Berlioz, Paganini – Works for Viola and Orchestra – David Aaron Carpenter

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):
Overture to Béatrice et Bénédict, op.27
Harold en Italie (Symphony with Viola obbligato), op.16 [viola plays the version written for Paganini]
Nicolò Paganini (1782-1840):
Sonata per la Gran Viola e Orchestra, op.35

David Aaron Carpenter - viola
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Vladimir Ashkenazy - conductor

(read more)

Berlioz – Symphonie fantastique – Karajan

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):
Symphonie fantastique, op.14
La Damnation de Faust, op.24

Berliner Philharmoniker
Herbert von Karajan - conductor

(read more)

Berlioz – Symphonie Fantastique – Les Siècles

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):
Symphonie Fantastique, op.14

Les Siècles [on period instruments]
François-Xavier Roth - conductor

(read more)

Berlioz – Les nuits d'été, La mort de Cléopâtre – Daniel Barenboim

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):
Les nuits d'été, op.7 *
La mort de Cléopâtre +
Rouget de Lisle (1760-1836):
La Marseillaise #

Kiri Te Kanawa - soprano *
Jessye Norman - soprano +
Plácido Domingo - tenor #
Choeurs de l'Orchestre de Paris
Orchestre de Paris
Daniel Barenboim - conductor

(read more)

Berlioz, Saint-Saëns, Dukas – Symphonic Works – James Levine

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):
Benvenuto Cellini, op.23 - overture
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921):
Symphony no.3 in C minor, op.78 "Organ"
Paul Dukas (1865-1935):
L'apprenti sorcier

Simon Preston - organ
Berliner Philharmoniker
James Levine - conductor

(read more)

Lalo, Saint-Saens, Berlioz – Works for Violin and Orchestra – Itzhak Perlman

Édouard Lalo (1823-1892):
Symphonie espagnole, op.21
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921):
Violin Concerto No.3 in B minor, op.61
Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):
Rêverie et Caprice, op.8

Itzhak Perlman - violin
Orchestre de Paris
Daniel Barenboim - conductor

(read more)

Berlioz – Harold en Italie, Tristia – John Eliot Gardiner

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):
Harold en Italie, op.16 *
Tristia, op.18 +

Gérard Caussé - viola *
Monteverdi Choir +
Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique [on period instruments]
John Eliot Gardiner - conductor

(read more)

Lalo, Saint-Saëns, Berlioz – Works for Violin and Orchestra – Itzhak Perlman

Édouard Lalo (1823-1892):
Symphonie espagnole, op.21 for violin and orchestra
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921):
Violin Concerto No.3 in B minor, op.61
Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):
Rêverie et Caprice, op.8 for violin and orchestra

Itzhak Perlman - violin
Orchestre de Paris
Daniel Barenboim - conductor

(read more)

Reber, Berlioz, Liszt – 'Le Paris des Romantiques' – Le Cercle de l'Harmonie

Napoléon Henri Reber (1807–1880):
Symphony No.4 in G  major, op.33
Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):
Rêverie et Caprice for Violin and Orchestra, op.8
Franz Liszt (1811-1886):
Piano Concerto No.1 in E flat major, S.124

Bertrand Chamayou - piano
Julien Chauvin - violin
Le Cercle de l'Harmonie  [on period instruments]
Jérémie Rhorer - conductor

(read more)

Berlioz – Overtures – Charles Munch

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):
Overture "Le carnaval romain"
Overture "Béatrice et Bénédict"
Overture "Le corsaire"
"Les troyens" - royal hunt and strom
Overture "Benvenuto Cellini"
"Roméo et Juliette" - Queen Mab Scherzo
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921):
"Le rouet d'Omphale", op.31

Boston Symphony Orchestra
Charles Munch - conductor

(read more)

Berlioz – L'Enfance du Christ – John Eliot Gardiner

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):
L'Enfance du Christ

Anne Sofie von Otter - mezzo-soprano
Gilles Cachemaille - baritone
José van Dam - bass
Jules Bastin - bass
Anthony Rolfe-Johnson - tenor
René Schirrer - baritone
Michel Fockenoy - tenor
Monteverdi Choir
Orchestre de l'Opéra de Lyon
John Eliot Gardiner - conductor

(read more)

Berlioz, Beethoven, R.Strauss – Symphonic Works – Lorin Maazel

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):
Symphonie fantastique, op.14
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827):
Piano Concerto No.1 in C major, op.15 *
Richard Strauss (1864-1949):
Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, op.28

Géza Anda - piano *
Wiener Philharmoniker
Lorin Maazel - conductor

(read more)

Sir Colin Davis - The Philips Years edition

remembering Sir Colin Davis on his birthday

(25 September 1927 – 14 April 2013)

CD 1:
Béla Bartók (1881-1945):
Piano Concerto No.1
Piano Concerto No.2
Piano Concerto No.3

Stephen Kovacevich - piano


CD 2:
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827):
Symphony No.5 in C minor, op.67
Piano Concerto No.5 in E flat major, op.73 "Emperor" *

Claudio Arrau - piano *


CD 3:
Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):
Symphonie fantastique
Modest Mussorgsky (1829-1881):
Night on the Bare Mountain (arr.Rimsky-Korsakov)


CD 4 / CD 5:
Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):
Requiem (Grande Messe des morts)
Te Deum *

Nicholas Kynaston - organ *
Wandsworth School Boys Choir
LondonSymphony Chorus


CD 6:
Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904):
Symphony No.7 in D minor, op.70
Symphony No.9 in E minor, op.95 "From the New World"


CD 7:
Edward Elgar (1857-1934):
Variations on an Original Theme, op.36 "Enigma" *
Gustav Holst (1874-1934):
The Planets

Frauenchor des Rundfunkchores Berlin/DDR *


CD 8:
Joseph Haydn (1732-1809):
Symphony No.94 in G major, Hob.I:94 "Surprise"
Symphony No.101 in D major, Hob.I:101 "The Clock"
Symphony No.104 in D major, Hob.I:104 "London"


CD 9:
Max Reger (1873-1916):
Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Mozart, op.132
Paul Hindemith (1895-1963):
Symphonic Methamorphoses on Themes by Carl Maria von Weber
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971):
Symphony in Three Movements


CD 10:
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911):
Das Lied von der Erde

Jessye Norman - soprano
Jon Vickers - tenor


CD 11:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791):
Symphony No.25 in G minor, K 183
Symphony No.32 in G major K 318 (Overture)
Piano Concerto No.15 in B flat major, K 450 *
Symphony No.40 in G minor, K 550

Ingrid Haebler - piano *


CD 12:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791):
Vesperae solennes de confessore, K 339
Kyrie in D minor, K 341/368a
Ave verum corpus, K 618
Exsultate jubilate, K 165/158a
"Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben" from "Zaïde", K 344
"Ach, ich fühl's" from "Die Zauberflöte", K 620
"Ei parte... Senti... Per pietà, ben mio, perdona" from "Cosi fan tutte"

Kiri Te Kanawa - soprano
Elisabeth Bainbridge - contralto
Ryland Davies - tenor
Gwynne Howell - bass
London Symphony Chorus


CD 13:
Jean Sibelius (1865-1957):
Symphony No.1 in E minor, op.39
Finlandia, op.26 no.7
Pohjola's Daughter, op.49
Tapiola, op.112


CD 14:
Sir Micahel Tippett (1905-1998):
The Knot Garden

with:
Raimund Herincx
Yvonne Minton
Jill Gomez
Josephine Barstow
Thomas Carey
Robert Tear
Thomas Hemsley


CD 15:
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971):
L'Oiseau de feu
Orpheus


BBC Symphony Orchestra
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Concertgebouw Orchestra
London Symphony Orchestra
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Staatskapelle Dresden
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Berliner Philarmoniker


Sir Colin Davis - conductor

(read more)

The fabulous Victoria de los Angeles

CD 1:
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937):
Shéhérazade
Cinq Mélodies populaires grecques
Deux Mélodies hébraïques
Henri Duparc (1848-1933):
L'Invitaiton Au Voyage
Phidyle
Claude Debussy (1862-1918):
L'Enfant prodigue. Recit. & Air De Lia: L'année en vain chasse l'année
Ernest Chausson (1855-1899):
Poème de l'amour et de la mer

Orchestre de la Société de Concerts du Conservatoire
Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux
Georges Prêtre - conductor
Jean-Pierre Jacquillat - conductor

CD 2:
Xavier Montsalvage (1912-2002):
Cinco canciones negras
Enrique Granados (1867-1916):
Colección de canciones amatorias
Cuatro madrigales amatorios
Oscar Esplá (1936-1949):
Cinco canciones playeras españolas
Eduardo Toldrá (1895 - 1962):
Quatre canons
[Anonymous]:
Three folksongs
Frederic Mompou (1893-1987):
El Combat del Somni
Joaquín Rodrigo (1901-1999):
Tríptic de Mossèn Cinto

Orchestre de la Société de Concerts du Conservatoire
Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux
Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos - conductor
Antonio Ros-Marbá - conductor

CD 3:
Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
Chanson de Bilitis
Fêtes galantes
Noël des enfants qui n'ont plus de maisons
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937):
Chanson Espagnole
Chanson Française
Chanson Italienne
Chanson Herbraïque
Reynaldo Hahn (1874-1947):
Trois Jours De Vendange
Le Rossignol Des Lilas
Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924):
Tristesse, Op. 6, No. 2
Au Bord De L'Eau, Op. 8, No. 1
Les Roses D'Ispahan, Op. 39, No. 4
Toujours (No. 2 De Trois Poemes D'Un Jour, Op. 21)
Manuel de Falla (1876-1946):
Siete canciones populares españolas
Eduard Toldrá (1895-1962):
Doce canciones gallegas. As Florinas Dos Toxos
Joaquín Turina (1882-1949):
Farruca
Joaquín Rodrigo (1901-1999):
Pastorcito Santo
Manuel de Falla (1876-1946) - Psyché
Soneto A Cordoba

Gonzalo Soriano - piano

CD 4:
Francesco Paolo Sacrati (1605-1650):
Proserpina. e dove t'aggiri
Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725):
Le Violette
Georg Friedrich Handel (1685-1759):
Joshua. Oh! Had I Jubal'S Lyre
Franz Schubert (1797-1828):
Der Tod und das Mädchen, D. 531
Die schöne Müllerin, D.795. No. 2:  Wohin
An Die Musik
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897):
Dein Blaues Auge
Vergebliches Ständchen
Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924):
Chanson d'amour
Clair de lune
Henry Purcell (1658-1695):
Let us wander
Lost is my quiet
Joseph Haydn (1732-1809):
Schlaf in deiner engen Kammer
Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782):
Ah! Lamenta, Oh Bella Irene
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827):
Irish songs
Franz Schubert (1797-1828):
Mignon und der Harfner, D.877. Nur Wer Die Sehnsucht Kennt
Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):
Les fleurs des landes. Le Trebuchet
Antonín Dvorak (1841-1904):
Möglichkeit
Der Apfel
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, (1840-1893):
Schottische Ballade
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921):
Pastorale
Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924):
Pleurs d'or
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897):
Sapphische Ode
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791):
La Partenza

Gerald Moore - piano


Victoria de los Angeles - soprano

(read more)

Berlioz – Symphonie Fantastique, Les nuits d'Été, etc. - Pierre Boulez

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):

CD 1:
Lélio, ou Le Retour à la vie, op.14b *
Bétrice et Bénédict - Ouverture & Entr'acte
Les Troyans - Chasse royale et orage

Jean-Louis Barrault - narrator *
John Mitchinson - tenor *
John Shirley-Quirk - baritone *


CD 2:
Les Nuits d'été, op.7 *
La Mort de Cléopatre +

Yvonne Minton - mezzo-soprano * +
Stuart Burrows - tenor *


CD 3:
Symphonie fantastique, op.14
Benvenutto Cellini - ouverture
Le Carnaval romain, op.9


London Symphony Chorus
London Symphony Orchestra
New York Philharmonic
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Pierre Boulez - conductor

(read more)

Eduard van Beinum – Decca recordings

remembering Eduard van Beinum on his birthday

(September 3, 1901 – April 13, 1959)

CD 1:
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827):
Die Geschöpfe des Prometheus (The Creatures of Prometheus), ballet, Op. 43
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897):
Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68

CD 2:
Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):
Symphonie Fantastique
Le Carnaval Romain
La Damnation de Faust (extracts)

CD 3:
Béla Bartók (1881-1945):
Concerto for Orchestra, Sz. 116, BB 127
Willem Pijper (1894-1947):
Symphony No. 3, K. 71 with Piano obbligato *
Alphons Diepenbrock (1862-1921):
Marsyas, suite from the incidental music

Clifford Curzon - piano *

CD 4:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791):
Symphony No. 35 in D major "Haffner", K. 385
Franz Schubert (1797-1828):
Die Zauberharfe, D. 644 - Overture
Symphony No. 4 in C minor "Tragic", D. 417
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809-1847):
Overture & Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night's Dream, op.21 & op.61

CD 5:
Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868):
Overture to Guillaume Tell
Overture to La scala di seta
Overture to Semiramide
Overture to La gazza ladra
Edouard Lalo (1823-1892):
Symphonie espagnole, for violin and orchestra in D minor, Op. 21 *

Alfredo Campoli - violin *


London Philharmonic Orchestra
Concertgebouw Orchestra
Eduard van Beinum - conductor

(read more)

Berlioz – Roméo et Juliette, Overtures – Sir Colin Davis

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):
Roméo et Juliette - symphonie dramatique *
Overture "Béatrice et Bénédict" +
Overture "Le Roi Lear" +
Overture "Les Franc-Juges" +
Overture "Waverley" +
Overture "Le Corsaire" +

Olga Borodina - mezzo-soprano *
Thomas Moser - tenor *
Alastair Miles - bass *
Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks *
Wiener Philharmoniker *
London Symphony Orchestra +
Sir Colin Davis - conductor

(read more)

Berlioz – Les Nuits d'été, Harold en Italie – Marc Minkowski

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):
Harold en Italie, op.16 *
Les nuits d'Été, op.7 +
Le Roi de Thulé (from La Damnation de Faust), op.24

Anne Sophie von Otter - mezzo-soprano +
Antoine Tamestit - viola *
Les Musiciens du Louvre - Grenoble [on period instruments]
Marc Minkowski - conductor

(read more)

Berlioz – L'Enfance du Christ, La Mort de Cléopatre & other works – Sir Colin Davis

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):
L'Enfance du Christ *
La Mort de Cléopâtre
Sara la baigneuse
Méditation religieuse
La Mort d'Ophélie

Peter Pears *
Elsie Morison *
John Cameron *
Joseph Rouleau *
John Frost *
The Goldsbrough Orchestra *
English Chamber Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis - conductor

(read more)

Berlioz – Requiem – Sir Colin Davis

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869):
Requiem, op.5 (Grande Messe des Morts)

Ronald Down - tenor
Wandsworth School Boy's Choir
London Symphony Chorus
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis - conductor

(read more)