The Best Reissues & Archive Releases of 2017

Gramophone
Friday, December 8, 2017

Here are Editor Martin Cullingford's selections, by issue, of the finest reissues and archive releases of 2017

January

JS Bach Complete Works 

Zuzana Růžičková hpd 

(Erato) 

A significant set celebrating this fine harpsichordist’s survey of Bach’s solo keyboard music.

 

February

Diamond. Harris. Hill Symphonies 

Boston SO / Koussevitzky 

(Pristine Audio) 

Koussevitzky conducting the premiere of Harris’s Symphony No 5: ‘an important release’, writes Rob Cowan.

 

March

William Kapell 

Marston 

Killed in a plane crash aged 31, Kapell’s discography is relatively small: these broadcasts and concerts, many of them first releases, are valuable additions.

 

April

‘From Melba to Sutherland’ 

Eloquence 

80 singers in all: a great celebration of a country’s contribution to the art of opera.

 

May

Michael Gielen Edition, Vol 4 

SWR Music

‘Even more revelatory than the first three volumes’, suggests Rob Cowan of the latest instalment in this Michael Gielen series.

Hi-res download from Qobuz

 

June

Beethoven Complete String Quartets

Takács Qt 

Decca 

I attended some of these sessions and can still recall the forensic care and commitment the Takács brought to these works.

Hi-res download from Qobuz

 

July

Rachmaninov ‘The Edison Recordings’ 

Sergey Rachmaninov pf 

Naxos 

A valuable glimpse into the sound world and artistry of one of history’s greatest pianists.

Read the review

 

August

JS Bach Brandenburg Concertos 

Newstone 

Heritage 

A significant set, Harry Newstone’s early stereo Brandenburg Concertos get a deserved re-release.

 

September

Gundula Janowitz ‘The Last Recital’ 

First Hand 

The soprano’s final recital, nine years after she officially retired from the stage: a moving recording of a remarkable occasion.

Read the review

 

Awards 2017 Issue

Mozart Symphonies Nos 39 & 40 

Staatskapelle Dresden / Otmar Suitner 

Berlin Classics 

Suitner’s fine archive Mozart is, as Rob Cowan writes, well worth investigating.

Download from Qobuz

 

October

Rachmaninov Preludes 

Moura Lympany pf

Decca Eloquence 

Quite a historic event – the first recording of all of Rachmaninov's Preludes, made by Moura Lympany in 1941-2.

Read the review | Download from Qobuz

 

November

Beethoven Piano Sonatas 

Wilhelm Kempff pf

APR 

APR once again shines in its commitment to making past legends a living part of today’s catalogue.

Read the review

 

December

Purcell The Fairy Queen

Soloists; Boyd Neel Orchestra / Anthony Lewis

Decca Eloquence

The Fairy Queen’s first recording, reissued.

Read the review | Download from Qobuz

 

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