Recommended

shostakovich symphonies decca

Shostakovich: Symphonies 4-6 (Decca)

Terrific performances of three very contrasting Shostakovich symphonies [JQ]

sibelius prokofiev decca

Sibelius & Prokofiev: Violin Concerti (Decca)

Terrific performances of two key works in the violin concerto repertoire [JQ]

osgood chamber convivium

Osgood: Chamber Works (Convivium Records)

A wondrous document, worth repeated playing [SA]

Zádor: Piano Quintet, Accordion Concerto & other works (Naxos)

Elegant and distinctive music by an overlooked original [NC]

20th Century Foxtrots Vol 6: Southern Europe (Grand Piano)

Delights all round on this Mediterranean exploration [RCh]

enescu symphonies deutsche grammophon

Enescu: Symphonies Nos 1-3, Romanian Rhapsodies Nos 1 & 2 (Deutsche Grammophon)

Finely wrought performances, played with complete authority [SG]

bruckner symphony reference

Bruckner: Symphony No 7 (Reference Recordings)

A magnificent performance, caught In astonishingly vivid sound, supplemented by an exotic and appealing new work [RMo]

Stravinsky orch SWR19156CD

Stravinsky: Orchestral works (SWR Classic)

Middle and late-period Stravinsky, performed with life-affirming zest [NC]

Paris La Belle Epoque Bridge 9555

Paris, La Belle Époque (Bridge Records)

Playing of the highest quality in an intriguing and very rewarding programme [GPu]

Offenbach: Colorature (Alpha Classics)

A wholehearted recommendation for the unhackneyed programme and the magnificent singing [GF]

Marko Topchii (guitar) Laureate Series Recital (Naxos)

Hard to fault, easy to accolade [ZT]

mahler symphony alpha

Mahler: Symphony No 9 (Alpha Classics)

Full of surprises, this is a disc that will change the way you hear Mahler 9 [ST]

gerhard quixote chandos

Gerhard: Don Quixote and Alegrías (Chandos)

The BBC Philharmonic excels in music by the pre-serial Gerhard at his hard-bitten finest [NC]

rooted trios chandos

Rooted (Chandos)

A truly magical disc with four of the loveliest of trios [SA]

The Gesualdo Six – Queen of Hearts (Hyperion)

Magnificent Renaissance motets and songs performed with ease and control [GH]

schubert quartets hyperion

Schubert: String Quartets Nos 15 & 8 (Hyperion)

Glorious Schubert from the Takács Quartet [LW]

schubert tsong pristine

Fou Ts’ong plays Schubert (Pristine Audio)

In Fou Ts’ong, Schubert finds a true friend [NC]

Messiaen: Song Cycles (Alpha Classics)

Excellent versions of the attractive song cycles [SB]

Ravel, Schnittke, Prokofiev: Works for cello (Claves)

A disc to savour [SA]

Bruckner Symphs 7 8 Inbal SWR 19152CD

Bruckner: Symphonies Nos 7 & 8 (SWR Classic)

Flawless performances of Bruckner’s two finest symphonies by a master Brucknerian, in excellent sound [RMo]

Tchaikovsky’s Empire: A New Life of Russia’s Greatest Composer (Yale University Press)

An invigorating shattering of myths, both long-held and recent, about this perennially beloved composer [NC]

Aigul Akhmetshina (mezzo-soprano): Aigul (Decca)

By far the best mezzo-soprano to emerge for a generation [RMo]

russian variations hyperion

Piers Lane (piano): Russian Variations (Hyperion)

A feast of Russian piano music served up with spectacular aplomb by Lane [RCh]

Zemlinsky tragodie PTC5186739

Zemlinsky: Eine florentinische Tragödie (Pentatone)

A gripping performance of a macabre, strangely compelling work [RMo]