Felix & Fanny Mendelssohn: Choral Works (Chandos)
A full-blooded account of Mendelssohn’s weird pagan ballad, although his sister’s works will reward the curious listener in equal measure [RH]
Ponchielli: La Gioconda (Decca)
Perhaps not the finest La Gioconda recording but a deeply satisfying one nonetheless [MP]
Schubert: Winterreise (Genuin)
An imaginative and thoroughly rewarding re-working of Schbert’s Winterreise for voice, chorus and two accordions [PT]
Tcherepnin: Three generations of Chamber Works (Capriccio)
Nikolai’s quartet and Alexander’s piano quintet are the stand-out works here [SB]
A Scarlatti: The Cecilian Vespers (Avie)
(Déjà Review) The most exciting high baroque choral vocal music you will hear anywhere [PSh]
Ad Tenebras (Artway Records)
New repertoire from 16th and 17th Century Portuguese liturgical music, beautifully performed [RMo]
Recharged by Nature – Contemporary Nordic Works (Alba)
Two magnificent, distinctively folk-tinged concertos are vividly brought to life [RHa]
Goldberg & WF Bach: Trio sonatas (Audax)
Brilliant performances of Goldberg’s trio sonatas and a little-known piece by WF Bach [JV]
Strauss: Die Ägyptische Helena (Decca)
Not ideal in every respect, this recording is a fine achievement nonetheless [MP]
Lekeu: Complete Piano Works (Piano Classics)
Jacopo Salvatori has truly dedicated himself to this music [WK]
Purcell: The Fairy Queen (Harmonia Mundi)
This 35-year-old recording is still a worthy competitor in a crowded field and the sound comes up as fresh as new paint [GF]
Rossini: La donna del lago (C Major)
Rossini standards held high in a new production of The Lady of the Lake [PCG]
Reich: Different trains, Triple Quartet, The Four Sections (Naïve)
A must-have for any serious music lover [KS]
Verdi: Macbeth (Decca)
A recording of power and presence, but with some really disfiguring cuts to the music [MP]
A Year at Newcastle (Regent)
An absorbing exploration of 20th-century church music, and a few recent compositions [JF]
Enlighten: Israeli Piano Trios (Meridian)
Beautifully performed piano trios by composers from Central Europe who settled in Israel [GH]
Nocturnes from 19th century Russia, Volume 1 (Brilliant Classics)
A lovely collection that explores a rich seam of often neglected music and finds some real rarities [RCh]
Puccini: Symphonic Suites (Signum Classics)
Newly edited Puccini operatic suites receive glowing performances [PCG]
Shostakovich: Symphony No 10 (ICA Classics)
The Shostakovich symphony receives a performance worthy of its stature [JQ]
Prokofiev: Cinderella (Opus Arte)
Frederick Ashton’s pioneering ballet returns to Covent Garden in a brand new production [RMay]
English Guitar Concertos (Chandos)
(Déjà Review) The strong personality of dedicatee Julian Bream is ever present, but Ogden more than rises to the task. A fine disc [AD]
Bruckner: Symphony No 3 (Myrios Classics)
Another urgent, cohesive, thoroughly convincing account from a conductor who is a true Brucknerian [RMo]
Daniel Behle (tenor) R Strauss & Wagner (Prospero)
An important album. One which may surprise those who admire this tenor’s Mozart recordings [MP]
Bach: Sonatas for Violin and Keyboard (Ondine)
Melodically rich and well-crafted works, splendidly performed [SG]
