Neeme Järvi (conductor) Great Maestros (Estonian Record Productions)
An oddly imbalanced double bill, with an enjoyable Brahms Requiem and some unbearably rushed Bruckner [RMo]
The English Tenor (Divine Art)
An enjoyable recital by a newcomer to the field of English Art Song [EJW]
Kõrvits: The Sound of Wings (Ondine)
A beautiful new work from Estonia which will add to the growing reputation of the composer [PCG]
Liszt: Faust Symphony (Audite)
Another superb Liszt performance by the Staatskapelle Weimar with Kirill Karabits [JWe]
Cras: Piano Works (Timpani)
(Déjà Review) Folk-like simplicity redolent of folk song … a beautifully atmospheric seascape [HC]
Bach: Trio Sonatas (BIS)
(Déjà Review) New worlds of feeling in music that is certainly familiar [KM]
Gyrowetz: Flute Quartets (cpo)
Solid Classical construction, and occasionally more [SV]
Debussy: C’est l’extase, La mer (Alpha Classics)
The orchestrated Verlaine songs are delightful, La mer merely decent [SB]
Russian Violin Concertos (Pentatone)
A worthy reissue of fine accounts in an unusual coupling [RWe]
Shostakovich: Symphony No.14 (Chandos)
The best yet in Storgårds’s developing cycle [DMD]
H Koppel: Composer and Pianist Volume 7 (Danacord)
Volume 7 of the Koppel series, finally here, shows the composer’s two sides [JW]
Estrellita (Orchid Classics)
The album works equally well for close listening and as agreeable background music late at night [GF]
Woolrich: The Ghost in the Machine (NMC)
(Déjà Review) Woolrich definitely has things to say and knows how to say them in the musically most satisfying way [HC]
Verdi: Falstaff (Warner Classics)
(Déjà Review) Truly one of the ‘Great Recordings of the Century’ [CF]
Brahms: Violin Sonatas (Hänssler Classic)
Worthy accounts of the Brahms violin sonatas on period instruments [MC]
Cordelia Williams (piano): Cascade (SOMM Recordings)
A fine recital of miniature masterpieces [DC]
d’Ambrosio: Works for String Quartet & Quintet (Tactus)
Premiere recordings of Alfredo d’Ambrosio’s ever-vernal charmers [JW]
Leningrad String Quartets (Northern Flowers)
Four largely unknown Leningrad quartets in committed performances [RB]
Jonathan Tetelman (tenor) The Great Puccini (DG)
A star Is born! Let’s hope he will resist overexposure [GF]
Tchaikovsky: Symphonies & Overtures (Warner Classics)
Slava’s unjustly overlooked early Tchaikovsky symphony cycle reissued in fine sound [LD]
Dvořák: Symphonies 8 & 9 (Philips)
(Déjà Review) Fischer and his colleagues enter a very competitive field and offer extremely fine versions of both symphonies which must now be counted among the best available [JQ]
Langgaard: Symphonies No.6, 7 & 8 (Dacapo)
(Déjà Review) Langgaard was the true heir of Wagner and Strauss [TB]
Verdi: Requiem (C major)
A superb performance of a work Karajan often conducted, with fine soloists [RWe]
Schubert: Winterreise (SOMM Recordings)
A fine centenary tribute to a distinguished British singer [JQ]
