I am honestly puzzled by the casualness or, at times, ferocity with which some people nowadays reject classical music as inherently narrow or elitist.
Harmonia Mundi
Classical Album Review: François-Xavier Roth and Les Siècles — “Stravinsky: Ballets Russes”
Texturally, François-Xavier Roth and Les Siècles’ serve up diaphanous performances.
Classical Album Review: “Americans” — Bernstein, Ives, Barber, and Crawford
Americans is a winningly-programmed, strongly-realized effort.
Classical Album Review: Quatour Modigliani plays Haydn, Bartók, and Mozart
Any number of threads that tie these three pieces (and composers) together. But in this instance, such busywork is superfluous: the musical results – blazingly played and flawlessly recorded – speak for themselves.
Classical CD Review: Antoine Tamestit, Cédric Tiberghien, and Matthias Goerne play/sing Brahms
One might risk hyperbole by saying so, but in this instance such recklessness is worth it: this album sounds like Brahms as he ought to be played and sung.
Classical CD Reviews: More Beethoven — Michael Gielen Edition, vol. 9 and René Jacobs conducts the “Missa solemnis”
A captivating and thought-provoking version of Missa solemnis from René Jacobs and his forces; the Michael Gielen Edition is one of this Beethoven anniversary-year’s highlights.
Classical CD Reviews: Beethoven Chamber Music, Part 2 – James Ehnes plays Violin Sonatas, Quatuor Ébene’s “Beethoven Around the World,” Lugansky Performs the Late Piano Sonatas
Violinist James Ehnes and pianist Andrew Armstrong’s Beethoven violin sonatas feel and sound absolutely right; Quatuor Ébène’s comes up with one of this anniversary year’s few, true benchmark releases; Nikolai Lugansky’s traversal of three of Beethoven’s late piano sonatas is often admirable.
Classical Album Reviews: Beethoven Symphonies, Part 2 – Seiji Ozawa conducts the Seventh, François-Xavier Roth Leads the Fifth, and Thomas Adès conducts Beethoven & Barry
Seiji Ozawa’s Symphony no. 7 and Leonore Overture no. 3 offers a memorable blend of color, atmosphere, purpose, and soul; François-Xavier Roth and Les Siècles serve up a satisfactory, period-instrument Symphony no. 5; Thomas Adès’ take on Beethoven is concentrated and energetic, if a bit impersonal.
Classical CD Reviews: Beethoven Chamber Music, Part 1 – Goerne & Lisiecki Lieder, Paul Lewis plays the Bagatelles, and Frank Peter Zimmermann plays Violin Sonatas
Three new discs do right by Beethoven’s chamber music.
Classical CD Reviews: Beethoven Concerti – Mutter, Ma, and Barenboim play the Triple Concerto, Martha Argerich plays the Piano Concerto no. 2, and Krystian Bezuidenhout plays the Piano Concerto no. 4
A round-up of fresh performances of Beethoven Concerti.