Choral works from Mendelssohn and Monteverdi, baroque arias from soprano Regula Mühlemann and an exploration of Sibelius' piano music from Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes are amongst the titles featured this week.
Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 52 'Lobgesang'
Lucy Crowe (soprano), Jurgita Adamonyté (mezzo), Michael Spyres (tenor), London Symphony Orchestra, Monteverdi Choir, Sir John Eliot Gardiner
Bringing his acclaimed Mendelssohn cycle to a rousing conclusion, John Eliot Gardiner presents the symphony-cantata, 'Lobgesang'. Three world-class soloists join the LSO and the Monteverdi Choir. Twice the length of any of Mendelssohn's other symphonies, it stands amongst his most impressive works.
Available Formats: SACD + Blu-ray Audio, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Monteverdi: Vespro della beata Vergine (1610)
Dunedin Consort, His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts, John Butt
Monteverdi's masterpiece is expertly realised by John Butt and Dunedin Consort, together with the virtuoso players of His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts. In direct contrast to more lavish stagings, Butt's preference for single-part performance brings a welcome sense of intimacy to Monteverdi's most famous work.
Available Formats: 2 CDs, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Sibelius: Piano Works
Leif Ove Andsnes (piano)
Known primarily as a master of the symphonic form, Sibelius also wrote a substantial amount of piano music, most of which is rarely heard. Leif Ove Andsnes performs a selection of these hidden gems, including works such as the Sonatina No.1 op. 67, 5 Sketches op. 114, and an arrangement for solo piano of the Valse triste.
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res+ FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Purcell: Royal Welcome Songs for King James II
The Sixteen, Harry Christophers
This programme showcases the variety and diversity of Purcell's writing, including the dramatic energy of Sound the Trumpet and Ye tuneful Muses, the impassioned fervour of When on my sick bed I languish, and one of the great glories of music for strings, the Chacony in G minor.
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Cleopatra - Baroque Arias
Regula Mühlemann (soprano), La Folia Barokorchester, Robin Peter Müller
Swiss soprano Regula Mühlemann profiles the fascinating figure of Queen Cleopatra, who appears as a character in more than eighty operas of the 17th and 18th centuries. Mühlemann has selected some of the most beautiful and well-loved Cleopatra arias by composers such as Vivaldi, Handel, Hasse, Alessandro Scarlatti, and others.
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Debussy – Jeux
Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Lan Shui
Debussy conceived three works as ballets, which are gathered on this disc. As well as Jeux, Khamma tells the tale of an Egyptian dancer struck down by the sun-god Amun-Ra, while La Boîte à joujoux includes children’s songs and bugle calls as well as parodies of well-known operas and quotations from his own and other works.
Available Format: SACD
A set celebrating Leonard Bernstein’s upcoming 100th birthday, including concerts with the Wiener Philharmoniker and the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia as well as the prize-winning documentary Leonard Bernstein: Larger than Life. Includes performances of works by Sibelius, Beethoven, Haydn, Debussy and some of Bernstein’s own compositions.
Available Format: 6 DVD Videos
