Author: Stan Szpakowicz

Period-instrument Messiah, not to be missed [DF]

Cage’s ‘thing’ advocated by three superb musicians, in sympathetic sonics [RHa]

These songs deserve more recordings but here the vocal shortcomings are hard to ignore [MBu]

A balanced orchestral portfolio follows Bacewicz from neo-classicism to her late style [JW]

A thoroughly enjoyable disc, fascinating music atmospherically played and well recorded [GPu]

Sinopoli and a powerhouse cast reveal unsuspected depths in Verdi’s early opera [MP]

There is some beautiful playing in these wartime recordings [RCh]

(Déjà Review) Overall a superlative disc, with flawless and very characterful performances [EML]

A lesser-known facet of Pickard’s output, with a viscerally thrilling performance of the Mass [HC]

Illuminating, especially the clarified swing between minor and major perspectives in Concerto No 20 [MG]

A simply outstanding meeting of stunning musicians and glorious music [PJ]

If you like this programme, you will like these performances [EJW]

A very enjoyable account of Má Vlast, superbly played [JQ]

Trondhjem continues exploring the pleasant piano music of this long-lived Dane [RCh]

This important historical document must be judged on its own terms [JF]

A new recording highlights the lyricism and structural strength of Pejačević’s chamber music [JW]

A pleasant romp through the realm of French patriotic music and beyond [MP]

(Déjà Review) This is a challenging and absorbing listening experience [PJL]

A sophisticated delight, full of subtle musicianship and expertly recorded [GPu]

Benevoli’s mass is a fine specimen of Roman polychorality in the 17th century [JV]

A new perspective on the performance of the music of the English renaissance [JV]

Sign me up for this regiment: this recording is as good as it gets [MP]

Sony’s second Rodziński box fills a significant gap from his Cleveland years [JH]

Great, essential performances, clearly recognisable even with less than ideal sound quality [PBW]