2014

The master of Italian Baroque music is indisputably Antonio Vivaldi. Throughout his life, he composed hundreds of works, and is remembered perhaps second only to J.S. Bach, ranking as one of the most popular composers of all time. His oeuvre crosses an extraordinarily wide range, from instrumental compositions of all types to sacred cantatas and operatic works, a vast number of which are presented in this comprehensive box set.Vivaldi composed a large part of his works while working at the Ospedale della Pietà in Venice, where he was employed as a composer, teacher and violinist. The aim of the foundation was to provide an education and home for orphaned children. Vivaldi remained in the post on and off for over 30 years, and was under obligation to compose a new cantata for every feast day. His reputation, however, grew thanks to his post, adding up to over 140 in his absence. His operatic works grew vastly in number, instrumental skills rather than his compositions at first; as a violinist, he was known for his extraordinary cadenzas and virtuosic playing style. He became better known as a composer when Dutch publisher Etienne Roger brought out Lestro armonico in 1711, a hugely popular collection of 12 violin concertos, included on this release in full. J.S. Bach was particularly enthused by the manuscript, and his transcriptions for organ have gained popularity on their own merit his version is also to be found in this edition, a fascinating point of comparison, and a testament to Vivaldis reputation in his lifetime.During the 1720s and 30s, Vivaldi began to travel widely, while still sending compositionsto the Pietà in Venice when required: despite being unable to teach, he was clearly still a major asset, as he was asked to send two concertos a month by and he began working closely with soprano Anna Girò, who was rumoured to be his mistress. Vivaldi died in Vienna, and, incredibly for such a famous and wealthy man, was given a paupers burial. His last few months in Vienna had been frustratingly lacking in work, as concert houses were closed to mourn the death of Charles VI; however, his last opera was eventually staged posthumously there in 1742.Vivaldi was a divisive figure during his lifetime, well known for being vain and conceited. His vanity, though, is certainly deserved; we are left with the overwhelming evidence. More than 50 operas (of which 21 survived), 500 concertos and 90 sonatas are no mean feat for a man who by all accounts was also a superb teacher and virtuosic violinist. This release draws attention to the diversity of his oeuvre, starting with his instrumental music and moving on to feature his sacred cantatas and operas. It is the most comprehensive edition of Vivaldis music yet, bringing together 66 CDs showcasing hundreds of different performers and ensembles, many of them performing on period instruments as they strive to recreate the sound of the composers timbre through their researchled contemporaneous playing styles.

För att fira 50-årsjubileumet sedan Simon & Garfunkel skivdebuterade släpps denna box innehållande alla 11 album som släppts på Columbia Records. Boxen innehåller 12 CD i vinyl replicas samt en fin 48-sidig bok. Albumen som ingår är: Wednesday Morning, 3.A.M., Sounds Of<br/>Silence, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme, The Graduate (soundtrack), Bookends, Bridge Over Trouble Water, Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits, The Concert in Central Park, Old Friends Live On Stage, Live From New York City 1967, Live 1969.

Rameau: The opera collection [27 CD]

Remastrat album, plus en extra LP innehållade tidigare outgivna studio outtakes. <br/><br/>John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page och Robert Plant bildade Led Zeppelin 1968. Under det följande decenniet kom de att bli ett av de mest inflytelserika, innovativa och framgångsrika banden i modern musik, med en global försäljning på över 300 miljoner album. Deras låtar är några av de mest hyllade i rockhistorien och skapar än i dag resonans bland både unga och gamla fans världen över. Men hur mycket du än har lyssnat på deras musik, har du aldrig hört den så här tidigare.<br/><br/>Utgivningen av deluxe-versioner av Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin ll och Led Zeppelin lll markerar starten för ett omfattande återutgivningsprojekt som inkluderar alla gruppens nio studioalbum i kronologisk ordning, samtliga remastrade av bandets gitarrist och producent, Jimmy Page. Led Zeppelin öppnar i samband med detta också sina egna arkiv för att dela med sig av dussintals tidigare ohörda studio- och liveinspelningar. Varje utgåva kommer att rymma en bonusskiva med tidigare outgivna inspelningar som har koppling till respektive originalalbum.<br/><br/>"Materialet på den medföljande skivan utgör en portal till tiden för Led Zeppelins inspelningar", säger Page. "Det är ett urval av pågående arbeten med råmixar, bakgrunder, alternativa versioner och nytt material som spelades in vid den aktuella tidpunkten".

Remastrat album på 180-gramsvinyl, förpackad i ett omslag som i varje detalj är en exakt kopia av originalupplagans första pressning, plus en extra LP innehållande tidigare outgivna studio outtakes. <br/><br/>John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page och Robert Plant bildade Led Zeppelin 1968. Under det följande decenniet kom de att bli ett av de mest inflytelserika, innovativa och framgångsrika banden i modern musik, med en global försäljning på över 300 miljoner album. Deras låtar är några av de mest hyllade i rockhistorien och skapar än i dag resonans bland både unga och gamla fans världen över. Men hur mycket du än har lyssnat på deras musik, har du aldrig hört den så här tidigare.<br/><br/>Utgivningen av deluxe-versioner av Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin ll och Led Zeppelin lll markerar starten för ett omfattande återutgivningsprojekt som inkluderar alla gruppens nio studioalbum i kronologisk ordning, samtliga remastrade av bandets gitarrist och producent, Jimmy Page. Led Zeppelin öppnar i samband med detta också sina egna arkiv för att dela med sig av dussintals tidigare ohörda studio- och liveinspelningar. Varje utgåva kommer att rymma en bonusskiva med tidigare outgivna inspelningar som har koppling till respektive originalalbum.<br/><br/>"Materialet på den medföljande skivan utgör en portal till tiden för Led Zeppelins inspelningar", säger Page. "Det är ett urval av pågående arbeten med råmixar, bakgrunder, alternativa versioner och nytt material som spelades in vid den aktuella tidpunkten".

Chrome: Chrome Box [7 Vinyl LP]

Chopin: Complete piano music (Idil Beret) [15 CD]