The Balkan Piano Vol 1 (Toccata Classics)
Fabulous music, a worthy champion [SA]
Howells & Wood: String Quartets (SOMM Recordings)
Contrasting works by pupil and teacher in an intelligent, interesting programme [NB]
Jésus Léon (tenor & guitar): Passione (Rubicon)
A mix of well-known and unhackneyed songs, first class playing and agreeable singing [GF]
Dvořák: Symphony No 9, American Suite (Erato)
A mightily impressive debut recording from Stutzmann in Atlanta [RMo]
Schumann: Lied Edition (Berlin Classics)
Classic performances from Schreier and Shetler [RMas]
Elgar: Overtures (Chandos)
A much-admired Elgar Overtures disc still sounds resplendent [JW]
Hat Trick (flute, viola and harp trio): Big Sky (Bridge Records)
Richness of musical colour and tone, virtuosic playing and a well-chosen programme make this a delightful CD [KT]
Janáček: The Eternal Gospel & other orchestral works (Hyperion)
All Janáček fans should be acquiring this without delay as should those as yet unconverted [ED]
Splendid Tears: Settings of Alfred, Lord Tennyson (EM Records)
Uneven performances of two British song cycles but there’s a world première of another [JW]
Saxton: Orchestral Works (Nimbus Records)
Robert Saxton’s two recent substantial works, well played and recorded [HC]
Martin: Symphonies (Chandos)
A welcome reissue of Martin orchestral works [LW]
Bartók: The Miraculous Mandarin Suite and String Quartet No 3 (The Cleveland Orchestra)
Stunning playing reveals there’s more to the Mandarin than brutality [DMD]
Langgaard: Antikrist (Naxos)
Langgaard’s richly iconoclastic opera undermined and subverted by an over-rich iconoclastic staging [PCG]
Emily Sun (violin): Film Fantasia (ABC Classic)
Glorious works, born of the cinema but perfect for the concert hall [PRJ]
Ponchielli: La Gioconda (Pristine Audio)
Pristine’s splendid enhancement of this recording into Ambient Stereo further minimises the differences between this and Callas’ recording seven years later [RMo]
Schumann: Symphonies Nos 1-4 (Sony Classical)
(Déjà Review) Unassuming, confident, middle of the road performances very well recorded [RB]
Borgstrøm: Symphonic Poems (cpo)
Cosmic space and Jesus – two tone poems from the baffling Hjalmar Borgstrøm [JW]
Puccini: Madama Butterfly (Pristine Audio)
De los Ángeles is a winning Butterfly in this classic set, now reissued by Pristine [PT]
Strohl: Songs (La Boîte à Pépites)
Many fine songs, all presented in first-rate performances [JQ]
Madeleine de Valmaléte & Monique Haas (piano) The Swiss Piano Recitals (Meloclassic)
It is wonderful to hear these pianists who have been undeservedly forgotten and in new works to their discography [RCh]
Penderecki: Paradise Lost (Dux)
A valuable Penderecki rediscovery undermined by problems of preparation and presentation [PCG]
Pierrot Portraits (Onyx)
Ensemble 360 and Claire Booth bring Pierrot to life on this superb disc [PTh]
Handel: Arias (Linn)
(Déjà Review) I will treasure this disc as a record of a fine singer at a wonderful peak in her career [RH]
Williams: Songs (Naxos)
A most welcome addition to the catalogue [PCG]
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