May 2025
Elgar: The Kingdom (Signum Classics)
A fine achievement which amply demonstrates the greatness of Elgar’s score [JQ]
Boulez: Livre pour Quatuor (Pentatone)
An authoritative recording of Boulez’ only quartet in its final completed form [SB]
Beethoven: Violin Concerto, Grosse Fuge (Archipel)
It’s great that these performances are newly available, but sample before you buy [JW]
Folk Trails: Anya Alexeyev (Toccata Next)
Works from three continents, inspired by folk music, played on a concert grand [EJW]
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 15 (BR Klassik)
An excellent live account directed by a master of this elusive work [RWe]
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau: A Centenary Tribute (SOMM Ariadne)
A fascinating set of rare live Fischer Dieskau performances and a chance to hear him reminisce [DHa]
Ruth Gipps: Orchestra Works Volume 4 (Chandos)
This series goes from strength to strength – Symphony No.5 is quite a discovery [NB]
Puccini: Tosca (Deutsche Grammophon)
An important Tosca from Deutsche Grammophon [PH]
Ravel: The Complete Songs of Ravel (Signum Classics)
Clarity, fastidiousness, wit, harmonic richness, and melodic subtlety [JF]
Ives: Orchestral Works (Naxos)
Delightful, typically idiosyncratic but inessential Ives [PBW]
Barber: Orchestral Works (RCA)
A lack of documentation detracts only a little from the excellent performances [JQ]
Gary Bertini’s (almost) complete Mahler symphonies
by Ralph Moore
Schnittke: Piano Quintet
by Alan George
Humperdinck: Hänsel und Gretel – Prelude
by Alan George
Shostakovich: String Quartet No.15
by Alan George
Telemann: Recorder Sonatas (Coviello Classics)
A fine debut recording by an excellent, young recorder player [JV]
Röntgen: Piano Music Vol. 6 (Nimbus)
More wonderful and neglected piano music, impeccably played [JWe]
Antiphonies for Brass (World of Brass)
An imaginative CD of brass band music, inspired by Beethoven, Chopin and Byrd [KT]
Delvincourt: Chamber Music Vol. 2 (Ciar Classics)
The Quintet certainly provides enough of interest to encourage me to look out for the other volumes in this series [BSt]
Shostakovich: String Quartets 1-6 (Genuin)
Enduringly powerful music receiving performances of remarkable skill and insight [NB]
Wiseman: Wolf Hall / The Mirror And The Light (Silva Screen Records)
An atmospheric score from a terrific BBC series [PRJ]
Rózsa and Bartók: Violin Concertos (LSO Live)
An unusual and welcome pairing [DHa]
Legendary Italian Violinists (Meloclassic)
Recordings that are seeing the light of day on CD for the first time, and very welcome they are too [SG]
Prokofiev: Symphony No.6 (LSO Live)
An exciting performance of a major Prokofiev symphony captured live [DHa]
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Featured Naxos review |
Featured Naxos review |
Featured Naxos review |
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