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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Barenboim plays Brahms
Brahms’s two piano concertos are from opposite ends of his creative years... The first work evinces a titanic struggle, while the second is warmer and rounder, but no less passionate, and shows Brahms at his consummate best. Today Daniel Barenboim is internationally recognized and revered as an orchestral and operatic conductor, pianist, and a musical ambassador and also as a humanitarian. Partnering him is the remarkable conductor Sergiu Celibidache. “He was one of the greatest musicians I ever encountered”, says Barenboim. This is a new release of the series of Metropolitan Munich programs. Picture format DVD: NTSC 4:3 Sounds formats DVD: PCM Stereo Region code: 0 Booklet notes: English, German, French Runnning time: 111 mins “These performances were filmed in 1991, when Sergiu Celibidache was in his 80th year and he and Daniel Barenboim interpretatively at the height of their powers...Celibidache and Barenboim produce a very monumental D minor...Great warmth, but also extreme clarity of sound and instrumental balance, distinguishes Barenboim and Celibidache's view of the B flat Concerto” BBC Music Magazine, May 2012 **** | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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Renowned for his interpretations of Bruckner’s Symphonies, Günter Wand (1912-2002) held prominent positions for over thirty years in Cologne – at the Cologne Opera and the Gurzenich Orchestra as well as conducting the WDR Symphony Orchestra – after which he moved to Switzerland, where his reputation grew. Described as his personal ‘Symphony of Fate’, his great affinity for Bruckner’s Fifth Symphony in particular was noted by the composer Bernd Alois Zimmermann. His first recording of the work won the German Record Prize in 1978, and became a huge success. In his recording of Bruckner 5 with the Berlin Philharmonic on RCA, Wand is described in the Penguin Guide as ‘an experienced and selfless interpreter [who] gives a noble reading, magnificently played.’ In the early 80s Wand became Principal Conductor of the NDR Symphony Orchestra, as well as conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra for the first time. Wand’s London concerts with the BBC Symphony as Principal Guest Conductor were much acclaimed particularly in his later years, having finally gained the recognition he deserved. The bonus interview shows Wand’s deep understanding and appreciation of this music through his discourse on mysticism in Bruckner’s works and the structure of the Fifth Symphony. This is the first DVD release of this material. BONUS Interview: Günter Wand ROYAL ALBERT HALL, LONDON, 9 SEPTEMBER 1990 1DVD Sound format: LCPM Stereo Picture format: 4:3 Running time: 79’ Subtitles: E/F (Bonus) Menu languages: English Booklet languages: E/F/G Region code: 0 Territory Restrictions: None “Observing Wand at the head of the Fifth is like seeing an elderly man in love; virtually every phrase inspires a prior response...The BBC Symphony Orchestra deliver magnificently and the performance itself is everything one could wish for: cogent and well paced, direct, dramatic warm, and fashioned without either unwarranted rubato or churchly affectations.” Gramophone Magazine, March 2012 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Live-Recording: 2010, Munich, Herkulessaal der Residenz
The live recording of the “magical” performance of the Christmas Oratorio with the Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks and the multiple award winning Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin under the direction of Peter Dijkstra. The especially colorful light design in the Herkulessaal of the Munich Residence makes this concert from December 2010 to a very special experience. Christmas Highlight. Elaborate lighting design for the individual cantatas. Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks with an outstanding interpretation. 2.0 PCM Stereo 5.0 DTS Surround Total Time: 157min DVD-Booklet: German, English including the libretto in German | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Europa Konzert from Lisbon 2003incl. EuroArts & Idéale Audience Catalogue 2012
Recorded live at the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, Lisbon, 1 May 2003 Maria João Pires is one of the most sought-after Mozart pianists. Berliner Philharmoniker – one of the best orchestras in the world. Pierre Boulez enjoys excellent reputation as one of the greatest Bartók conductors ever. Spectacular location – World Heritage Site ‘Mosteiro dos Jerónimos’ – an impressive monastery built in the early 16th century Bonus: A Portrait of Lisbon • Behind-the-Scenes Picture Gallery Including the EuroArts & Idéale Audience Catalogue - this catalogue brings together two prestigious audio-visual production companies: EuroArts in Germany and Idéale Audience in France. We are proud to present over 350 DVDs and Blu-ray Discs and look forward to up to 50 new releases in 2012. Picture format DVD: NTSC 16:9 Sounds formats DVD: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1 Region code: 0 Languages: English, German, French Running time: 120 mins (Performance & Bonus) German FSK: 0 “[Pires] demonstrates impeccable classical restraint in the Mozart concerto, though not without power and drama. The orchestra accompanies her perfectly well, but Boulez is hardly in his element.” MusicWeb International, May 2012 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Kinshasa SymphonyThe awarded film about a symphony orchestra in the Congo
Orchestre Symphonique Kimbanguiste, Armand Diangienda The film: Two hundred orchestral musicians are playing Beethoven’s Ninth – “Freude schoener Goetterfunken”. A power cut strikes just a few bars before the last movement. Problems like this are the least of the worries facing the only symphony orchestra in the Congo. In the 15 years of its existence, the musicians have survived two putsches, various crises and a war. But concentration on the music and hopes for a better future keeps them going. Kinshasa Symphony is a study of people in one of the world’s most chaotic cities doing their best to maintain one of the most complex systems of joint human endeavour: a symphony orchestra. The film is about the Congo, the people in Kinshasa and the power of music. Running Time Total: 95 minutes 16:9, HD DD Stereo English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Korean “it's the 'Ode to Joy' that drives the film forward as singers and musicians sweat to master Beethoven's great clamour. Beyond that, we see the people's lives, their city and their country - a complex social tapestry of poverty, crime, portable TVs, hair extensions, and hope for better times. It's impossible not to be moved...As for the level of music-making, it's the uplifting spirit not the fine detail that matters.” BBC Music Magazine, March 2012 **** “Claus Wischmann's leisurely documentary follows the progress of the choir and orchestra as they prepare for a huge open air concert...But the film is also about the inhabitants of Kinshasa. Martin Baer's photography, Peter Klum's skilful editing and Pascal Capitolin's soundscape capture the chaos, overcrowding, mud roads, ancient vehicles and pitiful living condictions all too vividly. Required viewing for all in the affluent West” Gramophone Magazine, March 2012 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Recorded live at in the Grand Auditorium of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal, in February 2010.
A film by Rhodri Huw Soli Deo Gloria’s DVD of Missa Solemnis shines a supreme light on this rarely performed choral masterpiece. Beethoven wrote that “music is the electrical soil in which the spirit lives, thinks and invents,” and this DVD beautifully brings to life the composer’s spiritual intent “to awaken and permanently instill religious feelings, not only in the singers, but also in the listeners.” DVD extras: More than one hour of video extras including: interviews with John Nelson, conductor, and Peter Readman, chairman of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe - “Meet Soli Deo Gloria” introductory video - Previews from selected DVDs from The Soli Deo Gloria Collection. Special packaging with Slipcase Picture format DVD: NTSC 16:9 Sounds formats DVD: PCM Stereo, DTS 5.1, Bonus: DD Stereo Region code: 0 Subtitles: German, English, French Booklet notes: English, German, French Running time: 145 mins (80 mins Concert + 65 mins Bonus) German FSK: 0 “Right from the first bars of the Kyrie you can tell that interpretational fervour is a high priority, a hunch that is magnificently borne out by the fiery Gloria...John Nelson understands the paradoxes and contradictions that sit at the heart of this piece... if you're after a fine Missa on screen, look no further.” Gramophone Magazine, February 2012 “The Chamber Orchestra of Europe plays magnificently, never tiring. And the same goes for the chorus...They are fearless, as they need to be. They not only cope with Beethoven's often absurd demands, they seem to exult in them, though they don't forget to impart that sense of effortfulness which is so large an element in the score...It seems unlikely that Beethoven's vision in this work will ever be more completely captured.” BBC Music Magazine, March 2012 *****  BBC Music Magazine
DVD Choice - March 2012 |
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| |  | Germany & England: Battle MusicMusic by Beethoven, Rimsky-Korsakov, Liszt, Ippolitov-Ivanov
The Places • The tour visits the Tin Soldier Museum at Kulmbach, the National Army Museum, the Wellington Memorial and St Paul’s Cathedral in London, and the Bavarian Army Museum at Ingolstadt, with its relics of the Thirty Years War and of conflicts with the Ottoman Empire. The Music • The tour brings Beethoven’s musical celebration of Wellington’s victorious campaign in Spain, Liszt’s Battle of the Huns and a Georgian war march by Ippolitov-Ivanov. The tour ends with two military works by Rimsky-Korsakov, King Dodon on the Battlefield, from his last opera, The Golden Cockerel, and The Massacre at Kerzhenets from The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh. Video Format • NTSC / Colour / 4:3 Audio Format • DTS 5.1 / Dolby Digital 5.1 / PCM Stereo 2.0 Region Coding • No Region Coding | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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Patricia Petibon (Lulu), Julia Juon (Countess Geschwitz), Ashley Holland (Dr. Schön/Jack the Ripper), Will Hartmann (Painter/Negro), Paul Groves (Alwa), Silvia de la Muela (Bell boy/Student), Franz Grundheber (Schigolch), Andreas Hörl (Athlete), Robert Wörle (Professor/Prince/Majordomo), Kurt Gysen (Banker/Theatre’s director) Symphony Orchestra of the Gran Teatro del Liceu, Michael Boder Lulu is opera’s rawest exposition of the fatal risks of untamed erotic power. No man who meets Lulu does not want her − but, like the wind, she cannot be possessed. As happens to the heroine herself, the men who attempt to subdue her, and the one woman who also adores her, are destroyed by the flip side of the life force that pours through Lulu: death Patricia Petibon is Lulu to the life. She sings Berg’s taxing music with easy, tonal beauty; the roles numerous acuti pose no problem. As The Weekend Australian observed: “Her top register, in particular, has a rich, luminous quality . . . that she exploits to great effect” This live DVD of the Liceu’s 2010 hit production by Olivier Py also stars Franz Grundheber and Julia Juon. Michael Boder’s conducting brings out the sensuality and psychological disequilibrium of Berg’s 12-tone score. The New York Times praised Petibon’s “earthy rawness” Please note: This production contains nudity and sexual situations “The French soprano is in confident, fearless voice over the entire range of this killer part and paces herself with skill...There is an almost constant display of sex on view but it never pulls focus in the wrong way...Hugely recommended: more satisfying, and demanding, and with a fuller central performance, than any filmed Lulu to date, save that elusive Chereau.” Gramophone Magazine, February 2012 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Sacred Music: A Christmas History & A Choral ChristmasPresented by Simon Russell Beale
Harry Christophers and The Sixteen join Simon Russell Beale for two special Christmas programmes that look beyond the familiar carols and festive songs to reveal two millennia of music and texts from across Europe. Bonus Features include: · Sacred Music Series One and An Easter Celebration DVD trailers · 7 Bonus Audio Tracks taken from a selection of The Sixteen’s celebrated Christmas CDs · Related Recordings by The Sixteen · Artist Biographies and Images A CHRISTMAS HISTORY Simon Russell Beale takes a journey through Italy, Britain, Germany and Austria as he explores how the sound of Christmas has evolved in response to changing ideas about the Nativity. His story takes us through two millennia of music, from a fragment of papyrus preserving the earliest known piece of Christian music to the stories behind Hark! The herald angels sing, Silent Night and In the bleak midwinter, and the work of popular Christmas composer, John Rutter all performed by Harry Christophers and The Sixteen. A CHORAL CHRISTMAS Simon Russell Beale introduces a programme of choral music for Christmas from across the centuries, featuring performances of some of the works featured in the accompanying documentary. Harry Christophers and The Sixteen, perform music including J.S. Bach's harmonisation of the medieval carol In dulci jubilo, A spotless rose by Herbert Howells and the Christmas text O magnum mysterium, set as a motet by Tomás Luis de Victoria. “it’s a worthy potted history of Christmas music. Simon Russell Beale is an engaging frontman, largely as he appears to know what he’s taking about rather than blankly reading from an autocue. And the musical extracts are well chosen, notably the third-century Oxyrhynchus hymn, the earliest known preserved piece of Christian music.” The Arts Desk, 14th December 2011 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Leonard Bernstein conducts JS Bach & StravinskyRecorded live Saint Augustine's Church, Kilburn, London, 16 April 1977
Lovingly restored, using the finest state-of-the-art technology, classic archive features great performances from legendary artists, offering a unique historical glimpse into our classical heritage. Part of the new 3 DVD batch of Classic Archive releases, sourced from the BBC Archive. This DVD presents a unique chance to see Leonard Bernstein conducting Bach's Magnificat and Stravinsky's Mass. Recorded in 1977 in Saint Augustine's Church, London, it is an intimate and moving recording, presenting two of the most important pieces in the choral repertoire. Bernstein is joined by the distinguished soloists Anny Mory, Patricia Parker, Rodney Hardesty, John Mitchinson and Paul Hudson, accompanied by the English Bach Festival Choir & Orchestra. Beautifully filmed by Humphrey Burton. Picture format DVD: NTSC 4:3 Sounds formats DVD: PCM Stereo Region code: 0 Original Languages: Latin, English Subtitles: Latin, English, German, French Booklet notes: English, German, French Running time: 54 mins German FSK: 0 “The austere piety of Stravinsky's Mass is given a searching performance by Bernstein in this 1978 BBC broadcast, juxtaposed with Bach's Magnificat.” BBC Music Magazine, December 2011 **** “For many people, used to seeing Leonard Bernstein conducting the world’s leading orchestras in big symphonic works these performances will probably come as a revelation...This DVD offers an unfamiliar view of Leonard Bernstein conducting small-scale works with great care and affection and, as such, it’s an important document.” MusicWeb International, February 2012 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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