Editor's Choice: May 2023 | The best new classical recordings

Friday, April 14, 2023

Compelling Gesualdo Madrigals from Les Arts Florissants and Paul Agnew, Klaus Mäkelä's Rite of Spring in Paris and Michael Spyres's ‘Contra-Tenor’ are among the best new classical releases this month

In every issue of Gramophone, Editor Martin Cullingford chooses 12 albums (10 new releases, plus one DVD/blu-ray and one archive recommendation) as his Editor's Choice. Below, you will find the albums selected as Editor's Choice in the May 2023 issue, beginning with the Recording of the Month. 

We've included links to the album reviews in Gramophone's Reviews Database, a digital archive of all of our reviews from 1983 to today. To find out more about subscribing to Gramophone and the Reviews Database, please visit: magsubscriptions.com

Recording of the month

Gesualdo Madrigals, Books 5 & 6   Les Arts Florissants / Paul Agnew

Gesualdo Madrigals, Books 5 & 6 

Les Arts Florissants / Paul Agnew 

Harmonia Mundi 

The gripping acoustic intimacy that defined this series from its Award‑winning start is again here in another compelling Gesualdo recording from Les Arts Florissansts.

Read the Gramophone review


Bruckner Symphony No 4, ‘Romantic’   Cologne Gürzenich Orchestra / François‑Xavier Roth

Bruckner Symphony No 4, ‘Romantic’ 

Cologne Gürzenich Orchestra / François‑Xavier Roth 

Myrios 

‘The best-realised, and best-recorded, account of the original version of the Fourth we have yet had’, writes a hugely impressed Richard Osborne. 

Read the Gramophone review


Nordheim The Tempest – Suite from the Ballet

Nordheim The Tempest – Suite from the Ballet 

Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra / Edward Gardner 

LAWO 

The suite from Arne Nordheim’s ballet The Tempest is beautifully performed by Edward Gardner and his Bergen PO.

Read the Gramophone review


Stravinsky The Firebird. The Rite of Spring

Stravinsky The Firebird. The Rite of Spring 

Orchestre de Paris / Klaus Mäkelä 

Decca 

Named last issue as one of our artists shaping music-making for tomorrow, Klaus Mäkelä follows his superb Sibelius set with a riveting Stravinsky double-bill.

Read the Gramophone review

Klaus Mäkelä discusses this new recording on the Gramophone Podcast – listen here:


Saint‑Saëns Violin Sonatas

Saint‑Saëns Violin Sonatas, etc 

Cecilia Zilliacus vn Christian Ihle Hadland pf Stephen Fitzpatrick hp

BIS 

Wonderfully vivid, alive and completely committed – but most importantly beautiful – Saint-Saëns performances from violinist Cecilia Zilliacus and colleagues. 

Read the Gramophone review


‘The Handel Project’

‘The Handel Project’ 

Seong-Jin Cho pf

DG 

Seong-Jin Cho’s immersion in the sound world of the Baroque in preparation for this project leads him to Handel – and then Brahms – performances that feel as deeply thought-out as they do instinctive.

Read the Gramophone review


‘Gradus ad Parnassum’

‘Gradus ad Parnassum’ 

Jean Rondeau hpd

Erato 

A fascinating and wonderfully recorded harpsichord album from Jean Rondeau in which his complete conviction about his approach to this wide range of music brings enjoyment and admiration alike. 

Read the Gramophone review


JS Bach ‘Trinitatis’ – Cantatas

JS Bach ‘Trinitatis’ – Cantatas 

Damien Guillon counterten Le Banquet Céleste

Alpha 

Deeply engaging and moving performances of three Bach cantatas result in ‘an exceptional and original release’, as Jonathan Freeman‑Attwood puts it.

Read the Gramophone review


‘Magnificat 3’

‘Magnificat 3’ 

The Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge / Andrew Nethsingha 

Signum 

This ongoing series has not only been a beautifully prepared and sung tribute to the Anglican canticle tradition, but also to Andrew Nethsingha’s brilliant leadership of music st St John’s.

Read the Gramophone review


‘Contra-Tenor’

‘Contra-Tenor’ 

Michael Spyres ten Il Pomo d’Oro / Francesco Corti

Erato 

Michael Spyres’s now famous range coupled with his superb sense of drama and glorious technique singles him out – once again – as one of the finest opera singers before us today. 

Read the Gramophone review


DVD/blu-ray

Blow Venus and Adonis Purcell Dido and Aeneas

Blow Venus and Adonis Purcell Dido and Aeneas 

Sols; Confidencen Opera / Olof Boman 

Opus Arte 

Not just a double bill but a shared presentation of these two works, from the court theatre at Confidencen, Sweden. 

Read the Gramophone review


Reissue/archive

‘The Complete RCA Victor Recordings’   Jesús Maria Sanromá pf Primrose Quartet

‘The Complete RCA Victor Recordings’ 

Jesús Maria Sanromá pf Primrose Quartet

Biddulph 

Excellently transferred recordings of the complete recordings for RCA Victor of the quartet named after its pre-eminent viola player, William Primose.

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