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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | San Francisco Symphony at 100
‘San Francisco Symphony at 100’ celebrates the orchestra’s centenary in style. With Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas at the helm and featuring violinist Itzhak Perlman, the DVD also includes vignettes documenting the orchestra's origins and its first 100 years. San Francisco Symphony at 100 documents the glorious festivities of the orchestra’s centenary year, celebrated at the orchestra’s extravagant 2011-12 season opening night gala concert. With Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas at the helm, the evening symbolised the orchestra’s heritage, its importance in the life of the city as well as the American and international musical landscape, and highlighted supreme American musicians as well as the virtuosic members of the orchestra. The programme opens and closes with two American compositional giants - Aaron Copland and John Adams. The great violinist Itzhak Perlman unleashes his virtuosity on Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto and the orchestra members shine in Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. Interspersed are documentary vignettes - hosted by Amy Tan (author of the famed Joy Luck Club) - tracing the history of the Symphony which like a phoenix rose out of the ashes of the city’s devastating earthquake in 1906, revitalised San Francisco’s cultural life and quickly set the orchestra on the world’s musical stage. Special Features Documentary vignettes tracing the San Francisco Symphony’s history. Narrated by Amy Tan. Produced by Janette Gitler. Blu ray specifications: Region: Region free Rating: E (Exempt) Picture Format: NTSC Run time: 2:26:30 | | | Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days. |
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| |  | Brahms - Piano Concerto No. 2
Joaquín Achúcarro (piano) This recording commemorates the 50th anniversary of Joaquín Achúcarro’s debut with the London Symphony Orchestra after winning the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic International Competition in 1959. Recorded at Jerwood Hall, St Luke’s, London, with Britain’s eminent conductor Colin Davis at the helm, Achúcarro delivers a consummate performance that brilliantly expresses his delicate and passionate style. Extra features include a substantial documentary about Achúcarro’s career and performances of solo piano pieces by Brahms, Chopin, Scriabin and Albéniz filmed in the beautiful setting of the Prado museum, Madrid. “Achúcarro’s approach is unorthodox in today’s stick-to-theletter-of-the-score, mechanically perfect musical world. His rubati seem excessive to some; to others, like a throwback to a Golden Age. For all of his reverence for the great composers whose music he plays, he maintains a healthy sense of their humanity as well. “Our duty is first of all to understand what composer does and wants, and then to try to deliver it the best we can, but also to serve the music,” he says. “And maybe sometimes the composer is wrong.” He adds, “People say you must follow the text. But if you follow the text, perhaps the music is not totally served.” … And he views what he does as a performer as an act of creation in its own right.” The Washington Post Extra features: Joaquín Achúcarro: 50 years on Documentary including interviews with Plácido Domingo, Simon Rattle and Zubin Mehta. Running time 131 mins Region code All regions Video codec: AVC/MPEG-4 Disc size: BD50 Picture format 1080i High Definition / 16:9 Sound format 2.0 & 5.1 PCM Menu language EN Subtitles EN/FR/DE/ES/IT “all three sections of both versions benefit from the masterly hand of director Robin Lough who, unlike many of his peers, knows how to let the music speak for itself without the need for frantic cuts and cross-fades...The short recital filmed in the Prado captures Achúcarro at his intimate best” Gramophone Magazine, June 2010 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Recorded live at Teatro Municipale Valli, Reggio Emilia, 20-21 April 2007
An all star ensemble of early and baroque music specialists masters the delicate beauty of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos: the alternating solo and ensemble parts all shine with musical excellence, the communication between the musicians is outstanding, the structure of the music is always clear and intuitively understood. The orchestra features outstanding artists such as Giuliano Carmignola, Michala Petri, Alois Posch, Reinhold Friedrich and Ottavio Dantone. It was formed by Claudio Abbado and his choices speak for themselves: Claudio Abbado and the Orchestra Mozart achieve a rare homogeneity of sound. "When Claudio Abbado, recently described by the New York Times as 'the most respected living conductor', teams up with the renowned period-instrument violinist Giuliano Carmignola, the result promises to be very special." Classic FM “Teamed up here with his recently-formed young Italian ensemble, Orchestra Mozart, and his former protégé, skilled period-violin specialist Giuliano Carmignola, Abbado makes this familiar music appear fresh and vital, as if you’re hearing it for the first time.” Classical Source “The excitement is palpable, reflected in smiling glances between the players, bodies swaying through musical suspensions, a sense of uninhibited joy… The playing is stylish throughout: ornaments are apt, all the more telling for their restraint; trills are paced to match mood, languid in slow movements, sparkling in allegros.” BBC Music Magazine, December 2008 ***** “So what… does Abbado bring to pieces that these days are rarely considered to required a conductor? In music that is surely more for players than conductors, he allows fine soloists such as Carmignola, Zoon and the two yearningly exquisite viola soloists in No 6 to shine, yet has clearly worked hard to ensure that every note is in precisely the right place, every tempo convinces, and the texture is always deliciously transparent” Gramophone Magazine, April 2009 “Here Claudio Abbado is gambolling among the Brandenburg Concertos in this straightforward TV-style concert film, recorded in the classic 19th-century opera house at Reggio Emilia during an Italian tour in spring 2007.
The orchestra is at first glance a curious gathering, mixing 'Baroque' players such as violinist Giuliano Carmignola and harpsichordist Ottavio Dantone with 'modern' names such as trumpeter Reinhold Friedrich and 'un-Baroque' recorder-player Michala Petri. Furthermore, a look round the instruments reveals mostly modern models, some hybrids (for instance Jacques Zoon's wooden, multi-keyed flute) and a sprinkling of Baroque bows. Mind you, most younger players these days are well versed in Baroque style whatever they play on, and the tenor of these performances is firmly consistent with current ideas of what Baroque music ought to sound like.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 “Conducting J. S. Bach isn’t Abbado’s usual activity. But he buckles to it with joy, humanity and an Italianate slant that turns these cornerstone suites into outpourings of instrumental song. The players are the all-star Orchestra Mozart, with Giuliano Carmignola the demon lead fiddler, caught live in 2007.” The Times, 11th March 2011 **** “This new recording of the Brandenburg Concertos exhibits all the virtues that one associates with Claudio Abbado: clarity, lucidity, balance, a sense of proportion, and, above all, an indefinable yet audible 'oneness' with the music. Dionysus is present in these performances, but he subsumed within their underlying Apollonian quality.” International Record Review, April 2011 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Herbert Blomstedt 85th Anniversary Edition
Bach, J S: | Toccata & Fugue in D minor, BWV565 Recorded live at Nicolai Church, Leipzig, October 1999 Jürgen Wolf (organ) Motet BWV228 'Fürchte dich nicht' Recorded live at Nicolai Church, Leipzig, October 1999 GewandhausKammerchor & Thomaner Chor Leipzig Partita for solo violin No. 2 in D minor, BWV1004: Chaconne Recorded live at Nicolai Church, Leipzig, October 1999 Victoria Mullova (violin) Mass in B minor, BWV232 Recorded live at St Thomas’s Church, Leipzig, May 2005 Ruth Ziesak (soprano), Anna Larsson (alto), Christoph Genz (tenor) & Dietrich Henschel (bass) GewandhausKammerchor & Gewandhausorchester Leipzig Mass in B minor, BWV232: Dona Nobis Pacem Recorded live at Nicolai Church, Leipzig, October 1999 GewandhausKammerchor & Thomaner Chor Leipzig | Beethoven: | Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 Recorded live at Nicolai Church, Leipzig, October 1999 | Mendelssohn: | Elias Op. 70: Hore Israel (aria), Furchte Dich Nicht (chorus) Recorded live at Nicolai Church, Leipzig, October 1999 GewandhausKammerchor & Thomaner Chor Leipzig |
With this recording, Herbert Blomstedt pays homage to Bach and the city of Leipzig. One part of the Blu-ray Disc was recorded in 2005 at the Leipzig Bach Festival, which is widely regarded as the world’s leading festival celebrating Johann Sebastian Bach. This concert of Bach’s masterwork, written at the end of his tenure as the 18th Gewandhauskapellmeister did not really mark the end of Blomstedt’s fruitful collaboration with the traditional orchestra. The Swedish conductor will continue to act as an honorary musical director to the ensemble. Performed with leading Bach singers at St. Thomas’ Church, Leipzig, the church for which Bach conceived his works, this homage to Bach was a touching farewell to Herbert Blomstedt from his Leipzig audience. J.S. Bach's Mass in B minor is one of the greatest and most famous works of sacred music. The other part of the Blu-ray Disc was recorded at the 9th October Memorial Concert of the Gewandhaus Orchestra and the Thomanerchores. These began with the "Monday demonstration" of 9 October 1989, just one month before the fall of the Berlin wall. Bonus: Bach and his B minor Mass – An introduction by Herbert Blomstedt. Picture format: 1080i - 16:9 Sound formats: PCM Stereo • DTS-HD Master Audio Region code: All (worldwide) Subtitles: English, German, Dutch (Documentary) English, German, French, Latin (Mass in B minor) Booklet Notes: English, German, French Running Time: 195 mins, plus Bonus 21 mins | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Israel Philharmonic Orchestra: 75 years Anniversary Concert & Documentary COMING HOMEa film by János Darvas
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra - a cultural icon of Israel and one of the greatest classical ensembles in the world - celebrated its 75th Birthday on December 26th, 2011 together with three outstanding soloists of the younger generation – Julian Rachlin, Evgeny Kissin and Vadim Repin. The concert took place in the spectacular Hangar 11 at the harbor in Tel Aviv. Zubin Mehta conducted a spectacular programme of Saint-Saëns, Bach, Chopin, Chausson and Beethoven. The film ‘Coming Home’ by János Darvas portrays the orchestra and tells of its moving history, which is both a reflection of the history of Israel and the fate of the Jews in the 20th Century. With texts from memoirs, with material from radio interviews, home movies and photos from the orchestra’s archives, as well as from private collections, the film will not only tells the story of the orchestra, but draws parallels to the fates of many individuals. Historical footage brings the 75-year history of the orchestra to life in concerts with Arturo Toscanini, Arthur Rubinstein, Leonard Bernstein, Isaac Stern, Zubin Mehta, Daniel Barenboim and Itzhak Perlman. Interviews with orchestra members from the early years weave through talks with musicians that joined later, and with current orchestra members. Moreover, Zubin Mehta, Daniel Barenboim, Itzhak Perlman and Pinkas Zukerman have their say. We also get the opportunity to watch the Israel Philharmonic in rehearsals, concerts and tours. Part of the EuroArts Israel Philharmonic Anniversary Campaign with two more must have releases: - 75 years anniversary concert & documentary “Coming Home” (Cat. No. DVD 2059098 + Cat. No. BD 2059094) - Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Anniversary Edition - 5 DVDs Box Set incl. Classic Archive: Arthur Rubinstein plays Chopin (Cat. No. 3079638), Israel Philharmonic Orchestra: 70th-Anniversary Concert (Cat. No. 2055878), Bernstein conducts Brahms (Cat. No. 2072048) + New Israel Philharmonic Orchestra: 60th-Anniversary, Concert, 1996 & Joint Concert, 1990. Picture format: 1080i Full HD - 16:9 Sound formats: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1 Region code: 0 Subtitles: English Booklet notes: English, German, French Running time: 148 mins (95 mins Concert + 53 mins Documentary) | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Solti Centenary ConcertLive recording from Symphony Center, Chicago, 2012
Hosted by Valerie Solti The Solti Centenary Concert in Chicago celebrated Sir Georg Solti’s 100th birthday on October 21, 2012, featuring the World Orchestra for Peace. This unique ensemble owes its existence to the vision of its founder, Sir Georg Solti, who believed passionately in peace and the power of music and musicians to be ambassadors for peace. Charmingly hosted by Solti’s widow, Lady Valerie Solti, and featuring soloists such as Angela Gheorghiu and René Pape as well as members of the Georg Solti Accademia, this memorable evening presents musical highlights, all of which played a significant role in Solti’s life and career. Besides excerpts from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Die Zauberflöte and Don Giovanni or Verdi’s La Traviata and Rigoletto, this concert finds lovely musical moments in the 'Adagietto' from Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, Strauss’ Don Juan and Bartók’s masterful Concerto for Orchestra. Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever as the encore closes the performance with a smash. Conductor Valery Gergiev was a good friend of his advisor Georg Solti. Together with Lady Valerie Solti and the World Orchestra for Peace he carries on Solti’s vision and maintains his memory. Special Bonus Feature: “Solti’s Vision”, a film about the World Orchestra for Peace Sound Format: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, dts-HD Master Audio 5.1 Picture Format: 16:9, 1080i FULL HD Subtitle Languages: DE, FR / DE (Bonus) Running Time: 112 mins + 21 mins (Bonus) FSK: 0 Worldwide available “In one sense, this is as much a record of an occasion as of a concert, though the music-making is top class throughout...the high point here is probably the quartet from Rigoletto...quite a nice package, nicely captured and presented.” BBC Music Magazine, July 2013 **** | 
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| |  | Andris Nelsons, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Yefim Bronfman at the Lucerne Festival, 5th September 2011
Andris Nelsons is one of the most sought-after young conductors on the international scene today and once again served notice of his extraordinary talent in Summer 2011 when he conducted two concerts with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam at the prestigious Lucerne Festival. This concert, available on DVD and Blu-ray features, amongst a programme of Rimsky-Korsakov, Beethoven and Dvořák, the Grammy Award-winning pianist Yefim Bronfman performing Beethoven’s majestic Fifth Piano Concerto and Chopin’s Etude in F major. Andris Nelsons is a regular conductor with many of the world’s top orchestras. Total: 110 minutes BD: DTS-HD MA 5.1, PCM Stereo 16:9, HD “every gesture and expression dovetails with what we hear. Subtle yet soaring, these orchestral performances are shaped by a conductor who enjoys every second of his job, and equally enjoys the musicians before him - the superb Concertgebouw players, peerless in technical finesse and the elegant colouring of phrase and line.” BBC Music Magazine, October 2012 *** “Nelsons is engrossed in the music, and it’s impossible not to succumb to his obvious and infectious enthusiasm...That’s one of the unexpected joys of this concert; everyone is clearly having fun...A delightful overture, a competent concerto, and a Scheherazade to die for.” MusicWeb International, July 2012 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Recorded live at the prestigious Klavier-Festival Ruhr in May 2007, this Blu-ray recording reflects both a very individual and special reading of Beethoven's music and the artist's life-long dedication to the composer. 1080i 16:9, PCM 2.0, DTS-HD Master Audio Booklet Notes: English, German, French Running Time: 198 mins Audiences: all audiences (FSK 0) | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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After decades of work on Beethoven’s original scores, the Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder offers a definitive interpretation of all Beethoven’s piano concertos in this series of live recordings of his ecstatically acclaimed performances in the Musikverein Vienna from May 2011. Buchbinder conducts the Vienna Philharmonic from the keyboard and achieves a rare degree of tension and chamber-like concentration. Rudolf Buchbinder is firmly established as one of the most important pianists on the international scene, he is a regular guest of renowned orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Orchestre National de France, London Philharmonic, National Symphony, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. He also has over 100 recordings to his credit. In December 2011 Rudolf Buchbinder celebrated his 65th birthday. Bonus: 30 minutes Documentary about Rudolf Buchbinder, plus interview with Joachim Kaiser. Running Time Total: 216 minutes Piano Concertos: 186 min. Bonus: 30 min. DTS-HD MA 5.0, PCM Stereo “a man who plays Beethoven with the innocent self-assurance of the virtuoso...He is happiest when his hands are full: in the finales, for instance, where the forthrightness and his technical address are admirable and he can cook iup a storm or two.” Gramophone Magazine, June 2012 “these performances are deeply felt and as the talk on the disc confirms, very thoroughly researched by Buchbinder who compares many different editions of the works he is performing.” MusicWeb International, May 2012 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1-3and Documentaries about each Symphony
This is the start of a Beethoven Symphonies cycle (Nos. 1-9) with Christian Thielemann and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The Beethoven cycle of the 21st century! 3 Documentaries - In a one-hour-long film for each symphony Maestro Thielemann and Joachim Kaiser (Germany´s most famous music critic) discuss and analyze in an entertaining conversational exchange Thielemann’s interpretation, complemented by excerpts from rehearsals as well as comparisons of Beethoven cycles with Karajan, Bernstein etc. – no aspect of Beethoven’s symphonic œuvre will remain unaffected! The Documentaries include footage of performances from Karajan, Bernstein, Böhm, Järvi amongst others! Total: 325 minutes Symphonies & Overtures: 155 minutes Documentaries: 170 minutes Booklet English, German, French “The performances, the Vienna Philharmonic on top form, can't help sounding wonderful...oddly, it is the discussions that are the most enjoyable elements in this ambitious set.” BBC Music Magazine, March 2011 ***/* | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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