Ballet hybrids often eclipse the originals from which they are drawn and such is the case with the music on this disc. Including such popular pieces as the ‘Can Can’ from Orpheus in the Underworld and the ‘Barcarolle’ from The Tales of Hoffman, there is possibly no better recording on the market than Solti’s Gaite […]
This is one of the most ennobling performances of ‘Lohengrin’ and the stellar cast is led by one of the most famous of all Wagnerian heldentenors, James King. The CD provides nearly 74 minutes of music from this masterpiece, including both the Act I and Act III preludes and the famous ‘Bridal Chorus’.
A beautiful collection of Purcell favourites, both from recent times with artists of the calibre of Emma Kirkby and Christopher Hogwood, to such Purcell champions of the mid-20th century as Benjamin Britten, whose rousing arrangement and performance of the ‘Chaconne in G minor’ is here included.
Herbert von Karajan turns his attention to the swaggering pomp of favourite marches by the ‘other’ Strauss family and many others in this good natured and emblazoned romp.
Bach walked for days to see Telemann. The godfather of the Baroque, as he was to some, was a prolific composer and this album offers a selection of some of his best-loved pieces – great moments from the ‘Water Music’ and ‘Table Music’, as well as concertos for recorder and for trumpet. The performances are on […]
Being born in Romania and surrounded from childhood by folk melodies and fiery popular dance music certainly helps in forming an inspired musician, provided the talent is there. In the case of the exceptionally gifted Gheorghe Zamfir, who was born to a family of vine-growers in 1941 in Gaiesti near Bucharest, these fortunate circumstances led […]
The popularity of the guitar has never waned and the sun-drenched sound of Spanish guitar music is one of the instrument’s most popular incarnations. At the helm of performers of this style of guitar music is Narciso Yepes who recorded vast amounts of guitar music for Deutsche Gramophon. This collection brings together some of the […]
The stylish sweetness that Marriner and his Academy bring to Vivaldi have a place of their own in the pantheon of Vivaldi recordings. And these eight concertos amply testify this in their breezy melodiousness and sharpness of attack.
Precursor to the Baroque era, the Renaissance period in music is generally placed around 1430-1600. This collection brings together both ‘learned’ as well as ‘dance’ music and interspersing the two forms on this compilation encapsulates the spirit of this rich period, stretching from anonymous compositions to the late works of William Byrd with their close […]
A delightful collection of some of the most famous of Vivaldi’s Guitar Concertos. Many of these are transcriptions of lute works with some in unique arrangements for four guitars or guitars with strings. Los Romeros are, of course, a legendary family of guitarists so the recording is self-recommending.
Collectors’ ears will prick-up at the inclusion of the Bavarian Radio/Sir Colin Davis recording of a chorus from ‘Messiah’, otherwise unavailable.
Quartetto Italiano made critically-acclaimed recordings of the complete string quartets of Mozart and Haydn. The group recorded almost exclusively for Philips Classics, leaving a legacy admired for its insight and technical brilliance. Two of Haydn’s and one of Mozart’s nicknamed compositions are here offered as a single album.
