TRACKLISTING
CD SIDE
Explosive
Fuego
Viva!
Shine
Wintersun
Scorchio
Duel
Gypsy Rhapsody
Caravan
Sugar Plum
Carmina

DVD SIDE
Explosive promo video
Victory promo video
Fuego promo video
Picture Gallery
Bond discography

EXPLOSIVE: THE BEST OF BOND brings together the spicy string quartet's hits from their albums "Born" , "Shine" and "Classified" as well as 3 previously-unreleased tracks "Caravan" , "Sugar Plum" (based on The Nutcracker ballet) and "Carmina" which subtly uses some melodic lines from 50 Cents' "In Da Club".

Local release: September

ARTISTS
Joshua Bell violin

TRACKLISTING
[1] Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor, op.64: I Allegro molto appassionato · [2] Chausson Concert pour piano, violon et quatuor à cordes, op.21: Sicilienne · [3] Mozart Violin Concerto No.3 in G major, K216: II Adagio · [4] Fauré Violin Sonata No.1 in A major, op.13: IV Allegro quasi presto · [5] Brahms Violin Concerto in D major, op.77: III Allegro giocoso ma non troppo vivace · [6] Kreisler Caprice viennois · [7] Toy-Soldiers' March · Grasse Waves at play · [9] Prokofiev Violin Concerto No.2 in G minor, op.63: II Andante assai · [10] Falla Spanish Dance (La vida breve) arr.Kreisler · [11] Bloch Nigun (Improvisation) (Baal Shem) · [12] Sarasate Zigeunerweisen, op.20

Joshua Bell started his recording career with DECCA in 1986 at the age of 19 and remained a DECCA artist for ten years. During that time he made over a dozen albums of music ranging from Mozart Concertos to chamber works by Shostakovich and Messiaen. He recorded with major conductors such as Ashkenazy, Dohnányi, Dutoit and Marriner, and with them recorded some of the cornerstones of the violin concerto repertory.

Released in 2004 The Romantic Violin was the first international Joshua Bell compilation (475 6175). That proved to be a great catalogue success and has prompted the reissue of most of Joshua Bell's catalogue as a series of six 2-CD programmes (released in April 2005). This new compilation - The Essential Joshua Bell presents a further selection of favourite concerto movements and other solo pieces.

ARTISTS
Lukas Hagen, 1. Violine
Rainer Schmidt, 2. Violine
Veronika Hagen, Viola
Clemens Hagen, Violoncello

TRACKLISTING
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
String Quartet in E flat major, op. 127
Es-dur · en mi bémol majeur

1. 1. Maestoso - Allegro
2. 2. Adagio, ma non troppo e molto cantabile - Andante con moto - Adagio molto espressivo - Tempo I
3. 3. Scherzo. Vivace
4. 4. Allegro - Allegro comodo

String Quartet in A minor, op. 132
a-moll · en la mineur

5. 1. Assai sostenuto - Allegro
6. 2. Allegro ma non tanto
7. 3. Andante - Molto adagio - Andante - Molto adagio
8. 4. Alla marcia, assai vivace - Più allegro - attacca
9. 5. Allegro appassionato - Presto

HAGEN QUARTETT
Lukas Hagen, violin I · Rainer Schmidt, violin II
Veronika Hagen, viola (alto) · Clemens Hagen, violoncello

• Beethoven's late string quartets are part of the canon of quartet compositions - vivid, compact and full of modern ideas, they appeal as much to occasional music lovers as to musicologists
• With its lively yet stringent rendering, this recording is set to become the new reference for one of the cornerstones of chamber music repertoire
• The Hagen Quartett continues to uphold their reputation as leading interpreters of the quartet repertory after more than twenty years in the business
• The ensemble's latest recording of Mozart string quartets left critics agog: "I doubt that these particular works have ever been recorded with such astonishing command as by the Hagen Quartett. The players' corporate intonation is almost impossibly true . . . A disc whose rare brand of perfectionism is rather special." (CD review by Julian Haylock, The Strad )

Local release: September

ARTISTS
ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER
Wiener Philharmoniker / James Levine

TRACKLISTING
[1] SARASATE: Zigeunerweisen, op. 20
[2] WIENIAWSKI: Legende, op. 17
[3] TARTINI: Sonata for Violin and Continuo in G minor: "Il trillo del diavolo"
[4] RAVEL: Tzigane
[5] MASSENET: Meditation (Thais)
[6] - [10] SARASATE: Carmen Fantasy, op. 25
[11] FAURÉ: Berceuse, op. 16

ARTISTS
János Starker cello
London Symphony Orchestra
Stanislaw Skrowaczewski
Antal Dorati

WORKS
Schumann: Cello Concerto in A minor
Lalo: Cello Concerto in D minor
Saint-Saëns: Cello Concerto in A minor*

These celebrated recordings by one of the greatest cellists of the twentieth century, János Starker, of three of the most popular cello concertos in the repertory, were first released on CD in 1991. The original CD release has sold over 25,000 copies.The Schumann and Lalo Concertos were recorded on 35mm magnetic film; 3-track half-inch tape was used for the Saint-Saëns.

As with the great majority of MLP's stereo releases, the actual recording was made using three microphones - a stereo pair, plus a central microphone. The LP (and subsequent CD) stereo releases mixed the centre channel into the two outer channels. Now - and for the first time -- SACD's multi-channel capability enables all three discrete channels to be present on the disc, allowing the listener to hear the recording as it was originally taped (and as it was always intended to be heard, when future technology permitted). Enhancing this new opportunity is the significant additional fidelity gained through direct-to-DSD transfers from the original half-inch analogue masters, via DSD's much greater resolution, frequency response and dynamic range.

In addition to this first-time presentation of the three-track original recording, the SACD also contains a high-resolution DSD stereo soundtrack, mixed to match as closely as possible the original LP stereo mix. Finally, as all Mercury Living Presence SACDs will be 'hybrid' releases, the SACD also includes a CD stereo soundtrack (Wilma Cozart Fine's original CD transfer), thus making the disc compatible with all CD players.

The covers and packaging have been kept within the famous Mercury Living Presence tradition, maintaining the logo banner, cover art and, where possible, original liner notes.

Local release: September

ARTISTS
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Paul Paray

WORKS
Symphonie fantastique
Hungarian March · Trojan March
Le Corsair - Overture
Le Carnaval romain - Overture

An acclaimed recording of one of the masterpieces of 19th-century French orchestral music, and Berlioz's most popular and frequently-performed work. This famous recording has sold over 21,000 copies since the original CD release in 1993.

As with the great majority of MLP's stereo releases, the actual recording was made using three microphones - a stereo pair, plus a central microphone. The LP (and subsequent CD) stereo releases mixed the centre channel into the two outer channels. Now - and for the first time -- SACD's multi-channel capability enables all three discrete channels to be present on the disc, allowing the listener to hear the recording as it was originally taped (and as it was always intended to be heard, when future technology permitted). Enhancing this new opportunity is the significant additional fidelity gained through direct-to-DSD transfers from the original half-inch analogue masters, via DSD's much greater resolution, frequency response and dynamic range.

In addition to this first-time presentation of the three-track original recording, the SACD also contains a high-resolution DSD stereo soundtrack, mixed to match as closely as possible the original LP stereo mix. Finally, as all Mercury Living Presence SACDs will be 'hybrid' releases, the SACD also includes a CD stereo soundtrack (Wilma Cozart Fine's original CD transfer), thus making the disc compatible with all CD players.

The covers and packaging have been kept within the famous Mercury Living Presence tradition, maintaining the logo banner, cover art and, where possible, original liner notes.

Local release: September

ARTISTS
Kiri Te Kanawa, Mischa Maisky, michala petri, I Musici, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, The Academy Of Ancient Music, The Academy of St Martin-in-the-f=Fields, The Cleveland Orchestra, Richard Bonynge & Sir Neville Marriner.

Composers include...
Rachmaninoff, Delibes, Elgar, Handel, Pachelbel, Corelli, Vivaldi, Mozart, Bach & Tchaikovsky.

ARTISTS
Pascal Rogé piano
Catherine Dubosc soprano
Colette Alliot-Lugaz* soprano
Orchestre symphonique de Montréal
Charles Dutoit

TRACKLISTING
CD 1 : [1]-[12] Daphnis et Chloé · [13] Pavane pour une infante déefunte · [14] La Valse
CD 2 : [1]-[3] Piano Concerto in G major · [4]-[7] Le Tombeau de Couperin · [8]-[11] Valses nobles et sentimentales · [12] Menuet antique · [13] Piano Concerto in D major for the Left Hand
CD 3 : [1] Fanfare pour "L'Eventail de Jeanne" · [2] Boléro · [3] Alborada del gracioso · [4]-[9] Ma Mère l'Oye - Complete ballet · [10] Une barque sur l'océan · [11] Rapsodie espagnole
CD 4 : [1]-[8] L'Enfant et les sortilèges* · [9]-[11] Shéhérazade · [12] Shéhérazade - Ouverture de féeri

This set comprises all of Ravel's orchestral music plus the two piano concertos (with Pascal Rogé) and his opera L'Enfant et les sortilèges. Also included is the beautiful and haunting song-cycle Shéhérazade. With the exception of the vocal works these recordings were made between 1980 and 1983 and were the first results of Decca's then-new association with Charles Dutoit and Montreal. This was a conductor-orchestra partnership which quickly became synonymous with the highest standards in performance and recording of a wide range of music but which became especially celebrated for the French repertory and in particular Debussy and Ravel. This musical partnership lasted over twenty years.

These recordings of Ravel were also some of the first to employ digital recording techniques and set new standards for the time and were hugely successful both commercially and artistically. They have remained in the catalogue but this is the first time all the Ravel recordings have been made available as an international box set.

Local release: September

ARTISTS
Sharon Sweet soprano
Jadwiga Rappé contralto
Paul Frey tenor
Franz Grundheber bass
Staatsopernchor Dresden
Staatskapelle Dresden
Sir Colin Davis

TRACKLISTING
CD 1 : Symphonies 1 & 7 CD 2 : Symphonies 2 & 8 CD 3 : Symphony No.3 "Eroica" · Egmont Overture CD 4 : Symphonies 4 & 5 CD 5 : Symphony No.6 "Pastoral" · Leonore Overture No.3 CD 6 : Symphony No.9 "Choral"

Sir Colin Davis has been regarded as a leading Beethoven interpreter for many years and his concert appearances with the various orchestras he works with on a regular basis are always eagerly-anticipated events. This acclaimed 1990s digital cycle of the Beethoven Symphonies makes a welcome return to the catalogue as a collector edition at budget price.

ARTISTS
Galina Vishnevskaya soprano
David Hemmings boy soprano
Peter Pears tenor
Robert Tear tenor
John Shirley-Quirk baritone
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau baritone
Wandsworth School Boys' Choir
English Opera Group
London Symphony Orchestra
Benjamin Britten
Norman del Mar
George Malcolm

TRACKLISTING
CD 1 : The Burning Fiery Furnace
CD 2 : Curlew River
CD 3 : The Prodigal Son
CD 4 : Noye's Fludde* · The Golden Vanity
CD 5 : The Little Sweep · Gemini Variations · Children's Crusade
CD 6 : Saint Nicolas · Rejoice in the Lamb
CD 7 : A Ceremony of Carols · A Boy was Born · Songs from "Friday Afternoons" · Psalm 150
CD 8 : Spring Symphony · Cantata Academica** · Hymn to St Cecilia**
CD 9 & 10 : War Requiem + Rehearsal sequence

Two collector editions devoted to the operas have already been released (475 6020 & 475 6029) and feature authoritative performances with the composer and two close colleagues conducting (Steuart Beford conducts Death in Venice in a recording made under the supervision of Britten shortly before his death, and Sir Charles Mackerras conducts Gloriana ).

This third volume of "Britten conducts Britten" focuses on the three Church Parables ( The Burning Fiery Furnace, Curlew River and The Prodigal Son ) and one of the greatest choral works of the twentieth century, the War Requiem . The rest of this set comprises other choral works and Britten conducts most of the performances, with the exception of Noye's Fludde (Norman del Mar), The Golden Vanity (Russell Burgess), and Cantata academica (George Malcom).

Many of these recordings remain unique and carry that special authority only the composer himself can bring to recordings. While some pieces have been recorded several times -- for example there have been over twenty recordings of A Ceremony of Carols -- these recordings remain very special. Even a vast work such as the War Requiem -- recorded shortly after the first performance at Coventry Cathedral and a huge seller since its release on LP in 1963 and later transfer to CD -- remains definitive. There have been around a dozen recordings of the War Requiem on CD, and in a BBC Radio Three poll in 2004 when listeners voted on what they regarded as the greatest recordings of the century (from any record label and any artist) the War Requiem conducted by Britten was in the top three (top of the poll was Sir Georg Solti's recording of Der Ring des Nibelungen ).

The release of this collector edition makes several recordings available again after an absence from the catalogue.

Local release: September