|
THOMAS ADES / ER NORGARD / HANS ABRAHAMSEN
Ades: Arcadiana / Norgard: Quartetto Breve / Abrahamsen: 10 Preludes The Danish String Quartet [ ECM New Series / CD - released 15/Apr/2016 ] "The Danish are remarkable, as ever - capable of intense blend, extreme dynamic variation (in which they seem glued together), perfect intonation even on harmonics, and constant vitality and flow" Gramophone Award Nomination 2017 - Chamber |
|
ALBAN BERG
Berg: Wozzeck (complete opera recorded in 2015) BLU-RAY Zurich Opera / Christian Gerhaher, Brandon Jovanovich, Mauro Peter, Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke / Fabio Luisi (cond) [ Accentus Music Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Dec/2016 ] "This is a finely honed production that follows its premise to an absurdist conclusion with slick theatricality and dispassionate zeal." Gramophone Award WINNER 2017 - Opera |
|
ALBINONI / CALDARA / CORRELLI / TARTINI / TORELLI / VIVALDI
The Italian Job: Baroque Instrumental Music from the Italian States Rachel Chaplin and Gail Hennessy (oboes) Peter Whelan (bassoon), La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler (violin / director) [ Avie / CD - released 24/Feb/2017 ] "the whole underpinned by a scholarly attittude to programming and performance style which is yet worn with a light grace." Gramophone Award WINNER 2017 - Baroque Insrumental |
|
ALESSANDRO SCARLATTI
Scarlatti, (A): Missa defunctorum Odhecaton, Paolo Da Col [ Arcana / CD - released 22/Feb/2017 ] "The interweaving voices produce an attractive juxtaposition of density and transparency. Texts are declaimed crisply yet sensitively, melismatic vowels possess compassionate luminosity" Gramophone Awardc Nomination 2017 |
|
AMOMYMOUS / DUNSTAPLE / ALANUS
Music for the 100 Years' War The Binchois Consort, Andrew Kirkman [ Hyperion / CD - released 26/Mar/2017 ] "Where a more mellifluous tone is required, as in the top-voice-driven Credo by Excetre, they give Matthew Venner's expressive countertenor full rein." Gramophone Award Nomination 2017 - Early Music |
|
AMY BEACH / CECILE CHAMINADE / DOROTHY HOWELL
Beach, Chaminade & Howell - Piano Concertos Danny Driver (piano) / BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Rebecca Miller [ Hyperion Romantic Piano Concertos Vol 70 / CD - released 26/Feb/2017 ] "but even more appealing is Cécile Chaminade's Concertstück in the same key as the Beach...In Driver's hands it is enchanting." Gramophone Award Nomination 2017 - Concerto |
|
ANTONIO VIVALDI
Vivaldi: Concertos for 2 violins Giuliano Carmignola (violin) & Amandine Beyer (violin) / Gli incogniti [ Harmonia Mundi / CD - released 22/Oct/2016 ] "the two protagonists toss figures, rhythms and phrases across the net with ever-increasing excitement and intensity." The Guardian |
|
BELA BARTOK
Bartók: Mikrokosmos Book 5 & other piano music Cédric Tiberghien (piano) [ Hyperion / CD - released 1/Dec/2016 ] "A fine programme overall, much to be recommended" Gramophone award nomination 2017 - Instrumental |
|
JOHANNES BRAHMS
Brahms: Vier ernste Gesänge Matthias Goerne (baritone) Chistoph Eschenbach (piano) [ Harmonia Mundi / CD - released 20/May/2016 ] "this is supremely seductive Lieder singing, with a natural intelligence and ease with the words, matched by playing from Christoph Eschenbach that coaxes and caresses the piano with loving delicacy." Gramophone Award WINNER 2017 - Solo Vocal |
|
CASTELLO / CASTROVILLARI / GRAUPNER / HASSE / PURCELL / etc
Serpent & Fire Anna Prohaska (soprano) / Il Giardino Armonico, Giovanni Antonini [ Alpha / CD - released 1/Dec/2016 ] "Another stunner from soprano Anna Prohaska...It's all beautifully planned and paced, with riveting instrumental interludes from Il Giardino Armonico." The Observer |
|
CHERUBINI / PLANTADE
Cherubini & Plantade: Requiems pour Louis XVI et Marie-Antoinette Le Concert Spirituel, Hervé Niquet [ Alpha / CD - released 17/Aug/2017 ] "Niquet brings fresh artistry and specifically French authority honed over decades with Le Concert Spirituel to both works. For me, this is a prize-winning disc" Gramophone Award Nomination 2017 - Choral |
|
JEAN GUYOT
Guyot: Te Deum laudamus & other sacred music Cinquecento [ Hyperion / CD - released 28/Apr/2017 ] "the five adult men of Cinquecento - here joined by the countertenor David Allsopp - are, as always, absolutely flawless in the performance of this music. Even by the best standards of today their ensemble, balance and intonation are beyond reproach" |
|
FRANZ LISZT
Transcendental - Daniil Trifonov Plays Franz Liszt [complete Etudes] Daniil Trifonov (piano) [ Deutsche Grammophon / 2 CD - released 29/Nov/2016 ] "Trifonov's is the best kind of virtuoso playing, where one is hardly aware of the notes being played, allowing one to simply bask in the genius of Liszt's musical narrative and the transcendant execution of an awesomely gifted pianist." Gramophone |
|
DVORAK / MAHLER / SIBELIUS
All Who Wander Jamie Barton (mezzo), Brian Zeger (piano) [ Delos / CD - released 2/Oct/2002 ] "The disc's highlight is the Sibelius, in which the mezzo pours her heart into grand, soaring accounts of some of the composer's most seductive songs." Gramophone Award Nomination 2017 - Solo Vocal |
|
EDWARD ELGAR / ARNOLD BAX
For the fallen: Elgar & Bax Rachel Nicholls (soprano) Madeleine Shaw (mezzo) / Halle Orchestra & Choir, Mark Elder [ Halle / CD - released 20/Aug/2017 ] "Complete with superior production values, exhaustive booklet-notes and full texts, this stimulating collection deserves every success." Gramophone Award Nomination 2017 - Choral |
|
ERNST KRENEK
Krenek: Reisebuch aus den österreichischen Alpen (with Zemlinsky - songs) Florian Boesch (baritone) & Roger Vignoles (piano) [ Hyperion / CD - released 1/Sep/2016 ] "The emotional ambivalences are finely projected, as sadness, dismay and anger are repeatedly undercut by self-deprecating wit and humour" Gramophone Awards 2017 Nomination - Solo Vocal |
|
FRANCOIS COUPERIN
Couperin: Ariane consolée par Bacchus Stéphane Degout (baritone) / Les Talens Lyriques, Christophe Rousset [ Aparté / CD - released 1/Mar/2017 ] "These works have been recorded many times but rarely so well. Rousset's vision for his ensemble... is sublime, as too are his harpsichord realisations. This is a landmark recording to treasure." Gramophone Award Nomination 2017 |
|
FRANZ SCHUBERT
Schubert: String Quartets Nos. 12 & 15 Doric String Quartet [ Chandos / CD - released 27/Jan/2017 ] "..the main event is the G major Quartet...And very impressive it is too, spacious without ever sounding ponderous." Gramophone Magazine Award Nomination 2017 - Chamber |
|
GEORG PHILIPP TELEMANN
Telemann: Fantasias (12) for solo violin, TWV 40:14-25 Fabio Biondi (Ferdinando Gagliano violin from the 18th century) [ Glossa / CD - released 20/Sep/2016 ] "..there is a beguiling naturalness here that has not always been Biondi's thing, and that suits this music so well that even the whirlingly fast tempi he chooses for some movements are in no danger of jarring." Gramophone Award Nomination 2017 |
|
GEORG PHILIPP TELEMANN
Telemann: Concertos & Cantata Ihr Völker Hört Clare Wilkinson (mezzo soprano) / Florilegium [ Channel Classics / CD - released 10/Oct/2016 ] "Wilkinson's softly convivial and articulate singing communicates the cheerful Epiphany text. Solomon takes centre stage in a flute concerto in D major, but my ears were drawn equally to the sympathetic playing of theorbist David Charlston" Gramophon |