Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

This collection has been prepared with three main aims: firstly to prove that the so-called boundaries between light and classical music are not as insurmountable as some people seem to imagine; secondly to illustrate that many composers, who may usually be associated with more serious works, also had their lighter moments; and thirdly to offer several examples of the tasteful way in which arrangers of the 20th century adapted the classics to make them more instantly appealing to their audience. For many years such ‘tampering with the classics’ was banned by the BBC in Britain, although commercial recordings could be freely purchased. However a lack of broadcasts obviously affected sales, which partly explains why such recordings were more common in the United States than in Britain. Among the leading US musicians who often strayed into classical territory were David Carroll, Andre Kostelanetz, Percy Faith, Clebanoff and even Ray Conniff. They are joined by Charles Williams, Angela Morley and other familiar figures on the UK scene.

10 years after the massive success of 'Pieces In A Modern Style' which sold more than 350,000 albums, Decca will release a new album of trip-hop classics from superstar producer William Orbit in August 2010 (Catalogue number: 4782546)

This special mid-price companion disc presents the original works which inspired the new album

Includes classic hits by Puccini, Bach, Tchaikovsky, Grieg, Fauré, Elgar and more.

Classic recordings by classical stars including soprano Renée Fleming, pianist András Schiff and conductors Sir Georg Solti and Sir Neville Marriner.

In 1892 Tchaikovsky wrote “Eight years go I read the dramatic play of the Danish playwright Henrik Hertz titled ‘King Rene’s Daughter’. The plot captivated me with its originality, poetic qualities and abundance of lyrical moments. At that time I made a promise to myself that I would sometime set it to music. As a result of numerous obstacles, only last year I could carry out my resolution.”

The Duo Intermezzo places strong emphasis on musical miniatures in their concert programming and on this CD performs small romances, lamentations and melodies as well as virtuoso pieces. All the pieces tell a dramatic, humorous or tragic short story in just a few minutes.

Byron Janis (b1928) was born in Pennsylvania to Polish-Russian Jewish parents, and is one of a remarkable group of American virtuoso pianist that include Leon Fleischer, Gary Graffman, Julius Katchen and Raymond Lewenthal. Janis’s playing was high voltage, platinum plated, and the recordings on this 4CD set illustrate clearly why he was and still is held in such high regard. He was Horowitz’s first student, and he rocketed to fame by being the first American pianist to go to Moscow and Leningrad in 1960 at a time of high tension in the Cold War. He married the daughter of Gary Cooper (Maria Cooper was a successful artist) and so was brushed by Hollywood aristocracy. His last recording was made in 1970 for EMI and Bryce Morrison wrote in Gramophone ‘in every sense a true romantic..beneath a now frail exterior burns an inner light of an overwhelming and transcending strength’ Very much an intuitive Slavic pianist rather than a Teutonic intellectual, he epitomises Chopin’s exhortation to ‘play with all your soul’.

Booklet notes.

Recordings made for Mercury Living Presence.

‘Janis certainly storms the work with all the resources of his big technique, yet at the same time the performance is by no means without style’ Gramophone review Rachmaninov 3, 1962

‘And the performance? Given the approach, it is as outstanding as the recorded sound. Byron Janis rises to a phenomenal pitch of virtuosity, which brings to mind the shattering rapidity and precision of Horowitz; his machine-gun delivery of the battering octave passages takes one's breath away, while his flawless finger dexterity in the central - section of the slow movement flashes past at an incredible speed which leaves the ear toiling in pursuit’ Gramophone, Tchaikovsky 1, 1962

The Grosses Festspielhaus in Salzburg has been the scene of countless memorable musical events – operas, concerts and recitals – for 50 years. Here is a unique chance to celebrate the glories of this distinguished era.

In an exceptional collaboration with the Salzburg Festival, we have prepared a 25-CD box set – 5 complete operas, 10 concerts and 2 recitals – featuring many of the world’s greatest artists, in recordings with classical status and others that are appearing on CD for the first time.

Concerts (five out of ten are first-time releases): with Abbado, Bernstein, Böhm, Boulez, Karajan, Levine, Mehta, Muti, Solti. Soloists include Anne-Sophie Mutter and Jessye Norman. The Wiener Philharmoniker feature prominently; individual concerts with Berliner Philharmoniker, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra.

Recitals: two exceptional concerts with Alfred Brendel (first release) and the Martha Argerich/Nelson Freire duo-concert from 2009.

The set includes new liner notes in English, German and French, and photos of the opera productions and artists – 72-page booklet.