Review
Mozart: Piano Concertos 22 & 27 (Maestro Editions)
A Mozartian 90th birthday to Peter Frankl, live from Cleveland, and full of sensitive musicianship [JW]
JS Bach: Sonatas for viola da gamba (Lyrichord)
The sheer musicality and joy of the performances makes them my first choice [JS]
Brian: Symphonies 17 & 32 (Naxos)
What an important figure Brian was in English music – performances, recording and notes are all that you could want [BBr]
Braunfels: Jeanne d’Arc (Capriccio)
An important work in Braunfels’ output, exceptionally well served in this live recording. [JQ]
Liszt: Piano Concertos & Totentanz (Forgotten Records)
Thoroughly professional, historical performances of Liszt [RMas]
JCF Bach: Symphonies (Naxos)
(Déjà Review) Attractive and graceful [Byz]
Beethoven: Symphonies 4-6 (C major)
(Déjà Review) Eminently worth your while, especially if you want to hear a somewhat different take on these Beethoven warhorses [RC]
Art Nouveau: French Chamber Music Around 1900 (harmonia mundi)
An intelligent choice of music, given outstanding performances and sound [DJB]
Elgar: The Songs (SOMM Recordings)
A welcome digital release of a collection of Elgar’s songs [JQ]
Robin Stevens: Orchestral Music, Vol. 1 (Toccata Classics)
A beautifully presented selection of diverting works [PRJ]
Mahler: Symphony No. 10 (BIS)
A fine account in first-rate sound, beautifully played, but missing the last ounce of desperation [RMo]
Les Divas d’Offenbach (Alpha Classics)
An attractive disc displaying much of Offenbach’s characteristic appeal [RWe]
Schumann: Chamber Music (Hyperion)
(Déjà Review) Seek it out, lend it not [DC]
Noskowski & Rytel: Piano Music (Chopin University Press)
Attractive romantic pieces from this little known teacher and pupil magnificently played [RCh]
Watkins: Orchestral Music (Hallé CD)
Magnificent performances of approachable, brilliant and enjoyable works recently commissioned by this famous orchestra [GH]
Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (Pristine Audio)
Pristine delivers a top notch refurbishment of this classic recording [MP]
Weill: Love Life (Capriccio)
A marvellous premiere recording of an unfairly neglected show [JQ]
Sir Adrian Boult: Complete Warner Stereo Recordings (Warner Classics)
A cornucopia of patrician music-making that has rarely been rivalled [RMo]
Verdi: Otello conducted by Toscanini (Pristine Audio)
(Déjà Review) Pick this one with confidence [ST]
Handel: Israel in Egypt (Alpha Classics)
A lot going for this recording – but significant reservations too [JQ]
Strauss: Intermezzo (Naxos)
Richard Strauss’s domestic drama powerfully reimagined by Tobias Kratzer [DHa]
Overtures from the British Isles Volume 3 (Chandos)
A third volume focuses on mid-century overtures, with three world premiere recordings [JW]
Russian Ballet Suites (Hyperion)
Andrey Gugnin makes these piano versions really exciting [SB]
Mahler: Symphony No.7 (National Symphony Orchestra)
A Mahler Seventh with many fine qualities, but not a first choice [LW]
