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Nick Barnard
Bliss: The Composer Conducts. A 50th Anniversary Tribute (SOMM Recordings)
A treasure trove of key works in vintage live performances [NB]
Sumera: Symphonies 1 & 6 (Ondine)
Knotty and serious scores receive powerful performances, beautifully recorded [NB]
Elgar: The Kingdom (Signum Classics)
A very fine recording that gives one the best chance to reconsider The Kingdom’s virtues [NB]
Guerra-Peixe: Symphonies 1 and 2 (Naxos)
Another fine addition to this series showcasing the stylistic range of the composer [NB]
An English Pastoral (SOMM Recordings)
A certain stylistic sameness compromises the fine performances [NB]
Film Fantasia: Emily Sun (ABC Classics)
The Oscar goes to Elena Kats-Chernin’s attractive and entertaining new concerto [NB]
Dring: Complete Works for Oboe (Chandos)
A disc of unexpected delights – delicious music played with wit and elegance [NB]
Ruth Gipps: Orchestra Works Volume 4 (Chandos)
This series goes from strength to strength – Symphony No.5 is quite a discovery [NB]
Shostakovich: String Quartets 1-6 (Genuin)
Enduringly powerful music receiving performances of remarkable skill and insight [NB]
Petrassi: Concertos for Orchestra (Naxos)
Terse music given flabby performances [NB]
Bruckner: Symphony 9 (Hallé)
A slow burn superbly performed and recorded performance that makes a compelling case for the four movement completion [NB]
Walton: Violin Concerto and other works (Chandos)
Technically accomplished readings that lack the full emotional range implicit in the major works [NB]
Holst: Beni Mora and Choral Symphony (Somm Recordings)
Sargent’s charisma shows these scores in their best light [NB]
Ravel: Très Franc (TYXart)
A joyful recital of great music stunningly played and recorded [NB]
Gulda & Weill: Violin Concertos (Gramola)
Brilliant performances of unusual, even quirky, repertoire [NB]
Elgar: Boult’s forgotten recordings (SOMM)
Boult’s stature as the leading Elgarian reaffirmed in spoken word and musical deed [NB]
Respighi, Loevendie, Enescu: String Octets (Challenge Classics)
An unusual programme played with skill and panache [NB]
Gershwin, Montsalvatge, Bernstein & Campo: New Year’s Concert (Fuga Libera)
An unusual New Year Concert presents fine music in not quite top drawer performances [NB]
Bennett: Orchestral Works Vol. 5 (Chandos)
The excellence of the first four volumes is triumphantly maintained [NB]
Martin Cousin (piano): Fantasias for piano (Convivium Records)
An interesting and well-planned programme superbly performed and sympathetically recorded [NB]
Gipps: Orchestral Works Volume 3 (Chandos)
Another group of exemplary performances show this composer in the best possible light [NB]
Music for Violin & Piano: The Franco-Belgian Album (Et’cetera)
An interesting programme compromised by effortful violin playing [NB]
Malawski: Orchestral Works (Naxos)
A valuable disc of music by a composer writing at the height of the Stalinist terrors [NB]
Enna: Violin Concerto & Symphony (Dacapo)
Well-crafted and attractive music written in a conservative manner, beautifully played [NB]
