Critics Choice May 2024

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
St. John’s Voices • Cambridge University Chamber Choir • Graham Walker
Recommended | MusicWeb International

‘The choir’s sound is fresh and attractive… I also admired the dynamic range of the choir which enables them to do full justice to Chesnokov’s often dramatic use of dynamic contrast.’
MusicWeb International


Dynamic DYN-37987
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(DYN-57987)
Spagnoli • Fan Zhou • Doveri • Coro dell’Accademia Teatro alla Scala • Orchestra Gli Originali • Quatrini • Falaschi
Editor’s Choice | Gramophone

‘Once again, we have a DVD to thank for a splendid revival of a forgotten work, in this case some wonderful early Donizetti.’
Gramophone

Audio Releases
Naxos Releases
Margaretha Consort • Broekroelofs

‘I am very taken with this recording, both for the selections and for the quality of the performances.’
American Record Guide


ORF Vienna Radio Symphony • Alsop

‘Marin Alsop succeeds here in creating [Fearful Symmetries] a compelling, trance-like performance with a gripping drive.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★


Fort Smith Symphony • John Jeter

‘John Jeter and the Fort Smith Symphony have long been leaders in recording music of composers of color… This project strikes me as their most valuable yet, and I can only hope that there will be more to come in the future.’
American Record Guide


George Rowley

‘This is a truly remarkable CD, splendidly played by this gifted young artist and finely interpreted; it is most strongly recommended…’
Musical Opinion ★★★★★


Avalon String Quartet

‘…turbulent chromatic passages neatly balanced by soulful melodies always enhanced by the Avalon Quartet’s warm, rounded tones… All told, this is an excellent release.’
BBC Music Magazine ★★★★


Staatskapelle Halle • Bollon

‘…turbulent chromatic passages neatly balanced by soulful melodies always enhanced by the Avalon Quartet’s warm, rounded tones… All told, this is an excellent release.’
BBC Music Magazine ★★★★

‘Fabrice Bollon and his Staatskapelle Halle orchestra do full justice to the colourful, eccentric score, and remind the listener that Strauss was one of the greatest orchestrators in the history of music. A very welcome disc.’
Classical CD Choice


Alexandre Dossin

‘Alexandre Dossin shows himself to be an accomplished interpreter, making Walker’s tonal language his own with his flexible and sensitive playing.’
Pizzicato ★★★★


Independent Label Releases (in alphabetical order)
Quatuor Danel
Supersonic | Pizzicato

‘The fragile and delicate Andante of the 5th Quartet, expressing hopeless sadness, is an absolute highlight of this complete recording.’
Pizzicato


Gao Hong • Monteverde

‘Filled with exquisite musicality and effortless spontaneity, Alondra is an impeccably chosen set of pieces by two masters of their craft.’
Gramophone


Fischer-Dieskau • M. Price • Seibel • Städtischer Musikverein zu Düsseldorf • Bavarian State Orchestra • Sawallisch
Editor’s Choice | Gramophone

‘What a set of soloists! Margaret Price, Brigitte Fassbaender, Peter Schreier, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau… BSO Recordings delves into its archives in considerable style.’
Gramophone


Bavarian Radio Symphony • Rattle
Recording of the Month | Gramophone

‘Decades spent with this music bear fruit in a powerfully expressive performance; the second Recording of the Month in a row from a truly wonderful conductor.’
Gramophone


Groissböck • Kutrowatz • Arnold Schoenberg Choir • ORF Vienna Radio Symphony • Hussain
Critic’s Choice | Opera News

‘The cast on this new recording couldn’t be bettered, helped by a palpable sense of stage experience.’
Opera News


Will Liverman

‘…small jewels of storytelling that allow King to make his mark and Liverman to show a wide range of colours and range…’
v ★★★★


Nordic String Quartet
★★★★

‘[The Nordic Quartet] astonished me with their virtuosity, high spirits, and charisma. …They are one of the best string quartets I’ve heard, and I hope to hear much, much more from them.’
American Record Guide


B. Schmid • Musica Vitae Chamber Orchestra

‘Right from the first movement of the 3rd concerto, the bright, vibrant colours and vital momentum of the orchestral playing are striking. Schmid matches this with radiant and flexible music-making.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★


Koukl • V. Rossetti

‘An absolute joy in every respect.’
MusicWeb International


Czech Chamber Philharmonic, Pardubice • Štilec

‘The orchestra from Pardubice is able to reproduce the light and entertaining character of Fučík’s music and thus presents a pleasant album that will delight all admirers of the genre.’
Pizzicato ★★★★


Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra • Soddy

‘Soddy is crisp, brisk and propulsive… The Mannheim orchestra are up for it in every department and the performance is pretty close to thrilling – really and truly invigorating.’
Ludwig van Toronto ★★★★★


C. and T. Tetzlaff • Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin • P. Järvi
Editor’s Choice | Gramophone
The Strad Recommends
★★★★

‘Terrific disc and the best kind of tribute from three exceptional musicians to one of their own.’
Gramophone

‘…great empathy in their playing here, the ease of interplay and the sense of intimate communication. The first movement has expressive freedom and space and, dare I say it, a touch of fun…’
The Strad


Skride • Vukcevic • ORF Vienna Radio Symphony • Alsop
Concerto Choice | BBC Music Magazine
★★★★★

‘[Skride] more than holds her own… The subtlety of her phrasing and range of her tonal palette reveal Skride as a Romantic player of real stature…’
BBC Music Magazine


Corinna Scheurle

‘…Schwarze Erde is a triumph of emotionality, without ever degenerating into sentimentality.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★


Stefano Cascioli

‘The rolling chords and modal harmonies are a treat, especially with Cascioli’s warm, rich piano tone. This is an important unveiling of an often neglected composer. ’
American Record Guide


German Radio Saarbrücken-Kaiserslautern Philharmonic • Inkinen
★★★★

‘Inkinen shapes these two familiar works inventively to a point where even those who own many versions will find the performances absorbing.’
AllMusic.com ★★★★


Vox VOX-NX-3037CD
St. Olaf Choir • Minnesota Orchestra • Skrowaczewski
Supersonic | Pizzicato
Joker Patrimonie | Crescendo

‘Skrowaczewski begins with an elegant and finely differentiated, incredibly colourful version of the Valses Nobles et sentimentales. He gives the ballet Ma mère l’oye a wonderfully magical, sensual and suggestive character.’
Pizzicato

Audiovisual Releases
Naxos Releases
Naxos 2.110741–42
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(NBD0158V)
Stemme • Paterson • Jovanovich • Teige • Deutsche Oper Berlin Orchestra • Runnicles • Herheim

‘Nina Stemme is a sterling Brünnhilde, surmounting most of the vocal hurdles and Anna Schlicht spits venom as Fricka.’
Opera Now ★★★★★


Independent Releases (in alphabetical order)
C Major 763108
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(763204)
Laudere • Revazov • Urban • Martínez • Mazoń • Huguet • Azatyan • Friza • Pohl • Hamburg State Opera Ballet • Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra • Neumeier

‘Neumeier’s Anna Karenina is an extraordinary testament to contemporary ballet as a theatrical experience both relevant and transcendent. Urgently recommended.’
Fanfare


Opus Arte OA1378D
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(OABD7316D)
Nuñez • Muntagirov • Royal Opera House Orchestra • Kessels • Ashton
Recommended | MusicWeb International

‘[Marianela Núñez] is graceful and athletic and conveys with her facial expressions and body language all the emotions of the innocent, good-hearted and often forlorn Cinderella.’
MusicWeb International


UNITEL Edition 808708
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(808804)
Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo

‘…80 unforgettable minutes of breathtaking dance and drama. This is a stunning achievement. Recommended.’
Fanfare

AudioBooks
Jot Davies
Earphones Award | AudioFile

‘…An extraordinary narration of a rare, extraordinary literary find.’
AudioFile



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