Recording of the Month

Shostakovich Symphony No 10. Lady Macbeth – Passacaglia 

Boston Symphony Orchestra / Andris Nelsons 

(DG)

'Powerful and beautifully crafted, this recording – the first from the relationship between DG and the Boston Symphony under Nelsons – is a hugely impressive sign of just what this ensemble/maestro partnership may go on to achieve.'
Read the review

Bruckner Symphony No 1 

Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra / Jaap van Zweden 

(Challenge Classics)

'Van Zweden completes his journey through Bruckner’s symphonies with a richly detailed, passionately played First.'
Read the review

Scriabin Symphonies Nos 1 & 4 

Russian National Orchestra / Mikhail Pletnev 

(Pentatone)

'The Scriabin centenary offers an excellent chance to reassess his creativity: this is a fine contribution to that endeavour.' Read the review 

McGuire Chamber Works 

Red Note Ensemble 

(Delphian)

'A beguiling, lyrical grace weaves through much of this Scottish composer’s chamber music, and these performances well capture its questing expressiveness.'
Read the review

Stravinsky The Rite of Spring 

François-Frédéric Guy, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet pfs 

(Chandos)

'Fabulous playing from a pair of completely on-form pianists, which lends The Rite of Spring’s rhythmic themes a quite thrilling intensity.' Read the review 

JS Bach ‘Bach in Montecassino’ 

Luca Guglielmi org 

(Vivat)  

'A true recognition of Bach’s genius took some time, but these works were circulating shortly after his death and are here wonderfully played on an organ of the era.' Read the review

Beethoven Missa solemnis 

Sols; Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra / Bernard Haitink 

(BR-Klassik)

'Haitink at 85 makes his first recording of one of music’s choral masterpieces – and what a wonderful performance his wisdom and experience offers.' Read the review

Schoenberg Gurrelieder 

Sols; Cologne Gürzenich Orchestra / Markus Stenz 

(Hyperion)

'Excellent performances throughout from orchestra, soloists and choruses – rarely have the lush textures of Schoenberg’s late-Romantic cantata sounded this fresh.' Read the review 

M Steinberg Passion Week 

Cappella Romana / Alexander Lingas 

(Cappella Romana)

'A deeply moving, serene performance of the last major sacred work composed in Soviet Russia, one which until recently languished in obscurity.' Read the review

Nielsen Maskarade 

Sols; Danish National Symphony Orchestra / Michael Schønwandt 

(Dacapo)

'As with Scriabin, Nielsen’s anniversary invites us to reassess the composer with new recordings, in this case a fourth – and successful – outing on disc for Maskarade.' Read the review

DVD/blu-ray

Escaich Claude 

Sols; Orchestra of the Opéra de Lyon / Jérémie Rhorer 

(Bel Air Classiques)

'A modern opera in a production that doesn’t shy away from the brutality and bleakness of its story and message.' Read the review 

Reissue/archive

Anatole Kitain ‘The Complete Columbia Recordings, 1936-39’ 

Anatole Kitain pf 

(APR)

'A chance to discover the elegant playing of this largely forgotten pianist.' Read the review