Epic listening is what you get with this month’s reviews, in more than one sense. Thomas Adès has written a ballet that covers the entire three books of Dante’s Divine Comedy. A recent recording by Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic gives us the no-less-impressive concert version. Messiaen was inspired by the literally awesome natural beauty and views of Utah to write Des canyons aux étoiles (From the Canyons to the Stars), newly performed by the Utah Symphony Orchestra under Thierry Fischer. And if only we all had the energy of Garrick Ohlsson (pictured), who, with conductor Donald Runnicles, performed the heroic feat of playing all of Beethoven’s piano concertos over the course of one week. That is just a taste of the latest notable offerings.
Benjamin Alard – Johann Sebastian Bach: The Complete Works for Keyboard, Vol. 8
Frank Almond – A Violin’s Life, Vol. 3: Music for the ‘Lipinski’ Stradivari
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Yan Pascal Tortelier, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Adam Walker – Pierre Sancan: A Musical Tribute
The Bevan Family Consort – Vidi Speciosam: Sacred Choral Music
Bl!ndman – ICONS: The American Minimalists
Stanislav Bunin – Robert Schumann: Kinderszenen; Arabeske; Faschingsschwank aus Wien
Simon Bürki – Reminiscence
Alexander Chance, Toby Carr – Drop not, mine eyes
Adrian Chandler, La Serenissima – An Englishman Abroad
Zlata Chochieva – Im Freien
Christoph Croisé – Voyage Exotique
Miranda Cuckson, Stephen Gosling, Chris Gross – Peter Scott Lewis: Home Stretch
Iestyn Davies, Joseph Middleton – Divine Music: An English Songbook
Delirium Musicum, Étienne Gara – Seasons: Richter, Glass
Shani Diluka – Pulse
Lara Downes – Love at Last
Gustavo Dudamel, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra – Thomas Adès: Dante
María Dueñas, Wiener Symphoniker, Manfred Honeck – Beethoven and Beyond
James Ehnes, Edward Gardner, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra – Nielsen: Violin Concerto; Symphony No. 4 ‘The Inextinguishable’
Laurence Equilbey, Insula Orchestra – Louise Farrenc: Symphonies 1-3; Overtures in E minor-E flat
Alessandro Fisher, William Vann, Navarra Quartet – Ian Venables: Portraits of a Mind; Vaughan Williams: On Wenlock Edge; Four Hymns
Philip Edward Fisher, Albany Symphony Orchestra, David Alan Miller – John Corigliano: Complete Solo Piano Music
Christian Gerhaher, Piotr Beczala, Gerold Huber – Gustav Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde
Alban Gerhardt, Alliage Quintett – Phantasy in Blue: Gershwin, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, Falla, Shostakovich
The Gesualdo Six, Owain Park – Byrd: Mass for Five Voices
Boris Giltburg, Brussels Philharmonic, Vassily Sinaisky – Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto Nos. 1 & 4; Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Gustavo Gimeno, Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg – Puccini: Messa di Gloria & Orchestral Works
Choir of Girton College, Cambridge; Gareth Wilson – Marc’Antonio Ingegneri, Vol. 3: Missa Susanne un jour a5
Randall Goosby, Philadelphia Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin – Max Bruch, Florence Price: Violin Concertos
Thomas Hampson, Stephanie Houtzeel, Sunhae Im, Tomasz Konieczny, Orchester Wiener Akademie, Martin Haselböck – Liszt: Orchestral Songs
Into the Winds – Le Parfaict Danser: Dance Music 1300-1500
Gaétan Jarry, Choeur & Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal de Versailles – The Crown: Coronation Anthems
Kammerchor Saarbrücken, Georg Grün – Richard Strauss: Letzte Lieder
Vimbayi Kaziboni, Mark Wigglesworth, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Birmingham Choir – Emily Howard: Torus
King’s Singers – When You Wish Upon a Star: 100 Years of Disney Songs
Elisabeth Leonskaja, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Tugan Sokhiev – Beethoven: Piano Concertos 3 & 4
Matilda Lloyd, Britten Sinfonia, Rumon Gamba – Casta Diva: Operatic Arias transcribed for Trumpet
Jean-Marc Luisada- Au cinéma ce soir
Nicholas McGegan, Cantata Collective – Bach: St. John Passion
Alexander Melnikov – Fantasie: 7 Composers, 7 Keyboards
Carlos Mena, La Madrileña, José Antonio Montaño – Dixerunt
Joseph Moog, Kai Adomeit – Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances, Op. 45; York Bowen: Theme & Variations, Op. 139; Medtner: Two Pieces, Op. 58
Kent Nagano, Verbier Festival Orchestra – Stravinsky: Les Noces; Le Sacre du printemps
Gianandrea Noseda, London Symphony Orchestra – Shostakovich: Symphoines Nos. 6 & 15
Garrick Ohlsson, Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra, Donald Runnicles – The Complete Beethoven Piano Concertos
Eva Ollikainen, Iceland Symphony Orchestra – Anna Thorvaldsdottir: Archora; Aiōn
Paavo Järvi, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen – Haydn: London Symphonies No. 101 & 103
Rachel Podger, Kristian Bezuidenhout – C.P.E. Bach: Sonatas for Keyboard & Violin
Christopher Purves, Simon Lepper – My Soul, What Fear You?
Christophe Rousset, Flemish Radio Choir, Les Talens Lyriques – Gaspare Spontini: La Vestale
Dario Salvi, Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra – Adam: Orfa
Michael Sanderling, Luzerner Sinfonieorchester – Brahms: The Four Symphonies; Piano Quartet No. 1 (Orch. Schoenberg)
Jordi Savall, La Cappella Nacional de Catalunya – Mozart: Requiem
Elizabeth Sombart, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Pierre Vallet – Mozart: Piano Concertos 20, 21, 23, 27
Michael Spyres, Il Oomo d’Oro, Francesco Corti – Contra-Tenor
Marek Štilec, Janácek Philharmonic Orchestra – Novák: Orchestral Works, Vol. 2
St John’s Voices, Cambridge University Chamber Choir, Graham Walker – Pavel Chesnokov: Sacred Choral Music
Trio Wanderer, Christophe Gaugué, Catherine Montier – César Franck: Piano Trio & Quintet; Violin Sonata; Louis Vierne: Piano Quintet
Osmo Vänskä, Minnesota Orchestra – Mahler: Symphony 9
Various Artists – Crown and Glory: Music Fit for a Coronation Day Celebration
Various Artists – God Save the King: Music for a Royal Celebration
Ben Vida, Yarn/Wire – The Beat My Head Hit
Vox Luminis, Lionel Meunier – Ein Deutsches Barockrequiem
Adam Walker, Huw Watkins – Shadow Dances: British Works for Flute
Choir of Westminster Abbey, James O’Donnell, Peter Holder – Vaughan Williams, Tavener, MacMillan
