Finnish conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen is particularly renowned for his interpretations of 20th-century music – not surprising as Salonen is himself a brilliant composer – and one of his specialities is Stravinsky. A new 7-CD set brings together his Sony Classical Stravinsky recordings with orchestras in London and Stockholm, including all the well-known ballets – The Firebird is CLASSIC fm’s top recommendation (“intoxication and visceral excitement”), while MusicWeb International raved about The Rite of Spring (“I have never heard hysteria like that thrown off with such velocity in the howling violins of the final Sacrificial Dance”). Besides ballets, the box contains less popular masterpieces such as the Cantata, Renard, the works for piano orchestra and the towering opera-oratorio Oedipus Rex (“a brilliant subtle recording … allows the glowing mezzo of Anne Sofie von Otter to soar” – New York Times).

Artists

Paul Crossley (piano), Cho-Liang Lin (violin), Yvonne Kenny (soprano), John Aler (tenor), Anne Sofie von Otter (Jocasta), Vinson Cole (Oedipus), Nicolai Gedda (Shepherd), Hans Sotin (Tiresias), Simon Estes (Messenger), Patrice Chéreau (narrator)

Philharmonia Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Stockholm Chamber Orchestra, London Sinfonietta Chorus, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Swedish Radio Chorus, Eric Ericson Chamber Choir, Esa-Pekka Salonen