Bbc Music From June 2015

The 1995 release spawned six singles including Love Is All Around which spent a staggering 15 consecutive weeks at number one in the UK chart, thanks in no small part to the song being featured in the 1994 film Four Weddings and a Funeral.The Super Deluxe Edition will comprise of three CDs and a DVD. The set will feature the original album remastered and two bonus CDs with the first featuring “B-sides, rarities and demos” and the second containing live tracks (largely BBC-related).

Released to celebrate his 75th Birthday, this 25CD Limited Edition encompasses the complete recorded legacy of Stephen Kovacevich for the Philips label. It includes his acclaimed interpretations of works by Beethoven, Bartók, Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Dvorák, Grieg, Mozart, Schumann and Stravinsky.

Thomas Søndergård's hybrid SACD of Jean Sibelius' Symphony No. 2 in D major and his Symphony No. 7 in C major is an audiophile showcase that presents two contrasting sides of the composer with optimal clarity. The comparatively lush orchestration of the Symphony No. 2 probably has never sounded better in any recorded format, and the multichannel reproduction of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales brings out its vibrant bass, velvety strings, and sumptuous winds in a resonant acoustic, all of which are essential ingredients in the young Sibelius' post-Romantic sound. Yet the Symphony No. 7 presents the sparer counterpoint and leaner textures of Sibelius' mature phase, so the recording brings out the transparency of the timbres, and the clean separation of parts gives an added spatial dimension. Søndergård's interpretations of both works are wholly sympathetic and masterful, and the orchestra plays with the commitment and vitality that make these symphonies compelling. One hopes this is the first installment of a Sibelius cycle, which would be a great addition to Linn's catalog. Highly recommended.

Prog rock pioneer Steve Hackett is releasing "Premonitions - The Charisma Recordings 1975-1983", a comprehensive reissue project that includes his first 6 albums, together with a wealth of previously unavailable recordings as well as remixes by Steven Wilson. ‘Premonitions’ comes in a super deluxe box set featuring a total of 135 songs on 10 CDs and 4 DVDs, plus an extensive booklet. Also included in this version are 67 previously unreleased recordings between old and new tracks, live and remixes.