Reviews
Review: Purcell – Complete Suites and Other Music for Keyboard
In her review, Kate Bolton-Porciatti believes pianist Cristian Sandrin has set the bar with his thrilling modern take on Purcell keyboard gems
Review: Moonlight Variations (Pablo Ferrández)
Cellist Pablo Ferrández serves up an appetising menu of works, perfectly played and curated, says Jo Talbot in her review
Review: For Dieter... (Benjamin Appl)
Benjamin Appl’s heartfelt and imaginative album homage to Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau is cherishable, says Natasha Loges in her review
Review: Lament & Liberation (St John's, Cambridge)
In his review, Ashutosh Khandekar is impressed by new music director Christopher Gray’s ambitious, intense and no holds barred album debut with St John’s
Review: Salieri – Cublai, gran kan de’ Tartari
In his review, George Hall enjoys this stylish, studio take on Salieri’s colourful banned opera, ‘Cublai, gran kan de’ Tartari’
What's new?
Review: Bruch • Erkki-Sven Tüür – Violin Concertos (Hans Christian Aavik)
Violinist Hans Christian Aavik makes light work of Bruch and Erkki-Sven Tüür in these captivating performances, says Michael Jameson in his review
Review: Sibelius – Symphony No. 5; Swanwhite Suite etc
In his review, Malcolm Hayes is impressed by the surefootedness and attention to detail in this remarkable selection of Sibelius’s symphonic works
Review: György Kurtág – Játékok (Pierre-Laurent Aimard)
In his review, Michael Church enjoys Pierre-Laurent Aimard’s wholehearted performance of György Kurtág’s epic piano cycle Játékok
Review: Complete Works for Solo Piano (Bavouzet)
In her review, Rebecca Franks enjoys Jean-Efflam Bavouzet’s characterful new take on the complete solo piano works of Ravel
Review: Brahms – Piano Quartets Nos 2 & 3
Krystian Zimerman and friends deliver a superb performance of radiant and whimsical Brahms Piano Quartets, says Jan Smaczny in his review
Chamber
Review: Dvořák & Price – Piano Quintets (Takács Quartet)
Takács Quartet and Marc-André Hamelin are on sublime form in contrasting piano quintets by Dvořák and Florence Price, says Jan Smaczny in his review
Review: Shostakovich – String Quartets Nos 2, 7 & 10 (Jerusalems)
In his review, Erik Levi goes on a real rollercoaster of musical emotions thanks to the Jerusalem Quartet’s winning survey of three of Shostakovich’s mighty quartets
Review: Górecki String Quartets (Silesian String Quartet)
The Silesian Quartet deliver an outstanding survey of Górecki’s string quartets, says John Allison in his review
Choral & Song
Review: Ravel – Complete Songs
In his review, Paul Riley thinks this foray into Ravel’s vocal works by pianist Malcolm Martineau and friends is a box of delights
Review: JS Bach – Mass in B minor (Pygmalion)
In her review, Alexandra Wilson thinks this latest interpretation of Bach’s mighty B minor Mass by Pygmalion is exceptional and a must-listen
Review: Attende domine (The Bevan Family Consort)
In her review, Alexandra Wilson finds much to enjoy in this glorious family album of beautiful music for Lent and Passiontide from the brilliant Bevans
Concerto
Review: Järnefelt, Sibelius, Szymanowski – Violin Concertos etc
In his review, Malcolm Hayes thinks this flawless performance by violinist Lea Birringer is a remarkable and memorable display of panache and precision
Review: Saint-Saëns – Violin Concertos Nos 1 & 2 etc (Leia Zhu)
In his review, Christopher Dingle is very impressed by the young violinist Leia Zhu’s dazzling Saint-Saëns survey
Review: Lalo & Widor Cello Concertos (Graham du Plessis)
In her review, Jo Talbot thinks Widor’s rarely performed cello concerto is worth discovering and is won over by its pairing with Lalo’s
Instrumental
Review: Solo Viola Works (Timothy Ridout)
In his review, Nicholas Kenyon enjoys the marvellous musicality in Timothy Ridout’s beautifully delivered showcase of solo works for the viola
Review: Ravel Fragments (Bertrand Chamayou)
In his review, Nicholas Kenyon enjoys Bertrand Chamayou’s vision and gripping performance in a clever tribute to Ravel
Review: Field's Complete Nocturnes (Alice Sara Ott)
In his review, Michael Church enjoys this glowing reappraisal of John Field’s Nocturnes by Alice Sara Ott
Opera
Review: Bartók – Duke Bluebeard's Castle
In his review, Christopher Cook is chilled to the bone by a concert take on the Bartók’s nightmarishly blood-curdling masterpiece, Bluebeard
Review: R Strauss – Arabella (DVD/Berlin, 2023)
In his review, David Nice is enthralled by this memorable and moving Berlin staging of Strauss’s colourful opera, Arabella
Review: The Ghosts of Hamlet (Roberta Mameli)
Berta Joncus applauds this collection of rare and ravishing Baroque treasures from soprano Roberta Mameli
Orchestral
Review: Thomas Adès – Suites
In her review, Steph Power is left exhilarated by the LPO’s visceral survey of imaginative operatic suites by the British composer Thomas Adès
Review: Mahler – Symphony No. 5 (Tonhalle/Järvi)
In his review, David Nice thinks there’s no better Mahler 5 than this full-throttle recording by Paavo Järvi and his Zurich orchestra who set a fine new benchmark
Review: Stravinsky's Pulcinella etc (Toronto Symphony)
In his review, David Nice enjoys generous portions and fine playing in this Toronto take on Stravinsky’s brilliant Pulcinella