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Britten: String Quartet No. 2 - 3 Divertimentos - Miniature
BIS Jun 2010
SACD
$21.99

Franck, Faure & Prokofiev: Sonatas / Bezaly, Ashkenazy

BIS

SACD

$21.99 Nov 03, 2017

The flautist Sharon Bezaly has, over the past 20 years, released some 40 albums on BIS, recordings which have contributed to the international recognition that she enjoys. Both on recordings and in concert she has done much to champion new repertoire – she has had no less than 20 concertos dedicated to her. On her new release, however, she turns to core repertoire, although not necessarily that of her own instrument. The two sonatas by Cesar Franck and Gabriel Faure were composed with the violin in mind, and even though Prokofiev's sonata was originally intended for the flute it is often heard in the composer's own version for violin and piano. But joined by the legendary pianist and conductor Vladimir Askenazy, Sharon Bezaly now claims (and reclaims) the three works for her own instrument, in eloquent performances that make the best possible case for the flute.

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Franck, Faure & Prokofiev: Sonatas / Bezaly, Ashkenazy
BIS Nov 2017
SACD
$21.99

Tchaikovsky: Hamlet, Op. 67 / The Tempest, Op. 18 / Romeo An
BIS May 2002
CD
$21.99

Schubertiade

DUX

$19.99 Jan 30, 2026

This album pays homage to the concept of the Schubertiad-the intimate gatherings held during the life of the "fourth Viennese classic," where the composer himself would sit at the piano, joined by the finest musicians, to perform Schubert's chamber works in the salons of wealthy friends. Much like these legendary soirées, the album presents Schubert's most celebrated compositions from the final years of his life, brought to life by a group of exceptional young artists handpicked by Andrzej Pikul. The program features two expansive songs, enhanced by a wind instrument, which frame Schubert's iconic Sonata in A minor, written for the then-novel arpeggione, a unique instrument that, unfortunately, enjoyed a brief lifespan of less than fifty years. The album also includes Schubert's monumental Fantasy in F minor for Piano Four Hands. The centerpiece is a poignant miniature that evokes the melancholic yet beloved nature of Schubert-the composer who, despite his public charm, was often tormented by personal struggles. A unifying thread throughout the album is the piano, which, under the skilled hands of acclaimed chamber musician Andrzej Pikul, transports the listener into a world of musical camaraderie and enduring friendships.

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Schubertiade
DUX Jan 2026
CD
$19.99

Mix & Match

Karg-Elert: Works For Organ
BIS Jul 2002
CD
$21.99

AMERICAN CHORAL MUSIC – BOLCOM, W. / FINE, I. / FOSS, L. / PERSICHETTI, V. / SCHUMAN, W.
Naxos Jul 2010
CD
$19.99

Kraus: Solo Piano Music / Ronald Brautigam

BIS

$21.99 Mar 01, 2006

This disc is a gem, yet it's also one of those releases that you might overlook in the deluge of new, and frequently marginal, titles each month. But that would be a mistake, and if you enjoy keyboard music of the classical period, from C.P.E. Bach to Mozart and Haydn, then you will certainly want to hear this recital. Joseph Martin Kraus (a.k.a. "the Swedish Mozart), like his illustrious colleague, had an almost exactly contemporaneous and equally short life. He was born in 1756 and died in 1792. His music was much admired by his contemporaries, including Haydn, both for its formal mastery and progressive tendencies, both of which are very much in evidence in the two major works here, the Piano Sonatas in E major and E-flat major.

Composed in the late 1780s, these sonatas are large-scale pieces as advanced as anything that Haydn and Mozart were turning out at the time. The E major work lasts nearly half an hour, and in its size alone it anticipates the large early sonatas of Beethoven. Both pieces have three movements, one of which is a big theme and variations (the finale in the E major sonata, the middle movement in the E-flat piece). Ronald Brautigam plays this music with uncommon ebullience and enthusiasm, in particular characterizing these lengthy variation sets with unfailing intelligence and imagination. This, combined with the bright, sweet timbre of his fortepiano, gives the music the same immediate appeal that typifies his Haydn piano music cycle.

The other pieces are less important but nevertheless exude charm and personality. Both the Rondo in F major and the Scherzo con Variazioni are relatively substantial single movements, and the Swedish Dance will pique the interest of folk-music enthusiasts--its principal tune sounds remarkably like a sort of simplified Haydn rondo. The other two pieces, Zwey Neue Kuriose Menuetten and the Larghetto, are both tiny chips from the master's workbench. This is one of the most purely delightful discs of classical keyboard music to come along in quite a while, a discovery whose musical substance far exceeds its curiosity value. [7/26/2006]
--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

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Kraus: Solo Piano Music / Ronald Brautigam
BIS Mar 2006
CD
$21.99

Alfven / Varese / Larsson Gothe: Wind Music
BIS Oct 2004
CD
$21.99

Mozart: Serenade In B Flat Major, Kv 361 "gran Partita"; Fantasia In F Minor, Kv 608

TACET Musikproduktion

Blu-Ray

$26.99 Feb 25, 2014

MOZART Serenade in Bb, K 361 “Gran Partita”. Fantasia in f, K 608 • Stuttgart Winds • TACET 209 (Blu-ray audio: 57:20)

This Blu-ray disc comes in surround sound, so I’ll confess that I listened to it using my HD television with its sound bar rather than on my high-end stereo system. It’s a remarkable performance of a favorite work, which I and many others first heard on an old LP conducted by Otto Klemperer. Some readers might also remember the critic B. H. Haggin’s surprise that anything conducted by Klemperer, whom he usually disliked, could be so graceful. Haggin attributed it to the band. Perhaps it is a piece that in professional hands can’t go too wrong. Here everything seems right, including the recorded sound in stereo. There is grace abounding, and beautifully etched phrases and balance among the players, each of whom is profiled in the ample notes. The fetching opening with its prominent clarinet and oboe parts couldn’t be more touching, and the energy of the whole performance is equally appealing. I have a stack of recordings of this work, including those conducted by Mackerras, and others played by groups such as the Sixth Floor Orchestra. I’d recommend this delightful new disc, though, to anyone, especially to those with surround sound systems.

FANFARE: Michael Ullman

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Mozart: Serenade In B Flat Major, Kv 361 "gran Partita"; Fantasia In F Minor, Kv 608
TACET Musikproduktion Feb 2014
Blu-Ray
$26.99

Piano Concertos Warsaw 2010

Accentus Music

Blu-Ray

$41.99 Jan 25, 2011

This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.

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Also available on standard DVD

To mark the bicentenary of Chopin’s birth, two leading Russian pianists tackle the great Romantic composer’s two piano concertos: Evgeny Kissin plays the F minor Concerto op. 21, a key work in Chopin’s output, while Nikolai Demidenko performs the E minor Concerto op. 11, a virtuoso display vehicle of the first rank. They are accompanied by the Warsaw Philharmonic under the direction of Antoni Wit. Enthusiastically acclaimed by the audience at Warsaw’s Philharmonic Hall on 27 February 2010, this memorable concert has been captured in first-class sound and picture quality.

Recorded live at the Filharmonia Narodowa, Warsaw, 26-27 February 2010.

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: PCM Stereo / DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Running time: 97 mins
No. of Discs: 1

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Piano Concertos Warsaw 2010
Accentus Music Jan 2011
Blu-Ray
$41.99

Zaimont: Sonata, Calendar Set, La Fin De Siecle / Christopher Atzinger

Naxos

$19.99 Mar 27, 2012

ZAIMONT Piano Sonata. Calendar Collection: Spring, Summer, Autumn. Jupiter’s Moons. Wizards. La Fin de Siècle. A Calendar Set. Cortège for Jack. Jazz Waltz. American City: Portrait of New York. Hitchin’. In My Lunchbox. Hesitation Rag. Reflective Rag. Judy’s Rag. Serenade • Elizabeth Moak (pn) • MSR 1366 (2 CDs: 155: 36)

ZAIMONT Piano Sonata. A Calendar Set. Le Fin de Siècle • Christopher Atzinger (pn) • NAXOS 8.559665 (65:55)

ZAIMONT Piano Sonata. Jupiter’s Moons. La Fin de Siècle. Hesitation Rag • Joanne Polk (pn) • ALBANY 617 (62:56)

Judith Lang Zaimont, now in her late 60s, has been a consistently and productively active presence on the American compositional scene since the 1960s, and I have followed her work—though not exhaustively—from almost as far back. She has won a generous share of awards and enjoyed a series of academic affiliations, notably on the faculties of the Peabody Conservatory, Adelphi University, and the University of Minnesota. She now lives in Arizona, devoting her time largely to composing. Although I have found her work collectively to be of variable interest, it has always impressed me with both excellent craftsmanship and a basic sincerity of expression, devoid of glitz or mere cleverness. Her basic stylistic roots are in a traditional 20th-century language, though updated in some pieces with sounds and techniques that entered the modern vocabulary after midcentury. But nothing I have heard of hers ever violates sound musical judgment or good taste. But what I don’t hear is a personal stamp, a recognizable voice that proclaims her identity, or a sense that she is sharing her deepest personal feelings. However, while such a recognizable identity often enables listeners to feel closer to a composer, it is not a prerequisite of artistic importance.

A pianist herself, Zaimont has composed a good deal of music for the keyboard. Her piano music represents much of her strongest work, and some pieces—such as A Calendar Set —have attained a well-earned popularity. The three releases discussed here comprise the vast majority of her music for piano solo, with some pieces—the Piano Sonata, for example—addressed on each recording, making comparisons inevitable. Although Joanne Polk’s release doesn’t include A Calendar Set , an Arabesque disc, titled Zones (Z6683), features her performance of that work. In addition I have a Leonarda LP that includes Gary Steigerwalt’s rendition of A Calendar Set . I will say at the outset that making these comparisons was the most difficult aspect of this review, as all three pianists are extraordinarily fine, and all three recordings are distinguished by performances that are both sympathetic and brilliantly virtuosic. Though one pianist may seem to grasp some pieces better, another captures some of the others more effectively. Consumers’ decisions will be based on factors other than excellence of execution. Mississippi-born Elizabeth Moak has been performing Zaimont’s music for decades, and built her doctoral work around it; her two-CD set—the culmination of her years of study and performance—is, of course, both the most comprehensive recording and the most expensive one, and includes the vast majority of her music for piano solo. Christopher Atzinger’s on Naxos features the most important pieces, and is budget-priced. Polk’s on Albany also offers a fine selection, and is full-priced.

Zaimont’s most ambitious work for piano solo is the Sonata (1999–2000). This half-hour work in three movements covers a good deal of expressive territory within the generally modern-traditionalist language. In ways that are hard to articulate, the work doesn’t have the feel of a sonata—a sense of businesslike goal-directedness propelled by an individual treatment of familiar formal designs. The first movement begins and ends atmospherically, and might even be described as improvisatory. However, the central portion boasts a strong assertive thrust—propulsive and quite challenging for the pianist. The second movement, which is described as a reflection on the slow movement of Beethoven’s “Pathétique” Sonata, is really much more than that. Again, much of the music is ruminative and improvisatory in character, although scherzoso portions of the movement provide considerable technical challenges for the pianist. The third movement is rapid and toccata-like for the most part, although this is relieved by some slower passages. All in all, the multiple tempos within each movement make following the basic structure only by ear a little difficult. But on the whole, this is a challenging and provocative work, and one that rewards multiple rounds of concentrated listening. As suggested earlier, all three pianists do more than justice to the work. If forced to select a preference, I would probably choose Polk’s as the one with the greatest technical assurance.

The other major work is the cycle A Calendar Set , which occupied the composer on and off throughout the 1970s, and was her first extended work for piano. As its title suggests, these are 12 character pieces, each associated with one of the months of the year. These subjective associations create an attractive, evocative, and convincing conceit. (More on this later.) Two of the pieces—July and December—are quodlibets that ingeniously weave familiar tunes (patriotic for the former, carols for the latter) into a subtle texture. These pieces are more traditional in style than the Sonata, with undisguised roots in the Romantic piano repertoire represented by Chopin, Scriabin, and company. I have been familiar with these pieces since shortly after they were completed, and I must say, they appealed to me upon initial exposure, and continue to do so today. Again the performances are all extremely good, but if forced to select one I would probably go for Moak, although Atzinger is more effective in some of the pieces, Polk in some of the others, and Steigerwalt in still others.

Interestingly, during the period when Zaimont was working on A Calendar Set , one of her publishers suggested that she compose another set based on the same months-of-the-year conceit, but designed to be somewhat easier to play, and with explicit pedagogical intentions. She fulfilled this request with Calendar Collection —12 pieces that are just as appealing to hear as the concert set, and reward serious musical consideration. Moak includes nine of the 12 on her recorded recital. Let me note here that while a good deal of the music included on Moak’s program was composed with pedagogical intentions and limited technical demands in mind, none of this music is any the less interesting for it, nor are the results so elementary as to be identifiable as student fare.

Jupiter’s Moons is a group of six short pieces, composed in 2000. Each of the pieces draws upon both mythological and geophysical associations from which to anchor its character. At this point I must voice a reservation I noted in my last review of music by this composer: Zaimont has a propensity for fanciful titles, presumably to offer gentle suggestions to guide the listeners’ imaginations. However, with some exceptions—most notably A Calendar Set —I find these titles to be more of a bother than they are worth. In most cases I find myself looking in vain for connections between the music and the images suggested. Rather than facilitating a grasp of the expressive intentions of the music, for me they are more of a hindrance.

The six pieces identified as Jupiter’s Moons generally inhabit a stylistic realm that most would term Impressionistic, with some reminiscences of Debussy, although the first one avoids both tonality and meter. Each piece is both evocative and engaging, and as a group they are delightful. But instead of movement titles such as “The Moons Swim in Orbit, “Europa,” “Leda,” “Io,” etc., I would have been content with “Six Preludes,” period. I have no principled objection to fanciful titles in general, but the associations must be universal enough to engender spontaneous confirmation in the listener—otherwise they are distractions. I find that Polk’s presentations of these pieces are somewhat more exciting and dynamic than Moak’s. If I have a criticism of the latter’s generally fine performances, it is that they tend to be a little understated and bland—especially the more difficult pieces. On the other hand, Moak is somewhat more effective in clarifying the textures, while Polk can sometimes be a little murky.

Wizards is a nine-minute piece in a single movement, composed in 2003. It is a fantasy that presumes to delineate the features of three distinct “Magic Masters.” The style is somewhat reminiscent of late Scriabin, although there is some hand-damping of the strings. Aiming to convey a sense of magic and mystery, the music is again quite challenging for the performer.

The nocturne La Fin de Siècle dates from 1979, and is another one of Zaimont’s most popular and frequently performed pieces. It is also another whose title—or in this case, subtitle—is both limiting and misleading, explicitly suggesting a work of retrospection—a venture into the language of a bygone era. But again, this seven-minute piece is much more than that: For one thing, it is no more alien to Zaimont’s natural language than are many of these other works, its agitated central section embracing a harmonic language that evolved decades after the turn of the century; for another, it is a superb and often beautiful work in its own right—not in the least hackneyed or preoccupied with retrospection, but, rather, spontaneous and improvisatory, although the listener who makes too much of the subtitle may readily overlook its breadth and depth of expression. The nocturne is included on all three discs discussed here, as well as on the Leonarda LP, and all four performances are excellent. Here I find it simply impossible to choose one as the best.

The remainder of this review is devoted to shorter, less ambitious pieces, all but one of which is found on only the Moak disc. Zaimont is fond of the ragtime genre, and has written several. Her Hesitation Rag is the most ambitious of those included here. Composed in 1998, the six-minute piece is quite an elaborate concert work, maintaining the essential elements of the genre, while reaching beyond its limited associations. It is included on Polk’s CD as well; she provides a fuller, more sonorous rendition than Moak, who is more delicate. The other two rags— Reflective Rag and Judy’s Rag —date from the 1970s. They are shorter and less ambitious, but no less delightful and engaging—and are worked out with considerable subtlety.

American City: Portrait of New York is a group of six short pieces that purport to evoke various images associated with New York City. What is most striking and remarkable about them is that five of the six were composed in 1957—when Zaimont was 12! If the prospective listener anticipates being called upon to indulge the composer’s shameless vanity, that listener is entirely wrong. These are mature, sophisticated, entertaining, and pianistically challenging vignettes that in no way betray their youthful origins, and won a number of auspicious awards at the time they were composed. Although she added the movement “Scrapers” in 2010, the composer insists that the five early pieces remain essentially untouched (the few subsequent modifications are indicated in the program notes).

Jazz Waltz is a short movement from a 1996 work called Suite Impressions . It is a pleasantly stylish piece, inventive both melodically and harmonically.

In My Lunchbox (2003) is a suite of five short pieces, with individual titles such as “Swimming Tuna,” “Celery Stalks,” “Dessert—Sugar Rush,” and other items typically found in a child’s lunchbox. It is designed for 11-year-olds who have been playing for at least four years. While its pedagogical intentions are explicit, and the pieces are more manageable technically, they are musically interesting enough to engage the attention of young pianists and those for whom they play.

Serenade was composed on a single day in 2006. Zaimont calls it an homage to big-band music and the film scores of the 1940s, but I do not hear these associations at all. What I do hear is an irresistibly lovely six-minute piece of great appeal and some real beauty. It has been approved for performance in a number of different instrumentations.

Hitchin’ is another short pedagogical piece, composed in 2007, and designed to engage the interest of high-school-age piano students. I am sure that it accomplishes its intentions, as it is infectious and lively. But it is not all that easy to play!

The most recent piece here is Cortège for Jack , written just a few days after Zaimont learned of the death of her former composition teacher Jack Beeson in 2010. She notes that she composed the piece on an involuntary and irresistible impulse. Although it is in triple meter, it has the character of a processional, solemn and poignant.

In conclusion, I note that these shorter pieces are played with considerable subtlety, artistry, and attention to detail by Elizabeth Moak, on what is her debut recording.

FANFARE: Walter Simmons

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Zaimont: Sonata, Calendar Set, La Fin De Siecle / Christopher Atzinger
Naxos Mar 2012
CD
$19.99

Schumann: Piano Sonata No. 1 in F Sharp Minor, Op. 11; Fanta

DUX

$19.99 Apr 17, 2026

Two early works by Robert Schumann surge with emotional intensity, where lyrical beauty meets dramatic urgency, soaring passion collides with deep introspection. Pianist Ayham Hammour, long associated with Poland and a familiar presence on major stages throughout Europe and the Americas, brings Schumann's inner world vividly to life. With imagination and keen insight, Hammour uncovers not only the composer's profound dramatic voice, but also the sparkle of wit, lightness, and subtle irony that lies beneath the surface.

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Schumann: Piano Sonata No. 1 in F Sharp Minor, Op. 11; Fanta
DUX Apr 2026
CD
$19.99

Mix & Match

Brahms: Sonata In F Minor, Intermezzo, Etc / Evgeny Kissin
Sony Masterworks Aug 2003
CD
$11.98

Zuccari: Mass in C Minor & Magnificat in F Major

Urania Records

$18.99 Nov 02, 2018

The Mass in C minor for 5 voices by Francesco Maria Zuccari is included in this priceless collection and is heard here in it's absolute world premiere recording. The piece was first drafted in Assisi in 1723, when Zuccari was Kapellmeister, with a second version with instruments being drafted in 1745, when the musician was first organist at the Santo. The work has, however, presumably not been performed again since that year. The Magnificat in F major also hails from Assisi. It was composed in 1725 and revised later in Padova in 1748. In this recording, the ensemble uses Vallotti's typical tuning, which favors the use of flats and limits the interval of the fifth, showing a greater precision in the interval of third. The Orchestra Barocca di Cremona, conducted by Giovanni Battista Columbro, performs here on original instruments.

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Zuccari: Mass in C Minor & Magnificat in F Major
Urania Records Nov 2018
CD
$18.99

Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos, Violin Sonata In F Minor / Tianwa Yang

Naxos AudioVisual

$16.99 Mar 26, 2013

Note: This Blu-ray Audio Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard CD or DVD players.

Filled with Mendelssohn’s signature freshness and lightness of touch, the Violin Concerto in D minor and the Sonata, Op 4 are youthful products but written with an assurance which is startling in its maturity. The substantial earlier concerto gives a foretaste of the originality and soaring inspiration which has made the Violin Concerto, Op 64 one of the most enduring works of its age. Acclaimed as “an unquestioned master of the violin” (American Record Guide), Tianwa Yang has quickly established herself as a leading international performer and recording artist, with highly acclaimed discs of works by Sarasate, Piazzolla and Wolfgang Rihm.

Sound format: PCM Stereo / DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

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Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos, Violin Sonata In F Minor / Tianwa Yang
Naxos AudioVisual Mar 2013
CD
$16.99

Handel: Concerti grossi, Op. 6 / Christie, Les Arts Florissants

HARMONIA MUNDI

$11.99 Aug 28, 2020

This is William Christie's valedictory disc for Harmonia Mundi before seeking pastures new with Erato. All five works belong to Handel's last and greatest set of concertos, Op. 6, printed in London in 1740. They are splendid pieces and I never tire of listening to them. Christie has chosen three of the four concertos for which optional oboe parts have survived (Nos. I. 2 and 6), as well as the seventh and tenth concertos of the set. It is as good a choice as any if choices have to be made and Christie brings the music to life with all his characteristic enthusiasm and feeling for Handelian idiom. The orchestra of Les Arts Florissants sound on good form, too, achieving a pleasant warmth of string timbre and a greater unanimity of sound than has sometimes been the case in earlier issues.

On the whole I like the presence of oboes in the aforementioned concertos, though the music loses nothing by their absence. Perhaps they are a shade too prominent in the G major Concerto (Op. 6 No. I) but I doubt if this seemingly slight imbalance will bother readers. What I did find more disconcerting, though, were some of the embellishments and cadential elaborations which felt too extended or spun out. One such instance occurs at the close of the Larghetto andante e piano of the F major Concerto (Op. 6 No. 2), where the continuo archlute launches into a veritable solo, albeit in miniature; and again, at the conclusion of the following Allegro the oboes, aided and abetted by the archlute, indulge in imitative flights of fancy. Such moments are neither unimaginative nor lacking in taste but my ears tell me that they are really not necessary. Perhaps I'm just being too English about it—beware of Channel tunnels!

Apart from this reservation, I found Christie's approach refreshing and full of vitality. The playing is wonderfully articulated and the rhythms clear-cut without being at all stiff or unyielding. There are moments, too, of great delicacy as, for example, in the languorous Musette of the G minor Concerto (Op. 6 No. 6), which is eloquently shaped and plentifully endowed with affecting contrasts. Then, at the opposite end of the scale, so to speak, are infectious movements like the Hornpipe of the B flat Concerto (Op. 6 No. 7), and the robust French overture which begins the D minor Concerto (Op. 6 No. 10). Christie enlivens these admirably—though the Hornpipe is, perhaps, a little restrained---responding with spontaneity to Handel's engagingly wide terms of stylistic reference. In short, a stimulating and enjoyable performance, notwithstanding reservations which may worry some ears much less than others.

-- Gramophone [5/1995]
reviewing the original release of this title

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Handel: Concerti grossi, Op. 6 / Christie, Les Arts Florissants
HARMONIA MUNDI Aug 2020
CD
$11.99

Carlstedt, J.: Metamorphosi / Larsson, L.-E.: Little Serenad
BIS Mar 1990
CD
$21.99

Minor Major / Oslo String Quaret

Blu-Ray with SACD

$44.99 Aug 18, 2017

The present recording features both one of the longest and one of the shortest quartets in the string quartet repertoire. There is no denying that Schubert´s last string quartet is great in every sense of the word, but Beethoven´s “Quartetto Serioso”, although minor in size, is by no means dwarfed by it when it comes to sheer artistic quality; both quartets are indeed major works and a staple on the diet of any string quartet of merit. Even so, the concept of minor and major immediately springs to mind when contemplating putting these two completely different masterpieces on the same album. Duration apart, there is the obvious question of tonality: one work in F minor, the other in G major, which is simple enough and by itself justifies the album title. But things get more complicated the moment we subject the two works to a closer scrutiny. Oslo String Quartet is widely recognized as one of the most versatile string quartets of our day. Since it was founded in 1991 it has established a reputation as an ensemble that unites high artistic standards with a degree of playfulness and an absolute integrity. The quartet’s concerts and recordings have consistently received acclaim, both by the public and by critics. A strong attachment to the music of Beethoven has resulted in several performances of his complete string quartets, for example in the quartet’s festival “The Beethoven Code” in 2006. Their programmes range from the classic string quartet repertoire to the works of contemporary composers, but also include music in other genres, and their unique versions of, for example, Peer Gynt and Tosca break with what is normally expected of a string quartet.

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Minor Major / Oslo String Quaret
2L Aug 2017
Blu-Ray with SACD
$44.99

TCHAIKOVSKY: SYMPHONY NO. 4 IN F MINOR

DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON

Vinyl

$45.79 Apr 12, 2024

THE ORIGINAL SOURCE is a new series of celebrated albums reissued on vinyl. The renowned Berlin-based Emil Berliner Studios are remastering 4-track recordings from the 1970s, using their own cutting-edge and 100% pure analogue techniques (AAA) to create versions of the highest possible audio quality. More clarity, more details and a better frequency response, the highest possible audiophile quality which gives listeners the chance to enjoy this repertoire like never before. LP pressed on 180g virgin vinyl at Optimal Media.

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TCHAIKOVSKY: SYMPHONY NO. 4 IN F MINOR
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON Apr 2024
Vinyl
$45.79

English String Miniatures - Rutter, Cordell, Melachrino, Etc

Naxos

$19.99 Mar 01, 2000

This CD of light music for string orchestra seems just right to usher in the summer. It starts with a suite by John Rutter based on folk tunes, its four movements devoted to "A-Roving," "I have a bonnet trimmed with blue,""O, Waly, Waly," and "Dashing away with the smoothing iron." Those familiar with Rutter's Christmas discs will know what a clever arranger he is, and not be a bit surprised that he manages to work in several other folk songs in counterpoint to the featured ones. Orr's pastoral piece smacks, in a good way, of Delius, and Melachrino's composition is idiomatically written for strings, as one would expect from the creator-conductor of the "Melachrino Strings." Two of the works, by Cordell and Gibbs, are compositions of a type that English composers do so well: tributes to earlier times. The Gibbs is reminiscent of Peter Warlock's Capriol Suite in its harmonic "modernization" of consonant tunes set to old-fashioned dance rhythms, such as the Minuet and Sarabande. The Royal Ballet Sinfonia plays all this music with confidence and charm, not to mention good tone. David Lloyd-Jones, one of my favorite underrated English conductors, paces performances that are just right and beautifully phrased, and the recorded sound is generally excellent, if a bit bass shy and remote. --Rad Bennett, ClassicsToday.com

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English String Miniatures - Rutter, Cordell, Melachrino, Etc
Naxos Mar 2000
CD
$19.99

Franco Corelli: The alternative repertoire 1956-1972

Urania Records

$29.99 Apr 17, 2026

Franco Corelli, along with Mario Del Monaco and Carlo Bergonzi, is universally recognized as the greatest Italian tenor of the last century. This edition of his performances is based primarily on the early recordings he made for the Italian Cetra and includes a selection of great scenes from his repertoire, including a crucial, high-quality live version of Don Carlo, which Corelli never recorded in a studio.

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Franco Corelli: The alternative repertoire 1956-1972
Urania Records Apr 2026
CD
$29.99

Mix & Match

Lazar Berman Rarities
IDIS Jul 2012
CD
$16.99

Miracles and Mud / Eli Eli / Sink or Swim / for amos / Doubles
Naxos Jul 2007
CD
$19.99

PIANO CONCERTOS: MOZART NO. 24; BEETHOVEN NO. 3

DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON

$14.49 Aug 21, 2026

Rafal Blechacz returns with a compelling new Deutsche Grammophon album centered on the expressive power of C minor. Together with the Dresdner Philharmonie under Kent Nagano, he presents Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 24 in C Minor, K. 491 and Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37 - two landmark works that reveal the dramatic, introspective and visionary possibilities of the piano concerto. The program is completed by Beethoven's 32 Variations in C Minor, WoO 80, placing Blechacz both in dialog with orchestra and alone at the keyboard. The album offers a focused, repertoire-driven narrative that connects Mozart and Beethoven through one of classical music's most charged tonalities, while showcasing Blechacz's artistry in major concerto repertoire and solo Beethoven.

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PIANO CONCERTOS: MOZART NO. 24; BEETHOVEN NO. 3
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON Aug 2026
CD
$14.49