Critics Choice May 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 2.110709
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(NBD0140V)
Wanroji • Emman • H. Summers • Maltman • Les Arts Florissants • W. Christie • D. Warner

‘It is a staggeringly complete performance; I consider it one of the best ever filmed.’
Opera Now

‘A wonderfully convincing performance and a first-class production full of imaginative touches.’
MusicWeb International


D. Kaiser • Stefanoff • W. Hartmann • Butter • Graz Opera Chorus • Graz Philharmonic • Kluttig

‘Powerful orchestra, thrilling voices, fiery direction.’
Scherzo

‘It is hard to imagine a recording conveying The Passenger’s disparate modes more vividly than this one does.’
Opera News

Audio Releases
Naxos Releases
BBC Concert Orchestra • L. Slatkin)
★★★★

‘Life-affirming fun.’
The Arts Desk


Naxos 8.551455–56
Duo Synaphé

‘The skill and ensemble Kleger and Ivanov display here is awe-inspiring.’
Fanfare


Giltburg • Royal Liverpool Philharmonic • V. Petrenko

‘Giltburg’s relish of its tonic, virtuoso aplomb sets the pulse racing.’
International Piano


Camerata Atlântica • A.B. Manzanilla

‘Earthly, energetic playing.’
BBC Music Magazine ★★★★


Rodolfo Leone

‘A brilliant musical portrait of Clementi.’
Pizzicato ★★★★


Pei-I Wang • Gingher

‘Gingher and Wang play it wonderfully: exciting and brilliant with moments of true beauty.’
American Record Guide


Naxos 8.579123–24
Nova Ars Cantandi • Valotti • Acciai

‘A gem to treasure.’
Musicalifeiten


Naxos 8.660485–86
Sutowicz • Molendowska • Golinski • Poznan State Moniuszko Opera House Chorus and Orchestra • Chmura
★★★★

‘The new Naxos recording deserves first place, and not merely by default. Its excellence is apparent from the outset with Gabriel Chmura’s blistering performance of the Overture.’
Fanfare


Naxos 8.574252–53
Tom Winpenny
★★★

‘Winpenny gives a truly spectacular performance… It sounds fabulous.’
American Record Guide


Naxos 8.669050–51
Wolverton • Mykkanen • Parks • Wilkowske • Jeremiah • Thurston • Minnesota Opera Chorus and Orchestra • C. Lewis

‘The musical storytelling is exemplary, and the impact—aided by universally fine singing and vivid characterizations—is potent.’
Opera News

‘First world war opera captures hearts and minds’
Limelight ★★★★


PostClassical Ensemble • Gil-Ordóñez

‘This is really an essential disc… an important and wonderful release. Marvellous stuff.’
ClassicsToday.com

‘Revueltas unleashed, and joined by a Copland curiosity, on this essential Naxos disc.’
MusicWeb International


Clamagirand • V. Cohen

‘Magnificent playing by both instrumentalists in some wonderful repertoire.’
MusicWeb International


Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Band, Plymouth • Brion

‘The performances are exemplary, and the CDs continue to broaden and deepen listeners’ exposure to elements of Sousa’s music that deserve to be heard far more often than they are.’
Infodad.com ★★★★

‘With Keith Brion at the helm, the music is as exciting and entertaining as one would wish for.’
Classical Music Daily


M. MacDonald • RTÉ Chamber Choir • RTÉ Concert Orchestra • A. Penny

‘Exhilarating from start to finish.’
Classical Music Daily


Pivnenko • Yaropud • Suprun • Pogoretskyi • Starodub
★★★★

‘This is a terrific introduction to an unfamiliar corner of the chamber repertoire.’
BBC Music Magazine ★★★★


Various Artists

‘There isn’t a dud performance in sight! A Vaughan Williams Anthology, released to celebrate 150 years since the musician’s birth, is a masterpiece.’
Daily Mail ★★★★

Independent Releases (in alphabetical order)
C. Karg • G. Huber • Bavarian Radio Chorus • H. Arman

‘[This] interpretation is decidedly delightful and, with the individual arrangements, also opens up new perspectives of this French solo and choral repertoire.’
Chorzeit – das Vokalmagazin ★★★★★


Cedille CDR90000-205
Andy Baker Orchestra • Avalon String Quartet

‘It’s great fun, tuneful and rhythmically vivacious.’
The WholeNote


Lapland Chamber Orchestra • Storgårds

‘The Lapland Chamber Orchestra executes Schnee with an astounding beauty’
Stereophile ★★★★★


Alessandro Stradella Consort • Velardi
★★★★

‘Cristina Fanelli conveys the drama beautifully through subtle changes of vocal timbre and style…’
American Record Guide


d’Oustrac • Pasdeloup Orchestra • Dörner

‘Doerner and d’Oustrac give outstanding performances of an imaginative program—who could ask for more?’
MusicWeb International


Nicolas Horvath

‘Nicolas Horvath’s interpretation is impeccable in its clarity and brilliance.’
Classica ★★★★★


Helge Iberg

‘I enjoyed this so much. Here jazz and classical inspiration meets with simple heartfelt melody.’
Lark Reviews


Andreas Bauer Kanabas

‘Kanabas shows what a fine artist he is from one selection to the next.’
American Record Guide


Peter Jablonski

‘I have nothing but praise for the Swedish pianist Peter Jablonski’s performances here.’
MusicWeb International

‘Brilliant playing of music that belongs firmly in the concert repertoire.’
Limelight ★★★★★

‘Concise, easily grasped, and, in Jablonski’s fine readings, often witty.’
AllMusic.com ★★★★


R. Serkin • Bavarian Radio Chorus and Symphony • Kubelík

‘Precious moments, when Rudolf Serkin’s authority in the music of Beethoven could not be denied.’
Audiophile Audition ★★★★★


Danish National Vocal Ensemble • Creed

‘It’s difficult to imagine these works being sung much better than this, and the sound is truly phenomenal, at once intimate and vibrant.’
Gramophone


Cuarteto Latinoamericano

‘The performances by the Cuarteto Latinoamericano are full-blooded and altogether superb’
AllMusic.com


G. Shaham • South West German Radio Symphony • McGegan
★★★★★

‘Handled with perfect delicacy.’
AllMusic.com


Cazzato • Vannucci • Tirale • Baracchi • Sotgiu • Toro

‘Highly virtuosic and emotionally committed performers… This is a superb production all around.’
Fanfare

Audiovisual Releases
Naxos Releases
Naxos 2.110693
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(NBD0131V)
Blondeel • De Negri • Van Mechelen • Mauillon • Les Arts Florissants • Christie • Twist

‘Highly rewarding for both the staging and the musical accomplishments – it should be at the very top of one’s shopping list.’
MusicWeb International


Naxos 2.110707
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(NBD0138V)
Benoit • Brunet-Grupposo • Van Mechelen • Degout • Pygmalion Choir and Orchestra • Pichon • Candel

‘Captivating, glorious performance.’
BBC Music Magazine

Independent Releases (in alphabetical order)
Accentus Music ACC-20511
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(ACC-10511)
Argerich • Lucerne Festival Orchestra • Blomstedt
★★★★★

‘What great happiness it is to hear these two unique musicians make music together and that, too, together with a first-class orchestra like the Lucerne Festival Orchestra.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★


Bayerische Staatsoper Recordings BSOREC1002
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(BSOREC2002)
Hannigan • Wilson • Dalayman • Rose • Bayerische Staatsoper • Meister • Krienburg

‘Haunting adult fairy tale receives a multifaceted and powerfully moving production.’
Limelight


C Major 759508
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(759604)
Grigorian • Cutler • Mattila • Kuzmin-Karavaev • Dalayman • Teatro Real Chorus & Orchestra • Bolton • Loy

‘A stellar performance.’
Opera News


Opus Arte OA1334D
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(OABD7288D)
Davidsen • Philip • Tritschler • Forsythe • Neal • Siliņš • Royal Opera Chorus • Royal Opera House Orchestra • Pappano • Kratzer
★★★★★

‘A respectful and seriously intelligent piece of work.’
Limelight ★★★★





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