Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night's Dream, Die Erste Walpurgisnacht / Harnoncourt / Composer: Felix Mendelssohn / Performer: Elisabeth von Magnus [Mezzo-soprano Vocal], Pamela Coburn, Birgit Remmert, Christoph Bantzer, Ren� Pape, Thomas Hampson, Uwe Heilmann, Rene Pape, Conductor: Nikolaus Harnoncourt Mendelssohn's highly potent brand of magic here in rhythmically robust live recordings of eight numbers from A Midsummer Night's Dream, and a formidable team of soloists for the spooky Walpurgisnacht.

CLARINET CONCERTOS 1 & 2 GRAN

Wagner: Siegfried Highlights / Jerusalem, Tomlinson, Clark, Evans, Barenboim Composer: Richard Wagner Performer: Graham Clark, Siegfried Jerusalem, John Tomlinson, Anne Evans Conductor: Daniel Barenboim Orchestra/Ensemble: Bayreuth Festival Orchestra. Siegfried, WWV 86C, is the third of the four operas that constitute Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), by Richard Wagner. It premiered at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus on 16 August 1876, as part of the first complete performance of The Ring. This part of the opera is primarily inspired by the story of the legendary hero Sigurd in Norse mythology. The Barenboim Ring cycle is acclaimed as one of the best of recent times, with John Tomlinson as Wotan, Anne Evans as Brunnhilde, and Siegfried Jerusalem, appropriately enough, as Siegfried. While listeners, critics and philosophers have argued passionately about various interpretations of Wagner's libretto, and opera fans and critics debate the relative merits of singers and performances and sets, there are few who are not moved by the magnificent music. And Barenboim and the Orchester der Bayreuther Festspiele are superb!

Lamentations: Holy Week in Provence / Joel Cohen Conductor, Boston Camerata Performing Ensemble, Anne Azema Soprano (Vocal), Readings, Frederick Jodry Counter Tenor (Vocal), William Hite Tenor (Vocal), Paul Guttry Bass (Vocal), Christopher Kale Tenor (Vocal), Schola Cantorum of Boston Choir, Chorus, Daniel McCabe Brass Baritone

OBOE CONCERTOS

MESSIAH [HIGHLIGHTS]

Brahms : Symphony No.1 & Tragic Overture. Kurt Masur & New York Philharmonic. Kurt Masur took over the New York Philharmonic and this is one of the slower interpretations of this symphony.

SYMPHONY NO. 3, OP. 36 SYMPHON

Bizet / Carmen / Jennifer Larmore /Thomas Moser / Angela Gheorghiu / Samuel Ramey / Giuseppe Sinopoli / Georges Bizet (1838 - 1875) Date Written 1873-1874 Venue Stadthalle Germering France. Performers on Bizet: Carmen CD : Nathalie Boissy, Fintaras Vysniauskas, Angela Gheorghiu, Jennifer Larmore, Dieter Miserre, Maurizio Muraro, Natascha Petrinsky, Samuel Ramey [Bass-Baritone Vocal], Ulrich Ress, Thomas Moser [Tenor Vocals], Jan Zinkler

CANTATAS BWV 4&131

LES NUITS DETE, MELODIES

DON JUAN

Beethoven: Septet; Mozart: Horn Quintet by Berliner Solisten These are essential works: The Septet Op. 20 (introduced to the world at the same concert as Symphony No. 1) was Beethoven's most popular composition during his lifetime. The third movement is particularly famous to this day. In six movements, this unique combination of winds and strings has countless melodies, fast and slow, with Ludwig's usual humorous and sometimes twist on sounds associated with Mozart and Haydn. Mozart's Horn Quintet might surpass his four Horn Concertos as his greatest work for that instrument. At the time he composed it he said it was one of his best compositions.

Shostakovich String Quartets 7, 8, and 9 are right in the middle of his output in the genre. This recording by the Brodsky String Quartet is more lyrical and relaxed than many interpretations of the same pieces.