Italian Clarinet Suites (Naxos)
(Déjà Review) Interesting music from largely unfamiliar names [GPu]
Brahms arr. Joachim: Hungarian Dances (Nimbus)
(Déjà Review) Surprises of this kind can’t come along too often [JW]
Schumann: Piano Music (Signum Classics)
A mixed bag of Schumann [RMas]
Garro: Choral Music (Hyperion)
Cupertinos capture our attention in excellent performances of the music of a neglected composer [DHa]
Martin: Chamber Music (MDG)
Frank Martin’s most important chamber works on one disc, a must for his admirers [HC]
Alkan: Organ Music (Signum Records)
A veritable feast of excellent romantic organ music [DC]
Verdi: Simon Boccanegra (Prima Classic)
A one-dimensional Boccanegra, no match for Abbado’s classic [ST]
Thomas Beecham (conductor): The Complete Acoustics (Pristine Audio)
An important set – for the academic rather than the general audience [PSt]
Smith: The Girl from the French Fort (Métier)
An enchanting fantasy narration for children 4 to 94 [PH]
Glass: Etudes No.1-10 (Navona Records)
A little too percussive for my liking [DJB]
John Williams (guitar): The Beginning of a Legend Volume 1 (IDIS)
(Déjà Review) An important historical recording [ZT]
The 18th Century American Overture (Naxos)
(Déjà Review) A recording that generates a contented smile [JS]
Herbert von Karajan Live in Berlin, 1970–1979 (Berliner Philharmoniker)
An important survey of one of the great partnerships of the 20th century at its peak [DHa]
Alexander Gibson (conductor): Opening the Doors (Warner)
Celebrating a Centenary so auld acquaintance should ne’er be forgot [PH]
Kullak: Piano Works (Naxos)
Winning performances of music from a mostly forgotten but undeniably inventive composer [RCh]
Brambach: Complete Piano Quartets & Piano Sextet (cpo)
Brambach receives his first recordings with these well-crafted works [DJB]
Verdi: La traviata (Warner Classics)
(Déjà Review) An excellent bargain which competes with the very best versions on record [DBe]
Toldra, Casals & Montsalvatge: Music for String Orchestra (Nimbus)
(Déjà Review) An original and completely unhackneyed collection of Catalan music for string orchestra [RB]
Grinholc: Gloria in Excelsis Deo (Acte Préalable)
A modern, melodic ‘Gloria in Excelsis Deo’ in a commemorative recording at the 600th anniversary of Ełk [EJW]
Schuback: Brockes-Passion (cpo)
A major discovery, which deserves to be treated on equal footing with the better-known versions of Telemann and Handel [JV]
Richard Strauss: Electra (Chandos)
An orchestrally fine Elektra, but the singing is not up to scratch [ST]
Charles Munch (conductor) A Treasury of French Music (West Hill Radio Archives)
There’s something here even for those with an extensive collection of Munch’s recordings [JW]
Herbert von Karajan Live in Berlin, 1970–1979 (Berliner Philharmoniker)
A fascinating, marvellously presented anthology [JQ]
Tippett: Ritual Dances & Sosostris’s Aria (Nimbus)
The first and brilliant fruit of Nimbus’s joint project with the 84 year old composer [RB]
