February 2025

Delius: String Quartet

by Alan George

Tchaikovsky: Symphony 1

by Alan George

Shostakovich: String Quartet 7

by Alan George

Verdi pristinePACO220

Verdi: Il trovatore (Pristine Audio)

This Pristine remastering is now the best option for hearing a classic, vintage account [RMo]

Bach walther C00941

Maestros in the Mirror: Bach & Walther (Da Vinci Classics)

Interesting comparison between two colleagues and distant cousins [JV]

Paris1913 NI6455

Paris 1913: L’Offrande lyrique (Nimbus)

A pleasing recital of French chansons all tied to the year 1913 [MP]

StraussR juan EPRC0067

Richard Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Don Juan (Evil Penguin Classic)

Compromised accounts do not displace classic versions [RMay]

Mahler gunning MahlerFest

Mahler & Gunning: Symphonies (Colorado MahlerFest)

An excellent Mahler performance and the premiere of an impressive new symphony [JQ]

Dufay savoy CDA67715

Dufay: The Court of Savoy (Hyperion)

Superb and convincing [MS]

Donizetti naxos866022223

Donizetti: Roberto Devereux (Naxos)

The cast as a whole makes this the best set so far [GF]

Telemann: Ino (cpo)

Telemann’s dramatic cantata “Ino” alongside an attractive selection of his opera arias [CRo]

Getty: Goodbye, Mr. Chips (Pentatone)

A touching opera, finely sung, permeated by deep humanity [GF]

Sibelius: Symphonies 6 & 7 (Alpha Classics)

Superb accounts of Sibelius’ last two symphonies put the seal on a triumphantly successful series [RMo]

Schumann, Brahms: Love Songs (C Major)

A Lieder masterclass, seen and heard from the best seat in the Musikverein [RWe]

Saimir Pirgu (tenor): Saimir (Opus Arte)

A recital of popular mostly verismo arias, but the singing leaves a great deal to be desired [PT]

Weill: The Seven Deadly Sins (LSO Live)

A collection of vivid performances of music by Kurt Weill [JQ]

Bach: Three Cantatas (Erato)

(Déjà Review) A mature artist who patently comprehends the beauty and purity of the music [MMB]

Anderson: Orchestral Music Vol. 5 (Naxos)

(Déjà Review) Undeservedly neglected light music [IL]

Stanley: Complete Flute Sonatas (Brilliant Classics)

Fine performances of neglected flute sonatas [JV]

Hugues: Works for Flute and Piano (Tactus)

Hugues is not a ‘lost’ great, but this disc shows his best pieces are worthy of rediscovery [GPu]

Bizet: Carmen (Pristine Audio)

Pristine Audio newly preserves Le Conte’s achievement in making Carmen as crisp and light as a freshly made churro [MP]

Nelson Freire (piano): The SWR Recordings (SWR)

Mining the archive produces gold from Nelson Freire [PH]

Brahms: Piano Trio No 1 & Schoenberg: Verklärte Nacht (Rubicon)

Beautifully played chamber works by Brahms and Schoenberg [MC]

Bruckner: From the Archives, Vol 6 (SOMM Ariadne)

The conclusion of a most rewarding series of archive Bruckner recordings [JQ]