Music Reviews
A grand collection of reviews. If you are a professional music reviewer and would like to contribute a review to this blog, please contact us.
‘Espansiva’ is Fascinating Listening
OUR Recordings specialise in Danish music and performers, usually recorded in very high-definition sound, and here we have Denmark’s greatest composer’s own arrangements of three of his works played by Danes. Those used to being able to access multiple recordings of the works might ask why he bothered; forgetting that back then it was usually […]
One Remarkable Recital!
Two very talented musicians and five composers in one remarkable recital! Anna Fedorova, piano, and Dana Zemtsov, viola, are magical together. If you watch the video on this album’s listing you will hear them describe a kind of “deja vu” they feel whenever they are in France. These pieces by five different composers create a similar […]
The Himalaya Sessions are Transportive
These two albums belong together. They create a transportive mood and time that are truly remarkable. Open up the booklet for each to get some idea of what the poet, writer, pianist, storyteller has to say. But don’t make the mistake that you need to follow everything. Let me try to describe the experience of lining up the […]
Amazingly BIG sound from five people
The Pacific Quintet, players from all over the world, make a joyful noise, presenting music from their home countries of Japan, Honduras, South Korea, Germany and Ukraine/Turkey. No, it doesn’t sound like world music as much as it seems like…just music. In fact, as a salute to Leonard Bernstein the last three pieces are arrangements […]
Here, everything feels “right”
I want to thank Semyon Bychkov and the Czech Philharmonic for the wonderful couple of hours I just spent listening to this Pentatone double album release featuring Dvorak’s 7th, 8th, and 9th (New World) symphonies. It’s easy to have some strong favorites in this music– Some great conductors have done them very well– Kubelik, Fischer, Colin […]
You need to hear these…
There is no better example of why we do these “discoveries” than this recording of Beethoven’s 4th and 8th Symphonies with Bernard Haitink and the London Symphony Orchestra. Recently I saw an on line review from David Hurwitz that made me want to revisit this album. I’m glad I did! I don’t care how many recordings […]
Janácek: Katya Kabanova in 3 Acts
Janáček: Káťa Kabanová, JW 1/8 (Opera in 3 Acts) Káťa Kabanová: Amanda Majeski (soprano)Boris: Simon O’Neill (tenor)Kabanicha: Katarina Dalayman (mezzo-soprano)Tichon: Andrew Staples (tenor)Kudrjáŝ: Ladislav Elgr (tenor)Varvara: Magdalena Kožená (mezzo-soprano)Dikoj: Pavlo Hunka (bass-baritone)Glasha & Feklusha: Claire Barnett-Jones (mezzo-soprano)Kuligin: Lukáš Zeman (baritone)London Symphony Orchestra & ChorusSir Simon Rattle Recorded live at the Barbican, London on 11 January […]
Simon Rattle & LSO – Britten in Three Works
Elizabeth Watts (soprano)Alice Coote (mez-soprano)Allan Clayton (tenor)Tiffin Boy’s, Children’s and Girl’s School ChorusesLondon Symphony Orchestra and ChorusSir Simon Rattle Recorded live at the Barbican Hall, London in September 2018, May 2019 and May 2021LSO0830 Performance: 5 Britten’s Sinfonia da Requiem, which was first performed by John Barbirolli and the New York Philharmonic in March 1941, […]
The Big Three
Many would say that the big three of the top English composers of the 20th Century would be the three whose music makes this album one of the hidden gems available at NativeDSD Elgar is celebrated for his Symphonies, his Cello Concerto, and (of course) The Enigma Variations and the Pomp and Circumstance Marches. Elgar’s […]
Review of Gordon Grdina’s Jazz Bundle – Vol. 1
Save 20% on all three Gordon Grdina albums with the DSD Bundle The Art of the Oud For more than two decades, Vancouver-based guitarist and bandleader Gordon Grdina has been composing music that features the oud. The oud is a double-coursed string instrument with a bowl-shaped back that is prominent in Arabic and Persian musical […]
A True Contribution to the Classical Catalogue
Prelude Classics is a new label catering to the most demanding lovers of classical music. A previous release ‘Telemann: 12 Fantasias for Viola Solo’ harvested multiple accolades and for this new one the Polish producer/engineer, Michał Bryła, has given ‘tout son savoir-faire’ for the benefit of all those for which only the very best is good […]
Very British and Very Beautiful
The extremely talented Ning Feng is joined by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Carlos Miguel Prieto in the Violin concertos of Edward Elgar (1857-1934), and Gerald Finzi (1901-1956). Elgar’s Violin Concerto isn’t quite as well known as his Cello Concerto, but has a similar passion and beauty. It’s been said that Elgar’s pieces are […]