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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | 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 ***** “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 “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 “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, 12th March 2011 **** | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | David Oistrakh, Artist of the People?A film by Bruno Monsaingeon
Alongside Fritz Kreisler, Jascha Heifetz, Nathan Milstein and Yehudi Menuhin, David Oistrakh is universally recognised not only as one of the few truly great violinists of the 20th century and as one of music's most striking personalities. As a result of the political situation of the time, and in particular of Stalinism and the Second World War, Oistrakh's career in the West developed relatively late. It was not until 1953 that he began to make regular appearances in the West, by which time he was already 45 years old, although his legendary reputation had already made him the subject of endless speculation throughout the Western musical world. His first proper international tours instantly confirmed the legend and from then until his death in Amsterdam in 1974 he pursued a varied career both in the concert hall, as soloist and conductor, and as a teacher. His genius as a musician inspired numerous composers to write for him - one thinks of sonatas and concertos by Prokofiev, Khachaturian and Shostakovich, among others, which he not only premiered but continued to perform all over the world. Oistrakh grew up in exceptionally troubled circumstances (he was born in Odessa in 1908) and was largely self-taught as a violinist, yet he became the true founder and undisputed master of the Soviet school of violinplaying, the most prestigious school of our times. Last but not least, Bruno Monsaingeon, the renowned film-maker, brings David Oistrakh's genius to life. Region Code NTSC: 0 Picture Format: NTSC, 4:3 Subtitles: GB, F Booklet: GB, D, F Disc Format: DVD9 No of Discs: 1 Run Time: 75 mins Released: 2008-10-01 “A brilliantly made documentary, with interviews with many great artists, not unfortunately Oistrakh himself. The world in which he lived is vividly evoked, but the snatches of his playing are agonisingly brief.” BBC Music Magazine, January 2009 **** “Monsaingeon's 1994 film, now making its DVD debut, examines the political context of Oistrakh's career as well as the nature of his musicianship. Oistrakh (1908-74) was the leading violinist in a generation of
brilliant Russian musicians who became instruments of the Soviet state. He negotiated the highwire between conformity and artistic freedom more easily than his peers, because he was by nature an unassuming man who
only wanted to make music. With the help of fascinating archive footage Monsaingeon traces Oistrakh's life-story from his youth in Odessa to his wartime exploits, when he joined the Communist Party - one of the
compromises necessary for survival. Oistrakh was part-Jewish but had no desire to leave the country that had nurtured him. Interviews with Gennadi Rozhdestvensky and Gidon Kremer explain how Oistrakh was
bullied and exploited by Soviet bureaucracy, but the most valuable clips show him duetting with Menuhin in the Bach Double Concerto, and playing Shostakovich's two concertos and talking to the composer. Here we can appreciate his humanity, his exceptional command and huge range
of intensity.” Financial Times | | | 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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| |  | 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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| |  | Pierre Boulez
Booklet Notes:Tracklisting in English, French, German. This first DVD release of Boulez' most famous interpretations is a must-have! His ground breaking Debussy interpretations Nocturnes: Fêtes Jeux - Poème dansé and Images freed Debussy from cliché. Stravinsky's Rite of Spring (1913) and Schoenberg's Accompaniment to a Cinematographic Scene (1930) confirmed Boulez as the authority on 20th century music. A composer himself, Boulez conducts with precision and a deep understanding of the sound worlds of the composers: he "thinks music". Includes film footage of Boulez' conducting Images and working on Fêtes Jeux. "Pierre Boulez is arguably the most influential, and controversial, figure in the world of music today. Boulez is known as the young Turk of post-war avant-garde composition who has steadily transformed himself into one of the most authoritative interpreters of standard 19th and 20th-century music." The Guardian “These concerts, spanning 30 years, show Boulez's consistency in achieving precision, colour and clarity. The Debussy and Schoenberg performances are classics, the Stravinsky too civilised.” BBC Music Magazine, January 2009 **** | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Booklet Notes:Tracklisting in English, French, German. Rozhdestvensky was the first Russian conductor to be appointed head of major Western orchestras such as the BBC Symphony Orchestra 1978-81 and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra from 1981. These London recordings from 1978 are an illustration of his work at that time. A close friend of Shostakovich, he was his favoured interpreter and championed his works. Considered a great interpreter of Russian orchestral music, the beauty of these recordings is no surprise. "The Soviet conductor…brought to the music an easy command and a dramatic sensibility." The New York Times "Gennady Rozhdestvensky, one of Russia's true masters of the baton…His engagement of the orchestra is equally masterful. With his subtle hands and explicit wand, he draws each player into the focus of his interpretive intent." The Globe and Mail "One of the great eccentrics of the podium." The Guardian | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Recorded live at the Römersteinbruch St. Margarethen, 11 July 2008
Kristiane Kaiser (Violetta), Jean-François Borras (Alfredo), Georg Tichy (Giorgio Germont), Magdalena Anna Hofmann (Flora), Stefanie Kopinits (Annina), Michael Kurz (Gastone), Daniel Ohlenschläger (Barone Douphol), Dieter Kschwendt-Michel (Marchese d'Obigny), Alessandro Teliga (Dottore Grenvil) Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, Ernst Märzendorfer Booklet Notes: English, German, French Subtitles: Italian, English, German The Opera Festival St. Margarethen in Austria is one of Europe's most important open-air festivals: more than 100.000 people have seen La Traviata this year. Set on Europe's largest natural stage in a quarry classified as a UNESCO world heritage site, with a highly acclaimed stage design and interpretation. One of the most popular works in the history of opera. Kristiane Kaiser and Jean François Borras in the lead roles bring the gripping plot to life and enact the drama with great vocal skill. The luxurious production includes a ballet, fireworks and the replica of an entire theatre on stage. Directed by renowned film directors, this DVD brings a beautiful summer night at the opera into your home. "…a spectacle filled with splendour and luxury" Krone “The production from St Margarthen in South Austria… has its own attractions. These lie principally in the spectacle, on stage and off. The party scenes are rich in life and colour, and as parties both may be said to swing. But the real scene-stealer is the scenery itself, the extraordinary Baroque façade which opens up on a stage ablaze with candle-light, and all against the background of the evening and night sky eventually to be brightened with a show of fireworks scarcely to be matched west of Beijing.” Gramophone Magazine, April 2009 “Kaiser, with stamina aplenty, has a most attractive timbre and she projects strongly..Borras makes a dashing lover moving imaginatively through passionate declarations of love to anxiety, anger and despair. Their duets blend in honeyed legato...Georg Tichy’s Germont is a tad stiff but in strong oaken tones he cajoles iron-fist-in-velvet-glove like...Kristiane Kaiser shines as Violetta – the stand out element in a satisfactory production.” MusicWeb International, 8th December 2008 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | The Pyongyang Concert (DVD)East Pyongyang Grand Theatre, Pyongyang - North Korea, 26th February 2008
Hundreds of millions watched the historic concert on television. Now exclusively on DVD: the New York Philharmonic concert in Pyongyang. Music became diplomacy when this courageous musical project united Americans and North Koreans. The musicians went from strength to strength in a beautiful programme which illustrated the excellence of the orchestra. Lorin Maazel once more proved his reputation as one of the best contemporary conductors. Includes previously unreleased documentary with 53 min of exclusive material. "Astounding was the fact that the orchestra played the North Korean national anthem and the Star Spangled Banner on a stage flanked by flags of both nations … a rare moment of harmony, proving the power of music that bridges the divides." The Korea Times (South Korea) "For at least 90 minutes in a theatre in Pyongyang it was possible … to believe that 55 years of cold-war hostility were coming to an end." James Miles, The Economist | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Sir Georg Solti conducts Beethoven & Schubert
One of the legendary liaisons of the 20th century between conductor and orchestra is that of Sir Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Solti himself described it as a "love affair". Solti, one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century, was a testament to the elegance and impeccable taste of Central European music making. His remarkable partnership with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra began in 1954; he was named Music Director in 1969 and held this post for a phenomenal 22 years. Beethoven's beautiful First Symphony is sometimes labelled a 'fitting farewell to the 18th-century'. Schubert composed his 'Unfinished' Symphony No.8 at the tender age of 25. After it was discovered and performed 37 years after his death, it quickly became one of the most universally beloved works in the symphonic repertoire. BONUS: Sir Georg Solti gives a very personal introduction to Schubert's Symphonies "There is no limit to the orchestra's technical ability; the only limit is the conductor's imagination, and the musicians love to be stretched to the limit, to improve the performance…My philosophy became 'Let them play'." Sir Georg Solti “Solti comes across vividly: lean, watchful, not without charm (more in Beethoven than in Schubert). The Chicagoans, though, look as impassive as the old VPO and only more woman-friendly by a margin of one.” BBC Music Magazine, October 2008 *** | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Vienna State Opera 1996
Riccardo Muti's conducting of one of Mozart's best-loved operas was hailed in the press for its "freshness, rapidity and wit" and for "its wonderfully balanced feeling of being up one moment and down the next". Così fan tutte, the most ‘symphonic’ of the four operas with libretti written by Lorenzo da Ponte, was composed over the autumn and winter months 1789 and premiered on January 26th, 1790, on the eve of the Mozart's 34th birthday. Witness the outstanding performances by an ideal cast & also the classical staging and thoroughly Mozartian approach taken by director Roberto de Simone. Ricardo Muti is regarded as a Mozart expert.With the Vienna Phil, he celebrated the 250th birthday of Mozart on January 27th, 2006, with a worldwide telecast of a concert from Salzburg, and subsequent tour - a triumphant set of performances. Directed for TV by highly regarded director Brian Large. “There is… plenty of work for the producer in seeing that the whole thing goes with style and good judgement. And this is exactly what Roberto de Simone has done here, supported by an excellent team of designers for sets, costumes and lighting. All is deft and ingenious, but above all, right for the music and libretto and a pleasure to look at. All six principals give performances worthy of the Vienna house which, after all, has standards in Mozart. The ensemble work is polished, the rias and duets technically able and tasteful in style. Any apprehension arising out of news (reported on the box-cover) that Muti's conducting was praised for its "rapidity" prove needless: the other terms, "freshness" and "wit" are perfectly justified.” Gramophone Magazine, March 2009 “This is a most stylish production, with attractive costumes, and sets that are a viewing pleasure, especially the sea vista at Naples...Throughout, the singing (and acting) cast is in every way excellent, with Barbara Frittoli as convincing a Fiordiligi as Angelika Kirchschlager is an engaging Dorabella...Muti's conducting is splendidly alive and fresh. What more could you want?” Penguin Guide, 2010 **** | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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