Extreme Classics

. . . over two hours of the world's most exciting classical music . . . - This 2cd set is different to other "best of classical" compilations, being a particularly good introduction to contemporary classical music, with many pieces drawn from the Romantic, Early 20th Century, and Contemporary periods.

Janine Jansen, Joris van Rijn & Benjamin Schmid - 24 Capriccios for Violin from The Netherlands (2002) {2CD NM Classics 92120}
XLD rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 541 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 273 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 116 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2002 NM Classics | 92120
Classical / Contemporary Classical / Chamber Music / Violin

In 1998, the Rotterdam Arts Foundation commissioned 24 Dutch composers to write short works, or "capriccios", for solo violin, clearly with the idea of being a modern counterpart to the 24 caprices of Paganini. The one main rule was to compose acoustically, i.e. no use of electronics/remixing, overdubbing, or other outside means of sound besides the violin on its own and the violinist on her/his own. The Dutch music publishing house Donemus published these works in a single collected volume in 1999. All of these works received their premieres that same year at the International Gaudeamus Interpreters' Competition, which centered on the violin that year.

5 Classic albums in mini LP-style card sleeves; Magnetic Fields (1981), Zoolook (1984), Rendez-Vous (1986), Revolutions (1988) & Waiting for Cousteau (1990).

Mstislav Rostropovich - Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 2 & Works by Popper, Debussy & Scriabin (2017) (Warner Classics)
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 206 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 103 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 49 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1957, 2017 Parlophone Records / Warner Classics | 0190295892296
Classical / Romantic / 20th Century Classical / Cello

This key title is being reissued at a special price as part of the celebration of Rostropovich - "Cellist of the Century". Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich was born in Baku, USSR on March 27, 1927. His first name means "avenged glory"; he is familiarly known by the root of the name, "Slava," which means "glory." His father, Leopold, was an excellent cellist, and after 1931, a teacher at the Gnesin Institute, Moscow after attending the Moscow Conservatory. Slava's mother was an accomplished pianist. The family moved to Moscow in 1931; Slava had already begun cello studies with his father and continued them there. His first public appearance was at eight years of age. In 1939, he entered the Central Music School, studying there until 1941.

After three decades of Carmen in opéra comique-style, each one offering its own brand of authenticity, here we are back in the 19th century with the old grand opera version, with the Guiraud recitatives, tacked on after Bizet’s death. This was the way Carmen was usually performed until the 1950s, when producers and scholars started to reconsider the original.

How convenient for all of Max Reger's music for clarinet and piano to fit on a single disc–or, better still, to have all of it presented in excellent performances!