Daniel Barenboim - A Retrospective - The Complete Sony Recordings - Box Set 43CDs

Label : Sony
Format : Ape
Cover : Yes

Can there be a more prodigiously gifted and versatile musician in the world today than Daniel Barenboim? Symphonic and opera conductor as well concert pianist, recitalist, chamber musician, lieder accompanist par excellence, the Argentinian-born Israeli Renaissance man of music is also one of the most extensively recorded artists of all time. Sony Classical is proud to present the first complete retrospective collection of his albums for CBS/Sony and RCA on 46 CDs and DVDs.

Barenboim the pianist made his first commercial recordings in 1964 and soon began documenting his refreshing, vital interpretations of Mozart and Beethoven on disc. Before long he had added conducting to his already intensive musical activities, in 1965 beginning a close relationship with the English Chamber Orchestra. Much of that collaboration is to be found in Sony's vast new set, notably Mozart concerto recordings in which Barenboim's deep understanding of the composer is placed in the service of violinists Isaac Stern and Pinchas Zukerman. Soon Barenboim was conducting virtually all the leading European and American symphony orchestras. Among hte ensembles spotlighted in the new collection is the London Philharmonic, with whom he made a series of distinguished Elgar recordings, including ''a red-blooded passionate performance'' of the Second Symphony: ''The playing of teh LPO is superb throughout and the orchestra responds to Barenboim's every whim...Music seldom brings actual tears to my eyes, but I confess that the playing of the very soft last bars, from the molto lento, did'' (Gramophone).

Another treasurable Barenboim/LPO project found him partnering the legendary Arthur Rubinstein in the complete Beethoven Piano Concertos (when his own recording as a soloist accompanied by Otto Klemperer had already become a catalogue landmark). Of this 1977 Grammy winner for “Best Classical Album”, Gramophone wrote: “Have the Beethoven concertos ever been better accompanied, if accompaniment is the right word? … In each work [Barenboim and the orchestra] provide an opening tutti of such weight, richness of characterization and beauty of sound that the entry of the soloist, so splendidly prepared for, comes almost as an anti-climax. It is a little while before even Rubinstein's personality can match the splendour of the scene which has been set for him.”

The list of Barenboim’s other remarkable collaborations in this set is too long to be detailed here. A few examples must suffice: with Itzhak Perlman, the Brahms Violin Sonatas – not only on CD, but now for the first time on DVD; with Isaac Stern, Beethoven’s Violin Concerto (New York Philharmonic) and Saint-Saëns Third Concerto (Orchestre de Paris); with Jacqueline du Pré, the Elgar Cello Concerto with the Philadelphia Orchestra; with Pinchas Zukerman, the Elgar Violin Concerto (London Philharmonic) – “a reading which gloriously combined the virtuoso swagger of a Heifetz with the tender, heartfelt warmth of the young Menuhin. Barenboim is a splendid partner” – and viola soloist in Berlioz’s Harold in Italy (Orchestre de Paris); with John Williams, guitar concertos by Rodrigo and Villa-Lobos (English Chamber Orchestra); and with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Mahler song cycles (Berlin Philharmonic).

The wide range of symphonic works in this collection finds Daniel Barenboim conducting Tchaikovsky’s Fourth (New York Philharmonic); Beethoven’s Seventh, Schubert’s “Unfinished” and Berlioz’s “Fantastique” (Berlin Philharmonic); and Schoenberg’s Pelleas und Melisande (Orchestre de Paris). Barenboim the soloist can also be heard in piano concertos by Brahms (with Zubin Mehta and the New York Philharmonic) and Beethoven (conducting the Berlin Philharmonic himself from the keyboard). There’s also a large-scale choral work, the Berlioz Te Deum, in an imposing recording made in St. Eustache with Orchestre de Paris forces.

The video releases in the new collection are especially enticing. As already mentioned, there is a first DVD release of the Brahms Violin Sonatas with Itzhak Perlman, coupled with Brahms’s Horn Trio (with the Chicago Symphony’s famed Dale Clevenger). And Barenboim’s unusually imaginative and varied Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Concert from 2014 – one of the most highly praised of these occasions in years – is also included on DVD as well as CD. The Times of London remarked on its special qualities: “Recent New Year’s Day concerts have been flat affairs, but the champagne spirit flows freely in Daniel Barenboim’s second stint on the podium… The plums (encores apart) are a seductive Tales from the Vienna Woods (Johann II) and a gorgeous ‘Moonlight Interlude’ from Capriccio”, while Presto Classical wrote: “Despite his associations with more heavyweight Austrian composers, Barenboim never overplays his hand and has the idiom absolutely off-pat… he shapes and paces things quite beautifully, revealing all sorts of detail.”

And so, Sony Classical’s 46-disc Daniel Barenboim retrospective is not only a stunning display of this exceptional musician’s versatility; it also serves as a showcase for many of the world’s great orchestras and soloists.

DISC 1 MS 7179
Berg: Chamber Concerto for Violin, Piano & 13 Wind Instruments (Boulez, Pierre, Daniel Barenboim, piano; Saschko Gawriloff, violin)
Berg: Three Pieces for Orchestra, Op. 6 (Boulez, Pierre)
Berg: Altenberg Lieder, Op. 4 (Boulez, Pierre Halina Lukomska, soprano)
DISC 2: M 30055
Mozart: Concerto No. 5 in A Major, K. 219, “Turkish” (Pinchas Zukerman, violin)
Mozart: Concerto No. 4 in D Major, K. 218 (Pinchas Zukerman, violin)
DISC 3: M 30572
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36
DISC 4 M 31369
Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra in E-flat Major, K. 364 (Isaac Stern, violin; Pinchas Zukerman, viola)
Stamitz: Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra in D Major (Isaac Stern, violin; Pinchas Zukerman, viola)
DISC 5 M 31997
Elgar: Symphony No. 2 in E-flat Major, Op. 63
DISC 6 M 32599
Elgar: Falstaff (Symphonic Study) for Orchestra, Op. 68
Elgar: Overture “Cockaigne” (In London Town), Op. 40
DISC 7 M 32807
Elgar: Symphony No. 1 in A-flat Major, Op. 55
DISC 8 M 32301
Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat Major, K. 207 (Pinchas Zukerman, violin)
Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major, K. 216 (Pinchas Zukerman, violin)
DISC 9 M 32936
Elgar: Pomp and Circumstance Marches, Op. 39
Elgar: The Crown of India – Suite, Op. 66
Elgar: Imperial March, Op.32
DISC 10 M 32937
Mozart: Concertone in C Major for Two Violins and Orchestra, K. 190 (Isaac Stern, violin; Pinchas Zukerman, violin; N. Black, oboe)
Pleyel: Sinfonie concertante in B-Flat Major for Violin, Viola, and Orchestra, Op. 29 (Isaac Stern, violin; Pinchas Zukerman, violin; N. Black, oboe)
DISC 11 M 33206
Mozart: Concerto No. 2 in D Major for Violin and Orchestra, K. 211 (Pinchas Zukerman, violin)
Mozart: Rondo in C Major, K. 373 (Pinchas Zukerman, violin)
Mozart: Adagio in E Major, K. 261 (Pinchas Zukerman, violin)
Mozart: Rondo in B-Flat Major for Violin and Orchestra, K. 269 (Pinchas Zukerman, violin)
DISC 12 M 33208
Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez (John Williams, guitar)
Villa-Lobos: Concerto for Guitar and Small Orchestra (John Williams, guitar)
DISC 13 M 33584
Elgar: Chanson de Matin, Op. 15, No. 1
Elgar: Chanson de Nuit, Op. 15, No. 2
Elgar: Elegy for Strings, Op.58
Elgar: Serenade for Strings, Op.20
Elgar: Salut d’amour, Op.12
Elgar: Romance, Op. 62 for Bassoon & Orchestra (Martin Gatt, bassoon)
Elgar: Rosemary
Elgar: Carissima
Elgar: Sospiri, Op. 70
DISC 14 M 33587
Beethoven: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra In D Major, Op. 61 (Isaac Stern, violin)
DISC 15 CRL5-1415
Beethoven: Concerto No. 1 for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 15 in C (Arthur Rubinstein, piano)
Beethoven: Concerto No. 2 for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 19 in B-flat (Arthur Rubinstein, piano)
DISC 16 CRL5-1415
Beethoven: Concerto No. 3 for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 37 in C Minor (Arthur Rubinstein, piano)
Beethoven: Concerto No. 4 for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 58 in G (Arthur Rubinstein, piano)
DISC 17 CRL5-1415
Beethoven: Concerto No. 5 for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 73 in E-flat (Arthur Rubinstein, piano)
DISC 18 M 34500
Ravel: Daphnis and Chloe, Suite No. 2
Chabrier Espańa
Debussy: Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun
Ibert Escales
DISC 19 M 34517
Elgar: Violin Concerto in B minor, Op. 61 (Pinchas Zukerman, violin)
DISC 20 M 34530
Elgar: Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in E Minor, Op. 85 (Jacqueline Du Pré, cello)
Elgar: Variations on an Original Theme for Orchestra, Op. 36 “Enigma”
DISC 21 M 34536
Berlioz: Te Deum, Op. 22
DISC 22 M 34541
Berlioz: Harold en Italie, Op. 16 (Harold in Italy) (Pinchas Zukerman, viola)
DISC 23 M 34550
Saint-Saens: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 3 in B minor, Op. 61 (Isaac Stern, violin)
Chausson: Počme, Op. 25 (Isaac Stern, violin)
Frauré: Berceuse, Op. 16 (Isaac Stern, violin)
DISC 24 M 35112
Berlioz : Chasse royale et orage/Royal Hunt and Storm
Berlioz: Roméo et Juliette, op. 17 Suite
DISC 25 M 35160
R. Strauss: Concerto for Oboe and Small Orchestra (Neil Black, oboe)
R. Strauss: Le bourgeois gentilhomme: Suite, Op. 60 (Peter Frankl, piano)
DISC 26 M 35880
Elgar: Sea Picture for Contralto and Orchestra, Op. 37 (Yvonne Minton, soprano)
Elgar: In the South Overture, Op. 50, “Alassio”
DISC 27 M 35885
Brahms: Concerto No. 2 for Piano and Orchestra in B-Flat Major, Op. 83 (Mehta, Zubin, Daniel Barenboim, piano)
DISC 28 M 35884
Brahms: Concerto No. 1 in D Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 15 (Mehta, Zubin, Daniel Barenboim, piano)
DISC 29 M 38557
Schoenberg : Pelleas Et Melisande: Symphonic Poem, Op. 5
DISC 30 IM 39859
Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14
DISC 31 IM 39676
Schubert: Symphony No. 2 in B-flat Major, D. 125
Schubert: Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D. 759 “Unfinished”
DISC 32 IM 39671
Schubert: Symphony No. 3 in D Major, D. 200
Schubert: Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major, D. 485
DISC 33 M 42072
Schoenberg: Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21 (Boulez, Pierre, Barenboim, Daniel)
DISC 34 M 42316
Schubert: Symphony No. 9 in C Major, D. 944 (“The Great”)
M 42322
R. Strauss: Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53, TrV 209 (Mehta, Zubin)
R. Strauss: Burleske in D Minor for Piano and Orchestra, TrV 145 (Mehta, Zubin, Daniel Barenboim, piano)
DISC 35 M2K 42489
Schubert: Symphony No. 1 in D Major, D. 82
Schubert: Rosamunde, D. 797 (Excerpts)
DISC 36 M2K 42489
Schubert: Symphony No. 4 in C minor, D. 417 “Tragic”
Schubert: Symphony No. 6 in C Major, D. 589
DISC 37 SK 45830
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92
DISC 38 SK 44922
Mahler: Des Knaben Wunderhorn (Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone)
Mahler: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone)
DISC 39 S2K 44504
Schubert: Sonata (Sonatina) For Piano and Violin, Op. Posth. 137, No. 1, D. 384 (Isaac Stern, Violin, Daniel Barenboim, piano)
Schubert: Sonata (Sonatina) For Piano and Violin in A minor, Op. Posth. 137, No.2, D.385 (Isaac Stern, Violin, Daniel Barenboim, piano)
Schubert: Sonata (Sonatina) For Piano and Violin in G minor, Op. Post.137, No. 3, D.408 Isaac Stern, Violin, Daniel Barenboim, piano
DISC 40 S2K 44504
Schubert: Sonata (Duo) For Piano and Violin in A Major, Op. 162. D. 574 (Isaac Stern, Violin, Daniel Barenboim, piano)
Schubert: Fantaisie For Violin & Piano in C Major (“Sei mir gegrusst!”), Op. Post.159, D. 934 (Isaac Stern, Violin, Daniel Barenboim, piano)
Schubert: Rondo (Rondeau Brillant) For Piano and Violin in B minor, Op.70, D. 895 (Isaac Stern, Violin, Daniel Barenboim, piano)
DISC 41 SK 45819
Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Major, Op. 78 (Itzhak Perlman, violin, Daniel Barenboim, piano)
Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Major, Op. 100 (Itzhak Perlman, violin, Daniel Barenboim, piano)
Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108 (Itzhak Perlman, violin, Daniel Barenboim, piano)
DISC 42/43
The New Year’s Concert 2014

Tracklist : Daniel Barenboim - A Retrospective