Kubelik Eroica

This set represents Rafael Kubelik’s art in a wholly positive way. His Mahler and Dvorák cycles are very well-known. The Dvorák remains, along with those by Rowicki and Kertesz, one of the three reference editions of the complete symphonies, and the only one featuring a Czech conductor.

In the Original Masters box dedicated to him, DG brought together Rare Recordings from the period 1963 to 1974 that restore to the catalogue many works and offer some for the first time on CD. Among the first releases on CD are two piano concertos (nos. 2 and 5) by Alexander Tcherepnin, with the composer as soloist; and the Second Violin Concerto by Jean Martinon, with Henryk Szeryng. Also Karl Amadeus Hartmann's Eighth Symphony and short works by Stravinsky and Weber.

The Radio Legacy is a compilation of the seven part Anthology of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the four box sets devoted to the orchestra s chief conductors Willem Mengelberg, Eduard van Beinum, Bernard Haitink and Riccardo Chailly, and also featuring more recent recordings with Mariss Jansons.

Music from "The Ruins of Athens", Symphony No. 2, Mass in C major (conducted by Beecham), Symphony No. 7 (conducted by Colin Davis), Romances (2 pieces) (Menuhin - violin, conducted by Boult), Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral" (conducted by Kubelik), Violin Concerto (Ferrassu - violin, conducted by Sargent), Symphony No. 3 "Heroic" (conducted by Sargent). Recorded 1956-1961. 34 tracks / 4 hours 52 minutes.

Music from "The Ruins of Athens", Symphony No. 2, Mass in C major (conducted by Beecham), Symphony No. 7 (conducted by Colin Davis), Romances (2 pieces) (Menuhin - violin, conducted by Boult), Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral" (conducted by Kubelik), Violin Concerto (Ferrassu - violin, conducted by Sargent), Symphony No. 3 "Heroic" (conducted by Sargent). Recorded 1956-1961. 34 tracks / 4 hours 52 minutes.

An exclusive artist for the Philips label since 1969, Brendel’s discography is now among the most extensive of any pianist, reflecting a repertoire of solo, chamber and orchestral works by the major composers from the central European tradition from Bach through to Schoenberg.
This 114 CD Edition encompasses his complete discography for Philips and Decca and includes studio albums, live recordings and radio broadcasts. The set is accompanied by a 200-page book featuring a note by Brendel’s personal choice of writer, Misha Donat.

A luxurious and authoritative 64CD orchestral and concerto set, celebrating one of the world’s great orchestras and their 64-year relationship with Decca Classics. Few labels can claim to be so associated with a city as inextricably as Decca is with Vienna. No history of classical recordings would be complete without a chapter documenting how both Decca and the WP worked to perfect the art of recording in the city’s great concert halls, most notably in the famous Sofiensaal.

Bohuslav Martinu (1890-1959) only began composing symphonies after fleeing the Nazis into American exile in 1941. He was of a generation that saw the symphony as passe Bartok was born in 1881 and Stravinsky in 1882, and Martinu was born in 1890 while Mahler was born in 1860, and Sibelius and Nielsen in 1865. Modernism entailed new forms and styles, and while Martinu was never a modernist he did inhabit a soundworld with a lighter touch full of dance rhythms, not heavy, four-square symphonies.