at Bbc

"In conversations about Franz Schmidt the recurring theme emerging for many is that listening to a performance of his music at a young age became the turning point in their lives –the realization of how powerful music can be," says Jonathan Berman, whose longtime love of Franz Schmidt's work has its origins in a performance preparation for his Fourth Symphony.

“In conversations about Franz Schmidt the recurring theme emerging for many is that listening to a performance of his music at a young age became the turning point in their lives the realization of how powerful music can be,” says Jonathan Berman, whose longtime love of Franz Schmidt’s work has its origins in a performance preparation for his Fourth Symphony.

BGO's 2013 compilation Live at the BBC 1964-67 is quite generous, running 37 tracks that spill over two CDs. Some of these tracks are interview clips, some begin with a BBC introduction, but that's the appeal of the set: it's a time capsule of the peak of the Swinging London scene. Brian Poole & the Tremeloes naturally play several of their hits – "Twist & Shout," "The Three Bells" – but also cover "Walk Right In," "She Said Yeah," and "Like a Rolling Stone," touching upon folk-rock and R&B that didn't always show up on their records.

Live at the BBC is a Live two disc compilation album featuring various line ups of the rock group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). Released in 1999 and featuring various live BBC sessions as well as Live concert segments recorded by the BBC…

Thomas Søndergård's hybrid SACD of Jean Sibelius' Symphony No. 2 in D major and his Symphony No. 7 in C major is an audiophile showcase that presents two contrasting sides of the composer with optimal clarity. The comparatively lush orchestration of the Symphony No. 2 probably has never sounded better in any recorded format, and the multichannel reproduction of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales brings out its vibrant bass, velvety strings, and sumptuous winds in a resonant acoustic, all of which are essential ingredients in the young Sibelius' post-Romantic sound. Yet the Symphony No. 7 presents the sparer counterpoint and leaner textures of Sibelius' mature phase, so the recording brings out the transparency of the timbres, and the clean separation of parts gives an added spatial dimension. Søndergård's interpretations of both works are wholly sympathetic and masterful, and the orchestra plays with the commitment and vitality that make these symphonies compelling. One hopes this is the first installment of a Sibelius cycle, which would be a great addition to Linn's catalog. Highly recommended.