T Kirchner: Piano Music (Blue Griffin)
A valiant investment in Kirchner’s civilised music … very much of the Germanic romantic 19th century [RB]
Telemann: Flute Concertos (Warner Classics)
(Déjà Review) An absolute winner – a delightful sense of collegial give and take [KS]
Hungarian Dances and the Hungarian Tradition (Naxos)
A delight – puts a smile on your face and a sense of joy and beauty in your heart [MMB]
Anders Paulsson (soprano saxophone): Solitary Poems for Soprano Saxophone (BIS)
Beautiful, approachable contemporary music showcases the craft of a wonderful saxophonist [MB]
A Romberg: Das Lied von der Glocke (Hänssler Classic)
A most joyously agreeable introduction to Romberg and his inspirations [RB]
The Gesualdo Six (ensemble): Morning Star (Hyperion)
A notable musical celebration of the Feast of the Epiphany [JQ]
Raff, Schreck, Jadassohn: Wind Serenades (cpo)
A delightful hour spent in the company of these three works [DJB]
Alexander Chance (alto): Drop not, mine eyes (Linn Records)
Chance is a foremost representative of his generation in the falsetto range [JV]
Suk: Chamber Works Volume 3 (Supraphon)
(Déjà Review) One of the most enjoyable discs I have heard for a long while [CF]
Ugoletti: Three Concertos (Brilliant Classics)
Vividly emotional, verging on the cinematic … always moving and often telling [RB]
R Schumann: Piano Trios, Vol. 2 (BIS)
Superb performances of lesser-known but deeply rewarding Schumann [PBW]
Red Maple – Music for Bassoon & Strings (Bridge Records)
A collection of fine works for the unusual combination of bassoon and strings [GPJ]
Delibes: Lakmé (Naxos)
A musically splendid new video production of Delibes’s opera can do little to mask the more unsavoury aspects of the story [PCG]
Corelli: Corellimania (OUR Recordings)
An excellent disc of baroque chamber music, even if in one or two cases the link to the craze for Corelli is a little tenuous [GPu]
Chilcott: Christmas Oratorio (Delphian)
Immediately attractive music for the festive season [WH]
Bruckner: Symphony No. 1 (Gramola)
Ballot completes his survey of Bruckner’s symphonies with another highly individual reading employing daringly extended tempi [RMo]
Shostakovich: Piano Concertos (Danacord)
(Déjà Review) A perceptive coupling of thoughtful and scintillating performances recorded with warmth and clarity [PSe]
Guerrero: Ecce sacerdos magnus (Hyperion)
This is another of The Brabant Ensemble’s fine recordings of music by Spain’s greatest Renaissance master [GH]
Bruckner: Symphony No. 8 (BR Klassik)
Two disappointingly tame live performances [RMo]
Moondog: Songs & Symphoniques (Cantaloupe)
Mystic and shaman, master of rounds and lullabies, rebirthed by arrangers and singers [JW]
Mozart: Mitridate, re di Ponto (Erato)
Minkowski’s second fine period-instrument recording of Mitridate [DF[
Shostakovich: String Quartets 7-13 (Genuin)
Blazingly impressive performances given with intense virtuosity and musical insight [NB]
Vivaldi: La Stravaganza (Transcriptions for Organ) (Brilliant Classics)
These transcriptions are nice complements to Bach’s arrangements [JV]