D Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonatas (Harmonia Mundi)
The most satisfying Scarlatti collection I’ve heard [DJB]
British Music for Strings IV (cpo)
Light suites and chamber-scaled orchestral pieces by amiable British composers [JW]
Verdi: I Vespri Siciliani (Dynamic)
(Déjà Review) A generally well sung performance in the composer’s home town should be watched by opera producers as well as Verdi lovers [RJF]
Schmitt: Orchestral Music (Hyperion)
(Déjà Review) A most auspicious debut on CD for the partnership of Thierry Fischer and the BBC NOW [JQ]
Smirnov & Firsova: Chamber Works (Our Recordings)
Atmospheric, accessible music by two contemporary Russian composers [KT]
Saariaho: Complete Works for Piano and Harpsichord (Ondine)
Odds and ends for Saariaho completists [SB]
Salieri: Cublai, Gran Kan De’ Tartari (Aparté)
The buffa side of Italian Opera in the heyday of Vienna’s pre-eminence [PH]
A Cello Galaxy of British Women Composers (Divine Art)
British cello compositions spanning a century, almost all in premiere recordings [JW]
Telemann: Cantatas, Vol 1 (cpo)
(Déjà Review) An outstanding collection of high Baroque cantatas sung with conviction, gentle authority and perception [MS]
Richter: Symphonies (Chandos)
(Déjà Review) A greatly enjoyable disc with three first recordings [DBl]
Adès, Marsey & Leith: Orchestral Works (Hallé)
An imaginative programme of premiere recordings [LW]
Mahler: Symphony 8 (High Definition Tape Transfers)
An epoch-making historic performance has never sounded so good [NB]
Suk, Martinů & Fišer: Violin & Piano (Supraphon)
A fine disc of Czech violin works performed by a youthful duo [JW]
Jewish Vienna (Onyx)
A beautiful programme, exquisitely performed, with Chen Reiss in top form [GF]
Strauss: Ein Heldenleben & Metamorphosen (Decca)
If you like your Richard Strauss vigorous and in full technicolour sound, then you will want to hear this performance [TP]
Falla: Piano Music – Vol 2 (Naxos)
Listen, stop the player, sip a glass of Rioja and move on to the next number! [JF]
Crossing Borders (Signum Classics)
A nice mixture of familiar and little-known pieces in top-class performances [JV]
Arvo Pärt: …Lente (Berlin Classics)
Meltingly affecting, make sure you have a fresh spiritual mop and bucket to hand for this recording [DC]
Shor: Composer’s Notebook 4 (Naxos)
For the most part Alexey Shor’s music lacks individuality [GPu]
Mitra Kotte (piano) Herstory (Genuin)
One of the most enjoyable recitals I have heard this year, let alone one featuring just female composers [RCh]
Shostakovich: Piano Quintet & Trio (Erato)
(Déjà Review) Top-notch Shostakovich [DC]
Grechaninov: Passion Week (Chandos)
(Déjà Review) A recording of spectacular range and refinement and singing of the highest calibre [DM]
Tchaikovsky: Symphony 6 & Khachaturian: Violin Concerto (Gramola)
Worth your while for one piece — not the one you’d expect [SV]
Cilea: Gloria (Naxos)
An unjustly neglected opera by the composer of Adriana Lecouvreur and L’Arlesiana [WK]
