CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

.

Haydn: The Seasons

Search: Heather
from: Philips

Release Date November 15, 1999
Haydn's 'oratorio' (or whatever) The Seasons received its first performance in 1801, the 70th year of the composer's life. He was at the very height of his creative powers, and his inspiration had received a new jolt, as Beethoven's and Schubert's were later to do, through his exposure to Handel. He was not new to oratorio, indeed his Creation seems to me the only later work of that name that can be mentioned in the same breath as Handel's. He was also not unduly thrilled with the libretto of The Seasons, which comes in English and German versions but which he characterised tersely as 'franzoesischer Quark' (frenchified rubbish). For my own part, it's all one to me whether The Seasons counts as oratorio or not. For me it is an unqualified masterpiece, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

.

Mahler: Symphony No.8

Search: Heather
by: Heather Harper Lucia Popp Arleen Augér Yvonne Minton Helen Watts René Kollo John Shirley-Quirk Martti Talvela Wiener Sängerknaben Wiener Singverein Wiener Staatsopernchor Chicago Symphony Orchestra Georg Solti

Release Date May 15, 2006
Gustav Mahler composed this extraordinary work in only six weeks during the summer of 1906. Standing alongside his monumental 9th Symphony which he composed the following year, it remains one of THE symphonies of the 20thC. The work is broken down into two movements; Veni, Creator Spiritus, and the closing scene Part II from Goethe's Faust. Despite two rather different movements, they both work superbly. After listening to this version since I first purchased it during the spring of 1973, I still consider it to be the best currently available. Of course, other listeners will have their own favourites, and I would imagine Klaus Tennstedt's version recorded with the London Philharmonic wouldnt be far behind as regarding performance and sound.

Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

.

Mahler: Complete Symphonies Nos 1-9 / SOLTI /DECCA/10 CD BOX SET

Search: Heather
by: SOLTI

Release Date November 05, 1991
As a kid I had the cassette recordings of the 2nd & 5th symphonies recorded in 1983. They are mind blowing. For me, absoloutely the most incredible interpretations from Solti and the Chicago Symphony. Also the engineering on these recordings is far superior to any other set.

I'm delighted to find the full works in this boxed set. I wholly recommend above any other orchestra/maestro or engineering setup.

Enjoy! James Sykes, Swindon, England.

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

.

Mahler: Complete Symphonies

Search: Heather
from: Bernard Haitink Symphony Edition

Release Date March 15, 1994
These recordings, along with his Bruckner, are well known recordings of Mahler for a long time. This CD conversion sounds better (to me) than their first issues, especially on the 3rd. Wished that this set has 1972 recording of the 1st (420 080-2 PH) instead of 1963. 1972 version is much better.

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

.

Essential Choral Classics

Search: Heather
by: Various Artists

Release Date April 10, 2006
These recordings, along with his Bruckner, are well known recordings of Mahler for a long time. This CD conversion sounds better (to me) than their first issues, especially on the 3rd. Wished that this set has 1972 recording of the 1st (420 080-2 PH) instead of 1963. 1972 version is much better.

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

.

Britten conducts Britten: Opera Vol.2

Search: Heather
by: Benjamin Britten

Release Date November 08, 2004
These recordings, along with his Bruckner, are well known recordings of Mahler for a long time. This CD conversion sounds better (to me) than their first issues, especially on the 3rd. Wished that this set has 1972 recording of the 1st (420 080-2 PH) instead of 1963. 1972 version is much better.