Tippett: Piano Concerto & Symphony No 2 (LPO)

British works you should know from a conductor establishing a reputation as a master of the genre [PH]

Vaughan Williams: Carols from Herefordshire (Albion Records)

Vaughan-Williams’s two versions of carols collected in Herefordshire in the early twentieth century [GH]

Riisager: Ballet Music (Dacapo)

(Déjà Review) Brilliantly orchestrated and balanced – moving forward in a blizzard of detail; the very antithesis of drab [RB]

Telemann: Don Quixote Suite (Naxos)

(Déjà Review) Pure delight, this. Buy it [KS] – Thoroughly enjoyable fare. This is a most approachable coupling. [CC] 

Errer avalune claves

Thomazeau/Baudimant: Errer (Claves)

Smoothly arranged, expertly performed, yet utterly saccharine, stumbling awkwardly into New Age territory [RHa]

Kolisch Quartet: Mozart, Schubert & Schumann (Biddulph)

Fine transfers of the Kolisch Quartet’s 1930s discography [JW]

Crumb v21 Bridge9592

Crumb: Complete Crumb Edition Vol 21 (Bridge Records)

An important document of Crumb’s artistic journey in spectacular sound [MBu]

kreisler american rhine

Fritz Kreisler (violin/piano) American Portrait (Rhine Classics)

Of limited interest to Kreisler collectors [SG]

Rameau_light 88843082572

Rameau: The Sound of Light (Sony Classical)

Put aside preconceptions of “authenticity” and enjoy this for what it is – a celebration of some of Rameau’s most appealing music [RMo]

raff samson schweizer

Raff: Samson (Schweizer Fonogramm)

An operatic discovery which delivers a musical and dramatic feast despite some deeply flawed vocal performances [MP]

Mozart sonatas 2564605212 1

Mozart: Fantasias & Sonatas (Apex)

Absolutely first-rate Mozart keyboard playing [PSh]

Hoffmann chamber cpo9993092

Hoffmann: Chamber Music (cpo)

Be surprised by the restraint and elegance of Hoffmann’s chamber music [DS]

Dvorak Symphs 7 8 9 Bychkov Pentatone PTC51872162

Dvořák: Symphonies Nos 7-9 (Pentatone)

An attractive package [JQ]

Howells qt3 SOMMCD0692

Howells & Wood: String Quartets (SOMM Recordings)

Splendid performances of an early version of a Howells quartet and a jaunty, attractive work by Charles Wood [JW]

Kings Singers Close Harmony Signum SIGCD912

The King’s Singers: Close Harmony (Signum Classics)

I recommend this issue with all possible enthusiasm [GF]

Farrenc Piano Works v3 Grand Piano GP942

Farrenc: Complete Piano Works, Vol 3 (Grand Piano)

Maria Stratigou is winning once more in this third volume of Farrenc’s complete piano music [RCh]

Waley-Cohen Spell Book NMC D284

Waley-Cohen: Spell Book (NMC)

Double, double toil and trouble – a witches’ brew from Freya Waley-Cohen [PH]

From-The-Americas-v1-Venezuela-Onyx-4251

Venezuela! Music from the Americas I (Onyx)

A great CD, with a range demonstrating the worldwide appeal of classical music [KT]

Deja Review Skempton Piano Works Sony SMK89617

Skempton: Piano works (Sony Classical)

A lovely disc of an under-rated British composer’s music, superbly played and recorded [NH]

Deja Review Holmboe Symphs 4-5 BIS CD572

Holmboe: Symphonies Nos 4 and 5 (BIS)

(Déjà Review) Densely coiled and symphonically argued with the highest of skill … charts a grim and determined course [JW]

gipps oboe chandos

Gipps: Piper of Dreams (Chandos)

Wonderful playing in an essential addition to the Gipps discography [WK]

Fremosa songs FL72423

Mia Yrmana Fremosa: Medieval woman’s songs of love and pain (Fineline)

An unusual collection of early medieval songs from the female perspective, performed by a versatile trio of women [GH]

Why we need the Sir Arnold Bax Society

by Richard R Adams

Simon symphonic NSO0018

Simon: 4 Symphonic Works (National Symphony Orchestra)

A stimulating and enjoyable album [JQ]