From the Last Week

A brilliant, revelatory release which enhances our understanding of Messiaen [DHa]

Colourful and richly imaginative piano works in this worthy third volume [RCh]

Superbly reconstructed motets brilliantly brought to life [GH]

I Lituani may not be on the same level as La Gioconda, but it shows that Ponchielli wasn’t a one-work composer [GF]

Definitive performances of his own music by Stephen Hough [JQ]

A pacier, more refined Mahler Fifth, beautifully balanced but rather too restrained in parts [RMo]

(Déjà Review) A real success here, then, from all angles [CC]

(Déjà Review) This fascinating conjunction of nostalgia and forward thinking provides us with some beautifully evocative mood music [AO]

A delightful anthology of European dances, familiar and forgotten [GPu]

A powerful live performance that also has some troubling aspects [WH]

The legendary Fritz Kreisler comes up pristinely in new transfers of his concerto recordings [PH]

A superb new version of Messiaen’s great piano cycle [SB]

In times of war and unrest, this album from the masterly King’s Singers gives hope [GF]

On the evidence of flabby playing and murky sound, the conductor should stick to Bruckner [RMo]

(Déjà Review) Mehta knows how to handle large forces, but is less successful in conveying the music’s symphonic direction and flow [TB]

(Déjà Review) Often searingly beautiful, often surprisingly inventive, and always brilliantly performed [EML]

A disc that should gain wide recognition [SA]

A finely produced package of golden age singing, splendidly refurbished for a new generation [MP]

A delight from first note to last [DJB]

An enjoyably eclectic programme of music for wind band [PRJ]

The unlikely pairing of guitar and fortepiano yields surprising musical discoveries in this engaging collection of Beethoven arrangements and related works [SSc]

Intriguing arrangements for brass band of some well-known works [KT]

Christoff is delightfully over the top, hugely enjoyable and making more straight-laced versions sound boring [TH]

An interesting, provocative reading of the Symphony and the performances of the songs are very good [JQ]

An admirable new version of Messiaen’s much-recorded work [SB]

John Wilson and the Sinfonia of London embark on a Walton odyssey [PH]

Spectacularly virtuosic playing of some of Bach’s most joyously inventive music [RMo]

A much-needed boost to the limited Bryan Kelly discography [PRJ]

Roth andLes Siècles provide enough musical revelations to make this the top choice among stereo versions [MP]

Wolf Harden brings his survey to end with something of a miscellany to tie up loose ends [RCh]

This new version of the Second Symphony now takes pride of place on the Corigliano part of the shelf [CC]

(Déjà Review) No Heifetz admirer should be without this [JW]

by Alan George

by Alan George

by Alan George

Treasures a plenty in this fabulously explorative and enjoyable release [RCh]

Sargent’s charisma shows these scores in their best light [NB]

A superb tribute to the late composer [MBu]

A great version of one of Prokofiev’s finest works from the LSO and Noseda [PH]

No masterwork but an interesting find reawakened after two centuries [GF]

Capuçon is ponderous in Sibelius but well attuned to Barber [LW]