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<title>Top Performer Artists on Rhapsody Online</title>
<dateCreated>Fri Dec 25 04:42:18 PST 2009</dateCreated>
<dateModified>Fri Dec 25 04:42:18 PST 2009</dateModified>
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<outline type="include" text="Yo-Yo Ma" description="The prolific and prodigiously talented cellist Yo-Yo Ma is as at home with Brahms and Bach as he is with Astor Piazzolla or Antonio Carlos Jobim. Like many virtuosos, Ma took up the cello early: his father started him at age four. Decades and several degrees later (he was a star pupil at Juilliard and later graduated from Harvard), Ma is the face of classical music around the world. Everyone knows the ubiquitous cello player with the improbable, happy-go-lucky name. He has taken the cello from its classical confines and forced it into places it's never been before. Cello in bluegrass? Middle Eastern music? Tango? Bossa nova? No style is too &quot;out there&quot; for Ma, and as a result he's become a musical ambassador, finding commonalities between disparate musical traditions and introducing an uncurious world to the world's many musical curiosities. This is perhaps what led him to found the Silk Road Ensemble in 1998, an East-meets-West cross-cultural music collective. Cultural heritage has increasingly become his interest, as evidenced by his recent solo and Ensemble recordings: &lt;I&gt;Appalachian Journey&lt;/I&gt;, 2002's &lt;I&gt;Silk Road Journeys&lt;/I&gt; and 2003's &lt;I&gt;Obrigado Brasil&lt;/I&gt;.
- Sarah Bardeen" category="Solo Instrumentalist" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/yo-yo-ma/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Andrea Bocelli" description="Andrew Bocelli (born 1958) sings light pop renditions of romantic Italian opera favorites to often-synthesized accompaniments for a beloved worldwide audience. With Pavarotti's stamp of approval, he took the world by storm in the mid-1990s by singing &quot;Con te partiro&quot; with Sarah Brightman. He became famous in the U.S. for his recording work with Celine Dion. Bocelli's populist character has led him since that time to sell 55 million records and to appear on late-night television, &lt;i&gt;American Idol&lt;/i&gt;, the NBA All-Stars, &lt;i&gt;Sesame Street&lt;/i&gt; and at the White House, among other places. His Spanish-, Italian- and English-language renditions of dramatic love songs have proven to be especially popular hits at weddings.
- Daphne Carr" category="Vocal" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/andrea-bocelli/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="City of Prague Philharmonic" description="City of Prague Philharmonic is a sort of European Boston Pops but with less brass and more strings. Their polished, crisp renditions of TV and film soundtracks and other things popular are the perfect accompaniment to a long Epsom salt soak.
- Henry B." category="Instrumental Pop" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/city-of-prague-philharmonic/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Glenn Gould" description="It's hard to overstate the importance of Canadian pianist Glen Gould, who is most noted for performing J.S. Bach's keyboard works with unmatched technical and artistic facility, as a modern ambassador of Baroque music. Gould was born in Toronto in 1932 and studied with his mother until he was 10, when he was accepted as a student at the Royal Conservatory of Music. There he took lessons under Alberto Guerrero and Frederick C. Silvester. In 1945 he gave his first recital, and he performed Beethoven's 4th piano concerto that year with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Though his stage career was fairly short -- he gave up public performance in 1964 -- he was the first North American pianist to play in Russia after World War II and gave a number of great performances on the CBC. Between 1964 and '82, Gould made scores of recordings; he taped definitive interpretations of Bach, Beethoven and Schumann, but he is perhaps best known for performing complex contrapuntal passages of Bach with remarkable clarity. His life has been the subject of exhaustive study, as has his eccentric personality, which included an aversion to handshakes and regular trips to a diner for scrambled eggs at 2 A.M.
- Nate Cavalieri" category="Piano" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/glenn-gould/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Luciano Pavarotti" description="The Caruso of our times, Italian lyric tenor Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007) was beloved by millions of vocal music fans. He was known equally for his leading roles in 19th century Italian operas and for his album collections of popular, folk and love songs. His voice had a quintessential Italianate character and a passionate delivery. He was known as the &quot;King of the High Cs&quot; for his effortless range, as displayed in his favorite roles as Rodolfo in Puccini's &lt;i&gt;La Boheme&lt;/i&gt;, Nemorino in Donizetti's &lt;i&gt;L'Elisir d'Amore&lt;/i&gt;, and Riccardo in Verdi's &lt;i&gt;Un Ballo Maschera&lt;/i&gt;. His greatest success was as one of the the Three Tenors, a group of noted opera singers (including Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras) who performed at the 1990 FIFA World Cup. The recording of &lt;i&gt;Carreras - Domingo - Pavarotti: the Three Tenors in Concert&lt;/i&gt; holds the record as best selling classical album. Born to a poor family in Modena, Italy, Pavarotti lived in a two room house listening to his father, a baker by trade but fine tenor as well, as well as to popular opera stars of the day. Pavarotti began his music study, unable to read music, at the age of 19. A disastrous concert early in his life almost convinced him to quit, but in 1961 he was encouraged once again by winning the Achille Peri Competition. From there, he began a 40-year professional career as an opera singer. Pavarotti died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 71 in Modena where his funeral was attended by thousands. Flags flew at half mast and signs in windows read &quot;Adieu maestro.&quot;
- Daphne Carr" category="Vocal" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/luciano-pavarotti/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Joshua Bell" description="One of today's preeminent names in violin performance, Joshua Bell is often on the road concertizing; keep an eye on the newspapers and you might catch a performance near you. Since his concert debut in Philadelphia in his early teens, his career has been one ascending graph line. Composers such as John Corigliano have written works for him, and Bell collaborates with major players of the classical world, including Aaron Jay Kernis, John Williams and Nicholas Maw. All this is to say that Bell plays the violin very, very well.
- Henry B." category="Solo Instrumentalist" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/joshua-bell/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="London Symphony Orchestra" description="Formed in 1904 by a group of disgruntled members of the Queen's Hall Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra has grown to be one of the most respected and best known ensembles in the world. This is due in part to the orchestra's mind-boggling catalogue of recordings. Certainly one of the most recorded orchestras in history, the London Symphony has appeared on hundreds of discs, and has achieved enormous success as performers of motion picture soundtracks.
- Doug Russell" category="Orchestra" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/london-symphony-orchestra/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Royal Philharmonic Orchestra" description="The Royal Philharmonic deftly maneuvers around a large songbook, handling with extreme ease both (quasi-) modern pop and classical. They have fun with the pop numbers, adapting their instrumentation to work in an orchestral context.
- Will Lerner" category="Orchestra" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/royal-philharmonic-orchestra/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="John Williams (Guitar)" description="First things first, this is not the guy who wrote music for &lt;i&gt;Star Wars&lt;/i&gt;. This John Williams is among the elite classical guitarists alive today, having proved his mastery countless times with many forms, from early classics by Bach and Vivaldi to contemporary works by Takemitsu. But Williams's greatest asset is his subtle interpretation of Spanish masters such as Joaquin Rodrigo and Isaac Albeniz. The Australian born Williams first learned the craft from his father, then went on to master every technical aspect of the guitar under the tutelage of pioneer Andres Segovia. Due to his studies with Segovia, Williams has become a living link to the classical guitar's founding master. Collaborations have furthered his repertoire, whether working with a large symphony orchestra, a fellow guitarist such as Julian Bream or others, including jazz pianist/conductor Andre Previn or violinist Itzak Perlman. Through the years Williams has returned to his roots, performing lush, romantic suites such as &lt;I&gt;Concierto De Aranjuez&lt;/I&gt;.
- Jessy Terry" category="Guitar" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/john-williams-guitar/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Charlotte Church" description="Charlotte Church is the youngest classical vocalist ever launched into superstardom. The thirteen-year-old's down-to-earth and fun-loving personality no doubt enhances record sales, though there's no denying that her talent could stand on its own -- even without the big label PR machinery.
- Henry B." category="Vocal" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/charlotte-church/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Yiruma" description="This young pianist was born in South Korea but grew up and trained in England from the age of five. He released his first album, &lt;I&gt;Love Scene&lt;/i&gt;, in 2001, and over time he became renowned for his delicate, emotional solo piano compositions. Despite his strong connections to England, Yiruma gave up his British citizenship when it came time to return to South Korea for mandatory military service. He has released albums steadily since his debut.
- Sarah Bardeen" category="Asia" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/yiruma/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="London Philharmonic Orchestra" description="One of the top orchestras in the world, from a city that is blessed with many. The London Philharmonic has had some of the greatest players and conductors, expertly rendering thousands of works with subtle tone colors and instrumental prowess.
- Jessy Terry" category="Orchestra" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/london-philharmonic-orchestra/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Itzhak Perlman" description="One of the most important and visible classical artists of the 20th century, Itzhak Perlman gives performances marked by a balance of technical prowess and artistic sensitivity. Born in Israel, he began playing the violin at a young age, performed on the Ed Sullivan show at 13 and was a student at Juilliard. He made his official debut in 1963 at Carnegie Hall and shortly thereafter performed with the New York Philharmonic, then led by Leonard Bernstein. Helped by the management of Sol Hurok, he embarked on an active schedule of international solo performances. In the 1970s he became a fixture on television, an international celebrity and a frequent performer at the White House. Over the next 30 years he performed with every major symphony and conductor in the world and recorded a series of definitive performances of violin repertoire.
- Nate Cavalieri" category="Solo Instrumentalist" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/itzhak-perlman/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Leonard Bernstein" description="" category="Conductor" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/leonard-bernstein/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="The Mormon Tabernacle Choir" description="The famed Mormon Tabernacle Choir has perhaps one of the longest running histories of any American choir, and certainly one of the most accomplished. Established in 1847, the choir has performed for 10 US Presidents and at the funerals for Presidents Roosevelt and Kennedy. Their weekly radio broadcast, &lt;i&gt;Music and the Spoken Word&lt;/i&gt;, is the longest-running continuous network broadcast in the world. Their list of gold and platinum records, Grammys, medals and other international accolades runs on, but their performance speaks more loudly of their skill. Singing fully orchestrated choral arrangements of hymns, patriotic songs and other traditional classics, the Choir has a clean, 360-voice blend that's dynamic and climactic. With later additions of the &quot;Orchestra at Temple Square,&quot; the &quot;Temple Square Chorale,&quot; and the &quot;Bells on Temple Square&quot; bell choir, their presence and performance are both visually and sonically overwhelming.
- Amy Bartlett" category="Choral" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/the-mormon-tabernacle-choir/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Placido Domingo" description="Few classically trained singers have had the continued crossover success that Placido Domingo enjoys. He's reached the top of the charts with both his solo selections and his immensely popular collaborations with Pavarotti and Carreras. His strength as a performer is the classic love scene, as audiences melt to hear his powerful versions of great themes by Verdi, Wagner, and others. Outside of Opera, Domingo has enjoyed success with traditional Spanish love songs, as well as with pop music (&quot;Perhaps Love&quot; with John Denver and &quot;Till I Loved You&quot; with Jennifer Rush were huge chart toppers). In regard to Christmas music, it's just another day, another dollar for Domingo: his nearly annual holiday releases satisfy discerning listeners who are tired of Manheim Steamroller, while filling his coffers all the more. But let's not knock his talent for making money. Domingo is a true talent -- perhaps one of the greatest of the modern age.
- Jessy Terry" category="Opera" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/placido-domingo/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Berliner Philharmoniker" description="There are few orchestras that have the exalted reputation and prestige of the Berlin Philharmonic, an ensemble that has existed since the mid-1800s. Listing the names of the conductors the group has had over the years would be enough to impress any fan of classical music -- Hans von Bulow, Herbert von Karajan and Claudio Abbado have all held the reigns and expertly guided the top-notch musicians. Guest conductors have been towering figures in music -- Richard Strauss, Brahms, and Tchaikovsky. The orchestra has a long history of championing the works of modern composers such as Schoenberg and Hindemith, even when doing so meant stoking the ire of the Nazi regime. This is not to diminish its ability at performing masterful versions of the unequivocal classics: one need only listen to the group's interpretation of Bach's &lt;i&gt; Air in D Major &lt;/i&gt; to hear the beauty and precision achieved by the Berlin Philharmonic.
- Will Lerner" category="Orchestra" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/berliner-philharmoniker/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Kronos Quartet" description="If the punks, goths and weirdos of the world voted on their favorite string ensemble, San Francisco's Kronos Quartet would be a likely contender. What other string quartet has covered Television's &quot;Marquee Moon&quot;; duetted with Mexican alt rockers Cafe Tacvba; and devoted nearly an entire album to Sigur Ros? The group has highlighted African composers in one decade (on 1993's charting &lt;I&gt;Pieces of Africa&lt;/i&gt;) and then gone on to pay tribute to Bollywood (on 2005's &lt;I&gt;You've Stolen My Heart&lt;/i&gt;) the next. Founded in 1973 by violinist David Harrington, Kronos were initially inspired by George Crumb's eerie and experimental look at the Vietnam War, &lt;I&gt;Black Angels&lt;/i&gt; (later the title of an excellent 1990 Kronos album). The players (Harrington, John Sherba, Hank Dutt and Joan Jeanrenaud, later replaced by Jeffrey Zeigler) have mentored composers and players and developed long-running relationships with renowned minimalists like Philip Glass, Terry Riley, Henryk Gorecki and many others. But the members never let any dogma cloud their explorations, and the result is a growing discography of more than 40 albums that are breathtaking in their scope and virtuosity.
- Sarah Bardeen" category="Chamber Group" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/kronos-quartet/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="London Philharmonic Choir" description="" category="Vocal" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/london-philharmonic-choir/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Maria Callas" description="Maria Callas is one of Opera's immortal stars. At the peak of her career, her international fame rivaled that achieved by Caruso or Chaliapin, and the continuing dominance of her recordings is a testament to her talent. Like few Opera stars before or since, Callas lived each role, riveting all who saw her with absolutely mesmerizing sympathy for her characters. Every inflection is a carefully inspired dramatic act made surprisingly real. She was integral in reviving the popularity of Italian opera, though she did not limit herself to the form, and remains an icon to Verdi fans around the world.
- Doug Russell" category="Opera" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/maria-callas/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Ahn Trio" description="" category="Chamber Group" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/ahn-trio/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Daniel Barenboim" description="A giant figure in both the worlds of conducting and piano performance, Daniel Barenboim possesses a prolific body of Classical and Romantic era recordings to back up this statement. Born in Buenos Aires, Barenboim completed his musical education at all the right European schools, including compositional course work with Nadia Boulanger at the Fontainebleau Music School. Barenboim was given a head start in both facets of his career from his parents: his father was a music professor and his mother a pianist. Throughout his career he has either guest conducted or personally managed virtually every major orchestra in the world, the most notable being lengthy tenures in New York, London and Berlin. In 2004 he resigned as lead of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and it is yet to be seen where the future will take him.
- Henry B." category="Conductor" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/daniel-barenboim/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Arthur Fiedler" description="Arthur Fiedler was a bona fide superstar of classical music, the kind of
character whose death is mourned around the world -- as indeed his was. Born
in 1894 to Austrian parents, Fiedler's father was a violin player with the
Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and his mother was a gifted pianist. It was
only a matter of time before the young Fiedler joined the BSO himself in
1915. Although he joined as a violinist, Fiedler was a musical polyglot -- he
also played viola, percussion, organ and piano for the symphony. A few years
later, he formed the acclaimed Boston Sinfonietta and began giving his first
free concerts. In 1930, Fiedler was asked to lead the Boston Pops Orchestra,
and the rest is history. His musical adventurousness and his commitment to
free outdoor concerts brought orchestral music to more people than any other
musician had. The Boston Pops became the most recorded symphony in the world
under his direction, and &lt;I&gt;The Guinness Book of World Records&lt;/I&gt; states that
Fiedler conducted the largest classical music concert ever - a performance
on July 4, 1976, for over 400,000 people. Fiedler was an internationally
loved character, a true man of the people with a boundless enthusiasm for
his work. He died in 1979.
- Sarah Bardeen" category="Conductor" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/arthur-fiedler/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Murray Perahia" description="" category="Piano" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/murray-perahia/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="New York Philharmonic" description="The founding of the New York Philharmonic in 1842 makes it one of the oldest continually operating orchestras in the world -- older than any in the United States and younger than only two in Europe. It was first conducted by Ureli Corelli Hill, who dedicated the orchestra to &quot;the advancement of instrumental music,&quot; a tradition that continues at its current home in Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall. Among the orchestra's many renowned conductors are American composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein, who made some of the organization's most progressive changes between 1958-69, and Hector Boulez, who introduced New York audiences to many great 20th century works. Over its long and proud history it has produced a number of the finest orchestral recordings ever captured.
- Nate Cavalieri" category="Orchestra" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/new-york-philharmonic/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="The Piano Classic Players" description="" category="Organ" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/the-piano-classic-players/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Julia Fischer" description="" category="Solo Instrumentalist" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/julia-fischer/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Philharmonia Orchestra" description="" category="Orchestra" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/philharmonia-orchestra/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Alfred Brendel" description="" category="Piano" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/alfred-brendel/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Christy Nockels" description="Christy Nockels got her start as one half of the Christian pop duo Watermark, along with husband Nathan. The pair released five albums for Michael W. Smith's Rocketown Records, scoring seven No. 1 radio singles and several Dove Award nominations. On the side, they regularly led worship at Louie Giglio's Passion events, and Christy became a sought-after soloist, lending her voice to many compilations. A growing family led to the decision to disband Watermark. Then in 2008, the Nockels family began a new chapter, relocating to Atlanta to help found Passion City Church. In summer 2009, Christy officially launched her solo career with &lt;I&gt;Life Light Up&lt;/I&gt; on Giglio's sixstepsrecords label." category="Praise and Worship" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/christy-nockels/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Cecilia Bartoli" description="" category="Vocal" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/cecilia-bartoli/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Wiener Philharmoniker" description="" category="Orchestra" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/wiener-philharmoniker/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="The Irish Tenors" description="With bursting, operatic tenor voices, sung both solo and as a group, The Irish Tenors perform traditional Irish and holiday songs backed by a 90-piece orchestra.
- Jessy Terry" category="Choral" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/the-irish-tenors/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Cleveland Orchestra" description="Throughout much of the 20th century, the Cleveland Orchestra has enjoyed a reputation as one of the best orchestral institutions in America, and quite possibly the world. Among the so-called &quot;Big Five&quot; American orchestras (a fraternity that includes Philadelphia, New York, Boston and Chicago), Cleveland's repertoire and impressive string sections are most stylistically akin to the great European orchestras. The reign of conductor George Szell, from 1946-1970, has much to do with their impeccable reputation, as does recordings from the acoustically immaculate Severance Hall. The notable French composer Pierre Boulez advised the orchestra for two years between the departure of Szell and the installment of Lorin Maazel, who took on the role of music director for a decade in 1972. Maazel was followed by Christoph von DohnÃ¡nyi (1984-2002) and Franz Welser-MÃ¶st (2002â).
- Nate Cavalieri" category="Orchestra" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/cleveland-orchestra/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Original Soundtrack" description="" category="Orchestra" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/original-soundtrack-2/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields" description="Neville Marriner founded this British chamber orchestra in 1959 and it held early performances in the London church of St Martin. It quickly gained an international reputation through high quality recorded interpretations of classical and modern works.
- Nate Cavalieri" category="Orchestra" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/academy-of-st-martin-in-the-fields/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Wilhelm Kempff" description="Any serious discussion of the German Romantic piano repertoire demands mention of Wilhelm Kempff (1895-1991). Over his seventy year career at the keyboard, he helped set the standard for how these works are to be interpreted in the modern era. Graced with immaculate fluidity and aching passion, his playing took every opportunity to enhance expressive nuances while totally avoiding needless displays of virtuosity. His critics blasted him for taking too many expressive liberties with the scores, but his fans held up his style as a profound reflection of the Romantic spirit. While he will forever be known as a pianist, his work away from the keyboard also deserves attention. In addition to an impressive body of Bach transcriptions, Kempff also wrote a considerable amount of original works. While none approach the brilliance attained while occupying the role of interpreter, his own works do contain the depth of emotion characteristic of a true Romantic.
- Doug Russell" category="Piano" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/wilhelm-kempff/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Vladimir Horowitz" description="Vladimir Horowitz is a modern concert piano virtuoso, known for his legendary control, flawless technical prowess, and powerful interpretations of a broad range of classical works. In his prime, he was considered among the most distinguished and sought-after pianists in history, and though he was occasionally criticized for his flamboyant showmanship, his devoted fans and numerous recordings have secured his place on the shortlist of great 20th century pianists. &lt;p&gt;
Horowitz was born in the Ukraine in 1903 (though his family lied, saying he was born a year later so he would avoid being conscripted into military service). He entered the Kiev Conservatory in 1912, and debuted in the US in 1928. He became a US citizen in 1944 and continued to perform until his death in 1989. Though the majority of his career was spent as an American citizen, he returned to the USSR near the end of his life to perform in 1986.
- Nate Cavalieri" category="Piano" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/vladimir-horowitz/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Julian Lloyd Webber" description="" category="Solo Instrumentalist" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/julian-lloyd-webber/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="King's Singers" description="The King's Singers grew out of a group of choral scholars at King's College
in Cambridge, England, in 1965. After a copy of their one-off joke album
fell into the right hands and a concert was arranged, the Singers realized
they had a potential moneymaker on their hands. They parlayed that success
into more concerts and a record deal with EMI. Their approach? &quot;Nothing that
could be sung in six parts was ignored,&quot; the Singers have said. Their
repertoire mingles traditional choral music with Beatles arrangements; the
group has even covered the Beach Boys and Simon &amp; Garfunkle, and their
classical choral work can also be stunning. As for their pop music, listen
for yourself and decide if, in their words, &quot;vocal music...can be enjoyed
rather than endured.&quot; Although none of the original members are with the
group now, the Singers have enjoyed considerable stability: two original
members sang with the band for 25 years.
- Sarah Bardeen" category="Vocal" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/kings-singers/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="English Chamber Orchestra" description="Over their fifty-year career (they were known as the Goldsborough Orchestra until 1960), the English Chamber Orchestra have consistently proven themselves to be one of finest chamber orchestras in the world. Treating everything from Bach to Britten with phenomenal skill and depth of expression, they show a range as phenomenal as any ensemble in classical music. This is due in part to the group's decision to hire exclusively on a contract basis -- a policy that allows them to shape the group in accordance with the specific needs of an ever-changing program. They have released countless recordings on every major label, and consistently thrill audiences throughout the world with their exquisite live performances.
- Doug Russell" category="Chamber Group" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/english-chamber-orchestra/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Andre Previn" description="If music is involved, Andre Previn can do it. He was a child prodigy who started his professional career while still in his teens. His hard-hitting, swinging piano style could also lull you with its sensitive touch. His trio (also under drummer Shelly Manne's name) had a monster hit with its jazz version of My Fair Lady and started the cottage industry of jazz does big show albums. At the same time, Previn was an arranger/composer with MGM and the film version of My Fair Lady is only one of his many credits. He also arranged his own jazz piano with orchestra albums for the mood music market. Previn, with a free afternoon or two, wrote songs with his first wife, Dory, before going onto an illustrious career as a classical conductor. We await his hip-hop phase with baited breath.
- Nick Dedina" category="Jazz Piano" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/andre-previn/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Richard Goode" description="" category="Classical" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/richard-goode/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Mstislav Rostropovich" description="" category="Solo Instrumentalist" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/mstislav-rostropovich/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="London Festival Orchestra" description="Just in time for the holidays comes the London Festival Orchestra's rendition of Tchaikovsky's classic Nutcracker Ballet. A solid, accomplished performance all around.
- Doug Russell" category="Orchestra" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/london-festival-orchestra/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Mario Lanza" description="" category="Good Old Days" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/mario-lanza/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Till Fellner" description="" category="Piano" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/till-fellner/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Philadelphia Orchestra" description="Founded in 1900, the Philadelphia Orchestra was first conducted by Fritz Scheel. Under the baton of Leopold Stokowski, it became one of the world's leading orchestras in the first half of the 20th century and made very popular recordings and radio broadcasts. Its homes are Philadelphia's Academy of Music and the summer festivals at Mann Center for the Performing Arts and in Saratoga, New York.
- Nate Cavalieri" category="Orchestra" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/philadelphia-orchestra/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Anuna" description="" category="Choral" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/anuna/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
<outline type="include" text="Sir Neville Marriner" description="" category="Performer" url="http://feeds.rhapsody.com/sir-neville-marriner/data.opml?rws=%2Fclassical%2Fperformer%2Fartist-chart.opml" />
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