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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Live Recording From The Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam, 2012
This 2012 recording of the most influential and wide spread oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach features the Hungarian conductor Iván Fischer, a visionary in his field, with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. The double choir is the essential musical aspect on which Iván Fischer’s interpretation of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion is based. Only by consistently seizing on that duality will all the complementary layers stand out as they should. He describes this essential fundamental aspect as follows: “You can’t do the St. Matthew in an unreligious way. The only approach is from a deep, universally religious feeling.” The internationally renowned tenor Mark Padmore is brilliant as the Evangelist, Peter Harvey gives a moving interpretation of Christ. Together with Ingeborg Danz, Renate Arends, Maria Espada, Barbara Kozelj, Peter Gijsbertsen and Henk Neven and the Netherlands Radio Choir they carry the audience through an affecting performance of this masterwork. PCM Stereo, DD 5.0 Running Time: 174 mins Subtitle Languages: DE (Original Language), GB, FR, ES, JP | 
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| |  | Filmed live in the Basilica Cathedral Saint-Denis, Paris, France, in July 2011
Directed by Louise Narboni The St. Matthew Passion is the third part of ‘The Soli Deo Gloria Collection’ conducted by the American John Nelson who is well known for his interpretations of Romantic works. This monumental piece, composed by J.S. Bach, recounts the dramatic story of the capture and crucifixion of Jesus Christ, it presents a profound, dramatic, lyrical and contemplative work. The concert features the excellent Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, as well as two internationally acclaimed choirs: the Schola Cantorum of Oxford (one of the oldest choirs in the UK) and the Maîtrise de Paris with origins back in the 12th century. Directed by Louise Narboni and filmed twice with 7 HDTV cameras in the Basilica Cathedral Saint-Denis – a unique, monumental masterpiece of Gothic art. The DVD also includes the Documentary “John Nelson’s Saint Matthew Passion - The Journey” by Louise Narboni as a Bonus - showing intense rehearsals and interviews with John Nelson. Picture format DVD: NTSC 16:9 Sound formats DVD: PCM Stereo, DD 5.0, DTS 5.0 Region code: 0 Languages: English Subtitles: German, French, English Booklet notes: English, German, French Running time: 177 mins + 52 mins (BONUS) |
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| |  | Opera Film 2001
When Britten started to work on Owen Wingrave he conceived the opera both for performance on stage and for TV production. In fact the first TV production of Owen Wingrave was broadcast in 1971, two years before the staged premiere at Covent Garden. This 2001 production, made for Channel 4 television, intriguingly tells the drama of Owen, who refuses to follow a military career like his ancestors. The story, in which pacifism makes up the main theme, was written by Henry James, and the libretto adapted by Myfanwy Piper. The Canadian baritone Gerald Finley stars as Owen with Peter Savidge, Hilton Marlton and Josephine Barstow at his side. The production was directed by the award winning TV director Margaret Williams. Highly acclaimed conductor Kent Nagano is the musical director of this performance featuring the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin. “The cast is outstanding: Gerald Finley as Owen, the formidable Dame Josephine Barstow as his terrifying aunt and Martyn Hill as his militaristic grandfather. Who says singers can‘t act? One of the best opera films ever.” The Sunday Times Sound Format: PCM Stereo Picture Format: 16:9 DVD Format: DVD 9 / NTSC Subtitle Languages: GB (Original Language), DE, FR, ES Running Time: 92 mins “Finley and his top-drawer British actor/singer colleagues tread an impeccably drawn line beween emotion and excess. Nagano and his German players might have been a strange choice but they are never less than efficient.” Gramophone Magazine, June 2013 “The unsympathetic fiancee, Kate...seems a more complex character than before, well taken by Charlotte Hellekant, and the gallery of disagreeable family-members is strongly cast too” Penguin Guide, 2010 edition *** |
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| |  | A Musical Journey: ItalyLucca, Tivoli, Tuscany, Liguria & Lake Bolsena
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| |  | Barenboim plays Beethoven Piano Sonatas Vol.4Live recording from Palais Kinsky and Schloss Hetzendorf, Vienna, 1983-84
Director: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle New Release on Euroarts's sub-label: Recorded Excellence – Historical Value. The aim of the new series is to make accessible to music lovers and collectors top-quality recordings documenting extra-special concert performances that were hitherto unreleased or were no longer available, either for the first time or as re-releases on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. The main focus is on artists and repertoire. The new series will showcase defining concert moments of music history. Digitally remastered and restored from 35mm film. Including intensive and high-quality audio and visualrestoration. In the fourth part of five DVDs, seven-time GRAMMY® Award-winning pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim performs Sonatas 22 to 28 of the so-called 'New Testament' of music, Ludwig van Beethoven's thirty-two piano sonatas. Composed over twenty-five years and embodying the shift of musical taste from the Classic to the Romantic, their performance requires a musician of extraordinary versatility.Daniel Barenboim is one such pianist – his recordings run the gamut from Bach and Mozart to Bruckner and Bartók. Infollowing in the footsteps of such masters as Artur Schnabel, Barenboim truly shows himself to be among the greatest living musicians. Picture format DVD: NTSC 16:9 Sound format DVD: PCM Stereo Region code: 0 Booklet notes: English, German, French Running time: 158 mins “Barenboim brings to these a freshness of approach, and sensitivity. His expressive powers are wondrous and he captures the full range of emotions that these works have to offer. You get the feeling that he really understands this music and that he has an improvisatory and spontaneous approach.” MusicWeb International, 22nd April 2013 |
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| |  | JS Bach: MagnificatFilmed in High Definition: Zurich Opera House, 02/2012
Galina Mikhaylova, Sarah-Jane Brodbeck, Juliette Brunner, Samantha Mednick, She Yun Kim, Melanie Borel, Vahe Martirosyan, Filipe Portugal, Arman Grigoryan, Olaf Kollmannsperger (solo dancers) Zurich Ballet & Orchestra La Scintilla, Marc Minkowski Choreography: Heinz Spoerli Set design: Peter Schmidt The starting point and destination of Heinz Spoerli's new ballet is the 'Magnificat' by Johann Sebastian Bach. From the beginning of the 'Allemande' movement of the Partita in A minor for solo flute, through the joy of 'Brandenburg Concerto' No. 3, this is the question of faith, which sparked Heinz Spoerli's interest in this piece. Heinz Spoerli intensifies the emotions here, by inserting two moving arias from the cantatas "Wo soll ich fliehen hin" and "Ich habe genug". This is an important aspect for Heinz Spoerli in his discourse with the text of the 'Magnificat', in which his deep respect for all religions, or rather every faith, is not about the worship of a certain creator-figure, but more about the conditions and prerequisites of this for the expression of a profound devoutness, which also involves rejection, exlusion, uncertainty and separation. The Orchestra La Scintilla is conducted by Marc Minkowski. In 1996 it was founded as independent ensemble by specialist musicians of the Zurich Opera Orchestra and soon obtained an excellent reputation. The spark that ignited the enthusiasm for new 'old music' gave its name to the ensemble: "La Scintilla" – The Spark. Performances with eminent authorities in the field such as Nikolaus Harnoncourt, William Christie, Mark Minkowski, Reinhard Goebel and Giuliano Carmignola were so successful that the Opera House Zürich has this ensemble perform all baroque operas and nearly all operas of the classical period. "La Scintilla" gives concerts with well-known soloists, instrumentalists and singers and has toured North America and Europe with Cecilia Bartoli. |
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| |  | Benjamin Britten: The Burning Fiery Furnace
Filmed in 1967 during the audio recording in Orford Church of Benjamin Britten’s ‘The Burning Fiery Furnace’, this 56-minute DVD from director Tony Palmer is the longest single piece of film of Britten at work. The rare footage features Britten directing a stellar cast - Peter Pears (Nebuchadnezzar), Bryan Drake (The Astrologer), John Shirley-Quirk (Shadrach), Robert Tear (Meshach), Stafford Dean (Abednego) and Peter Lemming (The Herald). Unfortunately it was a year or so before the advent of colour television cameras, but the result, although in black and white, makes compelling viewing. “(Palmer’s film) not only captures Pears in the lead role, but includes two other of the greatest interpreters of Britten, and two of the greatest voices of the last half-century - John Shirley-Quirk and the late Robert Tear...anyone remotely interested in Britten who does not already have this film should waste no time in obtaining it.” Simon Heffer Region: 0 (All Regions) Rating: E (Exempt from Certification) Duration: 56 mins Picture Format: NTSC (all regions) |
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| |  | Tony Palmer’s Film About Benjamin Britten: A Time There Was…
Benjamin Britten, Peter Pears, Leonard Bernstein, Sviatoslav Richter, Janet Baker, Julian Bream, Heather Harper, Imogen Holst, John Shirley-Quirk, Rudolf Bing & Henry Moore English Chamber Orchestra, Steuart Bedford This definitive portrait of the great composer Benjamin Britten from director Tony Palmer has been newly re-mastered in wide-screen stereo. It tells of one of the most profound love affairs of the 20th Century, between Britten and his lover and life-long companion and inspiration, Peter Pears. At a time when it was illegal to be openly homosexual, Britten and Pears faced up to a hostile world with unflinching dignity, producing a string of masterpieces that, together with the works of Vaughan Williams, established English music as internationally preeminent in the middle years of the 20th century. Among the music featured is extracts from: ‘Peter Grimes’, ‘Billy Budd’, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, ‘ War Requiem’, ‘Curlew River’, ‘Death in Venice’, ‘Nocturne’ and ‘The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra’. “This multi-award winning documentary, made in 1979 at the invitation of Sir Peter Pears, is quite simply the best film that will ever be made about the composer.” Simon Heffer Region: 0 (All Regions) Rating: E (Exempt from Certification) Duration: 101 mins Picture Format: NTSC (all regions) |
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| |  | Bruckner: The Mature Symphonies (Symphony No. 4)
Recorded live at Philharmonie Berlin on 20 June 2010. Daniel Barenboim is an expert in exploiting the impact of cyclical performances of composers’ works: In this series he focuses his sharp intellect on all six of Anton Bruckner’s mature symphonies. Der Tagesspiegel described Barenboim's performance of the works with the Staatskapelle Berlin on six nearly consecutive evenings in June 2010 as a “superhuman” accomplishment and went on to praise how: “His Bruckner is conceived and performed very theatrically, like an opera without words.” Bruckner’s famous “Romantic” Symphony No. 4 forms the prelude to a spectacular DVD series from Accentus Music and Unitel Classica, exploring Bruckner’s symphonic cosmos. Picture Format DVD: NTSC 16:9 Sound Formats DVD: PCM Stereo Dolby Digital 5.1 DTS 5.1 Region Code: 0 (worldwide) Running Time: 69:36 min Disc Format DVD: DVD-9 FSK: 0 “[Barenboim is] theatrical rather than devotional...The chief glory of the evening is surely the mellow thunderousness of an orchestra that has come into its own with Barenboim at the helm, as much a standard-bearer for older Austro-German norms as the maestro himself...String tone is dark and full, woodwind timbre strong, The horns, so important in this score, are on excellent form.” Gramophone Magazine, April 2013 “a reading entirely without frills or artificial drama: as well as its innate Romanticism Barenboim allows the underlying elemental nature of the music to emerge, and at times seems almost to let it play itself. He himself seems to radiate an inner stillness out of which the Symphony can grow...A moving and deeply satisfying performance to watch.” BBC Music Magazine, May 2013 ***** “I found Barenboim’s conducting extraordinarily convincing. He moulds phrases with great care, though never obsessively, still less in any narcissistic way. Instead, what comes through in the way he shapes the music is his determination to present it in the best possible light...The camera-work on this DVD is conventional in the best sense in that the director presents a straightforward film of the concert” MusicWeb International, 18th April 2013  BBC Music Magazine
DVD Choice - May 2013 |
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| |  | Barenboim plays Beethoven Piano Sonatas Vol. 3Live recording from Palais Kinsky and Schloss Hetzendorf, Vienna, 1983-84
Director: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle New Release on Euroarts's sub-label: Recorded Excellence – Historical Value. The aim of the new series is to make accessible to music lovers and collectors top-quality recordings documenting extra-special concert performances that were hitherto unreleased or were no longer available, either for the first time or as re-releases on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. The main focus is on artists and repertoire. The new series will showcase defining concert moments of music history. Digitally remastered and restored from 35mm film. Including intensive and high-quality audio and visual restoration. In the third part of five DVDs, seven-time GRAMMY® Award-winning pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim performs Sonatas 14 to 21 of the so-called 'New Testament' of music, Ludwig van Beethoven's thirty-two piano sonatas. Composed over twenty-five years and embodying the shift of musical taste from the Classic to the Romantic, their performance requires a musician of extraordinary versatility. Daniel Barenboim is one such pianist – his recordings run the gamut from Bach and Mozart to Bruckner and Bartók. In following in the footsteps of such masters as Artur Schnabel, Barenboim truly shows himself to be among the greatest living musicians. Picture format DVD: NTSC 16:9 Sound format DVD: PCM Stereo Region code: 0 Booklet notes: English, German, French Running time: 137 mins “Barenboim brings to these a freshness of approach, and sensitivity. His expressive powers are wondrous and he captures the full range of emotions that these works have to offer. You get the feeling that he really understands this music and that he has an improvisatory and spontaneous approach.” MusicWeb International, 22nd April 2013 |
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