Here’s a collection unrivalled in its scope within the current catalogue, of orchestral works by one of the most prolific of 20th-century, Paul Hindemith, whose reputation as a purveyor of ‘useful’ music has perhaps overshadowed his colourful orchestrations and often powerfully dramatic transformations of a wide range of extra-musical inspirations. His masterpiece may be the opera he based on the life and work of the painter of the Isenheim alterpiece, Matthias Grünewald, but the Mathis der Maler symphony he derived from its music is hardly less emotive.
Dmitri Borisovich Kabelevsky (1904-1987) is long remembered mostly as an innovative pedagogue and the one who sought to upgrade the curriculum so as to enhance music education for the youth. And like Kodaly of Hungary, Kabalevsky was something of a musical, cultural ambassador. As a composer, he wrote many pieces for children (for examples, the First Cello Concerto, Third Piano Concerto, a Violin Concerto and a song cycle "School Years"). His operas in particular were well known in Soviet Russia while about a few of his orchestral works had some currency in the West, including the Comedians, overture to Colas Breugnon, and to a lesser extent, the Second Symphony.
Songs of Love and Hate is one of Leonard Cohen's most emotionally intense albums – which, given the nature of Cohen's body of work, is no small statement. (…) If Songs of Love and Hate isn't Cohen's best album, it comes close enough to be essential to anyone interested in his work.
In the late 1940s, the pioneering Decca recording engineers perfected a new set of microphone techniques that allowed the full range of frequencies to be fully heard by listeners for the first time, and the term ‘full frequency range recording’ was launched. It was a major revolution in sound quality, and the beginnings of high fidelity.
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter and dancer. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he was one of the most popular entertainers in the world, and was the best-selling music artist at the time of his death. Jackson's contributions to music, dance, and fashion along with his publicized personal life made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades…