Thomas Quasthoff (bass- baritone) Evening Star (Deutsche Grammophon)
A cunningly devised programme ideally showcasing Quasthoff’s vocal versatility and dramatic gifts [RMo]
Piazzolla: Buenos Aires (Naxos)
Well played if just a tad too restrained [NB]
Blackford: Songs of Nadia Anjuman (Nimbus Records)
Moving, expressive poetry set to intense but accessible music and performed with burning conviction [JQ]
Mahler: Symphony No 10 (Delos)
(Déjà Review) We will never know what Mahler 10 would have been like, but I’m sure it would not have sounded like this [TD]
Enescu: Piano Quintet, Quartet No 2 (Naxos)
(Déjà Review) Yet another jewel in the Naxos crown [KS]
Moore: Velvet (Heritage)
Soothing music, best listened to individually [DJB]
Handel: Complete Violin Sonatas (Delphian)
Fine advocacy from these gifted performers [SG]
Tarkiainen: Midnight Sun Variations (Ondine)
Music that is predominantly static but the composer’s skill means that it never drags [PRJ]
Vaughan Williams: The Steersman, The Future, Fantasia (Dutton)
Sheds fresh light on Vaughan Williams’ composing activities around the turn of the twentieth century [JQ]
Beethoven: Symphonies 5 & 6 (Hänssler Classic)
Expect to be surprised, moved and possibly irritated [CC]
Dello Joio, Creston & Bloch (Centaur)
Likely to win new friends for all three composers [RB]
Corrado: Works for Ensemble (Kairos)
Agreeable new music from Italy which flows, floats and flourishes [RHa]
Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Naxos)
Some good performances do little to redeem this drab, even absurd production of Meistersinger [LW]
Music for Flute by Women Composers (Dutton)
The flute is the focus in an album of works by British women composers [JW]
Janitsch: Chamber Music (Prospero)
Energetic and engaging performances of five splendid quartets by Janitsch [JV]
Janáček: The Makropulos Case (Supraphon)
(Déjà Review) This has an unmistakably authentic feel about it [TH]
Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos 1-15 (Brilliant Classics)
(Déjà Review) As a way to experience one of the greatest symphonic cycles of the 20th century this has to be an essential purchase at this price [DBi]
Opera Arias in Turin in 18th Century (cpo)
Charming but stylistically uniform arias from Turin in the later 18th century [CRo]
Thomas Jensen (conductor) Legacy v22 (Danacord)
Discography expansion in the work of Thomas Jensen [JW]
State Fair and the 20th Century-Fox Songbook (Dutton)
A celebration of great Hollywood musicals of the 40’s & 50’s performed with stunning style, sophistication and pizzazz [NB]
Recording British Music (Vocalion Books)
A ready source of rare information, insight and record – and a great read [GHu]
Monteverdi: Madrigals (Naïve)
(Déjà Review) A glorious, theatrical recording of Monteverdi’s final collection of madrigals [GPu]
Mozart: Piano Concertos (Bridge)
(Déjà Review) Excellent retrieval work from Bridge, whose commitment to Balsam has been of long standing and great worth [JW]
The Golden Age of Hollywood – recital (Quartz)
A fascinating collection of mostly little-known violin works [GF]
