Editor's Choice recordings – December 2015
Gramophone
Friday, December 4, 2015
Martin Cullingford’s pick of the finest recordings from this month’s reviews
Recording of the Month
Handel Partenope
Sols incl Karina Gauvin & Philippe Jaroussky; Il Pomo d’Oro / Riccardo Minasi
(Erato)
Brilliant singing and thoughtful characterisation from Gauvin and Jaroussky, and a conductor in Minasi who relishes the score’s dramatic potential, make this a superb release. Read the Gramophone review / Buy from Qobuz
‘Dancing Day’
St Thomas Choir of Men & Boys / John Scott
(Resonus)
A moving tribute to the late John Scott’s wonderful leadership of his New York choir: Britten’s and Rutter’s celebrations of traditional carols are all beautifully performed. Read the Gramophone review / Buy from Qobuz
Bartók Chamber Works Ligeti Concertos
Ensemble Intercontemporain / Matthias Pintscher
(Alpha)
A generously filled and superbly performed survey of works by Bartók and Ligeti, not least the three solo instrumental concertos by the latter. Read the Gramophone review / Buy from Qobuz
Audio Editor Andrew Everard writes: 'This two-disc set, the first fruits of a collaboration between the Outhere Group’s classical label and the Ensemble, has a programme placing plenty of demands on the recording team, but in the Qobuz 24-bit/96kHz download it’s readily apparent how well it has risen to the task, with dramatic dynamics, remarkable clarity revealing even subtlest nuances, and superb rhythmic drive and attack. It’s a challenging, exciting and totally involving listen.'Beethoven Symphonies Nos 5 & 7
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra / Manfred Honeck
(Reference Recordings)
A new release of two of music’s most famous (and recorded) works, but a compelling one, really worth hearing. Read the Gramophone review / Buy from Qobuz
Prokofiev. Tchaikovsky Piano Concertos
Beatrice Rana pf Saint Cecilia Orchestra / Sir Antonio Pappano
(Warner Classics)
The concerto debut of a young pianist garnering much praise – and on the strength of this disc, quite right too! Read the Gramophone review / Buy from Qobuz
‘Minoriten-konvent’
Aliquando
(Muso)
A fascinating disc: sonatas from a late-17th-century manuscript which offer a real insight into violin music of the era. Superbly played, and featuring a wonderful-sounding chamber organ. Read the Gramophone review
JS Bach Magnificat
Dunedin Consort / John Butt
(Linn)
Another intriguing and excellently performed project from Butt and his Dunedin Consort: a delightful recreation of what Bach’s first Christmas in Leipzig might well have sounded like. Read the Gramophone review
JS Bach Mass in B minor
Monteverdi Choir; English Baroque Soloists / Sir John Eliot Gardiner
(SDG)
Thirty years since his pioneering first version, Gardiner returns to re-record the mighty Mass in B minor; the impressive result draws on all his great knowledge and experience of Bach’s music. Read the Gramophone review / Buy from Qobuz
Liszt Petrarch Sonnets Shostakovich Michelangelo Songs
Dmitri Hvorostovsky bar Ivari Ilja pf
(Ondine)
A fine communicator – not to mention a baritone of real warmth – Hvorostovsky offers powerful performances of these settings of Italian poetry. Read the Gramophone review / Buy from Qobuz
‘Arie napoletane’
Max Emanuel Cencic counterten Il Pomo d’Oro / Maxim Emelyanychev
(Decca)
‘An exceptional recital,’ writes our critic; this superb countertenor brings excellent drama and emotion to a thoughtfully programmed survey of Neapolitan Baroque arias. Read the Gramophone review / Buy from Qobuz
DVD/blu-ray
Mahler Symphony No 7
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra / Riccardo Chailly
(Accentus)
A chance to watch Chailly and his musicians explore Mahler’s Symphony No 7 in another fine film from Accentus. Read the Gramophone review
Reissue/archive
Sibelius Historical Recordings and Rarities
Various artists
(Warner)
An excellent-value insight into some of the great maestros of the past performing Sibelius’s music. Read the Gramophone review