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Stephen Barber

Brahms: Piano Quartets 2 & 3 (Ondine)

A worthy memorial to a fine pianist and chamber musician [SB]

Benjamin: Picture a day like this (Nimbus Records)

This powerful, moving, beautiful and disturbing new work is a triumph [SB]

Eastern reflections DCD34319

Eastern Reflections (Delphian)

An ideal performance of Bartók’s Contrasts in an interesting programme [SB]

wagner knappertsbusch gotterdammerung

Wagner: Götterdämmerung (Pristine Audio)

All Wagnerians should consider this 1956 live Bayreuth Götterdämmerung [SB]

busoni nicoara hanssler

Victor Nicoara (piano): Polyphonic Dreams (Hänssler Classic)

The version here of Busoni’s magnus opus for piano should now become the standard one [SB]

Smetana & Schubert: Piano Trios (Supraphon)

Trio Bohémo play with both passion but also precision, they listen to one another and they clearly love this music [SB]

Mozart: Lodron Night Music (Brilliant Classics)

Delightful performances of delightful music [SB]

Pizzetti requiem CDS8017

Pizzetti: Requiem (Dynamic)

The Pizzetti Requiem is a ravishingly beautiful work and this is a lovely performance [SB]

Lindberg Viola Concerto Power Finnish-RSO Ondine ODE1436-2

Lindberg: Viola Concerto, Absence & Serenades (Ondine)

Rewarding recent works by the Finnish master [SB]

Gerhard: Don Quixote, Alegrías, Pedrelliana (Chandos)

Attractive music, well presented [SB]

wagner siegfried pristine

Wagner: Siegfried (Pristine Audio)

This third instalment of the Knappertsbusch Ring will not disappoint enthusiasts [SB]

Szymanowski: Concert Overture, Songs of a Fairy Princess, Symphony No 3 (CD Accord)

Szymanowski’s fans should hear this [SB]

Glass: Etudes for piano (Orange Mountain Music)

A valuable selection of Glass’s fascinating Etudes [SB]

Benjamin Cpt Piano Works Bertsch Piano Classics PCL10287

Benjamin: Complete Piano Works (Piano Classics)

Commanding performances of all of George Benjamin’s piano works so far [SB]

wagner walkure pristine

Wagner: Die Walküre (Pristine Audio)

This second instalment of Knappertsbusch’s 1956 Ring is very acceptable [SB]

Dittersdorf Syms 5554292

Dittersdorf: Symphonies after Ovid’s Metamorphoses (cpo)

Charming works from the time of Haydn and Mozart [SB]

bach reconstructed audite

Bach: Reconstructed (Audite)

Imaginative recreations of possible Brandenburg Concertos [SB]

Messiaen: Song Cycles (Alpha Classics)

Excellent versions of the attractive song cycles [SB]

Watkins chamber RES10338

Watkins: Works For Strings & Piano Trio (Resonus)

Attractive and accessible contemporary works [SB]

Silvestrov Widmung Naxos 8.574413

Silvestrov: Symphony for Violin and Orchestra ‘Widmung’ (Naxos)

Two of the works which made Silvestrov’s reputation, in good performances [SB]

Wagner Rheingold Knappertsbusch Pristine PACO210

Wagner: Das Rheingold (Pristine Audio)

This is a rewarding set, and fans of the singers, in particular, will be pleased [SB]

Debussy martyre SWR19149CD

Debussy: Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien (SWR Classic)

A problematic version of a problematic work, but Debussyians should investigate [SB]

Enescu Ysaye Bacewicz Wilson Chandos SACD CHSA5325

Enescu, Ysaÿe and Bacewicz: Music for Strings (Chandos)

John Wilson’s latest recording of string music is a winner [SB]

Zemlinsky: Eine florentinische Tragödie (BR Klassik)

A good version but there are better [SB]