Briggs: Hail, gladdening Light (Hyperion)

A memorable disc [JQ]

A Scarlatti: The Cecilian Vespers (Avie)

(Déjà Review) The most exciting high baroque choral vocal music you will hear anywhere [PSh]

Rossini lago 764404

Rossini: La donna del lago (C Major)

Rossini standards held high in a new production of The Lady of the Lake [PCG]

Purcell fairy HAF890130809

Purcell: The Fairy Queen (Harmonia Mundi)

This 35-year-old recording is still a worthy competitor in a crowded field and the sound comes up as fresh as new paint [GF]

Lekeu piano PCL10289

Lekeu: Complete Piano Works (Piano Classics)

Jacopo Salvatori has truly dedicated himself to this music [WK]

Strauss helena 4786502

Strauss: Die Ägyptische Helena (Decca)

Not ideal in every respect, this recording is a fine achievement nonetheless [MP]

Goldberg sonatas ADX11203

Goldberg & WF Bach: Trio sonatas (Audax)

Brilliant performances of Goldberg’s trio sonatas and a little-known piece by WF Bach [JV]

Nature broman ABCD473 1

Recharged by Nature – Contemporary Nordic Works (Alba)

Two magnificent, distinctively folk-tinged concertos are vividly brought to life [RHa]

ad tenebras artway

Ad Tenebras (Artway Records)

New repertoire from 16th and 17th Century Portuguese liturgical music, beautifully performed [RMo]

Reich trains MO782167

Reich: Different trains, Triple Quartet, The Four Sections (Naïve)

A must-have for any serious music lover [KS]

Prokoviev Cinderella Royal Ballet Opus Arte OA1378D

Prokofiev: Cinderella (Opus Arte)

Frederick Ashton’s pioneering ballet returns to Covent Garden in a brand new production [RMay]

Shostakovich Symph 10 KSanderling ICA ICAC 5171

Shostakovich: Symphony No 10 (ICA Classics)

The Shostakovich symphony receives a performance worthy of its stature [JQ]

Puccini Symphonic Suites Rizzi Signum SIGCD778

Puccini: Symphonic Suites (Signum Classics)

Newly edited Puccini operatic suites receive glowing performances [PCG]

Nocturnes 19th C Russia Brilliant 96966

Nocturnes from 19th century Russia, Volume 1 (Brilliant Classics)

A lovely collection that explores a rich seam of often neglected music and finds some real rarities [RCh]

Enlighten Israeli Trios Meridian CDE84669

Enlighten: Israeli Piano Trios (Meridian)

Beautifully performed piano trios by composers from Central Europe who settled in Israel [GH]

A Year at Newcastle Regent REGCD582

A Year at Newcastle (Regent)

An absorbing exploration of 20th-century church music, and a few recent compositions [JF]

Verdi Macbeth Schippers Decca 4834118

Verdi: Macbeth (Decca)

A recording of power and presence, but with some really disfiguring cuts to the music [MP]

Engish Guitar Concertos Ogden Chandos CHAN9963

English Guitar Concertos (Chandos)

(Déjà Review) The strong personality of dedicatee Julian Bream is ever present, but Ogden more than rises to the task. A fine disc [AD]

Hues and Shades (recital) (Orchid Classics)

A sophisticated delight, full of subtle musicianship and expertly recorded [GPu]

Benevoli: Missa Tu es Petrus; Palestrina: Tu es Petrus; Graziani: Motets (Coro)

Benevoli’s mass is a fine specimen of Roman polychorality in the 17th century [JV]

cherubini medea pristine

Cherubini: Medea (Pristine Audio)

Callas’ stereo studio Medea gets the Pristine XR treatment [PT]

Jacobssohn fields LWC1267

Ewa Jacobsson: Hearbaricum Fields (Lawo)

The audio for a pair of audio-visual projects, one distinctive, the other less so [RHa]

Bach Sonatas Violin and Keyboard Ondine ODE1446-2D

Bach: Sonatas for Violin and Keyboard (Ondine)

Melodically rich and well-crafted works, splendidly performed [SG]

Richard Strauss Wagner Daniel Behle Prospero PROSP0072

Daniel Behle (tenor) R Strauss & Wagner (Prospero)

An important album. One which may surprise those who admire this tenor’s Mozart recordings [MP]