Posts tagged as "erich-wolfgang-korngold"

Aromatherapy – Vol. 1

May 25, 2016

Aromatherapy, the quiet moments of classical music. And the first volume, Music for Relaxation, offers a miscellany of classical pieces from piano (the first movement of Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight’ Sonata) to orchestral music by Grieg, Elgar and Borodin.

Korngold: Orchestral Works

April 22, 2016

The great yearning melodies and the seductiveness of Korngold’s orchestration are hard to resist. The sheer sweep and thrill of his music became what is sometimes called the ‘Hollywood sound’, but in no way makes him a less serious composer as this collection of works, all conducted by André Previn on Deutsche Grammophon, reveals. His […]

Matthias Goerne sings German Arias

April 18, 2016

‘Operatic justice’, writes J.B. Steane in his informative and amusing note for this album, ‘is a law unto itself, and the baritone has been prominent among its victims. Unlucky in love, he is seen in the most favourable light as a father-figure and is otherwise all too often the villain of the piece. He may […]

Violinissimo: Great Violin Encores

March 15, 2016

Two ‘Phase 4’ recordings reappear in their entirety on this double-CD of violin bon-bons. Josef Sakonov’s is of virtuoso violin pieces (including Sarasate’s ‘Zigeunerweisen’) and sentimental miniatures by Godard, Tchaikovsky, Ponce and others. This is the first international release of the complete original LP on CD. Erich Gruenberg’s recording centres around Fritz Kreisler – as […]

Hilde Gueden sings Operetta

March 5, 2016

Several countries have their light operas: the British their Gilbert and Sullivan, the Spanish their zarzuelas, the French their operettes. All of these display quite tight-knit styles but the operetta tradition of Austria and specifically Vienna, is more diffuse, reflecting the differing styles of folk music found in the old Austro-Hungarian Empire. The world of […]