The first-ever pairing of these two marvellous ‘Double’ Concertos on CD. The Brahms is a classic performance, gutsy as well as autumnal and the work comes from towards the end of the composer’s rich harvest. The Mendelssohn, by far the lesser-known of the two pieces, conversely comes from the beginning of his life – in […]
Two of Beethoven’s most popular Piano Trios here appear on a single disc. The Kempff/Szeryng/Fournier Trio’s interpretations of these works were legendary and the performances are magical, soothing and gentle.
A Beethoven extravaganza, coupling two of his works using the piano & other forces. The ‘Choral Fantasy’ receives one of its most powerful performances and the ‘Triple Concerto’ one of its most ennobling.
A relaxed and eloquent ‘Spring Sonata’ contrasts with a lean and athletic performance of the ‘Kreutzer’ from two expert Beethovenians. In between comes the Op. 12 No. 2 – a sonata that greatly puzzled its audience at the time of its composition.
In addition to recording the Bach Violin Concertos with Henryk Szeryng, Neville Marriner and the Academy also recorded two LPs of arrangements (made by Christopher Hogwood) of harpsichord concertos. These colourful arrangements are for oboe, flute and violin in various combinations. They were issued originally on two Argo LPs to great critical acclaim and are […]
Like the Beethoven symphonies, his concertos form a cornerstone of the standard classical repertoire and collected together here, on four discs, are all his major concertos in stellar performances. From the Haydnesque first concertos, to the serene calm, poise and beauty of the Fourth Piano Concerto and the Violin Concerto, to the swagger of the […]
In the vast vacuum left by Arturo Toscanini’s retirement and death, French conductors were prominent among those who dominated the orchestral scene, especially in America. One of the most gifted was Jean Francisque-Étienne Martinon (1910–1976). His complete recordings for Deutsche Grammophon (as both conductor and composer) are here collected for the first time. Conscripted into […]
