrast and colour. The 'Three-handed' Concerto, written for the legendary husband-and-wife team, Phyllis Sellick and Cyril Smith, contrasts dark tragedy with meltingly romantic melodies, and closes with a brilliantly witty rumba.
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NAXOS |
NMIL51
| CD50 | 636943050019
Milken Archive Essential Jewish Music Library
Various Artists
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STUNNING 50-CD BOX SET Launched in 2003 and described by the Chicago Tribune as 'the most comprehensive documentation, ever, of music reflecting Jewish life and culture in America', the music on the Milken Archive CDs - all newly recorded - encompasses classical, liturgical and other sacred works, theatrical, popular and folk idioms.
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[back to top] | [back to naxos]
classical cd & sacd
aeon |
ambroise |
ambronay |
bbc legends |
bis |
calliope |
canary classics |
chandos |
cpo |
etcerera |
gimmell |
haenssler classic |
harmonia mundi |
hat hut |
hyperion |
helios |
k617 |
ligia |
lpo |
lyrita |
mirare |
ondine |
orfeo |
praga digitals |
profil medien |
satirno |
supraphon |
tahra |
ysaye records |
zig zag
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AEON |
AE0752
| CD | 3760058367520
Jarrell Orchestral Music
…prism/incidences…
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Pascal Rophe (conductor)
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SWITZERLAND'S LEADING COMPOSER In Michael Jarrell's music one encounters his love of the art of composition in the way he uses the instruments as well as his involvement with the performers for whom he writes. His music has been described as having its own sense of spontaneity, immediacy and transparency, 'at once carnal and sensitive'.
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AEON |
AE0754
| CD | 3760058367544
Combier Various Works
Vies silencieuses
Ensemble Cairn, Guillaume Bourgogne (conductor)
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SILENT LIVES French composer Jerome Combier writes: 'the wind may make itself heard in the space that music occupies…light, shadow, smoke will speak of the effort spent in the quest to restore to music the immateriality which belongs to it'. His evocative music has been described as sombre and elegant.
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AEON |
AE0755
| CD | 3760058367551
Brahms Violin Sonatas
Teddi Papavrami (violin), Philippe Bianconi (piano)
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MUSIC WRITTEN FOR A FRIEND The performers have remarked that Brahms' music 'is etched in our hearts [and is] a large part of what is most precious in our lives'. This affection is evident in these fine performances of the three Violin Sonatas, which were written for his friend and colleague, the legendary violinist Joseph Joachim.
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AMBROISIE |
AM105
| CD | 0822186001059
Anon Mass, Cantasi come, Ad vesperas
Favetina - Liturgical Music (1390-1420)
Mala Punica, Pedro Memelsdorff (director)
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A NEW APPROACH TO CHURCH MUSIC On this quite startling disc Medieval chants are performed with a fascinating filigree of instrumental embellishment rather than with the austerity of unaccompanied voices. The effect is revelatory - folk and courtly music seem to dance through ecclesiastical space. Scholarly research, superb performances, and great music make this a compelling experience.
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AMBROISIE |
AM130
| CD | 0822186001301
Elegie Op 24, Cello Sonatas Op 109, Op 117, Romance Op 69 Papillon Op 77, Sicilienne Op 78, After a Dream
Faure Cello and Piano Works
Orphelie Gaillard (cello), Bruno Fontaine (piano)
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DISCOVER ANOTHER SIDE TO FAURE Voted ‘Revelation: Solo Instrumentalist of the Year’ at the French Classical Music Awards in 2003, the Franco-Swiss cellist Orphelie Gaillard joins acclaimed pianist Bruno Fontaine in these delicious performances of Faure's cello and piano works. BONUS: AMBROISIE CATALOGUE
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AMBROISIE |
V5063
| CD | 822186050637
Chausson, R Strauss, Debussy, Zemlinksy, Koechlin, Schoenberg Songs
Evocation
Sandrine Piau (soprano), Susan Manoff (piano)
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CALM, LIGHT AND VOLUPTUOUS Sandrine Piau is simply divine! Her fluid, crystal-clear voice is shot through with light and shade, infinitely subtle and irresistibly sensuous, in these intelligent - indeed, inspired - interpretations of songs about women's lives and loves. Piau describes this as her 'most personal and intimate' album. 10/10 on all counts.
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AMBRONAY |
AMY011
| CD | 3760135100118
Druschetzsky Mass in B-flat
M Haydn Missa Sancti Hieronymi
Arsys Bourgogne, Zefiro Ensemble, Pierre Cao (conductor)
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MASSES FOR VOICES AND WINDS Michael Haydn, Joseph's younger brother, and Georg Druschetzsky were famous exponents of music for wind band around the end of the 18th Century. These two Mass settings, in which the voices are accompanied only by organ and winds instruments, are unjustifiably little known today - until now!
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BBC LEGENDS |
BBCL50012
| CD4 | 684911100129
CD 1: Beethoven Symphony No 9 CD 2: Smetana The Bartered Bride Overture, Dvorak Symphony No 8, Janacek Sinfonietta CD 3: Beethoven Symphony No 7, Brahms Symphony No 3 CD 4: Weber Oberon Overture, Schubert Symphony No 9, Brahms Tragic Overture
Klaus Tennstedt - Portrait of a Legend
Mari Anne Haggander, Alfreda Hodgson, Robert Tear, Gwynne Howell, London Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra, Klaus Tennstedt (conductor)
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GREAT CONDUCTOR With recordings made in the Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall spanning 1983 to 1991, this 4-CD set is a remarkable survey of Klaus Tennstedt's artistry with one of the world's greatest orchestras. Core European orchestral repertoire performed by great musicians.
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BBC LEGENDS |
BBCL50022
| CD3 | 684911100228
CD 1: Grieg Piano Concerto, Debussy Preludes Book 1 CD 2: Beethoven Piano Sonatas Nos 12 and 4, Debussy Hommage a Rameau, Ravel Gaspard de la nuit CD 3: Scarlatti Keyboard Sonatas, Beethoven Piano Sonata No 32, Clementi Piano Sonata Op 12 No 1, Chopin Piano Sonata No 2
Arturo Benedetti Michangeli - Portrait of a Legend
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (piano)
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A GIANT OF THE KEYBOARD and regarded by many as without peer, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli is showcased here in three great CDs which survey his career from 1951 through to 1982. Recorded in the Royal Festival Hall and BBC Studios, London. From Scarlatti to Ravel, with a nice sampling of Classical and Romantic repertoire.
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BBC LEGENDS |
BBCL50032
| CD3 | 684911100327
CD 1: Shostakovich Violin Concertos Nos 1, 2, Ysaye Amitie Op 26 CD 2: Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, Brahms Violin Concerto CD 3: Beethoven Violin Concerto, Mozart Violin Concerto No 4
David Oistrakh - Portrait of a Legend
David and Igor Oistrakh (violin), Philharmonia, USSR State Symphony, London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestras, Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, Evgeny Svetlanov, Malcolm Sargent, Norman Del Mar, Kyrill Kondrashin (conductors)
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A MASTERFUL VIOLINIST, David Oistrakh is without doubt a legendary performer, as these recordings from 1960 to 1965 attest. These are classic recordings, made in Usher Hall Edinburgh, Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall, of music from Beethoven to Shostakovich that displays his stunning technique and musical passion.
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BBC LEGENDS |
BBCL50042
| CD4 | 68911100426
CD1: Chopin Andante spianato, Grand polonaise Op 22, Liszt Piano Concertos Nos 1, 2, Hungarian Fantasia CD 2: Mozart Piano Sonata K283, Tchaikovsky The Seasons excerpts, Rachmaninov Etudes-tableaux, Scriabin Piano Sonata No 9 'Black Mass', Prokofiev Piano Sonata No 4 CD 3: Beethoven Piano Sonatas Nos 9, 10, Schubert Wanderer Fantasy, Schumann Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Abegg Variations, Chopin Etude No 10 Op 4 CD 4: Schubert Moments musicaux Nos 1, 3, 6, Piano Sonata No 6, Chopin Barcarolle, Liszt Piano Sonata
Sviatoslav Richter - Portrait of a Legend
Sviatoslav Richter (piano), London Symphony Orchestra, Kyrill Kondrashin (conductor)
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LEGENDARY RUSSIAN PIANIST Sviatoslav Richter was at home in repertoire from the Baroque to the Modern. On these four discs, his powerful interpretations of Classical and Romantic composers are the focus. Recorded between 1961 and 1966 in Aldeburgh and London.
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BIS |
BISCD1410
| CD | 7318590014103
Villa-Lobos Bachianas Brasileiras Nos 1, 4, 5, 6
Donna Brown (soprano), Jean Louis Steuerman (piano), Sato Moughalian (flute), Alexandre Silvero (bassoon), Cellists of Sao Palo Symphony Orchestra, Roberto Minczuk (conductor)
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BRAZILIAN CLASSICS The Bachianas Brasileiras, a series of nine suites by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, were written for various combinations of instruments and voices between 1930 and 1945. Each represents a fusion between Brazilian folk and popular music and the style of JS Bach. As usual, this BIS recording is peerless.
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BIS |
BISCD1424
| CD | 7318590014240
Wurtemberg Sonatas Nos 4, 5, 6
CPE Bach Solo Keyboard Music Vol 17
Miklos Spanyi (clavichord)
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EXPRESSIVE AND FORWARD-LOOKING Described as 'another magisterial achievement' by Early Music Review, BIS's survey of CPE Bach's keyboard music continues with the final three of the masterful Wurtemberg Sonatas. These works are almost Romantic in conception and are performed on CPE Bach's favourite instrument, the intimate and expressive clavichord.
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BIS |
BISCD1617
| CD | 7318590016176
Cello Concerto, Cello Sonata, Cello Sonatina, Sonatina for Violin and Cello
Christian Poltera Plays Honegger
Christian Poltera (cello), Malmo Symphony Orchestra, Tuomas Ollila-Hannikainen (conductor), Kathryn Stott (piano), Christian Tetzlaff (violin)
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COSMOPOLITAN CELLO Originally composed for clarinet, Honegger's Cello Sonata and Sonatina work very well in their alternative guises. As with the other works on this gorgeous disc, Honegger's love of Bach and fascination with blues and jazz shine through. Christian Poltera has received a Borletti-Buitoni Award, was selected as a BBC New Generation Artist and was appointed a European Concert Hall Organisation 'Rising Star'.
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BIS |
BISCD1657
| CD | 7318590016572
Norway: Five Songs by John Paulsen Op 5, Nine Songs Op 18, Six Elegiac Songs of John Paulsen Op 59, Songs without opus number
Grieg Songs Vol 6
Monica Groop (mezzo-soprano), Roger Vignoles (piano)
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GRIEG IN LOVE Grieg's songs are, sadly, little known, yet they represent some of his most intimate and personal works. The previous five volumes garnered the highest praise: 'irresistible...thrilling' (BBC Music Magazine), 'dramatic…totally idiomatic' (Gramophone). Volume 6 presents songs in Norwegian and Danish on the eternal subject of love.
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BIS |
BISCD166768
| CD4 | 7318591667681
Rimsky-Korsakov Complete Symphonies, Sheherazade, Capriccio Espagnol, The Tsar's Bride Overture, Russian Easter Festival Overture, Sadko, The Tale of the Tsar Saltan Suite, Pan Voyevoda Suite, Fantasia on Serbian Themes, Christmas Eve Suite, Overture on R
Noriko Ogawa (piano), Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Kees Bakels (conductor)
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4 CDs FOR THE PRICE OF 2! This is without doubt the best introduction to Rimsky-Korsakov's richly scored, impeccably-crafted orchestral music. Alongside many favourites are rarities such as the Piano Concerto. Ask about other great value BIS Box Sets of Russian Orchestral Music: RACHMANINOV THE THREE SYMPHONIES 3 for 2 (BISCD166566), GLAZUNOV
THE COMPLETE SYMPHONIES 5 for 2 (BISCD166364) and SCRIABIN ORCHESTRAL MUSIC 3 for 2 (BISCD166970).
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BIS |
BISCD166970
| CD3 | 7318591669708
Symphonies Nos 1, 2, 3, Prometheus (The Poem of Fire), Reverie Op 24, The Poem of Ecstasy, Piano Concerto
Scriabin Orchestral Music
Inger Blom (mezzo-soprano), Lars Magnusson (tenor), Stockholm Philharmonic Choir, Love Derwinger, Ronald Pontinen (piano), Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Leif Segerstam (conductor)
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3 CDs FOR THE PRICE OF 2! From his first large-scale orchestral work (the Piano Concerto of 1897) to his last completed piece (Prometheus of 1909-10) Scriabin cultivated the intricate sonorities of the symphony orchestra with passion, creating a musical universe where grandeur and divine humour dance together to the music of the spheres. Mystical and magnificent music.
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BIS |
BISSACD1536
| SACD | 7318599915364
Victorious Love - Songs by Henry Purcell
Carolyn Sampson (soprano), Laurence Cummings (harpsichord, spinet), Elizabeth Kenny (archlute, theorbo), Anne-Marie Lasla (bass viol), Sarah Sexton, Andrea Morris (violin), Jane Rogers (viola)
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WHAT MAGIC HAS VICTORIOUS LOVE Carolyn Sampson has true star quality born of her infallible musicality and a voice that has been described as 'angelic'. For her first solo recital disc on BIS, she has chosen songs by the master of 17th-century English song, Henry Purcell, which allow her to showcase her extraordinary range and flexibility.
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BIS |
BISSACD1563
| SACD | 7318599915630
Shostakovich Symphonies Nos 9, 12
Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Mark Wigglesworth (conductor)
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AN OUTSTANDING RELEASE Mark Wigglesworth was described in BBC Music Magazine as 'the finest Shostakovich interpreter of his generation'. He returns with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic with this recording of Shostakovich's Symphonies No 9 and No 12.
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BIS |
BISSACD1566
| SACD | 7318599915661
Dvorak Symphonies Nos 6, 9
Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Thomas Dausgaard (conductor)
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NEW LOOK AT THE NEW WORLD Thomas Dausgaard and his orchestra take on one of the absolute mainstays of the Romantic repertoire for symphony orchestra: Dvorak's Symphony No 9 'From the New World' and couple it with the less well known but no less delightful Sixth. The use of chamber orchestra gives these great works a seldom-heard clarity and charm.
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BIS |
BISSACD1568
| SACD | 7318599915685
Etudes Op 18 No 2, Op 2, Sonatas No 2 (Sonata-Fantaisie) Op 19, No 5 Op 53, No 9 (Black Mass) Op 68, Four Mazurkas Op 3, Valse Op 38
Yevgeny Sudbin Plays Scriabin
Yevgeny Sudbin (piano)
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MUSICAL MADNESS In his liner notes to this wonderful recording, Yevgeny Sudbin writes: 'Oh, how easy it is to become possessed by Scriabin, one of the most enigmatic and controversial and artistic personalities of all time.' The works on this disc certainly reveal the composer's unique brand of musical madness, where delirious virtuosity nonetheless requires perfect technique and not a little courage!
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BIS |
BISSACD1618
| SACD | 7318599916187
Double Piano Concerto KV365, Triple Piano Concerto KV242, Double Piano Concerto KV365
Mozart Concertos for Two and Three Pianos
Ronald Brautigam, Alexei Lubimov (fortepianos), Haydn Sinfonietta Wien, Manfred Huss (fortepiano, direction)
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SHOWCASE CONCERTOS Mozart wrote his piano concertos to display his own talents, and those of the other pianists who premiered them. These concertos for more than one solo instrument brim with his customary wit and charm, often calling for delightful interplay between the featured performers. Two versions of the E-flat major Concerto KV365 (with and without clarinets, trumpets and timpani) are included on this beautiful hybrid SACD.
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BIS |
BISSACD1661
| SACD | 7318599916613
At Rondane, I lay down so late, Two religious choral songs, Ave maris stella, Margaret's cradle song, Goodnight song for dobbin, Land-sighting, Last Spring, In the folk style, Four Psalms
Grieg Choral Music
The Norwegian Soloists' Choir, Grete Pedersen (conductor)
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GRIEG ANNIVERSARY YEAR TITLE Grieg's choral works are little known outside his native Norway. Many were inspired by folk songs, whose 'melodies are so lovely that they deserve to be preserved in artistic costume', as Grieg remarked. The Norwegian Soloists Choir are a flawless ensemble whose singing is simply sublime - ideal for these unaffected and very beautiful songs.
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BIS |
BISSACD170102
| SACD2 | 7318591701026
Bach Mass in B Minor
Carolyn Sampson, Rachel Nicholls (soprano), Robin Blaze (alto), Gerd Turk (tenor), Peter Kooij (bass), Bach Collegium Japan, Masaaki Suzuki (conductor)
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BENCHMARK BACH Eagerly awaited on the basis of the outstanding success of their Bach Cantatas series for BIS ('one of the greatest recording achievements' said MusicWeb International), this recording of the Mass in B minor involves a fabulous line-up of performers and promises to take its place among the benchmark recordings of this majestic and inspirational masterpiece.
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CALLIOPE |
CAL9369
| CD | 794881843121
Brahms String Sextets Op 18 and Op 36
Michal Kanka (viola), Joseph Kluson (cello), Talich Quartet
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SIX OF THE BEST - TWICE! Brahms's two string Sextets both pay tribute to three of his favourite composers - Haydn, Beethoven and Schubert - and usher in his late Romantic style with their new approach to harmony. The Czech performers are uniformly marvellous, combining lush sonority with faultless technique and intelligent interpretations.
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CALLIOPE |
CAL9370
| CD | 794881843220
Shostakovich Piano Trios Nos 1, 2 and Romances on Poems of Alexander Bloch
Evgenia Grekova (soprano), Yakov Kasman (piano), Petr Macecek (violin), Petr Prause (cello)
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THREE FACES OF SHOSTAKOVICH Three works for piano trio written during three periods in Shostakovich's life, with four great performers to bring them to life! The verve of his 1st Piano Trio, written when he was only 17, is offset by the terror of death express in his 1967 setting of Alexander Bloch's poems, while the 2nd Piano Trio of 1944 is dedicated to the memory of his closest friend Ivan Sollertinsky.
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CALLIOPE |
CAL9750
| CD | 794881860227
Alain Organ Works
Marie-Claire Alain (organ)
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HER FATHER'S MUSIC On this unique disc, acclaimed organist Marie-Claire Alain pays tribute to her father Albert Alain (1880-1971). Influenced by great predecessors such as Franck, Vierne and Faure, Alain's organ music was written for the very instrument on which his daughter plays - the organ of St Germain-en-Laye.
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CANARY CLASSICS |
CC03
| CD | 892118001037
Violin Sonata No 1, Romance Op 28, Fileuse Op 80 No 2, Sicilienne from Pelleas et Melisande, Berceuse Op 16, Serenade toscane, Andante Op 75, Clair de Lune Op 46 No 2, Morceau de lecture a vue, Piano Trio Op 120, Apres un reve
The Faure Album
Gil Shaham (violin), Akira Eguchi (piano), Brinton Smith (cello)
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TOO FABULOUS TO BE FORGOTTEN Faure's chamber music is deeply loved by those who know it. This disc should add significantly to their number. Renowned violinist Gil Shaham needs no introduction. Pianist Akira Eguchi has been acclaimed for his extraordinary artistry, maturity and intelligence (New York Times), while the New York Newsday has praised Brinton Smith for extraordinary musicianship.
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CANARY CLASSICS |
CC04
| CD | 892118001044
He Zhanhao and Chen Gang The 'Butterfly Lovers' Concerto, Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
Gil Shaham (violin), Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Lan Shui (conductor)
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TWO CLASSIC VIOLIN CONCERTOS The 'Butterfly Lovers' Violin Concerto is one of the most famous works of Chinese music and certainly one of the most famous outside of China. It is an orchestral adaptation of an ancient legend, written for the western style orchestra with solo violin played using some Chinese techniques.
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CHANDOS |
CHAN10439
| CD | 095115143926
Nebuchadnezzar, Two Coronation Anthems, Three Songs of Praise Woodland Suite
Dyson Nebuchadnezzar and Other Works
Mark Padmore (tenor), Neal Davies (bass-baritone), BBC Symphony Chorus and Orchestra, Richard Hickox (conductor)
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WORLD PREMIERE RECORDINGS OF Sir George Dyson's immense choral cantata Nebuchadnezzar, the Woodland Suite and the orchestral version of Three Songs of Praise make this an important release. These superb performances further demonstrate Hickox's empathy with Dyson's late Romantic idiom.
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CHANDOS |
CHAN24139
| CD2 | 095115243923
Cello Concertos Nos 1, 2, Concerto Grosso No 2, Cello Sonatas Nos 1, 2
Alexander Ivashkin Plays Schnittke
Alexander Ivashkin (cello), Irina Schnittke (piano), Tatiana Grindenko (violin), Russian State Symphony Orchestra, Valeri Polyansky (conductor)
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2 CDs FOR THE PRICE OF 1 - ONLY AVAILABLE RECORDING of Schnittke's 1st Cello Concerto. Drawn from four previously released Chandos titles, this album also presents rarely recorded works that were praised on their first release as 'a must for collectors' (Gramophone) and 'wholly definitive' (Classic CD). As the composer's biographer, Ivashkin is uniquely placed to interpret Schnittke's music.
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CHANDOS |
CHAN3145
| CD2 | 095115314524
Janacek Katya Kabanova
Cheryl Barker, (soprano), Jane Henschel, Victoria Simmonds (mezzo-soprano), Robert Brubaker, Peter Hoare (tenor), Owen Webb (baritone), Gwynne Howell (bass), Chorus and Orchestra of Welsh National Opera, Carlo Rizzi (conductor)
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ONLY AVAILABLE RECORDING IN ENGLISH Australian soprano Cheryl Barker's interpretation of the title role of Janacek's 'most tender' opera is a 'huge achievement, rapturously sung, pertinently acted' (Venue Magazine) and praised as 'perfection' (Cornish Guardian). She performs for Opera Australia and tours for Musica Viva Australia next year.
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CHANDOS |
CHSA5055
| SACD | 095115505526
Mass in E-flat Op 109, Three Sacred Songs Op 69, Four Six-part motets Op 133, Eater Hymn Op 134
Rheinberger Sacred Choral Works
Phoenix Bach Choir, Kansas City Chorale, Charles Bruffy (conductor)
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ROMANTIC CHORAL MUSIC Previous collaborations of the Phoenix Bach Choir and Kansas City Chorale produced comments such as 'this is one of the finest a cappella choral recordings I've ever heard' (International Record Review) and 'formidible' (BBC Music Magazine). Now enjoy Rheinberger's ravishingly Romantic choral music on this new release.
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CHANDOS |
CHSA5056
| SACD | 095115505625
Tournemire Improvisations on the Te Deum, Bonnet Elves, Lamento, Saint-Saens Allegro giocoso, Franck Grande piece symphonique, Gigout Scherzo, Widor Symphonie Op 13 No 4
Grand Pieces Symphoniques
Ian Tracey (organ)
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BIG BRITISH ORGAN Liverpool Cathedral boasts one of the UK's largest organs and a generous acoustic, ideal for this spectacular recital by one of the leading exponents of French organ repertoire. Ian Tracey studied with Andre Isoir and Jean Langlais, so his credentials are impeccable, and his own artistry has gained the highest praise.
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CPO |
CPO7770322
| CD | 761203703227
Concerto for Two Horns, Concerto for Recorder and Transverse Flute, Oboe Concerto, Chamber Concerto for Recorder and Two Violins, Flute Concerto
Telemann Wind Concertos Vol 1
La Stagione Frankfurt, Camerata Koln
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BAROQUE DELIGHTS Telemann was an accomplished performer on all the wind instruments for which he composed concertos, so his writing has immediate appeal and delights in the many expressive moods offered: pastoral flutes and horns, sprightly recorders, amorous oboes engage in playful exchanges with the orchestra in music that blends Italian, French, German and Polish styles.
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CPO |
CPO7770472
| CD | 761203704729
Eine Lustspiel-Overtuere, Theme and Variations on a Poem of Chamisso, Symphonic Variations on Kol Nidrey BONUS HISTORICAL TRACKS: Eine Lustspiel-Overtuere, Overture to Donna Diana (cond. Reznicek 1922)
Reznicek Orchestral Works
WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne, Michail Jurowski (conductor)
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MASTER OF MUSICAL TRANSFORMATIONS Emil Nicolas von Reznicek (1860-1945) was a musical chameleon, perhaps the most multi-faceted of the late romantic Germans. Irony, tragedy, a serious sense of humour and dazzling technique combine in these little-known orchestral works. The composer himself conducts on the bonus historical tracks.
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CPO |
CPO7771772
| SACD | 761203717729
Symphony No 3 Op 78, Symphony No 10 WoO 8, Overture WoO 1
Spohr Symphonies Vol 1
NDR Radiophilharmonie, Howard Griffiths (conductor)
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SECOND ONLY TO BEETHOVEN During the early decades of the 19th Century, Louis Spohr (1784-1859) was ranked second only to Beethoven. His symphonies, however, remain more firmly indebted to Classical conventions. This disc includes the world premiere recording of Spohr's Tenth, whose score the composer withheld.
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CPO |
CPO7772032
| CD | 761203720323
Sobeck Wind Quintets Op 9, Op 11, Op 14
Albert Schweitzer Quintet
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GENIAL COMPOSER A virtuoso clarinettist, Johann Sobeck (1831-1914) wrote music whose vibrant melodies, harmonic riches and captivating rhythms make it hard to understand why it is so little known today. Each instrument (flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon) enjoys a chance to shine. This disc is an excellent way discover a genial composer's neglected oeuvre.
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CPO |
CPO7772302
| CD | 761203723027
Piano Trios Op 14 No 2 and Op 27
Onslow Complete Piano Trios Vol 1
Trio Cascades
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BEETHOVEN? CHOPIN? NO, ONSLOW! During his lifetime, George Onslow (1784-1853) was dubbed 'the French Beethoven' and his music was particularly well regarded in Germany. This disc allows us to rediscover two of his dramatically expressive, finely elaborated Piano Trios. There's also something of Chopin's brilliant piano style in this beautifully crafted chamber music.
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CPO |
CPO7772602
| CD | 761203726028
Rousseau Le Devin du Village
Gabriela Burgler, Michael Feyfar, Dominik Woerner, Cantus Firmus Chamber Choir and Consort, Andreas Reize (conductor)
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THE PHILOSOPHER COMPOSES Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) is perhaps best known for his philosophical writings in which, as with this influential one-act Intermezzo, he advocated a return to nature. His deliberately straightforward music perfectly suits the work's modern (as opposed to mythological) setting. Performed on period instruments.
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CPO |
CPO7772872
| SACD2 | 761203728725
SACD 1: Piano Concertos Nos 1-3 SACD 2: Piano Concertos Nos 4-6
Malipiero Complete Piano Concertos
Sandro Ivo Bartoli (piano), Saabrucken Radio Symphony Orchestra, Michele Carulli (conductor)
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INFLUENTIAL ITALIAN Gian Francesco Malipiero (1882-1973) was described by Dallapiccola as the most important Italian composer since Verdi and was a highly influential figure. His six piano concertos, written between 1934 and 1964, were described by the composer as 'orations' in which the soloist leads the orchestra like a speaker before an eagerly listening crowd.
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CPO |
CPO7773132
| CD | 761203731329
String Quartet No 4 Op 20, String Quartet No 16 Op 130
Weinberg String Quartets Vol 1
Quatuor Danel
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SHOSTAKOVICH'S SOULMATE Polish-born Mieczyslaw Weinberg was a close associate of Shostakovich, numbering himself 'among his pupils, his flesh and blood'. While Shostakovich's string quartets are central to the repertoire, Weinberg's seventeen quartets have, until recently, fallen into neglect, a situation that this new series of recordings aims to address.
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CPO |
CPO7773322
| CD | 761203733224
Cantatas by J Schelle, B Petritz, PH Erlebach, CA Jacobi, C Liebe, JE Bessel
Baroque Christmas Cantatas from Central Germany
Birte Kulawik, Dorothea Wagner, David Erler, Hans Joerg Mammel, Matthias Lutze, Saxon Vocal Ensemble, Batzdorfer Hofkapelle, Matthias Jung (conductor)
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CHRISTMAS CANTATAS Between Schutz and Bach lie a large number of forgotten composers whose music is exciting renewed interest today. This selection of Christmas cantatas from Central Germany represents a treasure trove of splendid festive compositions, and receives beautiful performances. These works are preserved in a unique set of manuscripts from Grimma that are now housed in Dresden.
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CPO |
CPO7773372
| CD | 761203733729
Sextet, Piano Phase, Eight Lines
Reich Chamber Works
Vincent Corver (piano), The London Steve Reich Ensemble, Kevin Griffiths (conductor)
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MINIMALISM TO THE MAX 'The London Steve Reich Ensemble is an outstanding group of young musicians. They have a superb feel for how to play my music,' says the composer himself. With such endorsement little more be said, except to note that the rhythm, drive and energy of Reich's amazing scores leap to life with refreshing vigour under their hands.
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CPO |
CPO7773392
| CD2 | 761203733927
Liszt The Legend of St Elizabeth
Renatus Meszar, Dagmar Peckova, Mario Hoff, Melanie Diener, Alexander Guenther, MDR Children's Choir, Goethe Highschool Choir Weimar, Hungarian Radio Choir, Staatskapelle Weimar, Carl St Clair (conductor)
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LISZT'S 'SACRED OPERA' Begun in Weimar in 1857 and completed in Rome in 1862, The Legend of St Elizabeth is one of Liszt's key works, yet is seldom heard today. This monumental oratorio is based on a cycle of six frescos by Moritz van Schwind depicting the life of St Elizabeth of Hungary. Among its many beauties, the scene depicting 'the miracle of the roses' is perhaps the most impressive.
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CPO |
CPO9999602
| CD2 | 761203996025
Vogel Thyl Claes
Eveline Didi, Jean Winiger, Marie-Therese Letornay, XVI Choir, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, Luca Pfaff (conductor)
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AN EPIC ADVENTURE Wladimir Vogel's epic oratorio on the legend of Thyl Ulenspiegel, based on the 1867 novel by Charles De Coster, shares its subject with Richard Strauss's famous tone poem Till Eulenspiegel but approaches it from a different angle. Vogel was a pupil of Busoni and his Thyl Claes ranks with Honegger's Joan of Arc as one of the 20th Century's most stirring oratorios.
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ETCERERA |
KTC1340
| CD | 8711801101699
Levens Messes des Morts I and II
Sagittarius, Arpege vocal ensemble, Michel Lapleine (conductor)
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WORLD PREMIERE RECORDING Campra, Delalande and Rameau each influenced the talented Charles Levens (1689-1764) whose two Requiem Masses for five choral voices, four soloists organ and continuo here receive their first recordings. Melodic and captivating music from an inventive composer.
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ETCERERA |
KTC1342
| CD | 8711801101712
Ricci Six Sinfonias Op 2
Emi-Ohi Resnick (violin), Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra, Jan Willem de Vriend (conductor)
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WORLD PREMIERE RECORDINGS Shorter than those of his contemporaries Haydn and Mozart, the symphonies of Francesco Pasquale Ricci (1732-1817) are equally entertaining essays in three movements. Harmonically inventive in harmonic and exquisitely orchestrated, these works are delightful discoveries for the modern listener.
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ETCERERA |
KTC1344
| CD | 8711801101736
Verbey Clarinet Concerto, Piano Concerto, Fractal Symphony
Sjef Douwes (clarinet), Ellen Corver (piano), Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Markus Stenz (conductor), Residentie Orchestra The Hague, Etienne Giebens (conductor), Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Jaap van Zweden (conductor)
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CITIZEN OF THE WORLD The music of Dutch composer Theo Verbey (born 1959) has affinities with that of his American contemporary John Adams. Described as a 'musical magpie', Verbey also calls to mind Holst, Haydn, Bartok, Berlioz and Stravinsky, as well as Japanese gagaku and Indonesian gamelan music. It's an endlessly fascinating mixture of orchestral timbres.
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ETCERERA |
KTC4023
| CD | 8711801101828
De Fragilitate - Pies Cantiones, sacred songs for a medieval Finnish school
Zefiro Torna, Antwerp Cathedral Choir
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MEDIEVAL CHRISTMAS The Pies Cantiones (1582), Finland's only early music collection, comprises medieval carols, sacred works and student songs with links to French, Spanish, Flemish and Italian sources. Many modern composers, Sibelius for instance, drew on the melodies preserved in these manuscripts which are here performed closer to their original form.
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GIMMELL |
CDGIM208
| CD2 | 755138120822
Masses for Three, Four and Five Voices, English and Latin motets, The Great Service
The Tallis Scholars Sing William Byrd
The Tallis Scholars, Peter Phillips (director)
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2 CDs FOR THE PRICE OF 1 Here is a fitting tribute to one of England's greatest composers performed by his most renowned British interpreters. All the great choral works are included in radiant recordings from 1984 through to 2006, charting The Tallis Scholars' enduring love affair with William Byrd. 28-page booklet.
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HAENSSLER CLASSIC |
CD93053
| CD | 4010276013037
Rossini Petite Messe Solenelle
Lucia Mazzaria (soprano), Helene Schneiderman (alto), Kenneth Tarver (tenor), Reiner Holthaus (bass), Roberto Szidon, Richard Metzler (piano), Detlef Dorner (harmonium)
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ROSSINI'S MARVELLOUS MASS The Petite Messe Solennelle is one of Rossini's last large-scale works. This is the first CD recording (made in 1995) of the original version for four solo voices accompanied by two pianos and harmonium. Rupert Huber and the SWR Vocal Ensemble Stuttgart perform with style and commitment, bringing their enthusiasm to this masterpiece.
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HAENSSLER CLASSIC |
CD93196
| CD | 4010276019848
Stravinsky The Rite of Spring, Debussy Jeux, Dukas La Peri
Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes Vol 1
SWR Symphony Orchestra Baden-Baden and Freiburg, Sylvain Cambreling (conductor)
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RUSSIAN REVOLUTION The Ballets Russes created a sensation in Paris with its luxurious avant garde productions, spectacular costumes and frequent commissioning and championing of new music. This disc is the first of a series celebrating the musical legacy of Sergei Diaghilev's path-breaking troupe, which became the most influential ballet company of the 20th Century.
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HAENSSLER CLASSIC |
CD98280
| CD2 | 4010276019619
Handel Saul
Kirsten Blaise, Elizabeth Keusch, Laura Albino (soprano), Daniel Taylor (alto), Norman Shankle, Wolfgang Frisch (tenor), Markus Eiche, Matthias Lutze (bass), Gachinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Bach Collegium Stuttgart, Helmuth Rilling (conductor)
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LOVE, JEALOUSY, MADNESS, DEATH Composed a few years before Messiah, Handel's oratorio Saul is one of his most dramatic and requires his largest and most diverse orchestra, including the carrillion used in the chorus 'Welcome, welcome mighty king' and the harp that David plays to assuage Saul's madness. It also includes the famous Dead March and some of his best choruses, arias and sinfonias.
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HAENSSLER CLASSIC |
CD98501
| CD | 4010276019657
Takemitsu Songs
Dominique Visse (countertenor), Francois Couturier (piano)
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JAPANESE SONGS Toru Takemitsu's stylistic versatility and knowledge of popular song idioms is displayed in this recital disc of songs from all stages of his creative life, from the 1950s to the year of his death. Primarily drawn from his music for radio and film, each is a superbly crafted miniature, by turns tuneful, elegant and fragile.
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HAENSSLER CLASSIC |
CD98504
| CD2 | 40102760202095
CD 1: Toccata and Fugue in D minor, Allein gott in der Hoh sei' Her, Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, Wachet auf ruft uns die Stimme, Prelude and Fugue in C major, Ach bleib bei uns Herr Jesu Christ, Fantasia on Komm Heiliger Geist, etc CD 2: Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, Wer nur den lieben Gott, Trio Sonata No 5, Meine Seele erhebt den Herren, Kommst du nun Jesu von Himmel, Partite diverse on Christ der du bist der helle Tag, Prelude and fugue in E minor, etc
JS Bach The Most Beautiful Organ Works
Kay Johannsen, Bine Katrine Bryndorf, Andrea Marcon, Wolfgang Zerer, Martin Lucker (organ)
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BEST-KNOWN WORKS FOR ORGAN JS Bach's works for organ are among the pinnacles of the repertoire. This 2-CD set features many of his most famous works alongside some of his most beautiful chorale settings, all drawn from the critically-acclaimed Bachakademie Edition and performed by some of Europe's most exciting young organists.
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HARMONIA MUNDI |
HMC901922
| CD | 794881803026
Lassus Missa Tous les regretz, Ashwell Missa Ave Maria, Palestrina Missa Ut re mi fa sol la
La Quinta Essentia
Huelgas Ensemble, Paul van Neval (director)
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QUINTESSENTIAL RENAISSANCE MUSIC The 'quintessence' of alchemy was the perfect 'fifth element', timeless and incorruptible. It is fitting that this ravishing disc of Masses by Lassus, Ashwell and Palestrina should carry this evocative title. Each is a masterpiece of polyphony: sublime compositions performed to perfection. You will be transfixed.
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HARMONIA MUNDI |
HMU907445
| CD | 093046744526
Schubert Violin Sonatas
Andrew Manze (violin), Richard Egarr (fortepiano)
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TEENAGE COMPOSER Composed around the time Schubert turned 20, these Violin Sonatas have seldom sounded so fresh and lyrical. Far from sounding like rewarmed Mozart or Beethoven, these delightful works show Schubert on the verge of maturity, finding his own voice and revelling in the expressive possibilities of chamber music for two.
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HARMONIA MUNDI |
HMU907475
| CD | 093046747527
Michael Sheppard Plays Rodgers, Barber, Wild, Crumb, Corigliano, Bolcom
Michael Sheppard (piano)
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A RISING STAR OF HIS GENERATION, young pianist Michael Sheppard possesses dazzling virtuosity and penetrating musicianship, as this wide-ranging recital reveals. From Richard Rodgers to George Crumb, Sheppard explores the paths less well trodden. He is supported by the American Pianists Association.
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HARMONIA MUNDI |
HMU907476
| CD | 093046747626
Stephen Beus Plays Griffes, Scriabin
Stephen Beus (piano)
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AWARD-WINNING YOUNG PIANIST Described as a pianist of 'artistic instinct and natural charisma' (Fort Worth Star Telegram), Stephen Beus, another American Pianists Association artist, performs music by Charles Griffes (1884-1920) - an American Impressionist worth discovering - and Alexander Scriabin - whose mystical music has fascinated generations of listeners.
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HARMONIA MUNDI |
HMU907477
| CD | 093046747725
Spencer Mayer Plays Debussy, Busoni, Copland, Kohs
Spencer Mayer (piano)
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WIDE-RANGING PIANIST Spencer Myer has performed across North America, Europe, Africa and Asia to critical acclaim. On this disc music by well-known composers Debussy, Busoni and Copland rubs shoulders with that of Ellis B Kohs (1916-2000) - American composer, theory textbook author and Professor at the University of Southern California.
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HAT HUT |
HATNOWART169
| CD | 752156016922
Babel The Sin of Jesus, Engelchen
Ensemble for New Music Zurich
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TRANSCRIBING ISAAC BABEL'S TEXT INTO MUSIC, Hans-Peter Frehner followed a rigorous system of rules, with the words generating the melodic lines, and the letters the rhythm and harmony, while the action of the story determines the structure and form. It is an arcane system that becomes sound and music here...for the rules that determine our action and our longing...operate in the depths of our instincts, in our longings and passions – and this is the moral of Babel’s frivolous legend of Jesus – dangerous even for frail angels.
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HYPERION |
CDA67590
| CD | 034571175904
Coleridge-Taylor Piano and Clarinet Quintets
The Nash Ensemble
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DELIGHTFUL DISC Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's early Piano Quintet Op 1 (1893) shows the flair for melody and inexhaustible spontaneity that would become hallmarks of his music. The Clarinet Quintet Op 10 (1895) is a work of remarkable subtlety and sophistication, exuberant and deeply sensitive. The disc also includes the beautiful Ballade in C minor Op 73 (1907).
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HYPERION |
CDA67595
| CD | 034571175959
Sterndale Bennett Piano Concerto No 4 Op 19, Bache Piano Concerto Op 18, Sterndale Bennett Caprice in E major Op 22
The Romantic Piano Concerto Vol 43
Howard Shelley (piano, conductor), BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
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THREE ENGLISH ROMANTIC WORKS William Sterndale Bennett's highly accomplished 4th Piano Concerto and his Caprice complement a newly discovered Piano Concerto by his prodigiously talented student, Francis Edward Bache (1833-58), which here receives what may well be its premiere performance.
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HYPERION |
CDA67611
| CD | 034571176116
Haydn Six String Quartets Op 9
The London Haydn Quartet
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DAZZLING INVENTIVENESS While Haydn's Opus 9 String Quartets (1768-70) were called divertimenti, they nonetheless show a serious intent and burgeoning mastery on the composer's part, pointing the way towards his later masterpieces. Their immense charm and wit are well supported by their compositional sophistication, combining erudition with enjoyment.
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HYPERION |
CDA67628
| CD | 034571176284
Sonata in G major, Short works for viola da gamba
Mr Abel's Fine Airs - Music for Solo Viola da Gamba
Susanne Heinrich (viola da gamba)
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18th-CENTURY SENSIBILITY Carl Friedrich Abel (1723-87) was a fashionable performer and promoter in 18th-century London whose performances sparked a revival of interest in the viola da gamba. Six of the 20 short pieces on this wonderful recital here receive their first recording. Abel's Sonata recalls JS Bach's famous solo cello sonatas.
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HYPERION |
CDA67629
| CD | 034571176291
Bruckner Mass in E minor, Ave Maria, Locus iste, Christus factus est, Vexilla regis, Os justi, Virga Jesse floruit, Pange lingua
Polyphony, Britten Sinfonia, Stephen Layton (conductor)
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EXPRESSIVE, PERSONAL DEVOTION Bruckner's motets are a crystallisation in miniature form of the same spirit at work in his mammoth symphonies, purified, perhaps, by his great love of antique vocal music and his intense religious faith. The Mass in E Minor combines choir and wind ensemble into a masterpiece of passionately Romantic sacred music.
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HYPERION |
CDA67671
| CD | 034571176710
Concerto for Flute, Violin and Orchestra, Duo Concertante for Two Violins, Concerto for Two Violins
Martinu Complete Music for Violin and Orchestra Vol 1
Bohuslav Matousek, Regis Pasquier, Jennifer Koh (violin), Janne Thomsen (flute), Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Christopher Hogwood (conductor)
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IMPORTANT NEW SERIES This recording, the first volume of a four-disc survey of Bohuslav' Martinu's music for solo violin and orchestra, presents three works little-known outside the Czech Republic. Hogwood conducts the very orchestra in which Martinu himself played violin. Featured soloist Matousek is one of Martinu's foremost living interpreters.
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HYPERION |
CDS442816
| CD6 | 034571142814
CD 1: A Celtic Symphony, The Witch of Atlas, The Sea Reivers, A Hebridean Symphony CD 2: Pagan Symphony, Fifine at the Fair, Cuchullan's Lament, Kishmul's Galley CD 3: The Cyprian Goddess, The Helena Variations, Dante and Beatrice CD 4: Sappho, Sapphic Poem CD 5: Prelude to The Song of Songs, Prelude to Omar Khayyam, Caristiona, Processional, Thalaba the Destroyer CD 6: Overture to a Greek Tragedy, The Wilderness and the Solitary Place, Pierrot of the Minute, The Song of Songs excerpts
Bantock Orchestral Music
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Vernon Handley (conductor)
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MAGNIFICENTLY RECORDED AND PERFORMED' (Gramophone) Sir Granville Bantock's music is currently enjoying a resurgence and this 6-CD set provides a magnificent and wide-ranging survey. 'The finest symphonic recordings of the decade. The burnished colors of Bantock's singular music - moody, quirky, haunting - glow under the direction of Vernon Handley.' (Fi USA).
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HELIOS |
CDH55310
| CD | 034571153100
G Gabrieli Christmas Motets
Schutz The Christmas Story
The King's Consort, Robert King (conductor)
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IMMORTAL SACRED MASTERPIECE Fearing that the style of his Christmas Story was out of date, the seventy-five year old Heinrich Schutz (1585-1672) withheld this masterpiece from publication. However, it is recognised as one of his major compositions and is frequently performed today. Four Christmas motets by Schutz's teacher Giovanni Gabrieli (1557-1612) round off this lovely disc.
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HELIOS |
CDH55307
| CD | 034571153070
A Boy was Born, A Wedding Anthem, Festival Te Deum, Rejoice in the Lamb
Britten A Boy was Born and Other Choral Music
Corydon Singers, Westminster Cathedral Choristers, Thomas Trotter (organ), Matthew Best (conductor)
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CLASSIC RECORDING OF BRITTEN'S CHORAL MUSIC Those who have heard or sung any of the works on this CD will probably already love the Corydon Singers' clear-voiced and lovingly rendered interpretations. Those who haven't are in for a real treat as they discover the drama and subtlety of Britten's choral music for the first time.
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HELIOS |
CDH55319
| CD | 0345711153193
Daquin Nouveau Livre de Noels
Christopher Herrick (organ)
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FRENCH BAROQUE ORGAN MUSIC Louis-Claude Daquin (1694-1772) was a dazzling performer at the keyboard, much appreciated by the aristocracy, whose great expertise at the organ drew considerable crowds to hear him play. '...glorious. This is marvellous playing, full of energy and irrepressible jeu d'esprit.' (BBC Music Magazine)
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K617 |
K617184
| CD | 3383510001840
Madin Petits Motets
Le Concert Lorrain, Anne-Catherine Bucher (conductor)
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DELIGHTFUL FRENCH BAROQUE MOTETS Praised as 'one of the foremost motet composers of our age' by Titon du Tillet, Henry Madin (1698-1748) was sous-maitre of the French royal chapel. The 13 small-scale motets on this delectable disc are believed to have been written to be sung at Benediction by the hundred Daughters of Mercy.
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K617 |
K617195
| CD | 3383510001956
Portuguese Cancoes, Villancios and Romances
Flores de Lisboa
A Corte Musical, Rogerio Goncalves (conductor)
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VOCAL BOUQUETS FROM PORTUGAL The 'Flowers of Lisbon' of this disc's title were emigrant composers who left Portugal to serve in the great cathedrals of Spain following the death of King Sebastiao in 1578. Their extensive output, to which this lovely recording provides an intriguing introduction, includes songs, often merry and sometimes comical, and romances.
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K617 |
K617197
| CD | 3383510001970
Thibault de Champagne, Jehan l'Escurel, Adam de la Halle, Gauthier d'Espinal Medieval Songs and Dances
The Tournament of Chauvency
Aziman, Anne Azema (conductor)
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MUSIC OF COURTLY LOVE The Tournament of Chauvency is an engaging account by the poet Jacques Bretel of a chivalric festival held in Lorraine in 1285. Following the tournament, the ladies play games (both courtly and somewhat licentious), sing about love and dance among themselves and with their knightly companions.
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LIGIA |
LIG104182
| CD | 3487549901826
Music by JS Bach, Beethoven, Franck, Bourdon, Ibert, Langlais, Alain and Bret
La Route des Orgues Vol 10
Oliver Vernet, Cedric Meckler (organ)
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ORGAN MUSIC Volume 10 of Ligia's exploration of historic organs takes us to the cathedral of Notre Dame de Tulle, a splendid 14th-century edifice in the south of France. Olivier Vernet has won innumerable awards for his recordings. This disc presents music from the 18th to 20th Centuries and includes several rarities, such as music by French composer Julien Bret.
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LIGIA |
LIG202183
| CD | 3487549901833
Buxtehude Jesu, meine freude
Ensemble Jacques Moderne, Joel Suhubiette (director)
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GERMAN BAROQUE VOCAL MUSIC Buxtehude's organ music (available on a magnificent 5-CD set HMX290148488) is deservedly famous. Much less well known are his vocal and choral works, so this recording is particularly welcome. The arias and spiritual concertos - cantatas by any other name - presented here equal the achievement of his keyboard music and are exquisitely performed.
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LPO |
LPO0029
| CD | 854990001291
Schubert Symphony No 8 'Unfinished', Janacek Glagolitic Mass
Zdena Kloubova (soprano), Karen Cargill (mezzo-soprano), Pavol Breslik (tenor), Gustave Belacek (bass), David Goode (organ), London Philharmonic Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno, Kurt Masur (conductor)
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CELEBRATING KURT MASUR'S 80th BIRTHDAY 'An irresistible musical journey' (The Guardian), 'unforced grandeur' (Daily Telegraph UK), 'exemplary and roundly rewarding' (Financial Times) - the critics were impressed by the July 2004 BBC Proms concert in the Royal Albert Hall from which this exciting and vibrant recording was drawn.
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LPO |
LPO0098
| CD4 | 854990001987
CD 1: Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, Violin Concerto CD 2: Tchaikovsky Symphony No 6 'Pathetique', Stravinsky The Firebird Suite CD 3: Elgar Introduction and Allegro, Enigma Variations, Britten Our Hunting Fathers CD 4: McCabe Concerto for Orchestra, The Chagall Windows, Arnold Philharmonic Concerto
75th Anniversary Edition Vol 2
Nicholas Busch (horn), Ian Partridge (tenor), Rodney Friend (violin), Heather Harper (soprano), London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir john Pritchard, Sir Georg Solti, Bernard Haitinck (conductors)
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY SET Volume 2 of the LPO's 75th Anniversary Edition covers the years 1962-82, a period when the orchestra was consolidating its position among the world's greatest.
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LPO |
LPO0099
| CD4 | 854990001994
CD 1: Beethoven Symphony No 9 CD 2: R Strauss Capriccio closing scene, Mozart Mass in C Minor, Requiem excerpts, Schubert Stabat Mater, Bruckner Te Deum CD 3: Shostakovich Symphonies Nos 1, 5 CD 4: Shostakovich Symphony No 14
75th Anniversary Edition Vol 3
Lucia Popp (soprano), Ann Murray (mezzo-soprano), Anthony Rolfe Johnson (tenor), Rene Pape (bass), London Philharmonic Choir, Felicity Lott (soprano), Michael George (bass-baritone), Della Jones (mezzo-soprano), Keith Lewis (tenor), Willard White (bass),
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY SET Volume 3 of the LPO's 75th Anniversary Edition covers the years 1983 to 2007. This period opened with the appointment of Klaus Tennstedt as Principal conductor and culminates in Vladimir Jurowski's arrival at the helm. Tennstedt's grand interpretation of Beethoven's 9th Symphony is previously unreleased.
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LYRITA |
SRCD2277
| CD3 | 5020926227720
CD 1: Decorations, The Almond Tree, Four Preludes, Prelude in E-flat, Rhapsody, The towing-Path, Merry Andrew, London Pieces CD 2: Summer Evening, Piano Sonata, For Remembrance, Amberley Wild Brooks, The Darkened Valley, Equinox, On a Birthday morning, Soliloquy, April, Bergomask CD 3: Sonatina, Ballade, February's Child, Aubade, Month's Mind, Greenways, Sarnia - An Island Sequence
Ireland The Piano Music
Eric Parkin (piano)
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AN ENGLISH IMPRESSIONIST John Ireland (1879-1962)came of a literary family, and literature and literary people played a natural part in the formation of his personality. Most influential of all were the works of Arthur Machen the Welsh writer, who hailed from a land of dark and ancient woods and streams and deep sunken lanes. Other of Ireland's piano works have a more cosmopolitan inspiration.
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LYRITA |
SRCD2286
| CD2 | 5020926228628
CD 1: Piano Concerto, Fantasie-Variations on a Swedish Theme CD 2: Piano Trio in G, Piano Quartet Op 43
Hurlstone Piano Concerto and Other Works
Eric Parkin (piano), London Philharmonic Orchestra, Nicholas Braithwaite (conductor), Tunnell Piano Quartet
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PROMISING CAREER CUT TRAGICALLY SHORT William Yeates Hurlstone (1876-1906) studied piano with Algernon Ashton and composition with Stanford, who spoke of him as his best student. He might have rivalled Purcell and Elgar, had he lived longer. Much of his work was left in manuscript but has since been recorded.
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LYRITA |
SRCD259
| CD | 5020925025920
Crosse Ariadne Op 31, Changes Op 17
Sarah Francis (oboe), London Symphony Orchestra, Michael Lankester (conductor), Jennifer Vyvyan (soprano), John Shirley-Quirk (baritone), Orpington Junior Singers, Highgate School for Boys Choir, LSO and Chorus, Norman Del Mar (conductor)
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MAJOR BRITISH COMPOSER This recording of Ariadne was made immediately following a performance given in 1974. The work has had a considerable number of performances, many of them with Sarah Francis as soloist, and her name stands at the head of the score as dedicatee. Changes, subtitled 'a nocturnal cycle', is a major setting of poems by Blake, Browne, Davenant and others.
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LYRITA |
SRCD275
| CD | 5020926027328
Richard Rodney Bennett Piano Concerto, Five Studies for Piano, Capriccio for Piano, Duet Commedia IV
Stephen Kavachevich (piano), London Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Gibson (conductor), Richard Rodney Bennett, Thea Musgrave (piano), Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
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MODERN PIANO MUSIC Sir Richard Rodney Bennett CBE (born 1936) is a British composer renowned for his film scores and his jazz performance as much as for his concert works. Written for Stephen Kovacevich, the Piano Concerto is a tour de force, skilfully exploring differing elements of the instrument’s character in each movement.
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LYRITA |
SRCD317
| CD | 5020926031323
Coleridge-Taylor Violin Concerto, Legend Op 14, Romance in G Op 39, Bredon Hill
Lorraine McAslan (violin), London Philharmonic Orchestra, Nicholas Braithwaite (conductor)
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COLERIDGE-TAYLOR REVIVAL Time has dealt cruelly with Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. A century ago, his setting of Longfellow's Hiawatha's Wedding Feast made him more famous than Delius, Vaughan Williams or Holst. But after his early death aged 37, his music declined in popularity. The four works on this splendid recording are helping to re-establish him.
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LYRITA |
SRCD330
| CD | 5020926033024
Hoddinott Overture 'Jack Straw', Clarinet Concerto Op 3, Harp Concerto Op 11, Piano Concertos No 1 Op 19, No 2 Op 21
Philharmonia Orchestra, Charles Groves (conductor), Gervase de Peyer (clarinet), Osian Ellis (harp), LSO, David Atherton (conductor), Philip Fowke (piano), Royal PO, Barry Wordsworth (conductor), Martin Jones (piano), Royal PO, Andrew Davis (conductor)
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WELSH RARE BITS Alun Hoddinott was born in South Wales in 1929, and won a composition scholarship at sixteen. His symphonies are the centre of his achievement, but his concertos are hardly less important. By the time he was forty, he had written thirteen concertante works, for a wide range of solo instruments and scorings.
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MIRARE |
MIR027
| CD | 3760127220275
F Couperin Harpsichord Pieces
Les Follies Francaises, Pierre Hantai (harpsichord)
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PURE POETRY Early-music expert Jordi Savall has remarked that Couperin was the 'poet musician par excellence' whose keyboard works are 'more beautiful than beauty itself'. Under the hands of Pierre Hantai, a student of Gustav Leonhardt and highly-awarded artist, Couperin's music achieves the level of musical poetry it requires.
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MIRARE |
MIR036
| CD | 3760127220367
Bizet Symphony in C, Chabrier Suite Pastorale
Les Siecles, Francois-Xavier Roth (conductor)
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FRENCH DELIGHTS These two wonderful French symphonic works are just the thing for the chamber orchestra Les Siecles ('The Centuries') under Francois-Xavier Roth. First Prize-winner of the 2000 Donatella Flick Conducting Competition in London, and former Assistant conductor of the LSO, Roth boasts a repertoire from the Baroque to the contemporary.
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MIRARE |
MIR048
| CD | 3760127220480
JS Bach Goldberg Variations
Zhu Xiao-Mei (piano)
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GOLDBERGS FROM A GLOBE-TROTTER A regular performer at the Folle Journee in Nantes and La Roque d'Antheron Festival, Shanghai-born Zhu Xiao-Mei left China in 1979 and rapidly established a reputation in the West. Now a French citizen, she teaches at the National Conservatorium in Paris and performs around the world, including Australia.
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ONDINE |
ODE11015
| SACD | 0761195110157
Panufnik Heroic Overture, Sinfonia di Sfere, Landscape, Sinfonia Sacra
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, John Storgards (conductor)
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NEW RECORDINGS OF MAJOR WORKS For Andrzej Panufnik (1914-91) 'Music gets its eternal beauty from an ideal balance of emotion and intellect'. The four works on this new disc exemplify this philosophy, combining accessibility with compositional rigour. The result is quite beguiling, especially given the high calibre of the performers involved.
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ONDINE |
ODE11062
| CD | 0761195110621
Vasks Pater Noster, Dona Nobis Pacem, Mass
Latvian Radio Choir, Sigvards Klava (conductor)
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AWARD-WINNING LATVIAN COMPOSER Peteris Vasks writes music of transcendent clarity and strong emotional appeal. The religious works on this disc receive sublime and assured interpretations that will delight listeners of all ages. Ondine's recording of his 2nd Symphony (ODE10052) won the Cannes Classical Disc of the Year Award 2004 and his 3rd Symphony is available on ODE10865.
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ORFEO |
ORFC689061
| CD | 4011790689128
Carols and Christmas Songs
Victorian Christmas for Brass
Constanze Backes (soprano), Passion des Cuivres
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HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS PLAY Praised by Nikolaus Harnoncourt for its entrancing use of period instruments, the wind quintet Passion de Cuivres (Brass Passion) presents a fascinating recital of 19th-century Christmas repertoire, including several arrangements of seasonal favourites by Purcell and Handel.
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ORFEO |
ORFC690074
| CD4 | 4011790690421
Wagner Parsifal
Thomas Stewart, Heinz Hagenau, Hans Hotter, Jon Vickers, Gustav Neidlinger, Barbro Ericson, Bayreuth Festival, Hans Knappertsbusch (conductor)
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CURTAIN CALL FOR KNAPPERTSBUSCH This 1964 recording of Wagner's final opera also marked the last season during which conductor Hans Knappertsbusch appeared at the Bayreuth Festival. His understanding of the Festspielhaus's unique acoustic adds something very special to this live recording, which also features some legendary Wagnerians.
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ORFEO |
ORFC701072
| CD2 | 4011790701226
Mozart Idomeneo
Robert Gambill, Britta Stallmeister, Camilla Nylund, Iris Vermillion, Christophe Pohl, Jacques-Greg Belobo, Rainer Busching, Sachsische Staatskapelle Dresden, Fabio Luisi (conductor)
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WORLD PREMIERE Recorded in August 2006 at the Salzburg Festival, this is a rare opportunity to hear Richard Strauss's arrangement of Mozart's Idomeneo brought to life by a fabulous cast. While controversial in some quarters, most critics agreed that the performance was 'fascinating', 'translucent' and 'ecstatic'. now you can decide for yourself!
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ORFEO |
ORFC704077
| CD7 | 4011790704722
CD 1: Mozart Symphonies in B KV319, C KV551 'Jupiter', Haydn Symphony in G 'Oxford' CD 2: Einem Ballad for Orchestra Op 23, Walton Partita for Orchestra, Prokofiev Symphony No 5 CD 3: Mozart Piano Concerto in E-flat major KV271 'Jeunehomme', Beethoven Piano Concerto No 3 CD 4: Beethoven Egmont Overture, Symphony No 3 'Eroica', Gluck Alceste Overture CD 5: Mozart Piano Concerto in B major KV595, R Strauss Sinfonia Domestica Op 53 CD 6: Beethoven Piano Concertos Nos 4, 5 CD 7: Bruckner Symphony No 7
Salzburg Orchestral Concerts 1958-68
Rudolph Firkusny, Clifford Curzon (piano), Concertgebouw Orchestra, RTF National Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Saxon Staatskapelle Dresden, Vienna Philharmonic, George Szell (conductor)
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7 CDs AT A GREAT PRICE! Originally released in 1994-5, but long unavailable, these recordings document a number of orchestral concerts that George Szell conducted at the Salzburg Festival between 1958-68. The American conductor explores repertoire from Gluck, Mozart and Beethoven to von Einem, Prokofiev and Walton.
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ORFEO |
ORFC731071
| CD | 4011790731124
Arias from Fidelio, Die verkauffe Braut, Don Giovanni, Simon Boccanegra, Don Carlo, Der Freischutz, Die Meistersinger, Cosi fan tutte, Ariadne auf Naxos, Le nozze di Figaro
Gundula Janowitz Live
Gundula Janowitz (soprano), Vienna State Opera, Bernstein, Bohm, Dohnanyi, Karajan, Krips, Krombholc, Schonwandt, Stein (conductors)
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LEGENDARY SOPRANO Gundula Janowitz was one of the greatest lyric sopranos in modern history, renowned for her magnificent tone -- often described as creamy or silvery -- and her vocal control at the top of her range. On this disc she presents music from Monteverdi to Mozart, Beethoven to Smetana and Richard Strauss in top form all the way.
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ORFEO |
ORFC732072
| CD2 | 4011790732220
Weber Die Freischutz
Eberhard Waechter, Manfred Jungwirth, Gundula Janowitz, Renate Holm, Karl Ridderbusch, James King, Gustav Elger, Franz Crass, Heinz Zednik, Vienna State Opera, Karl Bohm (conductor)
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FIRST NIGHT LIVE RECORDING When Karl Bohm conducted a star cast in this 1972 production Weber's Der Freischutz received a demonically Romantic interpretation, completely free of any residual 'tweeness', and compelling from start to finish. Even the minor roles are outstanding, and the Vienna State Opera Orchestra play with graphic immediacy.
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ORFEO |
ORFC741073
| CD3 | 4011790741321
CD 1: Cassation in G major KV63, Piano Concerto in F major KV413, Divertimento in F major KV247 CD 2: Cassation in B major KV99, Piano Concerto in C major KV246, Divertimento in D major KV136, Symphony in G minor KV183 CD 3: Divertimento in E-flat major KV113, Piano Concerto in C major KV415, Concert Arias: Chi sa chi sa qual sia, Ch'io mi scordi di te?
Salzburg Mozart Matinees 1988-93
Gerard Korsten (violin), Andras Schiff (piano), Daphne Evangelatos (mezzo-soprano), Camerata Academica Salzburg, Sandor Vegh (conductor)
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MORE MARVELLOUS MOZART Sandor Vegh's Mozart concerts with the Camerata Academia Salzburg became popular fixtures at the international festival. These three discs present a diverse selection of music, all previously unreleased, and represent an important addition to the discography and feature leading performers.
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ORFEO |
ORFC742071
| CD | 4011790742120
JS Bach Partita No 2 BWV826, Chopin Piano Sonata Op 35, Ravel Valses nobles et sentimentales, Schumann Carnaval Op 9
Geza Anda Live
Geza Anda (piano)
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SWAN SONG SALZBURG RECITAL Pianist Geza Anda was particularly closely associated with the Salzburg Festival. This beautiful disc, recorded on 15 August 1972 in the famous Mozarteum, documents his final Festival recital and demonstrates Wilhelm Furtwangler's characterisation of Anda as a 'troubadour' among musicians.
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ORFEO |
ORFC743071
| CD | 4011790743127
Vivaldi Violin Sonata RV10, JS Bach Solo Violin Sonata in G minor BWV1001, Mozart Violin Sonata in C major KV296, Brahms Violin Sonata in D minor Op 108
Nathan Milstein Live
Nathan Milstein (violin), Walter Klein (piano)
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STAR TURN AT THE SALZBURG FESTIVAL Milstein and Klein were equal partners on the concert platform as this technically flawless recital, recorded live on 31 July 1963, amply demonstrates. Naturally, Milstein also shines in the Bach solo violin Sonata. The press described this concert as 'a miracle', and a 'musical high point' of the Salzburg Festival.
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ORFEO |
ORFC744071
| CD | 4011790744124
Arias and Lieder by Lully, Schumann, Brahms, Mozart, Ravel, Boito, Verdi, Rossini, Gomes
Cesare Siepi Live
Cesare Siepi (bass), Leo Taubmann (piano)
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A GREAT VOICE IS HEARD AGAIN A firm favourite with Salzburg Festival audiences, bass Cesare Siepi here presents an unforgettable Lieder Evening. Recorded on 27 July 1956 in the Mozarteum, the program ran from Lully to Ravel, combining songs and opera arias in French, German and Italian into a triumphant artistic experience.
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PRAGA DIGITALS |
PRD350029
| CD | 794881840625
Zemlinsky String Quartets No 1 Op 4, No 3 Op 19
Zemlinsky Quartet
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BRILLIANT YOUNG QUARTET Trained by the Kocian and Prazak Quartets, the young Zemlinsky Quartet plays the music of its namesake, Alexander von Zemlinsky, with irresistible intensity and panache. Zemlinsky's music forms a bridge between the Romantic world of Brahms and the revolutionary aesthetic of the Second Viennese School.
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PRAGA DIGITALS |
PRD350031
| CD | 794881858620
Janacek Concertino, Pohadka, Mladi, Capriccio
Ivan Klansky (piano), Marek Jerie (cello), Prague Wind Quintet, Czech Nonet
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'EXCEPTIONAL BEAUTY', wrote Le Monde de la Musique, 'Displaying technical perfection and modelling…(fabulous colours of the winds, superb nuances of phrasing and dynamics from the horn), this version dominates the discography.' This is only to be expected when such leading Czech musicians encounter such finely crafted Czech music!
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PRAGA DIGITALS |
PRD350032
| CD | 794881858729
Dvorak Slavonic Dances
Prague Piano Duo
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DVORAK'S POPULAR DANCES 'There's nothing flashy, affected or exaggerated in this version that sounds both folk-like and highly refined but, above all, thoroughly natural…The Hrsels [Zdenka and Martin, who comprise the Prague Piano Duo], both students of Ivan Moravec, manage to sing with a single voice.' (Le Monde de la Musique)
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PRAGA DIGITALS |
PRD350033
| CD | 794881858828
Martinu String Duos and Trios
Beethoven String Trio
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LUMINOUS CHAMBER RARITIES Much of Martinu's immense output remains to be discovered outside his native country - these works deserve to be heard and enjoyed. They are fresh and fascinating examples of Martinu's 'fantasy' style. 'The three excellent Czech musicians demonstrate admirable technical perfection and rare stylistic mastery.' (Le Monde de la Musique)
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PRAGA DIGITALS |
PRD350034
| CD | 794881858927
Dvorak String Quintets Op 97, Op 18
Kocian Quartet, Jiri Hudec (double bass), Josef Kluson (viola)
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MUSIC FROM THE HEART Dvorak's String Quintets are among his best chamber compositions and stand comparison with his most popular string quartets. The Op 18 Quintet is given in its original version with double bass. 'As light as it is intense, both animated and restrained…simplicity, gentleness and vitality' (Le Monde de la Musique)
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PRAGA DIGITALS |
PRD350038
| CD | 794881859320
Bloch Piano Quintets Nos 1, 2
Ivan Klansky (piano), Kocian Quartet
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PRECISION AND FERVOUR Ernest Bloch's 1st Piano Quintet is notable for its high drama, while the second is the composer's last major work, composed in 1957, more than 40 years later. 'Extraordinary expressive power, exemplary energy…as well as lofty serenity and a poetic, impassioned sense of dreaming' (Le Monde de la Musique)
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PRAGA DIGITALS |
PRD350039
| CD | 794881859429
Rimsky-Korsakov Quintet for Piano and Winds (1876), String Sextet (1876)
Kocian Quartet, Ivan Klansky (piano), Josef Kluson (viola), Michael Kanka (cello)
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The Quintet is one of Rimsky-Korsakov's most interesting chamber works, melding Classical form with Romantic imagination. 'It is ideally rendered by the vigour of the Prague Wind quintet's timbres, echoed by Ivan Klansky's bright, colourful playing.' (Diapason). The String Sextet is also a splendid work. 'Warmly recommended' (Diapason)
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PRAGA DIGITALS |
PRD350040
| CD | 794881859528
Martinu String Quartet No 7, Sonata for Two Violins and Piano, String Sextet, Nonetto
Prazak Quartet, Kocian Quartet, Pavel Hula, Jan Odstrcil, Boris Krajny, Czech Nonet
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INTENSELY NOSTALGIC Martinu's music often expresses his deep love of the homeland away from which he was to spend so much of his creative life. These works for three, four, six and eight chamber players range from the crystal clarity of the 7th Quartet, through the sunny Nonet to the fiery Sextet with its magnificent slow movement.
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PRAGA DIGITALS |
PRD350041
| CD | 794881859627
Rachmaninov Cello Sonata Op 19, Myaskovsky Cello Sonatas No 1 Op 12, No 2 Op 81
Michal Kanka (cello), Jaromir Klepac (cello)
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'THE BEST SINCE ROSTROPOVICH/DEDYUKHIN'S IN 1956' wrote Le Monde de la Musique of this recording of Rachmaninov's Cello Sonata. The two Cello Sonatas of Rachmaninov's contemporary Myaskovsky also receive magisterial interpretations by these outstanding Czech musicians.
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PRAGA DIGITALS |
PRD350042
| CD | 794881861927
Schubert String Quartet D94, String Quintet D956
Prazak Quartet, Marc Coppey (cello)
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'DYNAMIC AND IRRESISTIBLE,' wrote Diapason, 'Meditative and intense…more luminous than anguished'. The performers understand how to express Schubert's extremely emotional music without spoiling it with too much pathos. The symphonic intensity of Schubert's chamber music is, instead, allowed a natural level of expression which makes it all the more effective.
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PRAGA DIGITALS |
PRD350043
| CD | 794881862023
Rachmaninov Vespers Op 37, Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom Op 31
Prague Philharmonic Choir, Jaroslav Brych (conductor)
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ICONIC PERFORMANCES Rachmaninov's immense setting of the all night vigil here receives an intimate rendition which highlights its poignant character rather than emphasising its monumentality. Also containing his other major sacred choral work, the Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, this disc glows like a candle-lit altar surrounded by ancient icons.
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PRAGA DIGITALS |
PRDDSD250230
| CD | 794881821921
Brahms Piano Trios Op 8, Op 101
Guarneri Trio Prague
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YOUTH AND EXPERIENCE The two Piano Trios on this disc come from different ends of the composer's life: Op 8 from 1853-4 when he was about 20 years old (performed in its revised 1889 version) and Op 101 of 1886 composed when he was 53. The Guarneri Trio imbue both works with a feeling for the freshness of youth and the wisdom of experience.
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PROFIL MEDIEN |
PH04069
| CD2 | 881488406955
Polonaises
Chopin Edition Vol 3
Eugene Mursky (piano)
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FROM VILLAGE TO CONCERT HALL Alongside his mazurkas, Chopin's polonaises are deservedly the most famous examples of his piano works to have been inspired by the music of his homeland. Since winning the 1994 World Piano Competition in London, Eugene Mursky has gained a world-wide reputation. Chopin's Waltzes (PH04066) and Ballades (PH04065) are also available.
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PROFIL MEDIEN |
PH06021
| CD | 881488602128
Brahms Quartets for Voices and Piano
Stuttgart Chamber Choir, Andreas Rothkopf (piano), Frieder Bernius (conductor)
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SONGS TO THE POWER OF FOUR Active as a choral conductor, Brahms composed a large body of work for singers with piano accompaniment, raising the ensemble song to a new level of artistry from amateur, domestic music-making to professional standards. Frieder Bernius brings out the best in his accomplished performers.
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PROFIL MEDIEN |
PH07006
| CD | 881488700657
Beethoven Piano Sonata Op 27 No 2 'Moonlight', Piano Sonata Op 106 'Hammerklavier', Encores by Schubert, Chopin, Schumann
Wilhelm Backhaus Live at Carnegie Hall
Wilelm Backhaus (piano)
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PORTRAIT OF A GREAT ARTIST In 1970, recordings of a Carnegie Hall recital given by Wilhelm Backhaus, stored in the cellar of his widow's house and marked 'sample records', came to light. Restored and released, they represent an important addition to his discography.
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PROFIL MEDIEN |
PH07028
| SACD | 881488702859
Rachmaninov The Bells, Symphonic Dances
Tatiana Pavlovskaya (soprano), Evgeny Akimov (tenor), Vladimir Vaneev (baritone), WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne, Semyon Bichkov (conductor)
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MAGNIFICENT AND MELANCHOLY MUSIC In the words of conductor Semyon Bychkov, Rachmaninov was 'a man of great intellect, a master of musical form, a master of orchestral treatment, who continued to develop throughout the course of his life'. The cantata The Bells (1913) and the Symphonic Dances (1940) come from the beginning and end of his long creative life.
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PROFIL MEDIEN |
PH07065
| CD4 | 881488706550
Clara Schumann Complete Solo Piano Works
Susanne Grutzmann (piano)
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GRAMOPHONE EDITOR'S CHOICE 'This lovely recording of her solo piano music proves a delight...Superbly played and recorded [this disc] prompts a sharp and necessary awareness of the full range of Clara Schumann's gifts…This issue is an invaluable addition to the catalogue.'
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PROFIL MEDIEN |
PH07068
| CD | 881488706857
Songs, dances and arias by Vivaldi, Henry VIII, Cornyshe, Praetorius, Holborne, JM Bach, Monteverdi, A Scarlatti
Canta in Prato
Capella Stravagante
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ARIAS, DANCES AND SONGS Italian, English and German compositions for voice and instruments covering an enormous stylistic range stretching from the Renaissance to the High Baroque are presented on this new disc. European music bloomed during these three centuries, and this recording is a veritable garden of delights from start to finish.
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PROFIL MEDIEN |
PH07071
| CD | 881488707151
JS Bach Partita No 6 BWV830, Prelude and Fugue No 22 (Well-tempered Clavier Book 2), Shostakovich Prelude and Fugue Op 87 No 24, Liszt Variations on a motif by Bach
Bach Reflections
David Theodor Schmidt (piano)
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Young pianist David Theodor Schmidt remarks 'Bach has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember', and here he complements the Baroque master's 6th Partita with Bach-inspired works by Liszt and Shostakovich. 'Schmidt's performance is a triumph...a real talent with an exciting future' (musicweb-international.com)
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PROFIL MEDIEN |
PH08005
| CD | 881488800555
Brahms Violin Concerto, Beethoven Symphony No 6, Choral Fantasy
Thomas Zehetmair (violin), Antonio Meneses (cello), Sviatoslav Richter (piano), WDR Symphony Orchestra, Kurt Sanderling (conductor)
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SANDERLING TURNED NINETY-FIVE in September this year, and this 2-CD set pays tribute to his enduring legacy as a conductor. After 70 years on the podium, he retired in 2002, wanting to be remembered at his best. These performances of favourite works by Beethoven and Brahms serve his sterling reputation well.
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PROFIL MEDIEN |
PH08011
| CD | 881488801156
Franck Symphony in D Minor, Respighi The Pines of Rome
Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Yuri Ahronovitch (conductor)
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ONLY CONNECT - A CONDUCTOR'S DICTUM Great Russian conductor Yuri Ahronovitch said that 'music always was, is, and will be what binds the human soul' and his career was a celebration of the power of music to bring people together. Franck and Respighi make an interesting pairing on this new release.
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SATIRINO |
SR073
| CD | 3760061190733
Beethoven Piano Concerto No 3, Triple Concerto
Chee-Yun (violin), Andres Diaz (cello), Barry Douglas (piano), Camerata Ireland
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HEROIC BEETHOVEN CONCERTOS The two concertos on this disc show Beethoven in 'heroic' mode. At its premiere in 1803 Beethoven is said to have played the solo part of his 3rd Piano Concerto from memory - in his autograph score the solo part was left largely blank! The Triple Concerto (1803) requires flawless co-operation between the three soloists.
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SUPRAPHON |
SU3881
| CD | 099925388126
Cello Sonata Op 65, Introduction and polonaise brillant Op 3, Grand Duo Concertante, Piano Trio Op 8
Chopin Works for Cello
Jiri Barta (cello), Martin Kasik (piano), Jan Talich Jr (violin)
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CHOPIN'S CHAMBER MUSIC The brilliant and technically demanding writing for which Chopin's piano music is renowned also applies to his approach to the cello, whose ability to sing he exploits to great effect in these works. The rarely-heard Piano Trio rounds off this sparkling recording.
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TAHRA |
TAH635
| CD | 3504129063511
Schubert Symphony No 9
Hessian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Ferenc Fricsay (conductor)
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UNIQUE RECORDING BY HUNGARIAN CONDUCTOR Ferenc Fricsay made his conducting debut at the age of 15 and, despite persistent ill health, achieved renown for his interpretations of music from Mozart to the moderns. Made in 1955, this is his only recording of Schubert's 'Great' C Major Symphony.
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TAHRA |
TAH640
| CD | 3504129064013
Beethoven Violin Concerto, Dvorak Violin Concerto
Guila Bustabo (violin), Concertgebouw Orchestra, Willem Mengelberg (conductor), NWDR Symphony Orchestra, Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt (conductor)
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CHARISMATIC VIOLINIST One of the most brilliant young musicians of her generation, Guila Bustabo (1916-2002) enjoyed an international reputation during the 1930s but struggled to regain her position following World War II. This recording of favourite violin concertos includes an interview made in 2001.
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TAHRA |
TAH641
| CD | 3504129064112
Dvorak Violin Concerto, Khachaturian Violin Concerto
Gerhard Taschner (violin), Berlin Philharmonic, NWDR Symphony Orchestra, Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt (conductor)
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A TASTE OF TASCHNER Interest in Gerhard Taschner (1922-76) has grown in recent years. His playing has been described as 'quite sleek... bristling with aural interest. His bowing is good...employing some delightful portamenti and imparting some colour to his playing.' In later years, he turned from performance to teaching but his legacy remains important.
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TAHRA |
TAH64244
| CD3 | 3504129064211
Mahler Symphonies Nos 1, 2, 4
Joseph Keilberth, Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt, Bruno Walter (conductors)
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PREVIOUSLY UNPUBLISHED RECORDINGS The boutique label Tahra specialises in releasing archival recordings of historical significance. This 2-CD album presents hitherto unreleased archival recordings of three of Mahler's early symphonies directed by legendary conductors each of whom brings his own insights to these powerful works.
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YSAYE RECORDS |
YRNS03
| CD | 3760142231034
Ysaye Six Solo Violin Sonatas Op 27
Fanny Clamagirand (violin)
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A VIOLINIST OF GENIUS Ysaye's Solo Violin Sonatas are virtuoso test-pieces for even the most accomplished players, yet 23-year-old Fanny Clamagirand was specially chosen for this recording owing to her elegance, the brightness of her playing, and the sensitivity and authority of her interpretations. She plays a 1700 Matteo Goffriller violin.
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ZIG ZAG |
ZZT070802
| CD | 3760009291539
Beethoven Violin Sonatas Op 12 Nos 1-3
Jos van Immerseel (piano), Midori Seiler (violin)
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PERIOD-INSTRUMENT PERFECTION This disc inaugurates a new series of recordings of Beethoven's complete violin sonatas. Midori Seiler plays an Italian Baroque violin, Jos van Immerseel a copy of a Walter Fortepiano made by Christopher Clarke in 1988. They work extremely well together on this beautifully balanced recording, as one would expect from Zig Zag Territories.
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ARTHAUS |
K101129
| DVD | 807280212990
Symphony No 5 Op 64, Piano Concerto No 2 Op 44, Overture in F major (1865)
The Tchaikovsky Cycle Vol V
Mikhail Pletnev (piano), Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra, Vladimir Fedoseyev (conductor)
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ACCLAIMED DVD SERIES Hailed by the press as 'the definitive video production' of Tchaikovsky’s music, this exceptional concert series, recorded live from the Alte Oper Frankfurt, features the leading Russian conductor Vladimir Fedoseyev and the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra. Volumes I to IV are also available.
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ARTHAUS |
K101285
| DVD | 807280128598
Verdi Rigoletto
Leo Nucci, Elena Mosuc, Piotr Beczala, Laszlo Polgar, Katharina Peetz, Chorus and Orchestra of the Zurich Opera House, Nello Santi
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RIVETTING RIGOLETTO 'Nello Santi is an exceptionally gifted conductor of Verdi...he stands for nothing less than incontestable aplomb, and for music-making that, thanks to his sense of timing and style, is above reproach. This is the way, and no other, that this Verdi opera must sound.' (Tages-Anzeiger Zurich)
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ARTHAUS |
K101501
| DVD2 | 807280150193
Deja vu?, Solo, Kammerballett, The Old Man and Me, Frank Bridge Variations, Two Pieces for HET
Van Manen Six Ballets
Netherlands Dance Theatre, The National Ballet
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DUTCH DANCING Hans van Manen became one of the famous Dutch ballet dancers and choreographers. In 1960 he founded the Nederlands Dans Theater and was its art director from 1961 until 1970. From 1974 until 1987 he worked for the Dutch National Ballet. Between June 1995 and June 1997 he created the six masterpieces included in this DVD.
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ARTHAUS |
K102099
| DVD | 807280209990
Birth-Day, Bella Figura, Sleepless
Three Ballets by Jiri Kylian
Nederlands Dans Theater
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DANCE AS A DREAM These three visually fascinating and highly contrasting works showcase Kylian's creativity. He explores life in all its richness, fantasy, clownery and madness, venturing into the twilight zone of the human soul to create elusive and enigmatic visions to the music of Mozart, Pergolesi, Vivaldi, Torelli and Dirk Haubrich.
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ARTHAUS |
K102105
| DVD | 807280210590
Turnage Greek
Helen Charnock, Fiona Kimm, Quentin Hayes, Richard Stuart, The Almeida Ensemble, Richard Bernas
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CONTEMPORARY CLASSIC Turnage’s operatic retelling of Oedipus the King, moved to present-day London, is based on Steven Berkoff’s adaptation of Sophocles' classic tragedy. It won prizes for best opera and best libretto and is a typical example of Turnage’s determinedly urban type of music: accessible, colourful, retaining an underlying lyricism with a powerful dramatic impact and emotional power.
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BEL AIR |
BAC024
| DVD | 3760115300248
Prokofiev The Love for Three Oranges
Alexey Tanovitsky, Andrey Ilyushnikov, Nadezha Serdjuk, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Tugan Sokhiev (conductor)
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PROKOFIEV'S MOST-PERFORMED OPERA A king's attempt to cure the melancholy of his heir results in an absurd adventure in the Commedia dell'Arte tradition. The young prince, cursed by a wicked witch is forced to voyage into distant lands in search of three oranges, each of which contains a princess.
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CHILDREN'S GROUP |
844259
| DVD | 9781897166406
Mr Bach Comes To Call DVD
Various Performers including The Bach Choir of Bethlehem and Bach Festival Orchestra
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THE NEWEST CLASSICAL KIDS DVD, based on the award-winning and best-selling CD of the same name, features more than 20 beautifully performed excerpts of Bach's music. Entertaining and educational, the Classical Kids range is highly regarded. Other CDs and DVDs from The Children's Group are also available. 54 minutes.
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EUROARTS |
2055758
| DVD | 880242557582
Beethoven Diabelli Variations, Medtner March of the Paladin Op 14 No 2, Campanella Op 20 No 2, from Four Tales Op 34 No 2, Op 26 No 3, Op 35 No 4, Tale of the Elves Op 48 No 2, from Six Tales Op 51 Nos 1, 2, Improvisation on Change of Plans by Dafydd Llywelyn, Godowsky Alt Wien, Liadov Prelude Op 40 No 3, Op 46 No 3, Mazurka Op 53 No 3
Legato - The World of the Piano: Boris Berezovsky - Change of Plans
Boris Berezovsky (piano)
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BORIS IS BRILLIANT Intelligent, curious and strong-minded, Berezovsky has established a remarkable reputation, both as the most powerful of virtuoso pianists and as a musician of unique insight and sensitivity. In this stunning recital recorded live at the Philharmonie Essen in 2006, he balances virtuosity with an unfaltering musical integrity
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EUROARTS |
2056098
| DVD | 880242560988
Bartok Concerto for Orchestra
Discovering Masterpieces of Classical Music
Berlin Philharmonic, Pierre Boulez (conductor)
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VOLUME IV OF THE 20-PART DVD SERIES Discovering Masterpieces of Classical Music features one of the world’s most eminent and renowned orchestras with a signature piece of 20th-century composition. The Berlin Philharmonic present Bela Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra recorded live at the orchestra’s annual Europa Concert in Lisbon in 2003.
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EUROARTS |
2056578
| DVD | 880242565785
Mozart Piano Concerto No 17, Arias from The Marriage of Figaro, J Strauss Jr Artist's Life Waltz, Annen Polka, Die Fledermaus Overture, Suppe Light Cavalry Overture
The Cleveland Orchestra at Carnegie Hall
Leif Ove Andsnes (piano), Dorothea Roschmann (soprano), The Cleveland Orchestra, Franz Welser-Most (conductor)
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AN EVENING OF ALL-TIME VIENNESE CLASSICAL FAVOURITES is presented on this DVD. Here two world-renowned soloists are joined by a world-class orchestra under an eminent conductor to provide a first rate recording! Recorded live at the Carnegie Hall New York in October 2006.
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EUROARTS |
2056748
| DVD | 880242567482
Sonetto 47 del Petrarca, Sonetto 104 del Petrarca, Sonetto 123 del Petrarca, Apres une lecture de Dante, St François d’Assise La prédication aux oiseaux, Miserere du Trovatore, Aida Danza sacra e duetto finale, Rigoletto Paraphrase de Concert
The Liszt Recital from La Scala
Daniel Barenboim (piano)
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THIS SPECTACULAR MUSIC EVENT features Daniel Barenboim, one of the most prolific and high-profile artists performing on international stages today. He introduced this concert, which was recorded live at the famous Teatro alla Scala Milan in May 2007 as 'A concert dedicated to Italy'. It is a highly personal tribute to a country he has toured regularly as a conductor.
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JUXTAPOSITION |
DVD5DM41
| DVD | 899132000411
Nadia Boulanger - Mademoiselle
Film by Bruno Monsaingeon
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AUTHORITATIVE DOCUMENTARY Nadia Boulanger (1887-1979) was an influential French composer, conductor, and music professor. An outstanding music educator at the highest level, she taught many of the most important composers and conductors of the 20th Century. Boulanger herself has saw this film and gave it her personal approval.
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NAIVE |
V5089
| DVD2 | 0822186050897
Rossini La Pietra del Paragone
Sonia Prina, Jennifer Holloway, Laura Giordano, Christian Senn, Francois Lis, Jose Manuel Zapata, Joan Martin-Royo, Filippo Polinelli, Teatro Regio di Parma Chorus, Ensemble Matheus, Jean-Christophe Spinosi (conductor)
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FIRST TIME ON DVD 'Stunning, refreshing, exciting - frankly splendid' (Le Monde), 'It's a long time since we heard an opera audience laugh for three hours' (Liberation), 'We are dumbfounded, astonished, stunned, we admire the feat accomplished, especially since the performance never detracts from the music' (Les Echos). Rossini's power to entertain remains unsurpassed even today!
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OPUS ARTE |
OA0979D
| DVD | 809478009795
Prokofiev Symphony No 5, R Strauss Death and Transfiguration
RAI Sinfonia Turin, Sergiu Celibidache (conductor)
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RARE PERFORMANCES RECORDED FOR TELEVISION IN 1969 Prokofiev's wartime Symphony was conceived as a paean to the human spirit triumphing over adversity, while Strauss's tone poem transcends mortality to celebrate the eternal soul. Includes a 32-page booklet.
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OPUS ARTE |
OA0981D
| DVD | 809478009818
Mauro Lanza Songe de Medee (Medea's Dream) and MC 14/22
Marie-Agnes Gillotr, Eleonora Abbagnator, Wilfried Romoli, Constance Nicolasor, Carl Van Gotdsenhoven, Ensemble Court-Circuit, Opera National de Paris Ballet, Pierre-Andre Valade
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CONTEMPORARY CHOREOGRAPHY ‘There is no doubt that Angelin Preljocaj is one of those people who dictate an essential part of our choreographic heritage. He is unquestionably one of those artists who...asks the questions that need asking, and most notably the ones linked to the urgencies of life.’ (montpellierdance.com)
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OPUS ARTE |
OA0982D
| DVD | 809478009825
Verdi Oberto Conte di San Bonifacio
Ildar Abdrazakov, Evelyn Herlitzius, Carlo Ventre, Marianne Cornetti, Nuria Lorenzo, Bilbao Opera Chorus, Asturias Symphony Orchestra, Yves Abel (conductor)
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VIVA VERDI! Written when Verdi was still in his 20s, Oberto was the composer's first published opera and is set in 13th-century Italy. This DVD, recorded live at the Opera de Bilbao in January 2007 with high definition cameras, launches Bilbao Opera's Tutto Verdi Project which will present all of Verdi's operas in each of their different versions.
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OPUS ARTE |
OA0983D
| DVD2 | 809478009832
Mascagni Cavalleria Rusticana, Leoncavalli Pagliacci
Cavalleria Rusticana: Violeta Urmana, Vincenzo La Scola, Dragana Jugovic, Viorica Cortez, Marco di Felice, Pagliacci: Vladimir Galouzine, Mario Bayo, Carlo Guelfi, Antonio Gandia, Angel Odena, Teatro Real Madrid, Jesus Lopez Cobos
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OUTSTANDING PRODUCTIONS These contrasting productions full of the drama of infidelity, jealousy and murder are superbly performed. Recorded live in February and March 2007 with high definition cameras and true surround sound. Includes interviews with Musical director Jesus Lopez Cobos, Director Giancarlo del Monaco and members of the cast.
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OPUS ARTE |
OA0984BD
| DVD4 | 809478009849
The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty
Tchaikovsky The Ballets
The Nutcracker: The Royal Ballet, Evgenii Svetlanov (conductor), Swan Lake: The Royal Swedish Ballet, Michel Queval (conductor), Sleeping Beauty: The National Ballet Holland, Srmsnno Florio (conductor)
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BREATHTAKINGLY SPLENDID PRODUCTIONS Here are Tchaikovsky's three great ballets in one attractive box. 'Needless to say, the dancers are top class, the costumes exquisite, the music delightful and the sets as sumptuous as a wedding cake.' (HMV Choice on The Nutcracker) 'Bouquets to Opus Arte' (Dance Europe on Sleeping Beauty)
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OPUS ARTE |
OA0985D
| DVD | 809478009856
Berg Wozzeck
Franz Hawlata, Angela Denoke, Reiner Goldberg, Vivian Tierney, Johann Tilli, Hubert Delamboye, David Kuebler, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Sebastian Weigle (conductor)
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WEIGLE CONDUCTS WOZZECK Calixto Bieto's controversial and visually stunning production is set in a grisly, chaotic, post-industrial maze, giving a cutting contemporary edge to Berg's expressionistic masterpiece. 'Sensational' (Musical Opinion) 'Theatrically effective, coherent production' (baybuzz.com)
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OPUS ARTE |
OAHD5002
| HDDVD | 809478050025
Mozart The Magic Flute
Will Hartmann, Dorothea Roschmann, Diana Damrau, Franz-Josef Selig, Simon Keenlyside, Ailish Tynan, Adrian Thompson, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Colin Davis (conductor)
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HIGH DEFINITION DVD 'This production's slow journey from darkness into the light…works well on the small screen' (Classic FM). Star cast, gorgeous production, beautifully filmed with sumptuous surround sound. Recorded live at Covent Garden in 2003. NB HD-DVD is not compatible with standard DVD players.
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OPUS ARTE |
OAHD5003
| HDDVD | 809478050032
Mendelssohn A Midsummer Night's Dream Ballet
Pacific Northwest Ballet, BBC Concert Orchestra, Stewart Kershaw (conductor)
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HIGH DEFINITION DVD Choreographed by George Balanchine (this was his first original full-length ballet), the dancers' vitality, brilliance and versatility is a tribute to the choreographer's genius. 'Lavish…full of colour and brilliant images' (Morning Star USA) NB HD-DVD is not compatible with standard DVD players.
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SUPRAPHON |
SU7014
| DVD | 099925701499
Martinu The Greek Passion
John Mitchinson, Helen Field, John Tomlinson, Catherine Savory, Welsh National Opera, Prague Philharmonic Choir, Kuhn Children's Chorus, Brno Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras (conductor)
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CHRIST RECRUCIFIED - FIRST TIME ON DVD Sung here in English, Martinu's tragic opera is set in a Greek village where the annual Passion play is under preparation. Reality and fantasy become blurred as refugees arrive, provoking life-changing experiences among the characters. Recorded in 1981 for Czech Television. Sir Charles Mackerras visits Australia this year.
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[back to top] | [back to classical dvd]
non-classical cd & sacd
jazz contemporary |
jazz nostalgia |
shows and musicals |
world contemporary |
world traditional
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jazz contemporary
le chant du monde |
hat hut |
o+music
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LE CHANT DU MONDE |
CM2741413
| CD | 794881789320
Huby Various Works
Simple Sound
Regis Huby (violin), Alain Grange (cello), Bruno Chevillon (double bass), Olivier Benoit (electric guitar), Catherine Delaunay (clarinet), Roland Pinsard (bass clarinet)
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CONTEMPORARY COMMUNICATOR Regis Huby is a musician who dislikes boundaries. He is happy to work with musicians from any background - traditional, rock, contemporary, whatever. For him, writing music is a matter of achieving clarity of communication, even in the most improvised of situations.
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HAT HUT |
HATOLOGY610
| CD | 752156061021
Performance (Quartet) 1979
Anthony Braxton (saxophones, clarinet, contrabass clarinet), Ray Anderson (trombones), John Lindberg (percussion, xylophone, gongs)
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JAZZ LIVE IN CONCERT The great advantage of having complete live concerts on record is that we can hear also those intriguing spaces between the compositions: the improvisations which take the group from point A to point B are also the areas in which some of Braxton's most radical notions have first been voiced. Performance (Quartet) 1979 is of particular interest in this regard.
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HAT HUT |
HATOLOGY639
| CD | 752156063926
Zaki
Oliver Lake Trio
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JAZZ DEMOCRACY Oliver Lake’s Trio functioned on a democratic basis: 'I‘m not the boss. One of our concepts is that we try to have an interplay...We will sound like one flowing thing. It’s me (and sometimes Michael) writing the tunes, but we are all on an equal level in terms of where the music is coming from.'
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O+MUSIC |
OP127
| CD | 3760106071270
Changing Faces
David Linx and the Brussels Jazz Orchestra
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JAAZAMATAZZ Eleven arrangers chiselled this recording note by note, while David Linx and The Brussels Jazz Orchestra polished it into a glittering, multifaceted jewel. The BJO was founded 12 years ago and works with an amazing variety of guest artists, including the multi-award-winning vocalist David Linx.
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jazz nostagia
cpo |
drg
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CPO |
CPO7772822
| CD2 | 761203728220
Jazz and dance standards from the USA and Germany
Evergreens
WDR Dance Orchestra, Kurt Edelhagen
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DOWN MEMORY LANE Kurt Edelhagen is one of the all-time great names in post-war popular music with a jazz flair. This 2-CD set presents dozens of American evergreen songs, from These Foolish Things, Sophisticated Lady and Tea For Two, to German popular songs. The orchestra boasts a perfect sax section, strong trumpets and a warm-sounding trombone section.
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DRG |
DRGCD77503
| CD | 021471750324
Jingle all the way, The Christmas song, Winter wonderland, White Christmas, Let it snow!, Little drummer boy, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, What are you doing on New Year's Eve Have yourself a merry little Christmas, Silent night, Santa Claus is coming to town
Merry From Lena
Lena Horne
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1966 CHRISTMAS ALBUM This holiday classic has been hard to find for many years. Lena's performances are sly, sexy and unforgettable as she sings Christmas favourites. Frequently nominated as a 'desert island disc', Merry From Lena should find its way into your Christmas stocking this year!
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DRG |
DRGCD91502
| CD | 021471150223
Ain't misbehavin', Sand in my shoes, It's a hot night in Alaska, Mister and Missus Fitch, Bettin' on a man, Why can't I?, I've got the world on a string, Jenny, Find me a primitive man, no-talent Joe, The lady is a tramp, Daddy
The Girl I Left Home For
Gwen Verdon
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TONY AWARD WINNER IS BACK Gwen Verdon was one of the greatest dancing leading ladies in American theatre history, but it was the way she sold a song that made her the reigning Queen of Broadway during the 1950s. Prized by collectors, this great album features many classic songs and makes a welcome return to the catalogue.
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DRG |
DRGCD91503
| CD | 021471150322
Feelin' good, A wonderful day like today, Take the moment, I wanna be around, Pleasures and palaces, Who can I turn to, Less than a second, Willow weep for me, Girl from Ipanema, Softly as I leave you, And I love him, Hello young lovers
Feelin' Good
Lena Horne
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FIRST TIME ON CD Here are two Lena Horns albums from the 1960s together on one great CD. Digitally remastered with extensive new liner notes, this compilation is a must for Lena Horne fans.
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DRG |
DRGCD91504
| CD | 021471150421
I got a wonderful man, Wonder what I'm gonna do, I'd like to hear it sometime, What the world needs now is love, Unchained melody, Let the little people talk, Love bug, A taste of honey, The old mill stream Like a child, The music of the world a turnin', You know what to do, The sand and the sea, I get along without you, On Green Dolphin Street, I keep forgetting you, Unseen hands, Dream child
Lena In Hollywood
Lena Horne
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CLASSIC SOUL This expanded reissue of her 1966 album presents Lena Horne in a more soulful musical setting with background vocals and a swinging rhythm section. From Cotton Club to Hollywood, Broadway and the nightclub scene, Lena is in fine form.
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shows and musicals
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DRG |
DRGCD19105
| CD | 021471910520
Rodgers and Hart By Jupiter
1967 Broadway Revival Cast
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BY JOVE - ER - JUPITER! Their longest-running Broadway show, By Jupiter was described by Variety magazine as a 'melodious laugh rouser'. The 1967 revival of Rodgers and Hart's last musical collaboration starred Bob Dishy and included material by Fred Ebb.
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world contemporary
haenssler classic |
le chant du monde
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HAENSSLER CLASSIC |
CD98292
| CD | 4010276020103
Rennenbaum Psalms 120 to 139
Ma'alot - The Songs of Ascents
Waltraud Rennebaum (mezzo-soprano, composer), Ensemble Shoshan
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SONGS OF HOPE The psalms on this disc form a cycle of songs intended for travellers en route to the great pilgrimage feasts in Jerusalem. They express the confidence and hope of the Jewish people. This is the first internationally available CD of these psalms in their original language; ten of the sixteen are given new musical settings by Waltraud Rennebaum.
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LE CHANT DU MONDE |
CM2741541
| CD | 794881865321
Rouda Various Works
Musiques des lettres
Rouda, Grands Corps Malade
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THE NEW URBAN SOUND is both cosmopolitan and polymormorphous: 'slam' embodies rap and poetry in an experience where listening and exchange between participants counts most of all. Rouda is one of the founders of the Slammers' collective 129H and this disc 'Music of Letters' is what it's all about.
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world traditional
accords croises |
ambroisie |
radio france
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ACCORDS CROISES |
AC120
| CD | 794881857326
Traditional Armenian Music
Bardes d'Armenia
Gaguik Mouradian, The Goussan Ensemble
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ARMENIAN TROUBADOURS Itinerant musicians and poets have nurtured the musical life of the Caucasus since the Middle Ages. 'Goussans' were linked to pagan ceremonies, particularly those associated with the resurrection of Mourane, the mother goddess of the Armenians. The Goussan Ensemble tap into this ancient tradition. Also available 'Songs From A World Apart' duduk music performed by Levon Minassian and the Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra (LD0570205).
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AMBROISIE |
AM128
| CD | 0822186001288
10 Yiddish Songs, including Tire l'aiguille, Pot pourri des rabbis, Poliouchka, Overture on Hebrew Themes op 34, Papirosn/Tumbalaika/If I were Rich/Roumania, Roumania
A Yiddishe Mame
Sirba Octet
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YIDDISH MUSIC The Sirba Octet is an extremely talented group who possess incomparable instrumental technique and perform with their hearts on their sleeves. This music, traditional Yiddish, Gypsy and Russian songs together with works by Bloch, Prokofiev and other composers, is a fascinating selection of Jewish music.
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RADIO FRANCE |
C560214
| CD | 794881840328
Antanosy Country
Traditional Saranda Musicians and Singers
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MUSIC FROM MADAGASCAR Saranda is a typically Antanosy vocal genre, often highly oriental in colour, and intensely emotional. The Antanosy are among the poorest people on Madagascar, and their music is sometimes accompanied by the Sosoly flute, the Mandaly and Jejo bory lutes, Atranatra xylophone-on-legs or the Lokanga fiddle.
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[back to top] | [back to non-classical cd & sacd]
non-classical dvd
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ARTHAUS |
K101819
| DVD | 807280181999
Joe Zawinul - A Musical Portrait
Joe Zawinul and other artists
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WORLD MUSIC/JAZZ PIONEER Joe Zawinul, who died in September this year, is deservedly renowned for his pioneering role in combining elements of world music, rock and jazz. Many of the worldbeat sounds we take for grated today would not exist were it not for his revolutionary compositions and performances with Miles Davis in the late 60s, Weather Report in the 70s and 80s and the Zawinul Syndicate since the 90s.
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storyville films jazz legends
Storyville, the infamous legal red-light district that operated in New Orleans from 1898 until World War I, is the source of many musical legends. Karl Emil Knudsen named his label Storyville after this district where jazz was born over 100 years ago. Knudsen’s career spans over fifty years working with some of the greatest jazz and blues artists of all time. The aim of the label is to show the diversity of jazz and blues in Denmark, Europe and the world. The first titles in a new series of DVDs are now available.
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STORYVILLE JAZZ |
26000
| DVD | 880491260004
Harlem Roots - The Big Bands Vol 1
Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Lucky Millinder
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STORYVILLE JAZZ |
26011
| DVD | 880491260110
Big Bands Vol 1 - The Soundies
Stan Kenton, Les Brown, Doris Day, Tony Pastor, Claude Thornhill, Buddy Stewart, Martha Wayne, Sonny Dunham, Larry Clinton, Bob Chester, Glen Gray and His Orchestra, Alvino Rey, Buddy Rogers
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STORYVILLE JAZZ |
26021
| DVD | 880491260219
Highlights of the 10th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival 1975
Akiyoshi-Tabackin Big Band, Clark Terry, Paul Desmond Quartet, Bill Evans Trio, Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra, Cal Tjader, Bobby 'Blue' Bland, Etta James and The Outlaws, Marian McPartland and others
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STORYVILLE JAZZ |
26036
| DVD | 880491260363
Steps Ahead - Copenhagen Live 1983
Mike Mainieri (vibes), Michael Brecker (saxophone), Eddie Gomez (bass), Peter Erskine (drums), Eliane Elias (piano)
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Recorded live at Ny Carlsberg Glyptokek on 1 April 1983.
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STORYVILLE JAZZ |
26056
| DVD | 880491260561
The Blues of Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown
Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown
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Recorded live at the Maple Leaf in New Orleans on 4 February 1984.
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STORYVILLE JAZZ |
26060
| DVD | 880491260608
Lennie Tristano - The Copenhagen Concert 1965
Lennie Tristano
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Recorded in the Tivoli Gardens Concert Hall Copenhagen on 31 October 1965.
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STORYVILLE JAZZ |
26063
| DVD | 880491260639
Kenny Drew Trio At The Brewhouse 1992
Kenny Drew (piano), Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (bass), Alvin Queen (drums)
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Recorded in England on 22 July 1992.
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STORYVILLE JAZZ |
26072
| DVD | 880491260721
Stephane Grappelli Live in San Francisco 1982
Stephane Grappelli (violin, electric violin, piano), Diz Disley (rhythm guitar), Martin Taylor (guitar), Jack Sewing (bass) with David Grisman, Mike Marshall (mandolin), Darol Anger (violin), Rob Wasserman (bass)
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Recorded at Paul Mason Vineyard Saratoga California on 4 July 1982 and The Great American Music Hall San Francisco on 7 July 1982.
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STORYVILLE JAZZ |
26073
| DVD | 880491260738
Jazz Festival Vol 1 - Louis Armstrong 1962
The Louis Armstrong All Stars, Eddie Condon All Stars, The Bobby Hackett Sextet
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Recorded in 1962 in New York and elsewhere.
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STORYVILLE JAZZ |
26074
| DVD | 880491260745
Jazz Festival Vol 2 - Duke Ellington and His Orchestra 1962
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra, The Mike Bryan Sextet, The Bobby Hackett Sextet
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Recorded in 1962 in New York and elsewhere.
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[back to top] | [back to non-classical dvd]
audiobooks & books
naxos audiobooks |
naxos books
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NAXOS AUDIOBOOKS |
45712
| CD2 | 9789626344750
Julian Barnes
A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters
Read by Alex Jennings
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UNABRIDGED NOVEL One of English writer Julian Barnes' defining novels, this is an entertaining melange of stories starting with a contemporary account of the launching of Noah's Ark and exploring unexpected areas of human foibles, activities and tendencies. With a deft touch, Barnes paints a history of mankind.
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NAXOS AUDIOBOOKS |
245912
| CD2 | 9789626344590
Charles Dickens The Signalman, MR James The Mezzotint, Other stories
Classic Ghost Stories
Read by Stephen Critchlow
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FIVE GREAT GHOST STORIES Reader Stephen Critchlow has spent a lifetime collecting and reading works like these and, with carefully chosen music, brings a strong sense of atmosphere to this recording. What a great Christmas gift!
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NAXOS AUDIOBOOKS |
247112
| CD2 | 9789626344712
Dylan Thomas A Child's Christmas in Wales, L Frank Baum A Kidnapped Santa Claus, Arthur Conan Doyle The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, plus A Little Match Girl, The Nutcracker
A Family Christmas
Read by Jenny Agutter
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A CHARMING COLLECTION This is a great CD to play at home or during a journey to visit relatives over the holidays. It presents new recordings as well as some of the finest tracks from the Naxos AudioBooks catalogue. With music from carols to Tchaikovsky, it is a delight from start to finish.
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NAXOS BOOKS |
9781843791171
| PUB | 9781843791171
Barrymore Laurence Sherer
History of American Classical Music
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WORDS AND MUSIC From colonial times to the present, distinguished American author Barrymore Laurence Sherer traces the development of American classical music, illustrating the importance of figures such as Gershwin, Copland, Bernstein, Joplin and Sousa, visiting Broadway and exploring the worlds of William Henry Fry, Alan Hovhaness and others. Includes 2 CDs and internet links.
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NAXOS BOOKS |
9781843791195
| PUB | 9781843791195
Jeremy Siepmann
Tchaikovsky - His Life and Music
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THE NEW TCHAIKOVSKY He is both one of the most popular composers and one of the most misunderstood, both as a man and as a musician. Far from being a 'crazy Russian genius', Tchaikovsky was a meticulous master craftsman whose passionate and sensitive temperament cannot be ignored, and a man of compelling humanity, sensibility and humour. Includes 2 CDs and internet links.
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NAXOS BOOKS |
9781843792000
| PUB | 9781843792000
Stephen Johnson
Wagner - His Life and Music
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MASTER OR MONSTER? More than a century after his death, Wagner and his music remain as controversial as ever. Condemned as a revolutionary, dangerous libertine and megalomaniac, he has also been idolised and mythologised. Yet his music retains its overwhelming power. This new biography surveys Wagner's extraordinary life and deals with his darker side while considering his enduring importance. Includes 2 CDs and internet links.
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NAXOS BOOKS |
9781843792338
| PUB | 9781843792338
Lucien Jenkins
Discover Early Music
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DISCOVER - A NEW BOOK+WEBSITE SERIES Artistically rich and varied in themselves, the Medieval centuries also gave birth to the Renaissance and the Reformation. This book charts the history of this musical heritage with quotations, illustrations, and more than 2 1/2 hours of audio examples available on the accompanying website. An ideal introduction for readers of all ages.
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NAXOS BOOKS |
9781843792369
| PUB | 9781843792369
David McCleery
Discover Music of the Romantic Era
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DISCOVER - A NEW BOOK+WEBSITE SERIES Against a background of war and revolution, the 19th Century produced many of the world's best-loved composers. Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin and Tchaikovsky are just some of the familiar names whose music was written during the epoch from which our own modern times emerged. More than 2 1/2 hours of musical examples available on the accompanying website.
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