Critics Choice November 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
A. Porter • Nikki Chooi • Buffalo Philharmonic • Falletta
Want List | Fanfare
Discos Recomendados | Ritmo

‘…with a master like JoAnn Falletta at the helm of the Buffalo Philharmonic…you can count on a faultless and idiomatic performance.’
Fanfare

‘…a recording…that carries the stamp of authenticity, surpassing Rose/BMOP-Sound in the Symphony and accompanying the composer in his versions for New World Records and Koss. Highly recommended.’
Ritmo


Unitel Edition 809108
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(809204)
Winters • Herlitzius • Philip • Hulett • Vienna State Opera Chorus • Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra • Hrůša • Kosky
Opera Award Winner | Gramophone Classical Music Awards 2024
Want List | Fanfare

‘…the success of this recording belongs to Corinne Winters as Katya. She is as affecting in her playful exchanges with Varvara as she is in the traditionally more central, pathos-laden aspects of the role.’
Gramophone

‘Barrie Kosky’s staging is quite moving, and Corrinne Winters’s performance in the title role is devastatingly powerful.’
Fanfare

Audio Releases
Naxos Releases
Quartetto Adorno

‘…the Adorno’s supple ensemble, impeccable intonation and unerring stylistic instincts create a reference worthy performance tradition for the first two quartets. …Highly recommended.’
ClassicsToday.com

‘The richness of [Quartetto Adorno’s] timbres and their acute sense of lyricism make this first complete recording a wonderful discovery.’
Diapason ★★★★★


L. Hynes • Land’s End Ensemble • Hirzer

‘…highly enjoyable and immensely satisfying.’
The WholeNote


Sahatçi • Solistes Européens • Luxembourg • C. König
Recommended | MusicWeb International

‘…it’s rare to find music that you haven’t heard before making such a strong first impression. [Klaidi Sahatçi] uncovers the work’s many felicities to apparently effortlessly achieved yet quite wonderful effect.’
MusicWeb International


Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma • MiNensemblet • La Vecchia

‘…it is an engaging affair… simply lovely.’
BBC Music Magazine ★★★★★


Lyric Fest
Want List | Fanfare

‘Daron Hagen has stayed the course as an American composer primarily of vocal and theatrical music, whose devotion to lyricism and tonality is deep and real. …who now stands as the worthy successor to his mentor Ned Rorem.’
Fanfare


Danish Chamber Orchestra • A. Fischer

‘This Haydn is indescribably good and an absolute must.’
Pizzicato


Minas Gerais Philharmonic • Mechetti
Discos Recomendados | Ritmo

‘…the sonorous recording provides the ideal support for the reference versions of this generous disc…which fills discographic gaps and updates historical editions.’
Ritmo


Spyres • Mahnke • MacKinnon • Mulligan • Kanabas • Frankfurt Opera Chorus and Orchestra • Manacorda

‘…the captivating Michael Spyres, possesses a voice that shines particularly in the recording.’
Ritmo ★★★★★


Buosi • Silvério • Baldini • Zanon • São Paulo Symphony • Guerrero

‘…this is a fabulous album you must buy! Where else can you discover a first-rate, accessible 20th-century composer, excellent music, excellent performers, and excellent recordings all in one?’
American Record Guide


P. Jacobs • Nashville Symphony • Guerrero

‘It’s a valuable addition to the organ concerto repertoire but rewards for inspired performances by Jacobs and the Nashville Symphony Orchestra too.’
Textura


D. Bowlin • K. Docter • Kouzov • Tony Cho

‘[This disc] not only fills notable gaps in the current recorded repertoire, but also gives us the best recording yet of two significant 20th-century violin sonatas.’
Fanfare


Malmö Symphony • Sinaisky

‘…a very good and exciting interpretation…’
Pizzicato ★★★★★


Wawrowski • Karnavicius • Lithuanian National Symphony • Lyndon-Gee

‘…this Naxos CD…boldly delves into the depths of Silvestrov and presents itself as a good alternative…’
Ritmo ★★★★★


Tonkünstler Orchestra • Rudner
Want List | Fanfare

‘…this is a treat.’
Fanfare


Spectrum Concerts Berlin

‘I recommend this disc for the powerful and compelling performance of the Piano Quintet alone. Spectrum Concerts Berlin continues to deliver performances of unusual repertoire warmly recorded and stunningly played.’
MusicWeb International


Concerto Málaga • Gil de Gálvez

‘Under the direction of violinist Gil de Galvez, the Concerto Malaga approaches these works with fervour and determination, capturing their tension or sweetness with great dramatic sensibility.’
Diapason ★★★★★


Lamaison • V. Csikos • Lechardeur
Want List | Fanfare

‘…In the hands of Vilmos Csikos and his colleagues, the program conveys the special sentiment and brilliancy that Romantic audiences loved in their violin music.’
Fanfare


Czech Chamber Philharmonic, Pardubice • Štilec

‘It is a very good and beautifully orchestrated work, whose expressive music comes across very well in this lively and elegant interpretation, which is very energetic in the final rondo. Special praise is due to the wind players of the Pardubice Orchestra.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★


Independent Label Releases (in alphabetical order)
Xiao-Mei Zhu

‘…Zhu Xiao-Mei seeks above all the intimacy, the poetry, the delicate splendour of colour, the fine vitality of Bach’s music, and leads it through her very personal playing to its essence: music and sound in their purest form.’
Pizzicato


Minnesota Boychoir • Minnesota Chorale • Minnesota Orchestra • Vänskä
Want List | Fanfare

‘What a surprise Vänskä is! Here’s consistent excellence from everyone – conductor, orchestra, soloists, and engineers.’
Fanfare


Bavarian Radio Symphony • Rattle
Nomination | Gramophone Classical Music Awards 2024

‘This deeply impressive account of Mahler’s harrowing Sixth Symphony is plainly the product of journeying with it over many decades…of choices made and re-evaluated, of emotions deepened with greater understanding of the text, of much soul-searching between and beyond the notes.’
Gramophone

‘…an impeccable version without question.’
Ritmo ★★★★★

‘What I admired most in Rattle’s performance were the moments of exhilaration, which are abundant.’
Fanfare

‘The orchestra responds magnificently to Rattle’s direction with a sensitivity that surpasses the sometimes indifferent results he encountered in Berlin. I’d go as far as to say that Sir Simon may be the finest Mahler interpreter since the late Claudio Abbado…’
The WholeNote


The Crossing • JACK Quartet • The University of Michigan musicians and Percussion Ensemble
Want List | Fanfare

‘…expansive, haunting, and ennobling.’
Fanfare


J. Weber • Mayer • K. Wagner • Dohr • Schoch • Janoušková • Vogler • Kolinsky
Choc de Classica

‘…irreproachable and exceptionally committed.’
Classica


Barton Pine • Rozendaal • Schrader • Acker
Editor’s Choice | AllMusic.com

‘…Pine’s excitement is palpable, and she gets something of the star quality Corelli must have had in his own time.’
AllMusic.com


Xiayin Wang • BBC Philharmonic • Gernon
Recommended | MusicWeb International

‘…[Xiayin Wang] shapes the lyrical passages beautifully… The orchestra play magnificently under the gifted Ben Gernon.’
MusicWeb International


H. Angerer • Salzburger Hofmusik • Brunner

‘[Hansjörg Angerer] dazzles us with his skill in mastering the difficulties of the score… The result is delightful…’
Classica ★★★★★


Hansjörg Albrecht

‘For this ambitious series to be capped by a genuine transformation of transcription into proper organ repertory is a master stroke.’
Choir & Organ ★★★★★


C. and T. Tetzlaff • Buntrock • Vogt
Editor’s Choice | Gramophone

‘Passion and fragility combine to form the essence of Vogt’s art, especially in the context of this wonderful music.’
Gramophone


Sandbjerg • Hyldig

‘…an exceptionally rewarding disc.’
Gramophone

‘A life-affirming release, brilliantly played.’
The Arts Desk


Estelle Revaz

‘Estelle Revaz lifts this unknown treasure with her playing at a high technical level.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★


Skylark Vocal Ensemble • Guard

‘This is a concept program, and a brilliant one. Recommended to all libraries.’
Baker & Taylor CD Hotlist


Mariangela Vacatello
Want List | Fanfare

‘You should definitely not miss the revelatory first volume in Mariangela Vacatello’s sonata cycle. An unexpected hit.’
Fanfare


South West German Radio Symphony • Metzmacher
Recommended | MusicWeb International

‘Led by Metzmacher, the SWR musicians incisively render the score’s Petrushka-like scampering, pratfalls, and unexpected shifts in tone colour.’
MusicWeb International


Thiele • Mio Tamayama • Archos Quartet
Want List | Fanfare

‘The young Archos Quartet makes a beautiful case for this enchanting music.’
Fanfare


Vox VOX-NX-3044CD
St. Louis Symphony • Semkow

‘This Wagner CD is one of [Semkow’s] finest recordings with the orchestra.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★

Audiovisual Releases
Naxos Releases
Naxos 2.110739
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(NBD0155V)
Vallone • Tognocchi • Lebow • Samoilov • Bintner • Frankfurt Opera and Museum Orchestra • Hussain • Schlather

‘…a great show, with excellent singing, a fine orchestra in the pit, and lively staging, all of which are sure to entertain.’
Fanfare


Naxos 2.110762
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(NBD0174V)
Porter • Buczkowska • Bullock • Reiter • Holender • Frankfurt Opera Chorus • Frankfurt Opera and Museum Orchestra • Engel • Kratzer

‘The production sparkles, full of wit and rhythm, featuring well-defined characters…’
Diapason ★★★★★


Naxos 2.110761
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(NBD0173V)
Johansson • Strid • Laurenz • Berlin Deutsche Opera Chorus and Orchestra • Albrecht • Loy
Nomination | Gramophone Classical Music Awards 2024

‘A huge success in the 1920s, Schreker’s Der Schatzgräber was hardly heard again until more recent times, and gets superlative advocacy here.’
Gramophone


Naxos 2.110768-69
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(NBD0180V)
Grigorian • MacNeil • Mahnke • Mikhailov • Jost • Švēde • Frankfurt Opera Chorus • Frankfurt Opera and Museum Orchestra • Uryupin • Barkhatov

‘[Asmik Grigorian’s] singing is beautiful, her acting is utterly convincing, and the melding of the two into a unified portrayal is a miracle.’
Fanfare


Independent Releases (in alphabetical order)
C Major 764508
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(764604)
Argerich • Vienna Philharmonic • Mehta
Discos Recomendados | Ritmo

‘…wonderful performance…’
Ritmo


Dynamic DYN-38016
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(DYN-58016)
De Vittorio • Naviglio • Cafiero • Totaro • Cappella Neapolitana • Florio

‘…a perfectly calibrated performance that offers a window into the genial if peculiar charms of another world.’
American Record Guide


Opus Arte OA1384D
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(OABD7322D)
Grigorian • Philip • Isaev • Bell • Connolly • Royal Opera House Chorus and Orchestra, Covent Garden • Bychkov • Ann Yee
Excepcional | Scherzo

‘…a beautiful and different Rusalka…’
Scherzo



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