The 1960s were a time for major change, and not necessarily for the better in the classical recording industry. After nearly a decade that is frequently described as the Golden Age of Recording, led by ...

Recorded in 1976 by the Swedish label Proprius, Cantate Domino is quite clearly a Christmas album. But for nearly four decades, audiophiles have been happy to employ it as a reference yearlong. This exceptional recording ...

AXPONA (aka AudioCon) has become one of the most significant audio tradeshows in the United States, with an increasing number of manufacturers demoing their audio wares there. It also features several live music events, and ...

We’ve all heard nominations for “The Great American Novel,” whether it be Moby Dick, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, An American Tragedy, The Great Gatsby, or The Sound and the Fury. And for “The Great ...

Music lovers who don’t have much to do with opera—and plenty that do—can be mystified by the continuing popularity of Richard Wagner’s epic Ring cycle. It’s very long, with the four dramas that comprise it—Das ...

Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, has released a nine-CD collection containing eighteen of Henry Mancini’s film scores from the RCA, Columbia, and Epic labels. The Classic Soundtrack Collection effectively covers the ...

After seeing Sam Peckinpah’s Ride the High Country, Jean Renoir said, “Mr. Peckinpah knows much about the music of the soul.” But Peckinpah also knew much about music itself. Famous for his action sequences and ...

If Robert von Bahr radiates a sense of satisfied accomplishment, he’s entitled to it. For over 40 years, as the head of the Swedish independent record label BIS, he has survived—thrived, even—in the tenuous business ...

Over the past 20 years, not only has Rachel Podger established herself as a leading Baroque violinist and conductor, she’s also been well served by recordings of exceptional quality. Podger was featured on eight Linn ...

The RCA Living Stereo records of the 1950s and 1960s (pre-Dynagroove) have been considered by many audiophiles to rank among the best sounding recordings ever made. They are even more desirable because of RCA’s incredible ...

For me, a little percussion music usually goes a long way. But a program as interesting, expertly played, and well recorded as this is a definite keeper. The four artists comprising the Los Angeles Percussion ...

Cameron Carpenter is without a doubt the most visible organist on the planet. First of all, the 33-year-old Juilliard graduate’s abilities as a player are second to none. He possesses an astounding technique and unfailingly ...

Lars-Erik Larsson was born in Sweden in 1908 and died in 1986. The pieces here are very conservative and often beguiling. The symphony, from 1928, is genial and almost completely tonal. There are hints of ...

Many of us have been turned off by the commercialism and the manic shopping syndrome that threatens to spoil the holiday season; one would hope that something deeper was involved. Fortunately the real point comes ...

BEST OF THE BUNCH: Classical Arnold: English, Scottish, & Cornish Dances Lyrita SRCS-109 Gerhard: The Plague Decca Head 6 Gershwin: Porgy & Bess complete/Maazel Decca SET 609-11¯† Herold/Lanchbery: La Fille Mal Gardée Decca SXL-2313¯ Hi-Fi ...