SERGEI PROKOFIEV
Prokofiev: Alexander Nevsky, Op. 78 / Scythian Suite, Op. 20, from `Ala et Lolly` Linda Finnie (contralto) / Royal Scottish National Orchestra & Chorus / Neeme Jarvi [ Chandos Classics / CD - released 20/Aug/2008 ] 1001 Classical recordings you must hear before you die (1901-1950) - "Neeme Jarvi's wide-screen spectacular captures the icy intensity in the scenes of devastation and the glitter of the musical patriotism in equal measure." (1001 recordings) |
ARNOLD BAX / STANLEY BATE
Bax / Bate: Cello Concertos Lionel Handy (cello) / Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Martin Yates [ Lyrita / CD - released 1/Aug/2016 ] "if the solo part's tenchical demands in the very opening stages hint at stretching even Lionel Handy's huge expertise, his delivery of the rest of the work is state-of-the-art" (BBC Music) |
XIAOGANG YE
Xiaogang Ye: The Road to the Republic (Cantata) / Cantonese Suite Liping Zhang (Sop) Guang Yang (Mezzo) Yijie Shi (Tenor) Chenye Yuan (Baritone) / China National Symphony Orchestra; Rheinland-Pfalz State Philharmonic [ Naxos / CD - released 12/Nov/2021 ] Xiaogang Ye is regarded as one of China's leading contemporary composers, having been awarded a 2012 Guggenheim Fellowship, a 2013 China Arts Award, and a Distinguished Alumni citation from the Eastman School of Music in 2011. The Road to the... |
HECTOR BERLIOZ
Berlioz: Harold en Italie, Op. 16 / Reverie et Caprice, Op. 8 / Overtures Lisa Berthaud (viola) & Giovanni Radivo (violin) / Orchestre National de Lyon, Leonard Slatkin [ Naxos / CD - released 10/Aug/2014 ] "here [Harold] comes across as a winner...The Lyon orchestra luxuriates in Berlioz's instrumental colours, and the fillers include swaggering renditions of the Benvenuto Cellini and Roman Carnival overtures." (Financial Times) |
BERLIOZ
Harold en Italie / Reverie et Caprice / etc BLU-RAY AUDIO ONLY Lisa Berthaud (viola) & Giovanni Radivo (violin) / Orchestre National de Lyon, Leonard Slatkin [ Naxos Blu-Ray Audio / Blu-ray Disc - released 25/Apr/2015 ] Drawing on the adventures of Byron's Childe Harold and the composer's own Italian experiences as a Prix de Rome winner, Harold en Italie was intended for the great violinist Paganini who, having initially rejected the work, later repented, giving it... |
GORDON GETTY
Joan and the Bells (with Prokofiev - Romeo and Juliet: Suite No 2) Lisa Delan (soprano) Vladimir Chernov (baritone) / Eric Ericson Chamber Choir / Russian National Orchestra / Alexander Vedernikov (conductor) [ Pentatone SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 20/Apr/2005 ] "A powerful work given a refreshingly unpretentious performance." Gramophone (September 2003) |
JAMES MacMILLAN
The Sacrifice (complete opera) Lisa Milne (sop) Leigh Melrose (bar), Christopher Purves (bass) Sarah Tynan (sop) Peter Hoare (ten) / Welsh National Opera, Anthony Negus [ Chandos Classics / 2 CD - released 1/Mar/2010 ] 'There is no mistaking James MacMillan has a popular hit on his hands, with the cries of bravo as the curtain fell on the world premiere of his new opera.' (Western Mail) |
ALBAN BERG
Berg: Lulu (complete opera in English) Lisa Saffer / Susan Parry / Anna Burford / Graham Danby / English National Opera Orchestra / Paul Daniel (conductor) [ Chandos / 3 CD - released 5/Mar/2006 ] '"Lisa Saffer makes an ideal Lulu, dramatically compelling to watch, and with a voice to equal the sustained high note writing which Berg gives his protagonist… John Graham-Hall's Alwa is splendid. Robert Haywood an excellent Dr Schön…"' Peter... |
ONUTE NARBUTAITE
Tres Dei Matris Symphoniae (Three Symphonies of the Mother of God) Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra / Kaunas State Choir / Aidija Chamber Choir / Robertas Šervenikas [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jun/2011 ] The eloquent, expressive music of Lithuanian neo-romantic composer OnutÄ— NarbutaitÄ— is noted for its sense of aristocratic poise and strong compositional discipline. Her Tres Dei Matris Symphoniae (Three Symphonies of the Mother of God) is not a... |
HERRMANN / BAX / BLISS / SHOSTAKOVICH / VAUGHAN WILLIAMS / etc
Cinema Spectacular [incls 'Psycho', 'Things to Come' & 'Richard III Suite'] London Philharmonic Orchestra, National Philharmonic Orchestra, Bernard Herrmann [ Decca SBS Eloquence / 2 CD - released 20/Dec/2010 ] "Spellbinding … a firm favourite … performed with breathtaking precision by the LPO, and both they and the music come across with a thrilling and vivid immediacy" (Gramophone on the Herrmann) |
ALBERTO GINASTERA
Ginastera: Popul Vuh (The Mayan Creation) London Symphony Orchestra, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Gisèle Ben-Dor [ Naxos / CD - released 1/Jul/2010 ] For the five works on this disc, Ginastera drew upon Argentine and other Meso- and South American subjects. . |
NICOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
Rimsky-Korsakov: The Golden Cockerel (complete opera recorded in 2021) l'Opéra National de Lyon / Nina Minasyan, Margarita Neksarova, Andrey Popov, Dmitry Ulyanov / Daniele Rustioni (cond) [ Naxos DVD / DVD - released 12/Aug/2022 ] In the autumn of 1906, at a time when he was saying he didn't want to write anything further, Rimsky-Korsakov had the idea of starting an opera based on The Tale of the Golden Cockerel, the last of Pushkin's folk tales in verse, written in 1834. |
NICOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
Rimsky-Korsakov: The Golden Cockerel (complete opera recorded in 2021) Blu-ray l'Opéra National de Lyon / Nina Minasyan, Margarita Neksarova, Andrey Popov, Dmitry Ulyanov / Daniele Rustioni (cond) [ Naxos Blu-ray / Blu-ray - released 12/Aug/2022 ] In the autumn of 1906, at a time when he was saying he didn't want to write anything further, Rimsky-Korsakov had the idea of starting an opera based on The Tale of the Golden Cockerel, the last of Pushkin's folk tales in verse, written in 1834.... |
DELIBES / ADAM / TCHAIKOVSKY / MINKUS / OFFENBACH / MASSENET / etc
Richard Bonynge - Complete Ballet Recordings L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, English Chamber Orchestra, National Philharmonic Orchestra, Richard Bonynge [ Decca / 45 CD Box Set - released 18/Dec/2020 ] 48 CDs compiled by Cyrus Meher-Homji, a long-time friend of Richard Bonynge, including familiar scores by Tchaikovsky & Delibes alongside works revived by Maestro Bonynge throughout his career. |
RAVEL
Bolero / Rapsodie Espagnole / la Valse / etc (rec 1984) L'Orchestre National de France, Lorin Maazel [ Sony Classical Masters / CD - released 20/May/2011 ] "La valse is high powered with a mannered ending, but I enjoyed the rather sultry performance of the Rapsodie espagnole, while the Alborada is certainly brilliant." (Gramophone) |
Lotric/Ukrainian National Oper
Tenor Opera Arias [ Naxos / CD - released 2/Jun/2003 ] |
JOHN GAY
Gay: The Beggar's Opera (Complete Opera) Joan Sutherland, Kiri te Kanawa, Angela Lansbury, Warren Mitchell, Alfred Marks / National Philharmonic Orchestra, Richard Bonynge [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 2 CD - released 22/Sep/2015 ] Recording Location: Kingsway Hall, London, UK, March 1981 In 1981 Richard Bonynge, together with an illustrious cast of singers (Joan Sutherland, Kiri Te Kanawa, et. al.) and actors (Angela Lansbury, Warren Mitchell, Michael Hordern, et. al.) went... |
GEORGE FREDERICK McKAY
Violin Concerto / Sinfonietta No. 4 / Song Over the Great Plains Ludmilla Kovaleva, piano / Brian Reagin, violin / Ukraine National Radio Symphony Orchestra / John McLaughlin Williams, conductor [ Naxos American Classics / CD - released 23/Feb/2005 ] "Naxos's third McKay disc ... a worthy revival of music that could otherwise have been lost to posterity" - MusicWeb Feb 2005 |
W. A. MOZART
Le Nozze di Figaro [The Marriage of Figaro] (complete opera recorded in 2010) Ludovic tezier / Barbara Frittoli / Ekaterina Siurina / Luca Pisaroni / Orchestra of the Paris National Opera / Philippe Jordan [ Bel Air Classiques DVD / 2 DVD - released 20/Sep/2012 ] G:- "Unlike many Figaro productions these days, the physicality is never vulgar, and there are constant small touches that add character...[Pisaroni] displays the ideal bass-baritone instrument for this role" (International Record Review) |
LUDIVICO EINAUDI
Einaudi: Cinema Ludovico Einaudi (piano), with Daniel Hope (violin), Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Prague [ Decca Classics / 2 CD - released 4/Jun/2021 ] Presenting Cinema - a brand new handpicked 2CD collection of Ludovico's most emotive musical works from film and television, including tracks from Oscars favourites Nomadland and The Father and much more. |