LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Triple Concerto / Symphony No 7 Daniel Barenboim (piano/conductor), Anne-Sophie Mutter (violin), Yo-Yo Ma (cello) / West-Eastern Divan Orchestra [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 15/May/2020 ] "This is a fine, generously-filled and well-recorded album of Beethoven's music, in traditional performances that are very good." MusicWeb May 2020 |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: The Piano Concertos Jayson Gillham (piano) / Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Nicholas Carter [ ABC Classics / CD - released 10/Mar/2020 ] "And in terms of pianism, Gillham brought to bear an appropriate incisive musculature to those left hand runs whilst maintaining the crystal clear delicacy demanded of the right, and this was all achieved with a broad palette of colours." Limelight |
LUDOVICO EINAUDI
Einaudi: Islands - The Essential Einaudi (Deluxe Edition) Ludovico Einaudi (piano) [ Decca / 2 CD - released 10/Jan/2020 ] "Islands' ability to stir up emotions with just a few chords shows that his works are far from easy listening fodder." Allmusic |
CLAUDE DEBUSSY / JEAN PHILIPPE RAMEAU
Debussy & Rameau Vikingur Olafsson (piano) [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 5/Feb/2021 ] "It could have been a triumph of style over substance but, like the Bach, the programming here is truly inspired...Where else could Ólafsson end but with 'Hommage à Rameau' from Images, Book 1?" Gramophone Editor's Choice April 2020 |
Agnes Obel
Myopia (Gatefold LP) [ Deutsche Grammophon / LP - released 20/Mar/2020 ] For almost a decade, Agnes Obel has been one of the most independent and original artists in contemporary music. Now she has returned with the highly anticipated new album Myopia - her first through iconic German label Deutsche Grammophon. |
CLAUDE DEBUSSY
Debussy: Préludes, Images and Children's Corner [CDs + Blu-ray audio] Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (piano) [ Deutsche Grammophon 2 CDs + Blu-ray audio / 3 CD/Blu-ray Disc - released 6/Mar/2020 ] "I loved the Images and Children's Corner when they first came out, in 1971, and still think them among the finest versions recorded." Gramophone |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Women Of Note: A Century Of Australian Composers - Vol. 2 Asmira Woodward-Page (violin) Scott Davie (piano) Kees Boersma (double bass) ACO Collective / Sydney Symphony / Melbourne Symphony / etc [ ABC Classics / 2 CD - released 6/Mar/2020 ] This 2CD album celebrates the music from pioneers of Australia's musical heritage: Margaret Sutherland, Miriam Hyde, Dulcie Holland, and introducing Linda Phillips. |
Avishai Cohen
Big Vicious [ ECM / CD - released 27/Mar/2020 ] Charismatic trumpeter Avishai Cohen launched his exuberant, home-grown band Big Vicious six years ago, after relocating from the US to his native Israel, rounding up players to shape the music from the ground up. |
Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard, Steve Swallow
Life Goes On [ ECM Records / CD - released 6/Mar/2020 ] A striking album of new music from pianist/composer Carla Bley, whose trio with Andy Sheppard and Steve Swallow is now in its 25th year. |
DEBUSSY / BERG / HAHN / CHAUSSON / RAVEL / RACHMANINOV / etc
Daniel Hope - Belle Époque Daniel Hope (violin), Lise de la Salle (piano), Simon Crawford-Phillips (piano), Zürcher Kammerorchester [ Deutsche Grammophon / 2 CD - released 6/Mar/2020 ] "Hope's glidings and throbbings can be delightful, as can the music itself. Some of the sweetest, rarest pieces come from Webern's teacher Schoenberg, writing in the 1890s when he had yet to relinquish heart-tugging tunes...Treat this album like a... |
Ella Fitzgerald, with Ellis Larkins, Paul Smith and Oscar Peterson
The Complete Piano Duets [ Verve / 2 CD - released 13/Mar/2020 ] For the first time, all of Ella Fitzgerald's collaborations with pianists recorded for the Decca, Verve and Pablo labels are brought together on the album The Complete Piano Duets. |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN / JOHANNES BRAHMS / W. A. MOZART
Grigory Sokolov: Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart Grigory Sokolov (piano) [ Deutsche Grammophon / 3 CD/DVD - released 12/Jun/2020 ] ""Many regard Sokolov as one of the greatest pianists of our time, and he seems to have assumed a mythical status." MusicWeb Recommended July 2020 |
JOE HISAISHI
Dream Songs - The Essential Joe Hisaishi Joe Hisaishi (piano, work arranger, melodica) / London Symphony Orchestra / New Japan Philharmonic World Dream Orchestra [ Decca / 2 CD - released 21/Feb/2020 ] Joe Hisaishi, the acclaimed Japanese composer behind some of the world's best-loved animé films, has released his new album, Dream Songs: The Essential Joe Hisaishi in which he celebrates his diverse and distinguished catalogue of compositions |
ANTONIN DVORAK
Dvorak: Symphonic Variations / Serenade For Strings London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis [ Decca Eloquence / CD - released 20/Feb/2020 ] An original Philips album of two light-orchestral masterpieces by Dvorak, with the Serenade for Strings receiving a first international reissue on CD. |
John Scofield, with Steve Swallow & Bill Stewart
Swallow Tales [ ECM Records / CD - released 15/May/2020 ] Guitarist John Scofield celebrates the music of his friend and mentor Steve Swallow in an outgoing and spirited recording. John was a 20-year-old student at Berklee when he first met and played with the bassist, and they have continued ever since. |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: The Last Three Sonatas, Opp. 109-111 Maurizio Pollini (piano) [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 6/Mar/2020 ] On the occasion of Ludwig van Beethoven's 250th Anniversary year one of the greatest pianist of our time, Maurizio Pollini, returns to the miracle and enigma of Beethoven's Last Sonatas: 42 years after the first recording of these masterpieces. |
Norah Jones
Pick me Up Off The Floor [ Blue Note / CD - released 12/Jun/2020 ] Norah Jones's seventh solo studio album grew out of her acclaimed singles series, as the unreleased songs unexpectedly congealed into an album of tremendous depth and beauty. |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Inspiration Sheku Kanneh-Mason (cello) / City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla [ Decca Records / CD - released 1/Jun/2018 ] "A most rewarding CD then, sure evidence that we should henceforth be on the lookout for any performances, recorded or live, that involve Sheku Kanneh-Mason." - Gramophone |
ANTONIN DVORAK
Dvorák: Requiem / Biblical Songs / Te Deum Ailyn Pérez, Christianne Stotijn, Michael Spyres, Jan Martínik / Prague Philharmonic Choir, Jirí Belohlávek [ Decca / 2 CD - released 20/Mar/2020 ] This release concludes the series of Jiří Bělohlávek's last recordings of Czech masterworks for Decca Classics before he sadly passed away in 2017 |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Flute Concertos / Symphonies Nos 25, 29, 32, 39 & 40 Hubert Barwahser (flute) / London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis [ Decca Eloquence / 2 CD - released 20/Feb/2020 ] 'The performances are consistently polished and elegant Barwahsers phrasing is unfailingly beautiful' Penguin Guide, 1982 (Flute Concertos) |