Holst: The Planets (piano 4 hands) & Bowen: Piano Suites (Nimbus)
Utterly sympathetic and inspired [JF]
Frank: Conquest Requiem & Estévez: Cantata Criolla (Naxos)
Music I was surprised not to enjoy more [NB]
Italian Perspectives (Pentatone)
An intelligent combination of Respighi-related works, given good performances [DJB]
Missa Aedis Christi (Convivium Records)
A worthwhile collection of new choral music [SB]
Elgar: From the Archives Vol 2, Cello & Violin Concertos (SOMM)
Presenting Navarra’s known strengths and adding Varga’s now forgotten qualities [JW]
Mahler: Symphony 10 (High Definition Tape Transfers)
A hard-driven performance which takes no prisoners [RMo]
Charpentier: Actéon (cpo)
(Déjà Review) Lively performances of three compositions which show Charpentier’s theatrical instincts [JV]
Haydn: Organ Concertos (Challenge Classics)
(Déjà Review) A very welcome release indeed [DC]
Kirnberger: Sinfonias (Hänssler Classic)
Galant-era symphonies from a student of Bach; pleasant company, but no more [DJB]
Weiner: Complete Works for Orchestra Volume 4 (Naxos)
An attractive and well planned programme of music by an amiable composer [NB]
Alexander Ffinch (organ): Expectations (Divine Art)
From macabre midnight to hopeful dawn [JF]
Mahler: Symphony No. 10 (Sony Classical)
Beautifully played and wholly coherent, this first commercial recording still deserves a place in every Mahlerian’s collection [RMo]
D’Agincour: Pièces de Clavecin (Brilliant Classics)
The best possible case for the unjustly neglected D’Agincour [JV]
Music for Woodwind Orchestra (Divine Art)
Music and performances that bubble like good Bohemian Sekt [NB]
Mendelssohn & Enescu: Octets (Erato)
Two highly contrasting Octets in superb performances [JQ]
Donizetti: Songs (Naxos)
A lively and rewarding collection of 19th century song [MP]
Chromatic Renaissance (Winter & Winter)
A fascinating disc which deserves a place in any collection of Renaissance music [JV]
Strauss: Intermezzo (Naxos)
A strikingly effective, imaginative production of Strauss’s rarely seen bourgeois comedy opera [EJW]
Handel: Arias of Love and Madness (Channel Classics)
(Déjà Review) Successfully mixes familiar and unfamiliar and performed with style, charm and a nice poignancy. What more could you want? [RH]
Trumpet Concertos by Gruber, Eötvös and Turnage (Deutsche Grammophon)
(Déjà Review) Hardenberger is a soloist without equal, cruising through bruising technical passagework as if it were Handel or Haydn [DC]
Handel: Water Music (Naïve)
(Déjà Review) Vividly realized and thoroughly entertaining performances [MG]
Glass: Music for organ (Nimbus)
(Déjà Review) Superhuman performances in a fine recording [DC]
Sacred Music in Thuringia (Da Vinci Classics)
Convincing demonstration of the depth of talent of Baroque Thuringian composers [DJB]
Ritchie: String Quartets No.1-3 (Rattle)
Fine performances of impressive music by one of New Zealand’s leading composers [NB]
