VIDEO PODCAST: Come and meet Eric Fraad of Heresy Records, Kenneth Woods, musical director of Colorado MahlerFest and the English Symphony Orchestra and others.
SPONSORED: Think of Something Beautiful - Malcolm Miller pays tribute to contralto Sybil Michelow (1925-2013).
All sponsored features >>
'My voice has been raised not only in song, but to make the big world outside through me, understand something of the spirit of my beloved country' - Nellie Melba
Melba Recordings is an Australian record label run by the Melba Foundation, a charitable trust set up in 2001 to promote Australia's finest classical musicians and artists in the international arena. The foundation, based in Melbourne, receives large grants from the Australian government.
Further information: www.melbarecordings.com.au
CD Spotlight. Melody-rich Music - Piano music by Grant Foster, warmly recommended by Ron Bierman. '... romantic and deeply-felt ...'
CD Spotlight. Fluent Inventiveness - Viola sonatas by Gál and Krenek, recommended by Howard Smith. '... remarkable high standards.'
CD Spotlight. Home and Abroad - Piano music by Delius, Bax, Vaughan Williams and Bridge, heard by Howard Smith. 'Commanding resolute performances of music arisen from harrowing conflict.'
CD Spotlight. Shattering Mastery? - Mahler 2 for double piano duet, heard by Howard Smith. '... secure professionalism and laudable aplomb.'
CD Spotlight. Competition is Savage - Smetana, Dvorák and Freddie Mercury, heard by Howard Smith. '... performances to bask in.'
CD Spotlight. Sizzling Confidence - The Benaud Trio impresses Howard Smith. '... a CD of exceptional providence.'
CD Spotlight. Economies of Scale - Excerpts from 'The Ring' down under, heard by Howard Smith. '... sonic excellence.'
CD Spotlight. Lyrical Radiance - Paul Dean plays Brahms and Schumann, recommended by Howard Smith. '... look no further.'
CD Spotlight. Cerebral Performances - Liszt-Wagner piano paraphrases, heard by Howard Smith. 'Fisch performs these transcriptions with striking clarity and communicative sensitivity.'
CD Spotlight. Beauty and Power - Australian soprano Nance Grant, heard by Howard Smith. '... an exceptional voice seldom heard beyond local shores.'
CD Spotlight. Delectable Music - Neglected scores by Saint-Saëns, recommended by Howard Smith. 'Not to be missed.'
CD Spotlight. Consummate Artists - Zemlinsky and Messiaen from Ensemble Liaison, recommended by Howard Smith. 'Melba's spot-on quartet recording ... fares brilliantly ...'
CD Spotlight. Diversely Exhilarating - Cheryl Barker pays tribute to Joan Hammond, heard by Howard Smith. '... four recital items have the ideal accompanist in Timothy Young ...'
CD Spotlight. Striking Power - Leslie Howard plays Rachmaninov, heard by Howard Smith. '... a staggering technique.'
CD Spotlight. A Noteworthy Introduction - Music by Stravinsky for violin and piano, heard by Howard Smith. '... refreshing naturalness ...'
CD Spotlight. Glowing Performances - Music by Koechlin and Jongen, recommended by Howard Smith. '... a truly outstanding recital ...'
CD Spotlight. Effectively Performed - Music for violin, cello and piano, heard by Howard Smith. '... beautiful, technically accomplished playing ...'
CD Spotlight. Irresistible Enjoyment - Music by Mozart and Mendelssohn, heard by Howard Smith. '... a truly idiomatic performance ...'
CD Spotlight. Exquisitely Nuanced - Steve Davislim sings Vierne and Chausson, recommended by Howard Smith. 'I cannot think of higher praise.'
CD Spotlight. Exceptional Assurance - J S Bach organ sonatas, heard by Howard Smith. '... an immensely satisfying conclusion.'
CD Spotlight. Diversely Experienced - Music for bassoon, harpsichord and double bass, impresses Howard Smith. '... an outright "tour de force".'
CD Spotlight. Perfection - Benjamin Britten folksong arrangements, recommended by Howard Smith. '... this release is worth several times it's weight in gold.'
CD Spotlight. Sovereign Horn Territory - Music for horn and orchestra, recommended by Howard Smith. '... stunning breath control and consummate understanding ...'
CD Spotlight. Eminently Competitive - Mozart works for clarinet, reviewed by Howard Smith. '... Paul Dean demonstrates his exemplary fluency ...'
CD Spotlight. A Surefire Winner - A recital by Lin Jiang and Benjamin Martin, recommended by Howard Smith. '... superbly performed.'
CD Spotlight. A Glistening Treasury - Songs with orchestra from Deborah Riedel, enjoyed by Howard Smith. '... a bounteous seam of unfamiliar, wholly blissful vocal gems ...'
CD Spotlight. Striking Originality - Chamber music by Roger Smalley, recommended by Howard Smith. '... the performance may be regarded as definitive.'
CD Spotlight. Lovingly Accomplished - Forgotten music by Saint-Saëns, enjoyed by Howard Smith. '... a performance of avowed committment.'
CD Spotlight. Flawlessly Performed - Shostakovich's Symphony No 10, chosen by Howard Smith. '... the results are very special.'
CD Spotlight. Substantially Admirable - Vocal music by Puccini, reviewed by Howard Smith. '... more than sufficient ... to recommend unstintingly ...'
CD Spotlight. Gallic Clarity - Arias by Massenet, appreciated by Howard Smith. '... immeasurable lyric flair ...'