Britten
Huw Montague Rendall (baritone): Contemplation (Erato)
A debut recital that every lover of great singing should treasure [GF]
Britten: Blest Cecila – Choral Works Vol 1 (Coro)
(Déjà Review) Fecundity of original ideas [GH]
Leopold Stokowski (conductor) BBC Legends Recordings 1963-74 (ICA Classics)
A collection of Stokowski’s live performances from the end of his career is inevitably something of a mixed bag [PCG]
Cantabile: Anthems for Viola (Delphian)
Two fine artists in a fascinating and wide-ranging programme [WH]
Britten: Spring Symphony, Sinfonia da Requiem (LSO Live)
Three superb Britten readings, including possibly the finest Spring Symphony on disc [GPJ]
Britten: The Turn of the Screw (Opus Arte)
(Déjà Review) James’ story in Britten’s setting emerges magnificently [CC]
Britten: Spring Symphony, Sinfonia da Requiem, Young Person’s Guide (LSO Live)
A successful and enjoyable Britten anthology [JQ]
Britten: Violin Concerto (Orfeo)
An eloquent performance of the main work with an interesting early work to complement it [SB]
Sandrine Piau (soprano) Reflet (Alpha Classics)
An attractive programme of French orchestral songs that will provide much enjoyment, but there are better versions of the well-known songs [PT]
Britten: Serenade for tenor, horn and strings, Nocturne, Phaedra (Naxos)
(Déjà Review) Overall a superlative disc, with flawless and very characterful performances [EML]
Clarke, Britten & Bowen: British Music for Viola and Piano (Claves)
An international version of some very British works [SB]
Path to the Moon Works for cello & piano (Chandos)
Three sonatas and a raft of transcribed songs offer fruitful material for the Chandos pairing [JW]
The Monarch’s Music (CRD)
A timely and enjoyable celebration of music for royal occasions [WH]
Britten: Albert Herring (Decca)
A touchstone recording which is hard to beat for its general excellence and superbly detailed sound [MP]
Noel Coward and Friends: A Most Marvellous Party (Signum Classics)
What an absolutely splendid party! Darling, I couldn’t have liked it more [PT]
Bella Adamova (contralto) There is home (Supraphon)
A superb recital of art songs, all of which perfectly suit her crystal-clear voice [SA]
Britten: War Requiem (Decca)
A landmark recording revealed in the stunning realism of a new transfer on SACD [JQ]
Advent Carols from St. John’s (Nimbus)
(Déjà Review) Evocative and beautifully sung [CT]
Our Indifferent Century (Delphian)
A fascinating programme, four works in search of a theme [WH]
Britten & Veale: Violin Concertos (Chandos)
(Déjà Review) A gorgeous disc that will have you reassessing the Britten and embracing the Veale concerto [RB]
The Monarch’s Music (CRD)
Admirers of music for Military Band and its performing traditions will enjoy this diverse programme [NB]
Britten: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Opus Arte)
A superior reissue of Peter Hall’s other superlative Britten production from Glyndebourne [PCG]
The English Tenor (Divine Art)
An enjoyable recital by a newcomer to the field of English Art Song [EJW]
Elgan Llŷr Thomas (tenor) Unveiled (Delphian)
A themed recital with three first recordings [WH]
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