Recent Classical Highlights for June 2023

Epic listening is what you get with this month’s reviews, in more than one sense. Thomas Adès has written a ballet that covers the entire three books of Dante’s Divine Comedy. A recent recording by Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic gives us the no-less-impressive concert version. Messiaen was inspired by the literally awesome natural beauty and views of Utah to write Des canyons aux étoiles (From the Canyons to the Stars), newly performed by the Utah Symphony Orchestra under Thierry Fischer. And if only we all had the energy of Garrick Ohlsson (pictured), who, with conductor Donald Runnicles, performed the heroic feat of playing all of Beethoven’s piano concertos over the course of one week. That is just a taste of the latest notable offerings.

Benjamin Alard – Johann Sebastian Bach: The Complete Works for Keyboard, Vol. 8

Frank Almond – A Violin’s Life, Vol. 3: Music for the ‘Lipinski’ Stradivari

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Yan Pascal Tortelier, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Adam Walker – Pierre Sancan: A Musical Tribute

The Bevan Family Consort – Vidi Speciosam: Sacred Choral Music

Bl!ndman – ICONS: The American Minimalists

Stanislav Bunin – Robert Schumann: Kinderszenen; Arabeske; Faschingsschwank aus Wien

Simon Bürki – Reminiscence

Alexander Chance, Toby Carr – Drop not, mine eyes

Adrian Chandler, La Serenissima – An Englishman Abroad

Zlata Chochieva – Im Freien

Christoph Croisé – Voyage Exotique

Miranda Cuckson, Stephen Gosling, Chris Gross – Peter Scott Lewis: Home Stretch

Iestyn Davies, Joseph Middleton – Divine Music: An English Songbook

Delirium Musicum, Étienne Gara – Seasons: Richter, Glass

Shani Diluka – Pulse

Lara Downes – Love at Last

Gustavo Dudamel, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra – Thomas Adès: Dante

María Dueñas, Wiener Symphoniker, Manfred Honeck – Beethoven and Beyond

James Ehnes, Edward Gardner, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra – Nielsen: Violin Concerto; Symphony No. 4 ‘The Inextinguishable’

Laurence Equilbey, Insula Orchestra – Louise Farrenc: Symphonies 1-3; Overtures in E minor-E flat

Alessandro Fisher, William Vann, Navarra Quartet – Ian Venables: Portraits of a Mind; Vaughan Williams: On Wenlock Edge; Four Hymns

Philip Edward Fisher, Albany Symphony Orchestra, David Alan Miller – John Corigliano: Complete Solo Piano Music

Christian Gerhaher, Piotr Beczala, Gerold Huber – Gustav Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde

Alban Gerhardt, Alliage Quintett – Phantasy in Blue: Gershwin, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, Falla, Shostakovich

The Gesualdo Six, Owain Park – Byrd: Mass for Five Voices

Boris Giltburg, Brussels Philharmonic, Vassily Sinaisky – Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto Nos. 1 & 4; Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini

Gustavo Gimeno, Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg – Puccini: Messa di Gloria & Orchestral Works

Choir of Girton College, Cambridge; Gareth Wilson – Marc’Antonio Ingegneri, Vol. 3: Missa Susanne un jour a5

Randall Goosby, Philadelphia Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin – Max Bruch, Florence Price: Violin Concertos

Thomas Hampson, Stephanie Houtzeel, Sunhae Im, Tomasz Konieczny, Orchester Wiener Akademie, Martin Haselböck – Liszt: Orchestral Songs

Into the Winds – Le Parfaict Danser: Dance Music 1300-1500

Gaétan Jarry, Choeur & Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal de Versailles – The Crown: Coronation Anthems

Kammerchor Saarbrücken, Georg Grün – Richard Strauss: Letzte Lieder

Vimbayi Kaziboni, Mark Wigglesworth, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Birmingham Choir – Emily Howard: Torus

King’s Singers – When You Wish Upon a Star: 100 Years of Disney Songs

Elisabeth Leonskaja, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Tugan Sokhiev – Beethoven: Piano Concertos 3 & 4

Matilda Lloyd, Britten Sinfonia, Rumon Gamba – Casta Diva: Operatic Arias transcribed for Trumpet

Jean-Marc Luisada- Au cinéma ce soir

Nicholas McGegan, Cantata Collective – Bach: St. John Passion

Alexander Melnikov – Fantasie: 7 Composers, 7 Keyboards

Carlos Mena, La Madrileña, José Antonio Montaño – Dixerunt

Joseph Moog, Kai Adomeit – Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances, Op. 45; York Bowen: Theme & Variations, Op. 139; Medtner: Two Pieces, Op. 58

Kent Nagano, Verbier Festival Orchestra – Stravinsky: Les Noces; Le Sacre du printemps

Gianandrea Noseda, London Symphony Orchestra – Shostakovich: Symphoines Nos. 6 & 15

Garrick Ohlsson, Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra, Donald Runnicles – The Complete Beethoven Piano Concertos

Eva Ollikainen, Iceland Symphony Orchestra – Anna Thorvaldsdottir: Archora; Aiōn

Paavo Järvi, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen – Haydn: London Symphonies No. 101 & 103

Rachel Podger, Kristian Bezuidenhout – C.P.E. Bach: Sonatas for Keyboard & Violin

Christopher Purves, Simon Lepper – My Soul, What Fear You?

Christophe Rousset, Flemish Radio Choir, Les Talens Lyriques – Gaspare Spontini: La Vestale

Dario Salvi, Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra – Adam: Orfa

Michael Sanderling, Luzerner Sinfonieorchester – Brahms: The Four Symphonies; Piano Quartet No. 1 (Orch. Schoenberg)

Jordi Savall, La Cappella Nacional de Catalunya – Mozart: Requiem

Elizabeth Sombart, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Pierre Vallet – Mozart: Piano Concertos 20, 21, 23, 27

Michael Spyres, Il Oomo d’Oro, Francesco Corti – Contra-Tenor

Marek Štilec, Janácek Philharmonic Orchestra – Novák: Orchestral Works, Vol. 2

St John’s Voices, Cambridge University Chamber Choir, Graham Walker – Pavel Chesnokov: Sacred Choral Music

Trio Wanderer, Christophe Gaugué, Catherine Montier – César Franck: Piano Trio & Quintet; Violin Sonata; Louis Vierne: Piano Quintet

Osmo Vänskä, Minnesota Orchestra – Mahler: Symphony 9

Various Artists – Crown and Glory: Music Fit for a Coronation Day Celebration

Various Artists – God Save the King: Music for a Royal Celebration

Ben Vida, Yarn/Wire – The Beat My Head Hit

Vox Luminis, Lionel Meunier – Ein Deutsches Barockrequiem

Adam Walker, Huw Watkins – Shadow Dances: British Works for Flute

Choir of Westminster Abbey, James O’Donnell, Peter Holder – Vaughan Williams, Tavener, MacMillan