Vine: Child’s Play (Hyperion)
A wonderful introduction to the chamber music of one of the contemporary greats [PRJ]
Chamouard: Les Concertos (Indesens)
No circus displays for Chamouard [RB]
Lost American Violin Sonatas Volume 2 (Toccata Next)
Another valuable reclamation of Violin Sonatas spanning the decades from 1888 to 1944 [JW]
Orgelpunkt: Historic Organ Villanueva de Huerva (MDG)
A fine contribution to our knowledge of Spanish organs and organ music [JV]
Respighi Hindermith & Schmitt: Orchestral Music (Onyx)
(Déjà Review) For those seeking exotic and erotic thrills this can hardly fail [IL]
Pergolesi: Sacred Works (Archiv Produktion)
(Déjà Review) Subtle and beautiful … most sensitively accompanied by Abbado [GH]
Bach: Goldberg Variations (Decca)
Lim’s Carnegie Hall Goldbergs failed to engage me at all [DJB]
McCormack: Chamber music (Kairos)
Unignorable instrumental works from a leading composer [DHa]
Mahler: Symphony No 1 (Le Palais des Dégustateurs)
An erratic, unsettling account of a symphony which needs steadier, more coherent governance [RMo]
Leonkoro Quartet play Berg, Schulholff & Webern (Alpha Classics)
Leonkoro Quartet impress in works of Berg, Webern and Schulhoff [LW]
Crumb: Complete Crumb Edition Vol.15 (Bridge Records)
(Déjà Review) Superb release – atmospheric and highly original [DC]
Elgar: Violin Concerto, Polonia (Chandos)
(Déjà Review) Outstanding throughout [ST]
Dvořák: Symphonies No.7-9; Janáček: Taras Bulba (Le Palais des Dégustateurs)
Performances that rarely justify their re-release or price point [NB]
Higginson: Theme and Eight Variations for Solo Piano (Fand Music Press)
A very rewarding addition to the English piano repertoire [DJ]
Brahms: Symphonies No.3-4 (Pristine Audio)
Romantic, free-flowing accounts somewhat compromised by indifferent sound and playing [RMo]
de Hartmann: Esther (Pentatone)
The first recording of de Hartmann’s only opera, finely sung and played, in first-rate sound [EJW]
Donizetti: Maria Stuarda (C Major)
(Déjà Review) A distinguished cast in a strong production [RMK]
Easdale: Film Music (Chandos)
(Déjà Review) This present excellent CD must surely act as a catalyst for a deeper exploration of Easdale’s music [JF]
Martines: Complete Keyboard Works (Signum Classics)
This acquaintance of Haydn and Mozart deserves her time in the spotlight [DJB]
Puccini: Heroines (Pentatone)
An impressive, if not vocally perfect, recital from an experienced Puccini singer [DJa]
Shostakovich: Symphony No 2 & 5 (Chandos)
Storgårds’ more detached interpretative stance to both symphonies is valid and consistent but might be too cool for some tastes [RMo]
Saint-Saëns: Samson et Dalila & Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade (SOMM Recordings)
A fabulous live performance of Scheherazade, caught on the wing [JQ]
Canteloube: Songs of the Auvergne (Vanguard Classics)
One of the last century’s greatest recordings [RB]
Sir Thomas Beecham (conductor) Schubert, Wagner & Delius (SOMM)
The realisation of this current disc is everything the conductor’s admirers could wish for [JW]
