WAGNER / LISZT
Liszt: Les Préludes / Hungarian Fantasy / etc Gabor Farkas (piano) / Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra, Zoltan Kocsis [ Warner Classics / CD - released 1/Sep/2013 ] "The opening minutes of Les Preludes are fuill of promise for an account that mixes grandeur, lyrical ardour and impetuousness well enough. The most dramatic passages are the most ear-catching." IRR |
JOSEF HAYDN
Haydn: The Seasons (1801) Carolyn Sampson (sop) Jeremy Ovenden (ten) / Gabrieli Consort & Players, National Forum of Music Choir, Wroclaw Baroque Orchestra, Paul McCreesh (cond [ Signum / 2 CD Box Set - released 24/Mar/2017 ] "McCreesh and his massed Anglo-Polish forces have given us a Seasons that thrillingly catches both the work's bucolic exhilaration and its invocations of the sublime..for sheer sonic splendour it's in a class of its own" Gramophone Award Nomination |
CLAUDE DEBUSSY
Daniele Gatti conducts Debussy Orchestre National de France, Daniele Gatti [ Sony Bmg / CD - released 19/Oct/2017 ] "This is Debussy painted in bold acrylics rather than insipid watercolours." Arts Desk |
Mozart, Wo
Symphonie B-Dur KV 319, Symphonie C-Dur KV 551 "Jupiter", Symphonie G-Dur Hob. I:92 "Oxford", Ballade für Orchester op. George Szell, Sir Clifford Curzon, Rudolf Firkusny, Concertgebouw Orkest Amsterdam, Orchestre National de la RTF, Tschec [ ORFEO / 7 CD - released 31/Jul/2007 ] |
BERLIOZ
Lelio, ou Le Retour a la vie / Helene / etc Sune Hjerrild, Gert Henning Jensen (tenors) Jean-Philippe Lafont (baritone) Danish National Choir & Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Dausgaard [ Chandos / CD - released 20/Jun/2007 ] The Danish National Symphony Orchestra adds to its large discography on Chandos with this unique coupling Of all the major works of Hector Berlioz, the monodrama Lélio, part II of the Symphonie Fantastique is surprisingly one of the least known... |
THEA MUSGRAVE
Concerto for Orchestra / Clarinet Concerto / Horn Concerto / Monologue / Excursions Gervase de Peyer (clarinet) Barry Tuckwell (horn) Thea Musgrave, Malcolm Williamson (pianos) / London Symphony / Scottish National / Alexander Gibson, [ Lyrita / CD - released 1/Aug/2007 ] Like many composers of her generation in Britain - the generation that first began to attract notice in the middle 1950s - Thea Musgrave came of age musically in that 'rite of passage' which involved acknowledging the primary importance of Bartók and... |
ALEXANDER GLAZUNOV
The Best Of Glazunov Moscow Symphony Orchestra, Ilya Kale (violin), POlish National Radio Symphony Orchestra [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jan/2001 ] Glazunov, a pupil of Rimsky-Korsakov, received encouragement also from Belyayev, an influential patron and publisher whose activities succeeded and largely replaced the earlier efforts of Balakirev to inspire the creation of national Russian music.... |
SERGEI RACHMANINOV
Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3 Bernd Glemser (piano) / Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Antoni Wit [ Naxos / CD - released 8/Aug/1998 ] In 1891 Rachmaninov completed his piano studies at the Conservatory and the composition of his first piano concerto. The following year he graduated from the composition class with his opera Aleko. |
SERGEI RACHMANINOV
Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 4 / Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini Bernd Glemser (piano) / Polish National Radio Symphony, Antoni Wit [ Naxos / CD - released 26/Jul/1999 ] "Glemser has a bold impetuous way with Rachmaninov...he generates plenty of excitement and expressive fervour in all three works" Penguin Guide |
Mozart, Wo
Violinkonzert A-Dur KV 219 Grumiaux, Morini, Szell, Paumgartner, Milstein, Böhm, Schneiderhahn; Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, Orchestre National de [ ORFEO / 2 CD - released 8/Aug/2006 ] |
CARL NIELSEN
Nielsen: Aladdin Op. 34, Fairy Tale drama in Five Acts Guido Paevatalu (baritone) Mette Ejsing (contralto) / Danish National Radio Chamber Choir. Danish National Symphony Orchestra. Gennady Rozhdestvensky [ Chandos Classics / CD - released 20/Nov/2008 ] "The two soloists are very good and the Danish forces respond keenly to Rozhdestvensky'a baton...excellent recording." (Three Stars Penguin Stereo Guide) |
HUGO ALFVEN
Alfven: Symphony No. 3 / Swedish Rhapsody No. 3 Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Niklas Willen [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jan/2015 ] "The sensitive, well-prepared performances under Niklas Willén also serve these symphonies well." Penguin Guide |
BETSY JOLAS / SALLY BEAMISH / OLGA NEUWIRTH
Stories - Trumpet Concertos Håkan Hardenberger (trumpet), Roger Muraro (piano), Malmö Symphony Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, Martyn Brabbins [ BIS SACD / CD - released 4/Oct/2019 ] Alongside his celebrated performances of the classical repertory, Håkan Hardenberger is also renowned as a pioneer of significant new trumpet works. The three works on this disc were all composed with him in mind, and illustrate his many-facetted... |
HECTOR BERLIOZ
Berlioz: Benvenuto Cellini (complete opera recorded in 2015) BLU-RAY Dutch National Opera / John Osborn, Mariangela Sicilia, Maurizio Muraro, Michèle Losier / Sir Mark Elder (cond) [ Naxos Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 5/May/2018 ] "Osborn has all the vocal verve and dash to make the devil-may-care sculptor the constant centre of attention. Mariangela Sicilia uses her fearless, technically brilliant vocalism to sustain his beloved Teresa's vibrant personality…a musical treat" |
ENNIO MORRICONE / BERNARD HERRMANN / SONNY BONO / NINO ROTO
The Morricone Duel - The most dangerous concert ever [Recorded live in Copenhagen, 2018] DVD Hans Ulrik (saxophone) Tuva Semmingsen (mezzo) Christine Nonbo Andersen (soprano) / Danish National Symphony, Sarah Hicks [ EuroArts / DVD - released 9/Nov/2018 ] The Wild West meets the soulful sound of Italy. Fearless New York gangsters meet cowboys from the dusty prairie. Godfather meets Taxi Driver. And the magic of cinema meets the rich sound of a first-class symphony orchestra. . |
NICHOLAS MAW
Maw: Spring Music / Voices of Memory / Sonata for Solo Violin Harriet Mackenzie (violin) / BBC National Orchestra of Wales, William Boughton [ Lyrita (Nimbus) / CD - released 7/Feb/2020 ] "This is a terrific disc...Voices of Memory (1995) is one of the hidden gems in Maw's output...The sheer brilliance of the compositional ingenuity and acuity of orchestration should place it in every British orchestra's repertoire." Gramophone |
WOJCIECH KILAR
Kilar: Choral and Orchestral Works Hasmik Papian (soprano) / Cracow Philharmonic Chorus / Polish National Radio Symphony [ Naxos 21st Century Classics / CD - released 14/May/2002 ] Kilar was a contemporary of Gorecki and Penderecki |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
The Player Hauser (cello), Czech National Symphony Orchestra , Steven Mercurio (conductor) [ Masterworks / CD - released 16/Sep/2022 ] Following an incredible 10-year run as half of 2CELLOS, HAUSER is ushering a new era as a solo artist and visual concept creator with The Player, using his innovative musical stylings and irresistible charisma to bring a new wave of cello music to... |
GEIRR TVEITT
Tveitt: Piano Concerto No.4 / Variations on a Folksong from Hardanger for two pianos and orchestra Havard Gimse, Gunilla Sussmann (pianos) / Royal Scottish National Orchestra Bjarte Engeset, conductor [ Naxos / CD - released 8/Dec/2002 ] "The performances, as with those on the coupling of the First and Fifth Concertos, are again superb. Marvellous" (Gramophone) |
RAVEL
The Best Of Ravel (Incls Bolero, Gaspard de la Nuit & Piano Concerto in G) Helene Grimaud, Paul Crossley (piano)/ Orchestre National de France under Eliahu Inbal / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Jesus Lopez-Cobos [ Brilliant Classics / 2 CD - released 26/Apr/2007 ] Ravel’s Boléro has become an evergreen. These 2 CD’s provide material for those who would like to hear more by this typically French composer. |