Kathleen Battle Edition
Kathleen Battle (soprano), Jessye Norman (soprano), Plácido Domingo, James Levine
Released in advance of the American soprano's 75th birthday next month, this collection brings together her complete recital recordings for Deutsche Grammophon plus several albums which she made for Angel (the US branch of EMI). Highlights include her celebrated album of spirituals with Jessye Norman, a 1988 Tokyo concert with Plácido Domingo, French opera arias with Myung-Whun Chung, and Honey & Rue with André Previn.
Available Format: 15 CDs
Christie was a leading light in the revival of Charpentier's music, and this collection features the landmark recordings of six major works which he made during the 1980s - as well as the two operas named in the title, the set includes the miniature 'tragédie en musique' Actéon, Caecilia: virgo et martyr, Filius prodigus, and Le Reniement de Saint Pierre. Singers include Lorraine Hunt, Mark Padmore (Médée) and Gérard Lesne, Monique Zanetti & Véronique Gens (David & Jonathas).
Available Format: 8 CDs
Recorded between 1994 and 2000, these accounts were originally issued as part of Rilling's 172-disc Complete Bach Project (which in turned followed his series of the complete sacred cantatas to mark the Bach tercentennial in 1985 - the first such undertaking by a single conductor). Soloists include Marlis Petersen, Christine Schäfer, Matthias Goerne, Michael Volle, and Thomas Quasthoff.
Available Format: 8 CDs
Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 0-7 (Vinyl)
Michael Korstick (piano), ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Constantin Trinks
As well as the five canonical concertos, this collection includes the composer's own arrangement of his Violin Concerto, the Piano Concerto in E flat major WoO 4, the unfinished Concerto in D Hess 15, and the Rondo in B flat WoO 6. Released on CD last July, the set was nominated for an International Classical Music Award and was 'very strongly recommended' by Fanfare, who noted that 'Korstick is an artist who knows, reveres, and respects Beethoven, and those qualities shine through in every note of every one of these works he plays'.
Available Format: 7 Vinyl Records
