February 2023

capricornus sonatas niburu

Capricornus: Vocal & Instrumental works (Nibiru)

A perfect demonstration of the quality of Capricornus’s oeuvre [JV]

Donizetti gaetano PTC5186886

Donizetti: Signor Gaetano (Pentatone)

A welcome debut recital which promises much for the future of bel canto singing [MP]

Bruckner sym7 Alpha932

Bruckner: Symphony 7 (Alpha)

A fine, sensitive account but one which underplays some of the key points of tension [RMo]

Mahler Turina Symphony No 2 Afkham Orquesta y Coro OCNE 8436552740095

Mahler: Symphony 2 (INAEM)

The premiere recording of a skilful reduced orchestration of practical value in the concert hall but not for home listening [NB]

Vaughan Williams Boult Somm ARIADNE5018

Vaughan Williams: Live Vol 2 (SOMM Recordings)

Lani Spahr’s expert restorations have breathed new life into these important archive recordings [JQ]

Telemann cantatas Koch cpo 5554372

Telemann: Cantatas, Vol 2 (cpo)

Exquisite period-instrument performances of rarely-heard Telemann cantatas [DF]

Monteverdi madrigals Allessandrini naive OP7365

Monteverdi: Madrigals (Naïve Records)

An exceptionally well-conceived, exciting yet controlled rendering [MS]

beethoven violin sonatas 1 to 7 plocek palenicek forgotten fr2023-4

Beethoven: Violin Sonatas (Forgotten Records)

A variably attractive Beethoven cycle from two eloquent Czech musicians [JW]

Mendelssohn F Das Jahr Danacord DACOCD957

Mendelssohn, F: Das Jahr (Danacord)

An attractive performance of Mendelssohn-Hensel’s most ambitious piano collection [RCh]

Finzi: Clarinet Concerto (Naxos)

(Déjà Review) A fabulous collection recommended unreservedly [IL]

korngold kathrin cpo

Korngold: Die Kathrin (cpo)

(Déjà Review) Music of your most romantic dreams and packing a grand emotional punch [RB]

bruckner symphony exton

Bruckner: Symphony 4 (Exton)

Yet another superb Bruckner recording from a flawless Tokyo orchestra [RMo]

mahler symphony PTC5187021

Mahler: Symphony 5 (Pentatone)

A distinguished account of Mahler’s Fifth [JQ]

George & Ira Gershwin’s The Man I Love

by Len Mullenger

lincke overtures 5554282

Lincke: Overtures Vol. 1 (cpo)

There may be more to Lincke than the Gavotte Pavlova and Berliner Luft [RMay]

Pruwer forgotten maestro Pristine PASC674

Julius Prüwer (conductor) Forgotten Maestro (Pristine Audio)

A welcome restoration of the recordings of a largely overlooked German conductor [JW]

dodgson songs SOMMCD0659

Dodgson: Songs Vol. 1 (SOMM Recordings)

An enticing introduction to a fine composer’s songs [WH]

Mayer piano CDS7980

Mayer: Piano works (Dynamic)

Attractive miniatures in the mould of Schumann and Mendelssohn [RCh]

Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust

A survey by Ralph Moore

Dmitri Hvorostovsky (baritone): The Philips Recitals (Eloquence)

This is a glorious collection that should be a source for delight for many years to come [GF]

Haydn 2032 No. 13 (Alpha)

Rousing, exquisitely articulated performances of Haydn symphonies [DF]

Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 (Fontec)

Another potentially engaging recording, fatally compromised by the conductor’s ill-disciplined vocal intrusion [RMo]

Golestan: Chamber Music (Forgotten Records)

Attractive transfers from the 1920s and 1930s of Stan Golestan’s chamber music [JW]

Verdi: Rigoletto (Opus Arte)

An imaginative and involving production, but flawed by some intrusive and insensitive vulgarities [PCG]