rmo

A pacier, more refined Mahler Fifth, beautifully balanced but rather too restrained in parts [RMo]

On the evidence of flabby playing and murky sound, the conductor should stick to Bruckner [RMo]

Spectacularly virtuosic playing of some of Bach’s most joyously inventive music [RMo]

This must now become first choice for the original version [RMo]

A tribute to a great and versatile conductor containing some superb and some less successful performances [RMo]

A performance of two halves: the first subject to vagaries in tempo which impede coherence, but the second triumphant [RMo]

Classic accounts from a Mozart specialist, full of life and spirit [RMo]

An absorbing and enterprising programme, impeccably performed by a stellar partnership [RMo]

Gerd Schaller is determined to exploit the mighty instrument’s full potential to maximum effect [RMo]

A highly successful, satisfying anthology recital by a vocal ensemble at the top of its game [RMo]

Committed, full-throated bel canto singing – but it must be measured against formidable competition [RMo]

An interesting take on this contrapuntal masterpiece – but the sound engineering is peculiar [RMo]

As fine a modern, live account of this most pictorial of ballets as you could wish [RMo]

A beautiful warm timbre but too relaxed and urbane compared with more energised accounts [RMo]

A fine account on period cellos in excellent sound, beautifully played if without quite the character of David Watkin’s version [RMo]

A thoroughly enjoyable tribute to English Elizabethan composers from a gifted, highly musical, French ensemble [RMo]

The first two movements here of Bruckner’s Seventh Symphony are mostly fine and measured – but the Scherzo and finale are erratic [RMo]

Very well played and engineered, but only intermittently achieving the drive and intensity of Barshai, Shipway and Karajan [RMo]

Quite similar recordings, both with many but different strengths, so difficult to choose between [RMo]

Vital, energised  performances of two great pianistic and choral showpieces in spectacular surround sound [RMo]

A lush, Romantic, thoroughly engaging and technically brilliant account of a Tchaikovsky “warhorse”, with some seductive bonuses [RMo]

This revival of a rare Massenet opera is compromised by a lack of melodic memorability and some less than ingratiating singing [rmo]

The best remastering to date of this classic performance, even if sonically the later stereo recording is still preferable [RMo]

A thoroughly enjoyable, very well sung and played – if rather small-scale – performance of a neglected Handel opera [RMo]