Wiener Philharmoniker - "Deluxe Edition Vol. 2" / This luxurious hardback boxset provides a fascinating cross-section of the 170-year history of one of the world's greatest orchestras: the Wiener Philharmoniker. A lavishly illustrated 100-page hardcover coffee table book houses 20 CDs of recordings with 19 conductors spanning the past 70 years. Collectors will once again love the premium quality of this set and it's authority and comprehensive approach to this beloved orchestra. [20 CD Boxset]

“...an intriguing recording, because it catches one of the idiom’s most important trumpeters, not merely at the height of his mature powers, but at an interesting point of transition between two of the very best editions of his small bands...” (Chris Sheridan) “.....The heavily blues based styles of Mance and Wright complemented the soulful side of Gillespie who was without question at the peak of his powers at this time....As with all of Nils Winther’s work, the sound is beautifully balanced, and the digital transfers are excellent.” (Cadence)

The U.S. Marine Band, "The President's Own," has performed for every presidential inauguration since Thomas Jefferson. From the earliest days of the Nation, the Marine Band's primary mission has been to provide music for the President of the United States. Whether performing for South Lawn arrival ceremonies, State dinners, receptions or accompanying famous entertainers, Marine musicians appear at the Executive Mansion more than 200 times annually.

Liberty and the freedom to pursue happiness are blessings enjoyed by every citizen of the United States. This album, "The Blessings of Liberty", is a collection of inspirational music dedicated to the men and women who have fought and died to preserve these liberties.

The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra can with justification be regarded as ‘Sibelius’s own orchestra’, as it was this orchestra, usually conducted by the composer, that premièred most of his major works. On this disc of three such pieces, the orchestra is conducted by Susanna Malkki; the recording follows on from their three acclaimed albums devoted to the music of Bartók.

Although they were all later revised, the three works on this recording all originated within a very short period in Sibelius’s career: the years 1893–96, a time when he was beginning to establish himself as a composer and a time of national awakening.

One of his most popular works, the Karelia Suite is drawn from a series of tableaux that evoked events in the history of Karelia, the region where Finland and Russia meet. In late 19th-century Finland, the promotion of Karelian folk culture was both fashionable and politically relevant. The short suite Rakastava [The Lover] is a subtle reworking of a work for male voices based on lyrical poems from the collection Kanteletar; Sibelius often conducted it in concert. Sibelius often drew inspiration from the Finnish national epic Kalevala, and episodes from this poem provide the subject matter of Lemminkainen, a substantial four-movement suite (including the captivating Swan of Tuonela) that recounts the adventures of a daredevil hero, a sort of Nordic Don Juan.

REVIEWS:

Mälkki and the orchestra remarkably conjure the dark, swirling soundworld of ‘Lemminkäinen in Tuonela’ (the Hades of Finnish legend). And the concluding ‘Lemminkäinen’s Return’ canters along in roistering style.

-- BBC Music Magazine

Susanna Mälkki and the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra produce wellcrafted, beautifully detailed accounts on a par with rival versions – including the Helsinki orchestra’s own with Segerstam (with warm Ondine sound) from the mid-1990s.

-- Gramophone

Single disc containing 20 highlights from 2021 box set. To say that Aretha Franklin was one of the greatest American artists of all time is an understatement. Her multi-octave voice moved millions around the world during an unrivaled career that spanned six decades and garnered the singer-songwriter every achievement and honor imaginable.