May 2026
Mahler: Symphonies 1 to 9 (Pentatone)
A very mixed bag; several symphonies are superb, especially in terms of orchestral playing and sound engineering, but several fall short [RMo]
Shostakovich: Suite for Variety Orchestra No 1 (Spivakov Sound)
A short and sweet recent release from the conductor/violinist’s personal label [NC]
The Sound of Adventure (Prospero Classical)
A thoroughly enjoyable selection of less often heard film music [DJB]
Grieg: Violin Sonatas (Pristine Audio)
Classic Menuhin in these delightful sonatas [SB]
Mozart: Symphonies No.39-41 (Berlin Classics)
(Déjà Review) Suitner’s handling of these scores is fleet and vigorous [SV]
Kashperova: Piano Concerto, Symphony (Capriccio)
Premiere recordings of two fine works by a little-known Russian pianist-composer who taught Stravinsky [GH]
Feldman: For Bunita Marcus, Palais de Mari (True Blanking)
Compelling live performances of Feldman piano works by a doyen of the field [DHa]
Baroque + Forth. Baroque masterpieces transcribed for solo piano (Azure Sky)
A thoughtful collection of baroque piano transcriptions that ventures beyond the familiar [RCh]
Albert Coates conducts 20th Century music (Pristine Audio)
Dynamic, dramatic, speedy but unexpectedly noble Albert Coates in action [JW]
Ries: Concert Overtures (cpo)
(Déjà Review) Strong performances of music that is soft-toned in colour yet engaging to the ear [RW]
Fiddlers Three – Music from Charles II’s ‘Private Musick’ (Barn Cottage Records)
An exciting recording given an exemplary production [JV]
Piazzolla: Sinfonía Buenos Aires (Naxos)
(Déjà Review) Freshness, spontaneity matched by committed, idiomatic playing [DM]
Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen (C Major)
(Déjà Review) A great success overall and this DVD needs watching just once before you go out and buy the whole thing [DBi]
Vivaldi: L’Olimpiade (1734) (cpo)
One of Vivaldi’s best operas receives a recording which succeeds in most regards [MP]
Schubert: Irrlichter (BIS)
An intrinsically beautiful voice delivers as fine a Schubert recital as we have heard in many a year [RMo]
Brahms: Clarinet Sonata No 1 & Weber: Grand duo concertant for Clarinet & Piano (Nimbus)
A valuable twofer reissues a Jack Brymer recording from 1973 and presents a previously unissued one from nearly twenty years later [JW]
Elgar: From the Archives, Vol 3 (SOMM Ariadne)
Compelling live Elgar from Sir Adrian Boult in SOMM’s essential archive series [DHa]
Madetoja: Complete Works for Strings and Piano (Alba)
Interesting, but his orchestral music is far better [DJB]
Coleridge-Taylor & Dvořák: Violin Concertos (Canary Classics)
A taut, decisive and first-class Coleridge-Taylor Concerto coupled with a very effective Dvořák [JW]
Beethoven: Symphonies 1 & 2 (High Definition Tape Transfers)
Brilliant, driven performances from an orchestra and conductor in top form, in extraordinarily good sound for its vintage [RMo]
Bellini: (Oxford University Press)
Powered by the latest scholarship, a readable and illuminating overview of the career of Vincenzo Bellini [DHa]
Chopin in Vienna: (Azure Sky)
Chopin’s early successes and a rarity in this well-played recital [RCh]
Zelenka: Officium defunctorium & Requiem (Accent)
Everything about this is top notch [DC]
Jascha Heifetz (violin) Walton & Castelnuovo-Tedesco: Violin Concertos (Naxos Historical)
One of the greatest historical bargains that I’ve heard for a long time [BW]
