Karl Off

A genius signed to Decca in 1946 who defined Deccas piano sound in the 1950s and 1960s with ravishing cantabile and depth of sonority borne of matchless technique. Complete Decca Recordings on 35CDs, including new-to-CD early recordings remastered from 78s, plus some of Deccas first-ever LPs.
Presentation includes 35CD Lift-off- lid box; notes by Cyrus Meher-Homji in English, German and French; rare photos and selected original covers in booklet. A child prodigy of startling promise, Julius Katchen matured into a pianist of broad interests and unique artistry. His death at age 42 denied a discerning public the presence of one of Deccas star instrumentalists during the 1950s and 1960s.

It is usually the big nineteenth-century opera sets that are bought for their singers; but with a line-up of principals such as we have here Handel too is swept into the golden net. Lucia Popp, two years into her career after her Vienna debut, Christa Ludwig, Fritz Wunderlich, Walter Berry: that is a quartet which in its time may have seemed no more than standard stuff, but at this date looks starry indeed. […] The Orfeo, for one thing, is sung in German instead of Italian; it has cuts, though many fewer than the Mackerras recording in English with Dame Janet Baker; it has the solo voices recorded very close indeed (those that are supposedly off-stage are just about where many modern recordings would have them except when off-stage); and the orchestra sounds, to our re-trained ears, big and thick, with the heavy bass-line that used to seem as proper to Handel as gravy from the roast was to Yorkshire pudding.

These six works are Beethoven's last major completed compositions. Extremely complex and largely misunderstood by musicians and audiences of Beethoven's day, the late quartets are now widely considered to be among the greatest musical compositions of all time and have inspired many later composers.

Sax infused house is something Hed Kandi know a thing or two about. With The Lovely Laura among their residents, you can be sure to hear plenty of classic sax numbers and jazz reworks at their glamorous Saturday night affairs at Es Paradis. So who better then to hand pick some of these dance floor anthems for your listening pleasure? Hed Kandi presents their new compilation Summer of Sax…

A 50-CD set of legendary recordings celebrating the world-renowned Decca Sound. Classic-status pioneering stereo recordings from the past 60 years and starring a galaxy of internationally-acclaimed artistic talent.

Theme of Appreciation is a series of tribute albums created by worldwide fans of musician Eddie Jobson (U.K., Frank Zappa, Roxy Music, Curved Air, Jethro Tull, Bulgarian Women's Choir). Through covers of his music, original songs,dances, and artwork, we express the profound influences that he has had on our lives and creative work.