rwe
Roy Westbrook
Bloch, Bruch & Dohnányi: Cello & Orchestra (Claves)
An impressive young cellist in an attractive programme [RWe]
Essential Royal Ballet; Pas de Deux (Opus Arte)
A fine starter pack for exploring top-notch live ballet on film [RWe]
Ravel: Complete Solo Piano Music Vol. 3 (Danacord)
The main works are ill-served by eccentric tempi and phrasing [RWe]
Donizetti: La favorite (Dynamic)
“La favorite” is well served in a complete new edition, well sung and staged [RWe]
Tchaikovsky: Iolanta & The Nutcracker (C Major)
A conflation of opera and ballet, well-staged and performed, more than a seasonal song-and-dance show [RWe]
Puccini: Tosca (Unitel Editions)
Three impressive lead singers in a remarkably innovative staging which leaves the historic context far behind [RWe]
Hélène Grimaud (piano) Mozart & Schumann (C major)
A very fine orchestra and pianist in a concert of some distinction [RWe]
Rossini: La donna del lago (C Major)
A musically outstanding but unusual production of Rossini’s splendid opera [RWe]
A Scarlatti: La sposa dei cantici (Acis)
An Alessandro Scarlatti world premiere in splendid performance [RWe]
Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos, Rhapsody (Channel Classics)
An individual, quite impressive view of these masterworks [RWe]
Giordano: Andrea Chénier (Bayerische Staatsoper Recordings)
This superb version shows the work to be better than its reputation [RWe]
Rachmaninov: Piano Sonata No 1 & Preludes (Alpha Classics)
The key release of Rachmaninov’s 150th anniversary year – a revelation [RWe]
Donizetti: Don Pasquale (Opus Arte)
Well received when launched, with good singing and staging, this problematic production treats the title role unsympathetically [RWe]
Handel: Un’alma Innamorata (Pentatone)
An ideal introduction to a delightful corner of a great composer’s output [RWe]
Orff: Prometheus (Orfeo)
A very original setting of the Aeschylus tragedy, declaimed and sung in Ancient Greek [RWe]
Roger Norrington (conductor) Sacred Music (SWR Classic)
Choral masterpieces of the 19th century, in stirring performances [RWe]
Liszt: Années de Pèlerinage (cpo)
A generous collection of Liszt’s piano works, superbly performed, in acceptable sound [RWe]
Russian Violin Concertos (Pentatone)
A worthy reissue of fine accounts in an unusual coupling [RWe]
Verdi: Requiem (C major)
A superb performance of a work Karajan often conducted, with fine soloists [RWe]
Stravinsky: Oedipus Rex (Dynamic)
A well-performed Stravinsky masterpiece, and a related work by Pizzetti [RWe]
Puccini: Il trittico (Unitel Edition)
The superb Asmik Grigorian sings all three female leads in the generally impressive performances from the 2022 Salzburg Festival [RWe]
Rachmaninov & Tchaikovsky: Romances (Pentatone)
An attractive selection from this marvellous repertoire, very well performed [RWe]
Thorvaldsdottir: Archora & Aiōn (Sono Luminis)
Indispensable accounts of two recent works by a unique voice in contemporary music [RWe]