Jean Pierre Rampal

Few record labels can boast as glorious a legacy as Sony Classical. This lavish four-disc set chronicles the finest performances available on the label from the past ninety-five years. Eighty selections comprising over four hours of music are accompanied by two lavishly illustrated booklets highlighting Sony Classical's stellar history.

The most comprehensive edition devoted to Gioacchino Rossini marking his 150th anniversary. Born in 1792, Rossini was the most popular opera composer of his time. Although he retired from the Opera scene in 1829, he continued to compose in other genres, including sacred music, piano and chamber works. He did gather his late works under the ironic title Péchés de vieillesse (Sins of Old Age), which veils a true collection of masterworks.

2007 release of a mammoth box set of 50 CD's with key recordings from the Angel/EMI Music classical catalog. Performers include Yehudi Menuhin, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Quatuor Hongrois, Heutling Quartet, Erich Leinsdorf, Jean-Philippe Collard & Augustin Dumay & Frdric Lodon, Christian Zacharias, Paolo Bordoni, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Geoffrey Parsons, Lucia Popp, Barbara Hendricks, Radu Lupu and many more.

Here we are in the middle of July, time to refresh ourselves with music and do our holiday homework, by immersing ourselves with delight in this collection of the most beautiful works inspired by the summer season. From Vivaldi to Gershwin and Schubert to Debussy, it will evoke the pleasures of balmy summer evenings, the joys of idleness, the stifling heat, the song of the cicadas and that of the harvesters. The major artists from our rich catalogue are featured in On a Summer Evening: Vilde Frang, Mady Mesplé, Simon Rattle, Jean-Pierre Rampal…