Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice (Orphée et Euridice): Dance of the Blessed Spirits (Reigen seliger Geister)

Karajan Adagio is the most successful classical collection of all time with nearly 4 million units sold since 1993. It has now been re-engineered, re-titled, and newly compiled for the 21st century.

“Adagio Karajan” was the ORIGINAL CLASSICAL CHILL-OUT ALBUM. Over two-and-a-half hours of the world’s most relaxing music – from the most accomplished conductor of all time. Emphasizing classical music’s unique power in transporting the listener away from the stresses and strains of modern-day living - All over the world, consumers are searching for an escape, and the soothing sounds of “Karajan Adagio” can provide that.

“Adagio” – the literal translation is “at ease”, with a slowness, with a tranquillity, and with a longing – the perfect antidote to the relentless pace of modern global living.

In the 1950s, Leopold Stokowski made a series of splendid LPs with a specially-selected orchestra of top-flight musicians. One of these was entitled "Landmarks of a Distinguished Career." It featuring pieces he had earlier recorded on best-selling 78s and included The Blue Danube Waltz. His previous recordings of this piece were abridged to fit the older discs side-lengths but for his 1957 stereo remake all the repeats were observed. However, only now is it making its official debut on CD. Stokowski wrote: "Although Johann Strauss's Blue Danube Waltz is light music, it is first class of its kind, a perfect picture of the gaiety of Vienna in his day, and a thing of joy forever." In his notes to this CD, Robert Matthew-Walker writes: "Stokowski's performance of the complete score raises it to the level of a short tone-poem, removed from the ballroom into the concert hall." It raises the curtain on a selection of beautifully played string pieces, recorded during the same period, and includes Borodin's Nocturne as arranged by Stokowski's fellow-conductor, Sir Malcolm Sargent.

British countertenor Iestyn Davies is one of the fastest rising stars on the concert and opera circuit. Following his highly acclaimed recording of Porpora cantatas, he returns for a second solo album with Hyperion, a selection of arias written for Gaetano Guadagni. Italian-born Guadagni was the first ‘modern’ castrato, famed all over Europe for the lyric purity of his voice and his powerful, naturalistic acting style. Not only did he enjoy a close artistic relationship with Handel, who nurtured Guadagni’s voice to fit the alto roles in his English oratorios, but he effectively created the role of Orpheus in Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, an opera he thoroughly made his own. Here, Iestyn Davies is joined again by the renowned period-instrument band Arcangelo, directed by Jonathan Cohen.

Along with his friend Caruso, Fritz Kreisler (1875–1962) was one of the superstars of the early gramophone era. He was “the master musician among the violinists of the day” (New York Times); he died 50 years ago (29 January 1962). As a composer, he is famous for his Viennese-style melodies, such as Liebesfreud and Liebesleid, for his notorious pieces “in the style of” various 18th-century masters (which he passed off as their original works, claiming to have rediscovered them in old manuscripts), and for his arrangements of well-known works by other composers.

We remember one of the world’s greatest violinists with an enticing 2CD set that includes a first time release on CD of a tribute LP from 1961, original Kreisler recordings, and an array of great modern violinists playing his works.

The music on the two CDs has been selected with four key stages of a wedding ceremony in mind. CD 1 is a selection of popular music for the entry of the bride and music for the exit of the bride and groom. CD 2 includes music for setting the scene and suggestions for the signing of the register.