Sibalius Symphony 2

The most famous and enduringly successful composer of nineteenth-century light music, Johann Strauss II captivated not only Vienna but the whole of Europe and America with his abundantly tuneful waltzes, polkas, quadrilles and marches. This unique collection brings together for the first time ever his entire orchestral output. The Strauss Edition, originally fifty-two separate releases on the Marco Polo label, represented a milestone in recording history. It is celebrated by this beautiful box-set.

Recorded live in 2016—almost exactly 100 years to the day since Leopold Stokowski conducted The Philadelphia Orchestra in the US premiere of the work—Mahler’s Eighth once again awes and overwhelms. Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s superb musicianship and skill in choral repertoire make this very special indeed. The orchestra plays magnificently, the choirs sing as if their lives depended on it, and the numerous soloists are well chosen, with Erin Wall and Angela Meade the standouts. The recording captures the symphony’s scale as well as its complex spatial demands. A terrific account of a work whose performance still ranks as a major musical event.

Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s revelatory interpretation of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, recorded live at Walt Disney Concert Hall (30/31 May & 2 June 2019) will be released in June 2021. Their new album documents a landmark performance that brought the LA Philharmonic’s centennial season to a triumphant conclusion in 2019. Mahler’s extraordinary ‘Symphony of a Thousand’ spans a universe of emotions, channeled through everything from passages of intimate reflection to overwhelming outbursts of choral and orchestral sound.

VIVARTE is the legendary Sony Classical period music label known for producing outstanding recordings on period instruments. The recordings by legendary producer Wolf Erichson are done with the best recording technologies and by one of the best production teams in the world (Tritonus Music Production, Stuttgart). The label started producing when Sony Classical was founded (in 1989). The production came to a standstill recently when Wolf Erichson retired and DHM became the new label of period music within Sony Classical. Among the outstanding artists which recorded for Vivarte are: Anner Bylsma, Gustav Leonhardt, Jos Van Immerseel, Tafelmusik, Huelgas Ensemble and others.