Julia Fritz

Compared to the Italian centres of power – Milan, Florence and Rome – the Lombardian city of Mantua in the Po Valley is small in size. All the more prestigious was the commitment to the arts by the ruling Gonzaga dynasty: artists such as Andrea Mantegna, Giulio Romano and Leon Battista Alberti created lasting master-pieces in their paintings and architecture for them, whilst musicians such as Giaches de Wert and Claudio Monteverdi consolidated Mantua’s reputation throughout Europe.

Rafael Kubelik truly remains a conductor for the here and now, with his classic recordings of Beethoven, Dvorak, Mahler, Janáček, Orff and Smetana cycles setting the gold standard. His approach to phrasing and keen attention to orchestral inner frameworks left no musical stone unturned. Kubelík is the last of the great conductors from Deutsche Grammophon's early stereo age to receive the "Complete Edition" treatment.

Karl Bohm was one of the most significant conductors of the 20th century; Three decades after his death, his clear-cut conducting style, that was characterized by deep gravity is enjoying a well-deserved revival. The present set makes available for the first time his complete later recordings of orchestral music on Deutsche Grammophon, including Mozarts last symphonies, Wagners orchestral music and the ninth symphonies of Beethoven, Schubert and Dvorak.

This 17CD Limited Edition Set encompasses the 70-year history of one of Germany’s leading orchestras. Includes no fewer than 5 CDs of world premiere recordings by luminaries such as Kertész, Sinopoli, Blomstedt as well as definitive recordings by all the famous conductors who shaped the orchestra’s distinctive style. Apart from the label’s own repertoire, this set contains recordings licensed not only from various radio stations, but also from numerous classical labels that the orchestra has worked with over the decades (among them Warner, Sony, Tudor and Orfeo). Highlights include some rare historical recordings going back as far as 1940 when the Bamberg Symphony was still the Deutsches Philharmonisches Orchester Prague.

He was born in Cologne, but it was in Paris that Jacques Offenbach achieved fame. A special feature of this 30-CD collection are star-studded recordings in both French and German of his most celebrated operettas – works that overflow with joie de vivre and satirical wit – and of Les Contes d’Hoffmann, an opera that daringly fuses fantasy, comedy and tragedy. It also includes irresistibly stylish performances of such tempting rarities as Les Brigands, Pomme d’Api, Monsieur Choufleuri and Mesdames de la Halle.

For their debut recording, the Kreisler Trio Wien have chosen Mozart's monumental and much-loved Divertimento in E-flat major, and - together with the Vienna Philharmonic's principal hornist Wolfgang Vladar - the horn quintet. In 2017 the Kreisler Trio Wien celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Since its inception in 2007, the Kreisler Trio Wien has developed into one of Austria’s top chamber music ensembles- a result of their strong sense of musical culture, exhilarating performances and excellent musicianship. The name of the ensemble is an homage to the ingenious Austrian violinist and composer Fritz Kreisler. One marvels at his art, while his musical heritage and personality symbolically stand for triumph over destruction and renewal through the power of music.