For almost six decades, the Grammys (presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences) have been one of the major events in the global record-industry year, and yesterday the shortlist for the 2018 Awards was announced, with nominees including Joyce DiDonato, Murray Perahia, Steven Isserlis, and the late Dmitri Hvorostovsky. The winners will be revealed in a star-studded ceremony at New York City's Madison Square Gardens in New York on Sunday 28th January.
Read on for full details of the five contenders nominated in each of the eight classical categories - many of our own favourites from the past twelve months or so make an appearance, plus a few wild cards which we'll be exploring in more depth over the coming weeks!
Orchestral Performance
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Louis Langrée
Available Formats: FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas
Available Format: SACD
Minnesota Orchestra, Osmo Vänskä
Available Format: SACD
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Manfred Honeck
Available Formats: Hi-Res+ FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Opera Recording
Roman Trekel, Anne Schwanewilms, Marc Molomot, Nathan Berg; Houston Symphony. Hans Graf
Available Formats: 2 CDs, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Diana Damrau, Matthew Polenzani, Mariusz Kwiecien; Metropolitan Opera, Gianandrea Noseda, Penny Woolcock
Available Format: DVD Video
Max Emanuel Cenčić, Lauren Snouffer, Ann Hallenberg, Xavier Sabata; Il Pomo d’Oro, George Petrou
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Choral Performance
The Crossing & PRISM Saxophone Quartet, Donald Nally
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Erin Wall (soprano), Elizabeth DeShong (mezzo-soprano), Andrew Staples (tenor), John Relyea (bass-baritone); Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis
Available Formats: 2 SACDs, Hi-Res+ FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Anja Petersen (soprano), Andrew Redmond (bass); RIAS Chamber Choir Berlin, Munich Chamber Orchestra, Alexander Liebreich
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Tenebrae, Nigel Short
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Christopher Jacobson (organ), South Dakota Chorale, Brian A. Schmidt
Available Formats: SACD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
Sophie Gent (violin), Jonathan Manson (cello), Thomas Dunford (lute); Arcangelo, Jonathan Cohen
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Patricia Kopatchinskaja (violin), The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res+ FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Martha Argerich (piano), Renaud Capuçon (violin), Stephen Kovacevich (piano), Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Classical Instrumental Solo
Murray Perahia (piano)
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Steven Isserlis (cello/director), The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Maria Lettberg (piano), Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Ariane Matiakh
Available Formats: FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Frank Peter Zimmermann (violin), NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, Alan Gilbert
Available Format: SACD
Daniil Trifonov (piano)
Available Formats: 2 CDs, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Classical Solo Vocal Album
Philippe Jaroussky (countertenor), Freiburger Barockorchester
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Philippe Jaroussky (countertenor), Freiburger Barockorchester
Available Formats: CD + DVD Video, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Barbara Hannigan (soprano/conductor), Ludwig Orchestra
Available Formats: CD + DVD Video, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Nicholas Phan (tenor), Myra Huang (piano)
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Joyce DiDonato (mezzo), Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Dmitri Hvorostovsky (baritone), St Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra, Style of Five Ensemble, Constantine Orbelian
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Classical Compendium
Alexandre Tharaud (piano), with Juliette Binoche, Vanessa Paradis, Jane Birkin et al
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Roberto Díaz (viola), James Button (oboe), Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Giancarlo Guerrero
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Asko, Schoenberg Ensemble, Netherlands Radio Choir, Reinbert de Leeuw
Available Formats: 3 CDs, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Hespèrion XXI, La Capella Reial de Catalunya, Jordi Savall
Available Formats: 2 SACDs + DVD Video, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Nicole Cabell (soprano), Alek Shrader (tenor), Edwin Crossley-Mercer (baritone), Amit Peled (cello), François-Henri Houbart (organ), Lucy Mauro (piano)
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Contemporary Classical Composition
Thomas Hampson (baritone), Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Giancarlo Guerrero
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Roberto Díaz (viola), Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Giancarlo Guerrero
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Anja Petersen (soprano), Andrew Redmond (bass), RIAS Chamber Choir Berlin, Munich Chamber Orchestra, Alexander Liebreich
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Kansas City Symphony, Michael Stern
Available Formats: SACD, Hi-Res+ FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Louis Langrée
Available Formats: FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
