ESTEBAN BENZECRY
Benzecry: Ciclo de canciones / Violin Concerto / Clarinet Concerto Ayako Tanaka (Soprano) Xavier Inchausti (Violin) Mariano Rey (Clarinet) / Lviv National Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Pablo Boggiano [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jul/2020 ] French-Argentinian composer Esteban Benzecry has built up a distinctive body of work, from symphonies to works for solo piano. He stands as a worthy successor to such masters as Ginastera, Villa-Lobos and Chávez, with music that is suffused with... |
STRAVINSKY / FAURE / TCHAIKOVSKY
Jewels (ballet by George Balanchine) Ballet de L'Opera National de Paris / George Balanchine / Christian Lacroix [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 19/Jun/2006 ] G :- 'Jewels', a work first performed by the New York City Ballet in 1967. This alluring, abstract ballet, a triptych in which each piece sparkles with the brilliance of a precious stone, is a lyric tribute to women and to the capital cities of... |
STRAVINSKY / FAURE / TCHAIKOVSKY
Jewels [ballet by George Balanchine] (recorded in 2005) BLU-RAY Ballet de L'Opera National de Paris / Aurelie Dupont, Marie-Agnes Gillot, Agnes Letestu, Clairemarie Osta [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Dec/2008 ] DVD Blu-Ray - Jewels, a work first performed by the New York City Ballet in 1967. This alluring, abstract ballet, a triptych in which each piece sparkles with the brilliance of a precious stone, is a lyric tribute to women and to the capital cities... |
BEETHOVEN / DEBUSSY / FAURE / SAINT-SAENS / etc
Proust, or How The Heart Skips A Beat (complete ballet recorded in 2007) Choreography by Roland Petit Ballet de l'Opéra National de Paris / Stéphanie Romberg / Eleonora Abbagnato / Manuel Legris / Koen Kessels (cond) [ Bel Air Classiques / Harmonia Mundi Distibution / DVD - released 1/Dec/2008 ] G - In 1974, Roland Petit, probably the greatest and certainly one of the most prolific of 20th century French choreographers he was the first person to create a work based on Proust's novel, A la recherche du temps perdu, completed in 1922, the... |
SAMUEL BARBER
Barber: Piano Concerto / Medea's Meditation and Dance of Vengeance / etc Stephen Prutsman (piano) / Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Marin Alsop [ Naxos American Classics / CD - released 10/Oct/2011 ] "The American Classics series has been one of the most innovative and exciting recording projects in recent years. The exploration of Barber's works has persistently provided the brightest jewels in the Naxos crown." (The Observer) |
ENRIQUE GRANADOS
Granados: Danzas Espanolas (orchestrated by Rafael Ferrer) Barcelona Symphony and Cataloni National Orchestra. Salvadoe Brotons [ Naxos Spanish Classics / CD - released 16/Sep/2002 ] Enrique Granados was born in Lérida on 27th July 1867. During his childhood he spent some years in the Canary Islands, a period that he always fondly remembered as a lost paradise. His leaning towards music became apparent at an early age, but he... |
LEONARDO BALADA
Guernica / Symphony 4 'Lausanne' / etc Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra, Salvador Mas Conde [ Naxos / CD - released 28/Jun/2004 ] |
LOEFFLER / RUGGLES / HANSON / COWELL
Americascapes Basque National Orchestra, Robert Trevino [ Ondine / CD - released 29/Oct/2021 ] All four American composers on this new album by the Basque National Orchestra and conductor Robert Trevino wrote music that was known, played and esteemed during their lifetimes, but none of them ever had a huge 'hit' and so the pieces here are... |
RAVEL
Ravel: Bolero / La Valse / Rapsodie espagnole / Alborada del gracioso / Une barque sur l'océan / Pavane pour une infante défunte Basque National Orchestra, Robert Trevino [ Ondine / CD - released 9/Apr/2021 ] Conductor Robert Trevino's new album release on Ondine - after a successful debut with a complete Beethoven symphony cycle - features six orchestral pieces by Maurice Ravel (1875-1937), one of the most famous Basque composers, played by the Basque... |
ARNOLD BAX
Bax: Symphony No. 1 / In the Faery Hills / Garden of Fand Royal Scottish National Orchestra, David Lloyd-Jones [ Naxos / CD - released 2/Feb/1998 ] "In the two symphonic poems, more specifically inspired by Irish themes, Lloyd-Jones draws equally warm and sympathetic performances from the Scottish Orchestra, bringing inner clarity to the heaviest scoring. First-rate sound" Penguin Guide |
ARNOLD BAX
Bax: Symphony No. 2 / November Woods Royal Scottish National Orchestra, David Lloyd-Jones [ Naxos / CD - released 2/Feb/1996 ] "...this recording has a physical impact and emotional involvement that genuinely compel. A veritable blockbuster." Gramophone |
BRIAN EASDALE
The Film Music (Incls 'The Red Shoes' & 'Black Narcissus') BBC National Chorus of Wales & BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Rumon Gamba [ Chandos Movies / CD - released 1/Mar/2011 ] "this excellent CD puts [Easdale] back where he belongs, in the top rank of film composers...The young voices of the BBC National Chorus of Wales add a vivid and dynamic dimension to both of these scores." Gramophone Magazine Editor's Choice May 2011 |
ALEXANDER ZEMLINSKY
Zemlinsky: Symphony in D minor / Symphony in B flat major BBC National Chorus of Wales, Martyn Brabbins [ Hyperion / CD - released 1/Sep/2014 ] "the present release can be confidently recommended for the refined and subtle playing of the BBC NOW and a recording that achieves an ideal balance between textural clarity and Romantic warmth." BBC Music |
SERGE DIAGHILEV
Diaghilev: Diaghilev's Ballet Russes BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Thierry Fischer (conductor) [ Signum Classics / 3 CD - released 5/Sep/2011 ] Serge Diaghilev's choice of composers for his Ballet Russes productions (often acknowledged as one of the 20th century's most influential ballet companies) has led to the creation of some of the most engaging and exhilarating music in the classical... |
SIR CHARLES HUBERT H. PARRY
Parry: Symphony No.4 / Three Movements from 'Suite moderne BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales, Rumon Gamba [ Chandos / CD - released 14/Oct/2018 ] "… all this rewarding repertoire is decently served by Rumon Gamba and his combined BBC forces. Chandos's sound is ripe and true to match, and Jeremy Dibble supplies a most helpful annotation." Gramophone |
IGOR STRAVINSKY
Firebird: Works By Stravinsky BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Thierry Fischer (conductor) [ Signum / CD - released 27/Jul/2009 ] The music commissioned by Sergei Diaghilev for his Ballet Russes has generated some of the most inventive and popular orchestral works of the 20th Century. Led by Principal Conductor Thierry Fischer, these recordings capture the excitement and... |
RUTH GIPPS
Gipps: Symphonies Nos 2 & 4, etc BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Rumon Gamba [ Chandos / CD - released 14/Sep/2018 ] "[Knight in Armour], and the single-movement Second Symphony, from 1945, are clearly both indebted to Gipps's teacher Vaughan Williams, while the Fourth, from 1972, seems to belong securely and less distinctively in the mainstream of mid-century cons |
STRAVINSKY / POULENC
Rite of Spring / Les Biches BBC National Orchestra of Wales / Thierry Fischer [ Signum Records / CD - released 10/Feb/2012 ] "Helped by state-of-the-art sound, Fischer's refinement speaks volumes in the Rite's quieter passages, where the string clusters and gurgling woodwind have a lucid beauty that contrasts finely with the weight of the rest...The real treat, though, is... |
GLAZUNOV
Symphonies 4 & 8 BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Tadaaki Otaka [ BIS SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 1/Oct/2003 ] "Strongly characterized and distinctively Russian themes … beautifully and sensitively played … what a fine orchestra this is. There could be no better introduction to Glazunov's symphonic world" (Classical Music Web) |
GLAZUNOV
Symphonies (Complete at a budget price) BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Tadaaki Otaka [ BIS / 5 CD Box Set - released 1/Apr/2007 ] "The BBC NOW performances are spruce and sympathetic, avoiding special pleading but at the same time far more subtle than routine run-throughs. High standards of recording and booklet presentation continue to be a strong selling-point for this... |