In the association Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik (German Record Critics’ Award), music critics and journalists from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland have come together to award outstanding music and spoken word productions.

Current Winners

  • Annual Award
    2024

    The Neptune Power Federation

    Goodnight My Children. Mastering: Carl Staff, Recording engineers: Jazzy Geoff Lee, Jaytanic Ritual. CD/LP, Cruz Del Sur Music CRUZ620LP (Soulfood)

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  • Annual Award
    2024

    Cat Power

    Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert. Producer: Andrew Slater, Mastering: Mark Chalecki. 2 CDs/2 LPs, Domino Records WIGCD524 (Believe Digital)

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  • Annual Award
    2024

    HJirok

    Hjirok. Producers: Hani Mojtahedy, Andi Toma. Recording engineers: Siamand Mohammadi, Constantin Carstens. LP/Digital, Altin Village & Mine AVM 077 (Bandcamp)

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  • Annual Award
    2024

    Harry Vogt, Martina Seeber (ed.)

    Radio Cologne Sound – WDR’s Studio for Electronic Music. Works by Karlheinz Stockhausen, Iannis Xenakis, Marco Stroppa, Youngi Pagh-Paan, Nicolaus A. Huber, York Höller e.a. Recording engineers: Harry Vogt e.a. Book with 5 CDs, Wolke Verlag ISBN 978-3-95593-259-6

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  • Annual Award
    2024

    Antje Weithaas, Dénes Várjon

    Ludwig van Beethoven: The 10 Violin Sonatas (Vol. 1-3). Antje Weithaas, Dénes Várjon. Recording Producer & Editing & Mastering: Christoph Franke. 4 CDs, CAvi 8553512, 8553535 & 8553508 (Bertus)

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  • Annual Award
    2024

    Ghost Train Orchestra, Kronos Quartet

    Songs and Symphoniques – The Music Of Moondog. Producer: Brian Carpenter, Engineerd: Zach Miley, Aaron Nevezie, Marc Urselli, Mixed: John Kilgore, Brian Montgomery, Mastered: Bob Ludwig. CD/2 LPs, Cantaloupe Music CA21192 (Naxos)

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  • Annual Award
    2024

    ORA Singers, Suzi Digby

    »Sanctissima« – Vespers & Benediction for the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Francisco Guerrero, James McMillan, John Joubert, Oliver Tarney, Sven-David Sandström, Matthew Martin and others. ORA Singers, Suzi Digby. Recording engineer: Nick Parker, Mastering: Mike Hatch. 2 CDs, harmonia mundi HMM 905334.35 (harmonia mundi/Bertus)

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  • Annual Award
    2024

    Nitai Hershkovits

    Call On The Old Wise. Producer: Manfred Eicher. Sound engineer: Stefano Amerio, Mastering: Christoph Stickel. CD/LP, ECM Records 2779 (Universal)

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  • Annual Award
    2024

    Michael Spyres

    »In the Shadows« – Works by Etienne-Nicolas Méhul, Ludwig van Beethoven, Gioacchino Rossini, Giacomo Meyerbeer, Vincenzo Bellini, Richard Wagner and others. Michael Spyres, Julien Henric, Jeune Chœur de Paris, Les Talens Lyriques, Christophe Rousset. Executive Producer: Alain Lanceron, Recording Producer: Daniel Zalay. Erato 5054197879821 (Warner)

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  • Annual Award
    2024

    Víkingur Ólafsson

    Johann Sebastian Bach: Goldberg Variations BWV 988. Víkingur Ólafsson. Recording engineer: Christopher Tarnow. CD/2 LPs, Deutsche Grammophon 486 4553 (Universal)

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We strive for independent judgments, untouched by the interests of producers and the music industry. With currently 32 specialist juries we cover the entire, diverse spectrum of genres, from symphonic music to opera to harpsichord music and spoken word, from jazz to folklore and heavy metal to rock and hip-hop. We publish Quarterly Critic’s Choices honoring the best new releases and also present Annual Awards and Honorary Awards, as well as the »Nachtigall« (Nightingale).

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News

All that Jazz
06.12.2024

All that Jazz

The PdSK mourns the loss of music journalist and longstanding jury member Ulrich Olshausen.

Nightingale Award (»Nachtigall«) & Honorary Awards 2025
02.12.2024

Nightingale Award (»Nachtigall«) & Honorary Awards 2025

The 2025 Honorary Award winners are Sophie Hunger, Wolfgang Niedecken and Patrik Landolt. Sigiswald Kuijken will be awarded the Nightingale Award (»Nachtigall«).

Schedule

  • 05.01.2025
    Publication

    Long List 1/2025

  • 14.02.2025
    Publication

    Quarterly Critic’s Choice 1/2025

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