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. |
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 |
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. |
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) |
ANTON BRUCKNER
Hans Knappertsbusch: The Decca & Westminster Bruckner Recordings Wiener Philharmoniker, Münchener Philharmoniker [No 8], Hans Knappertsbusch [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 4 CD Box Set - released 7/Feb/2020 ] "The consensus as I understand it among those convinced of Kna's wizardry in this music is that we just have to let go of any regrets and enjoy what we have...I am soon under his spell and swept along by his mastery." MusicWeb |
RICHARD WAGNER
Wagner: Tannhauser (complete opera recorded live in 2019) Bayreuth Festival / Stephen Gould, Lise Davidsen, Elena Zhidkova, Markus Eiche / Valery Gergiev (cond) [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / 2 DVD - released 15/May/2020 ] "In his Bayreuth debut, Valery Gergiev conducts with such verve that at multiple turns it was like hearing the score anew." Limelight |
PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 6 / Violin Concerto Ruggiero Ricci (violin) / Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire de Paris, Erich Kleiber / New Symphony Orchestra of London, M. Sargent [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 2 CD - released 6/Mar/2020 ] Despite being recorded under 78rpm conditions, in four- or five-minute sections, the Fourth Symphony is marked by a palpable symphonic rigour as well as the edgy brass which lends such intensity to Decca's Paris recordings of Russian music. |