Belvedere Edition
35 products
Doderer: Fatima, oder von den mutigen Kindern
Strauss: Don Quixote - Dvorak: Symphony No. 8 / Yo-Yo Ma, Jansons [Blu-ray]
Also available on standard DVD
Recorded at the Philharmonie am Gasteig, Munich, 2016. As an artist in residence with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the American cellist Yo-Yo Ma had the opportunity to do what is perhaps the second thing he loves the most after playing: sharing his love of music with others. Yo-Yo Ma doesn’t fade away into the music, nor does he take a worshipful attitude towards the pieces he performs. From the moment he walks onto the stage, he exudes charisma that immediately confirms his truly exceptional status as the “best cellist in the world”. With its ten variations on a theme of knightly character for full orchestra, Richard Strauss’ tone poem “Don Quixote” not only depicts the colourful adventures of Cervantes’ chivalrous hero, but also functions as a virtuoso display of glorious solo melodies embedded in stunning orchestral passages. It is, in a way, a second Strauss cello concerto that can take it up with any other late-19th century piece of this kind. Joining “the Don” later is a viola solo that personifies the faithful Sancho Panza and is played by Wen Xiao Zheng.
Wilhelm Backhaus spielt Mozart
Hansel & Gretel / Salzburg Marionette Theatre [Blu-ray]
Hansel and Gretel is a Fairy Tale Opera, which Engelbert Humperdinck brilliantly composed in 1892. The charming melodies make it an opera that children enjoy. However, it's wonderful music is for everyone. The libretto was written by Adelheid Wette, Humperdinck's sister, and is based on the famous Grimm brothers' fairy tale of the same name. The Salzburg Marionette Theatre created a fascinating production with renowned singers and highly skilled puppeteers. Established in 1913, the Salzburg Marionette Theatre is one of the oldest continuing marionette theaters in the world. The ensemble performs a large repertoire of operas, ballets, and other productions for both children and adults, exclusively using marionettes.
The Cleveland Orchestra Centennial Celebration [Blu-ray]
Also available on standard DVD
Franz Welser-Möst has conducted The Cleveland Orchestra in a series of acclaimed video and audio productions, further enhancing the ensemble’s storied recorded legacy. At the Anniversary Gala on September 29, 2018, documented in the present video recording, he programmed works touching on more than a century of Viennese musical traditions. Opening with Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 24, featuring soloist Lang Lang, a regular collaborator with the orchestra since 2000, it also includes works by Richard and Johann Strauss, concluding with Ravel’s cataclysmic La Valse. The Cleveland Orchestra was founded in 1918. Over the ensuing decades, the Orchestra quickly grew from a fine regional organization to being one of the most admired symphony orchestras in the world. Seven music directors have guided and shaped the ensemble’s growth and sound: Nikolai Sokoloff, Artur Rodzinski, Erich Leinsdorf, George Szell, Lorin Maazel, Christoph von Dohnányi, and Franz Welser-Möst. The opening in 1931 of Severance Hall as the Orchestra’s permanent home brought a special pride to the ensemble and its hometown, as well as providing an enviable and intimate acoustic environment in which to develop and refine the Orchestra’s artistry. Touring performances throughout the United States and, beginning in 1957, to Europe and across the globe have confirmed Cleveland’s place among the world’s top orchestras. For this anniversary concert, The Cleveland Orchestra will be joined by none less than world famous pianist Lang Lang. Heralded by the New York times as “the hottest artist on the classical music planet,” Lang Lang works with many of the best classical musicians of our time. He first appeared with The Cleveland Orchestra in 2000.
Strauss: Don Quixote - Dvorak: Symphony No. 8 / Yo-Yo Ma, Jansons
Recorded at the Philharmonie am Gasteig, Munich, 2016. As an artist in residence with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the American cellist Yo-Yo Ma had the opportunity to do what is perhaps the second thing he loves the most after playing: sharing his love of music with others. Yo-Yo Ma doesn’t fade away into the music, nor does he take a worshipful attitude towards the pieces he performs. From the moment he walks onto the stage, he exudes charisma that immediately confirms his truly exceptional status as the “best cellist in the world”. With its ten variations on a theme of knightly character for full orchestra, Richard Strauss’ tone poem “Don Quixote” not only depicts the colourful adventures of Cervantes’ chivalrous hero, but also functions as a virtuoso display of glorious solo melodies embedded in stunning orchestral passages. It is, in a way, a second Strauss cello concerto that can take it up with any other late-19th century piece of this kind. Joining “the Don” later is a viola solo that personifies the faithful Sancho Panza and is played by Wen Xiao Zheng.
Mozart Week 2024
Mozart Week 1994
The Nikolaus Harnoncourt Debut - Live in Salzburg, 1980
Nikolaus Harnoncourt is credited with making historical performance practice respectable in Salzburg as well. The memorable debut concert of 1980 was the prelude to a long success story that culminated in the Mozart Week 2006, when Nikolaus Harnoncourt was Artist in Residence and gave his acclaimed ceremonial address on 27 January on the occasion of the 250th birthday of Wolfgang Amadé Mozart. The inaugural concert and rehearsals from 2006 can be heard on this album.This 3-CD edition covers the era of Nikolaus Harnoncourt and his influence on the interpretation of the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Between 1980 and 2006, the conductor succeeded in sensitising both musicians and audiences to new playing and listening habits and evolved from a pioneer of historical performance practice to an acclaimed maestro.
When Nikolaus Harnoncourt made his debut at the Mozart Week Salzburg on 27 January 1980, concert audiences were at the feet of conductors like Karl Böhm. In those days, beautiful sound and melody were the central themes of an interpretation. Following instructions in the original scores, Harnoncourt had articulation, tempi, melodies and accompanying parts played with a new style and emphasis. The reactions to the concert in Salzburg at that time were varied. In addition to strong slurs, there were also effusive hymns of praise. 20 years later, Nikolaus Harnoncourt became Artist in Residence at the Mozart Week 2006 and was the keynote speaker on the occasion of the 250th birthday of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In the meantime, his ideas of historical performance practice had spread worldwide and developed into the basis of a new generation of concerts and musicians. In this CD edition, his inaugural concert of 1980 is juxtaposed with rehearsal recordings from 2006. Both recordings provide fascinating insights into the intentions of the famous conductor.
Fries: Persinette / Calvo, Vienna State Opera Stage Orchestra
World premiered with a great success at the Vienna State Opera in 2019, Persinette retells the famous Rapunzel fairy tale. To the late-romantic music of Albin Fries, children's opera specialist Matthias von Stegmann takes us into the world rich in images, allowing us to sympathise and feel the excitement. Will Persinette escape her imprisonment in the high tower?
