Puccini's opera Turandot premiered on April 25, 1926 and Decca Classics is proud to celebrate this centenary with the third in a series of brand-new, limited edition deluxe presentations of Pavarotti-Puccini reissues. Pavarotti's links to this opera are inextricable, and although he rarely sang the role of Calaf on stage, the character's aria Nessun Dorma became his signature song when the 1972 recording was used by the BBC as the theme to it's coverage of Italia 90, the FIFA World Cup tournament. It was released as a single and peaked at #2 on the UK singles chart. To this date, it is the most streamed opera aria of all time and has been linked to sporting success ever since. The 1972 recording is widely regarded as the definitive version of this opera, now newly-mastered from the original 1972 master tapes in 24-bit/192 kHz definition. 3-LP set in cloth slipcase.
Bernard Haitink was always a familiar figure in London where he was principal conductor of the London Philharmonic from 1967 to 1979 and was also seen at such prestigious British opera houses as Covent Garden and at Glyndebourne. This, the second of three volumes covering Haitink's complete recordings for Decca and Philips, focuses on his London years. The recordings cover a period of two decades, from 1967 (Dvorak with Heinrich Schiff) to 1986 (Rachmaninoff with Vladimir Ashkenazy.) Many of the hallmarks of Haitink's Concertgebouw recordings are present in these readings with the LPO. His unobtrusive authority - letting the score speak - was aptly summarized by Gramophone: "At no point is one remotely aware that the performance is being conducted. It simply is."
Leftovers is a reflective, piano-led album in which Italian pianist Alberto Giurioli distills emotions, memories, and everyday observations into intimate instrumental narratives. Rather than focusing on grand gestures, the record finds meaning in small moments - daydreams, passing seasons, love, loss, and quiet realizations.
BERNARD MAHLER HAITINK, BERNARD ROYAL CONCERTGEBOUW - Mahler: Symphony 5 & 10 - Bernard Haitink's Mahler has always been one of the glories of the Philips catalogue and the set of the 5th Symphony and Adagio from the 10th comes from the analogue cycle he made in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This 1970 recording was made quadraphonically in Amsterdam's Concertgebouw and was praised by Gramophone for having "that special clarity which comes from a close balance". / ROYAL CONCERTGEBOUW - Mahler: Symphony 5 & 10 - Bernard Haitink's Mahler has always been one of the glories of the Philips catalogue and the set of the 5th Symphony and Adagio from the 10th comes from the analogue cycle he made in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This 1970 recording was made quadraphonically in Amsterdam's Concertgebouw and was praised by Gramophone for having "that special clarity which comes from a close balance".
Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. Seiji Ozawa's arrival in 1970 as music director of the San Francisco Symphony was later vividly described by Obama: "with his mop haircut, and his turtlenecks, and his love beads, he almost looked like a Beatle". This May 1975 recording of Dvorak's New World Symphony was one of the last to be made quadraphonically by Philips and specially remixed for this reissue. For this release Rainer Maillard at Emil Berliner Studios has used the original, four-track quadraphonic master tape to make a new stereo mix sent directly to the cutter head. This preserves a pure analogue path throughout. The Philips engineers of the 1970s would similarly have mixed the four front and rear channels before cutting but this downmix would have resulted in a two-track stereo copy for mastering, whereas here the lacquer is cut directly from a 'live' mix into stereo from the four Quad channels.
Vangelis' 2021 album, Juno to Jupiter, was inspired by NASA's ground-breaking mission by the Juno space probe and it's ongoing exploration of Jupiter. It's a multi-dimensional musical journey featuring the voice of opera superstar Angela Gheorghiu. It includes sounds from the Juno launch event on earth, from the probe and it's surroundings, and Juno's subsequent journey that have been sent back to earth from the probe which continues to study Jupiter and it's moons: 365 million miles away.
2021 release. World-leading choral ensemble Voces8 blazes a trail with brand new repertoire for voices. With their transportive and meditative new album, the group transcends genre and embraces renowned composers of alternative, film, and contemporary classical music styles. The album features mesmerizing instrumental and electronic tracks presented in new choral arrangements, including five brand new works.
2021 release. Vibrant young pianist, Isata Kanneh-Mason, presents her sparkling second album, Summertime, as she takes us on a journey through the musical landscape of 20th century America. Isata brings her signature flair to this virtuosic and spiritual music for solo piano, including a world premiere recording of a Samuel Coleridge-Taylor piece, the fiercely challenging Barber sonata, and dazzling arrangements of Gershwin's songs.
Deluxe hardcover edition. 2017 release. Cecilia Bartoli partners with Sol Gabetta, known for "the sheer, gob-smacking beauty of the sound she elicits from her instrument" (San Francisco Chronicle), for Dolce Duello. A stunning collaboration of voice and cello born of their friendship, the album features Baroque masterpieces from Vivaldi, Handel, Gabrieli, Albinoni and more - including three world-premiere recordings.
Brian Wilson -"At My Piano" - Genius, icon, and trailblazer Brian Wilson revolutionized music as head of the Beach Boys. Now, he retraces his steps and reimagines the most iconic songs from his back catalog into their purest form, with him alone at the piano. Featuring "God Only Knows," "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "California Girls," "Good Vibrations," and many more on SOLO PIANO.
CD + DVD edition. Recorded in the heart of the breathtaking Bavarian Alps at the fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle. Conceived and created by Sarah along with Anthony Van Laast (Mamma Mia, Beauty and the Beast), and Frank Peterson, this cinematic performance is a unique hybrid of a musical film and a large-scale concert production. Staged in Ludwig II's Festspielhaus, Sarah is accompanied by her band, the Bavarian Philharmonic Orchestra, a 50-voice choir and the Ludwig Ensemble of dancers.
Georg Solti / DAS RHEINGOLD - 2xCD - The greatest recording of all time is sounding better than ever before. Now, Solti and Culshaw's Ring Cycle can be enjoyed in the highest quality possible. The Hybrid SACD format combines the high-density 24bit/192kHz stereo mix with a standard CD layer that will play in any normal CD player. This package includes lavish booklets featuring technical information on the new HD remaster, an introduction by producer John Culshaw, synopses, libretti, and original session photographs.
