Verdi: Grand March from Aida

With his questing spirit, Verdi took an often innovative approach to the choral and orchestral components of his operas. In Nabucco, his first great success, the chorus of Hebrew slaves became a protagonist – and its ‘Va, pensiero’ became Italy’s honorary national anthem – while his overtures range from atmospheric introductions, for instance the haunting prelude to La traviata, to full-blown orchestral showpieces, such as the splendid sinfonia that opens La forza del destino.

This fourteenth volume of Christopher Herrick’s monumental Organ Fireworks series comes from the organ of Melbourne Town Hall. As ever, Herrick presents a cornucopia of virtuoso delights, opening with a bang with Lemare’s outrageous transcription of the Grand March from Aida, given a new sheen by Herrick himself. Other works include pieces by living composers Iain Farrington and Paul Spicer, and examples of the best of the English and French traditions of 19th and 20th century organ writing.

Leading tenor, Rolando Villazon, has personally selected 34 great Verdi tracks, sung by the great names of the present and past, both to celebrate Verdi at 200 and to inspire a new generation with the composer’s great arias, powerful choruses and popular tunes.

The tracklist is framed by two stirring overtures, it includes famous numbers by all the leading singers on DG and Decca (as well as a couple from EMI), including Roberto Alagna, Carlo Bergonzi, Grace Bumbry, Joseph Calleja, José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, Renée Fleming, Anna Netrebko, Luciano Pavorotti, Katia Ricciarelli, Joan Sutherland and BrynTerfel. There are rousing choruses and several extracts from the Requiem too. It’s a splendid 150-minute collection.

The striking cover includes one of Rolando’s inimitable Verdi sketches, and will include a sticker incorporating a photo of the artist. The all-colour booklet has an article by journalist Richard Lawrence which also takes in some quotes from the artist in a recent interview for this release.

Villazón is confident that every excerpt on these discs will make the listener want to hear the complete work. “No other composer creates such an immediate link with the audience. Go to see La traviata: you hear those rhythms, those melodies, that dramatic force, and you are drawn into his world. It doesn’t matter whether you love opera or know nothing about it: it just captures you, it grabs you.” Listening to the numbers from La traviata here, you have to agree.

This is one of several special EMI Classics releases marking the bicentenary of the birth of Giuseppe Verdi, which will occur on 10 October 2013.

With his questing spirit, Verdi took an often innovative approach to the choral and orchestral components of his operas. In Nabucco, his first great success, the chorus of Hebrew slaves became a protagonist – and its ‘Va, pensiero’ became Italy’s honorary national anthem – while his overtures range from atmospheric introductions, for instance the haunting prelude to La traviata, to full-blown orchestral showpieces, such as the splendid sinfonia that opens La forza del destino.

A romp through the gamut of concert band marches – Sousa, Alford et al and some intriguing arrangements of marches from the core classical canon. The choice of RM Band is also intriguing – this particular band was merged with the other Marines bands in 1983, a victim of that year’s strategic defence review.