Divine Art Records

Product Cat: Recording

  • Peter Warlock: Collected 78rpm recordings (2CD)

    Peter Warlock: Collected 78rpm recordings (2CD)

    Philip Heseltine, aka Peter Warlock, was an enigma in many ways – song-writing and arranging genius; fine orchestrator – but also a political animal, bon-viveur and ultimately a self-absorbed depressive who took his own life. This 2 CD set comprises (with one exception) all the recordings of Warlock’s work issued on standard-groove records, between 1925 and 1951 – all lovingly collected by the late John Bishop, stalwart of the Peter Warlock Society, which has generously assisted with the production of this album whcih can be seen as a tribute to one of England’s most influential composers of the early 20th century. Detailed notes on the man and his music, and these recordings, are included. Performers include some of Britain’s finest of the age.

    The ‘missing’ item is a recording of ‘The Curlew’ by John Armstrong with the International String Quartet – this omission was not taken lightly, but would have required a 3rd CD making the set quite expensive – the recording is available via Pristine Audio

    TRACKS:

    Capriol Suite
    London Chamber Orch/Bernard
    Serenade for Strings
    NGS Chamber Orchestra/Barbirolli
    Purcell/Warlock: Fantaisie no. 3
    The Pasquier Trio
    Purcell/Warlock: 2-Part Fantasia no. 9
    The Griller String Quartet
    Capriol Suite (arr. Szigeti)
    Josef Szigeti & Nikita Magalov
    The Curlew
    Soames, Nielsen, Aeolian String Quartet
    Serenade for Strings
    Capriol Suite
    Constant Lambert String Orch. /Lambert
    Captain Stratton’s Fancy
    Peter Dawson
    Oh Good Ale;
    Flow not fast ye fountains; There is a garden; O eyes, O mortal stars; Come, my Celia
    John Goss
    Corpus Christi
    The English Singers
    Sleep; Chop Cherry
    John Armstrong/ International String Qt.
    The Fox; Sleep; Take o take those lips away; Sweet and Kind; As Ever I Saw; The Passionate Shepherd
    Parry Jones
    Corpus Christi
    Ann Jones, Peter Pears, BBC Chorus
    A Cornish Christmas Carol
    BBC Chorus/Woodgate
    Six Nursery Jingles
    Cecil Cope
    Milkmaids; Captain Stratton’s Fancy; Sigh no More; Pretty Ring Time; Passing By; My Own Country; Fair and True; Piggesnie
    Roy Henderson
    Sweet and Twenty; Sleep
    Nancy Evans
    Rest Sweet Nymphs
    Truro County Girls’ School Choir
    The First Mercy
    Billy Neeley
    Corpus Christi
    Flora Nielsen, Rene Soames, Festival Singers
    The Frostbound Wood; The Fox
    Dennis Noble
    Captain Stratton’s Fancy
    Oscar Natzke

  • The Piano at the Carnival

    The Piano at the Carnival

    Carnival is a concept of public merry making enjoyed in many countries and a natural inspiration for composers. In the second of his trilogy of piano music related to public entertainments Anthony Goldstone again excels in musicianship in a superb programme which includes the first recording of the entirety of Khachaturian’s Masquerade Suite in the piano version.

    Be sure also to check out Anthony Goldstone’s companion CDs The Piano at the Ballet, vol. 1 (DDA25073), The Piano at the Ballet, vol. 2DDA 25148 and A Night at the Opera (DDA25067).

  • Unaccompanied

    Unaccompanied

    It takes a particular and extreme level of skill and dedication to perform virtuoso works for unaccompanied solo violin; suffice it to say these are qualities held by George Zacharias without doubt. This is a tour-de-force of musicianship and technique – and wonderful music too. Bartok’s Sonata is presented in its original version and of the two awesome Paganini works, the ‘God Save the King’ Variations are very rarely heard.

  • Sacred Hearts & Secret Music

    Sacred Hearts & Secret Music

    This CD stands on its own merits as an exceptional programme of early sacred music, transcribed for and performed by the etherially beautiful voices of Musica Secreta and Celestial Sirens. However, like their earlier CD (DDA 25062) it has an added rationale, as the ‘virtual sound-track’ to the superb new novel ‘Sacred Hearts’, by Sarah Dunant. The music on the CD refers directly to many of the scenes and events in the book, allowing the reader/listener to more fully absorb themselves into the ancient world and characters so wonderfully portrayed.

    ‘Sacred Hearts’ is published in the UK by Virago, and in the USA by Random House. The book and CD have been heavily featured in the media in the UK including BBC Radio ‘Woman’s Hour’, the South bank Festival and so on.

  • Haydn : Stabat Mater, Libera Me etc.

    Haydn : Stabat Mater, Libera Me etc.

    Haydn’s wonderful Stabat Mater is far less well known than those of Pergolesi and other composers; this recording made in Paris in 1978 was a pioneering version using reconstructed scores and revised by renowned musicologist and scholar H C Robbins Landon. Also included is the even rarer LIBERA ME, only discovered in the mid 20th century. The soloists are: ANNA MARIA BONDI (soprano), CLAUDIA EDER (mezzo), AXEL REICHARDT (tenor) and KÜRT KRATTINGER (bass) with the Choral Philippe Caillard.

    As bonus tracks, we include classic 1964 recordings of the 44th Symphony (Trauersinfonie) and the rare Double Concerto for Violin and Harpsichord, which features violinist Jacques Francis Manzone and harpsichordist Françoise Petit.

  • Avison: Trio Sonatas, op. 1 and Keyboard Sonatas, op. 8

    Avison: Trio Sonatas, op. 1 and Keyboard Sonatas, op. 8

    The fourth in our series of Avison’s music, and part of the Complete Edition completed at the end of 2009. These hitherto unknown works are real baroque gems. The op. 1 Trio Sonatas led by the strings, are accompanied by Robert Howarth on chest organ continuo; while Robert moves front of stage and to the harpsichord in the Keyboard Sonatas, op. 8.

    These recordings issued at bargain price help further to confirm that 18th century England was a place of fine creative artistry in music. Purchase the low-price five-volume set.

  • American Piano Sonatas

    American Piano Sonatas

    This CD celebrates two notable milestones in American music: the 100th birthday of Elliott Carter (to whom we dedicate the CD and who died two years after its release) and the 100th anniversary of the birth of Miklós Rózsa, who sadly is no longer with us. Each wrote just one Piano Sonata – of which this is currently the only recording of the Rózsa piece) and they are presented with the Fourth Sonata (the “Keltic”) of Edward MacDowell. Splendid performances.

    This album enabled pianist Peter Seivewright to earn a Special Judges’ Citation in The American Prize ERNST BACON MEMORIAL AWARD for the PERFORMANCE of AMERICAN MUSIC, PROFESSIONAL division, 2017-18.

  • Avison: 12 Concerti Grossi after Scarlatti

    Avison: 12 Concerti Grossi after Scarlatti

    Thought by many to be Avison’s greatest masterpieces, these arrangements of Scarlatti’s keyboard sonatas were for many decades the only Avison music known. Now thanks to Gordon Dixon and the Avison Ensemble, a complete edition of his quite large output is well underway; this is the fifth in the series, following two sets on Naxos and two on Divine Art. This is sublime baroque music at its best, performed on period instruments. Purchase the full five volume set.

  • Gounod: FAUST

    Gounod: FAUST

    Our most ambitious vintage recording yet, this version of Faust (in Italian) was recorded by La Scala Milan, under the baton of Carlo Sabajno, in 1920 using the acoustic recording process. Magnificently restored and re-mastered by Andrew Rose of Pristine Audio, this is THE classic opera performance and not to be missed.

    The CD booklet contains full libretto in Italian, and the English, French and Italian librettos are provided in a PDF file on the CD which can be printed from any PC.

    The digital album includes the main booklet and the triple libretto is available in PDF format on request.

  • By the River in Spring

    By the River in Spring

    The CD takes its title from the well loved piece by Michael Head. This recital of British music for flute and piano is mainly romantic in mood, but not sentimental, given the robust nature of the sonatas by Alwyn and Leighton (both rarities despite the stature of their composers). A splendid third divine art CD for Smith and Rhodes which includes a number of little gems recorded for the first time.

  • Chopin for Piano Duo

    Chopin for Piano Duo

    There seems no end to the brilliance not only of the musicianship and pianistic skill of our top piano duo but also their dedication to re-discovering and recording lost or neglected masterpieces. Here we have the very well known Second Piano Concerto of Chopin, in a two-piano version by Chopin himself and his pupil Mikuli – and never before recorded. A host of other rarities and transcriptions complete yet another reference recording.

  • Avison: 18 Concerti Grossi, op. 9 & 10

    Avison: 18 Concerti Grossi, op. 9 & 10

    Following the enormous success of the Avison Ensemble’s John Garth CD (DDA 25059) and the Avison/Geminiani Concerti (DDA 21210) we are delighted to present another premiere recording of the finest baroque music. Even before official release, chosen by Classic FM as its disc of the week, this 2 CD set (at the price of 1 CD) is the first complete recording of these concerti. The Avison Ensemble is led by Pavlo Beznosiuk. This set was another step towards the complete Avison Edition, now complete.

    Avison’s concerti can be played in various instrumentations: here we have the “chamber orchestra” version. Six of the op. 9 concerti are performed in the string quartet version on Diversions 24108. All five volumes are also available as a low-price set.