The A–Z of Opera 2nd edition has been expanded to include even more composers, operas, and 130 bonus tracks. The 1,096-page book details the lives of hundreds of opera composers, and like the range of Naxos recordings itself, this set highlights the extraordinary breadth of opera and its composers across the centuries in a rich and inspiring resource.

The Munich Philharmonic have arguably given more performances of Anton Bruckner's music than any other orchestra. A great number of Bruckner recordings led by the many legendary conductors that have worked with the Munich Philharmonic are stored in the historical archive of the MPHIL Label including magnificent pieces with Sergiu Celibidache, Christian Thielemann, Rudolf Kempe, G�nter Wand and Oswald Kabasta. Having started in September 2017 at the Monastery of St. Florian, a setting with unique historical significance in this context, the Munich Philharmonic and Valery Gergiev have presented a most spectacular cycle of Anton Bruckner's symphonies.

The Munich Philharmonic have arguably given more performances of Anton Bruckner's music than any other orchestra. A great number of Bruckner recordings led by the many legendary conductors that have worked with the Munich Philharmonic are stored in the historical archive of the MPHIL Label including magnificent pieces with Sergiu Celibidache, Christian Thielemann, Rudolf Kempe, G�nter Wand and Oswald Kabasta. Having started in September 2017 at the Monastery of St. Florian, a setting with unique historical significance in this context, the Munich Philharmonic and Valery Gergiev have presented a most spectacular cycle of Anton Bruckner's symphonies.

These are to true masterpieces, even by the standards of Mozart and Beethoven. Based in Switzerland, the Fiacorda Ensemble is comprised of some of the very finest string, woodwind and brass players in Switzerland.

Pianist Angela Brownridge made her concert debut at Wigmore Hall when she was only twelve years old. Since then she has toured the world, recorded three albums prior to this one, and has performed at the BOZAR Brussels, Konzerthaus Berlin, and Concertgebouw A’dam. Brownridge has been compared to some of the legends, including Rachmaninov and Cherkasky. The New York Times called her “one of the world’s finest pianists” and a “true genius… Her performances were passionate, rhapsodic, and totally compelling. She is a marvelously exciting artist, and a wonderfully assertive pianist with a strong sense of musical structure.” For this release, Brownridge has chosen staples in the piano repertoire, Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas no.’s 3, 23, and 30. Her interpretation of no. 23, “Apassionata,” has garnered her critical accolades.

The performance of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No.1 in April 2002 with the BBCSO was the last concert he gave before his death two months later. Svetlanov's studio made Tchaikovsky recordings with the USSR Symphony Orchestra for Melodiya in the 1960's were the cornerstones of the catalogue at the time and he brings an unqualified authority to the Barbican concert recorded here. Svetlanov's account of Stravinsky's Firebird is superbly detailed and imaginative with the Philharmonia in tremendous form. The digital sound recorded in the Barbican for both performances is totally natural and warm. These live recordings are issued for the first time on CD.

Franz Schmidt’s Third Symphony was composed in 1927–28, dedicated to and premièred by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, winning a first prize from the Columbia Graphophone Company of New York for the best symphony in the spirit of Schubert’s ‘Unfinished’ Symphony as part of the centenary commemorations of Schubert’s birth. Schmidt’s symphony is lyrical, includes a set of variations, a Ländler-like Scherzo and finale rich in thematic invention. In 1931 Schmidt added wind and percussion instruments and a large body of strings to his monumental Chaconne for organ, in which form it too was premièred by the Vienna Philharmonic.

The final volume of the complete Sibelius Symphonies from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Owain Arwel Hughes contains the ever popular 5th coupled with the beautiful less well known 6th, and the ground breaking single movement 7th, the composer's final word on the symphony. His 8th, apparently completed, was consigned to the fire by Sibelius. The first volume in this cycle was made a Gramophone Editors Choice and was praised for the performances, interpretation and the recorded sound.

Sir John Barbirolli was one of the most versatile conductors of his generation, associated with composers and works of every era. These historic recordings, never before released, present works he previously had not recorded, - like the Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings - or were under-recorded - like Schubert's Symphony No. 4.

Classical Music

The serenade for orchestra in D major, K. 250 (248b), popularly known as the "Haffner Serenade", was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on the commission of Sigmund Haffner Junior in 1776. The serenade is undoubtedly a jewel among Mozart's Salzburg compositions. The eight-movement work is Mozart's most extensive serenade and also the one with the largest instrumentation, with 13 instruments. Yet it is almost forgotten, or overshadowed, by it's famous Viennese counterpart, the Symphony in D major K. 385, the "Haffner Symphony", commissioned by Leopold Mozart in the summer of 1781 for the nobilization of Johann Sigmund Haffner. The first and last movements of the serenade gain additional weight through slow introductions. The first minuet is remarkably witty. It is embedded in the concerto movements of the serenade and it is in a minor key against all tradition. This is a charming joke on the part of the composer, for the melody is by no means serious, but a minor variant of a folk song known today as "I'm M�rzen der Bauer". The virtuosic solo parts throughout the recording are played by conductor and violinist Daniel Dodds. An exclusive bonus track of this album is the world premiere recording of "Armonia con Capriccio" by Vicenzo Righini (1756 -1812) which has never been recorded in this particular version. The Italian Righini was contemporary of Mozart and a successful tenor, bandmaster and composer in his day. The track is a beautiful piece for violin and orchestra from his opera "Gerusalemme liberata ossia Armida al campo de' franchi".

Domingo Hindoyan's exciting program of French repertoire includes early and late orchestral masterpieces by Debussy, Roussel's sumptuous and brilliantly scored 2nd ballet suite from Bacchus et Ariadne, and the rarely heard and spectacular La P�ri, subtitled Po�m Dans� by the highly self-critical but brilliant Dukas.

This selection of works by Gottschalk, Barber, Wild and Gershwin give vivid insights into the diversity of American music written during a period spanning almost two centuries, a diversity shaped by a uniquely American musical idiom. The young Georgian-German pianist Catherine Gordeladze’s has established herself as one of the most remarkable and versatile musicians of her generation. “…phenomenal technique, perfect memory, distinctive creativity.” - Frankfurter Rundschau

The complete recording of the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book is a highly prestigious project of unprecedented scope and importance. The high quality of the music and the excellent performances by Pieter-Jan Belder make it a landmark of historical importance. It is the most famous, extensive and important collection of keyboard music from the English Elizabethan and Jacobean Era. Lodged in the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge it contains more than 300 works for the virginal, written by Bull, Byrd, Tomkins and many others. This set contains works by some famous and some less well known composer: Thomas Tallis, Thomas Morley, John Munday, Thomas Tomkins, Ferdinando Richardson and a fine line up of Anonymous composers. The repertoire consists of a wide variety of dance forms such as Pavan, Galliarda, Fantasia, and instrumental arrangements of popular songs or madrigals. Pieter Jan Belder is one of the world’s foremost keyboard players, with an astonishing number of recordings to his name.

The tour visits the Tin Soldier Museum at Kulmbach, the National Army Museum, the Wellington Memorial, and St. Paul's Cathedral in London, and the Bavarian Army Museum at Ingolstadt, with it's relics of the Thirty Years War and of conflicts with the Ottoma Empire. The tour brings Beethoven's musical celebration of Wellington's victorious campaign in Spain, Liszt's Battle of the Huns and a Georgian war march by Ippolitov-Ivanov. The tour ends with two military works by Rimsky-Korsakov, King Dodon on the Battlefield, from his last opera, The Golden Cockerel, and the Massacre at Kerzhenets from The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh.

Yevhen Stankovych is regarded by many as the most important Ukrainian composer of his generation. + His First Symphony for strings expresses both pathos and drama. + The Second Symphony, with a dramatic requiem at its core, conveys a protest against war and stands as a monument to bravery and to those who perished. + The Fourth Symphony is renowned for its romantic lyrical language and rich string sound.

As is often the case in music, this album came about following a meeting of musicians. I was already familiar with Yosvany's music but we had never met. So when he called me in 2014 I was immediately enthused by the thought of sharing our cultures and history to produce a new musical blend full of meaning and reflecting our desire to create. Combining our strengths, our desires, and even our weaknesses (it is these that, I believe, add a touch of fragility and sensitivity to the emotions we try to get across) brought us a lot of satisfaction when we were looking into putting a repertoire together. We delved into the musical traditions of former French colonies (Haiti, Cuba, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Réunion, etc.) and tried to figure out how to integrate this material into a jazz quartet, something which is very popular at the moment. Learning has always been a driving force in my journey as an artist and I have always considered myself an eternal student, more so than a simple teller of temporary truths. This research came more naturally to Yosvany who was born and grew up in Cuba, a country which offers a wealth of ancestral traditions. As well as playing North American jazz wonderfully well, his work, whether in his playing or his composing, is also infused with "classic" European music, considered intellectual music, so our meeting was stimulating to say the least. The term intellectual as we would normally understand it is rather odd since the rhythms of African cultures and the thousands of songs inspired by them around the world are infinitely more sophisticated than most European music!

History, heritage, and fate combine in this recording from Gianandrea Noseda and the London Symphony Orchestra, bringing together the music of Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov. Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony, brimming over with drama and emotional intensity, charts a course from darkness to a final, life-affirming glimmer of optimism. Composed in 1888 and conducted by Tchaikovsky for it's November premiere that year, the symphony makes use of a recurring main 'Fate theme' to bring together the work's four movements. Rimsky-Korsakov dug deep into Russian legends and folk tales for his opera. "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh". Follow the mythical, magical story of the 'Russian Atlantis' in this orchestral suite, told through the composer's glittering orchestral palette.

An unusual, intriguing coupling of C.P.E. Bach's "original" Rococo, and the neo-classical ones by Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky. Pieter Wispelwey is equally at ease on the modern or period cello. His acute stylistic awareness, combined with a truly original interpretation and a phenomenal technical mastery, has won the hearts of critics and public alike in a wide-ranging repertoire. Wispelwey plays a 1760 Giovanni Battista Guadagnini cello.

Following the worldwide success of our Mravinsky DVD of iconic Shostakovich symphony performances, we expand his video repertoire into a collection of great Russian standards by various composers under his legendary baton.

REVIEW:

It's remarkable that this classic Christmas opera hasn't received more recordings, but one reason may be its relatively short length (45-50 minutes) and the fact that it's more about the story and its quickly-paced dramatic aspects than the singing--Menotti focuses primarily on dialogue and less on stand-alone arias (this was written for television after all!). But the ensemble nature of the score, the sensitively wrought interaction of the sympathetically drawn characters, the humor, and the poignant relationship of the poor, crippled shepherd boy and his mother, are what give the work its charm and make it so affecting. Not that there aren't many clever and catchy, very pleasing tunes and a couple of fine ensemble numbers and choruses. Menotti's music is just enough and just the right blend of old and newer style.

Although the original 1951 television production conducted by Thomas Schippers (RCA) retains a dramatic edge over this excellent and very welcome newcomer--not to mention a vocally more solid cast--conductor Alastair Willis and his colleagues present a fully satisfying performance that has the advantage of first-rate, modern sound.

My only criticisms concern the acting--there could be a little more use of dramatic pauses and inflective touches, especially at the shocking moment when Amahl discovers he can walk, or in the scene when the Page discovers the Mother and the gold, which here lack the full measure of dramatic force exemplified by Schippers' cast. However, we mostly enjoy the easy interaction of the characters, such as the very effective, poignant moment when the Mother discovers the Kings at the door, or in Amahl's engaging banter with the Kings. The chorus is also fine, as is the orchestra, whose particular colors and instrumental balances are so important to the proper effect of the performance. Ultimately this is a production of this classic work that will hold up to many years of repeat hearings--and it's a pleasure to have it in a recording that obviously relishes and successfully captures the ambience of its chamber-opera character.

--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com

·         The first ever German album of Natalie Dessay (Her first Schubert album – Her first Lieder album)·         4 Lieder have never been sung by a woman before·         Recorded with Philipp Cassard (piano) in Berlin, Siemensvilla on November 28th – December 3rd, 2016·         From Schiller and Goethe to Heine, the Schubertian Lied, which is based on the best German poets, is a reflection of the intimate thoughts of the composer who realizes an outstanding fusion between the poetic verb and the musical lyricism.

Two great symphonic organ concertos can be heard on the new album from BR-KLASSIK: the famous Organ Symphony by Camille Saint-Saëns and the lesser-known but highly impressive Concerto for Organ, Strings and Timpani by Francis Poulenc. The Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks is conducted by Mariss Jansons, and the organ soloist is the excellent Latvian musician Iveta Apkalna, one of the most renowned concert organists of our time. In his Symphony no. 3 in C minor, op. 78, the so-called ”Organ Symphony” of 1886, Camille Saint-Saëns succeeded in integrating the organ into the musical fabric of a symphonic work. Of this, the last of his five symphonies, Saint-Saëns wrote: “Here, I gave everything I was able to give. What I have here accomplished I will never achieve again.” Francis Poulenc's Concerto for Organ, Strings and Timpani in G minor was composed in 1938. At a time when it was no longer customary to present a solo concerto for organ, the work, with its unusual choice of instruments, is a tribute to Johann Sebastian Bach. In contrast to the organ compositions by the Baroque master, of course, Poulenc wrote for a large organ that could achieve impressive sound effects. The Latvian concert organist Iveta Apkalna debuted in 2007 with the Berlin Philharmonic under Claudio Abbado. As the titular organist of the new Klais organ at the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, she played at the opening of the new concert hall in 2017 with world premieres of works by Wolfgang Rihm, together with Thomas Hengelbrock and the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester. In 2018, she received prestigious music awards in Latvia in the “Musician of the Year” and “Concert of the Year” categories, and that same year, as part of the centennial celebrations of the Republic of Latvia, she was awarded the highest state order of merit in the country.

“In the Czech generation of composers after Antonín Dvorák, Josef Suk was probably the one who travelled the furthest in terms of style, and certainly, next to Leoš Janácek, the one who retains the highest claim to international standing,” wrote the musicologist Ludwig Finscher in the classic encyclopedia “Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart”. The music of Suk – violinist, composer and one of the most important Bohemian symphonists - is still relatively rarely heard in Western European concert halls, a situation that should definitely change. With this recording of his second symphony, “Asrael”, BR-KLASSIK makes a strong case for Suk’s impressive and compelling music. In 1891, Josef Suk, having started out as a violinist, became a master student of the world-famous Dvorák. He was regularly invited to the composer’s country house, where he fell in love with his teacher's daughter and married her. - The “Asrael” symphony was written after Dvorák's death, and the death soon afterwards of Suk’s own wife gave the work a new direction – it is dedicated to both of them. The title of Asrael refers to the angel of death from Islamic-Persian mythology: he is a mysterious companion of the human soul from this world to the next. - Suk developed his own musical language in which the solo violin is often involved (as here in the gentle central section of the Andante): The violin was indeed his instrument, and until 1933 he played in the “Bohemian String Quartet”. With the “Asrael” symphony he consciously took up the tradition of a “fate symphony” – associated since Beethoven's Fifth with the key of C minor moving at the end into radiant C major. Ever since its premiere on February 3, 1907 at the Prague National Theatre, “Asrael” has ranked as Suk's most important symphonic work - and as a visionary glimpse into the future.

Classical Music