Beethoven: Symphonies 7 & 8 (Pristine Audio)
Great, essential performances, clearly recognisable even with less than ideal sound quality [PBW]
Lully: Atys (Château de Versailles)
This will bring much pleasure to lovers of French Baroque [SG]
Beach: Piano music (Piano Classics)
Frezzotti is splendid in Beach’s romantic world [RCh]
Tchaikovsky: Symphonies 5 & 6 (Claves)
A lyrical, transparent account of the Fifth with an interesting condensed finale, and a good Sixth of no special distinction [RMo]
Dupré: Organ Works Volume 6 (MDG)
(Déjà Review) Recommended without reserve – player, music and instrument are perfectly matched [GS]
Segal: Harp and Bassoon ‘on the Roof’ (Harp & Company)
The musicianship is top-class throughout, but the compositions are somewhat uneven in quality [GPu]
My Soul, What Fear You? (King’s College, Cambridge)
A fascinating Lieder recital [JQ]
Messiaen: La Nativité du Seigneur (Aeolus)
A glowing and atmospheric account in spectacular SACD sound [SG]
Las Huelgas Codex, Vol 1 (Brilliant Classics)
The mediaeval Las Huelgas Codex, the first instalment, in no-nonsense interpretations [GH]
Diana Damrau (soprano): Operette (Erato)
An interesting and unhackneyed programme of operetta arias, with a soprano who possibly divides opinion [PT]
Lise Davidsen (soprano): Christmas From Norway (Decca)
Be sure this makes it under your next Christmas tree [MP]
Canteloube: Chants d’Auvergne (Naxos)
(Déjà Review) I’ve little doubt it will be the definitive version for many years to come [AO]
Ravel, Berkeley & Pounds (Chandos)
Three fulfilling works interconnected by pedagogical history [JF]
Bach: Goldberg Variations (Alba)
A poetic, refined, beautifully played account from a remarkable young Finnish pianist [RMo]
Corradini: Canzonas & Sonatas (Brilliant Classics)
A splendid calling card for a largely forgotten Cremonese master [RHa]
A Choral Christmas (Decca)
Beautiful sounds in big-boned arrangements which are best sample piecemeal rather than all at once [MP]
Poulenc: Stabat Mater (Aparté)
If the programme appeals you can invest with confidence, despite the short playing time [JQ]
Vestiva – Embellishing 16th & 17th Century Music (First Hand Records)
A fine demonstration of some of the main aspects of performance practice in music of the late Renaissance and early Baroque [JV]
Strauss: Horn & Oboe Concertos (Orchid Classics)
Fine performances for the most part, but the documentation is problematic [LW]
Brahms: Symphony No. 1 (Naxos)
Alsop’s Brahms series has gotten off to an excellent start [PCW]
Mozart: Complete Masses Vol 1 (Naxos)
Auspicious beginning to a series of Mozart’s Masses [DF]
Mahler: Symphony No 8 (BIS)
Vänskä’s performance of Symphony of a Thousand; a rave review [EJW]
Henze: The Raft of the Medusa (Capriccio)
An impressive account of this once notorious work [SB]