Ein Heldenleben

Rudolf Kempe’s recordings of Richard Strauss have long been prized for their unparalleled clarity and subtlety in music that has come to define the late-Romantic temperament and its expression of highly strung emotions, whether in a state of Nietzschean exaltation, on the summits of Also sprach Zarathustra and the Alpine Symphony, or in the post-war despair of Metamorphosen. Even in his lighter moods, such as the early and carefree Aus Italien and the late concertos for wind instruments, Strauss loves the complex textures that Kempe and the Staatskapelle Dresden clarify with the utmost skill and sympathy. A classic set, remastered from the original East German master tapes.

The Orchestre symphonique de Montreal and its Music Director Rafael Payare celebrate Arnold Schoenberg's 150th birthday with a recording of two of his late-Romantic masterworks: Verklarte Nacht and Pelleas und Melisande. Both pieces are based on stories evolving around love, jealousy, acceptance and forgiveness, and showcase Schoenberg's expressive harmonic language and scintillating, multifarious orchestration. The album booklet features unique photography and paintings by Arnold Schoenberg, sketching a vivid picture of this extraordinarily versatile artist. After their acclaimed PENTATONE recordings of Mahler's Fifth Symphony (2023), as well as his Ruckert-Lieder and Strauss's Ein Heldenleben (2024), Payare and the orchestra further explore this late-Romantic repertoire that fits them like a glove.

Bernard Johann Herman Haitink built a reputation as one of the finest conductors of the 20th Century with a wide repertory and meticulous yet warm and exciting performances. He studied violin at Amsterdam Conservatory, and began his musical career as a violinist in the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic. He took conducting studies with Felix Hupka when he was at conservatory and then two Netherlands Radio Union conducting courses with Ferdinand Leitner. He was named second conductor with the Radio Union, leading four different orchestras or ensembles. He was promoted to principal conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic itself, at the age of 27. After his good showing when called as a last-minute replacement at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw in Cherubini's Requiem in 1956, the Concertgebouw Orchestra frequently engaged him as a guest conductor. After Eduard van Beinum died, two conductors were named principal conductor of the Concertgebouw: Haitink (at thirty-two the youngest principal conductor ever) and the veteran Eugen Jochum. Two years later, Jochum left, leaving Haitink in sole charge. He became the principal conductor and then artistic director of the LPO, retaining that position until 1979. He recorded frequently with both orchestras, taking care not to favor one over the other out of concern for the musicians' feelings. An example of this occurred when he was planning a recording of Strauss's Ein Heldenleben, which has one of the most prominent of solo violin parts for a concertmaster.

The Orchestre symphonique de Montreal and its Music Director Rafael Payare celebrate Arnold Schoenberg's 150th birthday with a recording of two of his late-Romantic masterworks: Verklarte Nacht and Pelleas und Melisande. Both pieces are based on stories evolving around love, jealousy, acceptance and forgiveness, and showcase Schoenberg's expressive harmonic language and scintillating, multifarious orchestration. The album booklet features unique photography and paintings by Arnold Schoenberg, sketching a vivid picture of this extraordinarily versatile artist. After their acclaimed PENTATONE recordings of Mahler's Fifth Symphony (2023), as well as his Ruckert-Lieder and Strauss's Ein Heldenleben (2024), Payare and the orchestra further explore this late-Romantic repertoire that fits them like a glove.

The Orchestre symphonique de Montreal and its Music Director Rafael Payare celebrate Arnold Schoenberg's 150th birthday with a recording of two of his late-Romantic masterworks: Verklarte Nacht and Pelleas und Melisande. Both pieces are based on stories evolving around love, jealousy, acceptance and forgiveness, and showcase Schoenberg's expressive harmonic language and scintillating, multifarious orchestration. The album booklet features unique photography and paintings by Arnold Schoenberg, sketching a vivid picture of this extraordinarily versatile artist. After their acclaimed PENTATONE recordings of Mahler's Fifth Symphony (2023), as well as his Ruckert-Lieder and Strauss's Ein Heldenleben (2024), Payare and the orchestra further explore this late-Romantic repertoire that fits them like a glove.

The Orchestre symphonique de Montreal and its Music Director Rafael Payare celebrate Arnold Schoenberg's 150th birthday with a recording of two of his late-Romantic masterworks: Verklarte Nacht and Pelleas und Melisande. Both pieces are based on stories evolving around love, jealousy, acceptance and forgiveness, and showcase Schoenberg's expressive harmonic language and scintillating, multifarious orchestration. The album booklet features unique photography and paintings by Arnold Schoenberg, sketching a vivid picture of this extraordinarily versatile artist. After their acclaimed PENTATONE recordings of Mahler's Fifth Symphony (2023), as well as his Ruckert-Lieder and Strauss's Ein Heldenleben (2024), Payare and the orchestra further explore this late-Romantic repertoire that fits them like a glove.

This box can be considered as the ultimate chapter about Herbert von Karajan and was released in occasion of the Maestro's 100th birthday. Karajan left a huge number of recordings and most of them were for Deutsche Grammophon. This box collect all this bonanza into 240 CD! About 252 hours total time! From the 1938 recording of the "Magic Flute" Overture to the last 1989 recording of Bruckner's Symphony No. 7.

"The partnership between the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Gewandhaus Orchestra is a matter close to my heart. I am extremely grateful that both orchestras, each with its own unique tradition and sound culture, are so committed to a mutual exchange. This connection, which can now be called a friendship, is singular in the world of music. With the complementary recording and performance of the orchestral works of Richard Strauss, a dream comes true for me."