Mussorgsky 866054748

Mussorgsky: Sorochintsï Fair & Salammbô Suite (Naxos)

A completely convincing account of a rarely performed opera in a new orchestration for chamber orchestra [MP]

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Musica Instrumentalis Imperialis – Festive Sonatas from Imperial Vienna (cpo)

Impressive playing of natural trumpets [JV]

Monk HyperionCDA68447

A monk’s life (Hyperion)

The Brabant Ensemble chart a pathway to the monastic way of life to memorable effect [PH]

schoenberg unheard pristine.

Schoenberg: Unheard Recordings (Pristine Audio)

An important archive release [JQ]

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Mahler: Symphony No. 2 (Conifer Classics)

A beautifully performed and recorded account in which everything is done right [RMo]

golden thread APL53561

Golden Thread – The Art of Piano Transcription (Acis Productions)

An interesting collection of transcriptions let down by lacklustre playing [RCh]

J S Bach: Organ Works (Danacord)

(Déjà Review) I find these performances sure and faultless [GH]

Gershwin Apex256460818

Gershwin: Orchestral works (Apex)

(Déjà Review) There may well be superior recordings of each piece, but as a whole it would be difficult to best this album [PG]

Taylor Orchestral v2 BBCNOW Toccata TOCC0708

Taylor: Orchestral Music Vol. 2 (Toccata Classics)

A fine survey of Matthew Taylor’s recent orchestral output [HC]

Kverndokk A Desperate Light LAWO LWC1359

Kverndokk: A Desperate Light, Orchestral Works (LAWO Classics)

Imaginative sources of inspiration enable Kverndokk to compose engaging and accessible narrative music for this CD [KT]

Ansermet Faure Requiem Orch Suites PASC728

Ernest Ansermet (conductor): Fauré Requiem, Orchestral Suites (Pristine Audio)

Historical recordings in excellent remastered sound that belies its considerable age [GF]

BPO and Seiji Ozawa Berliner Philharmoniker BPHR240431

The Berliner Philharmoniker and Seiji Ozawa (Berliner Philharmoniker Recordings)

A great orchestra pays its tribute to a much loved conductor [PHa]

Building Castles Delphian DCD34327

Building Castles – New Music for New Audiences (Delphian)

A varied and thoroughly enjoyable showcase of Scottish musical talent [WH]

Kaleidoscope Contemporary Female Grand Piano GP944

Kaleidoscope – Contemporary Piano Music by Female Composers from Around the World (Grand Piano)

A varied collection of piano pieces by contemporary female composers, performed with passion and brilliance [GH]

Deja Volans SQ-1-2-6 Duke Black Box BBM1069

Volans: String Quartets Nos 1, 2 & 6 (Black Box)

(Déjà Review) The instrumental combinations and sonorities make for compelling listening [TB]

Deja Xenakis Works for Large Orch v3 Timpani 1C1068

Xenakis: Works for Large Orchestra, Vol 3 (Timpani)

(Déjà Review) The constants that characterise him are the hallmark of a great composer. One can also hear the torment, the contradictory side of the creative impulse [TH]

Sartorius museum CD13068

Sartorius & Stadlmayr: Sacred Works (Musikmuseum)

Music from Innsbruck around 1600 performed by an excellent group of singers and players [JV]

enna symphony dacapo

Enna: Violin Concerto & Symphony (Dacapo)

Well-crafted and attractive music written in a conservative manner, beautifully played [NB]

yule 2l

YULE (2L)

Not a ‘sing-along’ album, but richly suffused with the spirit of Yule [DC]

vivaldi sonata snakewood

Vivaldi: Violin Sonata (Snakewood)

The discovery of this piece is as exciting as the piece itself and the way it is performed [JV]

bischoff fragile nso

So Fragile, So Blue (National Symphony Orchestra)

From Canadian waterways to a sub-orbital space flight, nature’s fragility is explored by the irrepressible William Shatner [JW]

bruckner symphony pristine

Bruckner: Symphony 8 (Pristine Audio)

A wild, driven performance which oozes personality and conviction, now cleaned up to an unprecedentedly high standard [RMo]

baines moeran piano lyrita

Baines & Moeran: Piano Music (Lyrita)

(Déjà Review) Essential listening for all enthusiasts of British piano music [JF]

beethoven piano concertos deutsche grammophon

Beethoven: Piano Concertos (Deutsche Grammphon)

(Déjà Review) Lang Lang’s sparkling playing and considerable insights make for joyous listening [MC]