Beethoven Symphonies 4 and 8 Somm

Beethoven: Symphonies Vol. 5 (SOMM)

Scharwenka’s fine arrangements of these sunny, playful symphonies are superbly played [TMS]

Mandora Lute Pan

Mandora: The Lute of the Monasteries (Pan Classics)

An interesting survey of music for a little-known instrument [JV]

prokofiev shor alpha

Prokofiev and Shor: Piano Concertos (Alpha Classics)

An interesting and attractive coupling [PH]

Parant del Campo Brilliant Classics

Parant: Premier Livre de Pièces de Clavecin (Brilliant Classics)

An entertaining disc of music from around the start of the decline of the French harpsichord tradition [GPu]

Strauss Arabella Naxos

R Strauss: Arabella (Naxos)

A disappointing version of a disappointing work [SB]

Indomita Buratto Pentatone

Eleonora Buratto: Indomita (Pentatone)

A thrilling programme and a valuable calling card for the art of Eleonora Buratto [GF]

Munch RCA

Charles Munch (conductor) Saint-Saëns ‘Organ’ Symphony etc (RCA)

(Déjà Review) Thrilling stuff [CH]

Scharwenka: Symphony in C minor (Sterling)

(Déjà Review) Resolute in character, with a slight Russian accent and the regal/pastoral tendencies of Dvořák [RB]

roctet

Respighi, Loevendie and Enescu: String Octets (Challenge Classics)

The Respighi is a delightful discovery, but I’m less convinced by the others [DJB]

greene jephtha chandos

Greene: Jephtha (Chandos)

Maurice Greene’s accomplished, perceptive early English oratorio on disc at last, in an excellent performance [JW]

pettersson symphonies dorati

Pettersson: Symphonies 7 and 10 (Antal Doráti Society)

Pioneering versions of this controversial Swedish composer [SB]

binns piano concertos crq editions

Malcolm Binns (piano) Homage to a great British pianist (CRQ Editions)

A tribute to Malcolm Binns with his complete recordings for World Record Club [PH]

brahms bach orch schoenberg warner

Brahms & Bach orch. Schoenberg (Warner Classics)

A decent Brahms quintet, a first-class St. Anne [SV]

rachmaninov piano sonatas naxos

Rachmaninov: Piano Sonatas 1 & 2 (Naxos)

One for the growing shortlist of the best recordings of the two sonatas [RWe]

myaskovsky weinberg violin concertos naxos.j

Myaskovsky & Weinberg: Violin Concertos (Naxos)

(Déjà Review) A gem of a disc [DS]

Schubert: Impromptus (Apex)

(Déjà Review) Leonskaja is an artist of the front rank and her interpretations have their own validity and abundant strengths [TB]

saeverud toch dorati

Sæverud & Toch: Symphonies (Antal Doráti Society)

New symphonies from the 1950s, live in Minneapolis in Doráti-led performances [JW]

Americanos (Lindoro)

An engaging album of mostly unfamiliar music, well played and recorded [GPu]

Shostakovich: Symphonies 4-6 (Decca)

Compellingly truthful performances of a triptych of Shostakovich symphonies [AG]

Puccini: Tosca (Deutsche Grammophon)

The best Tosca released in the past half-century [GF]

Samsara – Schumann & Fauré (Alpha Classics)

An absorbing and enterprising programme, impeccably performed by a stellar partnership [RMo]

Telemann: Gulliver’s Travels (Christophorus)

Telemann as a master of counterpoint [JV]

Medtner: Goethe Lieder (Chandos)

(Déjà Review) Works of the most eloquent melodic and lyric faculty superbly presented [RB]

Rameau: Castor et Pollux (Naxos)

(Déjà Review) A good place to start if you do not know Rameau’s fascinating operas [RH]