Mahler’s colossal orchestral and choral classical music piece gets a towering performance on Blu-ray Disc from Lucerne Festival and Riccardo Chailly.
Mozart: Requiem [Abbado/Lucerne Festival] Blu-ray Review
Lucerne and maestro Abbado offer a moving and well-performed rendition of Mozart’s last work in this Blu-ray from Accentus
Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 [Barenboim/Staatskapelle Berlin] Blu-ray Review
Barenboim and his Berlin ensemble continue their successful series of Bruckner’s Mature Symphonies with an excellent rendering of Symphony No. 5.
Mahler: Symphony No. 4 [Chailly/Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra] Blu-ray Review
Riccardo Chailly continues his traversal of the Mahler symphonic repertory with this uplifting and sensitive account of the Symphony No.4. The Accentus recording team turns in another beautifully executed Blu-ray Disc.
Bruckner: The Mature Symphonies: Symphony No. 4 [Staatskapelle Berlin/Barenboim] Blu-ray Review
Daniel Barenboim leads a powerful rendition of Bruckner’s popular Symphony No.4 from Berlin. A well recorded performance that delivers the full measure of romanticism.
John Cage: Journeys in Sound Blu-ray Review
John Cage was a 20th century phenomenon: a composer who broke through traditional barriers and created sounds that were far different from those of his predecessors. This Accentus documentary gives us a comprehensive picture of the man, the musician, and the iconoclast, through interviews and performances of his works.
Johann Sebastian Bach: Matthäus-Passion [Biller/Thomanerchor/Gewandhausorchester] Blu-ray Review
The Bach St. Matthew Passion is given an authentic performance, complete with boys’ choir, in Bach’s own church. Sight and sound are simply awe-inspiring in this Accentus Music 2012 recording.
Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 [Abbado/Lucerne Festival Orchestra] Blu-ray Review
Claudio Abbado leads his Lucerne Festival Orchestra through a strong reading of Bruckner’s sonorous and lengthy fifth symphony. Audio and video recording qualities are excellent.
The Philharmonics: Waltzes [Strauss/Schoenberg/Berg/Webern] Blu-ray Review
An afternoon in 19th century Vienna is evoked by this stellar chamber performance of beloved waltzes albeit given a 20th century turn by Schoenberg, Berg and Webern.
A Concert for New York: Mahler Symphony No. 2 [Gilbert/New York Philharmonic] Blu-ray Review
A one-of-a-kind memorial concert for the tenth anniversary of 9/11, Alan Gilbert leads the New Philharmonic Orchestra in a moving performance of Mahler’s “Resurrection” Symphony.