JS Bach St Matthew Passion 

Monteverdi Choir; English Baroque Soloists / Sir John Eliot Gardiner 

SDG 

Sir John Eliot Gardiner’s leadership and vision – from his use of primarily choir soloists to his conveying of the work’s overall journey – make for an immensely moving St Matthew Passion. 

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Audio Editor Andrew Everard writes: Not only a superb performance, packed with the emotion of its subject, but also a fine-sounding one, combining precision and detail with a wonderful ‘live’ feel. And those qualities are enhanced in the 96kHz/24bit Qobuz download, which delivers extra bite and clarity, and an excellent sense of space and presence.

JS Bach Orchestral Suites 

Zefiro / Alfredo Bernardini ob 

Arcana 

These Bach overtures grab the listener’s attention with a thrilling theatricality and sense of joyful drama, all wonderfully directed by Alfredo Bernardini.

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R Strauss Tone Poems, Vol 5 

SWR Symphony Orchestra, Baden-Baden and Freiburg / François-Xavier Roth 

SWR Music 

Dramatic detail, effervescent energy and excellent sound make this a super addition to François-Xavier Roth’s SWR Symphony Orchestra Strauss series.

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D Matthews Complete Piano Trios 

Leonore Piano Trio 

Toccata Classics 

These are imaginative and captivating contemporary chamber works. Lyrical lines are played with a poignancy and delicacy by an ensemble who thoroughly believe in the music.

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Mozart Violin Sonatas, Vol 3 

Alina Ibragimova vn Cédric Tiberghien pf 

Hyperion 

This is developing into a delightful series – Vol 3 sees Alina Ibragimova and Cédric Tiberghien find immense charm and character in these sonatas from across Mozart’s life.

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JS Bach Goldberg Variations 

Beatrice Rana pf 

Warner Classics 

Another new Goldbergs set, from another young pianist? Yes, and a really remarkable one it is too. Beatrice Rana’s interpretation of the familiar work is fresh, fun and reflective in turn. 

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Brahms ‘The Complete Piano Music, Vol 4’ 

Jonathan Plowright pf 

BIS 

Jonathan Plowright continues his Brahms series in impressive style – virtuosity and thoughtfulness both to the fore. 

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Glass Études 

Víkingur Ólafsson pf 

DG 

Philip Glass’s piano music moves between a feeling of otherworldliness and an intense inwardness, two facets which Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson’s deeply musical playing seems to embody perfectly.

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‘Music for the 100 Years’ War’ 

The Binchois Consort / Andrew Kirkman 

Hyperion 

The excellent presentation – both in terms of the Binchois Consort’s very fine performance and the album’s thoughtful packaging – vividly conjure a historical period. 

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Mozart Arias 

Anett Fritsch sop Munich Radio Orchestra / Alessandro De Marchi 

Orfeo 

Fully formed characters seems to leap straight out of this delightful recital of Mozart arias, all convincingly portrayed by the German soprano Anett Fritsch.

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DVD/blu-ray

Puccini Turandot 

Soloists; Orchestra of La Scala, Milan / Riccardo Chailly

Decca 

Riccardo Chailly and his La Scala forces feature twice – and excellently – in this issue (see also Decca’s ‘Overtures, Preludes and Intermezzi’); this Turandot is great testimony to his work in Milan. 

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Reissue/archive

‘From Melba to Sutherland’ 

Eloquence 

80 singers in all: a great celebration of a country’s contribution to the art of opera.