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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Elisabeth Schwarzkopfbroadcasts from 1961-1970
Works by: Brahms, Gluck, Mahler, Menotti, Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, Strauss, Verdi & Wolf
Booklet Notes:Tracklisting in English, French, German. Among the rediscovered treasures of the BBC archives are two recitals by soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, filmed in 1961 and 1970.At the time, she was at the peak of her powers and was accompanied by the world's greatest accompanist: Gerald Moore. Footage of a public concert, filmed exclusively by French television further illustrates Elisabeth Schwarzkopf's musical excellence. Here, the soprano's voice melds wonderfully with the orchestra's instrumental sonorities in works by Mozart Verdi and Strauss. Her anthology of German Lieder takes us on a journey through the imaginative world of Mozart, Schubert and Wolf. These two recitals allow us to re-encounter Schwarzkopf in her favourite repertoire. "The pristine beauty of her lyric soprano and the charm of her person, combined with hard work and innate intelligence, lent her performances a compelling authority" The Guardian "…one of the most dazzling artists of her time" The New York Times “In two recitals with Gerald Moore Schwarzkopf is incomparable in her communication of German art-song. She is handicapped in the orchestral recital by Klobucar's poor conducting.” BBC Music Magazine, January 2009 **** | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Piano Virtuosos
Booklet Notes:Tracklisting in English, French, German. This recital by György Cziffra (1921-94) was made by the BBC in 1962-3 and should probably be re-classified as a class-A drug, so mind-blowing are the pianist's incredible gifts. The improvisation that opens the programme recalls the nights that he spent at the piano in bars in his native Budapest and is inspired in particular by Chopin's Gdzie lubi Op.74 No.5, which Cziffra paraphrases alla zingarese, before tackling the same composer's Étude in C major Op.10 No.1, which he plays at a vertiginous prestissimo. The programme builds to a thrilling climax with a highoctane performance of the Hungarian Rhapsody No.6 by Cziffra's favourite composer, Franz Liszt. Benno Moïseïwitsch (1890-1963) was famous for his impassivity at the piano even when the technical difficulties seemed insurmountable, encouraging observers to dub him "Pokerface Benno". His virtuosity and musicality were marvellously well suited to the Romantic and post-Romantic repertoire. He is heard here in works by Schumann and Rachmaninov. Moïseïwitsch was a good friend of Rachmaninov, who regarded him as one of the finest interpreters of his music. Like Cziffra, Jorge Bolet (1914-90) belonged to the Lisztian tradition, having had the privilege of working with Leopold Godowsky while he was still very young. Above all, however, his mentors included two of Liszt's most famous pupils, Moriz Rosenthal and Emil von Sauer. Capable of mastering even the most difficult scores, Bolet never sought virtuosity for its own sake alone, as is clear from his performances of Liszt's Grand galop chromatique, which contrasts sharply with Cziffra's reading of the same piece, and of Chopin's Berceuse. “Fuzzy filming from the 1950s and '60s, but a boggling feast of performances from three of the greatest piano virtuosos of the 20th century, crowned by those of Cziffra whose improvisation has to be heard to be believed.” BBC Music Magazine, November 2008 ***** “Cziffra's 1962 recital… opens with astonishing "warm-up", an improvisation that ends with a vertiginous Chopin C major Etude. After this, Moiseiwitsch seems to be from another age - economically, quietly singing his way through his beloved Schumann. Finally, the magisterial Jorge Bolet. How wonderful it is to see again that huge torso bent in concentration over the keyboard and the characteristic upward snap of the hands.” Gramophone Magazine, December 2008 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | York Bowen - The complete 78rpm Recordings
Bach, J S: | Capriccio from Partita No. 2 in C minor, BWV826 recorded 1923? | Beethoven: | Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58 recorded 1925 Aeolian Orchestra, Stanley Chapple Piano Sonata No. 13 in E flat major, Op. 27 No. 1 'Quasi una fantasia' (Andante) recorded 1923? Piano Sonata No. 24 in F sharp major, Op. 78 recorded 1927 | Bowen: | Suite No. 2, Op. 30: Finale ‘A Romp’ recorded 1925 The Way to Polden (an ambling tune) Op. 76 recorded 1925 Arabesque, Op. 20, No. 1 recorded 1925 Fragments from Hans Andersen, Op. 58 recorded 1926 (with spoken introductions) | Brahms: | Capriccio in B minor, Op. 76 No. 2 recorded 1925 | Chopin: | Ballade No. 3 in A flat major, Op. 47 recorded 1925 Scherzo No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 31 recorded 1926 Waltz No. 2 in A flat major 'Grande Valse Brillante', Op. 34 No. 1 recorded 1926 Polonaise No. 1 in C sharp minor, Op. 26 No. 1 recorded 1926 Étude Op. 25 No. 5 in E minor recorded 1927 Prelude Op. 28 No. 23 in F major recorded 1927 Prelude Op. 28 No. 20 in C minor recorded 1927 Prelude Op. 28 No. 3 in G major recorded 1927 | Cochrane: | Le Ruisseau recorded 1925 | Debussy: | Estampe No. 3 - Jardins sous la pluie recorded 1925 Arabesque No. 2 recorded 1926 | Gardiner, H B: | London Bridge from Five Pieces recorded 1926 Gavotte from Five Pieces recorded 1926 | Liszt: | Eglogue (Années de pèlerinage I, S. 160 No. 7) recorded 1925 | Mendelssohn: | Scherzo in E minor, Op. 16 No. 2 released January 1915 | Moscheles: | Etude, Op. 70 No. 5 recorded 1925 | Rachmaninov: | Prelude Op. 23 No. 5 in G minor recorded 1926 Polichinelle, Op. 3, No. 4 recorded 1925 | Schumann: | Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op. 26 (Allegro) recorded 1926 | Schütt: | Etude Mignonne in D major, Op. 16, No. 1 released January 1915 |
In recent years York Bowen, the composer, has enjoyed a spectacular revival, but until now his talents as pianist (barring a late recording of his own music for Lyrita) have not been heard since the days of 78s. At the height of his success, in the first decades of the 20th century, Bowen was as much known as pianist as composer and frequently performed at the Proms amongst other things. His first recording, a very rare disc on the Marathon label, was released in 1915, but the bulk of his work was done for Vocalion; after they went bankrupt in 1927 he appears to have made no further 78s. Pride of place must go to Bowen’s Beethoven 4th Piano Concerto. This was the very first recording of the work and its neglect has been due to the fact that it was one of the last recordings to be made under the old acoustic process which was superseded the year the work was issued. Bowen’s pianism is extremely fluent and he plays his own cadenzas! Through all the featured works we hear a pianist who plays in the ‘grand manner’ and that, and his preference for romantic repertoire, reveal him as somewhat atypical of the English pianist of his time. Perhaps his nickname ‘the English Rachmaninov’ did indeed hit the nail on the head. “…throughout this collection, Bowen comes across as a wonderfully assure musician for whom the studio held no fears. Few pianists have ever played the middle section of Rachmaninov's G minor Prelude No 5 to such telling effect.” Gramophone Magazine, December 2008 “Bowen's supple musicianship and commanding technique (you sense there's always more in reserve) could hold their own with anyone's in his era. His Beethoven and Debussy are special. Reasonable sound for the vintage.” BBC Music Magazine, February 2009 **** | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Lazar Berman - The 1988 Tokyo recital
Dynamic are proud to present this amazing historical document of Berman’s 1988 Tokyo concert, broadcast by the Japanese television, NHK and is available for the first time on DVD. The program of this Lazar Berman recital recorded in Tokyo in 1988 collects some of the artist’s most authoritative performances. Schumann’s Sonata in F-sharp minor, op. 11, was one of Berman’s most often-programmed works. It was frequently paired with important works of other composers or, as in this case, with a selection of Liszt pieces. In op.11, we find a deeply lyrical approach from the very opening of the first movement. Even with his students, Berman emphasized that the piano should “sing” in these passages, rather than merely reproduce the notes on the page. In connection with Schumann, he also stressed to his students that each level of the polyphonic texture should be presented with the proper separation, with the melodic beauty of each individual voice allowed to emerge – aspects that are executed to perfection in the performance on this DVD. The Liszt pieces in this recital also allow Berman to present the expressive side of the music, in addition to an astonishing virtuosity. The fantasy Après une lecture de Dante, one of Berman’s warhorses, is performed with generous scope, with particular emphasis on the three principal themes that Liszt would later elaborate in his B-minor Sonata. | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Rutter & Gadd Family Album
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| |  | The Romantic Cello
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| |  | Für ElisePiano Music for Children
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| |  | Für ElisePiano Music For Children
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| |  | Klára Würtz plays Romantic Piano Music
Chopin: | Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23 Barcarolle in F sharp major, Op. 60 | Debussy: | L'isle joyeuse | Liszt: | Waldesrauschen, S145 No. 1 Gnomenreigen, S145 No. 2 Liebestraum, S541 No. 3 (Nocturne in A flat major) Mephisto Waltz No. 1 Les jeux d'eaux à la Villa d'Este (Années de pèlerinage III, S. 163 No. 4) | Rachmaninov: | Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 | Schubert: | Impromptu in B flat major, D935 No. 3 | Schumann: | Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54 Arabeske in C major, Op. 18 |
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| |  | The Classical Clarinet
Henk de Graaf (clarinet), Daniel Wayenberg (piano) | | | Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days. |
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