BIZET / PUCCINI / DONIZETTI / VERDI / MEYERBEER / J. STRAUSS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Opera Duets (Includes the Pearl Fischers Duet) Thomas Hampson (baritone), Jerry Hadley (tenor) / Welsh National Opera, Carlo Rizzi [ Teldec / CD - released 1/Feb/1993 ] "Two of the finest voices of our time sing some of the finest ensemble music of all time; how much better can it get?" - MusicWeb Jan 2005 |
JULES MASSENET
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Massenet: Thais (Complete Opera with libretto) Thomas Hampson, Renee Fleming, Giuseppe Sabbatini / Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine, Yves Abel [ Decca Records / 2 CD Box Set - released 16/Nov/2000 ] 2001 GRAMOPHONE AWARD FINALIST - Opera |
RICHARD STRAUSS
Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Der Rosenkavalier Suite Thomas Søndergård, Royal Scottish National Orchestra [ Linn / CD - released 12/Apr/2019 ] This recording is the first in a new series with Thomas Søndergård and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. The programme features music by Richard Strauss: the concert suite from Der Rosenkavalier and Ein Heldenleben, a work they have performed... |
GUSTAV HOLST
Holst: Orchestral works (Including Invocation for Cello and Orchestra) Tim Hugh (cello) / Royal Scottish National Orchestra, David Lloyd-Jones, conductor [ Naxos / CD - released 15/Feb/2002 ] "Sherbakov rises magnificently to the considerable technical and expressive demands of Respighi's piano writing" - Fanfare |
LEOS JANACEK / ZOLTA KODALY
Janacek - Glagolitic Mass / Kodaly - Psalmus Hungaricus, Op. 13 Tina Kiberg (sop) Randi Stene (mez) Peter Svensson (ten) Ulrik Cold (bass) Per Salo (organ) / Danish National Radio Choir, Charles Mackerras [ Chandos Classics / CD - released 10/May/2004 ] 1001 Classical recordings you must hear before you die (1901-1950) - "Mackerras's new version is of particular interest as it embodies another of the reconstructions that have been painstakingly made of Janacek's original intentions in different... |
BERNSTEIN / GERSHWIN / LIEBERSON
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Remembering JFK: 50th Anniversary Concert Tzimon Barto (piano) / Earl Wild (piano) / Richard Dreyfuss / Georgetown University Glee Club / National Symphony Orchestra / Christoph Eschenbach [ Ondine / 2 CD - released 25/Aug/2011 ] "as historical document, Remembering JFK is an absorbing time capsule." (Classic FM) |
MORTON GOULD
Gould: American Ballads / Foster Gallery / American Salute Ukraine National Symphony Orchestra / Theodore Kuchar (Conductor) [ Naxos American Classics / CD - released 30/Apr/2006 ] The three works on this record all display Morton Gould's penchant for adopting quintessential American themes, transforming them into his own instantly recognizable style. - American Record Guide (Mark Koldys) |
HOLST / KHACHATURIAN / GLINKA / PROKOFIEV / ORFF / RACHMANINOV / etc
Classical Heat: music to warm you up [incls 'The Planets', 'Ride of the Valkyries', Carmina Burana & Ritual Fire Dance] Royal Scottish National Orchestra / National Symphony Orchestra of the Ukraine / Maggini String Qtet / Maria Kliegel / Royal Ballet Sinfonia / etc [ Naxos / 2 CD - released 10/Apr/2009 ] Over two and a half hours of music to warm you up! |
ROBERT SCHUMANN
The Best Of Schumann Jenö Jandó (piano), Maria Kliegel (cello), Kristin Merscher (piano), Balázs Szokolay (piano) Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Kodály Quartet [ Naxos / CD - released 27/Aug/2007 ] The very best of Robert Schumann compiled from the vast Naxos catalogue! |
BEDRICH SMETANA
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Smetana: Libuse (Festive Opera In 3 Acts) Eva Urbanová, Vratislav Kriz, Ludek Vele, Helena Kaupová / Prague National Theatre Chorus & Orchestra, Oliver Dohnanyi [ Supraphon / 2 CD Box Set - released 20/Oct/2009 ] "The cast is splendid, reflecting that the extraordinary musical traditions of the Czech's (Europe's most musical nation?) are alive and well. The whole performance captures the sense of occasion." MusicWeb |
WITOLD LUTOSLAWSKI
Lutoslawski - The Best of: Symphonic Variations Overture for Strings etc The Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, with Andrzej Bauer (cello) Krzysztof Bakowski (violin) Piotr Paleczny (piano) [ Naxos / CD - released 20/Aug/2001 ] One of the greatest 20th-century Polish music artists |
PYOTR Il'yich TCHAIKOVSKY
My First Tchaikovsky Album Maria Kliegel (cello) / Ireland National Symphony Orchestra; Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra; Queensland Symphony; Slovak Philharmonic Orches [ Naxos / CD - released 27/Feb/2012 ] Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky: a great Russian name for a great Russian composer! Tchaikovsky was not always a happy man. He didn't laugh a lot. But he wrote music that is full of good melodies. |
ROMANTIC CLASSICS
Romantic Classics (Incls Salut d'amour', Liebestraum No. 3' & 'Clair de lune') Various artists incls Margaret Fingerhut, Earl Wild (pianos) Craig Ogden (guitar), London Mozart Players, Scottish National Orchestra, etc [ Chandos 241 / 2 CD - released 1/Jan/2004 ] Romantic Classics features some of the world's most requested music, taken from Chandos' distinguished catalogue and digitally remastered to the company's usual, uncompromising standards. |
CLASSICS FOR FUNERALS
In Memory of... (Classics for Funerals) Various performers incls Scottish National Orchestra, the Sixteen, BBC Philharmonic, Emma Kirkby, Detroit Symphony [ Chandos / 2 CD - released 1/Jan/2005 ] Morbid though the subject of this disc may seem, it was very definitely the logical next Bear Essentials release. We are regularly contacted by bereaved relatives, who ask us to suggest suitable music for use at funerals - as indeed, we are told, are... |
SERGEI PROKOFIEV
The Best of Prokofiev Tedi Papavrami (violin), Kun-Woo Paik (piano) National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Czecho-Slovak State Ph [ Naxos / CD - released 8/Jan/2005 ] A new addition to the Naxos 'Best of' series features the outstanding series of Prokofiev recordings made with the Ukraine orchestra. |
JOSEPH CANTELOUBE
Chants d'Auvergne (Selection) Veronique Gens (soprano) / Lille National Orchestra, Jean-Claude Casadesus, conductor [ Naxos / CD - released 2/Apr/2005 ] "This recording is so distinctive that I've little doubt it will be the definitive Chants d'Auvergne for many years to come. Gens raises Naxos's artistic image by her brilliance, and this recording will sell, and sell, and sell ......" - Anne Ozorio |
GEORGES BIZET
Bizet: Carmen (Complete Opera recorded in 1958 & 1959) Victoria de los Angeles, Nicolai Gedda, Janine Micheau / French National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sir Thomas Beecham [ Warner Classics The Home Of Opera / 3 CD Box Set - released 1/Jul/2019 ] "This classic Beecham set was originally welcomed in Gramophone with a glowing review from Philip Hope Wallace: 'I send up a loud "Ole".' It certainly stands the test of time, sparkling, swaggering and seducing in a way that is uniquely Beecham's. |
GEORGES BIZET
Bizet: Carmen (Complete Opera recorded in 1958 & 1959) Victoria de los Angeles, Nicolai Gedda, Janine Micheau / French National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sir Thomas Beecham [ Warner Classics Legendary Opera Recordings / 3 CD Box Set - released 23/Sep/2016 ] "a spacious recording in which the atmospheric off-stage effects are vividly caught. What is so individual is the way that Beecham points rhythms to captivate the ear, as well as his persuasive moulding of phrases." (Gramophone) |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Victoria De Los Angeles - On Wings Of Song Victoria De Los Angeles (Soprano) / Sinfonia of London, Spanish National Orchestra, Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos [ EMI Studio / CD - released 2/Feb/1988 ] Recordings from 1962, 1964 & 1965 mostly at the Abbey Road Studios, London |
SAINT-SAENS
Symphony No. 3 'Organ' / Danse macabre, Op. 40 / etc Vincent Warnier (organ) / Orchestre National de Lyon, Leonard Slatkin [ Naxos / CD - released 20/Jan/2015 ] To celebrate the inauguration of the newly restored former organ of the Palais du Trocadéro and Palais de Chaillot in Paris, the Orchestre National de Lyon and their organist-in-residence, Vincent Warnier, present two major works for organ and... |