Johannes Brahms: Philips Classics - The Stereo Years [50 CD Box Set] (2016)

Artists, repertoire, recording locations…These were the key factors that made Philips one of the most firmly established classical labels in the 20th century. What ensured the label’s long-lasting fame was its constant search for sound perfection through the development of its own sound equipment.

This 50-CD collection of analogue albums aims to represent the heyday of Philips’ passion for great natural sound – the Stereo Years. There was a firm belief within the label’s team that recording technique was there to serve the music - the Musicians had their own views about how any given piece should be interpreted and how it should sound; the recording team’s job was to grasp that vision and make it a reality. This recording philosophy, combined with great artistry and visionary repertoire policy, created a special chapter in the history of classical music recordings that still inspires artists, sound engineers and collectors alike.

Included are some of Philips’ greatest analogue albums, presented with original artwork, plus a 200-page booklet documenting the history of the label. With personal reminiscences by key members of staff, plus a note by former Philips producer David Cairns.

Artists featured include icons such as Salvatore Accardo, Eduard van Beinum, Claudio Arrau, Dame Janet Baker, Alfred Brendel, José Carreras, Sir Colin Davis, Antal Doráti, Clara Haskil & Arthur Grumiaux, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink, Orchestre de Paris, Seiji Ozawa, Edo de Waart and many more.

• CD1: Sibelius: Violin Concerto; 4 Humoresques; Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto
Salvatore Accardo, London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis
• CD2: Schumann: Frauenliebe und leben; Liederkreis; Schubert: Lieder
Elly Ameling, Dalton Baldwin, Jörg Demus
• CD3: Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 3 & 4
Claudio Arrau, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink
• CD4: Liszt: 12 Etudes d'exécution transcendante
Claudio Arrau
• CD5: Handel: Lucrezia + Arias; Gluck: Arias
Dame Janet Baker, English Chamber Orchestra, Raymond Leppard
• CD6: Schubert: Piano Trios Nos.1 & 2
Beaux Arts Trio
• CD7: Beethoven: Piano Trios Nos. 4, 5, 6 & 9
Beaux Arts Trio
• CD8: Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 4*
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Eduard van Beinum
• CD9: Beethoven: Septet, Op.20; Sextet, Op.81b
Members of the Berlin Philharmonic Octet
• CD10: Schubert: Piano Sonata No.21; Wanderer Fantasy
Alfred Brendel
• CD11: Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos.21, 15 & 23
Alfred Brendel, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner
• CD12: Liszt: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2; Totentanz
Alfred Brendel, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Bernard Haitink
• CD13: Italian Arias
José Carreras
• CD14: Saint-Saens: Organ Symphony; Liszt: Organ Works* (Prelude and Fugue on the Name B-A-C-H, S.260; Funeral Ode, S.268 No.2; Fantasy and Fugue on "Ad nos, ad salutarem undam", S. 259)
Daniel Chorzempa, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Edo de Waart
• CD15: Dvorák: Symphony No.7 in D Minor; Cello Concerto in B Minor
Heinrich Schiff, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis
• CD16: Berlioz: Harold in Italy; Trista; 2 Overtures
Nobuko Imai, London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis
• CD17: Italian Opera Arias*; Johann Strauss
Cristina Deutekom, Orchestra of the RAI di Roma, Carlo Franci
• CD18: Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Antal Doráti
• CD19: Berg & Stravinsky Violin Concertos; Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante
Arthur Grumiaux, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Ernest Bour
• CD20: Mozart: Sonatas For Piano & Violin K.301, 304, 376 & 378
Clara Haskil, Arthur Grumiaux
• CD21: Schubert: Impromptus, D.899 & D.935
Ingrid Haebler
• CD22: Haydn: Symphony No.96 - "Miracle"; Schubert: Symphony No.9 - "Great"
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink
• CD23: Strauss, R.: Ein Heldenleben; Death & Transfiguration
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink
• CD24: Bruckner: Symphony No.9
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink
• CD25: Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
Adam Harasiewicz, Wiener Symphoniker, Heinrich Hollreiser
• CD26: Mozart*, Strauss and Bellini^ Oboe Concertos
Heinz Holliger, Heinz Holliger, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Edo de Waart
^ Heinz Holliger, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Eliahu Inbal
• CD27: Bruckner: Symphony No.5
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Eugen Jochum
• CD28: Beethoven: Diabelli Variations; Piano Sonata No.17, Op.31, No.2
Stephen Kovacevich
• CD29: Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op.61; Mozart: Violin Concerto No.4
Herman Krebbers
• CD30: Bach, J.S.: Three Partitas for Solo Violin
Gidon Kremer
• CD31: Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 39, 40 & 35
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Josef Krips
• CD32: Chopin: Etudes, Op.10 & Op.25
Nikita Magaloff
• CD33: Tchaikovsky: Manfred Symphony; Rimsky-Korsakov: Russian Easter Festival Overture
London Symphony Orchestra, Igor Markevitch
• CD34: Bizet: Carmen Suite; L'Arlesienne Suites
London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Neville Marriner
• CD35: Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Kurt Masur
• CD36: Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
Felix Ayo, I Musici
• CD37: Cimarosa: Requiem
Montreux Festival Chorus, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, Vittorio Negri
• CD38: Mozart: Don Giovanni & Die Entführung for Wind Ensemble +Rossini Overtures (Il barbiere di Siviglia & L'italiana in Algeri)
Netherlands Wind Ensemble
• CD39: Berlioz: Nuits d'été; Ravel: Schéhérazade
Jessye Norman, London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis
• CD40: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.6; Nutcracker Suite
Orchestre de Paris, Seiji Ozawa
• CD41: Debussy & Ravel String Quartets
Quartetto Italiano
• CD42: The Sofia Recital
Sviatoslav Richter
• CD43: Giuliani: Guitar Concerto; Rodrigo: 3 Concertos
Pepe Romero, Angel Romero, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner
• CD44: Dvořák: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 5
London Symphony Orchestra, Witold Rowicki
• CD45: Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem; Alto Rhapsody
Aafje Heynis, Wiener Symphoniker, Wolfgang Sawallisch
• CD46: Baroque Opera Arias; Ravel Songs
Gérard Souzay
• CD47: Sibelius: Symphony No.2; Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, George Szell
• CD48: Wieniawski: Violin Concerto No.2*; Szymanowski: Violin Concerto No.2*; Paganini Violin Concerto No.1
Henryk Szeryng
• CD49: Weill: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2; Gershwin: Piano Concerto^
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Edo de Waart
^ Werner Haas, Orchestre National de l'Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Edo de Waart
• CD50: Prokofiev & Khachaturian Cello Concertos + Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op.33^
Christine Walevska, Orchestre National de l'Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Eliahu Inbal
^ Maurice Gendron, Wiener Symphoniker, Christoph von Dohnanyi