Daniil Trifonov scoops the Recording of the Month award with his fascinating programme comprising three sets of Rachmaninov Variations: the hyper-virtuosic Variations on a theme of Corelli and the rare Variations on a Theme of Chopin for solo piano, along with the famous and much-loved Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini for piano and orchestra.
There are plenty more piano discs amongst the top picks too, including two different recordings of the Grieg Concerto and Zimerman's new recording of the Lutoslawski.
Recording of the Month
Rachmaninov Variations
Daniil Trifonov, Philadelphia Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin
'"Up there with the very best", says Jeremy Nicholas of this 2011 Tchaikovsky Prize-winner’s thrilling performance of the Paganini Rhapsody – and it’s impossible to disagree. High praise, too, must go to the orchestral playing under Yannick Nézet-Séguin.'
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Editor's Choices
Grieg & Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos
Vadym Kholodenko, The Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Miguel Harth-Bedoya
'The first of two Grieg Concertos this month, each with a thrilling coupling – in this case Saint-Saëns’s Second Piano Concerto.'
Available Formats: FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Wartime Consolations
Linus Roth, José Gallardo, Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn, Ruben Gazarian
'Following his July 2014 Editor’s Choice, Roth offers another compelling disc of 20th-century music.'
Available Formats: SACD, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Grieg & Moszkowski: Piano Concertos
Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrucken Kaiserslautern, Nicholas Milton
'Moog pairs his excellent Grieg Concerto with the lesser-known Moszkowski work, showing off his remarkable virtuosity to full effect.'
Available Formats: CD, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Lutoslawski: Piano Concerto & Symphony No. 2
Krystian Zimerman, Berliner Philharmoniker, Simon Rattle
'The Piano Concerto’s dedicatee offers his innate understanding of the work, while this month’s cover star more than justifies his renown.'
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 in C Minor 'Organ'
Noah Geller, Mark Gibbs, Jan Kraybill, Kansas City Symphony, Michael Stern
'More Saint-Saëns this month, in another fine issue from Reference Recordings, increasingly regular occupants of the Editor's Choice lists, and a label with a strong audiophile pedigree.'
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res+ FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Domenico Scarlatti: Piano Sonatas
Claire Huangci
'In order for Huangci to maintain balance and proportion within her superimposed larger forms, she understandably omits repeats, which avid Scarlatti connoisseurs might miss. Yet when you consider her instinctive musicality, unflappable technical command and sensitive ear for nuance, repeats hardly matter.'
Available Formats: 2 CDs, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Schumann: Piano Concerto & Piano Trio No. 2
Alexander Melnikov, Isabelle Faust, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Freiburger Barockorchester, Pablo Heras-Casado
'Release two in the enterprising Harmonia Mundi Schumann series; Melnikov and colleagues are superb.'
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Morgen!
Michaela Schuster, Markus Schlemmer
'It's a sort of voice that we don't often hear on disc in song these days. Which is a shame, because Schuster is an instinctive artist and the interpretations themselves are wonderful. As a native speaker, her way with the German is totally natural and she inhabits the poetry completely.'
Available Formats: CD, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Puumala: Anna Liisa
Helena Juntunen, Jorma Hynninen, Tapiola Sinfonietta & Helsinki Chamber Choir, Jan Söderblom
'This recording from last year feels tight and exciting, no mean achievement for the revival of an evidently difficult score dependent on stage hysteria and tension...Anna Liisa is something special and deserves wide circulation outside its native land.'
Available Formats: 2 CDs, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
DVD Choice
Pierrot Lunaire - Solar Plexus of Modernism
Mitsuko Uchida, Barbara Sukowa, Marina Piccinini, Anthony McGill, Mark Steinberg, Clemens Hagen
'Fascinating insights into this landmark work from musicians who understand it intimately – and prove it, too, in the performance itself.'
Available Format: DVD Video
