March 2024
Rachmaninoff: All-night Vigil (Chandos)
Musically and sonically outstanding [JQ]
Tchaikovsky: Complete Symphonies (Brilliant Classics)
Conducting, playing and engineering of the highest quality – subtle and thrilling in equal measure; a treasurable set [RMo]
Alkan: Douze Études dans les Tons Mineurs (ABC Classics)
Stephanie McCallum’s combination of pianism, enthusiasm and completeness cannot be topped [WK]
Patrick Gallois: French Flute Music (Naxos)
(Déjà Review) Not only for flautists – enjoyment and stimulation for all [CC]
Lumen Christi – A Sequence of Music for the Easter Vigil (Ad Fontes)
The ecstatic joy at Christ’s resurrection is musically embodied here in a perfect manner [JV]
Strauss: Josephs Legende (Naxos)
A fine performance, well recorded, but inferior to Sinopoli’s more sensuous account [RMo]
Paradigma Medioevo: Music from 14th-century Italy (Brilliant Classics)
This can be a good introduction to the 14th century Italian Ars nova [GH]
Poulenc: Piano Music (Piano Classics)
Chiara Cipelli responds vividly to the lyricism, wit and occasional melancholy of these diverse pieces [JF]
Nielsen: Symphony No. 3 & Flute Concerto (Chandos)
An essential Nielsen recording that crackles with the chaotic energy of the life-force [NC]
Wagner: Das Rheingold (Opus Arte)
A superb fusion of singing, music and stagecraft [AOz]
A L’Estampida – Medieval Dance Music (Avie)
I can’t imagine any listener being disappointed in this infectious and delightful program [KS]
Dvořák: Symphonies Nos 7 & 8 (SWR Classic)
A potentially attractive coupling, quite well played but too low-key and lightweight. [RMo]
Diaries Schumann (Pentatone)
Fine playing from an engaging young pianist, if not the most memorable Schumann [JH]
Grieg: Violin Sonatas (Brilliant Classics)
A charming new version of Grieg’s attractive violin sonatas [SB]
Borgstrøm: Fiskeren (The Fisherman) (Simax Classics)
An interesting rarity, well worth investigating. [GF]
Danza Gaya: Music for Two Pianos (Lyrita)
Attractive and entertaining, but unfamiliar music, beautifully performed [NB]
Dutilleux: Symphony No 2, Métaboles & The Shadows of Time (EMI Classics)
(Déjà Review) The fine cohesive forces and undeniable emotive power of these pieces should surely serve to guarantee them a lasting place in the repertoire … the more one listens, the more there is to discover [CC]
The Score – Interviews with Film Composers (Silman-James Press)
(Déjà Review) This is a book that is well overdue. It is an inside look at the working life of the people who compose for films against ruthless deadlines and the dictates of production teams [IL]
Rieti: Complete Piano Solo & Duo Works • 2 (Grand Piano)
Rieti is one of those composers you wish you had discovered years ago [SA]
Scott: Orchestral Works Volume Three (Toccata Classics)
Appealing lighter music, when it hangs together [SV]
Wilder: Music for piano (Albany)
Charming pieces, well stated and beautifully played [JF]
Stanford: Shamus O’Brien (Retrospect Opera)
The premiere recording of Stanford’s fourth opera in an excellent performance [JQ]
Turina: Complete Piano Trios (IBS Classical)
Exceptional in every way [DJB]
Verdi: Nabucco (Deutsche Grammophon)
(Déjà Review) Worth the price for Guleghina’s Abigaille [RJF]
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