Accompanied by the Staatskapelle Dresden (known formally as the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden), the Chinese pianist Lang Lang performs George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, a 1924 musical composition for solo piano and jazz band, which combines elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects. Conductor: Christian Thielemann.
Category Archives: 20th Century
Debussy: Children’s Corner [Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli]
One of the best pianists of the 20th century, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (5 January 1920 – 12 June 1995) plays Claude Debussy’s Children’s Corner, L. 113, a six-movement suite for solo piano. This performance was recorded in Torino (Turin) in 1962.
Waxman: Carmen Fantasie [Leonid Kogan]
Accompanied by the USSR State Symphony Orchestra, one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century, Leonid Kogan performs Carmen Fantasie, a virtuoso showpiece for violin and orchestra that built upon various themes from Georges Bizet’s opera Carmen. The piece is part of Franz Waxman’s score for the 1946 movie Humoresque.
Ravel: Boléro [WDR Symphony, Alondra de la Parra]
Conducted by Alondra de la Parra, the WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln (WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne) performs Maurice Ravel’s Boléro, a one-movement orchestral piece, originally composed as a ballet commissioned by Russian actress and dancer Ida Rubinstein (1885-1960). This performance was recorded on January 27, 2022, at the Kölner Philharmonie.
Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini [Yuja Wang]
Accompanied by the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, Yuja Wang performs Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43, a concertante work that was written for piano and orchestra, closely resembling a piano concerto, all in a single movement. Conductor: Gerard Oskamp. Conductor: Gustavo Gimeno. This performance was recorded at the Kinnekswiss Park in …
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Pavarotti sings Mamma [Bixio] [Pesaro, 1986]
The legendary Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti sings Mamma, a popular song composed in 1940 by Cesare Andrea Bixio (1896-1978) with Italian lyrics by Bixio Cherubini (1899-1987) under the title “Mamma son tanto felice” (Mum, I am so happy). Flauto: Andrea Griminelli, a renowned flautist who has performed with leading orchestras and conductors around the world. …
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Gershwin: An American in Paris [hr-Sinfonieorchester, Giedrė Šlekytė]
Conducted by Giedrė Šlekytė, the hr-Sinfonieorchester (Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra) performs performs George Gershwin’s jazz-influenced symphonic poem (or tone poem) An American in Paris. This performance was recorded at the hr-Sendesaal Frankfurt on October 6, 2023.
Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez [Narciso Yepes in Chile, 1988]
Accompanied by the Orquesta Filarmónica de Santiago (Santiago Philharmonic Orchestra), the legendary Spanish classical guitarist Narciso Yepes performs Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez on his 10-string guitar. Conductor: Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos. Also known as “Rodrigo’s Guitar Concerto”, the piece is perhaps the most popular guitar concerto ever written. This performance was recorded at the …
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Shostakovich: Piano Trio No. 2 [Yuja Wang, Leonidas Kavakos, Gautier Capuçon]
Yuja Wang (piano), Leonidas Kavakos (violin), and Gautier Capuçon (cello) perform Dmitri Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67. This performance was recorded during the Verbier Festival on July 29, 2022.
Debussy: La Mer [hr-Sinfonieorchester, Alain Altinoglu]
Conducted by Alain Altinoglu, hr-Sinfonieorchester (Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra) performs La mer, trois esquisses symphoniques pour orchestre (English: The sea, three symphonic sketches for orchestra), or simply La Mer (i.e. The Sea), an orchestral composition by the French composer Claude Debussy. This performance was recorded at the Alte Oper Frankfurt on September 22, 2023.