20th CENTURY MASTERPIECES

100 Years of Classical Music

 

CD 1

1901 - Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, Op.18

[1] I Moderato 10.15

[2] II Adagio sostenuto 10.58

[3] III Allegro scherzando 11.29

 

Leif Ove Andsnes

Berliner Philharmoniker / Antonio Pappano

Recorded live: 3-4 June 2005, Philharmonie, Berlin

 

1905 - Debussy: La mer

[4] I De l'aube à midi sur la mer 9.31

[5] II Jeux de vagues 7.08

[6] III Dialogue du vent et de la mer 8.44

 

Philharmonia Orchestra / Carlo Maria Giulini

Recorded: 11-13 & 19 April 1962, Kingsway Hall, London

 

[7] 1907 - Delius: Brigg Fair (An English Rhapsody) 15.51

 

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Thomas Beecham

Recorded: 31 October 1956 & 2 April 1957, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

Total approximate duration 73.56

 

CD 2

[15] 1908-09 – Mahler Das Lied von der Erde – Der Abschied 29.33

 

Christa Ludwig

Philharmonia Orchestra / Otto Klemperer

 

1909 - Schoenberg: 5 Orchestral Pieces, Op.16 (original version)

[1] I Vorgefühle (Sehr rasch) 2.22

[2] II Vergangenes (Mässige Viertel) 5.54

[3] III Farben (Mässige Viertel) 4.13

[4] IV Peripetie (Sehr rasch) 2.32

[5] V Das obligate Rezitativ (Bewegte Achtel) 3.36

 

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Simon Rattle

Recorded: 19-21 December 1987 & 29 April 1988, Butterworth Hall, Warwick Arts Centre, University of Warwick

 

1909-10 - Webern: 6 Orchestral Pieces, Op.6 (revised version)

[6] I Langsam 1.04

[7] II Bewegt 1.33

[8] III Mässig 0.55

[9] IV Sehr mässig 4.24

[10] V Sehr langsam 2.43

[11] VI Langsam 1.48

 

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Simon Rattle

Recorded: 29 April 1988, Butterworth Hall, Warwick Arts Centre, University of Warwick

 

1911-12 - Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No.1 in D flat, Op.10

[12] I Allegro brioso 6.57

[13] II Andante assai 4.34

[14] III Allegro scherzando 4.25

 

Martha Argerich

Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal / Charles Dutoit

Recorded: 29-31 October 1997, L'Église de St. Eustache, Montreal

Total approximate duration 76.33

 

CD 3

1913 - Stravinsky: Le sacre du printemps (1913 revised 1947)

Part one: The Adoration of the Earth

[1] Introduction 3.36

[2] The Augurs of Spring – Dances of the Maidens 3.11

[3] Ritual of Abduction 1.17

[4] Spring Rounds 3.45

[5] Ritual of the Rival Tribes 1.47

[6] Procession of the Sage 0.40

[7] Adoration of the Earth 0.21

[8] Dance of the Earth 1.14

Part two: The Sacrifice

[9] Introduction 4.05

[10] Mystic Circles of the Maidens 3.11

[11] Glorification of the Chosen One 1.31

[12] Evocation of the Ancestors 0.45

[13] Ritual of the Ancestors 3.22

[14] Sacrificial Dance (The Chosen One) 4.43

 

London Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Charles Mackerras

Recorded: 30 August – 1 September 1987, Watford Town Hall

 

[15] 1914 - Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending 13.37

 

Sarah Chang

London Philharmonic Orchestra / Bernard Haitink

Recorded: 17-18 December 1994, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

 

1915 - Sibelius: Symphony No.5 in E flat, Op.82

[16] I Tempo molto moderato – Allegro moderato – Presto 13.40

[17] II Andante mosso, quasi allegretto 8.00

[18] III Allegro molto – Un pochettino largamente 8.43

 

Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra / Paavo Berglund

Recorded: 18-19 December 1986, Culture Hall, Helsinki

Total approximate duration 77.28

 

CD 4

1916 - Falla: Noches en los jardines de España

[1] I En la Generalife 10.13

[2] II Danza lejana 5.40

[3] III En los jardines de la Sierra de Córdoba 9.14

 

Gonzalo Soriano

Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire / Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos

Recorded: 3, 4 & 8 January 1963, Salle Wagram, Paris

 

1918 - Holst: The Planets, Op.32

[4] Mars, the Bringer of War (Allegro) 7.56

[5] Venus, the Bringer of Peace (Adagio) 7.21

[6] Mercury, the Winged Messenger (Vivace) 3.43

[7] Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity (Allegro giouoso) 7.54

[8] Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age (Adagio) 8.17

[9] Uranus, the Magician (Allegro) 6.22

[10] Neptune, the Mystic (Andante) 6.22

 

Geoffrey Mitchell Choir

London Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Adrian Boult

Recorded: 12 & 30 May, 4 June & 31 July 1978, Kingsway Hall & No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

Total approximate duration 73.02

 

CD 5

1918-19 - Elgar: Cello Concerto in E minor, Op.85

[1] I Adagio – Moderato 7.58

[2] II Lento – Allegro molto 4.31

[3] III Adagio 5.14

[4] IV Allegro – Moderato – Allegro, ma non troppo 12.16

 

Jacqueline du Pré

London Symphony Orchestra / Sir John Barbirolli

Recorded: 19 August 1965, Kingsway Hall, London

 

1921-22 - Nielsen: Symphony No.5, Op.50 (FS97)

[5] I Tempo giusto 10.28

[6] Adagio non troppo 8.53

[7] II Allegro 5.44

[8] Allegro 3.12

[9] Andante un poco tranquillo 4.34

[10] Allegro 2.40

 

Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Herbert Blomstedt

Recorded: 3-4 December 1973, Radio Concert Hall, Copenhagen

 

[11] 1923 - Honegger: Mouvement symphonique No.1 – Pacific 231 6.29

 

Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra / Mariss Jansons

Recorded: 24-27 November & 1-3 December 1993, Konserthus, Oslo

Total approximate duration 71.59

 

CD 6

[1] 1923 - Milhaud: La création du monde, Op.81 16.37

 

Orchestre National de France / Leonard Bernstein

Recorded: 12-13 November 1976, Salle Wagram, Paris

 

1923-24 - Respighi: Pini di Roma

[2] The Pines of the Villa Borghese 2.50

[3] Pines near a Catacomb 6.14

[4] The Pines of the Janiculum 6.36

[5] The Pines of the Appian Way 4.48

 

London Symphony Orchestra / Lamberto Gardelli

Recorded: 24-26 April 1976, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

 

[6] 1924 - Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue (orch. Grofé) 14.51

 

London Symphony Orchestra / André Previn

Recorded: 4 & 6 June 1971, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

 

1926 - Janácek: Sinfonietta for Orchestra

[7] I Allegretto 2.19

[8] II Andante 6.15

[9] III Moderato 5.51

[10] IV Allegretto 3.01

[11] V Andante con moto 7.25

 

Pro Arte Orchestra / Sir Charles Mackerras

Recorded: 19-24 July 1959, Walthamstow Assembly Hall, London

Total approximate duration 76.47

 

CD 7

[1] 1928 - Ravel: Bolero 16.11

 

Berliner Philharmoniker / Herbert von Karajan

Recorded: 5-7 January 1977, Philharmonie, Berlin

 

1933-34 - Hindemith: Symphony – Mathis der Maler

[2] I Engelskonzert 9.09

[3] II Grablegung 4.19

[4] III Versuchung des heiligen Antonius 13.33

 

Philadelphia Orchestra / Wolfgang Sawallisch

Recorded: 30 April – 9 May 1994, Memorial Hall, Philadelphia

 

1935 - Berg: Violin Concerto 'Dem andenken eines Engels'

[5] I Andante – Allegretto 11.01

[6] II Allegro – Adagio 14.33

 

Frank Peter Zimmermann

Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart / Gianluigi Gelmetti

Recorded: 3-5 September 1990, Villa Berg, SDR Studio, Stuttgart

Total approximate duration 68.46

 

CD 8

1937 - Shostakovich: Symphony No.5 in D minor, Op.47

[1] I Moderato 15.47

[2] II Allegretto 5.18

[3] III Largo 14.26

[4] IV Allegro non troppo 10.53

 

Wiener Philharmoniker / Mariss Jansons

Recorded: 7-14 January 1997, Musikverein, Vienna

 

[5] 1938 - Poulenc: Concerto in G minor for organ, timpani and strings 23.03

 

Gillian Weir

City of London Sinfonia / Richard Hickox

Recorded: February 1988, Royal Festival Hall, London

Total approximate duration 69.27

 

CD 9

1937 - Orff: Carmina burana

FORTUNA IMPERATRIX MUNDI

[1] I O Fortuna 2.51

[2] II O Fortuna plango vulnera 2.50

I – PRIMO VERE

[3] III Veris leta facies 3.52

[4] IV Omnia sol temperat 1.43

[5] V Ecce gratum 2.52

UF DEM ANGER

[6] VI Tanz 1.59

[7] VII Floret silva 3.29

[8] VIII Chramer, gip die varwe mir 3.35

[9] IX Riei – Swaz hie gat umbe – Chume, chum geselle min – Swaz hie gat umbe 5.12

[10] X Were diu werlt alle min 1.01

II – IN TABERNA

[11] XI Estuans interius 2.25

[12] XII Olim lacus colueram 3.23

[13] XIII Ego sum abbas 1.16

[14] XIV In taberna quando sumus 3.24

III – COUR D'AMOURS

[15] XV Amor volat undique 3.15

[16] XVI Dies, nox et omnia 2.07

[17] XVII Stetit puella 2.00

[18] XVIII Circa mea pectora 2.11

[19] XIX Si puer cum puellula 0.57

[20] XX Veni, veni, venias 0.55

[21] XXI In trutina 2.07

[22] XXII Tempus est iocundum 2.25

[23] XXIII Dulcissime 0.32

BLANZIFLOR ET HELENA

[24] XXIV Ave formosissima 1.44

FORTUNA IMPERATRIX MUNDI

[25] XXV O fortuna 2.53

 

Lucia Popp, Gerhard Unger, Raymond Wolansky, John Noble

Wandsworth School Boys' Choir

New Philharmonia Chorus & Orchestra / Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos

Recorded: 12-16 June 1965, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

 

[1] 1938 - Barber: Adagio for Strings, Op.11 8.42

 

London Symphony Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas

Recorded: 20-21 & 23-24 May 1994, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

Total approximate duration 69.40

 

CD 10

1939 - Rodrigo: Concierto d'Aranjuez

[1] I Allegro con spirito 6.11

[2] II Adagio 10.48

[3] III Allegro gentile 4.57

 

Angel Romero

London Symphony Orchestra / André Previn

Recorded: 28-30 March 1977, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

 

1940 - Britten: Sinfonia da Requiem, Op.20

[4] I Lacrymosa (Andante ben misurato) 8.38

[5] II Dies irae (Allegro con fuoco) 5.23

[6] II Requiem aeternam (Andante molto tranquillo) 6.27

 

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Simon Rattle

Recorded: 23-24 May 1984, Butterworth Hall, Warwick Arts Centre, University of Warwick

 

[7] 1942 - Copland: Fanfare for the Common Man 3.39

 

Orquesta Filarmónica de la Ciudad de México / Enrique Bátiz

Recorded: March 1985, Sala Nezahualcoyotl Mexico City

 

1944 - Khachaturian: Masquerade

[8] Waltz 4.19

[9] Galop 2.48

 

Philharmonia Orchestra / Efrem Kurtz

Recorded: 28 April 1961, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

 

1945 - Bartók: Piano Concerto No.3, Sz119

[10] I Allegretto 7.17

[11] II Adagio religioso – Poco più mosso – Tempo I 10.45

[12] III Allegro vivace (Presto) 6.42

 

Martha Argerich

Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal / Charles Dutoit

Recorded: 29-31 October 1997, L'Église de St. Eustache, Montreal

Total approximate duration 77.54

 

CD 11

1950 - Strauss: Vier letzte Lieder

[1] I Frühling 3.10

[2] II September 4.42

[3] III Beim schlafengehen 5.11

[4] IV Im Abendrot 7.35

 

Nina Stemme

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Antonio Pappano

Recorded: 1-2, 4-5 & 11 September 2006, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road London

 

1953 - Tippett: Concerto for Double String Orchestra

[5] I Allegro con brio 5.39

[6] II Adagio cantabile 8.55

[7] III Allegro molto 7.59

 

Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Bath Festival Orchestra / Rudolf Barshai

Recorded: 2 July 1962, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

 

1954 - Lutoslawski: Concerto for Orchestra

[8] I Intrada (Allegro maestoso)  6.54

[9] II Capriccio, Notturna e Ariosa (Vivace) 6.05

[10] III Passacaglia, Toccata e Corale (Andante con moto – Allegro giusto) 15.27

 

Recorded: 25-27 May 1976, Polish Radio & TV Studio, Katowice

Total approximate duration 71.37

 

CD 12

1956 - Walton: Cello Concerto

[1] I Moderato 9.00

[2] II Allegro appassionato 6.46

[3] III Lento – Brioso – Allegro molto – Rapsodicamente – Adagio 13.57

 

Lynn Harrell

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Simon Rattle

Recorded: 21 December 1991, Butterworth Hall, Warwick Arts Centre, Universiry of Warwick

 

1958 - Boulez: Le Soleil des eaux

[4] Complainte du lézard amoureux 3.47

[5] La Sorgue 4.16

 

Josephine Nendick, Barry McDaniel, Louis Devos

BBC Chorus & Symphony Orchestra / Pierre Boulez

Recorded: 5 March 1964, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

 

[6] 1960 - Penderecki: Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima 9.54

 

Polish Radio National Symphony Orchestra / Krzysztof Penderecki

Recorded: 3-7 February 1975, Katowice

 

1961 - Bernstein: Symphonic Dances from 'West Side Story'

[7] I      Prologue 4.20

[8] II    Somewhere 4.33

[9] III   Scherzo 1.24

[10] IV  Mambo 2.25

[11] V   Cha-cha 0.49

[12] VI  Meeting Scene 4.55

[13] VII Rumble 2.02

[14] VIII Finale 3.35

 

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Paavo Järvi

Recorded: 8-10 June, 1997, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Total approximate duration 71.43

 

CD 13

1964 - Messiaen: Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum

[1] "Des profondeurs de l'abîme, je crie vers toi, Seigneur; Seigneur, écoute ma voix" 2.40

[2] "Le Christ, ressuscité des morts, ne meurt plus; la mort n'a plus sur lui d'empire" 5.52

[3] "L'heure vient où les morts entendront la voix du fils de Dieu..." 4.11

[4] "Ils ressusciteront, glorieux, avec un nom nouveau dans le concert joyeux des étoiles et les acclamations des fils du ciel" 7.45

[5] "Et j'entends la voix d'une foule immense..." 5.01

 

Ensemble de Percussion de l'Orchestre de Paris

Orchestre de Paris / Serge Baudo

Recorded: 4, 6-7 March 1968, Salle Wagram, Paris

 

1965 - Birtwistle: Tragoedia

[6] Prologue 1.09

[7] Parados 1.44

[8] Episodion: Strophe I 2.26

[9] Episodion: Anapaest I 1.09

[10] Episodion: Antistrophe I 1.04

[11] Stasimon 3.10

[12] Episidion: Strophe II 2.31

[13] Episidion: Anapaest II 0.28

[14] Episidion: Antistrophe II 2.29

[15] Exodus 2.15

 

Melos Ensemble / Lawrence Foster

Recorded: 23-24 April 1967, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

 

1970 - Dutilleux: Cello Concerto 'Tout le monde lointain...'

[16] I Enigme (Très libre et flexible) 6.56

[17] II Regard (Extrêmement calme) 7.15

[18] III Houles (Large et ample) 4.29

[19] IVMiroirs (Lent et extatique) 5.41

[20] V Hymne (Allegro) 4.40

 

Mstislav Rostropovich

Orchestre de Paris / Serge Baudo

Recorded: 5-6 November 1974, Salle Wagram, Paris

Total approximate duration 72.55

 

CD 14

1976 - Gorécki: Symphony No.3, Op.36 'Symphony of Sorrowful Songs'

[1] I Lento, sostenuto tranquillo ma cantabile 30.15

[2] II Lento e largo, tranquillissimo 8.56

[3] III Lento, cantabile – semplice 17.38

 

Zofia Kilanowicz

Kraków Symphony Orchestra / Jacek Kaspszyk

Recorded live: 5 September 1993, Cathedral of St. Mary Magdalene, Wroclaw

 

[4] 1979 - Henze: Barcarola 21.30

 

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Simon Rattle

Recorded live: 25 May 1992, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Total approximate duration 78.19

 

CD 15

[1] 1978 - Pärt: Spiegel im Spiegel 8.16

 

Tasmin Little, Martin Roscoe

Recorded: September 1993, Abbey Chirch, Milton Abbey School, Blandford Forum, Dorset

 

[2] 1982 - Takemitsu: Water-ways 10.12

 

London Sinfonietta / Oliver Knussen

Recorded: February-March 1990, St. Barnabas Church, Finchley, London

 

[3] 1985 - Adams: The Chairman Dances – Foxtrot for Orchestra 12.47

 

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Simon Rattle

Recorded: 4, 6, 8-9 July 1993, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

 

1988 - Tavener: The Protecting Veil

[4] The Protecting Veil 8.42

[5] The Nativity of the Mother of God 6.21

[6] The Annunciation 3.18

[7] The Incarnation 3.39

[8] The Lament of the Mother of God at the Cross 9.37

[9] The Resurrection 2.36

[10] The Dormition 7.33

[11] The Protecting Veil 2.52

 

Steven Isserlis

London Symphony Orchestra / Gennadi Rhozdestvensky

Recorded: 28-29 May 1991, No.1 Studio Abbey Road, London

Total approximate duration 75.53

 

CD 16

[1] 1991 - Landowski: Adagio cantabile for string orchestra 9.49

 

Ensemble Orchestral de Paris / Marcel Landowski

Recorded: 24-25 January, 14-19 May & 29-30 June 1996,

Grand Plateau du Conservatoire National Supèrieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris

 

[2] 1992-93 - Turnage: Drowned Out for large orchestra 22.33

 

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle

Recorded: 18 March 1994, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

 

[3] 1994 - Schnittke: Minuet 2.47

 

Gidon Kremer, Yuri Bashmet, Mstislav Rostropovich

Recorded: 24-25 February 1995, Studio 103, Radio France, Paris

 

1995 - Maw: Dance Scenes

[4] I Molto animato e brillante - 3.14

[5] II Andante pesante – 5.43

[6] III Allegretto tranquillo – 5.06

[7] IV Molto allegro 4.43

 

Philharmonia Orchestra / Daniel Harding

Recorded: 26 October 1995, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

 

1997 - Adès: Asyla

[8] I 5.33

[9] II 6.00

[10] III Ecstasio 6.21

[11] IV 4.38

 

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle

Recorded live: 29-30 August 1998, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Total approximate duration 76.27

 

At no time in its long history did European music go through a period of such revolution and diversification as in the 20th Century.

 

Wagner had transformed music in the 19th century to the extent that every composer coming after had to acknowledge his existence, to a lesser or greater extent.

 

The advent of the new century saw a great flourishing of compositional styles and techniques that were largely the direct result of Wagner's influence.

 

Not only that, the new century was to be one of great technological advance and invention. The gramophone and, later, the spread of radio, brought about massive changes in the way that ordinary people accessed and perceived music. Suddenly a whole new world of serious music was to open up to an audience that had hitherto been excluded from what had previously been, albeit unintentionally, an elitist art form.

 

The works in this set of 16 CDs have been arranged in strict chronological order of composition and the first disc begins with a work from 1901 that has become one of the most popular works in the classical repertoire, mainly through it's use in another great 20th-century art form – the film: Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto.

 

Thereafter each disc in the set takes the listener on a fascinating journey through the century, composer by composer and work by work, from Russian Romanticism, French Impressionism, English Pastoralism, Atonalism, Neo Classicism right up to Post Modernism, and from as wide a range of countries and genres as possible.

 

EMI Classics 16cds 2175002