Recommended
Johann Ludwig Bach: The Leipzig Cantatas (Ricercar)
An outstanding set of the church music of Johann Ludwig Bach [JQ]
Rituals: Ives, Hahn, Bolcom (Acis)
A thoughtfully constructed, beautifully performed song recital [DHa]
Heise: Complete String Quartets (Dacapo)
I was totally unprepared for how good these six quartets are [DJB]
Elsa Dreisig (soprano): Invocation (Erato)
A really memorable recital from a soprano who has developed into an intensely communicative artist [MP]
Beethoven: Late Piano Sonatas (BIS)
Enthralling late Beethoven from Paul Wee [DHa]
Röntgen, Maier, Grieg: Scenes of a Folk Life (Private release)
An entertaining book and CD, beautifully produced [DC]
Stevens: Orchestral Music Vol. 2 (Toccata Classics)
A masterful addition to the cello repertoire [PRJ]
Poulenc: Music for Two Pianos (Divine Art)
Joyous, bittersweet, brilliantly captured Poulenc [JF]
Austrian Harpsichord Music of the Late 17th Century (Dux)
Agata Meissner deserves accolades both for the choice of repertoire and her superb performances [JV]
Glazunov: String Quartets No.1-3 (Naxos)
Tippett Quartet on great form in delightful, impressive works [NB]
Rachmaninov: The Bells, Symphonic Dances (Pentatone)
An outstanding Rachmaninov disc [JQ]
Glass: Hourglass (Naïve)
Revelatory Philip Glass from Simone Dinnerstein [DHa]
Defending the Music (Oxford University Press)
An absorbing book which will entertain and enlighten you on page after page [JQ]
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No 3 (Orchid Classics)
Caroline Shaw and Beethoven 3 bring Jonathan Biss’s ‘Beethoven /5’ project to a superb close [DHa]
Cowie: Darkness into Light (Métier)
Evocative, iridescent, masterfully performed chamber music [JF]
Bach: Johannes-Passion (Alia Vox)
Reflective and intimate [DF]
Manuel Tomadin (organ): Valvasone Organ Book (Da Vinci Classics)
Recordings like these can make one addicted to early Italian organs and their repertoire [JV]
Stevenson: Piano Music Vol. 8 (Toccata Classics)
Brilliant premiere recordings of masterly originals and transcriptions [JF]
Late Romantic Music for Violin and Piano (Et’cetera)
A delightful recital, beautifully planned and brilliantly played [DHa]
Schubert: Irrlichter (BIS)
An intrinsically beautiful voice delivers as fine a Schubert recital as we have heard in many a year [RMo]
Fiddlers Three – Music from Charles II’s ‘Private Musick’ (Barn Cottage Records)
An exciting recording given an exemplary production [JV]
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]
Sibelius: Violin Concerto (Alpha Classics)
A really impressive, beautifully balanced partnership resulting in a memorable account of Sibelius’ wonderful concerto paired with a superb Lemminkäinen Suite [RMo]
Strauss: Salome & Elektra (Pristine Audio)
Straussian excellence from seven decades ago silences any of the more recent competition [MP]
