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Michael Cookson
Vivaldi: Violin Concertos (Onyx)
(Déjà Review) Vivaldi, Mullova and Onyx are a winning combination [MC]
Ekaterina Siurina (soprano) Where Is My Beloved? (Delos)
I have enjoyed hearing this praiseworthy collection of ten celebrated opera arias [MC]
Stanford: Piano Quintet, String Quintet No. 1 (Hyperion)
(Déjà Review) Wonderful music and marvellously performed [MC]
Lully: Thésée (Aparté)
Lully’s Thésée sounds glorious in this period-instrument performance [MC]
Haydn: Piano Trios (Praga Digitals)
An album of distinction from the Guarneri Trio Prague [MC]
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No 5 (BR Klassik)
These are striking performances of Tchaikovsky’s renowned Fifth Symphony and Liszt’s Mazeppa [MC]
Lekeu, Franck & Dupré: Violin Sonatas (Austrian Gramophone)
Commendable performances of palpable sincerity [MC]
A Scarlatti: Cantatas (Deutsche Harmonia Mundi)
(Déjà Review) Intense and concentrated scores that will undoubtedly bring much pleasure [MC]
Hindemith: Cardillac (BR Klassik)
This concert performance of Cardillac makes a strong case for the opera [MC]
La Belle Homicide – Lute Music (Naïve)
(Déjà Review) I urge listeners who wouldn’t normally purchase a recital of lute works to hear this superlative recording [MC]
Brahms: Violin Sonatas (Hänssler Classic)
Worthy accounts of the Brahms violin sonatas on period instruments [MC]
Saint-Saëns: Chamber Works (Apex)
(Déjà Review) Simply wonderful chamber works superbly performed [MC]
CPE Bach: Piano Concertos (Hänssler)
Soloist Orazio Sciortino is in splendid form, so there is much to enjoy here [MC]
Mercadante: Il proscritto (Opera Rara)
Neglected for almost 200 years, but undoubtedly worthy of its revival [MC]
Mozart: Symphonies No. 34-36 (Hänssler Classic)
Played with sincerity, but the competition is fierce [MC]
Lalo: Complete Piano Trios (MDG)
(Déjà Review) This is a most beautiful and appealing release, guaranteed to please chamber music lovers [MC]
Mozart: Symphonies 39-41 (BR Klassik)
These performances do not quite achieve the vitality and focus of my benchmarks [MC]
Schubert, Mendelssohn, Beethoven: Fantasias for Piano (Hänssler Classic)
A really promising solo debut album [MC]
Bruch & Barber: Violin Concertos (Deutsche Grammophon)
Esther Yoo’s performances of the Bruch and Barber concertos make this a highly desirable album [MC]
Weber: Oberon (Philips)
(Déjà Review) Playing and singing beautifully tailored to the score; an endless kaleidoscope of subtle colours [MC]
Sabine Meyer (clarinet) French Works (Warner Classics)
(Déjà Review) An outstanding achievement [MC]
Debussy: Orchestral Works (Eloquence)
(Déjà Review) A delightful Debussy collection, excellently performed [MC]
Saint-Saëns: Chamber Music (Hyperion)
(Déjà Review) A wonderfully presented release that is clearly one of my records of the year [MC]
Dvořák: Quintets (MDG)
(Déjà Review) Hugely impressive performances from first note to last [MC]