CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS
Saint-Saëns: Le carnaval des animaux [The Carnival of the Animals] (LP Version) Duo Jatekok (piano), Orchestre National de Lille, Lucie Leguay [ Alpha Classics / LP - released 27/Aug/2021 ] Alex Vizorek revisits Saint-Saëns' Carnival of the Animals. The French composer never imagined that his bestiary would become one of the most famous works in musical history, a staple repertory piece on a par with Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf. The... |
SERGEI RACHMANINOV
Rachmaninov: Symphony No.2 Alexander Anissimov, National Symphony Orchestra Of Ireland [ Naxos / CD - released 26/Feb/2001 ] "Alexander Anissimov's Naxos account lingers nostalgically over lyrical episodes in a recording that's firmer at the bottom end than you'd expect from Dublin's airy National Concert Hall. Anissimov's Naxos account is an exceptional bargain" BBC Music |
FRANZ XAVER SCHARWENKA
Piano Concertos Nos. 1 - 4 Alexander Markovich (piano) / Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi [ Chandos / 2 CD - released 31/Mar/2014 ] "Jarvi's watchful support and...control of orchestral dynamics gives Markovich more room to shape phrases effortlessly: his playing is especially fine [in the Scherzo of No. 1], cool-headed, but always meticulous...[in No. 2] Markovich blends fiery v |
SERGEI PROKOFIEV
Prokofiev: Music For Cello And Orchestra Alexander Rudin (Cello) / National Symphony Orchestra Of Ukraine / Theodore Kuchar [ Naxos / CD - released 29/Sep/2007 ] "Alexander Rudin is, both technically and interpretively, one of the most authoritative cellists of his generation...all in all the most successful recording of this score in years....Highly Recommended" - Fanfare |
EDWARD ELGAR
Elgar: Cello Concerto / Enigma Variations / Froissart / Starlight Express / etc Alison Hagley (soprano) Bryn Terfel (bass-baritone) Robert Cohen (cello) / Royal Philharmonic / Welsh National Opera Orch. / Sir Charles Mackerras [ Decca SBS Australian Eloquence / 2 CD - released 1/Nov/2007 ] "Mackerras captures the wistful charm of the quieter pieces (on CD2) very effectively, and spirits are high in the more robust items" Gramophone |
SCHOENBERG
Pelleas und Melisande, Op. 5 / Piano Concerto, Op. 42 Amalie Malling (piano) Scottish National Orchestra / Matthias Bamert. Danish National Symphony Orchestra / Michael Schonwandt [ Chandos Classics / CD - released 4/Feb/2005 ] 'Amalie Malling proves an intelligent and sympathetic soloist… Michael Schønwandt gets very good results from the Danish Orchestra and the texture is lucid and transparent, and splendidly recorded.' The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs on the Piano... |
HUBERT PARRY
Choral Works (Incls 'Jerusalem' & 'The Birds of Aristophanes') Amanda Roocroft (soprano) / BBC National Chorus & Orchestra of Wales, Neeme Jarvi [ Chandos / CD - released 15/Oct/2012 ] "This is breast-swelling stuff...the BBC National Orchestra of Wales gives warmly sympathetic renditions of music which was probably completely unfamiliar to them before the recording sessions. The Chandos sound is excellent." (BBC Music) |
HECTOR BERLIOZ
Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14 Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française, Orchestre du Théâtre National de l'Opéra, André Cluytens [ Testament / CD - released 4/Feb/2002 ] |
MYROSLAV SKORYK
Skoryk: Violin Concertos 1-4 Andrej Bielow (violin) National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, Volodymyr Sirenko [ Naxos / CD - released 20/Mar/2020 ] Myroslav Skoryk, a postgraduate student of Dmitry Kabalevsky, is one of Ukraine's leading composers and teachers. His works range from opera and ballet, a symphonic transcription of Paganini's 24 Caprices, and his cycle of nine Violin Concertos... |
MYROSLAV SKORYK
Skoryk.: Violin Concertos (Complete), Vol. 2 - Nos. 5-9 Andrej Bielow (violin) / Ukraine National Symphony Orchestra, Volodymyr Sirenko [ Naxos / CD - released 20/May/2020 ] Myroslav Skoryk is one of Ukraine's leading composers and teachers, with a portfolio of works that include opera, a symphonic transcription of Paganini's Caprices, and a cycle of nine violin concertos written over a 45-year span. |
VERDI
Falstaff (Complete Opera in English) Andrew Shore (baritone) Yvonne Kenny (soprano) / English National Opera, Paul Daniel [ Chandos / 2 CD - released 1/Mar/2002 ] "It is serious competition for the currently available recordings in Italian." (Pick of the Month BBC Music Magazine Aug 2002) |
HENRYK GORECKI
Antoni Wit Conducts Henryk Górecki [Incls Symphony No. 3 (Symphony of Sorrowful Songs) ] Anna Górecka (piano) Carol Wincenc (flute) Zofia Kilanowicz (soprano) / Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra. Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra [ Naxos / 3 CD Box Set - released 10/Apr/2014 ] "What impresses me most about this performance is its sprituality" - Gramophone on the Symphony of Sorrowful Songs |
SEBASTIAN FAGERLUND
Fagerlund: Höstsonaten (Autumn Sonata), an opera Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano), Erika Sunnegårdh (soprano), Helena Juntunen (soprano), Tommi Hakala (baritone), Finnish National Orchestra [ BIS / 2 CD - released 10/Sep/2018 ] A new opera by Sebastian Fagerlund based on Ingmar Bergman's celebrated film. Sebastian Fagerlund has made a name for himself primarily through his concertos and orchestral works. As demonstrated on previous recordings, his music displays a huge... |
SALLY BEAMISH
Violin Concerto / Callisto / Symphony No. 1 Anthony Marwood (violin) / Sharon Bezaly (flute) / Royal Scottish National Orchestra / Martyn Brabbins [ BIS / CD - released 1/Jul/2010 ] "...the First Symphony leaves the strongest impression here...It makes no mean impression in this performance, Martyn Brabbins drawing a committed response from the Royal Scottish National players, who are hardly less attentive in the concertos."... |
MARCEL POOT
Poot: Symphonies Nos. 1-7 Antwerp Philharmonic, Belgian National Radio Symphony Orchestra, BRTN Philharmonic Orchestra, Moscow Symphony Orchestra, Franz André, Frédéric Devrees [ Naxos / 2 CD - released 14/May/2021 ] The Belgian composer, Marcel Poot, was one of the most striking musical figures of his time, with a spicy compositional style that exemplified his zest for life. His cycle of seven symphonies, the earliest of which show the influence of Ravel,... |
PROKOFIEV
The Two Violin Concertos / Sonata for Solo Violin Arabella Steinbacher (violin) / Russian National Orchestra, Vasily Petrenko [ Pentatone SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 20/Mar/2013 ] "admirers of this gifted young artist will need no second bidding to acquire this latest recording of hers, for she plays all three works with love and affection [International Recored Review] |
EARL KIM
Kim: Violin Concerto / Dialogues / Cornet Cecylia Arzewski (violin) / Ireland RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Scott Yoo [ Naxos American Classics / CD - released 15/Aug/2019 ] Earl Kim was born in 1920 in Dinuba, California and studied with Arnold Schoenberg, Ernst Bloch, and Roger Sessions. He was a professor at Princeton from 1952 to 1967 and at Harvard from then until 1998, and was the recipient of numerous awards and... |
RICHARD WAGNER
Erkoreka: Cello & Piano Concertos / Tres Sonetos de Michelangelo Asier Polo (cello) Carlos Mena (countertenor) Alfonso Gómez (piano) / Basque National Orchestra, Juanjo Mena [ Ondine / CD - released 26/Jul/2024 ] Award-winning composer Gabriel Erkoreka (b. 1969) is one of the leading composers of contemporary music from the Iberian Peninsula. This new album by the Basque National Orchestra conducted by Juanjo Mena is dedicated to his orchestral works.... |
JACQUES OFFENBACH
Offenbach: La Périchole (complete operetta) Aude Extrémo, Stanislas de Barbeyrac, Alexandre Duhamel, Eric Huchet / Les Musiciens du Louvre, Chœur de l'Opéra National de Bordeaux, Marc Minkowski [ Bru Zane / 2 CD/Book - released 28/Jun/2019 ] "In the pit are Les Musiciens du Louvre - part of a growing and welcome trend towards giving operetta the benefits of historically informed practice. " Gramophone |
SCHNEITZHOEFFER
La Sylphide (complete ballet recorded in 2004) Aurélie Dupont / Mathieu Ganio / Mélanie Hurel / Le Corps De Ballet And Opéra National De Paris / Ermanno Fl [ Arthaus Musik DVD / DVD - released 12/May/2011 ] Arthaus presents Pierre Lacotte's landmark reconstruction of the Romantic Ballet La Sylphide, long regarded as a classic in its own right. |