This Week's Essential New Classical Albums
Friday, October 15, 2021
Featuring Bernstein's Candide, Cello Unlimited, Korngold's Chamber Music and music from 17th century France
A new recording of Bernstein's Candide by Marin Alsop was always going to be essential listening, but when you add a cast featuring Leonardo Capalbo, Jane Archibald, Anne Sofie von Otter and Thomas Allen, plus the LSO, well, why a wait moment more?
This album of film music by Hans Zimmer (Pirates of the Caribbean) and Howard Shore (The Lord of the Rings) is notable by virtue of the fact that these large-scale scores are played entirely by Kian Soltani, multi-tracking his cello. The range of playing techniques, including slapping the body of the instrument, is remarkable, as are the musical arrangements themselves.
This album is the Eusebius Quartet's debut for Somm Recordings. They were founded in 2016 and have teamed with pianist Alasdair Beatson for Korngold's Piano Quintet, Four Pieces from Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing and String Quartet No 2.
Les Kapsber’girls perform music from 17th-century France. 'Vous avez dit Brunettes?' features music by the likes of Jacquet de la Guerre, Julie Pinel, Giuseppe Saggione and Nicolas Lendormy. The album cover alone deserves some kind of award, and throughout the album we hear snatches of sheep in the fields to evoke a unique world of sound.
Specialist Classical Chart
The Official Specialist Classical Chart Top 20 appears on the Gramophone website and is updated every Friday at 6pm (UK time). It’s a great way of exploring the new classical releases:
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