Philharmonia Orchestra – Alto CD

The Young Yehudi Menuhin

amuletts — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 01:14:07 +0000

Parnassus presents an essential collection of newly remastered recordings showcasing the early recording history of one of the greatest violinists of the 20th-century, Yehudi Menuhin (1916–1999).

At the heart of this collection lies Menuhin’s recording of Schumman’s “lost” Violin Concerto. Recorded in 1938 with the New York Philharmonic and conductor John Barbirolli, the emotional intensity young Menuhin brings to this rediscovered masterpiece remains unmatched.

The collection spans nearly two decades of Menuhin’s early career, from intimate 1936 sessions with sister Hephzibah performing Enescu’s Romanian Folk-Style Sonata No. 3, to his commanding 1951 interpretation of Vieuxtemps’ Fourth Concerto. These aren’t merely historical curiosities—they’re revelatory performances that defined violin artistry for generations.

Gene Gaudette and Paul Arden-Taylor’s restorations reveal every nuance of Menuhin’s legendary tone and technique emerges with stunning presence, making this collection indispensable for serious collectors and newcomers alike.

Robert Schumann
Violin Concerto in D Minor, WoO 23 (26:59)

I. In kräftigem, nicht zu schnellem Tempo (12:23)
II. Langsam (5:48)
III. Lebhaft, doch nicht zu schnell (8:47)

Johannes Brahms
Hungarian Dances (Arr. Joachim)

No. 1 in G Minor (2:49)
No. 7 in A Major (1:58)

George Enescu
Violin Sonata No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 25 (23:33)

I. Moderato malinconico (7:55)
II. Andante sostenuto e misterioso (8:19)
III. Allegro con brio, ma non troppo mosso (7:19)

Henri Vieuxtemps
Violin Concerto No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 31 (23:10)

I. Andante – Moderato (6:49)
II. Adagio religioso (6:23)
III. Scherzo & Trio (4:16)
IV. Finale. Allegro

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) Symphony in A min/ Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:47:04 +0000

“(His) Symphony is a very likeable discovery. Both middle movements display a disarming melodic felicity and assurance, and admiring glances towards Dvořák, although Stanford (his teacher) was never happy with the finale. It was first played by RCM students in 1896 (including Holst and Vaughan Williams !). Although it went down well, it gathered dust for over a century. Bostock’s alert and affectionate lead enjoy making its acquaintance … crisp and clear sound for this world premiere recording. In every respect, a solid thumbs-up” [Gramophone] “The much-loved Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast recalls the extraordinary excitement of its first performance. Coleridge-Taylor was then 23 and the work an immediate and wild success. Parry suggested that because of the composer’s West African father, “he loved plenty of sound, plenty of colour, simple and definite rhythms and, above all, plenty of tune”. All these qualities kept it popular, and are admirably captured here: the Philharmonia provide the orchestral colour, and Sir Malcolm keeps the admirable Royal Choral Society on their rhythmic toes. Richard Lewis gives a suitably romantic Onaway! Awake, beloved ! Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast has been done proud in every way” [Gramophone]

Symphony in A minor, Op.8 (1896) [36:23]

[1] I. Allegro appassionato 11.26

[2] II. Lament: Larghetto affettuoso 7.26

[3] III. Scherzo: Allegro ma non troppo 7.21

[4] IV. Allegro maestoso ed energico 10.09

Aarhus Symphony Orchestra / Douglas Bostock (2006)

Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast, Op.30 No.1 (1898) [31:36]

[5] You shall hear how Pau-Puk-Keewis 6.49

[6] Then the handsome Pau-Puk-Keewis 1.53

[7] He was dress’d in shirt of doe-skin 2.24

[8] First he danc’d a solemn measure 3.23

[9] Then said they to Chibiabos 2.52

[10] Onaway! Awake, beloved* 5.36

[11] Thus the gentle Chibiabos 1.31

[12] Very boastful was Iagoo 5.18

[13] Such was Hiawatha’s wedding 1.42

Royal Choral Society / Philharmonia Orchestra / Malcolm Sargent

Richard Lewis (tenor)* (1962)

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-47)

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:38:05 +0000

“(This) celebrates Tamás Vásáry’s debut on record as a symphonic conductor, and it seems to me a great success….another case of a musician who has made a fruitful transition from piano keyboard to podium, and …he is in firm and confident control of the proceedings. In the introduction of the Scottish Symphony’s first movement the mood is at once positive and purposeful, and the music moves forward with a strong cumulative feeling,.. while the Adagio is adorned by the most tender, lovingly shaped phrasing…..and I was particularly impressed by the excellently managed coda.

Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56 “Scottish”/Ecossaise/Schottische

[1] Introduction: Andante con moto –
Allegro un poco agitato – Andante come prima 15:21
[2] Vivace non troppo (Scherzo: Assai vivace) 4:21
[3] Adagio (Andante con moto) 10:20
[4] Allegro vivacissimo (Allegro guerriero) –
Allegro maestoso assai 9:41

Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 “Italian”/Italienne/Italienische

[5] Allegro vivace 10:45
[6] Andante con moto 6:45
[7] Con moto moderato 6:59
[8] Saltarello: Presto 5:23

Richard Wagner (1813-83) Favourite Overtures and Preludes

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:38:05 +0000

“If you want a spectacular modern digital recording of Wagnerian orchestral excerpts, this is hard to beat…” (Penguin Guide 3 stars) “from the most exciting modern collection of Wagner’s “purple patches” now in the catalogue…Then comes an exhilaratingly brilliant Ride of the Valkyries. Their steeds are not whipped to the point of exhaustion and they come into the final straight, heads held high and manes flying in the wind, drawing cheers from all.” © Gramophone)

1. “Rienzi” Overture 13:16
2. “Der fliegende Holländer” Overture 10:43
3. “Tannhäuser” Overture 15:22
4. “Lohengrin” Prelude to Act 1 10:42
5. “Lohengrin” Prelude to Act 3 3:09
6. “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg”
Overture 10:04
7. “Ride of the Valkyries” 4:55

Walton: Symphony No. 1 / Violin Concerto

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:37:19 +0000

“Hickox and Accardo take their time most satisfyingly in the dreamy ostinato in the middle movement making the zest and flitter of the presto sections all the more effective. In the finale seductive tenderness meets rapturous grandeur.”
– Rob Barnett, Musicweb International

Alto is pleased to return to the international catalogue two outstanding recordings of music by Sir Wqilliam Walton originally issued on the Collins Classics label.

Sir William Walton

Symphony No.1 in b-flat minor

I. Allegro assai 14:22
II. Scherzo: Presto con malizia 6:11
III. Andante con malinconia 10:31
IV. Maestoso – Allegro, brioso ed ardentemente – Vivacissimo – Maestoso 13:09

Violin Concerto in b minor

I. Andante tranquillo 11:14
II. Presto capriccioso alla napolitana 6:53
III. Finale: Vivace 12:39

Chopin: Piano Concertos

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:36:57 +0000

***”[Martino] Tirimo’s [recording of the Chopin piano concertos] ranks alongside Perahia and Zimerman… poetic feeling paramount. … [E]xquisite delicacy … spontanteity in every bar… musing reverie, scintillatingly alive… strong orchestral support and sparkling dance rhythms.”—Penguin Guide

In 1994, Martino Tirimo, then a relatively little-known pianist, bowled over the critics with his recording of the two Chopin Piano Concertos — and garnered an international following as a result. This hard-to-find recording returns to international availability on Alto — at a value price!

Frédéric Chopin

Piano Concerto No.1 in e minor, Op.11

1 – Allegro maestoso
2 – Romanza. Larghetto
3 – Rondo. Vivace

Piano Concerto No.2 in f minor, Op.21

1 – Allegro vivace
2 – Larghetto
3 – Allegro vivace

Recorded at All Saints, Petersham
Producer: Marian Freeman
Engineer: Andrew Hallifax
Originally released on Conifer

Mozart: Complete Horn Concertos and Fragments

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:36:57 +0000

“Remains first choice for those wanting these works in a modern-instrument performance with first-class digital sound… moreover, unusually complete”
— Penguin Guide [3 stars]

Barry Tuckwell is one of the greatest instrumental soloists of the recording era. He began his career as one of the most in-demand orchestral players of the mid-20th century, playing in a number of orchestras before joining the London Symphony Orchetsra, where he also served as chairman of the board for six years. He resigned from the orchestra in 1968 to pursue a career as a soloist and conductor, and over the next thirty years he carved out a career exclusively as a soloist — the only horn virtuoso to have done so, rather than combining occasional concert performances with an orchestral position or a teaching post — before giving his last concert with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in 1997.

Tuckwell’s recordings of Mozart’s complete music for horn and orchestra was acclaimed as the “must-have” disc upon its release on Collins Classics some two decades ago. This highly sought-after recordsing returns to teh catalogue on Alto — at an irresistable value price.

• A “must-have” disc — one of the greatest instrumentalists of the twentieth century playing Mozart’s complete works for horn and orchestra

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Horn Concerto No.1 in D Major, K412

1 Allegro 4:55
2 Rondo. Allegro 3:55
3 Rondo (arr Sussmayr) 3:58

Horn Concerto No.2 in E-flat Major, K417

4 Allegro maestoso 6:33
5 Andante 3:20
6 Rondo 3:42

Horn Concerto No.3 in E-flat Major, K447

7 Allegro 6:37
8 Romance. Larghetto 4:32
9 Allegro 3:44

Horn Concerto No.4 in E-flat Major, K495

10 Allegro moderato 7:43
11 Romance. Andante cantabile 4:42
12 Rondeau. Allegro vivace 4:

Horn Concerto No.”0″ in E-flat Major, K370b (arr.Tuckwell)

13 (Allegro) 5:29

Allegro K371 (arr. Tuckwell)

14 Rondeau 4:

Fragment in E Major, K.anh98A

15 (Allegro) 3:13

Barry Tuckwell, soloist and conductor
Philharmonia Orchestra

Prokofiev: Symphonies 5 & 1 “Classical”

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:36:36 +0000

“This newcomer can hold its head high among any rivals; in terms of detail, presence and body, it is first class. The perspective is natural, the definition, particularly at the bottom end of the aural spectrum, quite outstanding, and there is impressive clarity. Rudolf Barshai gets cultured playing from the Philharmonia Orchestra and gives a fine account of the score. The performance is well thought out, tempos are judiciously chosen and the architecture of the work carefully shaped… The same goes for the Classical Symphony.”
— Gramophone

The essential Prokofiev symphonies conducted by one of the composer’s beloved colleagues – now available at super-value price!

Wagner: Orchestral Favorites

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:36:14 +0000

*** [3 stars] If you want a spectacular modern digital recording of Wagnerian orchestral excerpts, this is hard to beat!–Penguin Guide

Bolt down your speakers! Yuri Simonov and the Philharmonia Orchestra unleash the full power of thrilling orchestral highlights from Richard Wagner’s operas!

Richard Wagner

1 – Parsifal — Act I: Prelude 14:26
2 – Die Walküre — Act III: Ride of the Valkyries 4:49
3 – Siegfried — Act II: Forest Murmurs 8:24
4 – Götterdämmerung — Act I: Dawn and siegfried’s Rhine Journey 12:52
5 – Götterdämmerung — Act III: Siegfried’s Funeral Music 8:06
6 – Tristan und Isolde — Prelude und Liebestod 18:20

Originally released on Collins Classics.
Licensed from Phoenix Music International.