July 2024

Zemlinsky: Eine florentinische Tragödie (BR Klassik)

A good version but there are better [SB]

Belle époque – clarinet & orchestra recital (Pentatone)

Exceptionally fine playing and recording compromised by unbalanced programme and poor documentation [NB]

Highways and Byways, Rarities for Recorder (Divine Art)

Rare and attractive British music for recorder [GH]

Brindley Sherratt (bass): Fear No More (Delphian)

A splendid operatic bass in a new and satisfying context [WH]

Coates: Orchestral Works Volume 4 (Chandos)

The leading contemporary champion of Eric Coates continues to impress [JW]

Handel: Coronation Anthems (Naxos)

(Déjà Review) Perfectly elegant and passionate renditions, with excellent pacing and a blended, lovely choral sound [KS]

Ginastera: Orchestral music (Bridge)

(Déjà Review) Saturated in swaying delicacy: lyricism with a capital L, voluptuous and unmistakable [JW]

Cimarosa: L’Olimpiade (Château de Versailles)

L’Olympiade is a worthy addition to the Cimarosa discography [GF]

Magdalena Kožená (mezzo-soprano): Czech Songs (Pentatone)

An inventive orchestral song recital, the orchestrations of some of which may provoke unease [JW]

Lumas Winds: British Wind Quintets (Champs Hill Records)

Five entertaining works and one more serious [SB]

St John’s College Choir: Magnificat 4 (Signum Classics)

A distinguished final recording by Andrew Nethsingha with the St John’s College Choir [JQ]

Wagner: The Complete Experience and its Meaning to Us (De la Porte Publishing)

Now a truly complete guide to Wagner’s operas, in a fine new edition [RWe]

Bliss: Premières Vol 1 (APR)

(Déjà Review) A thoroughly satisfying disc [CF]

Brahms: Violin Sonata No 1-3 (Warner Classics)

(Déjà Review) Versions to return to on a regular basis [CC]

Charpentier boire CVS089

Charpentier: Airs sérieux et à boire (Château de Versailles Spectacles)

An outstanding and enjoyable production [JV]

Verdi trovatore DVN25

Verdi: Il Trovatore (Divina Records)

One of Callas’ most inspired performances now slightly more listenable [MBu]

Menges vln 850472

Isolde Menges (violin) (Biddulph)

A great artist’s important legacy restored, including first recordings of Beethoven, Bach and Vaughan Williams [JW]

Liszt etudes STS30233

Liszt: Transcendental Etudes (Steinway & Sons)

A recording of the Transcendental Études which compares with the very best [RBe]

Faure cello 97825

Fauré: Authentique – Complete Works for Cello & Piano (Audite)

A very cool, unemotional (and unsuccessful) take on Fauré’s cello works [DJB]

mahler erde warner

Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde (Warner Classics)

(Déjà Review) One of the finest accounts of Das Lied von der Erde ever committed to disc [JQ]

Abel concerti 9998922

Abel: 6 Concerti for keyboard (cpo)

Strongly recommended for admirers of the Bach sons, students of the history of the keyboard concerto and preclassical music in general [PSh]