jq

John Quinn

A Christmas Fantasia (Albion Records)

This disc will delight you if you should find it under the tree on Christmas morning [JQ]

Smetana: Orchestral works (SOMM Recordings)

A valuable archive bicentenary tribute to Bedřich Smetana [JQ]

Nesbit DCD34267

Nesbit: Nativity (Delphian)

Inventive, interesting and accessible music, displaying an original approach to Christmas music [JQ]

News of Great Joy St Johns Oxford-Resonus

News of Great Joy: Christmas from St John’s College, Oxford (Resonus)

An enjoyable, thoughtfully prepared Christmas album [JQ]

Lloyd: Works for Brass (Lyrita)

A super disc [JQ]

Dvorak Symphs 7 8 9 Bychkov Pentatone PTC51872162

Dvořák: Symphonies Nos 7-9 (Pentatone)

An attractive package [JQ]

Simon symphonic NSO0018

Simon: 4 Symphonic Works (National Symphony Orchestra)

A stimulating and enjoyable album [JQ]

Schmitt: La Tragédie de Salomé, Chant Elégiaque (Alpha Classics)

Schmitt’s complete ballet in opulent orchestral dress, marvellously played [JQ]

Beethoven: Piano Concerti 4 & 5 (Hänssler Classic)

(Déjà Review) Admirers of this great German pianist should certainly snap this up [JQ]

Jackson: The Christmas Story (Delphian)

An important, eloquent and compelling addition to the Christmas repertoire in an accomplished first recording [JQ]

van beinum berlioz cleveland forgotten

Eduard van Beinum (conductor): Weber, Ravel & Berlioz (Forgotten Records)

Apart from the lack of any documentation, this is a most interesting release [JQ]

Brahms: Violin Concerto; Nielsen: Symphony No.5 (C Major)

Blomstedt leads a distinguished Nielsen Fifth; the Brahms is less memorable [JQ]

Bruckner: From the Archives Vol 4 (SOMM Ariadne)

A very welcome further installment in this significant historical Bruckner series [JQ]

Awake avi 4866025

Awakenings (Avi-Music)

The most exciting vocal recital disc I’ve heard in a long while [JQ]

Taneyev symphonies chandos presto

Taneyev: Symphonies (Chandos/Presto)

Two most interesting Russian symphonies in accomplished and committed performances [JQ]

Dvořák: Symphonies No.6-9; Smetana: Má vlast; Janáček: Sinfonietta (LSO Live)

A fitting celebration of the Year of Czech Music and the silver jubilee of LSO Live [JQ]

rodgers carousel chandos

Rodgers: Carousel (Chandos)

Wilson and his colleagues do full justice to this Broadway masterpiece [JQ]

strohl songs la boite

Strohl: Songs (La Boîte à Pépites)

Many fine songs, all presented in first-rate performances [JQ]

Dupré: Le Chemin de la Croix (cpo)

(Déjà Review) One of the finest organ discs I’ve heard in years [JQ]

Bruckner vol3 50292

Bruckner: From the Archives Vol 3 (SOMM Recordings)

A good archive reading of Bruckner’s Third symphony and a more questionable Fourth [JQ]

Imogen Holst: Discovering Imogen (NCM)

An ear-opening disc [JQ]

mendelssohn elijah lso

Mendelssohn: Elijah (LSO Live)

A tremendous performance [JQ]

French album ORC100317

The French Album (Orchid Classics)

This is a very fine disc; in fact, c’est magnifique! [JQ]

Bliss: Works for Brass Band (Chandos)

This outstanding disc will be self-recommending to all admirers of Bliss’s music and to brass band devotees [JQ]