mc

Michael Cookson

Vivaldi Violin Concertos Mullova Onyx 4001

Vivaldi: Violin Concertos (Onyx)

(Déjà Review) Vivaldi, Mullova and Onyx are a winning combination [MC]

Where is my Beloved Siurina Delos DE3602

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 pianotrios RD250423

Haydn: Piano Trios (Praga Digitals)

An album of distinction from the Guarneri Trio Prague [MC]

Tchaikovsky Sym 5 Mehta BR Klassik 900207

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No 5 (BR Klassik)

These are striking performances of Tchaikovsky’s renowned Fifth Symphony and Liszt’s Mazeppa [MC]

lekeu franck dupre-austrian gramophone

Lekeu, Franck & Dupré: Violin Sonatas (Austrian Gramophone)

Commendable performances of palpable sincerity [MC]

scarlatti cantatas deutsche harmonia mundi

A Scarlatti: Cantatas (Deutsche Harmonia Mundi)

(Déjà Review) Intense and concentrated scores that will undoubtedly bring much pleasure [MC]

br klassik hindemith cardillac

Hindemith: Cardillac (BR Klassik)

This concert performance of Cardillac makes a strong case for the opera [MC]

La Belle Homicide Naive E8880

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-saens chamber apex

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 proscritto ORC62

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 4858415

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

Weber: Oberon (Philips)

(Déjà Review) Playing and singing beautifully tailored to the score; an endless kaleidoscope of subtle colours [MC]

meyer clarinet french emi warner

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-Saens Chamber Nash Hyperion CDA67431-2

Saint-Saëns: Chamber Music (Hyperion)

(Déjà Review) A wonderfully presented release that is clearly one of my records of the year [MC]

dvorak quintets mdg

Dvořák: Quintets (MDG)

(Déjà Review) Hugely impressive performances from first note to last [MC]