Author: Laurence Slater
Berlioz: La Damnation de Faust & La Mort de Cléopatre (Warner Classics)
(Déjà Review) Made doubly tempting by Baker’s wonderful Cléopâtre [RH]
Pärt: And I heard a voice (ECM)
A superbly sung selection of Pärt’s settings of sacred texts released in celebration of the composer’s 90th birthday. [DHa]
Martinů: Complete Works for Cello and Piano (Supraphon)
Another excellent entrant in the Martinů Cello Sonata lists but this time offering ‘The Complete Works’ [JW]
Rossini: Petite messe solennelle (cpo)
A swift and lean Petite Messe that doesn’t quite hit the spot [RMas]
Schumann & Bruckner: Forgotten symphonies (Alia Vox)
Two non-canonical symphonies in carefully prepared performances [SB]
Saxophone Concertos played by Nobuya Sugawa (Chandos)
(Déjà Review) A very fine release with much to enjoy here [HC]
North Italian Baroque Violin Concertos (Avie)
(Déjà Review) Buy the CD or the download, but get this recording somehow [BW]
Firkušný plays Debussy (Pristine Audio)
This release should play a major role in promoting Firkušný’s name [PBW]
Bach: Lute music arranged for piano (Orchid Classics)
Astute transcriptions of lute music for piano, skilfully executed [ZT}
Laurence Perkins (Hyperion) (bassoon) Honey-coloured cow
A superb, entertaining exploration of the bassoon repertoire [GPu]
Brahms & Schubert: Piano music (BIS)
Clever programming and remarkable playing: Kantorow is the real deal [ST]
Brahms: Piano Concerto 2 and solo piano works (Alto)
Richter’s classic Brahms returns at budget price [LW]
Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie (Warner Classics)
(Déjà Review) Essential Messiaen [DC]
Rossini: Il Viaggio a Reims (Deutsche Grammophon)
(Déjà Review) One of the best recordings of a Rossini opera ever set down [RJF]
Beach: Orchestral Works (Solo Musica)
This album confirms that Amy Beach is a composer of real note [MC]
Jackson: Choral works (Resonus Classics)
An excellent disc of choral and organ music by Gabriel Jackson [JQ]
Furtwängler: Symphony 2 (Chandos)
A problematic work emerges in a new light [RMay]
Novák: String Quartets (Supraphon)
Vítězslav Novák’s string quartets presented with thoughtful care [JW]
Dohnányi: Violin Concertos (Naxos)
(Déjà Review) Outstanding music … hits all the required emotional stops [WK]
Handel: Dettingen Te Deum (Hyperion)
(Déjà Review) Superb … all the commitment and excitement imaginable [LW]
Bruckner: Symphony 8 (Pristine Audio)
A classic performance in improved sound [MBu]
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas (Deutsche Grammophon)
Richter in his prime in Beethoven from the archives of Deutsche Grammophon [PH]
Cilea: Gloria (Naxos)
An unjustly neglected opera by the composer of Adriana Lecouvreur and L’Arlesiana [WK]
Tchaikovsky: Symphony 6 & Khachaturian: Violin Concerto (Gramola)
Worth your while for one piece — not the one you’d expect [SV]
