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Tony Haywood
MacMillan: The Confession of Isobel Gowdie, Tuireadh and The Exorcism of Rio Sumpul (BIS)
(Déjà Review) Lovers of the approachable face of contemporary music should snap this up [TH]
Xenakis: Works for Large Orchestra, Vol 3 (Timpani)
(Déjà Review) The constants that characterise him are the hallmark of a great composer. One can also hear the torment, the contradictory side of the creative impulse [TH]
Chopin: Études – (Transc. Godowsky) (Warner Classics)
Starts with brief, polite applause and finishes with rapturous cheering, something I would have been actively joining in [TH]
Cikada String Quartet: Saariaho, Cage, Maderna (ECM)
(Déjà Review) Bold and innovative music logically programmed [TH]
Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos Nos 1-5 (Hyperion)
A credit to this brave and enterprising label. Go on, treat yourself – you won’t regret it [TH]
Brahms: Piano Concerto 1 (Apex)
(Déjà Review) Rest assured you will get musicianship of a thrilling order [TH]
Sibelius: Tone Poems (BIS)
(Déjà Review) Vänskä is keeping up to the incredibly high standards he has set himself [TH]
Mozart: Piano music (Nonesuch)
(Déjà Review) If you fancy wallowing in a well programmed, superbly recorded concert hall-style recital, you really will enjoy this [TH]
Martinů: Double Concerto (Apex)
Some sound issues, but on a purely artistic level these are pretty compelling performances [TH]
Debussy & Mozart: Songs (ECM)
(Déjà Review) Banse’s subtle, dark-toned soprano is ideal for this material [TH]
Janáček: The Makropulos Case (Supraphon)
(Déjà Review) This has an unmistakably authentic feel about it [TH]
Beethoven: Complete Works for Solo Piano Vol 4 (BIS)
(Déjà Review) Another success … carry on collecting with pleasure [TH]
Tchaikovsky & Rachmaninov: Piano Trios (BIS)
(Déjà Review) Playing of great intelligence, intellectual rigour and keen spontaneity [TH]
Satie: Piano Works (RCA)
(Déjà Review) Remarkably subtle, giving due weight where required without missing any sense of fun [TH]
Bizet: Carmen (Opus Arte)
An altogether outstanding record of a thrilling event [TH]
Beethoven: Violin Sonatas Nos 1-10 (Naxos)
Enormous presence and clarity … a great deal to enjoy … no serious collector will want to be without this set [TH]
Schumann & Brahms: Chamber Music (Naxos Historical)
(Déjà Review) A real feeling here of spontaneity and depth of expression [TH]
Monteverdi: Vespro della Beata Vergine (Naïve)
(Déjà Review) So many details teased out by Alessandrini make this new version very compelling indeed [TH]
Chopin: Reminiscences (Linn)
(Déjà Review) It depends on whether you’re a fan of Pizarro, or his personal selection [TH]
Beethoven: Overtures (Elatus)
(Déjà Review) There’s some great music here, so go and treat yourself [TH]
Monteverdi: Madrigali amorosi (Deutsche Harmonia Mundi)
(Déjà Review) I can’t think of any better disc at budget price with which to get to know these marvellous works [TH]
Beethoven, Mendelssohn: Violin Concerti (Philips)
(Déjà Review) Will irritate as many as it will thrill [TH]
Delibes: Coppelia (Apex)
(Déjà Review) Nagano has such an infectious way with this score that makes it very hard to resist [TH]
Dvořák: Symphony No 9, Serenade for Strings (Sony Classical)
(Déjà Review) Anyone who is more interested in genuine music-making rather than state-of–the-art sound will not be disappointed [TH]
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