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100 Best 20th Century Classics
50999 2 68132 2 6
Digital Download – 50999 2 68132 5 7

CD 1: THE LAST OF THE ROMANTICS


    RACHMANINOV
     Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor
  1. I. Moderato opening
    Jean-Bernard Pommier piano
    Hallé Orchestra / Lawrence Foster


    2. PROKOFIEV
  2. Dance of the Knights (Romeo and Juliet)
    London Symphony Orchestra / André Previn


    3. KHACHATURIAN
  3. Waltz (Masquerade)
    Philharmonia Orchestra / Efrem Kurtz


    4. PROKOFIEV
  4. Troika (Lieutenant Kijé Suite)
    London Philharmonic Orchestra / Klaus Tennstedt


    5. RACHMANINOV
     Piano Concerto No.3 in D minor
  5. I. Allegro ma non tanto opening
    Mikhail Rudy piano
    St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra / Mariss Jansons


    6. RODRIGO
     Concierto de Aranjuez
  6. II. Adagio opening
    Julian Bream guitar
    City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle


    7. KHACHATURIAN
  7. Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia extract (Spartacus)
    Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Yuri Temirkanov


    8. ELGAR
    Cello Concerto
  8. I. Adagio – Moderato
    Jacqueline du Pré cello
    LSO / Sir John Barbirolli


    9. RACHMANINOV
     Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
  9. Variation 18
    Cécile Ousset piano
    City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle


    10. DEBUSSY
    Images
  10. II. Iberia: 3. Le matin d’un jour de fête
    London Symphony Orchestra / Andre Previn


    11. SIBELIUS
  11. Valse triste (Kuolema Incidental Music)
    Hallé Orchestra / Sir John Barbirolli


    12. VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
  12. The Lark Ascending opening
    Hugh Bean violin
    New Philharmonia Orchestra / Sir Adrian Boult


    13. FALLA
     Nights in the Gardens of Spain
  13. I. In the Generalife extract
    Gonzalo Soriano piano
    Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire
    Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos


    14. SZYMANOWSKI
  14. Harnasie extract (Rural Scene)
    Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra of Krakow / Antoni Wit


    15. SHOSTAKOVICH
    Piano Concerto No.2 in F
  15. II. Andante
    Dmitri Alexeev piano
    English Chamber Orchestra / Jerzy Maksymiuk


    16. HOLST
  16. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity conclusion (The Planets)
    Philharmonia Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle

CD 2: INNOVATORS
    JANÁCEK
    Sinfonietta
  1. IV. Allegretto
    Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Seiji Ozawa


    2. WEBERN
    6 Orchestral Pieces Op.6 (Revised version)
  2. VI. Langsam
    City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle


    3. SCHOENBERG
     5 Orchestral Pieces Op.16 (Original version)
  3. IV. Peripetie (Sehr rasch)
    City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle


    4. BERG
    Lulu-Suite
  4. IV. Variationem: Moderato
    City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle


    5. STRAVINSKY
    Petrushka
  5. Russian Dance (1st Tableau)
    Peter Donohoe piano
    City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle


    6. BRITTEN
  6. Four Sea Interludes (Sunday Morning) (Peter Grimes)
    Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra / Libor Pešek


    7. NIELSEN
     Symphony No.5 Op.50
  7. II. Allegro conclusion
    Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra / Herbert Blomstedt


    8. POULENC
  8. Rondeau (Les Biches)
    Philharmonia Orchestra / Georges Prêtre


    9. BARTÓK
    Concerto for Orchestra
  9. IV. Intermezzo interotto (Allegretto)
    Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Seiji Ozawa


    10. WALTON
    Violin Concerto (1939 rev.1943)
  10. II. Presto capriccioso alla napolitana & Trio (Canzonetta)
    Yehudi Menuhin violin
    London Symphony Orchestra / Sir William Walton


    11. RESPIGHI
  11. I pini di Villa Borghese (Pini di Roma)
    London Symphony Orchestra / Lamberto Gardelli


    12. ZEMLINSKY
    Sinfonietta Op.23
  12. Rondo. Sehr lebhaft
    Gürzenich-Orchester Kölner Philharmoniker / James Conlon


    13. STRAVINSKY
    Le Sacre du printemps
  13. L’adoration de la terre opening
    City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle


    14. WEILL
    Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny Suite
  14. II. Moderato assai
    Berliner Philharmoniker / Mariss Jansons
    15. Live recording


    VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
  15. Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis opening
    London Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Adrian Boult


    16. HONNEGER
  16. Pacific 231
    Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra / Mariss Jansons


    17. HINDEMITH
    Kammermusik No.1
  17. IV. Finale: 1921. Lebhaft
    Berliner Philharmoniker / Claudio Abbado


    18. RAVEL
  18. Bolero conclusion
    London Symphony Orchestra / André Previn


CD 3: BRAVE NEW WORLD
    PÄRT
  1. Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten
    Bournemouth Sinfonietta / Richard Studt


    2. TOYAMA
  2. Dance of Men (Ballet Suite–Yugen)
    Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra / Mariss Jansons


    3. TAKEMITSU
    Cassiopeia
  3. Scene
    Stomu Yamash’ta percussion
    Japan Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra / Seiji Ozawa


    4. GORÉCKI
    Symphony No.3 ‘Symphony of Sorrowful Songs
  4. II. Lento e largo, tranquillissimo extract
    Zofia Kilanowicz soprano
    Kraków Symphony Orchestra/Jacek Kasprzyk


    5. PENDERECKI
  5. Anaklasis for strings & percussion (1959)
    London Symphony Orchestra / Krzysztof Penderecki


    6. HENZE
    Symphony No.8
  6. II. Ballabile conclusion
    City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle
    7. Live recording


    MESSIAEN
    Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum
  7. Des profondeurs de l’abîme’
    Ensemble de Percussion de l’Orchestre de Paris
    Orchestre de Paris / Serge Baudo


    8. TURNAGE
  8. Drowned Out excerpt
    City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle


    9. LUTOSLAWSKI
    Symphony No.1
  9. I. Allegro giusto
    Polish Radio National Symphony Orchestra / Witold Lutoslawski
    10. Recorded in co-production with Polish Radio and TV


    ARNOLD
    Guitar Concerto
  10. I. Allegro
    Julian Bream guitar
    Members of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
    Sir Simon Rattle


    11. NYMAN
  11. The Heart asks Pleasure First / The Promise (The Piano)
    Music composed, directed and produced by Michael Nyman


    12. TAKEMITSU
  12. Rain Coming (1982)
    London Sinfonietta / Oliver Knussen


    13. TAVENER
     The Protecting Veil
  13. The Incarnation
    Steven Isserlis cello
    London Symphony Orchestra / Gennadi Rozhdestvensky


    14. GUBAIDULINA
  14. The Canticle of the Sun extract
    Mstislav Rostropovich cello
    Simon Carrington & Neil Percy percussion
    London Voices / Ryusuke Numajiri


    15. ADÈS
    Asyla
  15. IV.
    City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle


    16. KNUSSEN
  16. Flourish with Fireworks
    City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle
    Live recording


CD 4: AMERICA
    BERNSTEIN
  1. Candide – Overture
    London Symphony Orchestra / André Previn


    2. IVES
     A Set of Pieces for Theatre or Chamber Orchestra
  2. No.3. In the Night
    Ensemble Modern / Ingo Metzmacher


    3. GLASS
  3. Façades
    John Harle & Simon Haram soprano saxophones
    London Chamber Orchestra / Christopher Warren-Green


    4. JOHN WILLIAMS
  4. Schindler’s List Main Theme
    Tasmin Little violin
    New World Philharmonic / Iain Sutherland


    5. COPLAND
  5. Fanfare for the Common Man
    Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra / Enrique Bátiz


    6. BARBER
  6. Adagio for Strings
    Philadelphia Orchestra / Eugene Ormandy


    7. HORNER
  7. My Heart Will Go On (Titanic)
    Orchestra / David Abel


    8. REICH
  8. Nagoya Marimbas
    Colin Currie & Sam Walton marimbas


    9. CARTER
  9. A Celebration of some 100 X 150 Notes
    City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle
    10. Live recording


    BARBER
    Cello Concerto
  10. II. Andante sostenuto
    Ralph Kirshbaum cello
    Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Jukka-Pekka Saraste


    11. ADAMS
    Shaker Loops
  11. IV. A Final Shaking
    London Chamber Orchestra / Christopher Warren-Green


    12. COPLAND
  12. Hoe-Down (Rodeo)
    Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra / Leonard Slatkin


    13. GERSHWIN
  13. Rhapsody in Blue (jazzband version arr. Grofé) opening
    Wayne Marshall piano
    City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle


    14. CAGE
    Three Dances for two amplified prepared pianos
  14. Dance No.1
    Ralph Grierson, Michael Tilson Thomas prepared pianos


    15. NEWMAN
  15. Any Other Name (American Beauty)
    Produced and performed by Nikolaj Bloch & Sally Herbert


    16. ADAMS
  16. Short Ride in a Fast Machine
    City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle


CD 5: INSTRUMENTAL & CHAMBER
    FALLA
  1. Ritual Fire Dance (El amor brujo)
    Dame Moura Lympany piano


    2. SCRIABIN
    Two Poèmes Op.63
  2. II. Étrangeté
    John Ogdon piano


    3. DEBUSSY
     Estampes
  3. II. Pagodes
    Cécile Ousset piano


    4. SHOSTAKOVICH
  4. Romance (The Gadfly)
    Tasmin Little violin • Piers Lane piano


    5. KREISLER
  5. Liebesfreud
    Maxim Vengerov violin • Ian Brown piano


    6. BARTÓK
    44 Duos for 2 violins
  6. No.28 Sorrow
    Yehudi Menuhin, Nell Gotkovsky violins


    7. PÄRT
  7. Spiegel im Spiegel
    Tasmin Little violin • Martin Roscoe piano


    8. VILLA-LOBOS
  8. Chôros No.1 in E minor
    Manuel Barrueco guitar


    9. TAKEMITSU
    All in Twilight
  9. I. quaver = 80
    Julian Bream guitar


    10. SAINZ DE LA MAZA
  10. Zapateado
    Sharon Isbin guitar


    11. LIGETI
    String Quartet No 1 ‘Metamorphoses Nocturnes’
  11. I. Allegro grazioso
    Artemis Quartet


    12. BERG
    Lyric Suite
  12. III. Allegro misterioso
    Alban Berg Quartett


    13. SCHOENBERG
  13. Verklärte Nacht
    Artemis Quartet
    Thomas Kakuska viola • Valentin Erben cello (Alban Berg Quartett)


    14. MESSIAEN
    Quatuor pour la fin du temps
  14. I. Liturgie de cristal
    Christopher Poppen violin • Manuel Fischer-Dieskau cello
    Wolfgang Meyer clarinet • Yvonne Loriod piano


    15. SCHNITTKE
  15. Menuet
    Gidon Kremer violin • Yuri Bashmet viola
    Mstislav Rostropovich cello


    16. RAVEL
    String Quartet in F
  16. Assez vif (Très rythmé)
    Belcea Quartet


CD 6: CHORAL & VOCAL
    ORFF
  1. O Fortuna (Carmina Burana)
    Philharmonia Chorus & Orchestra / Riccardo Muti


    2. PÄRT
  2. Beatus Petronius
    Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir
    Christopher Bowers-Broadbent & Ene Salumäe organs
    Tõnu Kaljuste


    3. BURGON
  3. Nunc dimittis (1979)
    James Bowman countertenor • Crispian Steele Perkins trumpet
    City of London Sinfonia / Richard Hickox


    4. LLOYD WEBBER
  4. Pie Jesu (Requiem)
    Jane Gilchrist soprano • Fergus Thirlwell boy soprano
    Simon Gibson organ
    Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra / Kirk Trevor


    5. KARL JENKINS
  5. Agnus Dei (The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace)
    National Youth Choir of Great Britain
    musical director: Mike Brewer
    Paul Beniston principal trumpet
    London Philharmonic Orchestra / Karl Jenkins


    6. TAVENER
  6. Song for Athene
    Winchester Cathedral Choir / David Hill


    7. RUTTER
  7. Pie Jesu (Requiem)
    Edward Saklatvala treble
    Choir of King’s College, Cambridge
    City of London Sinfonia / Stephen Cleobury


    McCARTNEY
    Ecce Cor Meum
  8. II. Gratia extract
    Kate Royal soprano
    London Voices director: Terry Edwards
    Boys of Magdalen College Choir & King’s College Choir, Cambridge
    Academy of St Martin in the Fields / Gavin Greenaway


    9. RACHMANINOV
  9. Vocalise
    Natalie Dessay soprano
    Berlin Symphony Orchestra / Michael Schønwandt


    10. BUSONI
  10. Wie ist ihr Schlaf, Madame? (Arlecchino)
    Ernst Theo Richter baritone • Suzanne Mentzer mezzo-soprano
    Orchestre de l’Opéra de Lyon / Kent Nagano


    11. BERIO
  11. Ballo
    Linda Hirst mezzo-soprano
    London Sinfonietta / Diego Masson


    12. CANTELOUBE
  12. Baïlèro (Chants d’Auvergne)
    Arleen Augér soprano
    English Chamber Orchestra / Yan Pascal Tortelier


    13. RICHARD STRAUSS
  13. Beim schlafengehen (Vier letzte Lieder)
    Nina Stemme soprano
    Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
    Antonio Pappano


    14. VILLA-LOBOS
    Bachianas brazileiras No.5
  14. I. Aria (Cantilena): Adagio
    Barbara Hendricks soprano
    Cellos of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Enrique Batiz


    15. BOULEZ
    Le Soleil des eaux
  15. La Sorgue
    Joséphine Nendick soprano • Barry McDaniel tenor • Louis Devos bass
    BBC Symphony Orchestra & Chorus / Pierre Boulez


    16. PUCCINI
  16. O mio babbino caro (Gianni Schicchi)
    Angela Gheorghiu soprano
    London Symphony Orchestra / Antonio Pappano


    17. KORNGOLD
  17. Glück, das mir verblieb (Die tote Stadt)
    Dame Kiri Te Kanawa soprano
    Philharmonia Orchestra / Julius Rudel


    18. PUCCINI
  18. Nessun dorma (Turandot)
    José Carreras tenor
    Chœurs de l’Opéra du Rhin / Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg
    Alain Lombard

BEST MENUHIN 100

100 BEST 20th CENTURY CLASSICS is another release in EMI’s highly successful 100 BEST series. This 6 CD set covers many of the most popular works composed between 1900 and 1999, as well as representative pieces by composers who broadened the concept of classical music during that period and those who pushed its boundaries to the limits.

CD 1: The Last of the Romantics
The first disc opens with an extract from Rachmaninov’s 2nd Piano Concerto, written in 1901. This is followed by favourite works by Prokofiev, Khachaturian, Falla, Holst, Elgar and Vaughan Williams, all of which look back to the romantic style of the 19th century. The disc also includes part of the slow movement of the most successful concerto written during the 20th century, the Concierto de Aranjuez by Rodrigo.

CD 2: Innovators
The composers on this disc include some who broke new ground in tonality and form at the beginning of the century, such as Stravinsky and the Second Viennese school of Webern, Berg and Schoenberg, and others who continued to use the more traditional methods of composition but who wrote in a more advanced style such as Bartók, Britten, Hindemith and Walton.

CD 3: Brave New World
The works heard here range across the incredible proliferation of musical language during the last 50 years, from hard-edged modernism to chilled-out minimalism, religiously inspired and otherwise, and include pieces by the older generation of composers like Messiaen, Henze, Lutoslawski and Takemitsu, as well as more recent compositions by Turnage, Tavener, Gubaidulina, Adès and Knussen.

CD 4: America
The large and prolific school of American composers active during the 20th century is represented by some extremely popular pieces like Barber’s Adagio for Strings, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, as well as more adventurous works by Ives, Cage, Reich, Carter and Adams.

CD 5: Instrumental and Chamber
This CD presents a number of popular pieces for piano, violin and guitar by Falla, Scriabin, Kreisler, Pärt and Villa-Lobos, followed by chamber works such as Schoenbeg’s Verklärte Nacht, Schnittke’s Menuet and Ravel’s String Quartet.

CD 6: Choral and Vocal
The final disc begins with one of the 20th century’s most successful choral works, Orff’s Carmina Burana. This is followed by extracts from other choral pieces by Boulez, Pärt, Tavener, Rutter and McCartney as well as vocal compositions by Rachmaninov, Berio and Lloyd Webber. The set concludes with three romantic operatic arias by Korngold and Puccini, ending with a spectacular performance of ‘Nessun dorma’ from Puccini’s final opera, Turandot .
 
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