All recordingsPrices shown exclude VAT. (UK tax is not payable for deliveries to United States.)
See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Barbara Hendricks sings Bach, Barber & Copland
Barbara Hendricks' voice — particularly suited to Mozart, Debussy, Fauré, and the lighter roles of Puccini and Richard Strauss — has a warm, crystalline quality that has kept her in demand on stage and in recording studios. Her performances have embraced everything from contemporary music to popular standards, including songs of Duke Ellington and several world premieres. She has been careful with her choices of repertoire, avoiding roles that would overextend her essentially lyric instrument. Aside from music, she is deeply committed to humanitarian work, with a particular concern for refugees and those in war or poverty zones. She sang a concert in Sarajevo in 1993 while the city was being shelled, in which she had to wear a bulletproof vest and helmet. Hendricks has appeared on nearly 80 recordings spread over a variety of major labels. Her first of many recordings for EMI was in the small part of the Celestial Voice in Don Carlo in 1978. For nearly twenty years her solo recordings have been made exclusively for EMI Classics. “This lovely singer is here at her best...she is ideal in the purity and sweetness of her singing.” BBC Music Magazine, December 2010 **** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
|
|
| |  | Samuel Barber: Adagio100th Anniversary
Barber, S: | Adagio for Strings, Op. 11 Berliner Philharmoniker, Simon Rattle Overture to The School for Scandal, Op. 5 Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin Violin Concerto, Op. 14 Elmar Oliveira (violin) Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin Knoxville: Summer of 1915, Op. 24 Barbara Hendricks (soprano) London Symphony Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas First Essay for Orchestra Op. 12 Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin Medea's Dance of Vengeance, Op.32a Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin Dover Beach, Op. 3 Sir Thomas Allen (baritone), Roger Vignoles (piano), Endellion String Quartet Piano Sonata, Op. 26 Leon McCawley (piano) Excursions Op. 20 Leon McCawley (piano) |
| | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
|
|
| |  | Samuel Barber
Samuel Barber (1910-1981) is best-known today for his Adagio for Strings, which was originally written as the slow movement for an early string quartet, and has become one of most played pieces of classical music. The Adagio was first perfomed in its orchestral form by Toscanini, with the Essay for Orchestra in the same concert. These works are typical of Barber's output, being overtly European in outlook and language.Barber composed music in most genres: two symphonies; concertos for piano, cello and violin, two grand operas; ballets; choral works; chamber music and a great number of songs. This selection of works includes the beautifully reflective Knoxville: Summer 1915, written to a sensitive text from James Agee's unfinished novel A Death in the Family. Also included is the Violin Concerto with it's lovely slow movement and the Overture to a School for Scandal, which was the first of Barber's works to be performed by a major orchestra. | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
|
|
| |  | David Curtis conducts Copland, Barber & Gershwin
April Fredrick (soprano) Orchestra of the Swan, David Curtis These live recordings showcase the spectacular voice and wonderful musicianship of American soprano April Fredrick whose star is now firmly in the ascendent. Much of this American repertoire is tailor-made for this artist, highlighting her expressive voice and sensitivity. | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
|
|
| |  | Paul Daniel conducts Barber, Berlioz & Britten
Anne-Catherine Gillet (soprano) Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège, Paul Daniel On the concert platform and on disc, Anne-Catherine Gillet radiates spontaneity, luminosity and enthusiasm in a way that is more than communicative. This outstanding recording of three masterpieces from the vocal repertoire provides an ideal opportunity to verify that. Listening, you will be charmed by the apparent facility, evidence and lightness of her phrasing. Anne-Catherine Gillet literally charms us with her fruity timbre, and it is impossible to remain impervious to the beauty of this new voice, accompanied with brio by the Liège Royal Philharmonic, conducted by one of the most prominent maestros of the lyric world, Paul Daniel. A moment of pure emotion, not to be missed on any account. “singing her native French, she treats the Berlioz and Britten with a light touch...Gillet and her conductor, Paul Daniel, are at their nest in a well-paced 'Le spectre de la rose', which captures the lilt of the dance to perfection...It is Les illuminations that gets the best performance of the three. The Liege players get some real bite out of the rhythms and Gillet lets her imagination take flight.” Gramophone Magazine, March 2012 “This is a dream of a programme, and the performances by Belgian soprano Anne-Catherine Gillet are enchanting...Her tuning is spot-on, and her stratospheric region – quite frequently explored in this work – sublime...The Liège orchestra’s playing is first class throughout, and Paul Daniel accompanies his singer most sensitively” MusicWeb International, February 2012 “in both Samuel Barber's rapt, nostalgia-drenched setting of James Agee's text in Knoxville: Summer of 1915, and in Britten's treatment of Rimbaud in Les Illuminations, Gillet shows exactly why she has become such a favourite in French and Belgian opera houses. Paul Daniel wraps Barber's instrumental lines around her voice with perfect tact, while in the Britten there's youthful energy and intensity in every phrase.” The Guardian, 22nd December 2011 *** | | | Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days. |
|
|
| |  | The Best of Barber
| | | Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days. |
|
|
| |  | Barber - Popular Orchestral Works
| | | Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days. |
|
|
| |  | Barber: Orchestral Works Volume 5
“Karina Gauvin and Marin Alsop take a nostalgic view of Knoxville: Summer of 1915. Theirs is an adult's bittersweet reminiscence rather than a child's innocent view. The outer sections sway slowly, the phrases longingly caressed as if soprano and orchestra were loath to let them go.
Gauvin sings smoothly, generally emphasising song over text, though she's alive to James Agee's fragrant imagery, and varies the colour of her voice appropriately. With deeply expressive playing from the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the result is ravishing; this is one of the finest versions of Knoxville to date.
Alsop's tautly argued Second Essay is equally satisfying. She resists the temptation to stretch the tempo at climactic moments, creating a strong sense of momentum; you're swept along by the music's powerful current.
Knoxville and the Essays pack a nice sonic punch. If only Thomas Trotter's brilliant execution of the solo organ part in the Toccata Festiva were recorded with greater presence than the acoustic of Paisley Abbey allows. The Toccata may not be top-drawer Barber, but it has its moments. Nevertheless, Alsop's ear-opening Barber series reaches a new high-point with this instalment. Strongly recommended.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 “Ravishing. … One of the finest versions of Knoxville to date. … Alsop’s ear-opening Barber series reaches a new high-point with this instalment. Strongly recommended.” Gramophone Magazine “Alsop's reading [of Knoxville] brings out the contrasts between the different sections more sharply than usual...superbly played and recorded.” Penguin Guide, 2011 edition “Another 20th-century milestone for voice and orchestra arrives... Karina Gauvin is quite a voice: commanding, penetrating, with a burnished colour... The Royal Scottish National Orchestra flares up to match... Alsop Conducts beautifully.” The Times | | | (also available to download from $6.00) | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. (Available now to download.) |
|
|
| |  | Barber, Ives & Cowell: Orchestral Works
Linda Hohenfeld (soprano) Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra, Stephen Somary | | | Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days. |
|
|
| |  | Roberta Alexander Sings Barber
Roberta Alexander (Soprano) Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, Edo De Waart | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
|
|
| |
|
Gramophone Magazine