Critics Choice April 2010
This month brings you another bumper crop of great reviews from the leading music magazines, quality dailies and online review sites. There’s no doubt about it: Naxos releases and distributes some of the best CDs and DVDs available!
Naxos DVDs
JAZZ ICONS SERIES 4 BOXED SET
– O’Day, Herman, Blakey, Smith, Farmer, Hawkins & Garner
– O’Day, Herman, Blakey, Smith, Farmer, Hawkins & Garner
JazzTimes – INCREDIBLE FOOTAGE FOR JAZZ LEGENDS
Naxos CDs
Bach, J.S.: Partitas Nos. 1, 5, 6 • Italian Concerto • Beethoven, L. Van: Piano Sonata No. 17, ‘Tempest’ (1934–1940)
Gramophone – PEERLESS LIGHTNESS, GRACE AND NATURAL BEAUTY
Wagner, R.: Opera Excerpts • Strauss, R.: Till Eulenspiegel • Brahms, J.: Hungarian Dances Nos. 1, 10 (Furtwangler, Early Recordings, Vol. 4) (1930–36)
Gramophone – AN ADMIRABLE AND WELL RECORDED DISC FROM BERLIN IN THE EARLY 1930s
Shostakovich: Hamlet, Op. 116 • 116A
Positive Feedback – ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING RECORDINGS I’VE HEARD
HAYDN, J.: String Quartets (Complete) (25-CD Boxed Set)
American Record Guide – THE KODALY [QUARTET] DO[ES] THESE WORKS JUSTICE
Schubert: Trout Quintet • Adagio and Rondo Concertante
American Record Guide – WARM AND ENERGETIC
Stravinsky: Symphony in C • Symphony in 3 Movements • Octet • Dumbarton Oaks
Classical Net – ENTHUSIASTIC RECOMMENDATION
Foote, A.: Francesca Da Rimini • 4 Character Pieces After the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam • Suite • Serenade (excerpts)
Classical Lost and Found – RECOMMENDED
Daugherty, M.: Fire and Blood • Motorcity Triptych • Raise the Roof
Audiophile Audition – INSTANT APPEAL TO MANY LISTENERS
Brink Magazine – EXCITING ORCHESTRAL EFFECTS
Brink Magazine – EXCITING ORCHESTRAL EFFECTS
Hoiby, L.: Pocket of Time (A) – 21 Songs and A Duet
Fanfare – NEO-ROMANTIC LYRICISM…SAMPLE THIS MUSIC
Still, W.G.: Symphonies Nos. 4, ‘Autochthonous’ and 5, ‘Western Hemisphere’ • Poem
MusicWeb International – REVEL IN THESE FINE AND LIKEABLY ACCESSIBLE WORKS
Gerber, S.: Chamber Music – Piano Trio • Duo • Elegy • Notturno • Gershwiniana
American Record Guide – A FINE COLLECTION BY AN UNUSUAL AND INTERESTING COMPOSER
Music & Vision – IMPRESSIVE QUALITY
Music & Vision – IMPRESSIVE QUALITY
Schuman, W.: Symphony No. 6 • Prayer in A Time of War • New England Triptych
MusicWeb International – BARGAIN OF THE MONTH
Daugherty, M.: Metropolis Symphony • Deus Ex Machina
Acoustic Levitation – JUST GET IT. WORTH MORE THAN TWICE THE COST
Audiophile Audition – ACCESSIBLE AND FUN…SUPERBLY PERFORMED AND RECORDED
Audiophile Audition – ACCESSIBLE AND FUN…SUPERBLY PERFORMED AND RECORDED
Mendelssohn, Felix: String Quartets, Vol. 2 – String Quartets Nos. 2, 5 • Capriccio • Fugue
Gramophone – AN OUTSTANDING SET
Vivaldi, A.: Four Seasons (The) • Mandolin Concerto, RV Four25 • Lute Concerto, RV 93 (arr. for Piano)
The Buffalo News – A BRIGHT NEW LOOK AT A COMPOSER WE THOUGHT WE KNEW INSIDE OUT
Glazunov, A.K.: Orchestral Works, Vol. 18 – Masquerade • 2 Pieces • Pas De Caractere • Romantic Intermezzo
Positive Feedback – A VERY ENJOYABLE RELEASE
Pleyel: Symphonies Concertantes • Violin Concerto in D Major
Gramophone – INNOCENT AND ATTRACTIVE CONCERTOS
Roussel, A.: Symphony No. 1, ‘Le Poeme De La Foret’ • Resurrection • Le Marchand De Sable Qui Passe
Gramophone – HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Schubert, F.: Overtures (Complete), Vol. 2
Fanfare – WELL WORTH ACQUIRING…THE SOUND THROUGHOUT IS FIRST-RATE
Turina, J.: Violin and Piano Music – Violin Sonatas Nos. 1 and 2 • El Poema De Una Sanluquena • Variaciones Clasicas • Euterpe
Audiophile Audition – 4 STARS
Scriabin, A.: Piano Music – Poemes • Waltzes • Dances
Fanfare – A BEAUTIFUL RECITAL…HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Chamber Music (French Flute Quintets) – Tournier, M. • Schmitt, F. • Pierne, G. • Francaix, J. • Roussel, A.
Classical Lost and Found – AUDIOPHILE
Gramophone – BRILLIANTLY ALIVE…WELL RECORDED
Gramophone – BRILLIANTLY ALIVE…WELL RECORDED
Rode, P.: Violin Concertos Nos. 7, 10, 13
Fanfare – NO FANCIER OF THE VIOLIN SHOULD BE WITHOUT THIS DISC
Janáček, L.: Operatic Orchestral Suites, Vol. 2 – Kat’A Kabanova • The Makropulos Affair
Classical Music Sentinel – A WELCOME ADDITION FOR ANY MUSIC COLLECTOR
Taneyev: Oresteya: Orchestral Works
MusicWeb International – ONE OF THE YEAR’S MOST ENTERTAINING RELEASES
Ryu Jeajoon: Sinfonia Da Requiem • Violin Concerto No. 1
Classical Lost and Found – EXCEPTIONAL!
Ge, Gan-Ru: String Quartets No. 1, ‘Fu’, No. 4, ‘Angel Suite’ and No. 5, ‘Fall of Baghdad’
Wholenote – MULTIFACETED AND CULTURALLY INNOVATIVE COMPOSER
Baker & Taylor – A MUST FOR EVERY LIBRARY COLLECTION
Baker & Taylor – A MUST FOR EVERY LIBRARY COLLECTION
Janáček, L.: Operatic Orchestral Suites, Vol. 3 – the Cunning Little Vixen • From the House of the Dead
Classical Lost and Found – AUDIOPHILE
Gramophone – ACCOMPLISHED PLAYING…RICH WITH DEPTH
Gramophone – ACCOMPLISHED PLAYING…RICH WITH DEPTH
THUILLE, L.: Sextet • Piano Quintet
Musica – 5 STARS
Irish Times – 5 STARS. CONVINCING PERFORMANCES.
Irish Times – 5 STARS. CONVINCING PERFORMANCES.
Naxos Audiobooks
Burns, R.: Great Poets (The)
AudioFilemagazine.com – A FINE SAMPLE OF THE SCOTTISH BARD’S CANON
Unger-Hamilton, C.: Discover Music of the Baroque Era (Unabridged)
AudioFile – INFORMATIVE AND ENJOYABLE
See all Naxos Audiobooks Recordings
BR-Klassik
Capriccio
Haydn, F.J.: Lieder
Audio Video Club of Atlanta – SHOWS A VERY HUMAN, PERSONABLE SIDE [OF HAYDN]
Krenek, E.: 7 Easy Pieces • 5 Short Pieces • Symphonic Elegy • Adagio and Fugue • Symphonic Piece • Brazilian Sinfonietta
Wholenote – FINE PERFORMANCES
Dacapo
Hamerik, A.: The Symphonies
Gramophone – TOP-NOTCH SOUND FROM DACAPO MAKES THIS A HIGHLY ENJOYABLE SET
Langgaard, R.: Symphonies Nos. 15, ‘Sostormen’ and 16, ‘Syndflod Af Sol’
Fanfare – COMMITTED, SECURE, AND IMPASSIONED
Mozart, W.A.: Symphonies, Vol. 4 (1771)
Gramophone – ECCENTRIC AND ENGAGING
Audio Video Club of Atlanta – A FINE SERIES
Audio Video Club of Atlanta – A FINE SERIES
Violin Concertos (Danish) – Gade, N.W. • Lange-Muller, P.E. • Langgaard, R.
Gramophone – FRONT RUNNERS FOR EACH WORK
Schutz, H.: Die Geburt Unsers Herren Jesu Christi • Die Auferstehung unsres Herren Jesu Christi
David’s Review Corner – ESSENTIAL FOR ALL WHO LOVE EARLY MUSIC
Ondine
Hindemith, P.: Marienleben (Das) (Revised Version, 1948)
Gramophone – THE MOST BEAUTIFULLY SUNG ACCOUNT I HAVE HEARD IN YEARS
Elgar, E.: Cello Concerto (arr. for viola) • Schnittke, A.: Viola Concerto
Los Angeles Times – THE VIOLA SINGS OUT
MusicWeb International – THIS IS ALL MOST MOVINGLY DONE
MusicWeb International – THIS IS ALL MOST MOVINGLY DONE
OUR Recordings
Michala Petri: 50th Birthday Concert With Kremerata Baltica – Albinoni, T. • Chen, Yi • Mozart, W.A. • Rota, N. • Vassiliev, A. • Vivaldi, A.
Fanfare – A QUALITY LISTENING HOUR
Phoenix
Tchaikovsky, P.I.: Orchestral Suites Nos. 1–4 • Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture • Francesca Da Rimini • Capriccio Italien
Fanfare – I’VE ALWAYS LIKED THESE MARRINER/STUTTGART RADIO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PERFORMANCES
Vivaldi, A.: Concertos, Rv 131, 155, 156, 158, 162, 433, 439, 441, 545, 552, 565, 566, 579, 585
Allmusic.com – 4.5 STARS