St. John Passion was first performed in 1724 as part of a church service during Holy Week at St.Thomas’ Church in Leipzig with other items being added the following year, included in this recording (‘1725 setting’), although later Bach reverted to the original 1724 version. With its trial scenes St John Passion is noticeably more dramatic than the St. Matthew Passion which followed a couple of years later.

“A lively, well-paced version with original instruments and excellent team of characterful soloists, with the fresh-toned (King’s Choir) boy trebles adding dramatic bite. What especially distinguishes this set is that the alternative numbers that Bach wrote for a revival in 1725, are given in an appendix, including the Chorale fantasy in place of the opening …Most enjoyable” —Penguin Guide, 3 stars

“fine contributions especially from Stephen Varcoe, and an exceptionally immediate and affecting ‘Es ist vollbracht’ from Michael Chance.” —Gramophone

Each of Sibelius’s seven numbered symphonies possesses a quite different character, a fact that has led his followers to assert that he is the finest symphonist since Beethoven. These two renditions have been brought back to life in these newly remastered editions from Paul Arden-Taylor. 

“Davis reminds us now just how great he is in Sibelius with a marvellous new recording of the Second … the strength of this performance, where a patient (and more involving) build-up leads to a shattering finale. Davis loves Sibelius, and the orchestra clearly love playing it for him. Listening to a Sibelius performance of this calibre, there’s no other composer one would rather hear.” —Gramophone, Album of the Month (Symphony No. 2)

Album of the Month, Classic FM (Symphony No. 5)

Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43

1. I. Allegretto
2. II. Tempo andante, ma rubato
3. III. Vivacissimo
4. IV. Allegro moderato

Symphony No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 82 (1919 Version)

5. I. Tempo molto moderato
6. II. Andante mosso
7. III. Allegro molto

1. I. Un poco Andante — Allegro molto ed agitato
2. II. Romanze. Andantino — Allegro agitato
3. III. Intermezzo. Allegro molto marcato — Più vivo e scherzando
4. IV. Finale. Lento — Presto al Saltarello

5. Fugue in F Minor
6. Andante con moto in C Minor for Piano Trio

String Quartet No. 2 in F Major, EG 117 (Completed by Julius Röntgen)

7. I. Sostenuto – Allegro vivace e grazioso
8. II. Allegro scherzando
9. III. Adagio
10. IV. Allegro giocoso

Alto returns to international availability, the Raphael Quartet’s acclaimed 1993 recordings of Edvard Grieg’s String Quartets 1 & 2, the Allegro con fuoco from the Fugue in F minor for string quartet, and the Andante con moto in C minor for piano trio with pianist Jet Röling.

The Raphael String Quartet was known far beyond their native Holland. Founded in the early 1980s, they came to prominence winning four distinctions at the European Broadcasting Union String Quartet Festival in 1983. The recipients of a number of important commissions, they have recorded extensively including works by Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Bruckner, Grieg, Janáček and Shostakovich. 

These sumptuous chamber music recordings have been newly remastered and restored by engineer Paul Arden-Taylor. 

“The Raphael Quartet give us … plenty of spirit, and the recorded sound is excellent.” —Penguin Guide, 3 Stars 

This new production features Emil Gilels in Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in a live recording from 1962, first issued by Musica on LP, and Tatiana Nikolayeva in the Concert Fantasia in G Minor, Op. 56 from Melodiya’s 1952 Moscow recordings. Both have been lovingly re-mastered and restored for Alto from the original sources by engineer Paul Arden-Taylor.

“Gilels elected to play the Siloti version of the 2nd concerto … his playing is of the highest order of mastery and has the virtue of presenting the work with the freshness of a new discovery” —Penguin Guide on Gilels’ Piano Concerto No. 2

“playing of an awe-inspiring musical strength and integrity. The massive cadenza in the Concert Fantasia played with all-Russian conviction … throughout, she inflects Tchaikovsky’s sumptuously decorated melodies with a warmth and breadth known to few pianists outside Russia” —Gramophone on Nikolayeva’s Concert Fantasia

Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Major, Op. 44

1. I. Allegro brillante e molto vivace
2. II. Andante non troppo
3. III. Allegro con fuoco

Emil Gilels, piano; USSR State Symphony Orchestra; Kirill Kondrashin, conductor

Concert Fantasia in G Minor, Op. 56

4. I. Quasi Rondo
5. II. Contrastes. Andante cantabile—Molto vivace

Tatiana Nikolayeva, piano; USSR State Symphony Orchestra; Kirill Kondrashin, conductor