July 2025
The Royal Opera Season of 1925
by Philip Harrison
Shostakovich: Viola Sonata
by Alan George
Radcliffe: String Quartet
by Alan George
Beethoven: Symphony No.4
by Alan George
Sacred Treasures of Rome (Hyperion)
Excellent performances which demonstrate that Palestrina’s music is anything but boring [JV]
Farkas: Orchestral Music Vol. 6 (Toccata Classics)
A happy addition to Toccata Classics’ enterprising Farkas cycle [PRJ]
Chopin: Piano music (Decca)
A rewarding recital, if you can take to the first Ballade [SB]
Barraine: Symphonies 1 and 2 (cpo)
Impressive music, very well performed and recorded presents an unfamiliar composer with a confident musical personality [NB]
Bruckner & Mahler: Symphonies (Tahra)
(Déjà Review) These performances repay careful listening and study [JQ]
Bloch: Piano Quintets (Hyperion)
(Déjà Review) It is never too late to make good personal discoveries of great music [JFL]
Vivaldi: Vivaldi in the North (Proprius)
This beautiful recording embraces stylistic brilliance, refined virtuosity, and a joyful spirit of execution [ZT]
Welsh Music for Strings (Rubicon)
A little light music from the valleys – each piece a recording premiere [PH]
Works for String Quartet from South Africa (ECM)
An essential anthology of little known 20th and 21st century writing for string quartet [DHa]
French School Pianists play French concertos (APR)
This thoroughly absorbing set shines a light on spectacular pianism and unearths welcome rarities [RCh]
Hildegard: Celestial Harmonie (Naxos)
(Déjà Review) The sheer beauty and simplicity of the music can stand alone [GH]
Bach: Brandenburg Concerti (Avie)
(Déjà Review) All the benefits of period performance without the tears [BW]
A Due – Baroque Violin (Da Vinci Classics)
A convincing demonstration of the value of a performance of the basso continuo with a single cello [JV]
Barsanti: 6 Sonatas, Op 2 (Brilliant Classics)
Agreeable performance of Barsanti’s sonatas written in England interspersed with his arrangements of Scottish songs [CR]
Bach JS, Telemann & Albinoni: Concerti (Alpha Classics)
Enlightenment in Germany with an Italian twist [PH]
Tüür: Phantasma, Symphony No 10 (ECM)
A most welcome addition to Tüür’s generous discography [HC]
Glass: Music with Changing Parts, Parts 1 & 2 (Orange Mountain Music)
(Déjà Review) As close as Glass ever came to modern jazz and this performance is really quite profound [PG]
Elgar: Symphony No 1, Organ Sonata (Chandos)
(Déjà Review) A wonderful thing to have on your shelf or in your pocket [DC]
The Best of Martin Jones: Discover Jean Françaix: (Nimbus)
An enticing selection of Françaix’s piano works, played with great insight [GPu]
Mahler: Symphony 9 (Recursive Classics)
Superb sound and sincere, committed playing without quite the heft and sonority of the greatest Mahler orchestras [RMo]
