Harmonia Mundi

Classical Album Review: Quatour Modigliani plays Haydn, Bartók, and Mozart

May 24, 2021
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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.

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Classical CD Review: Antoine Tamestit, Cédric Tiberghien, and Matthias Goerne play/sing Brahms

April 3, 2021
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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.

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Classical CD Reviews: More Beethoven — Michael Gielen Edition, vol. 9 and René Jacobs conducts the “Missa solemnis”

December 18, 2020
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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.

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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

December 12, 2020
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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.

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Classical Album Reviews: Beethoven Symphonies, Part 2 – Seiji Ozawa conducts the Seventh, François-Xavier Roth Leads the Fifth, and Thomas Adès conducts Beethoven & Barry

November 30, 2020
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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.

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Classical CD Reviews: Beethoven Chamber Music, Part 1 – Goerne & Lisiecki Lieder, Paul Lewis plays the Bagatelles, and Frank Peter Zimmermann plays Violin Sonatas

October 31, 2020
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Three new discs do right by Beethoven’s chamber music.

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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

October 22, 2020
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A round-up of fresh performances of Beethoven Concerti.

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Classical CD Reviews: A Roundup of Beethoven Symphonies

August 11, 2020
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Evaluations of a smorgasbord of Beethoven symphony recordings.

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Classical CD Reviews: Beethoven Complete Piano Concerto Box Sets

July 5, 2020
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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.

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Classical CD Reviews: François-Xavier Roth conducts Mussorgsky and Ravel, Manfred Honeck conducts Tchaikovsky and Leshnoff, and Mikolajus Čiurlionis Orchestral Works

May 26, 2020
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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.

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