GERSHWIN / BERNSTEIN / WAXMAN
American Impressions Rachel Kolly d'Alba (violin) / Orchestre National de la Pays de la Loire, John Axelrod [ Warner Classics / CD - released 20/Aug/2014 ] "This is a fun album, worth hearing particularly for the terrific Bernstein performance" (International Record Review) |
J. S. BACH
Bach: Keyboard Concertos for 2, 3 & 4 Pianos David Fray (piano) with Emmanuel Christien, Audrey Vigoreux, Jacques Rouvier / Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse [ Erato Classics / CD - released 20/Nov/2018 ] "Repeated listening is essential; again and again with true delight. Highly recommended." Nicholas Butler/Marbecks |
FRANCIS POULENC
Poulenc: Dialogues des Carmelites (Complete opera) Denise Duval, Regine Crespin / Choeurs et Orchestre du Theatre National de l'Opera de Paris / Pierre Dervaux [ Warner Erato Home of Opera / 2 CD - released 20/May/2016 ] 'A classic and irreplaceable recording. It is evident that the singers were inspired by the piece to give of their considerable best and Pierre Dervaux's conducting of the work is both inspired and inspiriting.' (Gramophone) |
KAIJA SAARIAHO
Saariaho: Only the Sound Remains (complete opera recorded in 2016) BLU-RAY Dutsch National Opera / Philippe Jaroussky (counter-tenor), Davóne Tines (baritone) / André De Ridder (conductor) & Peter Sellars (stage director) [ Erato / Warner Classics Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 15/Nov/2017 ] This DVD and Blu-ray derive from the world premiere performances, at the Dutch National Opera in 2016, of Only the Sound Remains, a Japanese-inspired double bill by Kaija Saariaho. Her first opera, L'Amour de loin, has captivated audiences around the... |
ALEXANDRE DESPLAT
Airlines (LP) Emmanuel Pahud (flute) / Orchestre National de France, Florentino Calvo, Myriam Lafargue, Alexandre Desplat [ Warner Classics / LP - released 28/Aug/2020 ] With Airlines, supreme instrumentalist, flautist Emmanuel Pahud, takes the music of an Oscar-winning film composer, Alexandre Desplat, into new realms. The album is entirely devoted to world premiere recordings - of original concert works and of... |
JEAN SIBELIUS
Sibelius: Symphonic Poems & Cantatas (Incls 'The Maiden in the Tower', 'Pelleas et Melisande' & 'Finlandia') Estonian National Symphony Orchestra & National Male Choir of Estonia / Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Paavo Jarvi [ Virgin Classics / 4 CD Box Set - released 20/Oct/2011 ] "Sibelians will welcome this collection as might choral conductors looking for ideas for a short concert appetiser." MusicWeb |
LISZT / CHOPIN / BEETHOVEN / MENDELSSOHN / SCHUBERT / SCHUMANN / etc
Georges Cziffra - The Complete Studio Recordings 1956 - 1986 Georges Cziffra (piano) with The Budapest Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National de l'Opera de Monte Carlo, Philhamonia Orchestra, etc [ Erato / Warner Classics / 41 CD Box Set - released 29/Oct/2021 ] The present boxed set brings together all the studio recordings made by the virtuoso pianist Georges Cziffra (1921-1994) for EMI and Philips, from his first 25cm LP released in 1956 when he arrived in Paris, to the last sessions in the Senlis chapel. |
Grand National
A Drink & A Quick Decision :-Limited Edition [ Recall Group / CD ] |
NICCOLO PAGANINI
The Best of Paganini (Incls Violin Concerto No.1 in D, Op.6 & Moto perpetuo, Op.11) Henryk Szeryng, Ivry Gitlis, Arthur Grumiaux (violins) / Orchestre National de l'Opara de Monte-Carlo / Warsaw National Philharmonic / etc [ Philips Duo / 2 CD - released 11/Jun/2006 ] Classic recordings from the Philips catalogue |
FRANCIS POULENC
Poulenc: Gloria / Stabat Mater / Organ Concert Peter Hurford (organ) / Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestre National De France, Charles Dutoit [ Decca Virtuoso / CD - released 28/Aug/2014 ] "Powerful performance, especially of the Organ Concerto. Vivid recording, fine contributions from the Radio France Choir, and muscular conducting from Charles Dutoit." (BBC Music) |
BIZET
Bizet: Les Pêcheurs de perles [The Pearl Fishers] (Complete opera recorded in 1960) Janine Micheau, Nicolai Gedda, Ernest Blanc / Chœurs et Orchestre du Théâtre National de l'Opéra Comique, Pierre Dervaux [ Warner Classics The Home of Opera / 2 CD - released 1/Sep/2016 ] "Ernest Blanc, in the difficult role of the alternately jealous and forgiving Zurga, is in superb voice, showing a real understanding of the right style and of character." (Gramophone) |
EDOUARD LALO
Lalo: Le roi d'Ys (Complete Opera recorded in 1957) Janine Micheau, Rita Gorr, Henri Legay, Jean Borthayre / Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion française, André Cluytens [ Erato The Home of Opera / 2 CD - released 25/Apr/2018 ] Lalo's Le Roi d'Ys draws on the same Breton myth of a submerged city as Debussy's La Cathédrale engloutie. A great success at its 1888 premiere at Paris's Opéra Comique, it even reached the Metropolitan Opera, New York, but its current rarity on the... |
JULES MASSENET
Massenet: Esclarmonde (complete opera recorded in 1976) Joan Sutherland, Hugette Tourangeau, Clifford Grant / National Philharmonic Orchestra / Richard Bonyng [ Decca / 3 CD Box Set - released 20/Aug/2012 ] "Bonynge draws passionate singing and playing from the chorus and orchestra, and the recording has both atmosphere and spectacle" (Penguiin Guide) |
DONIZETTI
Anna Bolena (complete opera) Joan Sutherland / Samuel Ramey / Susanne Mentzer / Jerry Hadley / Welsh National Opera Chorus & Orchestra / Richard Bonynge [ Decca Classic Opera / 3 CD - released 1/Oct/2006 ] The story of England's King Henry VIII, the demise of his second wife Anne Boleyn, and the rise of her rival Jane Seymour fascinated a wide 19th Century audience. With the opera Anna Bolena Donizetti brought his art to a new height and created what... |
Joel Mcneely, Royal Scottish National Orchestra
O.S.T. - Last Of The Mohicans [ Varese Sarabande / CD - released 3/Feb/2009 ] |
PACINI / BELLINI / MERCADANTE / DONIZETTI / etc
Stella di Napoli Joyce DiDonato (mezzo) Orchestre de l'Opéra National de Lyon, Riccardo Minasi [ Erato / Warner Classics / CD - released 1/Nov/2014 ] 'Joyce DiDonato's love letter to Neapolitan 'bel canto' is all about the voice, and what a voice it proves to be. Vocal pyrotechnics hold no terrors, and her creamy mezzo leaves no nuance unturned.' (Gramophone Award Nomination 2015 - Recital) |
KARL JENKINS
Jenkins: The Armed Man: A Mass For Peace National Youth Choir of Great Britain, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Karl Jenkins [ Decca / CD - released 25/May/2019 ] The result of a special millennial commission from the Royal Armouries and the latest in a six century old tradition of "Armed Man" masses that take the fifteenth century French song "L'Homme Armé" as their starting point. |
SERGEI PROKOFIEV
Prokofiev: War And Peace (complete opera recorded in1988) Galina Vishnevskaya, Lajos Miller, Katherine Ciesinski, Dimiter Petkov / Orchestre National De France, Mstislav Rostropovich [ Erato Warner Classics Home of Opera / 4 CD Box Set - released 1/May/2017 ] "In Rostropovich's powerful reading one revels in the vividness of the atmosphere, both in the evocative love scenes and ball scenes of the first half and in the high tensions of the battle scenes in the second." - Rosette - Penguin Stereo Guide |
LEONARDO VINCI
Artaserse (complete opera recorded in 2012) Lorraine National Opera / Philippe Jaroussky, Franco Fagioli, Max Emanuel Cencic, Valer Barna-Sabadus / Diego Fasolis (director) [ Warner Classics DVD / 2 DVD - released 10/May/2014 ] "This magnificent production is a complete and blissful success. Don't miss it." Those were the words of the French website Classique News when Leonardo Vinci's rediscovered Artaserse was staged by Silviu Purcãrete at the Opéra National de Lorraine... |
GEORGES BIZET
Bizet: Carmen (complete opera recorded in 1964) Maria Callas, Nicolai Gedda, Andréa Guiot, Robert Massard, Nadine Sautereau / Orchestre du Théâtre National de l'Opéra de Paris, Georges Prêtre [ Warner Classics Maria Callas Remastered / 2 CD - released 1/Apr/2015 ] Towards the end of Callas's career, there were many rumours that she was planning to perform Carmen on stage. This was never to be, but Carmen became her penultimate complete recording of an opera - and her only complete recording of a French opera.... |