A Classical Collection Programme 2

At home, David Morriss has some real treasures in his record collection and here he shares with us a personal selection of the rare, the exquisite and the sometimes astounding.

David takes a look at the work of Swiss conductor Michel Corboz – renowned for his soulful conducting of baroque masterpieces. Also, Toscanini giving the world première of Barber’s Adagio for Strings; and Amelita Galli Curci sings Lo, here the gentle lark.

Amelita Galli-Curci and watering can. By Bain News Service, publisher

Witold Lutosławski (right) with his friend and fellow composer Andrzej Panufnik. By photographer Włodzimierz Echeński

Fritz Reiner impersonating Bella Lugosi, Carnegie Hall. By United Artists / Federal Films, Wikimedia

Giacomo Puccini and Arturo Toscanini. By Menerbes (Archives Arturo Toscanini, Parme)

Michel Corboz in 2011. By Erling Mandelmann, CC BY-SA 3.0

A big box set of Vivaldi concerti and sonatas. Scanned image of CD cover.

Fritz Reiner conducts Hovhaness and others. Scanned image of CD cover.

Thomas Hampson sings Stephen Foster. Scanned image of CD cover.

1970s recordings by Dame Gillian Weir. Scanned image of CD cover.

A Japanese CD set of Monteverdi madrigals conducted by Michel Corboz. Scanned image of CD cover.

Bonus tracks:

• Rossini's Scala di Setar Overture
• Allitsen's The Lute Player

Bruno Walter, Arturo Toscanini, Erich Kleiber, Otto Klemperer and Wilhelm Furtwängler. Photo by Erich Auerbach, 1929 Photo: Wilhelm Furtwangler Society

Music Details:

JS BACH: Sinfonia from Cantata No 49, Ich geh und suche mit verlangen - Limoges Baroque Ensemble/Christophe Coin (dir) (Astrée AS 128530)

BISHOP: Lo, here the gentle lark - Amelita Galli-Curci (sop) (78) (HMV D.B.258)

VIVALDI: Violin concerto no. in Bb Op9/7, from La Cetra - Felix Ayo (vln), I Musici (Newton 8802034)

LUTOSŁAWSKI: Variations on a theme by Paganini - Martha Argerich & Nelson Freire (pnos) (Philips 464 043)

MAUDE WHITE: The devout lover - Frederick Harvey (bar), orch/Eric Robertson (78) (HMV C.3889)

HOVHANESS: Symphony no. 2, Mysterious Mountain - Chicago SO/Fritz Reiner (RCA 09026-61957)

FOSTER: Hard times come again no more - Thomas Hampson (bar), Jay Ungar (vln), Molly Mason (guitar), David Alpher (pno) (EMI 54621)

BARBER: Adagio for Strings - NBC SO/Arturo Toscanini (Digital download: Pristine Classical 321156)

PUCCINI: O soave fanciulla, from La Bohème - Licia Albanese (sop), Jan Peerce (ten), NBC SO/Arturo Toscanini (Lyrica LRC 01094)

CLERAMBAULT: Caprice, from Suite du deuxième ton - Dame Gillian Weir (organ) (Argo 460 187)

GIOVANNI GABRIELI: Magnificat, Regina coeli, & Ego sum qui sum, from Sacrae Symphoniae (1597) - Lausanne Vocal Ensemble, University Choir & CO/ Michel Corboz (LP Musical Heritage Society MHS 1749)

M-A CHARPENTIER: Overture H.536 - L’Arpa Festante/Michel Corboz (Cascavelle VEL 1030)

MONTEVERDI: Questi vaghi concenti, from Madrigals book 5 - Lausanne Vocal Ensemble & CO/Michel Corboz (Erato B23D-39104)

SHOSTAKOVICH: 2nd movement, from Piano Concerto no. 2 in F - Dmitri Shostakovich (pno), French National Radio Orch/André Cluytens (EMI 724373177)

WAGNER: Senta’s ballad, from The Flying Dutchman - Janis Martin (sop), Chicago Symphony Orch & chorus/Sir Georg Solti (Decca 478 3707)