Posts tagged as "vladimir-ashkenazy"

Aromatherapy – Vol. 5: The Heart of Tchaikovsky

May 25, 2016

Aromatherapy, the quiet moments of classical music. And the fifth volume, The Heart of Tchaikovsky, showcases classical music’s ultimate Romantic, his music often a reflection of his passionate, sometimes torrid life. From the love theme of ‘Romeo and Juliet’, to music from his ballet, ‘The Nutcracker’ and the core of his First String Quartet (Andante cantabile), […]

Aromatherapy – Vol. 3: The Magic of Mozart

May 25, 2016

Aromatherapy, the quiet moments of classical music. And the third volume, the Magic of Mozart, showcases of some of his most magical, gorgeous slow movements, several of which – from the Piano Concerto No. 21 (‘Elvira Madigan’) and the Clarinet Concerto (‘Out of Africa’) – have acquired popular status from their incorporation into films.

The Best of Tchaikovsky

April 29, 2016

A brilliant collection of some of Tchaikovsky’s most moving and most exciting moments. Continuing Eloquence’s popular ‘Best Of’ series – ideal for the newcomer.

Bach: Keyboard Concertos

April 29, 2016

Purists might squirm but purists should think again. As Raymond Tuttle says in his background notes to this unique release, ‘When purists complain about Bach played on the piano, they also need to be reminded that, as these five concertos were not written for the keyboard in the first place, one might argue that any […]

R. Strauss: Horn Music

April 29, 2016

Barry Tuckwell provides his own, insightful liner notes for this, his second recording of the Strauss Horn Concertos (the first being with Istvan Kertesz). What makes this a particularly sought-after release is the inclusion of the rarities and the fact that Tuckwell has gone back to the original manuscripts. The Final Scene from ‘Capriccio’ is […]

Paganini: Violin Concerto No. 1; R. Strauss: Violin Concerto

April 29, 2016

If you think the three pieces on this disc make odd bedfellows, just listen to the opening of the finale of the Paganini, skip to the finale of the Strauss and then go into the Tchaikovsky Valse-Scherzo. Sparkling wit and virtuosity abound and what’s more, the Paganini receives its first release on CD (outside Taiwan), […]

Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 3; Youth Symphony; Piano Concerto No. 4

April 29, 2016

Sergei Rachmaninov began his Third Symphony in August 1935 at Senar, his Swiss villa, while riding a final wave of popular success. His ‘Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini’ had enjoyed a successful premiere the year before, and subsequent performances had gone far to mute criticism that the composer’s well of inspiration had dried up. […]

Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 2; Isle of the Dead

April 29, 2016

Receiving its first ever release on CD, this legendary performance of Rachmaninov’s super-romantic Second Symphony conducted by Paul Kletzki will be seized up by collectors and bargain hunters alike. From Ashkenazy’s remarkable survey of the Rachmaninov orchestral works comes ‘The Isle of the Dead’. Reviewing it, Gramophone magazine writes: ‘a searingly powerful reading of ‘The […]

A Chopin Songbook

April 29, 2016

The Swedish-Russian soprano, Elisabeth Söderström, made several landmark recordings for Decca – operas by Janacek, the complete songs of Rachmaninov and Sibelius both of which were recorded with Vladimir Ashkenazy. With Ashkenazy too she recorded songs by Chopin and her lyric/dramatic soprano fully captures the range of these songs, from tenderness to pathos. Ashkenazy is […]

Ravel: Piano Music

April 29, 2016

This collection of Ravel’s most popular piano works restores to the catalogue all the Ravel that Vladimir Ashkenazy ever recorded – a thrilling ‘Gaspard’ (his second – 1982 – recording of this work) as well as the ‘Pavane’ and ‘Valses’. The coupling presents the gifted young pianist, Naida Cole, in an ethereal ‘Jeux d’eau’ and […]

Schumann: Concertos; Concert Pieces

April 29, 2016

A unique collection, bringing together Schumann’s Concertos and concertante works, including the first international release of Ingrid Haebler’s recording of the Piano Concerto and Barenboim’s of the Konzertstück for Four Horns. The unjustly neglected Concert Pieces, Opp. 92 & 134 are given glorious readings by Ashkenazy and both the Cello and Violin Concertos receive admirable […]