Review
Jongen: Piano Music Vol 2 (Pavane)
All who respond to Debussy’s, Ravel’s or Ireland’s piano music will find plenty to enjoy here [HC]
Liszt: Organ (MDG)
Astonishing music on an astonishing instrument [CB]
Wolf-Ferrari: Il segreto di Susanna (Oehms Classics)
Wolf-Ferrari’s charming one act opera in an excellent performance which will do very nicely [PT]
Sergio Fiorentino: The Complete SAGA Album Collection (Rhine Classics)
A pleasure to have Fiorentino’s complete Saga Recordings under one roof [SG]
Verdi: Messa da Requiem (CRQ Editions)
La Scala in the Soviet Union perform a memorable Verdi Requiem [PH]
Ligeti/Bartók: String Quartets (BIS)
The Marmen Quartet have the measure of Ligeti and Bartók [LW]
Adam: Giselle (BelAir Classiques)
Not a perfect Giselle – but still good to have [RMay]
Simpson: Chamber Music Vol. 1 (Toccata Classics)
Fascinating products of Simpson’s apprenticeship, and first recordings of two major chamber works [RHa]
Graupner: Partitas for Harpsichord Vol. 5 (Analekta)
(Déjà Review) Gorgeous music, excellently played and recorded, which will surely give great pleasure to all who love the harpsichord music of this era [GPu]
Handel: Water Music & Royal Fireworks Suites (Naxos)
(Déjà Review) A winner from start to finish – Handel’s music is given a splendid rendition
Shostakovich: Complete symphonies (Capriccio)
One of the leading cycles, in a fine-sounding stereo incarnation [RWe]
Martin Cousin (piano): Fantasies (Convivium Records)
A fascinating recital exploring the scope of the fantasia genre [DHa]
Bellini: Norma (Pristine Audio)
By general consensus, the essential Norma recording, now in a superior transfer [RWe]
Korngold: Symphony in F sharp (Supertrain Records)
Korngold plays his Symphony in a previously unreleased piano version [JW]
Rachmaninov: Orchestral works (High Definition Tape Transfers)
Vital, energised performances of two great pianistic and choral showpieces in spectacular surround sound [RMo]
Bach: Chamber music for oboe (Accent)
A delight from start to finish [JV]
Cavalli Statira (Opus 111)
(Déjà Review) A dramatically vivid performance of the Neapolitan version of Cavalli’s opera [RH]
Chopin: Piano works (Naxos)
(Déjà Review) These performances are among the best on the market [PG]
Bellini: Norma (Pristine Audio)
Five stars for Pristine’s sound rejuvenation but apart from Callas, the performance doesn’t live up to the quality of the transfer [MP]
Quartets Through a Time of Change (First Hand Records)
An imaginative selection of French string quartets [JW]
Schubert: Symphonies 2 & 6 (Forgotten Records)
Sprightly Schubert from Bamberg in fresh transfers which breathe new life into old grooves [PH]
Puccini: Madama Butterfly (Opus Arte)
This complements but does not replace Opus Arte’s 2018 filmed performance [RWe]
Górecki: Complete Works for String Quartet (Chandos)
Górecki’s impressive quartets are well worth hearing [SB]
Ricardo Gallén (guitar): Habaneras & Tangos (MarchVivo)
An enjoyable recording, but not Gallén best on offer [ZT]
