Critics Choice April 2022

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 music and audiovisual albums!

Highly Reviewed Albums of the Month
Naxos 8.669050-51
Wolverton • Mykkanen • Parks • Wilkowske • Jeremiah • Thurston • Minnesota Opera Chorus and Orchestra • C. Lewis

‘…even without visual support, Silent Night remains surprisingly powerful and goes straight to the heart…’
Opéra (France)


Lapland Chamber Orchestra • Storgårds

‘The sound world of Abrahamsen’s Schnee – ‘snow’ – is beguiling in its balance of mysterious fragility and strength, and masterfully performed and recorded here.’
Gramophone

‘A very entertaining hour of finely chiselled tones, constantly teasing the ear but rarely annoying’
Pizzicato

‘A bewitching performance captures all the rigour and feathery fragility of Abrahamsen’s crystalline sound world’
The Guardian ★★★★

Audio Releases
Naxos Releases
Graham Anthony Devine

‘One word is most apt in describing this fine recording: exemplary.’
MusicWeb International


C. Prégardien • Eisenlohr

‘Masterful and revelatory’
The Guardian ★★★★★


David Tanenbaum

‘A stellar composition and performance, to be sure.’
American Record Guide


G. Schwabe • ORF Vienna Radio Symphony • C. Ward
★★★★★

‘Wonderful readings of these masterpieces; Oration will be a stunning revelation for many.’
MusicWeb International


Tarara • M. Carr • Eun-Sun Hong • Solaun

‘…beautiful sound and excellent playing, so that interpretations keep all doors open for pleasant listening.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★

‘This evocative and powerful music has certainly been given its deserved attention through the beautiful and dedicated playing on this excellent album.’
Gramophone


Stundyte • R. Morloc • ORF Vienna Radio Symphony • Alsop
★★★★★

‘Alsop’s performance is terrific’
Limelight ★★★★★


Lille National Orchestra • Darrell Ang
★★★★★

‘Excellent playing, conducting and recording will make you fawn over this faun.’
Limelight


Spaendonck • Lefèvre • Joulain • Groben • Tharaud • F. Chaplin

‘Naxos has done the world an inestimable favour by bringing these superb recordings back to our attention in this fashion.’
The Art Music Lounge


ORF Vienna Radio Symphony • Jeter

‘John Jeter supplies intelligent leadership, projecting the symphony’s structures firmly.’
Stereophile ★★★★★


PostClassical Ensemble • Gil-Ordóñez

‘The vital and immensely colourful, very narrative music [of Redes] is superbly played under the direction of Angel Gil-Ordóñez.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★


A. Baldwin • Manhattan School of Music Symphony • L. Slatkin

‘The five movements [of The Raven] are imaginatively scored and superbly atmospheric… Alec Baldwin successfully brings his own personality to the reading.’
Gramophone

Independent Releases (in alphabetical order)
Clara-Jumi Kang • Sunwook Kim

‘These are simply beautiful and beautifully simple, loving and lovable performances of Beethoven’s violin sonatas that go to the very top of my list.’
Fanfare


Bavarian Radio Chorus and Symphony • M. Jansons
★★★★★

‘A gem of an edition.’
Scherzo

‘An extraordinary edition for an extraordinary conductor.’
www.klassik.com

‘It’s the best recorded legacy I think I’ve ever heard. In a word: essential listening.’
Limelight ★★★★★


Linz Bruckner Orchestra • M. Poschner

‘It’s a lively, rhythmically alert interpretation’
ClassicsToday.com


Cedille CDR90000-207
McGill • Chien

‘Anthony McGill and the splendid pianist Gloria Chien offer vibrant and insightful performances of the sonatas on their new album. Even in dark, stormy episodes, McGill and Chien play with unforced fervour and eloquence.’
The New York Times


Costantino Mastroprimiano

‘This is Schubert playing of the highest comprehension… A gem. ’
International Piano


Banegas • George Takei

‘A fine collection of colourful, relaxing works for piano’
Cinemusical ★★★★


Cologne Gürzenich Orchestra • Kitajenko

‘The Gürzenich Orchestra, excellent as always, responds to Kitajenko’s conducting with the utmost precision, playing colourfully and resiliently, taking the diversity of the dances into account in a great way.’
Pizzicato


Peter Jablonski

‘Following up his superb Stachinsky album last year, Peter Jablonski turns his attention to Bacewicz, offering equally find advocacy to a composer whose music is coming to be much more widely recognised.’
Gramophone

‘Irresistibly joyful tunes dance on the keyboard’
The Guardian ★★★★★


R. Serkin • Bavarian Radio Chorus and Symphony • Kubelík

‘Remarkable performances, not only among the finest available on disc, but further reminders of just how peerless a Beethoven interpreter Serkin was.’
The Guardian ★★★★★


Hannah Collins

‘Hannah Collins’ survey of solo cello music of the last half-century (mostly), all of it beautifully essayed.’
The Arts Fuse


Stuttgart Radio Symphony • Norrington

‘An authentic, spirited performance. Superb!’
Stretto


O’Day • Benny Goodman Orchestra

‘A fun concert is definitely what this was; no wonder the German audience went crazy for the band.’
The Art Music Lounge

Audiovisual Releases
Naxos Releases
Naxos 2.110694-95
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(NBD0132V)
De Negri • D'Oustrac • Richter • Rivenq • Compagnie Fêtes Galantes • Les Arts Florissants • Christie • Villégier

‘…still-fresh and still-revelatory production’
Opera News


Independent Releases (in alphabetical order)
C Major 756208
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(756304)
Manni • Arduino • Andrijashenko • Agostino • Sutera • Semperboni • Teatro Alla Scala Ballet Company and Orchestra • Fournillier • Holmes
★★★★★

‘Lead dancers Nicoletta Manni and Timofej Andrijashenko exploit every opportunity to demonstrate the energetic virtuosity that the rollicking score demands.’
MusicWeb International


Opus Arte OA1335D
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(OABD7289D)
Naouri • Ciofi • Rice • Meloni • Opéra de Lyon Chorus and Orchestra • Viotti • Pelly

‘Brilliant and hilarious production’
Scherzo





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