Superbudget £5.99 or less 
Budget £6-7.99 
Medium £8-10.99 
Full price £11+
Download
Mark
ADAMO (b.
1962) Late Victorians (1994) [28:07] Regina Coeli
(2007) [7:55] Overture to Lysistrata (2005) [4:00] Alcott
Music (1999 rev. 2007) [16:25] 
Andrew Sullivan (narrator); Emily Pulley (soprano); Dotian Levalier
(harp) Eclipse Chamber Orchestra/Sylvia Alimena rec. George Washington
Masonic Memorial, Alexandria, Virginia, USA, 21 May 2007 (Late Victorians);
21 October 2007 (remainder)
NAXOS 8.559258 [56:48] 
[NB]
Not
a disc that gave me much pleasure for all its undoubted merits … see
Full Review
Tomaso ALBINONI
(1672-1751)
Concerto a Cinque
Harmonices Mundi/Claudio Astronio rec. 2004
ARTS 47747-8 
[72:12] 
[GPu]
Idiomatic
and well-recorded performances of some fine concertos … see Full
Review
Franco
ALFANO (1875-1954) Concerto for Violin, Cello
and Piano, Cello Sonata Elmira
Darvarova (violin); Samuel Magill (cello); Scott Dunn (piano)
rec. 2008 NAXOS
8.570928 [60:06] [JW]
This
off-beat offering racks up high marks ... see Full
Review
Kurt
ATTERBERG (1887-1974) Symphony 6 see Toscanini
Peirol
d’AUVÈRNHA (c.1160-c.1225) Songs La
Camera delle Lacrime
rec. 2009 ZIG
ZAG TERRITOIRES
ZZT090903 [73.24] 
[GH]
Fascinating
and evocative … well worth searching out ... see Full
Review
Milton
BABBITT (b.1916) Quintet for Clarinet and String Quartet
see Feldman
Johann Christian BACH (1735-1782) Forgotten castrato arias Philippe Jaroussky
(counter-tenor)
Le Cercle de l’Harmonie/Jérémie Rhorer
rec. 2009 VIRGIN CLASSICS
6945640 [63:08] [J-PJ]
The
London Bach’s operatic output has been woefully neglected … heard
here performed with precision and dramatic tension ... see Full Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Brandenburg Concertos
1-6, Coffee cantata, Violin & oboe concerto,
Orchestral Suite 4 Concentus
Musicus Wien/Nikolaus Harnoncourt rec. 1982 DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON 0734450 [2 DVDs: 271:00] 
[KM]
Some
good music-making, and some that could have been a bit better ...
see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann Sebastian
BACH (1685-1750) Die Kunst der Fuge Akademie
für Alte Musik Berlin rec. 2007 ARTHAUS
MUSIK 101 467 [82:00] 
[KM]
An
extraordinary DVD of one of Bach’s finest compositions. Not to be missed
... see Full Review
The
Bach Cantata Pilgrimage Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Volume 4 Cantatas for
the Sixth Sunday after Trinity Es ist das Heil uns kommen her,
BWV 9 (1732-5) [22:40] Vergnügte Ruh, beliebete Seelenlust BWV
170 (1726) [23:08] Johann KUHNAU/Bach
(attrib.) Der Gerechte kommt um [7:47] Joanne Lunn (soprano); Michael
Chance (alto); James Gilchrist (tenor); Stephen Varcoe (bass) The Monteverdi
Choir; English Baroque Soloists/Sir John Eliot Gardiner rec. St.Gumbertus,
Ansbach, 30 July 2000 Cantatas for the Seventh Sunday after Trinity
Argre dich, o Seele, nicht, BWV 186 (1723) [27.41] Was willst
du dich betrüben, BWV 107 (1724) [16:43] Es wartet alles auf
dich, BWV 187 (1726) [22:12]
Katharine Fuge (soprano); Richard Wyn Roberts (alto); Kobie van Rensburg
(tenor); Stephan Loges (bass) The Monteverdi Choir; English Baroque
Soloists/Sir John Eliot Gardiner rec. St. Mary’s, Haddington, 5-6 August
2000 German texts and English translations included. SOLI
DEO GLORIA SDG 156 [53:48 + 66:52]
[JQ]
A
worthy addition to the series. Everyone is on fine form. Those collecting
this excellent series can once more invest with confidence. … see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Tilge,
Höchster, Meine Sünden see VIVALDI
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Cantata 140 see BLOCH
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Flute Sonata 6 see Cantilena
Samuel
BARBER (1910-1981) Adagio for Strings see Toscanini
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Stanley BATE (1911-1959) Viola
concerto Ralph VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) Romance William
Henry BELL (1873-1946) Rosa Mystica Roger
Chase (viola) BBC Concert O/Steve Bell rec. 2008 DUTTON
EPOCH CDLX7216 [74:54] [MC]
A
fine recording that will promote these forgotten works. The Stanley
Bate Viola Concerto is an outstanding score deserving of acclaim ...
see Full Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Violin
Concerto Erich Wolfgang KORNGOLD (1897-1857) Violin
Concerto Renaud
Capuçon (violin) Rotterdam PO/Yannick Nézet-Séguin rec. 2009 VIRGIN
CLASSICS 6945890 [70:45] [JW]
Resolutely
didn’t work for me ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphonies
3 & 5 Philharmonia
O/Christoph von Dohnányi
rec. live, 2008 SIGNUM
CLASSICS
SIGCD169 [50:03 + 32:59] [JQ]
Very
welcome additions to the catalogue ... see Full
Review
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827)
Piano Sonatas 26, 27 & 29 Ronald
Brautigam (fortepiano) rec. 2007
BIS SACD 1612 [69:17]
[WH]
Three
superb performances on a convincing period instrument…see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827)
Diabelli Variations, Polonaise, Piano Sonata 32
Julius Katchen (piano) rec. 1953-68
DECCA HERITAGE MASTERS 478 1727 [77:08]
[JS]
A
disc worth considering if the programme - all in C major or minor! -
attracts you … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Complete
Symphonies Minnesota
O/Osmo Vänskä rec. 2004-8 BIS
BISSACD1825/26 [5
CDs:
353:16] [DC]
The
current top of an already rather distinguished pile of references
... see Full Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano
Trio 5 Antonín DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) Dumky Trio The
Czech Trio
rec. 1972 ORCHESTRAL
CONCERT CDs CD4/2009 [59:27] [JW]
Earns
my warm admiration … see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Complete
String Quartets Goldner
String
Qt
rec. live, 2004 ABC
CLASSICS
476 3541 [8 CDs: 544:44] 
[MC]
Fine
playing from the Goldner but their interpretations are no match
for the extremely fierce competition ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony 5 see
DVOŘÁK
William
Henry BELL (1873-1946) Rosa Mystica see BATE
Hector
BERLIOZ
(1803
– 1869) Symphonie fantastique, op.73 (1830) [51:45]
L’orchestre national/André Vandernoot rec. 1961. ADD
HIGH DEFINITION TAPE TRANSFERS HDTT 119 [51:45]
[BBr]
A
very welcome re–issue … see Full Review
Howard
BLAKE (b.
1938)
Flute Quintet Op.493 (1996) [18:04] Shakespeare Songs for tenor and
string quartet Op.378 (1987) [23:10] Trio for flute, cello and harp
Op.559 (1962 re-arranged 2005) [9:04] Farewell My Gentle Harp -
for tenor and harp Op.517 (1976 revised 2000) [4:58] Penillion for
flute and harp Op.448 (1975 revised 1993) [8:30]
Martyn Hill (tenor); English Serenata. rec. October-November 2005, St
Lawrence’s Parish Church, Mickleton, Gloucestershire
MERIDIAN CDE84553 [63:44]
[JW]
A
beautifully performed and enticing disc ... see Full
Review
Howard
BLAKE
(b. 1938) Violin Sonata (1973 revised 2007) [23:41] Penillion
Op.571 (1975 revised 2005) [9:32] Piano Quartet Op.179 (1974) [27:14]
¹ Jazz Dances for violin and piano Op.520a (1976 revised 2008)
[13:48]
Madeleine Mitchell (violin) Jack Rothstein (violin); Kenneth Essex (viola);
Peter Willison (cello) ¹ Howard Blake (piano) rec. May-July 2008, Potton
Hall, Suffolk and October 1974, Conway hall, London (Piano Quartet)
NAXOS
8.572083 [74:15]
[JW]
Brio,
reflection and delight ... see Full
Review
Manuel
BLASCO DE NEBRA (1750-1784) Complete Piano Works, Vol.1
Pedro Piquero (piano) rec. 2008
COLUMNA MÚSICA 1CM0219 [71:31]
[GPu]
Fine
playing of some lovely Spanish keyboard music … see Full
Review
Ernest
BLOCH (1880-1959) Avodath
Hakodesh (Sacred Service) Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Wachet auf, ruft uns
die Stimme Thomas
Hampson (baritone); Collegiate Chorale; Israel PO/Zubin Mehta
rec. live, 2008 HELICON
CLASSICS 02-9623 [74:48] [JQ]
Admirers
of Bloch’s music should not hesitate to add this disc to their
collection ... see Full Review
Felipe
BOERO (1884 – 1958) El
Matrero see MENDELSSOHN
York
BOWEN
(1884-1961)
String Quartets 2 & 3, Phantasy Quintet
Archaeus String Qt; Timothy Lines (bass clarinet) rec. 2001
BRITISH MUSIC SOCIETY BMS426CD [70.17]
[GH]
The
listener is left wanting more of Bowen’s sound-world ... see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) String
Quartet 1,
Piano Quintet Quatuor Ébène,
Akiko Yamamoto (piano)
rec. 2007/8 VIRGIN
CLASSICS
2166222 [78:42] [KS]
Better
in the slow movements, verging on a loss of control in the fast ...
see Full Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Symphony
3, Gesang der Parzen, Nänie Monteverdi
Ch, O Révolutionnaire et Romantique/John Eliot Gardiner rec.
live, 2007/8 SOLI
DEO GLORIA SDG704 [70:16] [AS]
Worthy
of any collection … a very different way of treating the music
... see Full Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833 - 1897) Ein deutsches Requiem Dietrich
Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) Elisabeth Grümmer (soprano)
Ch
St Hedwig’s Cathedral, Berlin, Berlin PO/Rudolf Kempe rec. 1955 NAXOS
8.111342 [76:53] [GF]
In
spite of dated sound, in every respect a valuable recording and
it is good to have it available at budget price … see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Alto Rhapsody see
DVOŘÁK
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Violin Concerto see
MOZART
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Violin Concerto Sarah Chang see BRUCH
Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976) The Young Person’s Guide to
the Orchestra see HOLST
Max
BRUCH
(1838-1920) Violin
Concerto 1 Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Violin Concerto Sarah
Chang (violin) Dresden PO/Kurt Masur rec. 2009
EMI CLASSICS 9670042 [62:00]
[JW]
Refined
and sensitive yet there are moments that sound affected ... see Full
Review
Click
for alphabetical listings by composer:
[Part
1 New] [Part
2 A-B] [Part 3 C-L]
[Part 4 M-R] [Part
5 S-Z]
[Part 6 Misc A-L] [Part
7 Misc M-Z]
[last 5 days] [Recommended
recordings]
EXPLORE
MUSICWEB INTERNATIONAL 
