When the Court Opera Director Wilhelm Jahn commissioned the by no means unvain Johann Strauss Jr. to write a ‘genuine’ opera, he readily accepted. So, he wrote Ritter Pásmán, a work the Waltz King himself regarded as his only one in this genre, although the plot is basically like an operetta. The source was the narrative Pázmán lovag by the Hungarian writer János Aranyi (1817-1882). It deals with jealousy and a kind of tit-for-tat. The premiere of the comic opera at the Vienna Court Opera on New Year’s Day 1892 was a major society event, but its artistic success lagged somewhat behind. The reviewers of the premiere were distanced towards the work. On the one hand, they unanimously elevated the ballet music at the beginning of Act III to the status of an absolute masterpiece. (By the way, this was the first time that a cimbalom could be heard in the orchestra of the Court Opera). The present live recording was captured at the Vienna Musikverein on 27 October 1975, with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Heinz Wallberg, Eberhard Waechter as Ritter Pásmàn, Sona Ghazarian as Queen, Josef Hopfwieser as Hungarian King, and Truedeliese Schmidt as Eva as main cast. The recording includes the complete ballet music as bonus tracks, performed by the Slovac State Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Alfred Walter.

Irish cellist Ailbhe McDonagh and world renowned Beethoven specialist John O'Conor celebrated Beethoven’s 250th anniversary year with this recording of his complete sonatas for cello and piano.
“Out of several performances of the Beethoven A Major Sonata heard over 30 years, McDonagh’s was the most musically complete and satisfying” (Irish Times) “O'Conor brought real poetry to his recital of late-period Beethoven … incisive, even visionary projections that drove to the heart of the musical matter” (Washington Post)

The candles are lit, the food is ready, the company is good and the wine is flowing. What else do you need? The right sounds to create the right mood - and here they are. Simply Dinner Jazz features over four hours of the best laid-back jazz ranging from hip and swinging recordings by jazz legends of the past six decades through to cool and classy interpretations of standards and jazz classics by contemporary jazz artists.
Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, Sarah Vaughan, Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Hank Mobley, Art Pepper, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Cannonball Adderley and many more.

Esoteric Recordings is pleased to announce the release of a new clamshell boxed set featuring all four of Curved Air’s classic albums recorded between 1970 and 1973. “The Albums” features newly remastered versions of “Air Conditioning”, “Second Album”, “Phantasmagoria” and “Air Cut”, along with bonus tracks ‘It Happened Today’ (single version), ‘What Happens When You Blow Yourself Up’ and ‘Sarah’s Concern’, all originally issued as singles.
Originally issued on the Warner Bros. label in November 1970, “Air Conditioning” showcased the highly innovative talents of Sonja Kristina (vocals), ex-Royal College of Music student Darryl Way (violin), former Royal Academy of Music student Francis Monkman (electric guitar, piano, mellotron, VCS3 synthesiser), Rob Martin (bass) and Florian Pilkington-Miksa (drums)…

Is this an hommage to Schubert? Or just to a leading Lieder tenor of our time? Probably this box is both and it represents a clear reference for anyone who is a seasoned Lieder lover or a neophyte wanting to approach this genre.
I don’t say anything new when I state that the three Schubert’s Lieder cycles are the the pinnacle in the history of the art song. Not by chance any serious male singer wants to record at least one of these masterpieces.

Regarded by none other than the record collector magazine, as being the finest collection of "Hendrix" sessions ever released, this limited edition ten cd box set contains over 100 tracks over ten hours of music & contains some of finest sessions/outakes "Jimi Hendrix" ever made. This box set is limited to a 1000 copies, each one is individually numbered, it also contains a 20 page detailed booklet.

These rare treasures take you all across Billie's career-from '35, the year she debuted at the Apollo and first charted, to '59, the year she died. The stunning early performances include a 20-year-old Billie with Ellington in '35 and a 1937 radio broadcast from the Savoy Hotel in NY with the Basie Orchestra; you'll also hear rare rehearsal tapes, her Monterey '58 performance, songs on The Eddie Condon Show, The Tonight Show, The Steve Allen Show, an impromptu recording of Billie and friends singing My Yiddish Mamma, and more with Art Tatum, Lionel Hampton, Johnny Hodges, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins and more! Includes 129 tracks: Swing Brother Swing; Fine and Mellow; I'll Get By; Billie's Blues; All of Me; Lover Man; Them There Eyes; You're My Thrill; I Cover the Waterfront; Porgy; Tenderly; God Bless the Child; My Man; Moanin' Low; Ghost of a Chance, and more.

Georgia Satellites hail from Atlanta, Georgia. In 1986 they signed to Elektra Records and set about recording their first album with Jeff Glixman. The band’s first single, ‘Keep Your Hands To Yourself’ stormed the US charts, peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The band recorded a total of three studio albums for Elektra before Dan Baird left to pursue a solo career. This 3 CD, 53 track ultimate collection focuses on the band’s output whilst signed to Elektra Records. Spanning the years 1986 to 1990, the band released three studio albums and various singles that feature on this collection plus the related bonus tracks taken from the band’s b-sides and 12” releases. It is the definitive collection of the band’s material available.

Visiting a spa is an increasingly popular way of escaping the stresses and strains of everyday life. Whether you're a frantic professional, a stressed-out Mum, or just in need of some 'me time' it's important to take a breather from our busy schedules to relax and recharge our batteries. With over four hours of peaceful music, this 4CD collection of Spa Chill recordings will transport you to your sanctuary!

Originally conceived as a double album, all mirrors and whole new mess were distinct parts of a larger whole, Twin stars that each expressed something bigger and bolder than Angel Olsen had ever made. Released in 2019, All mirrors is massive in scope and sound, tracing Olsen's ascent into the unknown, to a place of true self-acceptance, no matter how dark, or difficult, or seemingly lonely. All mirrors is colossal, moving, dramatic in an old Hollywood manner. Recorded before all mirrors but released after, whole new mess is the Bones and s of the songs that would rewrite Olsen's story. This is Angel Olsen in her classic style: stark solo performances, echoes and open spaces, her voice both whispered and enormous. All mirrors and whole new mess presented the two glorious extremes of an artist who, in these songs, became new by embracing herself entirely. Now, with songs of the lark… and other far memories, these Twin stars become a constellation with the full extent of the songs' Iterations: all the alternate takes, b-sides, remixes and reimaginings are here, together. Alongside, a 40-page book collection tells a similar story, not just through outtakes and unseen photos but through the smaller, evocative details: handwritten lyrics, a favorite Necklace, a beaded Chandelier. As if it could be more plainly stated (there's nothing more), Angel adds one cover here: a loving, assertive rendition of Roxy music's "more than this." it is a definitive collection, not just of these songs but of their revelations and their writer, from their simplest origins to their mightiest realization.

"Down Every Road 1962–1994" is a compilation album by American country singer Merle Haggard, released in 1996. It covers music from his earliest work in the early 1960s to his Epic releases of the late 1980s. The boxed set includes three CDs of material recorded for Capitol (up to 1977) and one of Haggard's later MCA and Epic recordings. It was ranked at #477 on 2012 updated version of Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, stating that it "is the ultimate collection from one of country's finest singers."

Crimson Gold presents Ian Hunter & Mott the Hoople 'Gold'. Led by singer-songwriter Ian Hunter, Mott the Hoople burst on to the seventies rock scene with classic tracks such as 'all the young dudes', 'roll away the Stone' And 'all the way from Memphis'. This new essential compilation features the very best of Mott the Hoople alongside classic tracks from Ian Hunter's solo albums across 3 CDs, plus an exclusive introduction from Mott and Hunter biographer, Campbell devine. 'Gold' Contains a total of sixteen UK and us singles. Cd 1 opens with the David Bowie penned 'all the young dudes' From 1972. The song shot to #3 in the UK singles chart and has been acclaimed as a timeless rock anthem. Other classic Mott the Hoople tracks on this disc include the top ten hits 'all the way from Memphis' And 'roll away the Stone'. Cd 2 features more hits including 'the golden age of rock & roll', 'Saturday gigss', 'Foxy, Foxy' And 'once bitten, twice shy'. Cd 3 rounds off this definitive collection with fan favourite tracks from Ian Hunter's classic solo albums including 'All-American alien Boy', 'England rocks' And 'all of the good ones are taken'.

RAY FENWICK is one of rock’s archetypal journeymen. A guitarist of some renown, but also a singer, a multi-instrumentalist, a songwriter a producer and noted session musician, he has played on countless records across the decades.PLAYING THROUGH THE CHANGES is the most comprehensive anthology of Ray’s multi-faceted musical output to date. Compiled by the man himself, this 3-CD set boasts many of his best solo recordings from the 1970s, some of which are new to CD.Ray’s early career back in the 1960s is represented by tracks from The Syndicats (produced by Joe Meek and also featuring Steve Howe), authentic Ska combo Rupert And The Red Devils, Tee-Set, After Tea and a later incarnation of hit R&B band The Spencer Davis Group (including the track ‘After Tea’!).

Two things propelled the re-emergence of the keyboard double concerto. One of them was the revival of interest in early classical and baroque music. The other was the emergence of the piano duo, those popular and virtuosic two-piano teams that captured a big audience and toured widely. Some of these duos became superstars: Vronsky & Babin, Gold & Fizdale, Whittemore & Lowe, Luboshutz & Nemenoff are still remembered as masters of their trade and it is due to them and others like them that this new piano-and-orchestra repertoire was created. And this is the tradition that Joshua Pierce and Dorothy Jonas have revived and carried forward as the successors to those virtuosic piano duos of another era. It is logical that Pierce & Jonas have recorded – and, in some cases unearthed and revived – these masterpieces of 20th century two-piano-and orchestra repertoire. This 2-CD album containing seven of these works constitute the first volume; there will be six more in the forthcoming 2-CD second volume, making a bakers dozen of works in all, an extraordinary collection of original works for this medium by an extra-ordinary piano duo working in a grand tradition.

Featuring Giants From The Era When Indie Pop, Indie Dance And The Newly Christened Britpop Became Massive Including Oasis, Manic Street Preachers, Pulp, Radiohead And Suede, NOW Live Forever: The Anthems Is Packed With 82 Universally Loved Tracks Ready For You To Re-Live! Perfect For Father’s Day Or To Treat Yourself To, This Anthemic 4CD Compilation Also Includes Huge Hits From Across The Pond Such As, R.E.M. ‘What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?’ And Iggy Pop ‘Lust For Life’.