Search
Special Offers
Awards
Online Payment
Visit us
Presto News - 27th December 2010The year ahead |
 As 2010 draws towards a close I thought I’d give you a brief preview of some of the things we have to look forward to in the year ahead. 2011 will be the second successive Mahler anniversary year (born in 1860, died in 1911). And the year starts with a bundle of new Mahler recordings: The Fifth Symphony from Gergiev and the LSO (the penultimate release in their cycle) is due out at the end of January, and then a week later we’ll get to hear Simon Rattle’s new recording of the ‘Resurrection’ Symphony (No. 2). It is a work he recorded with the CBSO back in 1987, but with Kate Royal (soprano) and (his wife) Magdalena Kožená (mezzo) as the soloists, this new recording promises to be something really special. But before both of those there is a new Des Knaben Wunderhorn in the orchestral version with Thomas Hampson and the Wiener Virtuosen (essentially the principal players of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra). I’ve heard a bit of it already and I can tell you it sounds terrific.  Alfred Brendel Other notable composers who reach milestones next year include Tomás Luis de Victoria (died 1611), Franz Liszt (born 1811) and Percy Grainger (died 1961). It will also be one hundred years since the death of W.S. Gilbert, the librettist half of the comic opera duo Gilbert and Sullivan. So we can expect a number of good value box sets as well as new recordings based around these composers (I know that Chandos for example have been working on a Complete Percy Grainger box). There are also a number of musicians who reach notable anniversaries next year. It will be 125 years since the birth of Wilhelm Furtwängler and 50 years since the death of Sir Thomas Beecham. And there are a number of birthdays to celebrate as well: Martha Argerich and Plácido Domingo both turn 70 and Alfred Brendel turns 80. Brendel’s birthday is actually next week (5th January) and with four Brendel releases out the Monday after, we thought we’d kick the year off with a Brendel special offer which has many of his greatest recordings at discounts of up to 40%. You can browse full details of the Alfred Brendel 80th Birthday Offer here. Talking of special offers I know that in the run-up to Christmas a lot of you have been taking advantage of our three big box set special offers. With over 500 titles included and discounts of up to 40% there are some real bargains within. Just a reminder then that these special offers all end in two days time (Wednesday 29th December) so make sure you get your final orders in now if you want to enjoy these very special prices. It only remains for me to wish you a happy end to the year, and a successful and musically fulfilling 2011.
|
Share
|
 Mahler: Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minorLondon Symphony Orchestra, Valery Gergiev |
 Mahler: Symphony No. 2 in C minor 'Resurrection'Kate Royal (soprano), Magdalena Kožená (mezzo), Berliner Philharmoniker & Rundfunkchor Berlin, Sir Simon Rattle |
 Mahler: Des Knaben Wunderhorn (12 songs, complete)Thomas Hampson, Wiener Virtuosen |
Chris O'Reilly - chris@prestoclassical.co.uk |
Box Set Best Sellers |
Again, no new releases this week, so I thought you may be interested in our top 10 best sellers from the three big box set special offers that are ending this Wednesday. The new release section will be back as usual next year, but in the mean time the New Releases and Future Releases pages are always available for browsing all the new and forthcoming releases. |
 Jacqueline du Pré - The Complete EMI RecordingsJacqueline du Pré (cello)17 CDs at an astonishingly low price displaying the truly remarkable musician Jacqueline du Pré at her absolute best |
 Sviatoslav Richter: The Master PianistSviatoslav Richter (piano)Sviatoslav Richter was a Soviet pianist, widely recognised as one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century. He was well known for the depth of his interpretations, virtuoso technique and extensive repertoire. |
 Harnoncourt - BeethovenGidon Kremer & Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Nikolaus HarnoncourtA great value Beethoven box containing amongst other things Harnoncourt's excellent recordings of the Symphonies, the Piano Concertos with Pierre-Laurant Aimard and the Violin Concerto with Gidon Kremer. |
 David Oistrakh - The Complete EMI RecordingsDavid Oistrakh (violin)A 17-CD set of some of the finest recordings by David Oistrakh, one of the truly great violin virtuosi of the past 100 years. |
 Pablo Casals – The Complete Published EMI Recordings 1926-1955Pablo Casals (cello)A 9 CD set of the legendary Pablo Casal's complete EMI recordings. It was a finalist at the 2010 Gramophone Awards. |
 Bartok: Complete Solo Piano MusicZoltán Kocsis (piano)Zoltán Kocsis performs the complete solo piano music of his fellow Hungarian, Béla Bartók. Completed in 2001, these critically acclaimed, definitive performances are the benchmark against which all others are considered. |
 Clara Haskil EditionClara Haskil (piano)The first comprehensive edition containing all of Clara Haskil's recordings for the Decca, Philips, Deutsche Grammophon and Westminster labels. A 17-CD set released to mark the 50th anniversary (6 December 1960) of the death of the great Romanian-born pianist. |
 Olivier Messiaen - 1908–1992 (100th Anniversary Box Set)Olivier Messiaen (organ), Yvonne Loriod and othersA 14 CD set full of great recordings including Previn's 1977 Turangalîla-Symphonie, Dorati's penetrating 1964 Chronochromie, Rattle's Éclairs sur l'Au-delà, Martha Argerich's and Alexandre Rabinovitch's Visions de l'Amen and Messiaen's own performances of his organ works. |
 The Mravinsky EditionLeningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, Evgeny Mravinsky“Any view of Shostakovich is seriously incomplete without knowledge of Mravinsky's recordings. It was he who premiered Symphonies Nos. 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10 and although relations between composer and conductor cooled markedly in later years, for reasons not fully explained, the authority of the performances is undiminished…” Gramophone Magazine |
 20th Century Masterpieces - 100 Years of Classical MusicAt no time in its long history did European music go through a period of such revolution and diversification as in the 20th Century. This 16 CD set takes the listener on a fascinating journey through the century, composer by composer and work by work, from Russian Romanticism, French Impressionism, English Pastoralism, Atonalism, Neo Classicism right up to Post Modernism, and from as wide a range of countries and genres as possible. |
Your details will be used only in accordance with our Privacy Policy. |
Copyright © 2002-13 Presto Classical Limited, all rights reserved.