LSO Live presents the first in a series exploring the complete symphonies of Felix Mendelssohn under the baton of Sir John Eliot Gardiner. Also featured on this release is the eminent Portuguese pianist, Maria João Pires, in the inaugural concerto recording on the label. Inspired by his travels to the British Isles and full of the influence of the rolling Scottish landscape, both Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 3 "Scottish" and his Hebrides Overture are amongst the composer's most popular and celebrated works.

Otto Klemperer made many great recordings, especially conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra for EMI. This disc combines recordings made in 1960 (nine) and 1963 (eight). The remastering has deepened the tonal range and sound-stage and generally warmed the sound and they can be described as being very creditable for their vintage. The performances have authority and are both strong statements and are among the highlights of the later Klemperer discography.

Vladimir Ashkenazy, who was appointed principal conductor of the Sydney Symphony in 2009, puts his orchestra through its paces in this vibrant Exton album. Far less frequently performed and recorded than the darker First Symphony, Edward Elgar's Second Symphony in E flat major is a work written on an exceptionally grand scale. Elgar scored the symphony for an extended triple woodwind section, extra percussion, and even two harps.

This Mendelssohn's trios disc from the Hamlet Trio, a group just four years old, boasts performances that shine with confidence and immediacy. Good things abound: in the D minor, the second movement’s tempo is spot-on, and the piano’s opening soliloquy persuasively done, while the scherzo sizzles without losing sight of an underlying elegance. The opening Allegro energico of the C minor, too, is certainly not short on fire.

Harold Mabern is a hard bop, post-bop and soul jazz pianist and composer. He is described in The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings as "one of the great post-bop pianists." On this release, Mabern is joined by Nat Reeves on bass, Joe Farnsworth on drums, and Eric Alexander on tenor sax.

Harold Mabern was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1936 and spent some of his early years in Chicago before moving to New York in the early 1960s. There he began to work with Lionel Hampton, Art Farmer's Jazztet and J.J. Johnson. Mabern has accompanied many vocalists including Joe Williams, Sarah Vaughan, Dakota Staton, Irene Reid and Arthur Prysock. He's also worked with Roland Kirk, Sonny Rollins, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, Roy Haynes, Wes Montgomery, Clark Terry, Billy Harper, Joe Newman and George Coleman. On this record, he's joined by Joe Farnsworth and Dwayne Burno.

Here is another fascinating issue in their SACD series. Again Dutton Vocalion (Epoch) have been able to obtain original four-track surround recordings never before issued in multi-channel SACD. Artur Rubinsteun is soloist in Rachmaninoff, Saint-Saëns' Piano Concertos and De Falla's Nights In The Gardens Of Spain, with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Arthur Rubinstein was a Polish-American pianist. His first recording was made in 1910, but his major recording career was between 1928 and 1976. This Dutton Vocalion's reissue features his performance of Ludvig van Beethoven's first and second Piano Concertos with London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Daniel Barenboim, recorded in 1975 and originally released as separate LP's in 1976. Both concertos were digitally remastered from original analogue tapes by Michael J. Dutton.

Arthur Rubinstein was a Polish-American pianist. His first recording was made in 1910, but his major recording career was between 1928 and 1976. This Dutton Vocalion's reissue features his performance of Ludvig van Beethoven's third and fourth Piano Concertos with London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Daniel Barenboim, recorded in 1975 and originally released as separate LP's in 1976. Both concertos were digitally remastered from original analogue tapes by Michael J. Dutton.

Arthur Rubinstein was a Polish-American pianist. His first recording was made in 1910, but his major recording career was between 1928 and 1976. This Dutton Vocalion's reissue features his performance of Ludvig van Beethoven's "Emperor" (fifth) Piano Concerto with London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Daniel Barenboim, recorded in 1975 and originally released as separate LP's in 1976. In addition to SACD has added Sonata No. 18 in E flat, originally released as part of "Beethoven's Concerto No. 2" LP in the same year. All recordings were digiatally remastered from the original master tapes.

This is sublime: quite simply the finest registration of 17th century English song on the market. It’s one of those perfectly designed programmes, which have all the built-in variety you need for over an hour’s uninterrupted listening pleasure. There is plenty here for the casual listener and connoisseur alike and, despite the title, the introspective mood is upliftingly beautiful throughout. The scholarly preparation which makes this possible, and the clear sense that these interpretations have been honed, through regular performance, are what we’ve come to expect from the brilliantly successful partnership of Dutch soprano and the lutenist… An outstanding achievement on every front.

This series of recordings that Kurt Sanderling did with the Berliner Sinfonia-Orchester (BSO - not the BPO) date from the late 1970s and are remarkable for their depth of understanding and delivery. This disc, recorded in 1978 and still in completely acceptable sound, delivers one of the most convincing recordings yet made of this final symphony. This performance joins the others by Sanderling which altogether add up to a very fine series indeed.

After a successful early career in Hollywood as a jazz musician and arranger, André Previn transitioned into the world of classical music, making a name for himself in London for his innovative programming and refreshing reappraisals of many warhorses, in particular in English and Russian music. Tchaikovsky was one of the composers that Previn was good at. The 1812 orchestral songs are also known as well-known recordings and have been reprinted several times in the CD era. "Manfred Symphony" is a great performance that shed light on this work that had not been recorded much before, and LP has long been known for its excellent recording audio files.

By 90th anniversary of Decca's founding and 30 years after Herbert von Karajan's death, following three orchestral recordings by Karajan & Vienna Philharmonic have been converted from the original master to DSD by British Classic Sound. The Symphony No. 1 have been recorded by Karajan for Decca in 1959; Symphony No. 3 and Tragic Overture in 1961.

Dmitry Shostakovich holds a place among the most important composers of the 20th century, and his Fifth Symphony is a symphonic masterpiece, which helped him secure that position. Kurt Sanderlings interpretation with the Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester was louded by the composer himself. He was the first conductor to conduct Shostakovichs music following the ostracism of 1948. Sanderling's wife Barbara, a double bassist with the BSO, stated that her husband had developed an unbelievable understanding of this music. It was providential that Shostakovich expressly confirmed what Kurt Sanderling had read into the music.