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.

The world of pop music was hardly ready for The Velvet Underground's first album when it appeared in the spring of 1967, but while "The Velvet Underground and Nico" sounded like an open challenge to conventional notions of what rock music could sound like (or what it could discuss), 1968's "White Light/White Heat" was a no-holds-barred frontal assault on cultural and aesthetic propriety.

During this 150th anniversary year of Jean Sibelius, his music is being performed and discussed more widely than ever. As might be expected, the Lahti Symphony Orchestra, noted for its numerous and often revelatory Sibelius recordings, is planning its own homage: all seven symphonies will be performed at the 2015 edition of the orchestra's annual Sibelius Festival. With principal conductor Okko Kamu the Lahti SO has also prepared a special birthday present for their great compatriot. Recorded between 2012 and 2014 this new anniversary cycle is released as a boxed set of three SACDs with a surround sound option, and is accompanied by an ample booklet with informative notes by Andrew Barnett, author of a Sibelius biography. Needless to say, Kamu has conducted these works numerous times since then, in Finland and abroad, but has never before put his name to a complete cycle on disc.

Okko Kamu is a pro, and a thoroughly idiomatic Sibelius conductor, and of course the Lahti Symphony Orchestra's credentials already have been certified. The performances are excellent and full of personal touches. In the Tempest Suites, Kamu is always sensitive to the music's subtle details, particularly regarding string articulation. "Miranda", for example, is unusually wistful but not sleepy, and if "Caliban's Song" sounds a bit too legato, you do get a vivid sense of a corpulent, swaggering creature. "The Overture" is amazingly clear harmonically, yet also powerful. In short: a terrific performance.

In what we believe is a very harmonic and enjoyable mix, Opus 3 offers a selection from their albums of music ranging from Blues, Jazz, World Music and Classical. Stimulating possibilities are made available on SACD's and pure DSD.

The Colour of Spring is the third studio album by English band Talk Talk, originally released in February, 1986. Musically, The Colour of Spring was a major step away from the synthesised pop of early Talk Talk, with a greater focus on guitars, pianos, and organs on such songs as "Life's What You Make It", "Living in Another World" and "Give It Up". It had a sound described by the band as much more organic than their earlier records, with the improvisation that was to dominate on their later works already apparent in the recording process.

Spirit of Eden is the fourth studio album by English band Talk Talk, originally released in 1988 on Parlophone Records. The songs were written by vocalist Mark Hollis and producer Tim Friese-Greene and the album was compiled from a lengthy recording process at London's Wessex Studios between 1987 and 1988. Often working in darkness, the band recorded many hours of improvised performances that drew on elements of jazz, ambient, blues, classical music, and dub. These long-form recordings were then heavily edited and re-arranged into an album in mostly digital format.

Handel, a child of his time, was fascinated by the poignant human dramas and emotions exemplified by Greek and Roman classical myths, dramas and poetry. A theatre composer to his very bones, he was remarkably skilled in the portrayal of human psychology. The oboe was an instrument especially beloved by Handel and it is the unifying element in this fascinating anthology of arias and cantatas focusing on themes of love and madness sung by soprano Johannette Zomer. Zomer is accompanied by oboist Bart Schneemann and the ensemble Musica Amphion under direction of Jan-Pieter Belder.

This exciting programme is presented by Emma Kirkby and London Baroque, household names in the sphere of ‘early music’ and beyond, and certainly no new-comers to the works of Handel. Indeed, when they last joined forces in a GF Handel programme the website MusicWeb International called the performances ones that "make one wish that all Handel music making could be of this order", while the reviewer in BBC Music Magazine wrote "I've seldom been as moved by a recording, both music and performance".

Supertramp's "Breakfast In America" was the biggest selling album in the world in 1979. It spawned several hit singles and went on to win two Grammy Awards and sell in excess of 20 million copies. Following the album's release Supertramp embarked on a 10 month world tour which arrived in Paris at the end of November. This show from the Pavillon de Paris was both filmed and recorded. The audio went on to form the basis of the 1980 live album "Paris" but the film was never released. Now for the first time, transferred and restored to full HD from the original 16mm film, this footage is available to Supertramp's legion of fans worldwide

A concert held in the memory of ex-Deep Purple keyboardist Jon Lord, featuring performances from an assortment of Lord’s friends and bandmates. The first part spotlighting Jon Lord's classical music compositions, and this second part featuring highlights of his career as a rock musician.

Don't be put off by the precious title; this is a delightful collection of 17th-century English music built around the delicate viola da gamba skills of the Dutch virtuoso Mieneke van der Velden. Mostly oozing a delicious melancholy, but occasionally boasting a spring in its step, here is the best of such composers as John Dowland, Matthew Locke and William Corkine, with songs from Tobias Hume and Nicholas Lanier. Exquisitely played, with as much devotion to detail as technical mastery, here is period music to beguile many a modern moodswing.

After a series of popular and award-winning recordings running over a wide range of the piano repertoire, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet is a well-known name in the piano lover’s world. But back in the 90’s, Bavouzet was just a name on a little known Japanese label specializing in piano music. The Études as presented here by Bavouzet are marvels of musical insight and control. The Children’s Corner is equally compelling. Also on this disc presented other Debussy’s works as Page d'album, Berceuse héroïque, La plus que lente, and Elégie. As with the Etudes, the recorded sound of the piano is miraculously good. The recording was made in 1996 but not released by the Japanese label, Octavia Records, until 2005. This perhaps explains its obscurity relative to Bavouzet’s more recent recordings of the same material.

Ann Hampton Callaway is not your typical jazz songbird. For one thing, she's an accomplished and award-winning songwriter, which is unusual in a field dominated by interpreters. But what's most surprising is her voice – it's a low alto instrument with a rich, dark, butterscotchy tone, and when she gets way down into her lower range the effect can be downright startling.