EuroArts releases a special edition of all nine Beethoven Symphonies played by the Berlin Philharmonic under former chief conductor Claudio Abbado. Each of the symphonies is a masterpiece in itself – they are all quite different, each representing…

EuroArts has released a special edition of all nine Beethoven Symphonies played by the Berlin Philharmonic under former chief conductor Claudio Abbado. This DVD ends the series with symphonies Nos. 4 and 7, recorded live at the Accademia Nazionale di…

The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra was founded by Daniel Barenboim and the late Edward Said. It consists of young, highly talented Israeli and Arabian musicians and was founded to increase the dialogue between young people in the Middle East and…

Leonard Bernstein’s historical concert in celebration of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 has long become almost as legendary as the revolutionary moment that it celebrated. Recorded at the beautiful Schauspielhaus right on Gendarmenmarkt in the…

The outstanding tenors of the 78 era: comprising thirteen episodes, each with a biographical and a musical focus, this two-volume edition features bel canto singers captured on black and white sound film. Backed up with footage, much of which is…

With his sixteen string quartets, Beethoven forged the backbone of this repertoire. The six quartets Opus 18 show the composer’s mastery of the classical form. In contrast, the five middle quartets burst this form, with a very free treatment of the…

Major stars of the international opera stage come together with the Chor und Orchester of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, under the baton of the illustrious Kent Nagano, in this opera gala in aid of the German AIDS Foundation. Highlights from operas by…

The Gala presented by the Deutsche Oper Berlin in 2011 in support of Aids-related charities brought together the cream of Europe’s opera singers, in a programme of well-lover operatic excerpts, from Rossini, through Verdi to Wagner. Conducting was…

The internationally renowned pianist Joaquín Achúcarro has been described as ‘the consummate artist’ and ‘the leading pianist from Spain’; he has won plaudits and prizes around the world. In 2000 he was named ‘Artist for Peace’ by UNESCO in…

Sir Simon Rattle took up his post as chief conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker in 2002. In doing so, he took over an inheritance which was not only demanding, but which required a delicate balance of tradition and innovation. The Liverpool-born…