rmo

An admirable effort to reconstruct the original version of a once popular work which veers between the highly entertaining and the banal [RMo]

A re-release of three great recordings on a different label, whose raison d’être eludes me… [RMo]

A fine, dramatic, beautifully sung live recording headed by Finley’s noble Elijah [RMo]

A good account of some of Puccini’s youthful works which is not necessarily an improvement on Pappano’s rival version [RMo]

Put aside preconceptions of “authenticity” and enjoy this for what it is – a celebration of some of Rameau’s most appealing music [RMo]

Superb, sensuous, subtle singing from a highly gifted British lyric baritone [RMo]

Yet another classic opera recording given new lustre by Pristine’s remastering [RMo]

A real mixed bag, maddeningly inconsistent with some quirky and mannered decisions [RMo]

An under-rated, somewhat overlooked recording featuring an array of superb voices, very well conducted [RMo]

A mightily impressive debut recording from Stutzmann in Atlanta [RMo]

Pristine’s splendid enhancement of this recording into Ambient Stereo further minimises the differences between this and Callas’ recording seven years later [RMo]

Alagna and van Dam are very fine, but the Bonynge recording retains its place in the affections of collectors [RMo]

Once again, I find myself questioning the validity and purpose of such arrangements [RMo]

An extraordinarily vivid sonic refurbishment of Stokowski’s 1941 vibrant Pelleas [RMo]

A survey by Ralph Moore

Sound, solid singing does not compensate for a lack of tonal variety, elegance and refinement [RMo]

Pristine offers three great Bruckner recordings from Kna in a handy, sound-enhanced set [RMo]

The symphony is here given the best possible advocacy and Ravel’s nightmarish La Valse makes the perfect pendant [RMo]

For all the carefully argued and exhaustively justified reasoning behind these transcriptions, I fail to see – or rather hear – the point… [RMo]

Alternately delicate and voluptuous orchestral playing and rich sonics underpin the effect of this pairing [RMo]

Elegance and restraint characterise this cool account, complemented by some interesting bonuses [RMo]

An authentically French, operetta-style Carmen of the kind you will not hear today – but over-refined and lacking punch [RMo]

Superlative singing whose impact is somewhat compromised by the disappointingly cavernous mono sound [RMo]

A magnificent performance, caught In astonishingly vivid sound, supplemented by an exotic and appealing new work [RMo]