ARTISTS
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano

TRACK LISTING
RACHMANINOV: Moments Musicaux op.16
No.1 Adantino in B flat minor
No.2 Allegretto in E flat minor
No 3 Andante cantabile in B minor
No 4 Presto in E minor
No 5 Adagio sostenuto in D flat major
No 6 Maestoso in C major
Morceaux de Fantasie op 3
No 1 Elegie
No 2 Prelude in C sharp minor
No 3 Melodie
No 4 Polichinelle
No 5 Serenade
Fragments (1917)
Prelude in D minor Op posth (1917)
Tout est si beau, Op 21, No 7 Transcription for piano - anon
Vocalise Op 34, No 14 Transcription - Kocsis

Vladimir Ashkenazy is without doubt the pianist of our time most associated with the music of Rachmaninov. His Decca discography, recorded over a 40 year period, includes many outstanding interpretations, but it is in Russian repertoire and with Rachmaninov in particular that he has been most highly acclaimed. Ashkenazy's recordings of the Rachmaninov Piano Concertos are among the best selling piano recordings of all time and are pillars of the Decca catalogue.

This outstanding pianist now turns his attention to the composer's early works that laid the foundation for his rhapsodic mature style. Ashkenazy brings decades of experience and artistry to this project and reveals the heart of the young composer in music that the booklet essay describes as 'subtly phrased liquid lyricism'.

It was in the Morceaux de fantasie Op.3 that Rachmaninov, aged just nineteen, began to establish his own musical personality. The Moments musicaux Op.16 were composed in 1896, while Rachmaninov was waiting for the first performance of his First Symphony, and the 6 pieces show him exploring bold new ways of pianistic expression. The disc also includes two piano versions of Rachmaninov songs that are both melodic gems - the Vocalise Op.34 (transcribed by Zoltan Kocsis) and Zdes' khorosho (It is lovely here).

In contrast, Fragments and the posthumously published D minor prelude are poignant and nostalgic works composed immediately after the October Revolution.

This is wonderful music realised by the composer's most eloquent advocate.

Please note - this title has been released locally as an SACD-H.

ARTISTS
Joshua Bell, violin
London Voices
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra /David Zinman

•  A collection of Samuel Barber's most popular works.
•  Includes two versions of Adagio for Strings

ARTISTS
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Riccardo Chailly

TRACKLISTING
Mahler Symphony 9

A magnificent climax to Chailly's almost complete Mahler cycle and to his work with Amsterdam's great orchestra.'

'Although the catalogue has superlative Mahler Ninths aplenty, Chailly's is an interpretation of astonishing maturity and individuality...

it is the great concluding adagio...that takes this performance into the pantheon of the greats.'

'Even if you have Karajan, Bernstein et al, you have to have this profoundly stirring and wonderfully played version'

ARTISTS
Vadim Repin · Ilya Gringolts, violins
Nobuko Imai, viola
Lynn Harrell, cello
Mikhail Pletnev, piano

TRACKLISTING
TANEYEV: Piano Quintet in G minor Op. 30
Piano Trio in D major Op. 22

'He was the key figure in Russian musical history, the greatest polyphonist after Bach. . . look who his pupils were: Rachmaninov, Scriabin and Prokofiev.'
Mikhail Pletnev to The Independent (UK) about Sergei Taneyev

This brand new recording features rarely-performed chamber music by the Russian composer Taneyev, who was a student of Tchaikovsky. Taneyev was a major influence upon the development of many of the greatest Russian composers of all time.

This CD includes two excellent performances by an all-star quintet, created by Mikhail Pletnev. Vadim Repin and Ilya Gringolts, two of the most exciting violinists of the younger generation from Russia are paired with Nobuko Imai (viola) and Lynn Harrell (cello), two distinguished established stars on their instruments - and the incomparable Mikhail Pletnev playing Taneyev's beautiful music completes the group.

The Quintet is a milestone composition from a neglected genius. Rounding off the program is Taneyev's remarkable Piano Trio.

Local release: August.

ARTISTS
Göteborgs Symfoniker / Peter Eötvös

TRACKLISTING
BERIO: Sinfonia · Ekphrasis

This recording in the 20/21 series matches the music of Luciano Berio, a highly acclaimed pioneer in the use of electronic and avantgarde techniques of composition, with Peter Eötvös, one of the best-known interpreters of 20th-century music. Sinfonia for 8 voices and orchestra and Ekphrasis for orchestra are the most popular of Berio's works. Sinfonia in particular is one of the musical icons of the 1960s: a multi-layered fusion of words and music, full of glistening sounds supporting a web of cultural allusions. Sinfonia was commissioned for the 125th anniversary of the New York Philharmonic, dedicated to and premiered by Leonard Bernstein.

ARTISTS
Leontyne Price, soprano
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Zubin Mehta

TRACKLISTING
VERDI: Ritorna vincitor! (Aida)
Qui Radamès verra! ... O patria mia (Aida)
Ecco l'orrido campo ... Ma dall'arido stelo divulsa (Un ballo in maschera)
Morrò, ma prima in grazia(Un ballo in maschera)
Mi parea ... 'Piangea cantando' ... Ave Maria (Otello)
Surta è la notte ... Ernani! Ernani involami ... Tutto sprezzo che d'Ernani (Ernani)

This is the fourth group of CLASSIC RECITALS

Leontyne Price was born in Laurel, Mississippi, on 10 February 1927 and studied at the Juilliard School as a result of winning a scholarship there in 1949. Her early career was dominated by her portrayal of Bess in Porgy and Bess in a Broadway production which toured for two years. 1955 saw a television appearance as Tosca which brought her before an even wider public and which she later recorded for Decca with von Karajan in 1962 (466 384-2). Other important roles in her early career included Madame Lidoine ( Dialogues des Carmélites ) and Aida. Another recording which achieved legendary status was her portrayal of Aida with Sir Georg Solti conducting (460 765-2). 1958 saw Price's debuts at the Verona Arena, Vienna and Covent Garden and two years later (in 1960) her La Scala debut. It was as Leonora ( Il trovatore ) that Leontyne Price made her Met debut in January 1961 and it was with this role that she appeared in Salzburg -- again with von Karajan -- in a series of performances with Franco Corelli and Ettore Bastianini that are part of operatic legend.

Throughout her distinguished career Leontyne Price performed a wide variety of roles both old and new but it is for her Verdi interpretations that she is best-remembered and this Verdi recital, recorded in July 1980, is a reminder of her wonderful vocal talents and insights into a selection of key Verdi roles.

Local release: August

ARTISTS
Mirella Freni · Renata Scotto* sopranos
Janice Alfordº Mezzo-soprano
National Philharmonic Orchestra
Leone Magiera
Lorenzo Anselmiª

TRACKLISTING
MERCADANTE: Leggio già nel vostro cor (Le due illustri rival)
BELLINI: Ove son? che m'avvenne? ... Sorgi, o padre (Bianca e Fernando)
MOZART: Cosa mi narri? ... Sull'aria (Le nozze di Figaro)
BELLINI:   Dormono entrambi ... Mira, o Norma ... Sì, fino all'oreª (Norma)

On 27 February 2005 Mirella Freni celebrated her 70th birthday and 2005 also marks 50 years since her debut at Modena as Michaëla ( Carmen ). A much-loved and popular artist, Freni has recorded a substantial discography. In addition to the various complete operas she has recorded for Decca and other companies she is heard here in a recital of operatic duets with Renata Scotto which was made in July 1978.

Renata Scotto, born at Savona on 24 February 1934, sang some similar repertory to Mirella Freni in the earlier part of her career but in the early 1970s began to take on heavier roles such as Norma. She can be heard here with Mirella Freni in the great Act 2 duet. Also included here is another Bellini piece -- and something of a rarity -- a duet from Bianca e Fernando .

A Mozart duet from Le nozze di Figaro and another substantial rarity -- from Mercadante's Le due illustri rivali -- opens this feast of duets for female voices on top form.

Local release: August

ARTISTS
Huguette Tourangeau, mezzo-soprano
L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
Richard Bonynge

TRACKLISTING
BALFE: Sventurata Ildegonda ... Chiuso nell'armi e splendido (Ildegonda nel Carcere)
BIZET: Nour-Eddin, roi de Lahore (Djamileh)
DONIZETTI: Al mio core oggetti amati (L'assedio di Calais)
AUBER: Ah pour un jeune coeur ... O tourment du veuvage (Le cheval de bronze)
MASSENET: C'est sa tête que je réclame (Hérodiade)
VERDI: Ah! sgombro è il loco alfin! ... Sotto il paterno tetto (Oberto)
VACCAI: E questo il loco ... Ah! se tu dormi (Giulietta e Romeo)
MAILLART:   Il m'aime, il m'aime, espoir charmont (Les Dragons de Villars)

French-Canadian Huguette Tourangeau was born in 1938 and made her debut at the Stratford Festival in Ontario in 1964 when she sang Cherubino ( Le nozze di Figaro ). It was while a member of the Metropolitan Opera touring company that she first came to the attention of Richard Bonynge. Working together they established a great rapport and appeared together in many performances and recordings. Tourangeau's Decca discography includes her participation in complete recordings of Lucia di Lammermoor, Maria Stuarda, Esclarmonde, Les Huguenots, Les Contes d'Hoffmann , and Rigoletto -- all with Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge. A recital of Massenet songs -- also with Richard Bonynge -- recorded in 1975 was an important release in bringing largely forgotten songs by this composer to a wider public. This album of 'Arias from forgotten operas' was recorded in 1970 and is now made available as an international CD release for the first time.

Local release: August

ARTISTS
Giuseppe di Stefano tenor
Orchestra conducted by Dino Olivi

TRACKLISTING
TRADITIONAL: A la barcillunisa · Nota di li lavannari · A la vallelunghisa · Muttetti di lu paliu · Chiovu 'Abballati' · Cantu a Timuni
CESARINI: Firenze Sogna
CURTIS: 'A canzone 'e Napule
LAZZARO: Chitarra Romana
BIXIO: Parlami d'amore, Mariù
BARBERIS: Munasterio 'e Santa-Chiara
CURTIS: Ti voglio tanto bene Ernesto de Curtis
Tracks 1-6 arr. Alberto Favara Mistretta

The Italian tenor Giuseppe di Stefano was born near Catania on 24 July 1921. He first sang at La Scala in 1947 and the New York Met in 1948 when he sang the Duke ( Rigoletto ). He appeared regularly at the Met for nearly twenty years - his last appearances there were in 1965. In the earlier part of his career he focused on lighter roles for which he was highly praised for the warm and rounded tone that he produced. His most famous musical partner was, of course, Maria Callas and with her he appeared in many performances and recordings. Di Stefano made his British debut in 1957 at the Edinburgh Festival

A CLASSIC RECITAL has already been devoted to Di Stefano and in that programme he sings popular Italian arias from a variety of operas with which he was associated (475 6236). This additional Di Stefano release shows a lighter side to his repertory with a programme of popular Italian songs recorded in 1958. This release appears on CD for the first time as the original LP album.

Local release: August

ARTISTS
Tom Krause, baritone
Wiener Opernorchester
Argeo Quadri

TRACKLISTING
MOZART: Fin ch'han dal vino (Don Giovanni)
MOZART: Deh! Vieni alla finestra (Don Giovanni)
ROSSINI: Sois immobile (Guillaume Tell)
LEONCAVALLO: Scuoti, o vento (La Bohème)
GIORDANO: Nemico della Patria! (Andrea Chénier)
IGOR: Ni sna, ni otdikha izmuchennoi dushe (Prince Igor)
WAGNER: O du, mein holder Abendstern (Tannhäuser)
WAGNER: Die Frist ist um (Der fliegende Holländer)

The Finnish baritone Tom Krause was born in Helsinki on 5 July 1934 and first studied medicine in his home town. As his interest in singing developed he went to study at the Vienna Academy in 1956 and his debut in Berlin followed in 1958. Throughout his career Krause has explored a wide repertory both operatic and choral and this is clearly demonstrated in the breadth of recordings Tom Krause has made for Decca -- from his participation in the Bach Passions with Münchinger and Solti to Haydn Masses and operatic roles in Beethoven, Bizet, Donizetti, Mozart, Richard Strauss and Verdi. This recital programme showcases Krause in a selection of roles which amply demonstrate his superb voice in a variety of musical styles. This is also the first international CD release of the original LP programme.

Local release: August

ARTISTS
Cesare Siepi, bass
Orchestra dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Roma
Alberto Erede

TRACKLISTING
VERDI: Ella giammai m'amò (Don Carlos)
VERDI: Vieni, o Levita! ... Tu sul labbro dei veggenti (Nabucco)
VERDI: Che mai vegg'io ... Infelice! e tu credevi (Ernani)
GOMES: Di sposo, di padre le gioie serene (Salvator Rosa)
VERDI: Il lacerato spirito (Simon Boccanegra)
MEYERBEER: Seigneur, rampart et seul soutien ... Piff, paff, piff (Les Huguenots)
MEYERBEER: Nonnes, qui reposez (Robert le diable)
HALÉVY: Si la rigeur (La juive)

The legendary Italian bass Cesare Siepi was one of the great Don Giovannis and at the height of his career -- during the 1950s and 1960s -- this particular role was very much his 'calling card'. In Decca's 1955 recording of the complete opera under Josef Krips he sang the title-role and this set has remained one of the classics of the gramophone. The year before the complete Don Giovanni Siepi recorded the present album of arias in which several of his other important roles are essayed. Filippo II in Don Carlos , Zaccaria in Nabucco , and Fiesco in Simon Boccanegra are just three of the roles in which he can be heard in this programme and for which he was acclaimed throughout the operatic world.

ARTISTS
Eastman Wind Ensemble
Eastman-Rochester 'Pops' Orchestra*
London 'Pops' Orchestra**
Frederick Fennell

TRACKLISTING
CD 1: Hands Across the Sea - Marches from Around the World by Sousa · Ganne · Miguel · Tieke · Prokofiev · Hanssen · Cese · Coates · Meacham · Goldman · McCoy · Alford · Klohr
CD 2: GRAINGER*: Country Gardens · Shepherd's Hey · Colonial Song · Children's March · The Immovable Do · Mock Morris · Handel in the Strand · Irish Tune from County Derry · Spoon River · My Robin is to the Greenwood Gone · Molly on the Shore ·
COATES**: The Three Elizabeths - Suite
CD 3: COATES: London Suite* · Four Ways Suite - excerpts*
ANDERSON: Pirate Dance** (Goldilocks) · Suite of Carols** - excerpts · A Christmas Festival** · Sandpaper Ballet* · Forgotten Dreams* · Trumpeter's Lullaby* · Penny-Whistle Song* · Bugler's Holiday* · Irish Suite*
CD 4: JACOB: Suite 'William Byrd'
WALTON: Crown Imperial
HOLST: Hammersmith - Prelude & Scherzo, Op.52
BENNETT: Symphonic Songs for Brass
WILLIAMS: Fanfare and Allegro

The Mercury Living Presence recordings have acquired legendary status and have been much sought-after by audiophiles and 'ordinary' listeners alike for their outstanding sound quality and roster of famous artists in both core repertory and less well-known music. As well as a wide variety of Central European music, Mercury Living Presence achieved distinction for the wealth of American music that appeared on the label.

This set presents Frederick Fennell in a programme featuring the celebrated Eastman Wind Ensemble and the Eastman-Rochester 'Pops' Orchestra. Fennell was one of the most famous conductors of wind bands and had studied at the Eastman school of music, where he joined the school's conducting faculty in 1939. He founded the Eastman Wind Ensemble in 1953 and that same year the ensemble made its first recording for Mercury -- the first in a series of albums that would number more than 20 in the following years and which would range in repertory and scope from Monteverdi and Mozart to Hindemith and Stravinsky as well as lighter fare by such masters as Leroy Anderson and Eric Coates. Fennell ended his links with the Ensemble in 1961 when he became associate conductor of the Minneapolis Symphony; this was not a great success and Fennell went back to the academic world and the University of Miami. He continued his conducting activities and remained active in this and teaching until his death in December 2004.

Local release: August