Apr. 3, 2015
This past month our classical reviewers listened to re-imaginings of Chopin's piano music, of Hildegard von Bingen's mystical chants, and of songs made famous by Billie Holiday. There were also plenty of new recordings of symphonies by Dvorák, Sibelius, Bizet, Mahler, Bruckner, Hovhaness, and C.P.E. Bach to choose from, and several options for music for the Easter season for anyone in a reflective or spiritual mood.
Blair Sanderson
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Yan Pascal Tortelier - Stravinsky: Concertos
Marek Bracha - Chopin: Mazurki; Walce, Op. 34; Ecossaises; Polonez
Charles Bruffy, Kansas City Chorale, Phoenix Chorale - Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil
Karen Cargill, Antoine Tamestit, Valery Gergiev, London Symphony Orchestra - Berlioz: Harold en Italie; La mort de Cléopâtre
Peter Donohoe - Prokofiev: Piano Sonatas, Vol. 2 - Sonatas Nos. 9 & 10; Sonatinas Nos. 1 & 2; Cello Sonatas
Gustavo Dudamel, Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela - El Sistema 40: A Celebration
Christoph Eschenbach, London Philharmonic Orchestra - Messiaen: Des Canyons aux Étoiles
JoAnn Falletta, Ulster Orchestra - Paine: Symphony No. 2 "In the Spring"
Ferruccio Furlanetto, Valery Gergiev, Mariinsky Orchestra - Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Songs and Dances of Death; Night on Bare Mountain
Alan Gilbert, New York Philharmonic - Carl Nielsen: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 6
Matt Haimovitz, Christopher O'Riley - Beethoven, Period.
Manfred Honeck - Bruckner: Symphony No. 4
Mariss Jansons, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - Bruckner: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 7
Yi Lin Jiang - Masques
Kuniko Kato - Iannis Xenakis: IX
Dan Laurin, Paradiso Musicale - J.H. Roman: The 12 Flute Sonatas, Nos. 1-5
Valentina Lisitsa - Valentina Lisitsa Plays Philip Glass
Renée Anne Louprette - Bach: The Great Eighteen Chorales
Riccardo Minasi, Ensemble Resonanz - C.P.E. Bach: 6 Hamburg Symphonies
Jonathan Nott, David Robertson, Bamberger Symphoniker, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra - Michael Gordon: Dystopia
Quartetto Delfico - Vincenzo Manfredini: Compelete String Quartets
Daniel Raiskin - Mahler: Symphony No. 3
Gerd Schaller - Bruckner: Symphony 5
Gerard Schwarz, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra - Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection"
Gil Shaham - Bach: Sonatas and Partitas
Jeni Slotchiver - Busoni the Visionary, Vol. 3
Thomas Søndergård, BBC National Orchestra of Wales - Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 7
Jiri Stárek, Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra - Mahler: Symphony No. 7
Leopold Stokowski - Stokowski: Live from the Proms
Robin Ticciati, Bamberger Symphoniker - Dvorák: Symphony No. 9 "From the New World"; American Suite
Jean-Luc Tingaud, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra - Bizet: Roma
Various Artists - Michael Vincent Waller: The South Shore
Michael Volle, Hansjörg Albrecht, Münchner Symphoniker - Hans Rott: Balde ruhest du auch!; Symphonie in E-dur
James Manheim
Piotr Beczala - The French Collection
Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles - Easter at Ephesus
Emmanuelle Bertrand, Pascal Amoyel - Chopin: 1846, dernière année à Nohant
Stefan Blunier, Beethoven Orchester Bonn - Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 8
Cappella Romana, Alexander Lingas - Good Friday in Jerusalem
Carducci String Quartet - Shostakovich: String Quartets Nos. 4, 8 & 11
Olivier Chauzu - Beethoven: Sonates Op. 101, Op 106 "Hammerklavier"
Chiaroscuro Quartet - Mozart, Mendelssohn
Choir of Clare College, Cambridge, The Dmitri Ensemble, Graham Ross - Ascendit Deus
Contrapunctus, Owen Rees - In the Midst of Life: Music from the Baldwin Partbooks, Vol. 1
Teodor Currentzis - Mozart: Così Fan Tutte
Lara Downes - A Billie Holiday Songbook
Elora Festival Singers, Noel Edison - Poulenc: Mass in G major; Sept Chansons; Motets
Isabelle Faust - Robert Schumann, 1
Gerald Finley, Julius Drake - Liszt: The Complete Songs, Vol. 3
Vilde Frang - Mozart: Violin Concertos 1 & 5; Sinfonia Concertante
David Fray - Schubert: Fantasie
Sol Gabetta - Prayer
Boris Giltburg - Schumann: Carnaval; Davidsbündlertänze; Papillons
Thomas Gould, Britten Sinfonia - Bach: Goldberg Variations
Hilary Hahn - Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 5; Vieuxtemps: Violin Concerto No. 4
Hirundo Maris - Hildegard von Bingen: Vox Cosmica
Sunhae Im, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin - Orfeo(s): Italian & French Cantatas
Steven Isserlis, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Järvi - Prokofiev, Shostakovich: Cello Concertos
Choir of Jesus College Cambridge / Mark Williams - Out of Darkness: Music from Lent to Trinity
Jacek Kaspszyk, Ilya Gringolts, Warsaw Philharmonic - Mieczyslaw Weinberg
The Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury - English Hymn Anthems
Los Angeles Guitar Quartet - New Renaissance
Albrecht Mayer - Lost and Found
Paul Merkelo, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Kent Nagano - French Concertos for Trumpet
Lisa Moore - Philip Glass: Mad Rush
Alice Sara Ott, Ólafur Arnalds - The Chopin Project
Nicholas Phan - A Painted Tale
Rachel Podger, Brecon Baroque - Vivaldi: L’Estro Armonico
Nemanja Radulovic - Journey East
Royal String Quartet - Szymanski, Mykietyn
Gerard Schwarz, Eastern Music Festival Orchestra- Hovhaness: Symphony No. 48 "Vision of Andromeda"
Scottish Chamber Orchestra Wind Soloists - Mozart: Divertimenti
Tallis Scholars, Peter Philips - Arvo Pärt: Tintinnabuli
Trio Latitude 41 - Saint-Saëns: Piano Trios
Blair Sanderson
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Yan Pascal Tortelier - Stravinsky: Concertos
Marek Bracha - Chopin: Mazurki; Walce, Op. 34; Ecossaises; Polonez
Charles Bruffy, Kansas City Chorale, Phoenix Chorale - Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil
Karen Cargill, Antoine Tamestit, Valery Gergiev, London Symphony Orchestra - Berlioz: Harold en Italie; La mort de Cléopâtre
Peter Donohoe - Prokofiev: Piano Sonatas, Vol. 2 - Sonatas Nos. 9 & 10; Sonatinas Nos. 1 & 2; Cello Sonatas
Gustavo Dudamel, Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela - El Sistema 40: A Celebration
Christoph Eschenbach, London Philharmonic Orchestra - Messiaen: Des Canyons aux Étoiles
JoAnn Falletta, Ulster Orchestra - Paine: Symphony No. 2 "In the Spring"
Ferruccio Furlanetto, Valery Gergiev, Mariinsky Orchestra - Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Songs and Dances of Death; Night on Bare Mountain
Alan Gilbert, New York Philharmonic - Carl Nielsen: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 6
Matt Haimovitz, Christopher O'Riley - Beethoven, Period.
Manfred Honeck - Bruckner: Symphony No. 4
Mariss Jansons, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - Bruckner: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 7
Yi Lin Jiang - Masques
Kuniko Kato - Iannis Xenakis: IX
Dan Laurin, Paradiso Musicale - J.H. Roman: The 12 Flute Sonatas, Nos. 1-5
Valentina Lisitsa - Valentina Lisitsa Plays Philip Glass
Renée Anne Louprette - Bach: The Great Eighteen Chorales
Riccardo Minasi, Ensemble Resonanz - C.P.E. Bach: 6 Hamburg Symphonies
Jonathan Nott, David Robertson, Bamberger Symphoniker, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra - Michael Gordon: Dystopia
Quartetto Delfico - Vincenzo Manfredini: Compelete String Quartets
Daniel Raiskin - Mahler: Symphony No. 3
Gerd Schaller - Bruckner: Symphony 5
Gerard Schwarz, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra - Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection"
Gil Shaham - Bach: Sonatas and Partitas
Jeni Slotchiver - Busoni the Visionary, Vol. 3
Thomas Søndergård, BBC National Orchestra of Wales - Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 7
Jiri Stárek, Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra - Mahler: Symphony No. 7
Leopold Stokowski - Stokowski: Live from the Proms
Robin Ticciati, Bamberger Symphoniker - Dvorák: Symphony No. 9 "From the New World"; American Suite
Jean-Luc Tingaud, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra - Bizet: Roma
Various Artists - Michael Vincent Waller: The South Shore
Michael Volle, Hansjörg Albrecht, Münchner Symphoniker - Hans Rott: Balde ruhest du auch!; Symphonie in E-dur
James Manheim
Piotr Beczala - The French Collection
Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles - Easter at Ephesus
Emmanuelle Bertrand, Pascal Amoyel - Chopin: 1846, dernière année à Nohant
Stefan Blunier, Beethoven Orchester Bonn - Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 8
Cappella Romana, Alexander Lingas - Good Friday in Jerusalem
Carducci String Quartet - Shostakovich: String Quartets Nos. 4, 8 & 11
Olivier Chauzu - Beethoven: Sonates Op. 101, Op 106 "Hammerklavier"
Chiaroscuro Quartet - Mozart, Mendelssohn
Choir of Clare College, Cambridge, The Dmitri Ensemble, Graham Ross - Ascendit Deus
Contrapunctus, Owen Rees - In the Midst of Life: Music from the Baldwin Partbooks, Vol. 1
Teodor Currentzis - Mozart: Così Fan Tutte
Lara Downes - A Billie Holiday Songbook
Elora Festival Singers, Noel Edison - Poulenc: Mass in G major; Sept Chansons; Motets
Isabelle Faust - Robert Schumann, 1
Gerald Finley, Julius Drake - Liszt: The Complete Songs, Vol. 3
Vilde Frang - Mozart: Violin Concertos 1 & 5; Sinfonia Concertante
David Fray - Schubert: Fantasie
Sol Gabetta - Prayer
Boris Giltburg - Schumann: Carnaval; Davidsbündlertänze; Papillons
Thomas Gould, Britten Sinfonia - Bach: Goldberg Variations
Hilary Hahn - Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 5; Vieuxtemps: Violin Concerto No. 4
Hirundo Maris - Hildegard von Bingen: Vox Cosmica
Sunhae Im, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin - Orfeo(s): Italian & French Cantatas
Steven Isserlis, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Järvi - Prokofiev, Shostakovich: Cello Concertos
Choir of Jesus College Cambridge / Mark Williams - Out of Darkness: Music from Lent to Trinity
Jacek Kaspszyk, Ilya Gringolts, Warsaw Philharmonic - Mieczyslaw Weinberg
The Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury - English Hymn Anthems
Los Angeles Guitar Quartet - New Renaissance
Albrecht Mayer - Lost and Found
Paul Merkelo, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Kent Nagano - French Concertos for Trumpet
Lisa Moore - Philip Glass: Mad Rush
Alice Sara Ott, Ólafur Arnalds - The Chopin Project
Nicholas Phan - A Painted Tale
Rachel Podger, Brecon Baroque - Vivaldi: L’Estro Armonico
Nemanja Radulovic - Journey East
Royal String Quartet - Szymanski, Mykietyn
Gerard Schwarz, Eastern Music Festival Orchestra- Hovhaness: Symphony No. 48 "Vision of Andromeda"
Scottish Chamber Orchestra Wind Soloists - Mozart: Divertimenti
Tallis Scholars, Peter Philips - Arvo Pärt: Tintinnabuli
Trio Latitude 41 - Saint-Saëns: Piano Trios