ARTISTS
Stephen Kovacevich piano
BBC Symphony Orchestra
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis

TRACKLISTING
CD 1 :
[1]-[3] Piano Concerto No.1 in C major, op.15
[4]-[6] Piano Concerto No.3 in C minor, op.37
CD 2 :
[1]-[3] Piano Concerto No.2 in B flat major, op.19
[4]-[6] Piano Concerto No.4 in G major, op.58
CD 3 :
[1]-[3] Piano Conerto No.5 in E flat major, op.73
[4]-[6] Piano Sonata No.30 in E major, op.109
[7]-[9] Piano Sonata No.31 in A flat major, op.110
CD 4 :
[1]-[3] Piano Sonata No.5 in C minor, op.10 no.1
[4]-[6] Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor, op.13 "Pathétique"
[7]-[10] Piano Sonata No.18 in E flat major, op.31 no.3
[11]-[14] Piano Sonata No.28 in A major, op.101
CD 5 :
[1]-[33] 33 Variations in C major on a Waltz by Anton Diabelli, op.120
[34]-[36] Piano Sonata No.17 in D minor, op.31 no.2
CD 6 :
[1]-[7] 7 Bagatelles, op.33
[8]-[18] 11 Bagatelles, op.119
[19]-[24] 6 Bagatelles, op.126
[25]-[26] Piano Sonata No.32 in C minor, op.111

Distinctive readings of these noble works, readings touched with greatness.
Gramophone June 1975
Outstanding solo piano performances along with the 5 piano concertos, with Sir Colin Davis and the LSO
An outstanding interpreter of Beethoven's piano works
Released as a boxed-set for the first time

These recordings were made over a ten year period from 1968-1978 when Stephen Kovacevich (though he was called Stephen Bishop at that time) was signed to Philips. During that time he also made what are now regarded as classic recordings of the Grieg & Schumann Concertos, Bartók Concertos and a variety of other works. However it is Beethoven that has been central to Kovacevich's repertory and it remains so today. Kovacevich's Philips recordings of Beethoven have achieved classic status and are brought together as a box set for the first time.

"... the combination of Stephen Bishop and Colin Davis produces some of the most deeply satisfying concerto performances to be heard anywhere ... I cannot think of another current version that quite matches the formidable array of merits here [Piano Concerto No.3] ... when the cycle is complete, it will bid fair on present showing to stand as the first choice."
Gramophone January 1973

"... it is the very power of Bishop's playing -- his communication of a deep, searching concern -- which, in part at least, makes these performances so memorable [Piano Sonatas, opp.110 & 111]. The fine-grained sensibility which, down the years, has been the hallmark of Bishop's emergent genius, is now limked with a Schnabel-like rigour in the shape of each constituent rhythm and phrase ... this is a record I would strongly urge anyone to hear. Distinctive readings of these noble works, readings touched with greatness."
Gramophone June 1975

ARTISTS
Wiener Philharmoniker
LORIN MAAZEL

TRACKLISTING
CD 1
Part I
JOHANN STRAUSS
Indigo-Marsch, op. 349
Haute Volée, Polka op. 155 (High Society)

JOSEF STRAUSS
Lustschwärmer, Walzer op. 91 (Pleasure Seekers)
Winterlust, Polka schnell op. 121 (Winter Pleasure)
Die Emancipierte, Polka mazur op. 282

JOHANN STRAUSS
Tausend und eine Nacht, Walzer op. 346 (A Thousand and One Nights)
Die Bajadere, Polka schnell op.361 (The Bayadère)

CD 2
Part II
FRANZ VON SUPPÉ (1819-1895)
Ouvertüre zur Operette Die schöne Galathée (Beautiful Galatea)

JOHANN STRAUSS
Klipp-Klapp, Galopp op. 466 (Clip-Clop)
Nordseebilder, Walzer op.390 (Pictures of the North Sea)
Bauernpolka (Peasants' Polka)
Fata Morgana, Polka mazur op. 330
Vergnügungszug, Polka schnell op. 281 (Pleasure Train)

JOSEF HELLMESBERGER
Auf Wiener Art, Polka francaise o.op. (In the Viennese Manner)

JOHANN STRAUSS
Russische Marschphantasie, op. 383 (Russian March Fantasy)
Ein Herz, ein Sinn, Polka mazur, op. 323

JOHANN & JOSEPH STRAUSS
Pizzicato Polka

JOHANN STRAUSS
Geschichten aus dem Wiener Wald, op. 325 (Tales from the Vienna Woods

EDUARD STRAUSS (1835-1916)
Electrisch, Polka schnell o.op. · Electric

Encores

JOHANN STRAUSS
Auf der Jagd, Polka schnell op. 373 (At the Hunt)
An der schönen blauen Donau, Walzer op. 314 (The Blue Danube

JOHANN STRAUSS I (1804-1849)
Radetzky-Marsch, op. 228 · Radetzky March

TRACKLISTING
LORIN MAAZEL: Complete Early Berlin Philharmonic Recordings, 1957 - 1962

CD 1 Total Playing Time: [72:09]

BEETHOVEN
[01] - [04] Symphony No.5 in C minor, op.67
[05] - [09] Symphony No.6 in F major, op.68 "Pastoral"

CD 2 Total Playing Time: [68:20]

BRAHMS
[01] - [04] Symphony No. 3 in F major, op.90
[05] Tragic Overture op.81

BEETHOVEN
[06] Ouvertüre "Die Weihe des Hauses" op.124
[07] - [18] Zwölf Contretänze für Orchester WoO 14

CD 3 Total Playing Time: [77:07]

SCHUBERT
[01] - [04] Symphony No.2 in B flat major, D 125
[05] - [08] Symphony No.3 in D major, D 200
[09] -[12] Symphony No.4 in C minor, D 417 "Tragic"

CD 4 Total Playing Time: [72:10]

SCHUBERT
[01] - [04] Symphony No.5 in B flat major, D 485
[05] - [08] Symphony No.6 in C major, D 589
[09] - [10] Symphony No.8 in B minor, D 759 "Unfinished"

CD 5 Total Playing Time: [79:25]

MOZART
[01] - [03] Symphony No.1 in E flat major, KV 16
[04] - [07] Symphony No.28 in C major, KV 200
[08] - [11] Symphony No.41 in C major, KV 551 "Jupiter-Sinfonie"
Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française, Paris
MENDELSSOHN
[12] - [15] Symphony No.4 in A major, op.90

CD 6 Total Playing Time: [72:02]

MENDELSSOHN
[01] - [04] Symphony No.5 in D major, op.107
BERLIOZ
[05] - [08] Romeo & Juliet: Dramatic Symphony op.17 (excerpts)

CD 7 Total Playing Time: [77:37]

This portrait of the artist as a young man reveals the strikingly handsome Lorin Maazel in all the glory of his conducting prowess.

Here, for the first time on CD complete, is his DG début album, a double-LP set based on the Romeo and Juliet theme (Berlioz, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev); here are his overwhelming recordings of Beethoven, Brahms and Schubert symphonies, as well as Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky.

As a special treat, a previously unreleased recording of Mozart's symphonies nos. 1, 28 and 41 is also included - another "concept" album, with all three works featuring the theme from the "Jupiter" finale.

In addition there's an off-the-wall account of Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, with Maazel's own inimitable commentary.

www.deutschegrammophon.com/originalmasters

ARTISTS
Wiener Philharmoniker / Lorin Maazel (No. 3)
L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande / Ernest Ansermet (No. 4)

TRACKLISTING
Suite No. 3
Suite No. 4 'Mozartiana'

Tchaikovsky poured his emotions into his symphonies, particularly the last three, and posterity has rewarded him by making them inescapable parts of the standard orchestral repertoire. The orchestral suites, however, have not attained the popularity of the symphonies, perhaps because they trade tragedy for wistfulness and exaltation for charm. All four are the work of a mature composer who already had completed popular masterpieces such as his Fourth Symphony, his Violin Concerto, his First Piano Concerto and his opera Eugene Onegin. They are some of the most lush (No. 3) and charming (No. 4) pieces he wrote. Both have wonderful Theme and Variation finales, and while the Third has distinct echoes of the nostalgic music of Eugene Onegin, the fourth, subtitled 'Mozartiana' are orchestrations of four of Mozart's piano pieces. Everyone will recognize the Ave verum corpus, of course, which Tchaikovsky adapted from a piano arrangement of the piece by Liszt.

Lorin Maazel's recording of the Third Suite has been on the 'request for reissue' lists of many, and the most sensible coupling is, of course, the Mozartiana. The Third represents some of the finest playing from the Vienna Philharmonic and the recording is warm to boot.