Elgar: Violin Concerto (Rubicon)
Love, passion, heartbreak and reconciliation – everything you want from Elgar at his best [DC]
Frederick Ashton’s La fille mal gardée (Opus Arte)
Perhaps not quite perfect, but still a delight [RMay]
Her Symphonic Voice: Live in Concert (Albany)
A thoroughly enjoyable and varied program of works by a quartet of composers spanning 120 years. [ACG]
Karl Richter (conductor): The Complete Teldec & Ducretet-Thomson Recordings (Warner)
Exquisite musicianship: Baroque and Classical repertoire by a radical reformer [DF]
Hiller: Symphonies (cpo)
A pair of surprising and rousing symphonies from a little-known source [DC]
Aigul Akhmetshina (mezzo-soprano): Mujer Fatal (Decca)
A very welcome addition to the catalogue [MP]
Dvořák: Symphony 9 (Reference Recordings)
Two highly contrasting orchestral pieces in stellar performances and sound [JQ]
Marx: Chamber Music vol.1 (Naxos)
The first volume of a useful series, with competent if not compelling performances [NB]
Dvořák, Mendelssohn & E Hartmann: Wind Serenades (MDG)
(Déjà Review) A programme of thoroughly enjoyable music [JS]
That’s Entertainment (Warner Classics)
(Déjà Review) Fans of those spectacular MGM musicals shouldn’t hesitate [IL]
Shostakovich: Piano Concertos & Solo Works (Deutsche Grammophon)
Yuja Wang’s quicksilver character and lyrical poise in Shostakovich [CAE]
Taneyev: Complete Trios (Northern Flowers)
Magisterial performances and unique understanding of the composer: unequaled [WK]
Saariaho: Saarikoski Songs, Vista & Three Preludes (Ondine)
A level of lushness, wistfulness, and emotional intensity places these works among Saariaho’s best [ACG]
Bloch: Violin Sonatas, Baal Shem (Naxos)
Remarkably wide-ranging repertoire, performed with passion and skill [NB]
Sergey Rachmaninov (piano) Solo Recordings Vol. 2 (Naxos)
(Déjà Review) A disc to cherish, a truly glorious experience [SA]
Yun Kyong Kim (organ): Of Another Time (MSR Classics)
(Déjà Review) A programme lovingly compiled and played, excellently recorded [JS]
CPE Bach: Cello Concertos (Channel Classics)
Impressive stuff with an individual approach from the soloist [DC]
Lizée: ZonelyHearts (Centrediscs)
A fascinating exhibition of Nicole Lizée’s audiovisual world [DHa]
Machaut: Sacred Choral works (Delos)
Sacred and secular works, given here in a very particular performance style [GH]
Dmytro Choni (piano) Heartlands (Naïve)
Marvellous performances by an outstanding young pianist [PBW]
Pärt: The Music for Organ (Nimbus)
Bowyer gives yet more virtually irreproachable performances [Byz]
Maria Forsström (contralto) Kaleidoscope (Musica Rediviva)
A varied and fascinating and superbly executed disc [GF]
Busoni: Works for Piano (Nimbus Records)
A highly enjoyable Busoni recital from Martin Jones [DHa]
Noël in the Musiikkitalo (Toccata Next)
Lehtola illuminates seven contrasting Christmas visions [JF]
