Gramophone's Young Artist of the Year for 2012, the prodigiously gifted British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, has been making waves again this month with an eloquently performed album of dance-inspired music ranging from Bach to Morton Gould and taking in Chopin, Granados, Albeniz and more along the way. As well as reviewing the disc in our own newsletter this month, we also caught up with Benjamin over email to find out a little more about the project...You can read the results here.
DVD of the Month goes to Czech director Ondřej Havelka's film of Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice, shot on location at the State Castle of Český Krumlov and starring Bejun Mehta as the eponymous musician-hero - an innovative and compelling contribution to the composer's 300th anniversary celebrations. More details of this and the other Editor's Choices below…
Recording of the Month
Editor's Choices
Mendelssohn: Complete Chamber Music for Strings, Vol 4
Mandelring Quartet, Gunter Teuffel
'The Mandelring Quartet conclude their Mendelssohn survey in style, with lively paced and instinctively collaborative playing.'
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Biber Mystery (Rosary) Sonatas
Sirkka-Liisa Kaakinen-Pilch, Battalia
'Contemplatively and beautifully played throughout, Kaakinen-Pilch and Battalia master the technical complexities of these devotional works.'
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Canticles from St Paul’s
St Paul’s Cathedral Choir, Andrew Carwood
'Carwood and the St Paul’s Cathedral Choir pay scrupulous attention to the tiniest of details, so that every word and note come across as something precious and sacred.'
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Haydn Die Jahreszeiten
Collegium Vocale Gent; Champs-Elysées Orchestra, Philippe Herreweghe
'Colourful, lively and full of joy, Herreweghe and his colleagues remind us again just what a delightful work Haydn’s late oratorio The Seasons is.'
Available Formats: 2 CDs, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Ferrandini Al santo sepolcro
Roberta Invernizzi, L’Opera Stravagante
'Invernizzi is dramatic, moving and completely committed in this captivating performance of lesser-known but very impressive 18th-century sacred music.'
Available Formats: CD, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Charpentier La descent d’Orphée aux Enfers
Boston Early Music Festival
'A rewarding Baroque double bill, both works dramatically and imaginatively presented and performed.
Available Formats: CD, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Semiramide
Anna Bonitatibus, La Stagione Armonica, Federico Ferri
'Mezzo Anna Bonitatibus is on fabulous form in this carefully constructed thematic opera recital, packed full of drama and rarities.'
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Haydn Keyboard Concertos
Manchester Camerata, Gábor Takács-Nagy
A true meeting of minds between soloist and conductor results in a thrillingly individual approach to each of these three utterly charming concertos.'
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
