Classical Reviews

Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 1, 2 & 5

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Vasily Petrenko

Beethoven: Missa Solemnis in D major, Op. 123

Laura Aikin (soprano), Bernarda Fink (alto), Johannes Chum (tenor) & Ruben Drole (bass) Concentus Musicus Wien & Arnold Schoenberg Chor, Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Shostakovich Under Stalin's Shadow: Symphonies Nos. 5, 8 & 9

Boston Symphony Orchestra, Andris Nelsons

Sullivan, A: HMS Pinafore

Elizabeth Watts (Josephine), Toby Spence (Ralph Rackstraw), John Mark Ainsley (Sir Joseph Porter KCB), Andrew Foster-Williams (Captain Corcoran), Hilary Summers (Buttercup), Neal Davies (Dick Deadeye), Gavan Ring (Bill Bobstay), Barnaby Rea (Bob Becket), Kitty Whately (Hebe), Tim Brooke-Taylor (narrator) Scottish Opera, Richard Egarr

Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1-9 (complete)

Annette Dasch (soprano), Eva Vogel (mezzo), Christian Elsner (tenor), Dimitry Ivashchenko (bass) Berliner Philharmoniker, Rundfunkchor Berlin, Sir Simon Rattle

Gershwin in Hollywood

Louise Dearman, Matthew Ford, Louise Dearman & Matthew Ford The John Wilson Orchestra, John Wilson

Mozart: Violin Sonatas

Alina Ibragimova (violin) & Cédric Tiberghien (piano)

Lotti: Crucifixus

The Syred Consort & Orchestra of St Paul’s, Ben Palmer

Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 & Ballades Op. 10

Paul Lewis (piano) Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Harding

Vaughan Williams: Symphonies Vol. 1

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Manze

Dvořák & Schumann: Piano Concertos

Stephen Hough (piano) City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Andris Nelsons

Bach, J S: St John Passion, BWV245

Werner Güra (Evangelist), Johannes Weisser (bass arias/Christus), Andrew Redmon (Petrus), Johannes Schendel (Pilatus), Sunhae Im (soprano arias), Benno Schachtner (alto arias), Sebastian Kohlhepp (tenor arias), Fabienne Weiss (Ancilla), Minsub Hong (Servus) Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin, RIAS Kammerchor, Staats-& Domchor Berlin, René Jacobs

Cavalleria Rusticana & Pagliacci (DVD)

Jonas Kaufmann (Turiddu), Liudmyla Monastyrska (Santuzza), Ambrogio Maestri (Alfio), Annalisa Stroppa (Lola), Stefania Toczyska (Mamma Lucia), Jonas Kaufmann (Canio), Maria Agresta (Nedda), Dimitri Platanias (Tonio), Alessio Arduini (Silvio), Tansel Akzeybek (Beppe) Staatskapelle Dresden, Sachsischer Staatsopernchor, Christian Thielemann

Handel/Mendelssohn: Israel in Egypt, HWV54

Lydia Teuscher, Julia Doyle (sopranos), Hilary Summers (alto), Benjamin Hulett (tenor), Roderick Williams (bass) Choir of The King’s Consort & The King’s Consort, Robert King

Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 & Scythian Suite

Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Tugan Sokhiev

Donizetti: Le Duc d’Albe

Angela Meade (Hélène d’Egmont), Michael Spyres (Henri de Bruges), Laurent Naouri (Le Duc d'Albe), Gianluca Buratto (Daniel Brauer), David Stout (Sandoval), Trystan Llyr Griffiths (Carlos), Robin Tritschler (Balbuena), Dawid Kimberg (Un Tavernier) Hallé & Opera Rara Chorus, Sir Mark Elder

Elgar & Walton: Cello Concertos

Steven Isserlis (cello) Philharmonia Orchestra, Paavo Järvi

Upheld by Stillness: Renaissance gems and their reflections - Volume 1: Byrd

ORA, Suzi Digby (artistic director and conductor)

Johann Sebastian Bach: The Complete Organ Works Vol. 1

David Goode (organ of Trinity College Chapel, Cambridge)

Copland: Orchestral Works, Vol. 1

BBC Philharmonic, John Wilson