Bartok bluebeard 4577562

Bartok: Duke Bluebeard’s Castle (DG)

No lover of Bartók’s music or of modern 20th century classics should be without this exceptional issue [GFe]

Aumann Chamber Letzbor Challenge CC72876

Aumann: Chamber Music (Challenge Classics)

Entertaining music by a little-known composer, played with infectious enthusiasm [JV]

Jarvi In Concert Estonian NSO CHAN20262

Neeme Järvi (conductor) In Concert (Chandos)

For the conductor’s fans only [SV]

PrimroseSQ RCA Victor Biddulph 85023-2

Primrose String Quartet: The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (Biddulph)

William Primrose’s elite string quartet recordings back after 30 years [JW]

Wild Sounds 1923 BR 900206

Der wilde Sound der 20er – 1923 (BR Klassik)

Four works reflect the time between modernity and tradition, revolution and republic, jazz and dance music [JF]

Lortzing Der Waffenschmied Hussain Capriccio C5490

Lortzing: Der Waffenschmied (Capriccio)

By and large, a worthy reading of Der Waffenschmied, and it is good to see a brand-new recording of the work [GF]

Schumann piano works Oppitz Hanssler HC22045

R Schumann: Piano Works (Hänssler Classic)

Gerhard Oppitz excels in Schumann works he has lived with his whole career [MC]

prokofiev rachmaninov warner muti

Prokofiev: Ivan the Terrible (Warner Classics)

(Déjà Review) A very clever idea to package Prokofiev’s two major film scores together [IL]

Bruch Violin Concerto Gluzman BISSACD1852

Bruch: Violin Concerto 1 (BIS)

(Déjà Review) Quite the finest performance of the Bruch concerto I have ever heard [CF]

Verdi: Aïda (Pristine Audio)

A superlative transfer of an Aida which should be in every serious opera collection [PSt]

mahler beinum beulah

Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde (Beulah)

A largely unsung Das Lied gleams like old gold in Beulah’s new issue [DMD]

widor organ solstice

Widor: Organ Symphonies 9 & 10 (Solstice)

A satisfying, inspiring and moving recital [JF]

fitelberg quartets acte prealable

Fitelberg: String Quartets (Acte Préalable)

Two striking and almost forgotten string quartets from a short-lived émigré Pole [JW]

brahms schumann schuricht

Carl Schuricht (conductor) (Forgotten Records)

Absolutely lovely live performances which must be heard through a veil of crumbly mono sound [RMo]

hofer psalms christophorus

Hofer: Psalms (Christophorus)

This disc suggests that the oeuvre of Hofer deserves to be thoroughly explored [JV]

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5 (Chandos)

(Déjà Review) A most impressive album [IL]

busch guild mendelssohn

Fritz Busch (conductor) (Guild)

(Déjà Review) A welcome addition to Guild’s Fritz Busch series [BBr]

Vaughan Williams: Chamber Works (Resonus)

Attractive rarities, including an unstoppable performance of the Old 104th Fantasia [EJW]

Sutermeister: Orchestral Works Vol. 2 (Toccata Classics)

First recordings of impressive song cycles, authoritatively performed [NB]

Janáček, Brahms, Bartók: Violin Sonatas (Alpha)

A varied program by performers who are clearly at one about the music [LP]

Mozart in Milan (Arcana)

An engaging new performance of Mozart’s Exsultate, jubilate, plus works to set it in context [DF]

Holmboe: String Quartets Vol. 2 (Dacapo)

These glowing performances testify that Holmboe is a leading figure in twentieth-century music [GH]

Camilla Nylund (soprano) The Great American Songbook (Naxos)

Fine selections from The Great American Songbook [BMC]

Raff: Cello Concerti (Tudor)

(Déjà Review) Fine performances of lyrical, romantic works [PCW]