Arguably, the strongest entry in the BSO’s complete Shostakovich symphony cycle thus far; Esa-Pekka Salonen’s 2016 Cello Concerto is emotionally direct and, at times, simply gorgeous; the resurgence of interest in the music of Boston-educated composer Florence Price is a good thing.
Deutsche Grammophon
Classical CDs Review: Suppé Overtures, Bronsart and Urspruch Piano Concertos, and “Destination Rachmaninov”
Pianist Daniil Trifonov’s Rachmaninov album is magnificent; the Münchner Rundfunkorchester do right by Franz von Suppé’s overtures, and the Romantic Piano Concerto series continues to unearth gems.
Classical CD Reviews: Mendelssohn music for Cello and Piano, Neave Trio’s French Moments, Schubert’s Octet, and Nelsons’ Shostakovich
Four new albums: the standouts include the finest Andris Nelsons/BSO Shostakovich collaboration to date and the Neave Trio’s wonderful new French Moments.
Classical CD Review: Andrew Manze and Vaughan Williams, Andris Nelsons and Anton Bruckner
Andrew Manze and the RLPO have turned in one of the year’s great albums: potent, lyrical, haunting, and timely.
Classical CD Reviews: Alexander Melnikov’s Four Pianos and Leonard Bernstein’s Mass
Pianist Alexander Melnikov has come up with one of the still-young year’s most compelling discs, Deutsche Grammophon releases an aural train wreck.
Classical CD Reviews: Lars Vogt plays Beethoven, James Ehnes plays Walton, Denis Kozhukhin plays Ravel & Gershwin, Francesca Dego plays Paganini & Wolf-Ferrari
Superb discs from pianist Lars Vogt, violinist Francesca Dego, pianist Denis Kozhukhin, and violinist James Ehnes on the viola.
Classical CD Reviews: All-star Schubert and Mozart Arias
A hell-for-leather approach to Schubert has its drawbacks; for all the sheen of Juan Diego Flórez’s singing, he doesn’t always seem at home in the music.
Classical CD Reviews: Arabella Steinbacher plays Britten and Hindemith and Daniil Trifonov’s “Chopin Evocations”
Hindemith and Britten could hardly have asked for more committed advocates than Steinbacher, Jurowski, and the RSOB.
Classical CD Reviews: Semyon Bychkov conducts Franz Schmidt and Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Mendelssohn Symphonies
Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin does dazzlingly right by the symphonies of Mendelssohn.
Classical CD Reviews: Andris Nelsons conducts Bruckner and Andrew Manze conducts Vaughan Williams
For all the surface-y beauty of the BSO’s playing, it’s a dull interpretation of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony no. 3.