Rainmeter 4 5 17 3700

These recordings by Evgeny Mravinsky and his Leningrad Philharmonic, taped in the autumn of 1960 while they were on tour in London, are among the absolute classics of the catalog. They are readings of hair-raising intensity–the finale of the Fourth is marked allegro con fuoco, and if you want to know what con fuoco means, all you have to do is listen for a moment. No one else has ever had the nerve, or the ability, to play the music this way. The treatment is very Russian: the extremes are more extreme, the passions more feverish, the melancholy darker, the climaxes louder. In that department, the development section of the first movement of the Pathètique has to be heard to be believed.

Nephew is a Danish Orchestra formed in 1996 in Aarhus, Denmark. The band consists of Simon Kvamm (lead vocals, keyboards, songwriting), Kristian Riis (guitar, backing vocals), Søren Arnholt (drums, backing vocals), Kasper Toustrup (bass guitar), René Munk Thalund (keyboards), and Marie Højlund (vocals, keyboards, guitar).

It all came together for Heaven 17 on this album, and as a result it is by far their strongest, most brilliant album. Combining their various influences (including R&B, pop, dance, electronica), Heaven 17 fused these styles together to create an almost perfect sound. There is simply not a weak track on the album. Highlights are numerous, including the very long but very wonderful "And That's No Lie." A strong melody, stunning vocals from Glenn Gregory, and tight production equal a fascinating glimpse into the human struggle. Adding a number of session players, including a guitarist, Heaven 17 was able to expand and build on their solid sound. Gregory is also allowed to branch out on this album and write more personal and political statements that were not clearly heard on their first two albums. Fans will not be disappointed, and in fact, this could be the album to win new fans over. "Sunset Now," "Flamedown," and the brilliant "This Is Mine" are just a few of the reasons for this album's greatness.

Alternately psychedelic, progressive, and hard rock-styled, the eclectic German band Grobschnitt became one of the most popular live acts in German history. The group recorded several lauded albums in the 1970s, moving between styles before switching to more mainstream pop and rock in the 1980s. Meanwhile, in part thanks to drummer Joachim Ehrig, the group added touches of absurdist humor to their records and live shows…

Langgaard (1893-1952) is slowly emerging as one of the major symphonists of this century; he is certainly one of the major composers of Denmark, right in line behind Nielsen. His Symphony 4 (1916), Fall of the Leaf, is a beautiful study of the forces of nature. Symphony 5 (1917-18), Nature of the Steppe, is more characteristically Nordic than anything particularly Mongol or Russian. The Symphony 6 (1949), Heavens Asunder, is about a cosmic battle between the forces of good and evil. These are major works, tonal and Romantic at their core. Excellent performances, excellent sound.

Una delle chiavi di volta della storia della musica è costituita dai Concerti Grossi op. VI di Arcangelo Corelli. Dopo la storica versione proposta da Amadeus nel 1998 con l’aggiunta degli strumenti a fiato, nell’interpretazione di Federico Maria Sardelli e dell’ensemble Modo Antiquo (nomination al Grammy Award), il ritorno alla versione per archi, così come è codificata dalla tradizione, era doveroso, ineludibile e, possiamo dire, imposto dalla magistrale interpretazione di Ottavio Dantone e dell’Accademia Bizantina.