ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER / JoHN WILLIAMS: VIOLIN CONCERTO NO. 2 & SELECTED FILM Anne-Sophie Mutter/John Williams/Boston Symphony Orchestra -"Williams: Violin Concerto No. 2 & Selected Film Themes" - Celebrated violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter introduces a new concerto by her friend and frequent collaborator John Williams, with the legendary composer himself conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Composed especially for Anne-Sophie Mutter, John Williams's Violin Concerto No. 2 is the culmination of several years of collaboration and friendship between two of the world's most celebrated musical artists.

Director Sven-Eric Bechtolf pulls off a brilliant coup with the high aesthetics of this intrigue, a masterful parody of the "everything is possible" of our time - flanked by an ensemble of exquisite vocal talents.

Paavo Berglund, born in Helsinki in 1929, was, until his death in 2012, the greatest of all the contemporary interpreters of Sibelius's music. His idiomatic and convincing recordings have done much to fire the revival of interest in the composer, with vivid performances that capture it's unique qualities of grandeur and instrumental colour. Furthermore, Berglund, who deplored some of the textural changes which had evolved over the years, made every effort to ensure that the editions of the scores used were correct. The Chamber Orchestra of Europe (COE) had for many years a special rapport with the conductor and it was the orchestra who suggested that they perform and record all the Sibelius Symphonies with him. This took place at the Edinburgh International Festival followed by studio recordings for Finlandia and finally, at the Helsinki Festival in August 1998.

John Williams wrote this suite for concert performance, and then worked with the National Philharmonic Orchestra to bring that experience to vinyl record. This fantastic long out of print album comes in a gatefold jacket with the original iconic Star Wars paintings by William Stout, images of John Williams, and notes from author Ray Bradbury, composer and critic, Christopher Palmer, and from the maestro himself. Out of print since original pressing in 1980.

2021 release. Does any other composer of the 20th century offer such varied riches? If The 'Firebird', glowing with the iridescence of his teacher Rimsky-Korsakov, brought him his international breakthrough in 1910, The 'Rite of Spring' sealed his fame and set him on the long path towards the terse archaism of 'Ago'n in 1957. Chameleon-like and with tireless creativity, Stravinsky kept pace with the aesthetic evolutions, convolutions and dislocations of his times. In his evocation of the Russia of history and prehistory, in the insolently virtuosic elegance of his pastiches, in his adaptations of Classical myths, in his rediscovery of his faith, and in his late conversion to serialism, he transformed every challenge into an opportunity.

The second in Philip Glass' trilogy about men who changed the world, Satyagraha's sub-text is politics. The opera is semi-narrative in form and deals with Mahatma Gandhi's early years in South Africa and his development of nonviolent protest into a political tool (Satyagraha is a Sanskrit word meaning 'truth force'). The first two acts each contain three scenes; the last is one continuous scene. Each act is dominated by a single historic figure (non-singing role) overlooking the action from above: the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore in Act I, the Russian author Leo Tolstoy in act II, the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., in Act III. In the scope of a traditional orchestra, Glass used a large string section for the first time in Satyagraha. His typically repetitive musical structures impart the music with a unique, definitely non-illustrative dimension and mirror the rhythm and melody of Hindu prayers.This deluxe Satyagraha lift-off box set contains a wonderful 24-page booklet.

Vinyl LP pressing. This LP includes three of Maurice Ravel's masterpieces, the Boléro, La Valse and the Rapsodie espagnole The recordings where painstakingly remastered in 24-bit/96kHz sound from original tapes for the Cluytens Edition made in 2017.

Beethoven is regarded by many to be the greatest composer who ever lived, and this collection presents 30 essential recordings of his most well-known works. From the beautiful moods of lamentation in the 'Moonlight' Sonata to the amorous sophistication of FĂĽr Elise, and from the heroism of Fidelio to the mighty finale of the 'Choral' Symphony, every significant facet of Beethoven's monumental achievement is represented in this collection of exemplary performances from the Naxos catalogue. 2020 is the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth, and the catalogues are already filling up with new releases to mark this significant event. What better then, to have a comprehensive audio guide to the best of his orchestral, chamber, vocal and piano music, providing an entertaining collection for both pleasure and discovery and a springboard into an entire world of great music that recently found it's summit in our 90-album boxed set of Beethoven's complete works.

Swan Lake is the first of the three great ballets that Tchaikovsky wrote, and arguably the most famous. The piece is mainly known in the shape it obtained in 1895, when it became a classic in the choreography of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. That "imperial" version strayed from Tchaikovsky's world premiere score, with several cuts, abridgments and displacements. This high definition recording presents the work as it was heard during the 1877 world premiere performance, highlighting the extraordinary symphonic qualities of Tchaikovksy's original conception. Swan Lake is performed by the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia "Evgeny Svetlanov" led by it's Artistic Director Vladimir Jurowski. Jurowski has recorded extensively for Pentatone and has received enthusiastic critical acclaim. In July 2017, he signed a long-term, multi-album agreement with Pentatone including a new complete cycle of the symphonies of Sergei Prokofiev with the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia "Evgeny Svetlanov". Other releases by Jurowski for Pentatone include violin concertos by Britten and Hindemith with Arabella Steinbacher, and tone poems by Mahler and Strauss, performed with the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin where he is Chief Conductor and Artistic Director.

The essential meaning of Wagner's magnum opus 'Der Ring des Nibelungen' is wrapped up in the composer's own lifetime pursuit of transcendent romance, with the redemption of eternal love one of the primary tenets of this and his other music dramas. Wagner's gift for orchestral color and scenic characterization make his operas highly suited to the genre of the tone poem, and these seven tableaus evoke major scenarios in the saga, as well as providing a sense of the course and spirit of the greatest operatic drama ever written. JoAnn Falletta serves as music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic and Virginia Symphony, and is the principal guest conductor of the Brevard Music Center of North Carolina. She has guest conducted over a hundred orchestras in North America, and many of the most prominent orchestras in Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa.

Released in honor of Yo-Yo Ma's 60th birthday on October 7, the set features great works from the classical cello repertoire with compositions by 23 classical composers. The 14 classic albums in this 15-CD originals jackets collection have been selected by Yo-Yo Ma from his vast discography of more than 80 original albums, recorded between 1979 and 2015. Included are 5 Grammy award winning recordings as well as his legendary bestsellers Bach Cello Suites Inspired by Bach and Simply Baroque.

This new, extended, improved and upgraded Vivaldi Brilliant Classics Edition is a veritable feast of historically informed performances by leading ensembles and soloists - mostly Italian forces - the best of today's Vivaldi playing! + These 66 CDs are filled with performances brimming with vitality, passion, instrumental brilliance and Italian sunshine. + The complete opus numbers 1-12 were newly recorded by L'Arte del'Arco, led by the eminent Federico Guglielmo (with numerous record awards to his name), a new recording of the complete Oboe Concertos, Juditha triumphans by Modo Antiquo/Sardelli, the famous Gloria by the Virtuosi Saxoniae, and new recordings by Early Music specialists Stefano Bagliano, Paolo Pollastri and Lorenzo Cavasanti.

To mark the 200th anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi's birth, the TEATRO REGIO DI PARMA, UNITEL CLASSICA and C MAJOR ENTERTAINMENT have joined forces to realize a truly unique and monumental project - TUTTO VERDI. For the first time ever, Verdi's complete operatic output is now available in High Definition and Surround Sound on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. The Tutto Verdi Premium Box, available on either DVD or Blu-ray Disc, includes new productions of all 26 of Verdi's operas plus his Requiem, as well as the documentary "Verdi's Backyard," with each production including a 10 minute introduction explaining the story, characters and history of the opera. The Tutto Verdi Premium collection is lavishly presented in a LP-size box, with a linen-bound 124 page book that includes 40 full-color photos and texts by renowned writers Philip Gossett and Roger Parker. The productions, newly recorded for the Tutto Verdi project, feature the world's best Verdi singers including Daniela Dess8, Marcelo lvarez, Leo Nucci, Nino Machaidze, Fiorenza Cedolins & Norma Fantini, to name a few; conductors Daniele Callegari, Yuri Temirkanov, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Nicola Luisotti and more; in productions staged by Pier Luigi Pizzi, Denis Krief, Daniele Abbado and Pier'Alli. The operas Un giorno di regno and Alzira see their first ever productions available on DVD, and many will be appearing for the first time ever on Blu-ray: Luisa Miller, Il corsaro, Giovanna d'Arco, I Lombardi, Nabucco, I due Foscari, Un giorno di regno, I Vespri Sicilian, La battaglia di Legnano, Stiffelio, Alzira, I masnadieri, Don Carlo and Ernani.

Great Classical Masterpieces from Bestselling Recordings 1987-2012. All of these bestselling titles come from the first 10 years of the label and feature our most successful artists. Some are still recording for us, including violinist Takako Nishizaki, the co-owner of the Naxos label; Jeno JandĂł, who is busy recording BartĂłk's piano music; Jeremy Summerly and his Oxford Camerata; and Antoni Wit whose new recordings with the Warsaw Philharmonic are among the fi nest in our catalogue. Norbert Kraft is still active as producer of the Naxos guitar series and much of our chamber music. Although he no longer records for Naxos, Stephen Gunzenhauser is still active as a conductor. Sadly, Zdenek Kosler to whom we owe many great recordings with the Slovak Philharmonic passed away a few years ago. Others have retired or disappeared altogether from the musical scene. Therefore, in a way, this compilation is a tribute to all the artists who made the success of Naxos possible in the early days of the label. - Klaus Heymann [Founder of Naxos]

Claudio Abbado conducts the Lucerne Festival Orchestra. The DVD includes the option to switch to the "conductor cam" and experience Abbado from the orchestra's perspective.

Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna star in this 2008 Metropolitan Opera production of the Puccini opera conducted by Marco Armilliato.

Claudio Abbado conducts the Berlin Philharmonic with violinist Gil Shaham in works by Beethoven, Brahms, Dvorak, and Verdi. Also included is a bonus film: A Portrait of Palermo.

Reissued specially in the run-up to Mahler year 2010, this legendary, not to say cult recording - of the single occasion when Leonard Bernstein conducted (or was permitted to conduct) Herbert von Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra - is now available on only 1 CD instead of 2 CD set that has been a steady seller for almost 20 years.

The movements and melodies of many composers get forgotten more and more every year or become the province of aficionados only. Not so for Giacomo Puccini, the great Italian opera composer whose sumptuous strains have penetrated popular culture around the globe. Here are (from La Boh+Âżme) Questo Mar Rosso; Arranci, Datteri!; Quando M'en Vo; Mimi! Rodolfo M'ama E Mi Fugge; Sono Andati ; (from Madama Butterfly) Dovunque Al Mondo; Viene La Sera; Intermezzo ; (from Tosca) Mia Gelosa!; Vissi D'arte, Vissi D'amore ; (from Turandot) Gira La Cote!; Signore, Ascolta; Nessun Dorma! ; (from Manon Lescaut) Ave, Sera Gentile; Rosetta!, and more!

Anne-Sophie Mutter performs on violin with Seiji Ozawa conducting the Berlin Philharmonic, in works by Beethoven, Bach, and Tchaikovsky.

Two CD collection featuring the finest voices in Opera performing the most beautiful arias by the classic composers. An aria is a self-contained piece for vocals with orchestral accompaniment and this collection gathers together arias that will touch your heart and relax your soul as you are lifted by their beautiful melodies. 40 tracks including solos from Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jennifer Lamore, William Christie, Marcello Viotti and many others. WEA. 2008.

This Symphony's inspiration came from a book Gorecki found during the Nazi occupation of Poland that showed examples of the different messages scratched on the walls of a Gestapo prison. One message was written by a young girl that said, "Mama, don't cry." This was a very simple, but heartfelt cry that scorched his soul.

Presenting two new additions to the 100 best series - the world's most respected classical label performances by great artists and orchestra's. The 100 best series sets new sales records, with international sales now in excess of 3 million across the 1st 5 titles.

The still-dazzling piano pyrotechnics, the lush tone poems 2 CDs of the greatest works of Franz Liszt! Includes Hungarian Rhapsodies No. 2; Nocturne in a Flat Major from Liebestreume; Mephisto Waltz No. 1; Piano Concerto No. 2 in a Major; Prometheus; Rapsodie Espagnole; Final Chorus from a Faust Symphony; Die Forelle, and more!

This new CD CLASSICAL MUSIC 101 is the ultimate classical theme finder featuring excerpts from the greatest and most recognizable themes in classical music.