VA - Sony Classical Great Performances, 1903-1998 (1999) [4CD Box Set]

Few record labels can boast as glorious a legacy as Sony Classical. This lavish four-disc set chronicles the finest performances available on the label from the past ninety-five years. Eighty selections comprising over four hours of music are accompanied by two lavishly illustrated booklets highlighting Sony Classical's stellar history.

The set opens with a 1903 recording of the great Italian baritone Giuseppe Campanari singing "Largo al factotum" from Rossini's 'Il Barbiere di Siviglia.' More vocal treasures follow with music by Verdi, Puccini, Villa Lobos, and Debussy performed by such artists as Leontyne Price, Victoria de los Angeles and Richard Tucker. If instrumental music is your preference, this collection offers such gems as Eugène Ysaÿe playing Wieniawski, Glenn Gould performing Bach, and a host of other legendary performers. Sony Classical also recorded some of the greatest orchestras and conductors of all time, and the set is rounded out by performances directed by Leonard Bernstein, Eugene Ormandy, Aaron Copland and George Szell. This is a fascinating and musically enriching collection.

Tracks:

CD 1: Acoustic, Electric, Mono And Early Stereo Years 1903-1959
01. Largo al factotum from Il barbiere di Siviglia (Vocal)
by Charles Adams Prince, Giuseppe Campanari

02. Mazurka No. 1 in G Major, “Obertass”, Op. 19, No. 1 (Instrumental)
by Camille DeCreus, Eugene Ysaye

03. II. Piheno (Relaxation) from Contrasts for Violin, Clarinet and Piano (Instrumental)
by Benny Goodman, Béla Bartók, Joseph Szigeti

04. IV. Allegro – Prestissimo from String Quartet in C minor, Op.18, No. 4
by Budapest String Quartet

05. Aria – Cantilena from Bachiana brasileira No. 5
by Bidú Sayão

06. III. Allegretto non troppo – Allegro molto vivace from Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in E minor, Op. 64 (Instrumental)
by Bruno Walter, New York Philharmonic Orchestra

07. La donne è mobile from Rigoletto (Vocal)
by Emil Cooper, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

08. II. Prestissimo, con sordino from String Quartet No. 4
by Juilliard String Quartet

09. Fossils from Carnival of the Animals
by André Kostelanetz, Andre Kostelanetz & His Orchestra, Noël Coward

10. III. Rondo: Allegro spirituoso from Concerto No. 1 for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 6
by Eugene Ormandy, The Philadelphia Orchestra

11. I. Prélude from Le Tombeau de Couperin
by Robert Casadesus

12. X. The Desire for Hermitage from Hermit Songs, Op. 29
by Samuel Barber, Leontyne Price

13. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 30. Quodlibet. a 1 Clav. (1955 Version)
by Glenn Gould

14. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria da capo (1955 Version)
by Glenn Gould

15. The Threepenny Opera: Moritat von Mackie Messer (Mack the Knife)
by Lotte Lenya

16. III. Menuetto – Trio from Symphony No. 36 in C Major, K. 425 “Linz”
by Bruno Walter, Columbia Symphony Orchestra

17. III. Allegro vivace assai from Concerto No. 21 for Piano and Orchestra, K. 467
by Alexander Schneider, Columbia Symphony Orchestra

18. V. Rondo (Allegro) from Symphonie Espagnole in D minor, Op. 21 (Instrumental)
by Eugene Ormandy, The Philadelphia Orchestra

19. Battle Hymn of the Republic
by The Mormon Tabernacle Choir

20. Madama Butterfly, Act II: “Un bel di vedremo”
by Eileen Farrell



CD 2: The Analog Stereo Years 1960-1975
01. Danse sacrale (L’Elue) from The Rite of Spring
by Igor Stravinsky, Columbia Symphony Orchestra

02. VIII. Ritual Fire Dance from El Amor Brujo (Voice)
by Leopold Stokowski, The Philadelphia Orchestra

03. Hoe-Down. Allegro from Rodeo (Four Dance Episodes)
by Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic Orchestra

04. Fugue in G Minor, BWV 578
by E. Power Biggs

05. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I: Prelude in C Major, BWV 846
by Glenn Gould

06. II. Allegretto scherzando from Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93
by Pablo Casals, Marlboro Festival Orchestra

07. No. 8 in G minor (Presto) from Slavonic Dances, Op. 46
by George Szell, The Cleveland Orchestra

08. IV. “Urlicht” – Sehr feierlich, aber schlicht from Symphony No. 2 in C minor “Resurrection” (Instrumental)
by Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic Orchestra

09. I. Psalm 108 (verse 2) & Psalm 100 (complete) from Chichester Psalms for Chorus and Orchestra
by Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic Orchestra

10. III. Scherzo: Allegro leggierissimo from Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20
by Marlboro Festival Octet

11. Étude in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 2, No. 1
by Vladimir Horowitz

12. Étude in A-flat Major, Op. 72, No. 11
by Vladimir Horowitz

13. I. Allegro con spirito from Concierto de Aranjuez for Guitar and Orchestra (Instrumental)
by Eugene Ormandy, Members of the Philadelphia Orchestra

14. III. Alla marcia from Karelia Suite, Op. 11
by Eugene Ormandy, The Philadelphia Orchestra

15. Canzon Septimi Toni No. 2
by The Philadelphia Brass Ensemble, The Chicago Brass Ensemble

16. Fanfare for the Common Man
by Aaron Copland

17. Beau Soir (Voice)
by Barbra Streisand

18. Baroque and Blue from Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano
by Jean-Pierre Rampal, Claude Bolling, Marcel Sabiani, Max Hédiguer

19. III. Rondo. Allegro assai from Concerto No. 20 in D minor for Piano and Orchestra, K. 466 (Instrumental)
by Murray Perahia, English Chamber Orchestra

20. Danse générale from “Daphnis et Chloê” (Voice)
by Pierre Boulez, New York Philharmonic Orchestra



CD 3: Late Stereo And The Introduction Of Digital Stereo 1976-1991
01. Eubie’s Classical Rag
by Eubie Blake

02. 4 Klavierstücke, Op. 119: No. 1, Intermezzo in B Minor. Adagio
by Rudolf Serkin

03. III. Allegro from Concerto No. 2 in D Major for Cello and Orchestra, Hob.VIIb, 2 (Instrumental)
by José-Luis Garcia, English Chamber Orchestra

04. Behind the Gardens – Behind the Wall – Under the Tree (Including: Red – Dark Blue – Yellow)
by Andreas Vollenweider

05. Perhaps Love
by John Denver, Plácido Domingo

06. Glassworks: V. Façades
by Philip Glass Ensemble

07. Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro
by Kiri Te Kanawa, Sir John Pritchard

08. Passo pel prat (Folksong)
by Antonio De Almeida, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

09. III. Allegro from Concerto in E-flat Major for Trumpet and Orchestra, H.VIIe, 1
by Raymond Leppard, National Philharmonic Orchestra

10. I. Allegro from Flute Concerto in D Major, RV 428 “Il gardellino” (Instrumental)
by Claudio Scimone

11. Promenade: Walking the Dog
by Michael Tilson Thomas, Los Angeles Philharmonic

12. III. Allegro fugato from Sonata No. 5 in D Major for Cello and Piano, Op. 102, No. 2 (Instrumental)
by Emanuel Ax, Yo-Yo Ma

13. VII. Turangalîla II – Un peu vif, bien modéré from Turangalîla-Symphonie
by Esa-Pekka Salonen, The Philharmonia Orchestra

14. IV. Rondo alla zingarese. Presto from Quartet No. 1 in G minor for Piano and Strings, Op. 25
by Isaac Stern, Jaime Laredo, Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax

15. Mazurka in C Minor, Op. 56, No. 3
by Vladimir Horowitz

16. II. Vivace from String Quartet in D minor, Op. 56 “Voces intimae” (Instrumental)
by Juilliard String Quartet

17. Ch’ella mi creda libero e lontano,… from La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West)
by Mara Zampieri, Plácido Domingo, Juan Pons



CD 4: Digital Stereo And Beyond 1990-1998
01. Star Wars, Episode IV “A New Hope”: Main Theme
by John Williams

02 .Concerto in D Minor for 2 Mandolins, RV. 532: Andante (Arr. For Cello and Voice)
by Yo-Yo Ma & Bobby McFerrin

03. Salut d’amour, Op. 12 “Liebesgruss”
by Midori, Robert McDonald

04. “Minuet” from String Quintet No. 1 in E Major, Op. 13 No. 5, G. 275
by Bobby McFerrin, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra

05. Bagatelle in A Minor, WoO 59 “Für Elise”
by Murray Perahia

06. Appalachia Waltz
by Yo-Yo Ma, Mark O’Connor, Edgar Meyer

07. Rhapsody in Blue — Opening Section
by Robert Sadin, Orchestra of St. Luke’s

08. All the Delights of the Season (Instrumental)
by Robert Ziegler, Tony Hymas, Patrick Doyle

09. Steam Engine (Instrumental)
by Robert Ziegler, Tony Hymas, Patrick Doyle

10. Summon the Heroes (Radio Edit)
by John Williams, Boston Pops Orchestra

11. Prélude from Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007 (Instrumental)
by Yo-Yo Ma

12. Die Walküre: Hojotoho! Hojotoho! (Voice)
by Jane Eaglen

13. Sonata in A Major, K 537
by Murray Perahia

14. The Murder from Psycho: A Suite for Strings (Instrumental)
by Esa-Pekka Salonen, Los Angeles Philharmonic

15. Flight of the Bumblebee (Interlude from The Tale of the Tsar Saltan)
by Arcadi Volodos

16. I. Preludio from Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006
by Hilary Hahn

17. Libertango
by Yo-Yo Ma

18. Angel (Lust) [Edited version]
by Mary Rowell, Allison Cornell, Sue Hadjopoulos, Dawn Upshaw, Suzanne Vega, Joe Jackson

19. Main Theme (From “Schindler’s List”)
by Itzhak Perlman, John Williams

20. I. Allegro ben ritmato e deciso from Three Preludes (Instrumental)
by John Williams, Joshua Bell

21. Rigoletto: La donna è mobile (Voice)
by Marcelo Alvarez

22. 3 Gymnopédies: No. 3, Lent et grave (Arr. J. Williams for Guitar & Orchestra)
by William Goodchild, John Williams

23. Song of Peace
by Tan Dun, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra