Verdi: Rigoletto (Opus Arte)

An imaginative and involving production, but flawed by some intrusive and insensitive vulgarities [PCG]

Golestan: Chamber Music (Forgotten Records)

Attractive transfers from the 1920s and 1930s of Stan Golestan’s chamber music [JW]

Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 (Fontec)

Another potentially engaging recording, fatally compromised by the conductor’s ill-disciplined vocal intrusiveness [RMo]

Haydn 2032 No. 13 (Alpha)

Rousing, exquisitely articulated performances of Haydn symphonies [DF]

Dmitri Hvorostovsky (baritone): The Philips Recitals (Eloquence)

This is a glorious collection that should be a source for delight for many years to come [GF]

music strings chandos

Music for Strings (Chandos)

Superb playing and engineering; any reservations will centre upon the desirability of the programme [RMo]

Mozart: Coronation Mass (BR Klassik)

Refined, exciting, and extraordinarily well-sung period-instrument performances of selected Latin choral works by Mozart [DF]

Joyce: Caravan Suite (Naxos)

An interesting compilation of music by the “English waltz king” who outlived his era by half a century [PCG]

Handel: Eternal Heaven (Erato)

Music making of the highest order for anyone with an open mind for whom no borderlines exist [GF]

Debussy & Ravel: String Quartets (Forgotten Records)

A great quartet in core repertory and superbly communicative Ginastera [JW]

Czerny-Stefańska (piano) Concert Tours in Germany (Meloclassic)

An excellent all-round portrait of this outstanding pianist [RCh]

Verdi falstaff WS121401

Verdi: Falstaff (Urania)

Though Sir Geraint Evans is rather gruff and dry-toned, this lavishly cast recording is worth anyone’s money [GF]

Hjellemo orch CDS11282

Hjellemo: Orchestral Works (Sterling)

Don’t miss this disc if you are well disposed to tonally pleasing late Romantic music [SG]

Baquedano Santiago LAU022

Baquedano: Music for the Cathedral of Santiago (Lauda)

Texts set with expressivity and emotion [GH]

Schubert revisited 4839758

Schubert Revisited (Deutsche Grammophon)

A revelatory album [JQ]

Price songs 8559920

Price: Songs of the Oak (Naxos)

Collectors of Florence Price’s music need not hesitate in acquiring this disc [LW]

honegger martinu FR1882

Honegger: Symphony 2 (Forgotten Records)

A great Janáček champion conducts Honegger and Martinů in an obscure Polish recording [JW]

Bacewicz symphonies cpo 555556-2

Bacewicz: Symphonies (cpo)

Rigour and rhythmic drive somewhat leavened by folkloric elements [JW]

Canticle of sun hill regent REGCD567

The Canticle of the Sun (Regent)

An interesting programme, impressively performed [JQ]

bruckner symphony 8 celibidache tobu TBRQ9009-2

Bruckner: Symphony 8 (Tobu Recordings)

A wholly viable interpretation of indestructible integrity [RMo]

Dracula bite watts cuillin CUILL1008

Dracula – Bite Size (Cuillin Sound Music)

A famous tale told with stylish and compelling atmosphere [DC]

schutz david and salomon jourdain HMM905346

Schütz: David & Salomon (harmonia mundi)

An interesting production that is marred by some serious issues [JV]

sibelius tempest kamu naxos 8574419

Sibelius: The Tempest (Naxos)

Kamu has the measure of Sibelius’s complete Tempest music [LW]

Schulhoff shapeshifter DE3566

Schulhoff: Shapeshifter (Delos)

Praiseworthy performances of fascinating repertoire [MC]