Recent Classical Highlights for April 2023

There are some interesting concertos among this month’s new reviews. Mahan Esfahani is the soloist in 20th century works for a 16th century instrument, the harpsichord. Also making what’s old new again, in more ways than one, is a re-mastered recording of Rachmaninov’s piano concertos with Peter Rösel and conductor Kurt Sanderling, both of whom approached the works differently than most other performers. Conductor Marin Alsop is a champion of composer Kevin Puts, with a new recording featuring his latest concertos for marimba and for oboe, the latter featuring Katherine Needleman (pictured). Finally, pianist Yuja Wang gives us a new, 11-movement concerto by Teddy Abrams that may appeal to fans of Gershwin’s concert music.
Martha Argerich, Lahav Shani – Ravel, Beethoven
Les Arts Florissants, Paul Agnew – Gesualdo: Madrigali, Libri Quinto & Sesto
Les Arts Florissants, Paul Agnew – Gesualdo: Tenebrae Responsoria, Feria Quinta
Nicolò Balducci, Barockakademin Göteborgs Symfoniker, Dan Laurin – Amore Dolore
Felix Bender, Michael Seal, WDR Funkhausorchester – Nino Rota: War and Peace; Catel de Monte; Orchestra Rehearsal; Harp Concerto; Concerto for strings
Rafał Blechacz – Chopin
Joshua Blue, Steven Blier – Black & Blue
Martyn Brabbins, BBC Symphony Orchestra – Vaughan Williams: Sinfonia Antartica; Symphony No. 9
Marta Brankovich – Marta, The Tempest: I will be the Last Storm Encountered
The Brodsky Quartet, Laura van der Heijden, Julian Jacobson – Golden Oldies: More Favourite Encores
Piotr Buszewski, Tetiana Miyus, Daniele Squeo – Nino Rota: Il cappello di paglia di Firenze
Catalyst Quartet – Uncovered, Vol. 3: Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, George Walker, William Grant Still
Birgitte Christensen, Kristina Hammarström, René Jacobs – Haydn: Stabat Mater
Lucy Crowe, Claire Barnett-Jones, Marcus Farnsworth, Iain Burnside – The Jade Mountain: Songs by Edmund Rubbra
De Profundis, Eamonn Dougan, Robert Hollingworth – Morales: Missa Desilde al Cavallero; Missa Mille Regretz; Magnificat Primi Toni
Engegård Quartet – Johan Kvandal: Complete String Quartets
Mahan Esfahani, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Liebreich – Harpsichord Concertos: Viktor Kalabis, Hans Krása, Bohuslav Martinů
Rumon Gamba, Iceland Symphony Orchestra – Icelandic Works for the Stage: Páll Ísólfsson, Jórunn Viðar
Greenwich Trio – Brahms: Piano Trios Vol. 1 – Op. 36 & 87
Benjamin Grosvenor – Schumann & Brahms
HK Gruber, Swedish Chamber Orchestra – Kurt Weill: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2; Der Silbersee excerpts
Daniel Harding, Chor und Sinfonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks – Gustav Holst: The Planets
Stephen Hough – Mompou: Música callada
Claudia Huckle, Nicky Spence, Justin Brown – Gustav Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde – Mahler’s Autograph Piano Version
Mariss Jansons, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks – Tschaikowsky: Romeo & Julia; Strawinsky: L’Oiseau de Feu; Varèse: Amériques
Philippe Jaroussky, Christina Pluhar, L’Arpeggiata – Passacalle de la Follie
Salome Jicia, Charles Castronovo, Riccardo Frizza – Mascagni: L’Amico Fritz
Ji Su Jung, Katherine Needleman, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Marin Alsop – Kevin Puts: The City; Marimba Concerto; Moonlight
Edin Karamazov, Pavel Steidl – Mozart, Haydn, Schubert
Konstantin Krimmel, Hélène Grimaud – Silvestrov: Silent Songs
Yumi Kurosawa, Yumi Kurosawa Trio – Metamorphosis
Robert Levin, Academy of Ancient Music, Richard Egarr – Mozart: Piano Concertos K467, K491
Klaus Mäkelä, Orchestre de Paris – Stravinsky: Le Sacre du printemps; L’Oiseau de feu
Giuseppe Maletto, Il Pomo d’Oro – Gesualdo: Sacrae Cantiones
Ovidiu Marinescu, London Symphony Orchestra – London Cello Connection
Zubin Mehta, Münchner Philharmoniker – Strauss: Sinfonia Domestica
Anne Akiko Meyers – Mysterium
Choeur de Chambre de Namur, Julien Chauvin, Le Concert de la Loge – Mozart: Requiem; Paisiello: Messe pour le sacre de Napoléon
John Neschling, Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège – Respighi: Gli Uccelli; Antiche Danze ed Arie
Norwegian Soloists’ Choir, Ensemble Allegria, Grete Pedersen – Bent Sørensen: St. Matthew Passion
Garrick Ohlsson – Schubert: Piano Sonata in A minor D537; Piano Sonata in A major D959
Orlando Consort – Machaut: Remede de Fortune
Rafael Payare, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal – Mahler: Symphony No. 5
Quatuor Diotima – Metamorphosis Ligeti
Quatuor Ébène, Antoine Tamestit – Mozart: String Quintets K. 515 & 516
Sondra Radvanovsky, Ermonela Jaho, Jonas Kaufmann, Antonio Pappano – Puccini: Turandot
Ivan Repušić, Munich Radio Orchestra, Zbor Slovenske filharmonije – Damijan Mocnik: Johannespassion
Peter Rösel, Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester, Kurt Sanderling – Rachmaninoff: Piano Concertos No. 1-4; Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini, Op. 43
François-Xavier Roth, Gürzenich-Orchester Köln – Bruckner 4
Choir of Royal Holloway, Rupert Gough – Matthew Coleridge: Requiem
Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton – Elysium: A Schubert Recital
Seattle Symphony – Walker: Lyric for Strings; Folksongs for Orchestra; Lilacs for Voice & Orchestra; Dawson: Negro Folk
The Sixteen, Harry Christophers – A Watchful Gaze
Yeol Eum Son – Mozart: Complete Piano Sonatas
Choir of St John’s Cambridge, Andrew Nethsingha – Magnificat 3
John Storgårds, BBC Philharmonic – Shostakovich: Symphony No. 12 ‘The Year 1917; Symphony No. 15
Tippett Quartet – Korngold: String Quartets Nos. 1-3
Trio Karénine – Suk – Dvořák
Yuja Wang, Louisville Orchestra, Teddy Abrams – The American Project: Abrams, Tilson Thomas
Franz Welser-Möst, Cleveland Orchestra – Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5
Rachel Willis-Sørensen – Strauss: Four Last Songs
Pieter Wispelwey, Paolo Giacometti – Schubert: In Memoriam I
Bruce Wolosoff – Memento
Kenneth Woods – Philip Sawyers: Double Concerto for Violin and Cello; Viola Concerto; Remembrance for strings; Octet
John Bruce Yeh, Teresa Reilly, Patrick Godon – Chicago Clarinet Classics
Thomas Zehetmair, Ruth Killius, Royal Northern Sinfonia – Bartók, Casken, Beethoven