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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Kenneth McKellar sings Handel
Throughout much of the first half of the previous century, entertainer Harry Lauder was, in the words of Winston Churchill, ‘Scotland’s greatest ever ambassador!’ In the following years, Scotland’s next ‘greatest ever ambassador’ (if not Sean Connery!) must have been Kenneth McKellar, who was born in 1927, the son of a grocer, in the Scottish town of Paisley. From 1959–60 he recorded a series of Handel arias for Decca, with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult. Some were issued on an EP and later the entire collection was brought out on an LP. In 1961 he went into the recording studios, again with Boult, for more Handel, this time with the LSO and Chorus, to sing the tenor part in Messiah alongside Joan Sutherland, Grace Bumbry and David Ward. Collected here are all the arias from the first record, supplemented with additional arias from Messiah. ‘Thy rebuke … Behold and see’ was recorded during the Messiah sessions as an alternative take to the soprano version (Joan Sutherland eventually sang it in the complete recording) and never issued on LP (it first appeared as an appendix to the Decca Eloquence reissue of this complete Boult Messiah). ‘Comfort ye … Ev’ry valley’ comes from the earlier Handel Arias sessions, and receives its first international release on CD. McKellar died, shortly after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, in 2010, while visiting his daughter Jane in the United States. He is buried in Paisley. It is gratifying that his artistry is being rediscovered by a new generation of listeners. “Kenneth McKellar's voice has timeless appeal in this 1960s compilation.” BBC Music Magazine, March 2012 *** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Great Handel - Ian Bostridge
“Beyond a forgivable desire to rehabilitate the Handel tenor, I have tried in this recording to represent one essential but fugitive quality of Handel’s - his protean nature, his ability to recreate himself while remaining essentially the same.” Ian Bostridge “Bostridge is sharply attuned to the subtlety of Handel's work setting, colouring his sound with a rich palette of timbres and effects: sonorous and sensuous in 'Ombra mai fù', hauntingly stark in 'Total eclipse'. …Harry Bicket's direction is sensitive and unfussy - tempos are well-judged, allowing him to shape Handel's long-breathed melodic lines with supple grace.” BBC Music Magazine, Proms 2007 **** “...high points of the disc include Where'er you walk, and the uplifting Comfort ye…Ev'ry valley from The Messiah. However, with Bostridge's vocal precision and smooth tone the whole disc is undoubtedly an enjoyable listen.” Charlotte Gardner, bbc.co.uk, 16th January 2008 “Bostridge’s care over colouring and shading refreshes numerous chestnuts...No self-conscious art here; it’s the music that speaks.” The Times, 13th July 2007 **** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | The First Night of the Proms 1943
A very special release at this time of the year from Somm. A live recording of a concert given at the
Royal Albert Hall on 19th June 1943. “One would now be surprised to find such a first-half sequence as Bax’s London Pageant, Dukas’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Saint-Saëns’s Piano Concerto No 2, a Handel aria and Beethoven’s Fifth, though former approaches to programming are being revisited this season. The bittiness is compounded by the fact that only two Saint-Saëns movements survive, and one Beethoven (the Bax not at all). There is a pitch sag early in the concerto, but Moura Lympany’s account is enjoyable. Heddle Nash is the delightfully “period” tenor.” Sunday Times, 20th July 2008 *** “A young Moura Lympany gives a vivacious account of Saint-Saëns's Second Piano Concerto (although the central scherzo is missing from this off-air recording, and the pitch drops in the first movement); and the prized tenor Heddle Nash sings Handel. Dukas, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and an oddity in the shape of Lamar Stringfield's A Negro Parade complete an intriguing glimpse into a piece of Proms history.” The Telegraph, 19th July 2008 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Handel: Tenor Arias
Christoph Genz (tenor), with Julia Wagner (soprano) Handel Festival Orchestra, David Timm | | | (also available to download from $10.50) | Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days. (Available now to download.) |
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| |  | Handel Arias
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| |  | Ian Bostridge - 5 Classic Albums
Britten: | Les illuminations, Op. 18 Berliner Philharmoniker, Simon Rattle Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings, Op. 31 with Radek Baborák (horn) Berliner Philharmoniker, Simon Rattle Nocturne, Op. 60 for tenor, obbligato instruments and strings Berliner Philharmoniker, Simon Rattle | Handel: | Semele: Where'er you walk Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Harry Bicket Messiah: Comfort ye my people and Ev'ry valley shall be exalted Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Harry Bicket Frondi tenere e belle ... Ombra mai fù (from Serse) Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Harry Bicket Cosi la tortorella (from La Resurrezione) Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Harry Bicket Love sounds the alarm (from Acis and Galatea) Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Harry Bicket Love in her eyes sits playing (from Acis and Galatea) Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Harry Bicket Happy We! (from Acis and Galatea) with Kate Royal (soprano) Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Harry Bicket Scherza, infida (from Ariodante) Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Harry Bicket Dopo notte (from Ariodante) Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Harry Bicket Samson: Total eclipse! Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Harry Bicket As steals the morn (from L'Allegro, il Penseroso, ed il Moderato) with Kate Royal (soprano) Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Harry Bicket Jephtha: Hide thou thy hated beams Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Harry Bicket Jephtha: Waft her, angels, through the skies Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Harry Bicket | Schubert: | Winterreise D911 with Leif Ove Andsnes (piano) Geheimnis, D491 (Mayrhofer) with Antonio Pappano (piano) An Schwager Kronos, D369 with Antonio Pappano (piano) Widerschein, D949 with Antonio Pappano (piano) Schwanengesang, D957 with Antonio Pappano (piano) Abschied D475 (Mayrhofer) with Antonio Pappano (piano) | Wolf, H: | Der Musikant (No. 2 from Eichendorff-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Verschwiegene Liebe (No. 3 from Eichendorff-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Das Ständchen (No. 4 from Eichendorff-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Nachtzauber (No. 8 from Eichendorff-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Seemans Abschied (No. 17 from Eichendorff-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Der Genesene an die Hoffnung (No. 1 from Mörike-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Der Knabe und das Immlein (No. 2 from Mörike-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Begegnung (No. 8 from Mörike-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Nimmersatte Liebe (No. 9 from Mörike-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Verborgenheit (No. 12 from Mörike-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Im Frühling (No. 13 from Mörike-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Auf einer Wanderung (No. 15 from Mörike-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Um Mitternacht (No. 19 from Mörike-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Auf ein altes Bild (No. 23 from Mörike-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Gebet (No. 28 from Mörike-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) An den Schlaf (No. 29 from Mörike-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) An die Geliebte (No. 32 from Mörike-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Lied eines Verliebten (No. 43 from Mörike-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Peregrina I (No. 33 from Mörike-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Peregrina II (No. 34 from Mörike-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Der Jäger (No. 40 from Mörike-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Abschied (No. 53 from Mörike-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Gutmann und Gutweib (No. 13 from Goethe-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) Ganymed (No. 50 from Goethe-Lieder) with Antonio Pappano (piano) |
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| |  | Peter Pears - Anniversary Tribute
Bach, J S: | Ich will nur dir zu Ehren leben (from Christmas Oratorio) Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Karl Münchinger St John Passion, BWV245: Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas to the judgement Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Karl Münchinger Mass in B minor: Benedictus Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Eugen Jochum St John Passion, BWV245: Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas to the judgement John Shirley-Quirk, Gwynne Howell English Chamber Orchestra, Wandsworth School Boys Choir | Bennett, R R: | Tom O’Bedlam’s Song Joan Dickson (piano) | Berlioz: | L'Enfance du Christ, Op. 25: Les pèlerins étant venus Goldsbrough Orchestra, The St. Anthony Singers, Colin Davis | Bridge: | Tis but a week When you are old Goldenhair So perverse Journey's end | Britten: | Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings, Op. 31 Dennis Brain (horn) The Boyd Neel String Orchestra Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo, Op. 22 At Night (from The Turn of the Screw) Peter Pears (Peter Quint), David Hemmings (Miles), Arda Mandikian (Miss Jessel), Olive Dyer (Flora), Jennifer Vyvyan (Governess) English Opera Group Orchestra Rome is now ruled by the Etruscan upstart (from The Rape of Lucretia) English Chamber Orchestra Canticle II - Abraham & Isaac Op. 51 Norma Procter (alto) War Requiem, Op.66: Move him into the sun Galina Vishnevskaya (soprano) London Symphony Chorus, The Bach Choir, Melos Ensemble, London Symphony Orchestra Six Hölderlin Fragments, Op. 61 We committed his body to the deep (from Billy Budd) London Symphony Orchestra The Holy Sonnets of John Donne, Op. 35 How now my love? (from A Midsummer Night's Dream) Josephine Veasey (Hermia) London Symphony Orchestra Albert the Good! (from Albert Herring) English Chamber Orchestra May God bless the Queen (from Owen Wingrave) Benjamin Luxon (Owen Wingrave), Peter Pears (Sir Philip Wingrave), Heather Harper (Mrs Coyle), Sylvia Fisher (Miss Wingrave), John Shirley-Quirk (Spencer Coyle), Jennifer Vyvyan (Mrs Julian), Dame Janet Baker (Kate), Nigel Douglas (Lechmere) English Chamber Orchestra Canticle V: The Death of St. Narcissus, Op. 89 Osian Ellis (harp) The boy, Tadzio, shall inspire me (from Death in Venice) English Chamber Orchestra, Steuart Bedford Now the Great Bear and Pleiades (from Peter Grimes) Old Joe has gone fishing (from Peter Grimes) The bridge is down, we half swam over (from Peter Grimes) Orchestra of the Royal Opera House O Waly, Waly The foggy, foggy dew The Brisk Young Widow Le Roi s'en va-t'en chasse The Plough Boy | Busch, W: | The echoing green The Shepherd If thou wilt ease thine heart Come, o come, my life's delight Viola Tunnard (piano) | Bush, A: | Voices of the Prophets Alan Busch (piano) | Delius: | To Daffodils Viola Tunnard (piano) | Dieren: | Dream Pedlary Take, o take those lips away Viola Tunnard (piano) | Dowland: | I saw my Lady weepe In darkness let me dwell Julian Bream (guitar) | Elgar: | The Dream of Gerontius: Sanctus fortis London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, The Choir of King's College, Cambridge | Grainger: | Bold William Taylor | Handel: | Love in her eyes sits playing (from Acis and Galatea) Lo! Here my love (from Acis and Galatea) Thurston Dart (harpischord) Philomusica of London, Adrian Boult | Ireland: | The Land of Lost Content The Trellis Love and friendship Friendship in misfortune The One Hope | Lutoslawski: | Paroles tissées London Sinfonietta, Witold Lutoslawski | Moeran: | The Merry Month of May Viola Tunnard (piano) | Morley: | It was a lover and his lass Julian Bream (guitar) | Pilkington: | Rest sweet Nimphs Julian Bream (guitar) | Purcell: | When a cruel long winter (from The Fairy Queen) | Rainier: | Cycle for Declamation | Rosseter: | What then is love but mourning? Julian Bream (guitar) | Schubert: | Gute Nacht (No. 1 from Winterreise, D911) Der Lindenbaum (No. 5 from Winterreise, D911) Frühlingstraum (No. 11 from Winterreise, D911) Der Leiermann (No. 24 from Winterreise, D911) Das Wandern (No. 1 from Die schöne Müllerin, D795) Der Neugierige (No. 6 from Die schöne Müllerin, D795) Der Jäger (No. 14 from Die schöne Müllerin, D795) Die böse Farbe (No. 17 from Die schöne Müllerin, D795) Ganymed, D544 (Goethe) | Schumann: | Im wunderschönen Monat Mai (No. 1 from Dichterliebe, Op. 48) Ich grolle nicht (No. 7 from Dichterliebe, Op. 48) Ich hab' im Traum geweinet (No. 13 from Dichterliebe, Op. 48) Die alten, bosen Lieder (No. 16 from Dichterliebe, Op. 48) Szenen aus Goethes Faust: Die ihr dies Haupt umschwebt im luft'gem Kreise Jenny Hill, Margaret Cable, John Elwes, Neil Jenkins, John Noble Aldeburgh Festival Singers, English Chamber Orchestra | Schütz: | Matthäus Passion: Jesus aber stund für dem Landpleger Meriel Dickinson, John Shirley-Quirk, Benjamin Luxon Heinrich Schütz Choir, Roger Norrington | Tippett: | Boyhood's End The Heart's Assurance Noel Mewton-Wood (piano) Songs for Ariel | Vaughan Williams: | On Wenlock Edge Zorian String Quartet |
The recorded legacy of the great English tenor Peter Pears is substantial and wide-ranging. It embraces Baroque repertory and Elizabethan songs as well as a vast amount of twentieth-century English music and German Lieder. This anniversary collection features Pears in a wide selection of this repertory and it also charts his career as a recording artist from landmark recordings such as the first recording of Britten's Serenade for tenor, horn and strings (made in 1944) through to Britten's Canticle V The Death of St Narcissus (composed in 1974), recorded near the end of his career in 1976. Many recordings included here appear on CD for the first time as international releases. Performances of Vaughan Williams’ On Wenlock Edge, and of Tippett’s Songs for Ariel , are of especial interest, and in a different vein, Pears sings Lutoslawski’s Paroles tissées, which he commissioned. A true rarity is the first ever release of Schubert's Ganymed. Packaging is cap box; 28-page booklet features a new essay on Pears by George Hall. “so astute is his characterization and formidable his musical intelligence that he is able to portray the comic flavour of Albert Herring with as much conviction as the haunting melancholy of Death in Venice....All in all, a superb tribute to one of the most characterful and important singers of the twentieth century.” Penguin Guide, 2011 edition | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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