Critics Choice September 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
Spyres • Mahnke • MacKinnon • Mulligan • Kanabas • Frankfurt Opera Chorus and Orchestra • Manacorda
Quarterly Critic’s Choice | Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik (German Record Critics’ Award)

‘Michael Spyres takes centre stage in the main tenor role with a voluminous middle range, radiant high notes and excellent taste, even beyond the aria O paradis. The rest of the cast also perform at the highest of standards.’
Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik (German Record Critics’ Award)


F.P. Zimmermann • Bamberg Symphony • Hruša
Choc | Classica
Quarterly Critic’s Choice | Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik (German Record Critics’ Award)
The Strad Recommends
Editor’s Choice | Limelight

‘Luminous Zimmerman – The German violinist interprets Stravinsky, Bartók and Martinů, with a subtle mastery of colours and a prolific imagination.’
Classica

‘Rarely has Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto been heard with so much verve and rhythmic concision, yet also with such a beautiful sound as in this recording. The folkloristic idiom of Béla Bartók’s Violin Rhapsodies is no less captivating.’
Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik (German Record Critics’ Award)

‘What lifts it above most of the competition is the pungently characterised accompaniment of the Bamberg SO, and a recording perspective that keeps Zimmermann front and centre but allows him to duet with orchestral winds in the manner of a mature Mozart concerto.’
The Strad

‘Zimmermann weaves his magic from Stravinsky to Bartók.’
Limelight

Audio Releases
Naxos Releases
Sahatçi • Solistes Européens, Luxembourg • C. König

‘…an exciting interpretation of the…imaginatively composed symphony…’
Pizzicato ★★★★★


Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin • Tingaud

‘Jean-Luc Tingaud…manages, in this well-known work, to find a personal tone, perfectly accompanied by the beautiful Berlin Radio Orchestra, which seems at home in this music.’
Classica ★★★★★


Marko Topchii
Recommended | MusicWeb International

‘…Topchii’s performance is quite outstanding, and it would be hard, if not impossible, to find a slower and smoother execution of the tremolo than displayed [on Un seuño en la floresta].’
MusicWeb International


Danish Chamber Orchestra • A. Fischer
Supersonic | Pizzicato

‘…an absolute highlight in the Haydn discography. The rhetoric of the interpretations is complemented by the outstanding, wonderfully colourful, agile and well-balanced playing of the Danish Chamber Orchestra.’
Pizzicato


Coro Casa da Música • P. Hillier

‘This is a lovely and enormously enjoyable disc.’
MusicWeb International


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

‘All of the outstanding interpretations bring out the dance-like rhythms and propulsive energy of the works, as well as the lyrical passages, with intensity and sensitivity.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★


Cologne West German Radio Chorus • Cologne Chamber Orchestra • Poppen

‘…A splendid Mozart choral album with music that will be new to all but the most hardcore of Mozart fans, with fine studio sound from Cologne.’
AllMusic.com ★★★★


Royal Danish Orchestra • Søndergård • Vedernikov • Bernstein • Rattle • Boder • Berglund

‘…a number of fire-cracking performances that resist eclipse. If you’re as yet unfamiliar with Nielsen’s symphonic oeuvre, Naxos offer the ideal boarding point. A magnificent set.’
Presto Music


Brek • Hsiao Ling Hsin • Guerrier • Kuls • Hayoung Choi • A. Wit

‘Jarosław Bręk’s dark timbre and powerful projection cut through the chamber orchestration with ease, while Hsin Hsiao-Ling’s ehru adds an exotic touch. Antoni Wit proves a scrupulous accompanist and more subtle in his additions…’
Classica ★★★★★


Farnocchia • Faggioli • Marín • Kabongo • Chuan Wang • Gabriel Park • Cracow Philharmonic Chorus and Orchestra • Fogliani

‘The winning achievement of this set is the rhythmically alert and exciting leadership of Antonio Fogliani. His conducting showcases this gravely dramatic opera…in a manner that is thoroughly convincing.’
MusicWeb International


Independent Label Releases (in alphabetical order)
Bamberg Symphony • Hruša
Quarterly Critic’s Choice | Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik (German Record Critics’ Award)

‘A never-ending musical flow, great simplicity without pathos, technical brilliance and emotional commitment.’
Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik (German Record Critics’ Award)


Priti Kaur • Mangal Singh • Bali Brahmbhatt • Rekha • Abira Shah

‘This very generous program is a pleasure from beginning to end.’
Baker & Taylor CD Hotlist


Wunderlich • H. Prey • Hallstein • Hotter • Bavarian Radio Symphony • Wallberg
Recommended Album | Ritmo

‘Hidden treasures that finally see the light.’
Ritmo

‘Hans Hotter is a wonderfully grumpy Morosus, Wunderlich’s singing is technically outstanding and very expressive, and Ingeborg Hallstein is a wonderfully fresh Aminta.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★

‘The result is outstanding: one can only lament that we don’t have the entire opera with these forces… Extreme virtuosity must be the order of the day orchestrally in this opera, and it’s memorably provided by the Bavarian players.’
Opera


Rheinland-Pfalz State Philharmonic • Wit

‘…this is a thrilling symphony, and quite possibly a great one. Antoni Wit and the German State Philharmonic Rheinland-Pfalz knock the ball out of the park, and Capriccio’s recording is a stunner.’
Fanfare

‘…superb renditions… a strong case for two pieces that in lesser hands might come off as more ordinary fare.’
Classical Lost and Found


Eighth Blackbird

‘…the wonderfully compelling musical journey that Lang has created is uniquely his own… You never know what’s going to turn up next.’
The Guardian ★★★★★


McClelland Jacobsen • Riisager

‘Kristian Riisager is a sensitive and expressive advocate for Langgaard’s marvellous keyboard writing. …This is a most admirable release.’
Fanfare


G.S. Johnson • Kibbey • DeCaprio • Yun Han
Chamber Choice | BBC Music Magazine
Editor’s Choice | Gramophone

‘Captured in sumptuous sound, it is also sublimely played…’
BBC Music Magazine

‘A fascinating find, lovingly recreated: Charles Martin Loeffler’s Octet was shelved by the composer after its 1897 premiere, but we can now hear it in all its elegance and style.’
Gramophone


Günther Groissböck

‘Whether in Beethoven’s cycle or in Schumann’s Dichterliebe, Groissböck is always able to shape the changing moods in a convincing way.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★


Barcelona Symphony • Morlot
Supersonic | Pizzicato

‘The first album is now available and immediately sets the bar high.’
Pizzicato

‘…Morlot leads an enjoyable account that ends in a cascade of percussion glitter.’
Gramophone


J. Ingolfsson • Stoupel

‘I can’t imagine any musicians giving more persuasive, sensitive performances of this music than Ingolfsson and Stoupel. The playing is continuously nuanced in terms of colour, weight, articulation, and dynamic shading, yet never fussy. Every note is imbued with musical meaning.’
Fanfare


N. Daniel • Finnish Radio Symphony • Collon
Supersonic | Pizzicato

‘The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra under its conductor Nicholas Collon…pour the world of thoughts and emotions into gripping interpretations that convey the colours and moods in flawless playing.’
Pizzicato


Skride • Vukcevic • ORF Vienna Radio Symphony • Alsop
★★★★★

‘…[Skride] conveys a star’s charisma, shaping her phrasing and dynamics as personally as anyone ever has. …the variety of colour she achieves is remarkable.’
Fanfare


Reinhold Friedrich Brass Quintet

‘Whether baroque or modern, the interpretations of the stylistically very different works on this album are characterised by melodiousness, elegance and refinement.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★


Skylark Vocal Ensemble • Guard

‘…Skylark lends this highly expressive work, this longing and cry for peace and freedom, strong structures and gripping charisma with evocative timbres and almost fragile moments of silence (Le jour m’étonne et la nuit me fait peur), which is particularly moving in these times.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★


Stuttgart Radio Symphony • Inbal
Recommended | MusicWeb International

‘One could hardly ask for a more persuasive testimony to Inbal’s supremacy as a Bruckner conductor than this double CD set, offering the two finest of the symphonies.’
MusicWeb International


Vox VOX-NX-3025CD
Utah Symphony • Abravanel

‘…the orchestral execution here is exceptional. This is very difficult music to play, but the musicians of the Utah Symphony Orchestra perform magnificently, and the remastered recording is quite stunning.’
Fanfare


Assad • Labro • Takács Quartet

‘…A unique and wonderful release.’
AllMusic.com ★★★★

Audiovisual Releases
Naxos Releases
Naxos 2.110759
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(NBD0171V)
Behle • Kulchynska • Wagner • Soffel • Dutch National Opera Chorus • Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra • Albrecht • Loy

‘A serious competitor to the performance conducted in 2010 in Zurich by Ingo Metzmacher, with Jonas Kaufmann (Decca).’
Diapason ★★★★★


Naxos 2.110764
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(NBD0176V)
Berlin Deutsche Opera Chorus and Orchestra • Zilias • Mondtag

‘The orchestra under conductor Stephan Zilias are no less impressive, and they play Langgaard’s score – often striking, often disarmingly beautiful – superbly.’
Gramophone


Independent Releases (in alphabetical order)
Dynamic DYN-37998
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(DYN-57998)
Henschel • Brenna • Fiorentino Maggio Musicale Chorus and Orchestra • Meister • Livermore
Excepcional | Scherzo

‘Overall, a magnificent and dazzling performance, a rare work to see, and an unflinching portrait of Faust.’
Scherzo


Opus Arte OA1379BD
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(OABD7317BD)
Various Artists

‘There are superb solos and pas de deux, and plenty of stage spectacle… this is an ideal ‘starter pack’ for exploring ballet on film, or a souvenir for seasoned Royal Ballet watchers.’
MusicWeb International

AudioBooks
Clare Corbett
Earphones Award | AudioFile

‘With an evident love of language and a deft ear for biting humour, Clare Corbett has a field day narrating this delightfully inventive 1918 social satire… With Corbett’s warm, intelligent performance, this charming dystopia should not be missed.’
AudioFile



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