Huw Montague Rendall (baritone): Contemplation (Erato)
Superb, sensuous, subtle singing from a highly gifted British lyric baritone [RMo]
Reinecke: Symphony No 2 (cpo)
Well-played, attractive but ultimately anonymous music [NB]
Mahler: Symphony No 7 (NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester)
Acclaim for Mahler in Hamburg [PH]
Krenek, Gál & Penderecki: Serenade For Clarinet & Strings (AVI-Music)
Convincing exploration of three rare, rewarding works [JF]
Iverson: Playfair Sonatas (Urlicht AudioVisual)
Iverson achieves his aim of creating new and exciting, innovative music at the boundaries between classical and jazz styles [KT]
Bruckner: From the Archives Vol 4 (SOMM Ariadne)
A very welcome further installment in this significant historical Bruckner series [JQ]
Block: Chamber Works (Chandos)
Another laudable composer emerges in the ‘Music in Exile’ series [JW]
Telemann: Six Concertos for Two Flutes (MSR Classics)
(Déjà Review) Lovers of the baroque flute and “Telemaniacs” will wish to investigate these well-played world premières [PCW]
Awakenings (Avi-Music)
The most exciting vocal recital disc I’ve heard in a long while [JQ]
Doráti & Seiber: Orchestral works (Hänssler Classic)
Rarely heard and recorded works, played with commitment and empathy [HC]
Evening Songs (Pentatone)
Varied and contrasting Czech song cycles that resist the lure of the crepuscular [JW]
Vaughan Williams: An Oxford Christmas (Albion Records)
Favourite carols in new guises and hidden gems, in an enjoyable account [JF]
Christmas with The Bevan Family Consort (Signum Classics)
A thoroughly enjoyable seasonal collection [WH]
The Palacio Songbook – Music for three voices & lute (Glossa)
Wonderful repertoire, and the performances could not be any better [JV]
Claudio Arrau (piano) Live Vol 2 (Doremi)
Arrau in blistering form in this romantic repertoire [RCh]
Schubert: Die schöne Müllerin (Atma Classique)
One of the freshest and most uplifting interpretations I have come across for a very long time [GF]
From Venice to Berlin: Baroque trio sonatas (Da Vinci Classics)
Each of the sonatas performed here is a treasure; Intarsio Armonico are outstanding players of this repertoire [JV]
Prokofiev: Piano Concertos Nos 2 & 3, Piano Sonata No 7 (Orchid Classics)
Superb Prokofiev from Goodyear and Litton [MBu]
Britten: The Prince of the Pagodas (Hallé)
The first recording of Britten’s complete balletic masterpiece in over 30 years [EJW]
Holst at 150. A Brass Celebration (World of Brass)
This CD illustrates how well Holst’s music works for the brass band medium [KT]
Alfred Brendel (piano): The 1950s SPA Recordings (APR)
These pioneering and wonderfully executed performances are a valuable addition to Brendel’s discography (RCh)
Puccini: Turandot (Pristine Audio)
Yet another classic opera recording given new lustre by Pristine’s remastering [RMo]
Pergament: Vol. 1 – A Musical Miscellany (Toccata Classics)
Authoritative premiere recordings of a semi-forgotten Jewish-Lithuanian-Swedish composer [JW]
Holmboe: Symphonies Nos 1, 3 and 10 (BIS)
(Déjà Review) Superbly cogent works performed with stunning intelligence, tonal blend, sectional discipline and conductorly flair [JW]
 |
 |
 |
Featured Naxos review |
 |
 |
 |
 |
