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]

For all that I thoroughly enjoy this recording, the less textually correct Bonynge still retains its places in the affections [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]

Bruckner from Beijing – I am transported by the beauty, conviction and coherence of the playing here [RMo]

A re-issue of one of Karajan’s best live Mozart outings with a superb cast, in decent sound [RMo]

Poschner’s Bruckner cycle concludes with a typically inconsistent admixture of the very fine and the occasionally disappointing [RMo]