Ballet music was very much part of the great operas, sometimes inserted later for a bit of relief from the drama. Together with popular overtures – Rossini’s ‘Thieving Magpie’, Bizet’s ‘Carmen’ – this is a collection of some of those best-loved instrumental moments, some of which have even eclipsed the whole opera in popularity.
Two of Beethoven’s most popular middle-period String Quartets are coupled here in critically-acclaimed performances for Deutsche Grammophon by the Amadeus Quartet.
Debussy’s ‘Preludes’ represent one of the great cultural ‘events’ of the 20th century, exploring both the vivid and near-invisible colours of the piano. A feast of sound and sensations, this recording is unique in presenting all 24 ‘Preludes’ on a single disc.
Schubert’s sacred works rarely get an outing and these benedictory performances of two of his best-loved masses are here given refined and affectionate performances in echt-Viennese idiom by the superb Vienna Boys’ Choir.
Schumann’s fleeting ‘Arabeske’ is here coupled with two of the composer’s most passionate, autobiographical musings (‘Kreisleriana’ and ‘Fantasie’) in performances that range from quiet dignity to storminess from Wilhelm Kempff.
Warm and relaxed readings of two of Schubert’s best loved symphonies, this recording is completed with two of his most songful Overtures.
Taken from Anda’s much-vaunted complete recordings of Mozart’s concertos, Nos. 18 & 19 are here presented in performances that have held their sway for limpidness, clarity and unforced beauty.
Karl Böhm’s recordings of any Mozart carried with it the imprint of greatness and those of the Mozart Symphonies have become benchmark recordings, renowned for their poise, elegance and essential beauty of sound.
Karl Böhm’s recordings of any Mozart carried with it the imprint of greatness and those of the Mozart Symphonies have become benchmark recordings, renowned for their poise, elegance and essential beauty of sound.
Eduard van Beinum’s performances of Bruckner were extraordinary in a most inconspicuous way. He never took liberties with the score, did not like to exaggerate, was spontaneous and always strove to achieve the crucial transitions in Bruckner’s work as seamlessly as possible. Bassoonist,Brian Pollard who worked with Van Beinum as a member of the Concertgebouw […]
Alicia de Larrocha was, for a long time, an exclusive Decca artist and besides making seminal recordings of Spanish repertoire at which she excelled, she was also a Bach, Mozart, Schubert and Schumann player, par excellence. She recorded Schumann’s ‘Carnaval’ twice for Decca and it’s her earlier (1978) analogue version we release here. Together with […]
A generous collection of Haydn Concertos, Overtures and Dances, this 2CD set offers the Philips recordings of the Cello Concertos and the Argo recordings of the remaining works. Although released in various reissues, the Marriner/Argo Haydn Concertos have never before been offered together and this collection offers a great opportunity to explore these recordings from 1966–69. […]
