Firedove

Anna Lapwood org (Sony Classical)

2025 is shaping up to be a significant year for Anna Lapwood. Announced as the Royal Albert Hall's official organist just a couple of weeks ago, Lapwood is also masterminding an all-night Prom at this year's BBC Proms, and today sees the release of her new album 'Firedove'. The album was recorded through the night on the organ at Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway, and presents carefully-curated journey through a wide repertoire, from Duruflé's Prelude et fugue sur le nom d'Alain to Bob Dylan's 'Make you feel my love'. 

Ligeti Violin Concerto. Piano Concerto. Concert Românesc

Isabelle Faust vn Jean-Frédéric Neuburger pf Les Siècles / François-Xavier Roth (Harmonia Mundi)

This album presents an opportunity to witness the evolution of Ligeti's compositional style, from the early Concert Românesc, completed in 1951, to the Piano Concerto (1985-88) and the Violin Concerto (1993). The recording also features Kurtág's Aus der Ferne III and V for string quartet. Isabelle Faust won last year's Gramophone Concerto Award for her recording of Britten's Violin Concerto, and also won the same category in 2017 for Mozart's violin concertos, and in 2012 for her recording of the Beethoven and Berg concertos. 

Britten Sinfonia da Reqiuem. Winter Words. The Prince of the Pagodas – selections

Nicky Spence ten London Philharmonic Orchestra / Edward Gardner (LPO)

Edward Gardner's recording of Britten's opera Peter Grimes with the Bergen Philharmonic was our Recording of the Year in 2021. Today, Gardner returns to Britten but this time with the LPO, featuring Sinfonia da Requiem, Winter Words (orchestrated by Robin Holloway) and selections from The Prince of the Pagodas, which will be interesting to compare with Kahchun Wong's complete recording of the work with The Hallé, released in November last year.

Tchaikovsky Orchestral Works, Vol 3

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra / Alpesh Chauhan (Chandos)

The first volume in Alpesh Chauhan's Tchaikovsky series with the BBC SSO was warmly welcomed by Gramophone's Marina Frolova-Walker: 'I relished the luxuriant sound and was thrilled by Chauhan’s ability to communicate so naturally and powerfully.' And last year Frolova-Walker also had high praise for Volume 2: 'This further exploration of Tchaikovsky’s orchestral works and operas is a delight for the audiophile. Every section and soloist of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra plays to the utmost, Alpesh Chauhan’s conducting is perfectionist and the Chandos production values are as high as ever.' Volume 3, released today, the Second Orchestral Suite, excerpts from Eugene Onegin, The Storm, and more.

The Lost Tapes

Sviatoslav Richter pf (DG)

Today, Deutsche Grammophon releases previously-lost live recordings of Sviatoslav Richter playing Beethoven's Piano Sonatas Nos 18, 27, 28 and 31 at the Tours and Lucerne Festivals in 1965. The recordings were languishing in DG's archive all these years and have now been mastered by Emil Berliner Studios.