room trios chandos

A Room of Her Own (Chandos)

A handful of unfailingly accomplished, virtually unknown trios, in handsome performances and ideal sound [RHa]

Kaleidoscope roman ARS38757

Kaleidoscope (Ars Produktion)

Some dazzling playing and wonderful rarities to be found in this engaging recital [RCh]

Strauss pianoqtet LBM060

Strauss: Metamorphosen, Piano Quartet (B Records)

An accomplished, early Strauss chamber work of mild interest and a tender, carefully wrought, but slightly too cautious Metamorphosen [RMo]

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R Strauss: Intermezzo (Warner Classics)

The only studio recording of Strauss’s biographical opera is a complete winner on all front [MP]

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La Caramba (Winter & Winter)

A fascinating disc, both for the enjoyable music it contains and for the cultural history which underlies it [GPu]

Fathom five DACOCD607

Full Fathom Five (Danacord)

Altogether a pleasurable experience [RB]

faure songs hyperion

Fauré: Complete Songs Vol. 2 (Hyperion)

(Déjà Review) This disc has given me enormous pleasure and will continue to do so [JQ]

janacek katya kabanova lso live

Janáček: Káťa Kabanová (LSO Live)

A good cast and excellent sound are featured on Rattle’s challenge to the Mackerras hegemony [MP]

Sibelius Tone Poems Malkki Helsinki BIS 2638 SACD

Sibelius: Lemminkäinen Legends, Rakastava & Karelia Suite (BIS)

Fine performances, presented in exemplary sound [JQ]

Goossens Cincinnati Symphony v3 Pristine PASC712

Eugene Goossens (conductor) – Cincinnati Symphony, Vol 3 (Pristine Audio)

Goossens’ final Cincinnati recordings complete a worthwhile 3-CD series [JW]

Legende von Lerber Harp Claves CD503048

Légende – Solo harp works (Claves)

A consistently engaging anthology of ‘romantic’ music for solo harp, all perceptively played [GPu]

Schumann Wind Instruments B Records L'Estran LBM058

Schumann: Chamber works with wind instruments (B Records)

Minor Schumann, but very pleasant listening [SB]

Bax SQ 1&2 Maggini Naxos 8555282

Bax: String Quartets Nos 1 & 2 (Naxos)

(Déjà Review) You must hear this! One of 2001’s top ten classical discs. Roll on the Naxos/Maggini Third Quartet – a work of symphonic impact and scale [RB]

Popes and Antipopes Metronome METCD1008

Popes and Antipopes (Metronome)

(Déjà Review) There were times listening to this deeply impressive recording when I wondered whether the Orlando Consort were not, after all, the greatest ensemble of its kind anywhere. It’s that kind of disc [JW]

vaughan williams birthday garland somm

Vaughan Williams – A Birthday Garland (SOMM Recordings)

A fine representative collection; no more rustic accents, please [JW]

tennstedt biography

Klaus Tennstedt: Possessed by Music

Like Klaus Tennstedt himself, Georg Wübbolt’s biography is flawed, but fascinating [NC]

wagner rheingold pristine

Wagner: Das Rheingold (Pristine Audio)

A great performance revitalised in extraordinarily vivid sound – another Pristine remastering triumph [RMo]

tartini diavolo violin signum

Tartini: Violin Sonatas (Signum Classics)

Chandler fully explores the lyrical qualities of Tartini’s sonatas [JV]

PAX 2L

PAX (2L)

Beautifully recorded new choral music with a message [DC]

stamitz cello claves

C Stamitz: Cello Concertos (Claves)

(Déjà Review) Wonderfully wrought works, full of catchy, instantly memorable melody and magnificently harmonious [TM]

tchaikovsky rachmaninov trios bis

Tchaikovsky & Rachmaninov: Piano Trios (BIS)

(Déjà Review) Playing of great intelligence, intellectual rigour and keen spontaneity [TH]

spyres shadows erato

Michael Spyres (tenor) In The Shadows (Erato)

I enjoyed some unhackneyed repertoire and the marvellous singing [GF]

Samuel Barber: His Life and Legacy (University of Illinois Press)

A first class study, well worth tracking down [SG]

Interconexiones – recital (Oboe Classics)

Contemporary Spanish-focused oboe quartets in a range of styles [JW]