although the best-known Rachmaninov works are not uncharacteristic, they represent only one side of his musical personality. Some of his finest scores have nothing to do with the piano, or the orchestra, and ranking high among them are his two major religious pieces, the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom, and the Vespers... The culmination of 100 years of effort by Russian composers to fuse liturgical and art music. Certainly they were not unexpected for Rachmaninov, because the tones of Russian religious choirs - dark, rich, sonorous - haunted his inner ear as much as the sound of piano (Gramophone)

Combine the stirring sound of a large smooth choir, with balalaikas, and great Russian baritones with the varying rhythms of folksong and marches and you have a worldwide success, as the legendary Alexandrov realised in the 1930's

Paray's whimsically relaxed and sparkling account of Espa�a gives great pleasure and his rubato in the F�te is equally winning... wholly delightful... warm and polished... beautifully balanced [Lalo Namouna Suite] "What delightful music this is, particularly in such expert hands" (both: Penguin Guide 3*)

Yet again Sir Colin Davis demonstrates his supreme mastery as a Berlioz interpreter... especially fascinating is to compare this latest Harold en Italie with earlier versions - the biggest contrast is the extra tautness of Davis's interpretation, with speeds consistently faster... The textures are sparer, sharper and lighter - bringing extra incisiveness all round. One other benefit is that the magnificent Tabea Zimmermann, is balanced as part of the orchestra. The beauty of her tone, with it's nut-brown colours on the C-string, is never masked, but the balance allows pianissimi of a delicacy never achieved by the 1975 version. In the introduction there is a repeat marked 'pianissimo possibile' - just what you hear in magic tones. (Gramophone)

Ahronovitch is direct and exciting and the title is well borne out by the performances. The recording is brilliant without being aggressively so, and has plenty of weight (with splendid brass sonorities in Night on the Bare Mountain) plus an effective ambience. The Sabre Dance has great energy and the Prokofiev March from Love for three oranges is nicely pointed, and it includes favourites such as the BBC TV Onedin Line theme - the Adagio from Spartacus. In short, this is excellent value and does much to recommend the L.S.O series."(Gramophone). (Tchaikovsky): "recording spectacular, and the balance truthful... fusillade of canon at the end of '1812' is impressively realistic" (Penguin Guide)

Double CD release containing 150 minutes of stirring memories including nostalgic wartime news bulletins.

DRIVING INSTRUCTOR-20 COMEDY CLASS / VARIOUS

[Syms.1&2] "two performances of masterpieces: marvellous orchestral playing and a carefree feeling to the music-making... playing is highly detailed and relaxed. The lack of bombast and aggression in the louder passages is to be applauded... performances unbuttoned and refined... sound quality is vivid, forward and clear" (MusicWeb) ; [5th MC3106] "Right at the opening, the listener notes the extremely rich, dynamically full-powered and yet transparent sound of the Westdeutsche Sinfonia, also rich in it's tonal quality. Under the gripping direction of Dirk Joeres, the symphony becomes a first-rate sound experience" [7th] "Joeres is not influenced by any (other) styles. He conducts a classically shaped and full-blooded Seventh in which the focus is on the music, On the accompanying note, he fully explains the symphonies and his interpretive concept with a great deal of knowledge" (Pizzicato)

The lyrical Second Symphony is haunted by a restless melancholy... yet the result is in no way depressing. Chamber Symphony No.2 is a relatively late work and although it is freely rhapsodic, the mood is more positive and often songful... The nostalgic feeling returns in the central movement, but the atmosphere darkens in the long drawn finale which reaches a passionately plangent climax before it's quietly resigned coda with a single tympani stroke resolution... both played with great eloquence and warmly and naturally recorded. (Penguin Guide 3 stars)

Overall the performances are excellent. Among the highlights are the slow movement from Vivaldi's lute concerto which is played with great sensitivity by Karl Nyhlin (MusicWeb)

As an example of luscious late-Romantic orchestral writing, Die Seejungfrau could scarcely be bettered: a fine performance of a gorgeous orchestral score (MusicWeb) "Steinbacher's technique on the other hand is immaculate; how gracefully those swirls and leaps are articulated. Foster's support is always vivid and colourful" (MWeb) "Steinbacher's expressive cantabile alternates with enthusiastic verve in the virtuoso passages." (Gramophone)

The Chamber symphonies come from the last decade of his life, the First for string orchestra, from the same year as the 18th symphony... it is pastoral in character, closer in feeling to a divertimento or sinfonietta... The Fourth... unremitting as late Shostakovich, and strongly valedictory in feeling. A haunting piece, music of real substance. (Penguin Guide 3 stars)

(This) is an overlooked masterpiece of the Russian music literature... and I hope our disc will bring the recognition which it well deserves." (Mikhail Pletnev) "Psalm 50 made a deep impression on Alexey Khomyakov, whose 1856 poem develops the idea that outward forms of religion are as nothing beside truth and brotherly love... (his) poem inspired Taneyev... a summation of Taneyev's life and work... (bears) comparison with Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, especially use of fugues... a compelling piece which Pletnev does well to clarify so successfully... includes a fine solo warmly sung by Marianna Tarassova." (Gramophone)

[K.219] (his) innate musicality shone through... (he) should be heard if you don't mind a much fuller tone in Mozart... distinguished by the beautiful phrasing of David Oistrakh, very sympathetically supported by the Dresden Orchestra and Konwitschny." (Gramophone); [K.218] "very romantic... a legendary violinist at his absolute peak, recorded in better sound than possible then in his own country and sympathetically supported" [K454] "a warmly cosseted account of Mozart's great B flat Sonata, with Yampolsky providing trim pianistic support." (Gramophone)

The [4th Symphony] is especially interesting: not previously issued; furthermore, it may well be new to the Davis discography. Vaughan Williams' Fourth Symphony receives a terrific reading... first movement full of teeming energy and the recorded sound adds to the impact... an expertly judged slow movement offers refined playing but they and Davis make the climaxes ardent. The Scherzo is really incisive... The finale explodes into life and the LSO brass is on trenchant form... Davis keeps the performance rock-steady and they achieve great clarity... hard to understand why it was never issued separately - greatly to be welcomed" (MusicWeb). [5th symphony]: "I found these performances far more communicative... Marriner conveys a greater sense of radiance and warmth and a greater awareness of the underlying forces beneath the surface (the final movement is particularly well done)" (Gramophone)

(Hickox) "fine digital collections sung with fervour and discipline... zestfully infectious... shaped beautifully... brass resonantly sonorous... fully in the demonstration bracket" (Penguin Guide)

[Concerto: Richter insisted on playing Dvor�k's originally-conceived version and not the then-standard, as transcribed by Vil�m Kurz]... "Richter pronounced that it was the most difficult concerto he had ever tackled but somehow he made Dvor�k's original, unrevised piano-writing - sound totally convincing" [Quintet] "Quick and sensitive as Richter's playing is,... with the Borodin Quartet supporting him sympathetically the performance has vigour and charm" (Gramophone)

Classical Music

Abravanel's account highly recommendable.. played with great conviction [Thomson] "colours glowing, resonantly atmospheric.most enjoyable" [Gould] "so vivid and atmospheric.. astonishing recorded sound. Guaracha irresistibly catchy" [Copland] "orchestral vitality and rhythmic power" (all 3 stars Penguin Guide)

I commend this inexpensive disc to explorers of the string quartet who know and love their Smetana and late-Dvor�k Quartets. (MusicWeb) "Glazunov's string quartets contain attractive music... a successful reconciliation between the two traditions of Borodin and Tchaikovsky" (c) Gramophone [Quartet 5]: "one is tempted to believe this is the finest of the seven (quartets)... Shostakovich Quartet have great feeling for this music and play with real conviction" (c) Penguin Guide

Measham proves a splendid advocate of the Symphony, securing a passionately committed performance... The Essays for Orchestra are also very well played, as is the hauntingly evocative movement Night Flight � Penguin Guide 3 stars

These are not only renowned organs with splendid sound, but here as recorded by renowned sound engineers with great experience and success in organ recordings

David Oistrakh captured the hearts of listeners with his impeccable technique, rich tone and emotional power. Born in Odessa, he graduated from Conservatory aged 18 and a year later performed his debut with the Glazunov concerto under the composer's baton. Successful debuts in Leningrad and Moscow followed. His New York debut was 1955 and his entire career was full of searingly memorable performances with major worldwide orchestras and accompanists.

the Piano Quintet does full justice to the densely packed chords and widely spaced spread of sound which Weinberg avowedly learnt from his mentor Shostakovich. It is engaging, expertly written and played with great address by the composer himself... To survive so much terror and retain such creative energy compels admiration. The Quintet may seem more rewarding for the surprising range of invention (eg. Wild Irish fiddle). The performance is admirable. ... Shostakovich declared how impressed he was with the Violin Concerto 'splendidly interpreted by the violinist-Communist L. Kogan' (a tart reference to Kogan's politics. ) This must be an authoritative performance... Kogan deals magnificently with a violin part that is seldom silent... Not surprisingly, Rhapsody on Moldavian Themes carries suggestions of the Enescu of the Romanian Rhapsodies. It receives a splendidly vigorous performance by Oistrakh (Gramophone)

you can't go wrong with Oistrakh's pre-authenticity Mozart. True, this is big-boned, dyed in the wool Mozart, 1960's style. Tempi are relaxed, textures quite heavy and the ethos masculine and robust... subtle shadings are there - but the prevailing spirit is strong-limbed engagement. K216 was always one of his best pieces of Mozart playing... he also contributes his own, rather good, cadenzas... second movement characteristically expressive and full of the artist's noble warmth, and a spirit of romance enlivens the finale. Sinfonia Concertante opens at a real maestoso-qualified Allegro. Directed from the viola by Barshai... once again, there's real affection in the Andante and the finale is nicely buoyant (MusicWeb)