Giulini Sacd

In 1974, Carlo Maria Giulini and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra recorded Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 2 in C minor for EMI, an unusual selection for the time but one the conductor had chosen among a number of core works he wished to interpret with this orchestra. The Bruckner's Ninth dated from 1976, with Chicago Symphony Orchestra, is among the finest ever recorded. The CSO's brass players were born to play Bruckner, and Giulini combines toughness with an Italianate singing quality to make the third movement particularly memorable and elegiac.

The Viena Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini performing Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 9 in D minor. The reissue of classical music masterpieces by Esoteric has attracted a lot of attention, both for its uncompromising commitment to recreating the original master sound. This series marks the first hybrid SACD release of historical recording selections. These new audio versions feature Esoteric’s proprietary re-mastering process to achieve the highest level of sound quality.

Carlo Maria Giulini conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in a Grammy winning performance of Gustav Mahler’s four-movement Symphony No. 1 in D. If you want a Mahler First above all for beauty of tone and phrasing and precision of ensemble, then this is a plain first choice. In addition Giulini’s qualities suit this work. For all the orchestral sophistication, he has a transparent honesty which accords well with Mahler in ‘Wayfaring Lad’ mood. Nor does he use the Chicago orchestra’s virtuosity to whip up excitement in fast tempo.

Considered one of the greatest pianists of the twentieth century, the Italian classical pianist Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli with Vienna Symphony Orchestra (Wiener Symphoniker), conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini, performs Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Concertos Nos. 1, 3 & 5 and Piano Sonata No. 4 on this Japanese double-disc compilation. These famous performances come back to life with SACD format. Some of the recordings is the world's first SACD premier. Features all new mastering in the home country from the original analog master.

This is Colin Davis' third recording of Hector Berlioz's great oratorio and it may be the best. Under his baton, the music flows without undue haste or stodgy piety. Berlioz was a consummate dramatist, even in this uncharacteristic work that often hearkens back to archaic musical forms to evoke the Biblical story. The singers are all outstanding, especially tenor Yann Beuron as the Narrator, whose pure tones and sincere delivery bring continuity to the tripartite structure. Karen Cargill as Mary and William Dazeley as Joseph bring welcome interpretive simplicity to their roles, while Matthew Rose and Peter Rose bring their ample bass instruments to such key roles such as Herod and the Householder. The LSO always plays at its best for Davis, and here it is a major attraction given the extensive orchestral sections of L'enfance du Christ.

Kurt Sanderling was one of the great Brahms conductors and many who believe his recordings, especially this cycle from Dresden in 1971-72 is among the greatest ever! Like Karajan, he had a great sense of the musical line, and like Giulini he gave has musicians space to create their own parts organically with their own personalities shining through, but most importantly one immediately gets the sense from the first note, that Sanderling already hears the last note and knows exactly how he intends to get there.