The AllMusic 2023

Year
In
Review

2023 was a particularly strong year for instrumental classical recordings, including traditional interpretations of time-honored compositions performed by María Dueñas, Víkingur Ólafsson and Hilary Hahn (pictured), plus new adventurous works from Christoph Eschenbach, Anna Lapwood, and the Escher String Quartet featuring percussionist Colin Currie.

Shadow Dances: British Works for Flute

Adam Walker / Huw Watkins

Shadow Dances: British Works for Flute

Delightful and compact 20th century pieces for flute and piano, none of them really familiar outside wind circles.

Vaughan Williams: Job - A Masque for Dancing; Old King Cole; The Running Set

Andrew Manze / Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Vaughan Williams: Job - A Masque for Dancing; Old King Cole; The Running Set

A trio of Vaughan Williams ballets prove irresistible in this energetic reading.

J.S. Bach: Clavichord

András Schiff

J.S. Bach: Clavichord

Schiff's enthusiastic embrace of the clavichord produces utterly distinctive Bach performances.

Luna

Anna Lapwood

Luna

A beautifully executed crossover organ album knits diverse and fresh materials into a lyrical, almost mystical whole.

Beethoven: The Late Quartets

Calidore String Quartet

Beethoven: The Late Quartets

Impressive, sensitively sculpted, often transcendent late Beethoven from the Calidore Quartet.

Schubert: Piano Trios; Notturno; Rondo; Arpeggione Sonata

Christian Tetzlaff / Tanja Tetzlaff / Lars Vogt

Schubert: Piano Trios; Notturno; Rondo; Arpeggione Sonata

Magnificent, death-haunted performances of Schubert's two piano trios.

Der ferne Klang …: Orchestral Works & Songs by Franz Schreker

Christoph Eschenbach / Konzerthausorchester Berlin

Der ferne Klang …: Orchestral Works & Songs by Franz Schreker

A splendid sampling of works by a composer whose star is decidedly on the rise.

Mendelssohn: String Quartet in E flat major, Op. 44 No. 3; String Quartet in E flat Major '1823'

Consone Quartet

Mendelssohn: String Quartet in E flat major, Op. 44 No. 3; String Quartet in E flat Major '1823'

Grainy, gutsy Mendelssohn quartets performed on historical instruments.

Bartók: The Wooden Prince & Dance Suite

Cristian Măcelaru / WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln

Bartók: The Wooden Prince & Dance Suite

Delightfully graceful and well-crafted Bartók makes one want to hear more from conductor Măcelaru in this repertory.

Betsy Jolas, Mel Bonis, Lili Boulanger, Augusta Holmès: Poétesses Symphoniques

David Reiland / Orchestre National de Metz

Betsy Jolas, Mel Bonis, Lili Boulanger, Augusta Holmès: Poétesses Symphoniques

Neglected French music by women, in strong performances by conductor Reiland and the Orchestre National de Metz.

Schubert: Piano Sonatas D.784 & 959; Allegretto D.915

Eric Lu

Schubert: Piano Sonatas D.784 & 959; Allegretto D.915

Superb Schubert that takes perilously slow tempos and pulls them off entirely convincingly.

Leos Janácek: Kreutzer Sonata; Intimate Letters; Pavel Haas: From the Monkey Mountains

Escher String Quartet / Colin Currie

Leos Janácek: Kreutzer Sonata; Intimate Letters; Pavel Haas: From the Monkey Mountains

Searing performances that walk the edge between program music and interior worlds.

Barber, Bruch

Esther Yoo / Vasily Petrenko / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Barber, Bruch

A recording of virtuoso concertos adds reflection to the brilliance.

Anna Thorvaldsdottir: Archora; Aiōn

Eva Ollikainen / Iceland Symphony Orchestra

Anna Thorvaldsdottir: Archora; Aiōn

Ivesian music of vast spaces and processes are splendidly recorded here.

The Complete Beethoven Piano Concertos

Garrick Ohlsson / Donald Runnicles / Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra

The Complete Beethoven Piano Concertos

Impressive Beethoven from the 74-year-old soloist, direct and compelling.

Robert Schumann: Piano Works

Gerhard Oppitz

Robert Schumann: Piano Works

Definitive performances of Schumann's music from legendary pianist Gerhard Oppitz.

Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 7

Gianandrea Noseda / Philharmonia Zürich

Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 7

Standout Dvořák symphonies from the Philharmonia Zürich and its new conductor Gianandrea Noseda.

Thomas Adès: Dante

Gustavo Dudamel / Los Angeles Master Chorale / Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra

Thomas Adès: Dante

The epic tale of the Divina Commedia is given new life in the first ballet by composer Adès.

Ligeti: Études; Capriccios

Han Chen

Ligeti: Études; Capriccios

Wonderful performances of these Ligeti works, studies in which he worked out his late style.

Eugène Ysaÿe: Six Sonatas for Violin Solo Op. 27

Hilary Hahn

Eugène Ysaÿe: Six Sonatas for Violin Solo Op. 27

Brilliant, knife's-edge treatments of Ysaÿe's six virtuoso sonatas also delve into the traditions they represent.

Nielsen: Violin Concerto; Symphony No. 4 'The Inextinguishable'

James Ehnes / Edward Gardner / Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra

Nielsen: Violin Concerto; Symphony No. 4 'The Inextinguishable'

An exceptional performance of Nielsen's violin concerto brings out its humor.

Mozart: Piano Concertos, Vol. 8

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet / Gabor Takács-Nagy / Manchester Camerata

Mozart: Piano Concertos, Vol. 8

Elegant, self-effacing performances round out this well-recorded Mozart series on Chandos.

Pierre Sancan: A Musical Tribute

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet / Yan Pascal Tortelier / BBC Philharmonic Orchestra / Adam Walker

Pierre Sancan: A Musical Tribute

A wonderful tribute to a French pedagogue who wrote truly virtuosic neoclassic music in the middle of the 20th century.

Joe Hisaishi: A Symphonic Celebration [Deluxe Edition]

Joe Hisaishi / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Joe Hisaishi: A Symphonic Celebration [Deluxe Edition]

Delightful collection of beloved hits from classic Ghibli animated films featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Stained Glass

Johan Dalene / Christian Ihle Hadland

Stained Glass

A wide-ranging and exquisite program of works from the Impressionist side of 20th century music.

Respighi: Gli Uccelli; Antiche Danze ed Arie

John Neschling / Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège

Respighi: Gli Uccelli; Antiche Danze ed Arie

A superb realization of pure neoclassic works from late in Respighi's career.

Per Nørgård: Symphony No. 8; 3 Nocturnal Movements; Lysning

John Storgårds / Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra

Per Nørgård: Symphony No. 8; 3 Nocturnal Movements; Lysning

An intriguing program of works from a composer considered the heir to Carl Nielsen.

Eric Coates: Orchestral Works, Vol. 3

John Wilson / BBC Philharmonic Orchestra

Eric Coates: Orchestral Works, Vol. 3

A hugely enjoyable entry in this series devoted to Coates, featuring larger, multi-section programmatic works.

Bach & l'Italie

Justin Taylor

Bach & l'Italie

An in-depth examination of Bach's relationship to Italian composers carried off with great verve.

Women and War and Peace

Katelyn Bouska

Women and War and Peace

A fascinating recital organized around the idea of women's experiences in wartime, from early 19th century Poland to the present day.

Sonatas by Medtner, Rachmaninov, Scriabin

Kenny Broberg

Sonatas by Medtner, Rachmaninov, Scriabin

The pure Russian school of virtuosity is in good hands with young pianist Broberg.

Ciaccona!

Leila Schayegh / La Centifolia

Ciaccona!

Enjoyable for anyone, this intensive exploration of the ciaccona or chaconne will also interest serious Baroque buffs.

Maurice Ravel: In Search of Lost Dance

Linos Piano Trio

Maurice Ravel: In Search of Lost Dance

A splendid historical performance of Ravel's trio, plus other works arranged for the medium.

Harpsichord Concertos: Viktor Kalabis, Hans Krása, Bohuslav Martinů

Mahan Esfahani / Alexander Liebreich / Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra

Harpsichord Concertos: Viktor Kalabis, Hans Krása, Bohuslav Martinů

Neoclassic harpsichord concertos, quite distinct from one another, bring delight in brilliant performances.

Beethoven and Beyond

María Dueñas / Manfred Honeck / Wiener Symphoniker

Beethoven and Beyond

Marvelous, entirely original Beethoven from a youthful violin player.

Grazyna Bacewicz: Piano Concerto; Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra; Overture; Music for Strings, Trumpets and Percussion

Peter Jablonski / Elisabeth Brauß / Nicholas Collon / Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra

Grazyna Bacewicz: Piano Concerto; Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra; Overture; Music for Strings, Trumpets and Percussion

Brilliant, compelling performances of piano music by this immensely appealing composer.

Chopin

Rafał Blechacz

Chopin

Passionate yet structurally insightful Chopin scores strongly in the big sonatas.

The Handel Project

Seong-Jin Cho

The Handel Project

Superb homage to Handel in gripping performances by a rising pianist.

British Piano Concertos: Addison, Jacob, Rubbra

Simon Callaghan / Stephen Bell / George Vass / BBC National Orchestra of Wales

British Piano Concertos: Addison, Jacob, Rubbra

Three recorded premieres, superbly played and all of great interest.

Mozart: Recital

Su Yeon Kim

Mozart: Recital

An extraordinary Mozart program mixes unknown works with fresh readings of well-worn sonatas.

Hough, Dutilleux & Ravel: String Quartets

Takács Quartet

Hough, Dutilleux & Ravel: String Quartets

An elegant, superbly performed set of works in the French quartet tradition, even though not all are French.

Handel: Five Great Suites for Harpsichord (London, 1720)

Ton Koopman

Handel: Five Great Suites for Harpsichord (London, 1720)

Powerful, muscular Suites from the nearly octogenarian giant Koopman catch the exuberant quality of these works.

Suk - Dvořák

Trio Karénine

Suk - Dvořák

Exceptional performances that grasp the essence of Dvořák's big Piano Trio No. 3 in F minor, Op. 65.

Chausson, Ravel: Piano Trios

Trio Metral / Victor Metral / Laure-Hélène Michel / Nathan Mierdl

Chausson, Ravel: Piano Trios

Sharp performance of two trios that, although separated by just a few decades, inhabit different worlds.

Chausson, Saint-Saëns: Piano Trios

Trio Nebelmeer

Chausson, Saint-Saëns: Piano Trios

Passionate, arch-Romantic readings of French chamber repertory bode well for the prospects of a new piano trio.

Toru Takemitsu: Spectral Canticle

Viviane Hagner / Jacob Kellermann / Christian Karlsen

Toru Takemitsu: Spectral Canticle

Superlative renditions of Takemitsu's allusive soundscapes, most of them featuring his unique treatment of the guitar.

Bach: Goldberg Variations

Víkingur Ólafsson

Bach: Goldberg Variations

Brilliant, engrossing Goldbergs join superb virtuosity to crystal clarity in a subjective approach.

Sibelius: 3 & 4

Yannick Nézet-Séguin / Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal

Sibelius: 3 & 4

Delicate, beautifully executed Sibelius from a well-oiled orchestra-conductor partnership.

Yunchan Lim, Live from the Cliburn: Liszt - Transcendental Etudes

Yunchan Lim

Yunchan Lim, Live from the Cliburn: Liszt - Transcendental Etudes

Astonishing virtuosity from a still-teenager pianist as he excels in the highest of high-pressure settings.

El Último Aliento

Zsófia Boros

El Último Aliento

A hypnotically lovely release offers many shades of guitar sound.

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Garrick Ohlsson