March 2026

Korsakov Scheherazade Naxos

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade (Naxos)

(Déjà Review) I put the disc on expecting ‘decent’, but it’s spectacular [BR]

Monteverdi Vespers SignumClassics

Monteverdi: Vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Signum Classics)

(Déjà Review) In a word: magnificent [JS]

Giordano’s Fedora – A survey of the recordings

by Ralph Moore

Pioneering Haydn On Record: Symphony 73

by Christopher Howell

purcell dido naxoshistorical

Purcell: Dido and Aeneas (Nimbus Prima Voce)

(Déjà Review) Fascinating to hear such singers as Flagstad and Schwarzkopf in these roles [EML]

messiaen harawi naxos

Messiaen: Harawi & Trois Mélodies (Naxos)

(Déjà Review) An assault on the senses, but not to be missed [DC]

nenov pianomusic crd

Nenov: Music for solo piano (CRD)

A discovery that deserves any serious piano music collector’s attention [DC]

mahler symphony5 reference

Mahler: Symphony No 5 (Reference Recordings)

An impressive Mahler 5 in superb sound [DHa]

brian symphony1 heritage

Brian: Symphony No 1 ‘Gothic’ (Heritage)

A tremendous performance of this legendary work [PRJ]

beyondvertigo antartica

Chamber Music by Film Composers (Antarctica Records)

A fascinating programme performed with exceptional skill [NB]

TommyMesa 1767 azica

Tommy Mesa (cello): 17(67) (Azica)

A beautiful sounding instrument, beautifully played, but a programme that lacks contrast [DJB]

Berio: Coro; Žuraj: Automatones (BR Klassik)

A contemporary classic, a work possibly destined for that status [RWe]

Enrique Jordá (conductor): Spanish Music (Pristine Audio)

A fresh look at a controversial conductor [SV]

Garro: Masses and Motets (Hyperion)

The first major recording of sacred works by a shadowy master who worked in the Royal Chapel in Lisbon [GH]

harnoncourt teldec warner

Nikolaus Harnoncourt (conductor): The Complete Teldec Recordings (Warner Classics)

Consistently thought-provoking [DF]

Vaughan Williams: Landscapes (NoMadMusic)

A fine, extensive survey; the listening pleasure will depend on one’s response to the tenor’s very particular singing style [NB]

Mozart: Symphonies 39 & 41 (Soli Deo Gloria)

(Déjà Review) Fine, vital live performances of two of Mozart’s greatest symphonies [JQ]

Vaughan Williams, George Butterworth: Songs (Nimbus Records)

(Déjà Review) English songs meet a thoughtful and highly sympathetic exponent with an unmistakable voice [RB]

Keiser: Der Carneval von Venedig (cpo)

A first recording which benefits from splendid engineering but some of the singing lacks the final degree of polish [MP]

Smetana, Dvořák & Suk: Bohemian Legacy (Challenge Classics)

A trio of Bohemian chamber works played with energy and passion [RMo]

Maria Tipo (piano): Complete Erato Recordings (Erato)

The uneven but unignorable Maria Tipo, too often let down by recording acoustics, but soaring high in Clementi and Scarlatti [JW]

vellere wallonie

Vellère: The Music Comes as it Likes… (Musique en Wallonie)

A most welcome introduction to Lucie Vellère’s music [HC]

Jesús María Sanromá (piano): Complete Boston ‘Pops’ Recordings (APR)

A very enjoyable disc showcasing Sanroma’s dazzling and engaging pianism [RCh]

Mozart: Sonatas for piano four hands (Challenge Classics)

(Déjà Review) Playing that is full of stylish élan and richness of character [DC]