November 2024
Bruckner: Symphony 8 (Pristine Audio)
A wild, driven performance which oozes personality and conviction, now cleaned up to an unprecedentedly high standard [RMo]
So Fragile, So Blue (National Symphony Orchestra)
From Canadian waterways to a sub-orbital space flight, nature’s fragility is explored by the irrepressible William Shatner [JW]
Vivaldi: Violin Sonata (Snakewood)
The discovery of this piece is as exciting as the piece itself and the way it is performed [JV]
YULE (2L)
Not a ‘sing-along’ album, but richly suffused with the spirit of Yule [DC]
Enna: Violin Concerto & Symphony (Dacapo)
Well-crafted and attractive music written in a conservative manner, beautifully played [NB]
Sartorius & Stadlmayr: Sacred Works (Musikmuseum)
Music from Innsbruck around 1600 performed by an excellent group of singers and players [JV]
Beethoven: Piano Concertos (Deutsche Grammphon)
(Déjà Review) Lang Lang’s sparkling playing and considerable insights make for joyous listening [MC]
Baines & Moeran: Piano Music (Lyrita)
(Déjà Review) Essential listening for all enthusiasts of British piano music [JF]
Unplayed Stories … in 40 Fingers (Hyperion)
Dazzling playing in these highly appealing rarities [RCh]
Lauter! (Solaire)
A welcome addition to the Smyth discography [DC]
Mahler: Symphony No 8 (Sony Classical)
A fine live account which despite a few quibbles sustains interest throughout its taut execution [RMo]
Mozart: Piano Concerti Nos 1-4 (Chandos)
Performances to encourage an investigation of Mozart’s rarely played apprenticeship to the piano concerto trade [MG]
David Oistrakh (violin): The Warner Remastered Edition (Warner Classics)
A massive celebratory David Oistrakh box features strikingly good remasterings of his HMV legacy and a vast array of live and broadcast material [JW]
Haydn, Ligeti & Hensel: String quartets (Solo Musica)
A fabulous debut recording, not to be missed [PBW]
All is Bright (Avie)
(Déjà Review) A seasonal gift for a musical friend but you may be tempted to keep it instead as a treat for yourself [JQ]
Boccherini: Cello Sonatas (Naxos)
(Déjà Review) A fine release of rare and interesting repertoire that will appeal to lovers of the cello [MC]
Widor & Lalo: Cello Concertos (Solaire)
The Widor concerto is quite a discovery [DC]
Schubert: Octets (Decca)
A beautifully engineered recording which simply exudes the joy of music-making [RMo]
Mischa Elman (violin): Complete HMV Recordings (Biddulph)
Elman in glowing pre-war Concerto recordings in London [JW]
Raff: Die Eifersüchtigen (Naxos)
A delightful and musically substantial premier recording [MP]
Pilgrimage: The Musical Journey of Kryštof Harant (Supraphon)
A unique coming together of Czech and Turkish renaissance music [GH]
Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos 3 & 4 (Fineline)
Excellent performances from the young Nikolai Lugansky [WH]
Beethoven: Piano Works (Naxos)
(Déjà Review) Schnabel’s “Diabelli” set interpretative and intellectual standards which are a daunting challenge to all that followed [CH]
Auric: Phèdre, Le Peintre et son modèle (Timpani)
(Déjà Review) Lovely music bound to please those already enthralled by Markevitch, Stravinsky and Bliss [RB]
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