The Netherlands Opera (DNO) is the Netherlands' largest opera company and is based in The Amsterdam Music Theatre. This recording of Richard Strauss' opera "Elektra" by De Nederlandse Opera was made in November 2011 at the Amsterdam Music Theatre. In addition to an impressive cast, it features the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and the Toonkunst Choir Amsterdam conducted by Marc Albrecht.

Gustav Mahlers Symphony No.4 portrays another side of the composer, one hitherto unseen by the general public. No major battles are fought in this symphony; rather it is a childlike vision of life and a better world in the Hereafter. On this new Pentatone release, Marc Albrecht, its chief conductor, leads the Netherlands Philharmonic in performance of this work. The soprano Elizabeth Watts, whose voice was described by Intl Record Review as one of the most beautiful Britain has produced in a generation, is the touching last movements featured soloist.

The label Pentatone issued a recording featuring conductor Marc Albrecht and the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra presenting Brahms’ Piano Quartet for violin, alto, cello and piano in g minor op. 25 in the orchestration by Arnold Schöenberg.

This disc is a direct competitor to Schumann, Dvorak: Piano Concertos - Paolo Giacometti and in even in terms of artists employed they are comparable: both have young and up-coming pianists accompanied by less familiar orchestral/conductor partnerships. In the end, this release is more succesfully artistically, honours split with regard to sonics. Whilst there is little competition for the Dvorak (although what exists is heavyweight), the same cannot be said of the Schumann concerto (even on SACD) and Helmchen has many illustrious names to compete against.