Alexander Gibson

Gibson’s virile, plain-speaking account of Elgar’s glorious Second Symphony refreshes in its directness and honesty. Included also is a sumptuous rendering of the rare Crown of India suite.

Soprano Teresa Cahill leads an excellent quartet of soloists in this recording of the Coronation Ode, and Sir Alexander Gibson draws pleasingly bold and brassy playing from the Scottish National Orchestra. The final movement, with its famous setting of Land of Hope and Glory, is especially satisfying here.

Widely regarded as one of the great RCAs. Alexander Gibson conducts the Royal Opera House Orchestra, Covent Garden, performing ballet music from Charles Gounod's Faust and Georges Bizet's Carmen Suite. Featuring orchestral highlights from Faust and Carmen, the later selections on Side 2 are nothing short of spectacular. Outstanding clarity and stereo stage. Transparency and imaging is superb.

For Mozart, wind instruments had their own voices, full of warmth and tenderness, as much as singers did, and his concertos are animated with an operatic sense of drama. His own experience as a violinist allowed him to write five concertos for the instrument that are full of sparky virtuosity, here conveyed with sovereign authority by Henryk Szeryng. This collection (originally released as part of the legendary Philips Classics Mozart Edition) is full of truly authoritative performances featuring internationally acclaimed artists.