June 2024
Fučík: Dances & Marches (Marco Polo)
Enjoyable world premiere recordings of long-lost music [RM]
Lambert: Music for Brass and Organ (Toccata Classics)
Fine performances of fine music [WK]
Mozart: Symphonies 9, 14, 20 & 24 (Genuin)
Not everything gels perfectly, but when it does Klumpp impressively catches Mozart’s sense of adventure in a whole new world [MG]
Rheinberger & Mendelssohn: Choral Works (Pentatone)
A marvellous exhibition of unaccompanied choral singing [JQ]
Pärt: Passio (St John Passion) (Naxos)
(Déjà Review) Spotless intonation, and a clear sense of the rhythmic ebb and flow, world class [KS]
Sibelius: Rondo of the Waves (BIS)
(Déjà Review) Exalted performance values and rare vintage Sibelius [RB]
Margola: Music for Violin, Piano & Orchestra (Brilliant Classics)
This disc provides a good opportunity to make the acquaintance of a talented and affable composer [GPu]
J S Bach: Guitar Transcriptions (Naxos)
One of the best guitar recordings of music by JS Bach [ZT]
d’Indy & Magnard: Piano works (Piano Classics)
d’Indy’s sonata is impressive but Magnard’s Promenades are more entertaining [SB]
Debussy & Strauss (Melbourne Symphony Orchestra)
An auspicious launch for the Melbourne Symphony’s own label [JQ]
Schubert: Mayrhofer Lieder Vol 2 (Naxos)
Intimacy in music encapsulated on a small circle of plastic – remarkable and breathtaking [SA]
Sculthorpe: Music for Cello (Tall Poppies)
If you don’t know Sculthorpe, you should and this disc would provide an ideal introduction [NHo]
Morricone: Absolutely … Ennio Morricone Vol 2 (Da Vinci Classics)
The original orchestral film scores are matchless, but these are very fine arrangements [TMS]
Nielsen: Symphony No 3 and Flute Concerto (Chandos)
Good performances but no special interpretative insights [PBW]
Turina: Works for Strings (Naxos)
An interesting survey of Turina’s music arranged for string orchestra. A little extra glamour in the recording would have made it even more appealing [NB]
Schubert/Liszt: Der Wanderer (Piano Classics)
Liszt’s reworkings of Schubert are well worth considering [SB]
Respighi: Belkis, Queen of Sheba Suite and The Pines of Rome (Reference Recordings)
(Déjà Review) The exotic Respighi – contrasts the little known with the very well known. Recommended [AB]
Poulenc: Stabat Mater and Litanies à la Vierge Noire (Opus Arte)
(Déjà Review) A moving, compelling document regarding some of this unique composer’s finest music [GPJ]
Donizetti: Dalinda (Oehms Classics)
Good, honest, open-throated singing in an intriguing and highly enjoyable reconstruction of a formerly lost work – and a star performance by the lead soprano [RMo]
Blackford: La Sagrada Familia (Lyrita)
Two very different, attractive recent works by Richard Blackford in excellent performances [JQ]
Delius: Hassan (Chandos)
A welcome new recording of a substantial Delius score as originally conceived [NB]
Offenbach: La Belle Hélène (Regis)
Not for nothing has this Offenbach been counted among the five all-time great recordings of French opera [CH]
Meulemans: Orchestral Works (Phaedra)
Well-crafted and superbly scored works in which Meulemans’ orchestral flair and mastery are clearly displayed [HC]
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