Piano

French Duets

A decidedly Gallic pleasure garden of delights

Contemporary

For Clarinet and Strings ...

The work of Metier Records and of instrumental groups such as the one here, Gemini, should be universally lauded. They keep the music of today alive ...

Contemporary

The World Was Once All Miracle: The Defiantly Eclectic World of Raymond Yiu

If you like music that is intriguing, entertaining, challenging, sophisticated and sometimes outrageous, you'll like this

Baroque

Il Labirinto Armonico: Three Violin Concertos by Locatelli

The excellence of the Finnish Baroque Orchestra, with a contunuo group that includes a lute, is never in doubt; neither is Gringolts' stunning virtuosity. But it is Locatelli that leaves the most lasting impression, just as it should be ...

Piano

Fantasie Nègre: The Piano Music of Florence Price

Vital listening, beautifully recorded

Respighi

Respighi's "orchestral interpretations" of Bach and Rachmaninov

Composers interacting with other composers' music is a fascinating subject. From virtuoso 19th century pianists transcribing Bach organ works for the piano to the likes of Wendy Carlos and Leopold Stokowski, each offers us an opportunity not only to revel in the new but to remind ourselves of the

Schnittke

Discovering Schnittke: Violinist Daniel Hope in fine form

Hope and Botvinov's 2019 performances offer a perfect introduction to Schnittke's chamber music for violin

Piano

Benjamin Grosvenor's Liszt

This is a disc to satisfy both Liszt afficionados and newbies

Violin

Living the Dream: Francesca Dego records on Paganini's "Il Cannone"

The opportunity to record on Paganini's own violin, the legendary "Il Cannone" (a Guarneri del Gesû, 1743) hardly comes along every day ...

Clarinet

Caprices & Laments

A great combination of pieces, brilliantly performed with great understading

Flute

Bonus Post! Trail of the Angels: Ireland meets China

At once a celebration of diverse cultures and a gift to the World to raise flagging spirits, there's no doubt that enterprises such as this should be encouraged

Baroque

Settecento: Baroque Instrumental Music of the Italian States

A fascinating, intelligently programmed disc; well worth the investment

Baroque Opera

Hercules In Love: Cavalli in Paris

A rare opportunity hear Francesco Cavalli's Ercole Amante (Hercules in Love)

Baroque

Purcell Royal Odes from The King's Consort

I can't help wondering if this is one of the crowning achievements of lockdown music

Choral

The Dead in the Square: Allan Pettersson's Twelfth Symphony

If you like Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms, Orff Carmina Burana, the Nordic symphonists in general or Shostakovich's Thirteenth Symphony, 'Babi Yar,' and perhaps even Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky, you'll most likely love this

Vocal

Where All Roses Go: Apollo5 in Romantic mood

A wonderful, generously filled disc that will surely bring great joy and solace

Early Music

Lassus' matrimonial marathon: Le nozze in Baviera

The disc's journey from religiosity to bawdiness is both involving and fascinating

Baroque Opera

Underworld, ghosts, revivification: Gluck's Alceste in Bavaria

(All production images copyright Wilfried Hösl; Classical Explorer would like to express its thanks to Bayerische Staatsoper for access to the photos used in this article.) An Early Music weekend it turns out: today, Gluck; tomorrow, Lassus. Grace is one of the defining characteristics of Gluck's music; and,

Schubert

Schubert's Women: a Lieder recital with a difference

Schubert's Women is at once a self-contained offering and also an invitation to seek out more

Orchestral

Islands of Happiness: a Trio of Serenades from Zurich

A trio of serenades that will appeal to afficionados and newcomers alike

Chamber

Free concert! LUNA: Orchestra of the Swan

Do take advantage of this terrific opportunity to experience a full, phenomenally inventive hour-long film of the Orchestra of The Swan in action

Choral

Celebrating Josquin's 500th

A celebration of the Mother Mary, Decca's The Golden Renaissance offers a simply gorgeous - and vocally flawless - experience

Vocal

Der Rosenband: Richard Strauss meets Latvia

A new disc from the Latvian label Skani (itself a division of the Latvian Music Information Centre) concentrates on fin-de-siècle, Art nouveau songs by Richard Strauss and two Latvian composers, Alfrēds Kalninš (1879-1951) and Jānis Medinš (1890-1966). Recorded at the Great Amber Concert Hall in Liepāja, Lavtia, Der Rosenband was

20th Century

Sing like a Nightingale: Vagn Holmboe and the string quartet

The virtuosity demonstrated by the Nightingale Quartet is astonishing. Recommended.

Baroque

Exploring the lesser-known works of Frescobaldi

The more one listens, the more this music gives back