April 2025
Cécile Chaminade and her contemporaries play Chaminade (APR)
Treasures a plenty in this fabulously explorative and enjoyable release [RCh]
Holst: Beni Mora and Choral Symphony (Somm Recordings)
Sargent’s charisma shows these scores in their best light [NB]
Prokofiev: Symphony 6 (LSO Live)
A great version of one of Prokofiev’s finest works from the LSO and Noseda [PH]
Donizetti: Alfredo il Grande (Naxos)
No masterwork but an interesting find reawakened after two centuries [GF]
Sibelius and Barber: Violin Concertos (Erato)
Capuçon is ponderous in Sibelius but well attuned to Barber [LW]
The Convict Harpsichordist (Move)
(Déjà Review) An fascinating recital themed around the first harpsichord to arrive in Australia [RH]
Dances of our Time (BIS)
(Déjà Review) A modern counterpart to the ‘orchestral lollipops’ discs we all used to love, and is equally enjoyable on those terms [TH]
Fatma Said (soprano) Lieder (Warner Classics)
This wonderful disc of Lieder for soprano and different forces held me spellbound [PT]
Lovro von Matačić (conductor) (Supraphon)
A tribute to a great and versatile conductor containing some superb and some less successful performances [RMo]
Say: Violin Concerto No.2, chamber works (Naxos)
The music of this refreshingly different composer holds one firmly in its grip [SA]
Bernard Haitink (conductor): Portrait Volume II (BR Klassik)
A marvellous testament to Haitink’s longstanding work with one of his great orchestral partners [ST]
Folios of Light – Contemporary Japanese Piano Music (Azure Sky)
A recital of spiritual and serene Japanese piano music [PH]
Verdi: Simon Boccanegra (Opera Rara)
This must now become first choice for the original version [RMo]
The French Connection (Et’cetera)
(Déjà Review) There is nothing here that does not delight the ear [KS]
Bells for Stokowski (Reference Recordings)
(Déjà Review) There’s something for everyone, and very attractively played too [JW]
Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius (Naxos)
This version has much to commend it but it doesn’t displace existing recommendations [JQ]
Ravel: Très Franc (TYXart)
A joyful recital of great music stunningly played and recorded [NB]
Charpentier: Les Arts Florissants (Rubicon)
A respectable and in many ways enjoyable recording of two fine works by Charpentier [JV]
Manon (Opus Arte)
A good choice for the ballet enthusiast but it doesn’t outperform older versions of this production [MP]