Britten Archive

Homunculus / Kamus Quartet –  Composer:  Esa-Pekka Salonen,  György Ligeti,  Benjamin Britten – Kamus String Quartet – Alba Records

Homunculus / Kamus Quartet –  Composer:  Esa-Pekka Salonen,  György Ligeti,  Benjamin Britten – Kamus String Quartet – Alba Records

Three contemporary string quartets stunningly played and recorded! Homunculus / Kamus Quartet –  Composer:  Esa-Pekka Salonen,  György Ligeti,  Benjamin Britten – Kamus String Quartet – Alba Records SACD/Hybrid  Catalog #: 409  – (01/05/2018)  TT: 62:00 **** This new multi-channel release, which includes the world premiere recording of Esa-Pekka Salonen’s string quartet Homunculus, and also includes music by Ligeti (String […]

“A Tribute to Janet” = Oboe Quartets by Mozart, Britten, Knussen, Francaix – Britten Oboe Quartet – Harmonia Mundi

“A Tribute to Janet” = Oboe Quartets by Mozart, Britten, Knussen, Francaix – Britten Oboe Quartet – Harmonia Mundi

A Tribute to Janet = Oboe Quartets by Mozart, Birtten, Knussen, Françaix— Britten Oboe Quartet (Nicholas Daniel, Jacqueline Shave, Clare Finnimore, Caroline Dearnley) — Harmonia Mundi HMM 907672, 61:09 ****: This recording combines various “oboe quartets” by a diverse group of composers, beginning with W.A. Mozart, then moving in time to Jean Françaix, Benjamin Britten (for […]

Silvestri in Philadelphia = TCHAIKOVSKY: Manfred Symphony; BRITTEN: Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra – Philadelphia Orchestra/ Constantin Silvestri – Pristine Audio

Silvestri in Philadelphia = TCHAIKOVSKY: Manfred Symphony; BRITTEN: Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra – Philadelphia Orchestra/ Constantin Silvestri – Pristine Audio

Silvestri in Philadelphia = TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony in B Minor after Byron’s Manfred, Op. 58; BRITTEN: Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra (after Purcell), Op. 34 – Philadelphia Orchestra/ Constantin Silvestri – Pristine Audio PASC 490, 74:37 [www.pristineclassical.com] ****: The gifted Romanian Silvestri makes colors in his debut with the great color-ensemble, Philadelphia Orchestra. Romanian conductor […]

Best of the Year Discs for 2016

Best of the Year Discs for 2016

      Best of the Year Discs for 2016 = The 12 Multichannel Hi-Res Discs of the Month for 2016  CLASSICAL (incl. HI-RES), CLASSICAL REISSUES, CLASSICAL VINYL & PURE AUDIO BLU-RAY KATI AGÓCS: The Debrecen Passion – BMOP Sound 1046 American First Piano Sonatas – Licad, p. – Danacord * ”For the Beauty of […]

San Francisco Symphony At 100, Blu-ray (2012)

San Francisco Symphony At 100, Blu-ray (2012)

San Francisco Symphony At 100, Blu-ray (2012)  Performers: San Francisco Symphony/ Michael Tilson Thomas Studio: SFS Media (6/12/12) Video: Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Aspect ratio: 1.78:1 Audio: English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1/ English: Dolby TrueHD 2.0, Both 96kHz, 16-bit audio Subtitles: English, Spanish, Mandarin (Simplified), Mandarin (Traditional)Length: 2:26:30 Rating: *** 1/2  A rousing concert disc marred by too […]

DELIUS: Violin Con.; BRITTEN: Violin Con.; MILFORD: Darkly Thrush – Royal Scottish & Philharmonia Orch. – Dutton Epoch

DELIUS: Violin Con.; BRITTEN: Violin Con.; MILFORD: Darkly Thrush – Royal Scottish & Philharmonia Orch. – Dutton Epoch

FREDERICK DELIUS: Violin Concerto; BENJAMIN BRITTEN: Violin Concerto; ROBIN MILFORD: The Darkling Thrush – Royal Scottish Nat. Orch. /David Lloyd-Jones, cond./ Philharmonia Orch./ Nicholas Collon, cond./ Phillippe Graffin, violin – Dutton Epoch stereo-only SACD CDLX 7320,  68:46 (9/11/15) [Dist. by Harmonia mundi] ****: Two familiar English works and a very worthwhile world premier. English label […]

Leopold Stokowski = BRITTEN: Piano Concerto, Op. 13; ENESCU: Rumanian Rhapsody in A Major, Op. 11; DEBUSSY (Orch.  Stokowski): The Engulfed Cathedral; BAUER: Sun Splendor; BORODIN: Dances of the Polovetzki Maidens – Jacques Abram, piano/ Philharmonic-Sym. Society of NY /Leopold Stokowski – Guild

Leopold Stokowski = BRITTEN: Piano Concerto, Op. 13; ENESCU: Rumanian Rhapsody in A Major, Op. 11; DEBUSSY (Orch. Stokowski): The Engulfed Cathedral; BAUER: Sun Splendor; BORODIN: Dances of the Polovetzki Maidens – Jacques Abram, piano/ Philharmonic-Sym. Society of NY /Leopold Stokowski – Guild

The inimitable Stokowski leads the New York ensemble in concert performances that include thrilling readings of works new to his recorded legacy.

Home Page for February 1, 2015

Home Page for February 1, 2015

For February 2015 we have one of the largest disc sets we have ever awarded a reader – the 51-CD collection of the complete Decca, Philips & DGG recordings made by phenomenal Russian pianist Sviatoslav Richter. He is widely regarded as perhaps the greatest pianist of the 20th century, and is known for his virtuoso […]

“Moments of Love” = BRITTEN: Cabaret Songs (selections); HAHN: Le printemps; Le rossignol des lilas; Fumée; Dans la nuit; L’heure exquise; RAVEL: Trois poemes de Stephane Mallarmé; SAINT-SAËNS: Aimons-nous; L’attente (Hugo); La coccinelle; Tournoiement ‘Songe d’opium’; Danse macabre; WYNER: The Second Madrigal: Voices of Women – Dominque Labelle, sop./ Yehudi Wyner, p. – Bridge

“Moments of Love” = BRITTEN: Cabaret Songs (selections); HAHN: Le printemps; Le rossignol des lilas; Fumée; Dans la nuit; L’heure exquise; RAVEL: Trois poemes de Stephane Mallarmé; SAINT-SAËNS: Aimons-nous; L’attente (Hugo); La coccinelle; Tournoiement ‘Songe d’opium’; Danse macabre; WYNER: The Second Madrigal: Voices of Women – Dominque Labelle, sop./ Yehudi Wyner, p. – Bridge

Labelle turns to France with outstanding success.