ABC Classics has been producing high-quality recordings of all the Australian orchestras, chamber groups, choirs and soloists for years. This means they have an extensive library of music that is not just the best musicians in Australia doing their thing but it also covers the gamut of classical music. So why shouldn’t they put out an 8-disc selection of music from the last 1000 years?! It’s better than them wasting away in a vault somewhere! What blows my mind is how well thought-out this selection is. Yes, it has famous music, but it also has repertoire that you might not have heard before. Although it’s only one little movement of each work, they’re going to release 100 CDs to further the enjoyment of exploring all of these years of music.

Featuring mostly orchestral music, with some solo piano, chamber, and a touch of choral squeezed in, this is perfect for those people who like classical music but can’t name their favourite piece. This is also perfect for those people doing exams as the liner notes give the best run down of 1000 years of history I’ve ever read. How can you not love something that is beautiful and good for you at the same time?

Kate Rockstrom