Puccini: Manon Lescaut (Pristine Audio)
A so-so “classic” recording [RMas]
Palimpsest: New Works from Old for Saxophone and Choir (Signum Classics)
Provocative and substantial listening fare. No dearth of grace or awe [RB]
Hellstenius: Past & Presence (Lawo Classics)
A compelling concerto is the standout from this splendidly performed and recorded monograph [RHa]
Finnish Piano Works (Hänssler Classic)
Richly evocative music that rewards repeated listening [RCh]
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos 13, 14 & 30 (Deutsche Grammophon)
(Déjà Review) This is a truly awe-inspiring offering from Pires which acts as a reminder of what a truly unique and inspiring musician she is [CC]
T Kirchner: Piano Music (Blue Griffin)
A valiant investment in Kirchner’s civilised music … very much of the Germanic romantic 19th century [RB]
Luminos (Métier)
Interesting exploration of less well-known clarinet and piano repertoire [JF]
Phases (Musica Solis)
Impeccably performed easy-listening entertainment in the best sense of those words, but the playing time could have been more generous [GF]
amrwd (Tŷ Cerdd)
Delightful traditional numbers, performed with skill and imagination by these two fine Welsh musicians [GPJ]
Cherubini: Medea (Pristine Audio)
Pristine’s revitalising of the sound here goes a long way towards countering any criticism of Callas’ sole studio recording of Medea [RMo]
Karl Eliasberg (conductor): Schumann & Berlioz (Maestro Editions)
New light on a largely forgotten conductor – and in better sound than previously thought [RMay]
Mer(s) (Appassionato)
Well-played performances hampered by a claustrophobic recording [NB]
Telemann: Flute Concertos (Warner Classics)
(Déjà Review) An absolute winner – a delightful sense of collegial give and take [KS]
Alexander Chance (alto): Drop not, mine eyes (Linn Records)
Chance is a foremost representative of his generation in the falsetto range [JV]
Raff, Schreck, Jadassohn: Wind Serenades (cpo)
A delightful hour spent in the company of these three works [DJB]
The Gesualdo Six (ensemble): Morning Star (Hyperion)
A notable musical celebration of the Feast of the Epiphany [JQ]
A Romberg: Das Lied von der Glocke (Hänssler Classic)
A most joyously agreeable introduction to Romberg and his inspirations [RB]
Anders Paulsson (soprano saxophone): Solitary Poems for Soprano Saxophone (BIS)
Beautiful, approachable contemporary music showcases the craft of a wonderful saxophonist [MB]
Mozart: Requiem (ICA Classics)
A Mozart Requiem which need not detain us … [RMo]
Hungarian Dances and the Hungarian Tradition (Naxos)
A delight – puts a smile on your face and a sense of joy and beauty in your heart [MMB]
Suk: Chamber Works Volume 3 (Supraphon)
(Déjà Review) One of the most enjoyable discs I have heard for a long while [CF]
Bruckner: Symphony No. 1 (Gramola)
Ballot completes his survey of Bruckner’s symphonies with another highly individual reading employing daringly extended tempi [RMo]
Chilcott: Christmas Oratorio (Delphian)
Immediately attractive music for the festive season [WH]
Corelli: Corellimania (OUR Recordings)
An excellent disc of baroque chamber music, even if in one or two cases the link to the craze for Corelli is a little tenuous [GPu]
