Werner Gruber

This compilation draws Christmas music from several recordings conducted by the late Herbert von Karajan, but emphasizes two of them, both from the 1960s: a collection of Baroque Christmas pieces in a mostly pastoral vein, and an LP on which he and the Vienna Philharmonic backed the great African American soprano Leontyne Price. Neither of these recordings is easy to obtain these days, and Karajan aficionados may well be pleased to have them in a single package. Beyond that, the Price pieces, from her heyday, are gorgeous.

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.

Kurt Weill - Ensemble Modern - Berlin im Licht
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 244 MB | Full Artwork: 14 MB | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Largo Records # LARGO 5114 | Country/Year: Germany 1990
Genre: Classical | Style: Vocal, Lieder, Early 20th Century

"The founding of the Ensemble Modern (EM) in 1980 as an initiative of students of the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie pursued the goal of supporting New Music and giving it appropriate performances. Since 1985 the EM, which is democratically organised, has been resident in Frankfurt am Main. It is among the world’s leading ensembles for Contemporary Music…"

Sammlung: Carl Hanser Verlag - Sach/Fachbücher, Romane etc. 857 Bücher

Richard Wagner, the most controversial figure the arts have ever seen, whose music can move and overwhelm like no other, continues to divide the spirits even today. The year 2013, when we celebrate the 200th anniversary of his birth, is inevitably going to be devoted to the man and his work.
The Complete Wagner Operas offers the best of Deutsche Grammophon, two operas each from Decca and the BBC and EMIs Rienzi.