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Don Quichotte Chez La Duchesse

Hervé Niquet

Classical - Released September 23, 2022 | Château de Versailles Spectacles

Hi-Res Booklet Distinctions Choc de Classica - Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik
In 1743, two years before Rameau’s Platée, Boismortier created an extraordinarily modern and madcap "comic ballet", Don Quichotte chez la Duchesse. As the exuberant plotunfurls, Cervantes’ hero encounters monsters, enchanters, princesses and people from Japan, making for plenty of offbeat and audacious dances and choruses. Musical beautyrubs shoulders with satirical and irreverent comedy. A choice work for Hervé Niquet, who leads his Concert Spirituel with unparalleled energy! © Château de Versailles Spectacles
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Salieri : Tarare

Christophe Rousset

Classical - Released June 7, 2019 | Aparté

Hi-Res Booklet Distinctions 5 de Diapason - Gramophone Editor's Choice - Choc de Classica
While Mozart was largely overlooked in the French capital, Antonio Salieri took on the reigns of the Académie Royale de Musique (Paris Opera), a fruitful collaboration that was completely broken up by the French Revolution. After the success of his work Les Danaïdes, composed for Paris in 1784, Salieri worked tirelessly with Beaumarchais, spurred on by the success and scandal of his Figaro, on a new project which would become Tarare. Beaumarchais moved himself shamelessly toward stardom, skillfully self-promoting and attending rehearsals so as to assure that the orchestra played pianissimo to emphasize the primacy of his verse during performances. Beaumarchais found that the music was too overwhelming to “embellish the lyrics”.Created one year after Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro (which was relatively well-received in Vienna before triumphing in Prague), Tarare was an immense success in Paris maintaining the status of the composer’s repertoire despite the political turmoil of the time before disappearing from view around 1826, thereon ceasing to be played. Beaumarchais’ words were immediately adapted into Italian by Lorenzo Da Ponte to be performed and met with equal success in Vienna. Tarare is half lyrical tragedy, half comic opera with a hint of orientalism.After resuscitating Les Danaïdes and Les Horaces, Christophe Rousset finished off his series of recordings dedicated to Salieri’s French operas for the Parisian public. Tarare is very much of its time, that of the Lumières, and used the power of art to challenge despotism in all its forms. Thanks to Christophe Rousset’s excellent delivery and lively direction, this recording enables one to judge the merits of the composition and the chasm that separates an honest and talented musician from a solitary and impassioned one like Mozart. © François Hudry/Qobuz
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David & Jonathas

Gaétan Jarry

Classical - Released June 9, 2023 | Château de Versailles Spectacles

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Psyché

Christophe Rousset

Classical - Released January 13, 2023 | Château de Versailles Spectacles

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Gloire Immortelle !

Hervé Niquet

Classical - Released November 17, 2023 | Château de Versailles Spectacles

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Messiaen : L'œuvre pour orgue, Vol. 2

Louis Thiry

Classical - Released March 1, 1972 | La Dolce Volta

Booklet Distinctions Diapason d'or - 4F de Télérama - Grand Prix de l'Académie Charles Cros - Choc de Classica
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Jean-Baptiste Lully : Amadis

Christophe Rousset

Opera - Released September 22, 2014 | Aparté

Hi-Res Booklet Distinctions 4F de Télérama - Diamant d'Opéra - Choc de Classica - 5 Sterne Fono Forum Klassik
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Bizet: Carmen, WD 31 (Live)

Wiener Philharmonic Orchestra

Opera - Released October 12, 2018 | Orfeo

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Pancrace Royer: Surprising Royer, Orchestral Suites

Les Talens Lyriques

Symphonic Music - Released May 5, 2023 | Aparté

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Beyond the neglect of French Baroque music in general, it is a bit hard to understand why composer Pancrace Royer was almost completely unknown until Christophe Rousset came along to champion him, first in harpsichord music and now, with these suites of music drawn from operas, in orchestral music. In the 18th century, Royer was quite well known and admired among others by Rameau, whose music he helped along considerably. Royer certainly inhabited Rameau's stylistic world, but from the evidence here, his music is distinctive and merits the adjective "surprising" that Rousset has attached to it. It is colorful, given to unexpected turns of harmony, and vivid in its evocation of the exotic scenes of French opera. Sample the "Air pour les turcs" ("Air for the Turks") from Zaïde, reine de Grenade, with its crackling percussion. Royer challenged his orchestra with virtuoso ensemble writing in the likes of the "Premier et second tambourins" from Almasis, and Rousset and Les Talens Lyriques step up with precise, vigorous readings that one imagines would have made the composer overjoyed. The inclusion of two alternate versions for movements from Zaïde is also unusual and gives insight into the compositional thinking of the day. Essential for specialists and enthusiasts interested in the French Baroque, this album is a lot of fun for anyone, with only overdone church sound detracting from the overall effect. © James Manheim /TiVo
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Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge

Les Récréations

Classical - Released August 18, 2023 | Ricercar

Hi-Res Booklet Distinctions Diapason d'or
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Mendelssohn: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5

Les Ambassadeurs - La Grande Écurie

Symphonies - Released April 21, 2023 | Aparté

Hi-Res Booklet Distinctions 4F de Télérama - Choc de Classica
Mendelssohn's music has been less touched by the historical-performance movement than that of other early 19th century composers. That is a bit odd in that his music draws on the Baroque extensively, more than Beethoven and Schubert do, but the situation is changing with this release by flutist-conductor Alexis Kossenko and the merged historical performance groups Les Ambassadeurs - La Grand Écurie (maybe hold a contest to rename this ensemble?). The recording has the hallmarks of the style, with emphasis on the winds and brass, the quick tempos, the generally rougher sound, and the transparent texture that brings out polyphonic details. Sample and enjoy the energy of the tarantella finale of the Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90. Beyond the general traits is the fact that Kossenko is quite a sympathetic Mendelssohn conductor. He avoids the dry quality that sometimes affects the work of 18th century specialists in Romantic music, and the emergence of "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" in the period flute at the beginning of the finale has the wondrous quality it must have had for Mendelssohn's audiences. A truly fresh approach in these well-worn pieces. © James Manheim /TiVo
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Signature Philip Glass

Angèle Dubeau

Classical - Released November 3, 2023 | Les Productions Analekta Inc.

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With the continuing popularity of Philip Glass' music, various performers have arranged it for new combinations. He hasn't been notably dismayed by this, and indeed, one might draw a comparison with Arvo Pärt, whose works, to some extent, come into their own as they are performed in different versions. This release by veteran violinist Angèle Dubeau and her ensemble La Pietà is unique thus far. Dubeau reduces some larger items, like an excerpt from the Koyaanisqatsi film score, to chamber ensemble dimensions while performing some of Glass' relatively sparse output of chamber music unaltered. This results in some interesting insights, for example, that the chamber music, although for the most part relatively recent, mostly sticks closer to the minimalist core of Glass' style than the larger pieces, which open that style up to harmonic motion on a bigger scale. Dubeau thus shines a novel lens on Glass' music as a whole. The performances are arresting, with the edge of tension that makes a strong Glass performance, and the Analekta label wisely departs from its frequent choice of Montreal churches for the Multimedia Room at McGill University, an ideal space. Even those with large Glass collections will want to add this unusual release.© James Manheim /TiVo
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Lully: Thésée

Les Talens Lyriques

Opera - Released October 13, 2023 | Aparté

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Christophe Rousset and his Les Talens Lyriques continue their exploration of the operas of Jean-Baptiste Lully for the Aparte label with 1675's Thésée ("Theseus"), the composer's third "tragédie en musique" with librettist by Philippe Quinault. Commissioned by King Louis XIV, the libretto recounts some early-life exploits of the titular character from Ovid's Metamorphoses. It was immensely popular for more than a century before finding itself in less demand than later, more compact versions of Quinault's text, which were set by composers such as Handel (Teseo, 1712). What is there for a king and his court not to like when the Prologue declares the king a god and sings the praises of king and kingdom? Rousset has his Les Talens Lyriques in fine form, and the ensemble plays crisply and concisely throughout. Rousset, conducting from the harpsichord, keeps the action moving in this colossal and dramatic work. The soloists, especially mezzo-soprano Karine Deshayes as Médée ("Medea") and tenor Mathias Vidal as the titular Thésée, display clear expertise in the realm of early French opera. This work is a major vehicle for mezzos in the role of the jealous sorceress Médée, and Deshayes is splendid. The Prologue has some awkward, almost hesitant singing from the chorus, but as the work progresses, the Chœur de chambre de Namur becomes stronger and, in the end, proves to be an asset to the whole (consider their turn as the inhabitants of the underworld with Deshayes on "Sortez, ombres, sortez de la nuit éternelle" from Act Two). This is a worthy addition of a lesser-known opera to the growing Lully collection from Les Talens Lyriques.© Keith Finke /TiVo
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Visages baroques

Raphaël Feuillâtre

Classical - Released March 31, 2023 | Deutsche Grammophon (DG)

Hi-Res Booklet Distinctions Diapason d'or
Bach will always be Bach, and baroque music will always be baroque music, right? Well, not if you believe in the words of Raphaël Feuillâtre, rising star of classical music. "Baroque has so many faces," says the budding guitarist, born in Djibouti and raised in France. At just 26, he’s already a seasoned musician. He was propelled on to the international stage in 2018 when he won the prestigious Guitar Foundation of America competition in Louisville, and is now making his Deutsche Grammophon debut with Visages baroques. He’s currently the only guitarist signed to the prestigious classical music label. Like many other artists, Feuillâtre hasn’t hesitated to arrange and reinterpret great baroque works to tailor them to his instrument.Through the sounds of his guitar, Feuillâtre uses this carefully composed programme to demonstrate, as the name suggests, the different faces of baroque music. And he does it all on an instrument that the period’s repertoire wasn’t always tailored to. According to Feuillâtre, the guitar has always been somewhat neglected, which is not to downplay the great musical depth of the instrument. In collaboration with his teachers and friends, Feuillâtre has arranged selected pieces by Bach, Royer, Rameau, Forqueray and Duphly, and gives these baroque artists a new shine. The plucked variation of "Prelude in C major" from Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier is a gentle and clear introduction, closely followed by the great composer’s Partita and Concerto. We also find a refreshing harpsichord-esque interpretation of Duphly's La Médée. The stunning technical abilities of the young guitarist are beautifully highlighted in Rameau's Les Cyclopes. Baroque certainly has many faces! © Lena Germann/Qobuz 
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Poulenc: Orchestral Works

The BBC Concert Orchestra

Symphonies - Released November 4, 2022 | Chandos

Hi-Res Booklet Distinctions Diapason d'or
When this album was recorded, in March 2022, no-one could have imagined that it would be Bramwell Tovey’s last recording. Chandos Records would like to dedicate this recording to the memory of Bramwell Tovey, with whom the company had collaborated for over a decade; a versatile musician highly accomplished as both a composer and a conductor, immensely personable and humorous, who possessed an innate understanding of the qualities of his fellow orchestral musicians and quickly earned their respect and devotion. He shall be very sorely missed. Tovey and the BBC Concert Orchestra capture the wit and charm of Poulenc’s music perfectly. Each piece sizzles with excitement, and the well-known pieces (the Sinfonietta and ballet Les Animaux modèles) are beautifully complemented by less frequently heard miniatures: La Baigneuse de Trouville and Discours du général from Les Mariés de la Tour Eiffel and Pastourelle from L’Éventail de Jeanne. © Chandos
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Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre: Céphale et Procris

Reinoud Van Mechelen

Classical - Released February 9, 2024 | Château de Versailles Spectacles

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Messiaen: Des canyons aux étoiles…

Utah Symphony

Classical - Released April 7, 2023 | Hyperion

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Passage secret

Arthur Ancelle

Classical - Released February 9, 2024 | Alpha Classics

Hi-Res Booklet Distinctions Choc de Classica
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Berlioz: Les nuits d'été, Op. 7, H 81b - Ravel: Shéhérazade, M. 41 - Saint-Saëns: Mélodies persanes, Op. 26

Marie-Nicole Lemieux

Classical - Released September 29, 2023 | Warner Classics

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This is a nicely programmed album consisting of French song cycles spaced several decades apart from the 19th and early 20th centuries. One of them, the Mélodies Persanes ("Persian Songs") of Saint-Saëns, is not a common item; with its bouncy text-setting, nobody would compare it to the deep Eastern influences woven into various Ravel works, but then, Ravel was inspired to execute those by listening to Saint-Saëns. In Berlioz's Les nuits d'été and Ravel's Shéhérazade, contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux has plenty of competition, but there is less for the Saint-Saëns. Another attraction is the work of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo under conductor Kazumi Yamada, neither a household name. The group is velvety smooth in the Berlioz cycle, with quiet and perfectly controlled string sound throughout. The strings match the voice of Lemieux beautifully; both have a luxuriance that fits the extravagantly Romantic texts of the Berlioz. So, everything is in place here, and listeners' reactions to the whole are likely to come down to their feelings about Lemieux's voice itself. It has a rapid, confident vibrato that is remarkably pitch-accurate as it moves up and down within her range. To these ears, it is beautiful. It also doesn't vary much according to the text; the Saint-Saëns songs and Ravel's Asie, which are intended to evoke exotic melodic traits, sound much like the Berlioz. A bit of sampling will likely determine one's enjoyment of the album in general, and there are certainly many things to like here.© James Manheim /TiVo
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Debussy : Préludes - Satie: Gymnopédies, Gnossiennes

Fazil Say

Solo Piano - Released August 31, 2018 | Warner Classics

Hi-Res Booklet Distinctions 5 de Diapason - 5 étoiles de Classica
The remarkable Turkish pianist Fazıl Say (born 1970) here offers us a suitably remarkable album, recorded in 2016 in the Great Hall of the Salzburg Mozarteum and given over to the Premier Livre of Debussy's Préludes – 1910 – which he sets up in against the six Gnossiennes by Satie (1890 for the first three, 1897 for the latter three) and to the pieces which made him famous, the Gymnopédies of 1888. It's quite stunning to hear these works and to reflect on the fact that Satie's works actually come before Debussy's Préludes – by almost two decades, in fact. It is hardly surprising the Satie has been thought a real avant-gardist both in his day and by minimalists today. Considering how different these two were, it was natural that they should have been friends, especially given Debussy's tendency towards jealousy of his contemporaries... But it is impossible to be jealous of a kind, bubbly soul like Satie. Say brings immense tenderness to these two opposite poles – poles so far removed that they almost join back up. © SM/Qobuz