"From 1970 to 2008, the Viennese Alban Berg Quartet was one of the most successful string quartets in the world. Their playing influenced an entire generation of subsequent quartets. The reason for their worldwide success lay both in their outstanding virtuosity and their unerring ability to perform live with the same precision and exactitude of a studio recording. A further highlight from the Schwetzingen SWR Festival concert series Unique interpretations of two extraordinary works"

The first volume of the complete recording of Debussy's piano works by Michael Korstick has been compared favorably with those of the legendary Arturo Benedetti Michelangelo. The second volume presents Book Two of the Preludes and the rarely recorded "La boite a Joujoux", better known in Debussy's orchestral version of this work.

The LaSalle Quartet was active from 1946-88; however, it's influence goes far beyond that. Violinist Walter Levine is still a vital, much sought out authority for string players. From their founding, the Quartet was devoted to the late 19th and 20th c repertoire. The works of Schoenberg, Berg and Webern were a significant part, as were the quartets of Schoenberg's teacher, Alexander Zemlinsky. This CD of studio recordings from 1965, 1968 and 1977 draws Zemlinsky together with Haydn and Brahms - a bold program for an ensemble specializing in modern to include some "early music".

The latest release in hänssler CLASSIC's Historical SeriesNicolai Gedda was one of the most famous singers of the 20th centuryA valuable compilation of recordings of the great Nicolai Gedda from the SWR archives

Classical Music

• First release in hänssler CLASSIC's CPE Bach 300th Anniversary Edition • First CD of the recording of the complete symphonies by CPE Bach • First recording using a fortepiano continuo instrument • The Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra has maintained a long tradition of Bach interpretation

This is the first volume of Michael Korstick's recording of the complete piano works of Claude Debussy. The featured work is the well known first Book of "Preludes" together with rarities like "Toomai des Elephants" which was originally intended by Debussy for the second Book of "Preludes" but later discarded. Also featured is another Debussy discovery, the "Petite valse," dating from 1915. Korstick's delicate touch and idiomatic approach to every nuance of these suggestive scores will no doubt bring an exciting dimension to interpreting Debussy in the 21st century.

Classical Music

Perhaps no other musical style has exerted a greater influence on the culture of the first half of the 20th century than Jazz. This utterly American music travelled to every corner of the globe: From Shanghai to St. Petersburg; from New Orleans to New Dehli, from Harlem to well... Haarlem. While classical composers embraced the rhythmic vitality and melodic freedom of their own compositions, others sought to legitimize Jazz in the concert hall including: Debussy, Stravinsky, Hindemith and Shostakovich and of course Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington.

The focus of pianist Michael Korstick’s third third volume of Debussy-explorations is the three volumes of the “Images” from the years 1894, 1905 and 1907. They contain some of Debussy‘s most famous and popular piano works. In addition to these well-known collections Korstick has programmed the “Images oubliées” the “Six Epigraphes antiques” and a series of occasional pieces – which despite their “lesser status” in the composer’s catalogue, are among the most beautiful pieces Debussy wrote.

The great bass-baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau has been involved with the music of Bach throughout his career. Even as a student, he studied the cantatas and in his first Post-War concert in 1947, he was a soloist in the "St. Matthew Passion." As the singer's career progressed, performances of the music of Bach and his contemporaries became increasingly rare. However, in the 1950s, while at the beginning of his career, Fischer-Dieskau produced a series of radio recordings featuring not only the music of Bach but other Baroque composers such as Schutz, Tunder and St. Elzel.

This release marks the first appearance of the chief conductor of the German radio philharmonic orchestra, Karel Mark Chichon, on the SWR music label, and for his debut, the young London-born conductor has done nothing less than a complete recording of the symphonies of Anton Dvorak. but that's not all! in addition to the symphonies are other orchestral works of the Czech master, as is the case here with the early, Slavic-patriotic themed rhapsody, op. 14. future releases will include all the overtures and interludes from Dvorak's operas - works of exquisite beauty, but rarely appearing on recordings.

Baritone G�rard Souzay never had the opportunity to develop a following due to his brief operatic career. Yet experts recognized his innate musicality and his perfect pronunciation of German - his Lieder interpretations are considered legendary. Souzay limited himself to recitals of German Lieder and French m�lodies, but what you'll hear provides sheer delight. He still is a singer for aficionados, but this historic recital, recorded in his prime, will surely further this great singer's reputation throughout the world.

This fourth installment of the Geza Anda edition in the SWR music / haenssler CLASSIC historical series presents the first and the last of Beethoven's piano concertos. As in other recordings before, Anda performs in the First Concerto as both soloist and conductor. These recordings of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Piano Concerto No. 5 are areal enrichment of the Anda discography - no other recording of this concert has ever been released.

A legend of progressive jazz, Stan Kenton led one of the most influential, innovative, and controversial jazz orchestras of the twentieth century. This album is a live recording from January 17, 1972, taken during the Stan Kenton Orchestra’s European tour. This release contains staples of the repertoire, including Rhapsody in Blue, Malaguena, Malaga, and Love Story.