April 2025

Janáček: String Quartet 1

by Alan George

Gounod: Petite Symphonie

by Alan George

Shostakovich: String Quartet 14

by Alan George

chaminade apr

Cécile Chaminade and her contemporaries play Chaminade (APR)

Treasures a plenty in this fabulously explorative and enjoyable release [RCh]

holst orchestral works somm recordings

Holst: Beni Mora and Choral Symphony (Somm Recordings)

Sargent’s charisma shows these scores in their best light [NB]

gubaidulina galgenlieder a3 kairos

Gubaidulina: Galgenlieder à 3 (Kairos)

A superb tribute to the late composer [MBu]

prokofiev symphony 6 lso live

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

Donizetti: Alfredo il Grande (Naxos)

No masterwork but an interesting find reawakened after two centuries [GF]

sibelius barber violin concertos erato

Sibelius and Barber: Violin Concertos (Erato)

Capuçon is ponderous in Sibelius but well attuned to Barber [LW]

Berlioz was a Woman

by Len Mullenger

the convict harpsichordist move

The Convict Harpsichordist (Move)

(Déjà Review) An fascinating recital themed around the first harpsichord to arrive in Australia [RH]

dances of our time bis

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

Manon (Opus Arte)

A good choice for the ballet enthusiast but it doesn’t outperform older versions of this production [MP]