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20th Century Masterpieces

Label: EMI

Cat No: 2175002

Barcode: 5099921750021

Format: CD

Number of Discs: 16

Release Date: 6th October 2008

This product has now been deleted. Information is for reference only.

About

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 its 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.

Contents:
CD 1
1901 - Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, Op.18
[1] I Moderato
[2] II Adagio sostenuto
[3] III Allegro scherzando
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
[5] II Jeux de vagues
[6] III Dialogue du vent et de la mer
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
Christa Ludwig
Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer
Recorded: 19-22 February 1964, Kingsway Hall & No.1 Studio, Abbey Road,, London

1909 - Schoenberg: 5 Orchestral Pieces, Op.16 (original version)
[1] I Vorgefühle (Sehr rasch)
[2] II Vergangenes (Mässige Viertel)
[3] III Farben (Mässige Viertel)
[4] IV Peripetie (Sehr rasch)
[5] V Das obligate Rezitativ (Bewegte Achtel)
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
[7] II Bewegt
[8] III Mässig
[9] IV Sehr mässig
[10] V Sehr langsam
[11] VI Langsam
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
[13] II Andante assai
[14] III Allegro scherzando
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
[2] The Augurs of Spring – Dances of the Maidens
[3] Ritual of Abduction
[4] Spring Rounds
[5] Ritual of the Rival Tribes
[6] Procession of the Sage
[7] Adoration of the Earth
[8] Dance of the Earth
Part two: The Sacrifice
[9] Introduction
[10] Mystic Circles of the Maidens
[11] Glorification of the Chosen One
[12] Evocation of the Ancestors
[13] Ritual of the Ancestors
[14] Sacrificial Dance (The Chosen One)
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras
Recorded: 30 August – 1 September 1987, Watford Town Hall

[15] 1914 - Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending
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
[17] II Andante mosso, quasi allegretto
[18] III Allegro molto – Un pochettino largamente
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
[2] II Danza lejana
[3] III En los jardines de la Sierra de Córdoba
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)
[5] Venus, the Bringer of Peace (Adagio)
[6] Mercury, the Winged Messenger (Vivace)
[7] Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity (Allegro giouoso)
[8] Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age (Adagio)
[9] Uranus, the Magician (Allegro)
[10] Neptune, the Mystic (Andante)
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
[2] II Lento – Allegro molto
[3] III Adagio
[4] IV Allegro – Moderato – Allegro, ma non troppo
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
[6] Adagio non troppo
[7] II Allegro
[8] Allegro
[9] Andante un poco tranquillo
[10] Allegro
Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Herbert Blomstedt
Recorded: 3-4 December 1973, Radio Concert Hall, Copenhagen

[11] 1923 - Honegger: Mouvement symphonique No.1 – Pacific 231
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°
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
[3] Pines near a Catacomb
[4] The Pines of the Janiculum
[5] The Pines of the Appian Way
London Symphony Orchestra, Lamberto Gardelli
Recorded: 24-26 April 1976, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

[6] 1924 - Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue (orch. Grofé)
London Symphony Orchestra, André Previn
Recorded: 4 & 6 June 1971, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

1926 - Janácek: Sinfonietta for Orchestra
[7] I Allegretto
[8] II Andante
[9] III Moderato
[10] IV Allegretto
[11] V Andante con moto
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
Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan
Recorded: 5-7 January 1977, Philharmonie, Berlin

1933-34 - Hindemith: Symphony – Mathis der Maler
[2] I Engelskonzert
[3] II Grablegung
[4] III Versuchung des heiligen Antonius
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
[6] II Allegro – Adagio
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
[2] II Allegretto
[3] III Largo
[4] IV Allegro non troppo
Wiener Philharmoniker, Mariss Jansons
Recorded: 7-14 January 1997, Musikverein, Vienna

[5] 1938 - Poulenc: Concerto in G minor for organ, timpani and strings
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] II O Fortuna plango vulnera
I – PRIMO VERE
[3] III Veris leta facies
[4] IV Omnia sol temperat
[5] V Ecce gratum
UF DEM ANGER
[6] VI Tanz
[7] VII Floret silva
[8] VIII Chramer, gip die varwe mir
[9] IX Riei – Swaz hie gat umbe – Chume, chum geselle min – Swaz hie gat umbe
[10] X Were diu werlt alle min
II – IN TABERNA
[11] XI Estuans interius
[12] XII Olim lacus colueram
[13] XIII Ego sum abbas
[14] XIV In taberna quando sumus
III – COUR D'AMOURS
[15] XV Amor volat undique
[16] XVI Dies, nox et omnia
[17] XVII Stetit puella
[18] XVIII Circa mea pectora
[19] XIX Si puer cum puellula
[20] XX Veni, veni, venias
[21] XXI In trutina
[22] XXII Tempus est iocundum
[23] XXIII Dulcissime
BLANZIFLOR ET HELENA
[24] XXIV   Ave formosissima
FORTUNA IMPERATRIX MUNDI
[25] XXV O fortuna
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

[26] 1938 - Barber: Adagio for Strings, Op.11
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
[2] II Adagio
[3] III Allegro gentile
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)
[5] II Dies irae (Allegro con fuoco)
[6] II Requiem aeternam (Andante molto tranquillo)
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
Orquesta Filarmónica de la Ciudad de México, Enrique Bátiz
Recorded: March 1985, Sala Nezahualcoyotl Mexico City

1944 - Khachaturian: Masquerade
[8] Waltz
[9] Galop
Philharmonia Orchestra, Efrem Kurtz
Recorded: 28 April 1961, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

1945 - Bartók: Piano Concerto No.3, Sz119
[10] I Allegretto
[11] II Adagio religioso – Poco più mosso – Tempo I
[12] III Allegro vivace (Presto)
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
[2] II September
[3] III Beim schlafengehen
[4] IV Im Abendrot
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
[6] II Adagio cantabile
[7] III Allegro molto
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)
[9] II Capriccio, Notturna e Ariosa (Vivace)
[10] III Passacaglia, Toccata e Corale (Andante con moto – Allegro giusto)
Recorded: 25-27 May 1976, Polish Radio & TV Studio, Katowice

Total approximate duration: 71.37

CD 12
1956 - Walton: Cello Concerto
[1] I Moderato
[2] II Allegro appassionato
[3] III Lento – Brioso – Allegro molto – Rapsodicamente – Adagio
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
[5] La Sorgue
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
Polish Radio National Symphony Orchestra, Krzysztof Penderecki
Recorded: 3-7 February 1975, Katowice

1961 - Bernstein: Symphonic Dances from 'West Side Story'
[7] I   Prologue
[8] II   Somewhere
[9] III   Scherzo
[10] IV   Mambo
[11] V   Cha-cha
[12] VI   Meeting Scene
[13] VII   Rumble
[14] VIII   Finale
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] "Le Christ, ressuscité des morts, ne meurt plus; la mort n'a plus sur lui d'empire"
[3] "L'heure vient où les morts entendront la voix du fils de Dieu..."
[4] "Ils ressusciteront, glorieux, avec un nom nouveau dans le concert joyeux des étoiles et les acclamations des fils du ciel"
[5] "Et j'entends la voix d'une foule immense..."
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
[7] Parados
[8] Episodion: Strophe I
[9] Episodion: Anapaest I
[10] Episodion: Antistrophe I
[11] Stasimon
[12] Episidion: Strophe II
[13] Episidion: Anapaest II
[14] Episidion: Antistrophe II
[15] Exodus
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)
[17] II Regard (Extrêmement calme)
[18] III Houles (Large et ample)
[19] IVMiroirs (Lent et extatique)
[20] V Hymne (Allegro)
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
[2] II Lento e largo, tranquillissimo
[3] III Lento, cantabile – semplice
Zofia Kilanowicz
Kraków Symphony Orchestra, Jacek Kaspszyk
Recorded live: 5 September 1993, Cathedral of St. Mary Magdalene, Wroclaw

[4] 1979 - Henze: Barcarola
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
Tasmin Little, Martin Roscoe
Recorded: September 1993, Abbey Chirch, Milton Abbey School, Blandford Forum, Dorset

[2] 1982 - Takemitsu: Water-ways
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
[5] The Nativity of the Mother of God
[6] The Annunciation
[7] The Incarnation
[8] The Lament of the Mother of God at the Cross
[9] The Resurrection
[10] The Dormition
[11] The Protecting Veil
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
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
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle
Recorded: 18 March 1994, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

[3] 1994 - Schnittke: Minuet
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
[5] II Andante pesante
[6] III Allegretto tranquillo
[7] IV Molto allegro
Philharmonia Orchestra, Daniel Harding
Recorded: 26 October 1995, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

1997 - Adès: Asyla
[8] I
[9] II
[10] III Ecstasio
[11] IV
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle
Recorded live: 29-30 August 1998, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Total approximate duration: 76.27