Graupner Partitas Analekta

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]

Elgar: Piano Quintet

by Alan George

cousin fantasias for piano

Martin Cousin (piano): Fantasies (Convivium Records)

A fascinating recital exploring the scope of the fantasia genre [DHa]

shostakovich symphonies capriccio

Shostakovich: Complete symphonies (Capriccio)

One of the leading cycles, in a fine-sounding stereo incarnation [RWe]

bach chamber works for oboe

Bach: Chamber music for oboe (Accent)

A delight from start to finish [JV]

Rachmaninov: Orchestral works (High Definition Tape Transfers)

Vital, energised  performances of two great pianistic and choral showpieces in spectacular surround sound [RMo]

korngold symphony in fsharp supertrain records

Korngold: Symphony in F sharp (Supertrain Records)

Korngold plays his Symphony in a previously unreleased piano version [JW]

bellini norma pristine audio

Bellini: Norma (Pristine Audio)

By general consensus, the essential Norma recording, now in a superior transfer [RWe]

chopin piano favourites vol 2 naxos

Chopin: Piano works (Naxos)

(Déjà Review) These performances are among the best on the market [PG]

cavalli statira opus111

Cavalli Statira (Opus 111)

(Déjà Review) A dramatically vivid performance of the Neapolitan version of Cavalli’s opera [RH]

Shostakovich: String Quartet 10

by Alan George

Bizet: Symphony in C

by Alan George

Ricardo Gallén (guitar): Habaneras & Tangos (MarchVivo)

An enjoyable recording, but not Gallén best on offer [ZT]

Górecki: Complete Works for String Quartet (Chandos)

Górecki’s impressive quartets are well worth hearing [SB]

Puccini: Madama Butterfly (Opus Arte)

This complements but does not replace Opus Arte’s 2018 filmed performance [RWe]

Schubert: Symphonies 2 & 6 (Forgotten Records)

Sprightly Schubert from Bamberg in fresh transfers which breathe new life into old grooves [PH]

Quartets Through a Time of Change (First Hand Records)

An imaginative selection of French string quartets [JW]

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]

Dvořák: Rusalka (Arthaus Musik)

(Déjà Review) A very welcome DVD release of one of English National Opera’s finer achievements [JL]

Couperin: Sonates, Pieces de viole (Deutsche Harmonia Mundi)

(Déjà Review) An outstanding recording of some of Couperin’s finest compositions [JV]

Poulenc, Pärt & Prokofiev: Mirrors (Naïve)

A fine disc, beautifully programmed and with a superb performance of the Poulenc sonata [GPu]

Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto (Decca)

A lush, Romantic, thoroughly engaging and technically brilliant account of a Tchaikovsky “warhorse”, with some seductive bonuses [RMo]

Beyond (Orchid Classics)

Atmospheric, imaginative yet accessible modern music demonstrating Moore’s virtuosic mastery of his instrument [KT]

Herbert von Karajan: Live in Berlin (Berliner Philharmoniker)

Karajan live at the Philharmonie in a set to challenge preconceptions and offer re-appraisal of a legendary combination of orchestra and conductor [PH]