DG The Original

Great sound from DG + great playing from the Vienna Philharmonic under Claudio Abbado in these 1980s recordings. Abbado goes for leaner textures and faster tempos in some Allegros than Karajan/Berlin (DG) considered the benchmark standard by many listeners.

Rachmaninov allegedly considered The Bells to be his best work, and it is not difficult to hear why. Written in 1913, it has a freshness of invention that is irresistible. Perhaps the text (an adaptation of an Edgar Allan Poe poem) struck a chord with this composer's sensibilities: different bells symbolize different facets of existence. The piece deserves more frequent airing, and it is to be hoped that Mikhail Pletnev and his Russian forces help raise awareness of it. The soloists are superb (Mescheriakova is particularly impressive), but the real star is the Moscow State Chamber Choir. This is a worthy companion to Pletnev's accounts of Rachmaninov orchestral works.

Many seem compelled to call The Antichrist the 'comeback' album for Destruction, but this not chronologically nor logically the case. The sound here is one lifted straight from its predecessor, All Hell Breaks Loose, but pummeled into perfection…

The Legendary Amadeus Quartet - Recordings 1951-1957: Haydn, Schubert, Brahms (2009) [7CD Box Set] {Brilliant Classics}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 1.84 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 1.15 Gb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 141 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2009 Deutsche Grammophon / Brilliant Classics | 93807
Classical / Romantic / Chamber Music / String Quartet

Formed by three Austrian immigrants and one youthful Londoner, the Amadeus Quartet came to prominence in postwar England. It excelled in the Classical repertoire, and its recordings in the 1950s were important contributions to the growing body of chamber music on the newly introduced LP. The process of recording on tape was a major improvement over the start-and-stop 78 rpm methods, and these clean and skillfully edited masters hold up quite well in the digital transfer. This seven-disc set follows Deutsche Grammophon's 2003 reissue of the quartet's early Mozart recordings, and covers works by Haydn, Schubert, Mendelssohn, and Brahms, thus giving a fuller representation of the group's prodigious output for Westminster and DG.

Argerich, Kremer, Maisky - The Complete Duo Recordings (2012) {13CD BoxSet Deutsche Grammophon 477 9524}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 3.25 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 1.97 Gb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 153 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2012 Deutsche Grammophon / Universal | 477 9524
Classical / Chamber Music / Piano / Violin / Cello

Martha Argerich's associations with violinist Gidon Kremer and cellist Mischa Maisky are surely among the pianist’s most substantial and musically rewarding collaborations. The present collection includes all of the Argerich/Kremer and Argerich/Maisky duo recordings for Deutsche Grammophon as originally released and in chronological order. Although Argerich has participated in numerous musical partnerships, not to mention her longtime mentoring of young artists, her associations with violinist Gidon Kremer and cellist Mischa Maisky are surely among the pianist's most substantial and musically rewarding collaborations. The present collection includes all of the Argerich/Kremer and Argerich/Maisky duo recordings for Deutsche Grammophon as originally released and in chronological order, allowing listeners the opportunity to trace each duo's evolution in terms of artistic rapport, sensitivity, risk-taking and the fine tuning of nuance.

The Grosses Festpielhaus in Salzburg has been the scene of countless memorable musical events - operas, concerts and recitals - for 50 years. Here is a unique chance to celebrate the glories of this distinguished era. In an exceptional collaboration with the Salzburg Festival, we have prepared a 25-CD box set - 5 complete operas, 10 concerts and 2 recitals - featuring many of the world's greatest artists, in recordings with classical status and others that are appearing on CD for the first time.