Archive
Category: Resources
-
Mahler: The Complete Symphonies
For many of us, Leonard Bernstein’s first Mahler cycle for CBS (compiled here, remastered and cheaper than ever) has stood the test of time since it initially came out on LP in the late 1960s. Upon completing this traversal of nine symphonies (and the “Adagio” movement from the unfinished 10th), Lenny and the New York… Read more →
-
Mozart: The Symphonies
Musical scholar that he is, Charles Mackerras adopts period performance practice, but opts for modern instruments. The Prague Chamber Orchestra is one of the world’s best small ensembles. They play this music with impeccable wit, sophistication, and style. Of course, Mackerras himself studied in Prague–Mozart’s musical home away from home–and has long enjoyed an excellent… Read more →
-
Vivaldi Edition, Vol. 1: Op. 1-6
This box is the first in a two-part series of all of Vivaldi’s published instrumental music. There were twelve volumes in all, numbered consecutively by his publisher as opera 1-12. None of this bears any relationship to the order of composition, or even the quality of the music, although most of it is first-rate Vivaldi.… Read more →
-
Vivaldi Edition Vol. 2
This second set of Vivaldi “published works” contains his most famous work of all–“The Four Seasons,” part of the Twelve Violin Concertos, op. 8. In fact, there’s really a lot of very fine music in this huge collection of concertos and sonatas. For years, centuries in fact, it was believed that this body of music… Read more →
-
Bach – Brandenburg Concertos / Britten, ECO
Benjamin Britten’s Bach is a “middle-of-the-road” version of these delightful works. They offer no startling departures from the Baroque style favored in the 1960s, but are ripe, polished performances with a fearless trumpet soloist in No. 2, and outstanding flute and violin solos throughout. Modern instruments and moderate tempos may seem stodgy these days, but… Read more →
-
Bach: Complete Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin
Arthur Grumiaux was among the most elegant and refined violinists who ever recorded. This doesn’t preclude his playing the famous Chaconne with lots of power, which he does. But it means hearing Bach with all technical difficulties minimized to give you a clear view of the music. Sometimes, as in Joseph Szigeti’s late recordings (Vanguard… Read more →