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AFTAB DARVISHI / UNSUK CHIN / JORG WIDMANN / THOMAS ADES
East Meets West Anne-Sophie Mutter (violin) / London Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Adès [ Alpha Classics / CD - released 27/Mar/2026 ] "An excellent opening to an enticing series led by Anne-Sophie Mutter of works written for her, starting with Unsuk Chin, Aftab Darvishi, Jörg Widmann and Thomas Adès." Gramophone Editor's Choice |
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SERGEY RACHMANINOV
Rachmaninov: Morceaux de Fantaisie / Morceaux de Salon / Three Nocturnes Boris Giltburg (piano) [ Naxos / CD - released 27/Feb/2026 ] "The great draw here is the tonal beauty and unforced lyricism that Giltburg achieves, proving himself to be particularly memorable in Rachmaninov's most inward and intimate music." Gramophone Editor's Choice & Bookmark recording |
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GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: Orchestral Music Sinfonia of London, John Wilson [ Chandos SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 13/Mar/2026 ] "Early orchestral music, some from his first three operas, by Puccini, conducted by someone whose love of the composer's vivid and sweeping sound world is evident in every bar." Gramophone Editor's Choice |
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LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Violin Sonatas Nos. 5 'Spring', 9 'Kreutzer' & 3 Alena Baeva (violin) Vadym Kholodenko (piano) [ Alpha Classics / CD - released 27/Feb/2026 ] "Tempos never linger, contributing to a mesmerically shaded reading: vernal this Spring may be but the listener is ever aware of the likelihood of a sudden storm that blows away as swiftly as it arrived." Gramophone Editor's Choice |
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LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: The Sonatas for Piano and Cello Alessio Bax (piano), Paul Watkins (cello) [ Signum / 2 CD - released 1/May/2026 ] "Two artists - cellist Paul Watkins and pianist Alessio Bax - revelling in the variety of Beethoven's music, offering hugely enjoyable and engaging reflection and drama." Gramophone Editor's Choice |
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LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: The Violin Sonatas I Alina Ibragimova (violin), Cedric Tiberghien (fortepiano) [ BIS SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 5/Jun/2026 ] "Alina Ibragimova and Cédric Tiberghien return to Beethoven's sonatas on period instruments this time, and the result is delightfully engaging playing from this brilliant partnership." Gramophone Editor's Choice |
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J.S. BACH / NICOLA MATTEIS / JOHANN PAUL VON WESTHOFF
Plucked Bach III Alon Sariel (mandolin, mandola, lute, bağlama) [ Pentatone / CD - released 8/May/2026 ] "There is such an instantly engaging delight to be found in Alon Sariel's sparkling Bach on mandolin, though in music like the great Chaconne, a profound depth too. A wonderful recording." Gramophone Bookmark review |
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C.P.E. BACH
Bach, (C.P.E.): Instrumental Theatre of Affects - Berlin Symphonies Arte dei Suonatori, Marcin Swiatkiewicz [ BIS SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 12/Jun/2026 ] "The Polish period-instrument group Arte dei Suonatori are on top of all Bach's sleights of hand, never letting the tension sag for a second, leaning into his humour as well as his sour dissonances..." Gramophone Editor's Choice |
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JEAN SIBELIUS
Sibelius: Violin Concerto - Lemminkäinen Suite Ava Bahari (violin), Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra [ Alpha Classics / CD - released 24/Apr/2026 ] "An expansive, exploratory Concerto from Ava Bahari and Santtu-Matias Rouvali plus a superbly performed Lemminkäinen Suite." Gramophone Bookmark recording |
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JOHANNES BRAHMS / CLAUDE DEBUSSY / FRANZ LISZT / IGOR STRAVINSKY / CARL CZERNY
Inferno Behzod Abduraimov (piano) [ Alpha Classics / CD - released 8/May/2026 ] "Behzod Abduraimov's playing on this album featuring works by Brahms, Debussy, Liszt and more is always elegantly shaped, and combines virtuosity with a compelling sense of the music's onward journey." Gramophone Bookmark recording |
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JEAN-BAPTISTE LULLY
Lully: Proserpine (complete opera) Marie Lys (soprano), Veronique Gens (soprano), Olivier Gourdy (bass), Jean-Sebastien Bou (baritone), Les Talens Lyriques [ Château de Versailles Spectacles / 3 CD Box Set - released 22/May/2026 ] "Marie Lys, Véronique Gens, Olivier Gourdy and Laurence Kilsbyare lead an all-round splendid cast in bringing rich drama to Lully's opera - another superb recording by Christophe Rousset." Gramophone Editor's Choice |
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ROBERT SCHUMANN
Schumann: Waldszenen / Carnaval / Geistervariationen Dasol Kim (piano) [ Aparte / CD - released 17/Apr/2026 ] "Piainist Dasol Kim brings character, personality and a reflective beauty to Schumann - the Ghost Variations, Waldszenen and, at the album's heart, the masterpiece that is Carnaval." Gramophone Editor's Choice |
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EDWARD ELGAR / HUBERT PARRY
De Profundis: Choral works by Parry and Elgar David Temple (conductor), Sophie Bevan (soprano), Dominic Sedgwick (baritone), Rufus Frowde (piano), London Mozart Players [ Signum / CD - released 17/Jul/2026 ] "On this showing Parry's stirring and deeply humane De profundis unquestionably merits a new lease of life, as does the anthem God is our hope and strength." Gramophone Editor's Choice |
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FRANCIS POULENC
Poulenc: Music for Two Pianos Antony Gray (piano), Rob Hao (piano) [ Divine Art / CD - released 26/Jun/2026 ] "Duo Antony Gray and Rob Hao are to be praised for this wonderful survey of Poulenc's music for two pianos - all of it, in fact, except for the Concerto - including much that is little known." Gramophone Editor's Choice |
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CHARLES SILVER
Silver: La Belle au bois dormant Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra, Hungarian National Choir, György Vashegyi, Guylaine Girard, Julien Dran, Kate Aldrich, Thomas Dolié [ Bru Zane / 2 CD Box Set - released 24/Apr/2026 ] "Another fascinating revival from Palazzetto Bru Zane, and another discovery for most of us - Charles Silver's opera La Belle au bois dormant, triumphantly realised and recorded." Gramophone Bookmark recording.. |
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GERALD FINZI
Finzi: Requiem da camera / For St Cecilia / In terra pax Florian Stortz (bass), Hilary Cronin (soprano), Gwilym Bowen (tenor) / The Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge, Steven Grahl [ Hyperion / CD - released 17/Jul/2026 ] "Three major works spanning Finzi's composing career from a choir - Trinity College Cambridge - that continues, under Steven Grahl, to build on its impressive reputation on record." Gramophone Editor's Choice |
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ALLAN PETTERSSON
Pettersson: Symphonies 3 & 8 Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Christian Lindberg [ BIS SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 13/Feb/2026 ] "The penultimate album in Lindberg's complete survey - the first by a single conductor - of Petterson's symphonies is an excellent addition to the series." Gramophone Editor's Choice & Bookmark recording |
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AARON COPLAND / GEORGE WALKER
Copland: Symphony No. 3 / Walker: Sinfonia No. 5 London Symphony Orchestra, Antonio Pappano [ LSO Live / CD - released 5/Jun/2026 ] "Pappano's love of movie music colours so much in the piece setting forth with a first movement of wide-open spaces (open fifths rule) and sky-scraping heights." Editor's Choice Gramophone |
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FRANZ SCHUBERT / PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
Schubert / Liszt: Wanderer Fantasy - Tchaikovsky: Concert Fantasy Lukas Geniušas (piano), Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen, Modestas Pitr?nas [ Alpha Classics / CD - released 19/Jun/2026 ] "A thrilling album, with pianist, orchestra, repertoire and sound ideally matched." Gramophone Editor's Choice |
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LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas, Opp. 109, 110 & 111 Mitsuko Uchida (piano) [ Decca / CD - released 24/Jul/2026 ] "Luminous playing and a deeply personal attention to dynamics define Mitsuko Uchida's approach to Beethoven's late sonatas. Another superb recording from one of today's finest pianists." Gramophone Editor's Choice |