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.
Harmonia Mundi
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.
Classical CD Reviews: A Roundup of Beethoven Symphonies
Evaluations of a smorgasbord of Beethoven symphony recordings.
Classical CD Reviews: Beethoven Complete Piano Concerto Box Sets
It’s Beethoven’s 250th birthday year: reviews of four sets of the complete piano concertos from, respectively, Paul Lewis, Stewart Goodyear, Inon Barnatan, and Stephen Hough.
Classical CD Reviews: François-Xavier Roth conducts Mussorgsky and Ravel, Manfred Honeck conducts Tchaikovsky and Leshnoff, and Mikolajus Čiurlionis Orchestral Works
François-Xavier Roth and his period ensemble Les Siècles serve up freshness of playing and conviction of interpretation; Manfred Honeck is a conductor who can draw compelling, electrifying accounts of the standard canon as if on cue; the verdict’s mixed on the music of Lithuanian-born composer Mikalojus Čiurlionis.
Classical CD Reviews: Isabelle Faust plays Schoenberg, Mariss Jansons conducts Saint-Saëns and Poulenc, and John Wilson conducts Korngold
Isabelle Faust makes Arnold Schoenberg’s thorny Violin Concerto sing; Mariss Jansons lends heft to Saint-Saëns’ Symphony no. 3, and John Wilson continues to be your go-to conductor for Erich Wolfgang Korngold.