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

  • Film Music
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Film Music

    John Williams in Vienna

    Film music from Hook, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Wiches of Eastwick, E.T., Jurassic Park, War Horse, Jaws, Indiana Jones, Star Wars. Anne-Sophie Mutter, Wiener Philharmoniker, John Williams. Deutsche Grammophon 483 6373 (Universal)

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  • Spoken Word
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Spoken Word

    Leonid Zypkin: Ein Sommer in Baden-Baden

    Read by Sylvester Groth, Director: Walter Adler. 5 CD, hörkultur ISBN: 978-3-906935-42-3 (Audiopool Hörbuchvertrieb)

    Mehr
  • Keyboard Music
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Keyboard Music

    Reinhard Febel: 18 Studies for Two Pianos

    based on Johann Sebastian Bach’s »The Art of Fugue«. Duo Yaara Tal & Andreas Groethuysen. 2 CD, Sony Classical 19439784132

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  • Early Music
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Early Music

    Johannes de Cleve: Missa Rex Babylonis

    & Carole cui nomen, Laudate Dominum, Carole qui veniens, Timete Dominum, Es wel uns Gott genedig sein. Jacobus Vaet: Rex Babylonis. Cinquecento. Hyperion CDA68241 (Note 1)

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  • Chamber Music
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Chamber Music

    Vienne 1900

    Erich Wolfgang Korngold: Piano Trio op.1; Alexander von Zemlinsky: Clarinet Trio D minor op.3; Gustav Mahler: »Rheinlegendchen«, »Oft denk ich, sie sind nur ausgegangen«; Alban Berg: Piano Sonata B Minor op.1, Four pieces for Clarinet and Piano op.5, Adagio from Chamber Concerto; Arnold Schönberg: Chamber Symphony No.1 op.9. Emmanuel Pahud, Paul Meyer, Daishin Kashimoto, Zvi Plesser, Éric Le Sage. 2 CD, Alpha Classics ALPHA 588 (Note 1)

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  • Rock
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Rock

    Haim: Women In Music Pt. III

    Vertigo Berlin 0813816 (Universal)

    Mehr
  • Blues and Blues-related
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Blues and Blues-related

    Ginger Blues: unknowable journey

    Berlin Blue Records (direct sales: www.janhirte.com)

    Mehr
  • Hard and Heavy
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Hard and Heavy

    Sorcerer: Lamenting Of The Innocent

    CD/LP/DL, Metal Blade 03984157302 (Sony)

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  • Jazz
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Jazz

    Joe Haider Sextet

    As Time Goes By. Double Moon Records DMCHR71371 (in-akustik)

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  • Club and Dance
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Club and Dance

    Kelly Lee Owens: Inner Song

    Smalltown Supersound STS 372 (Cargo)

    Mehr
  • Traditional Ethnic Music
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Traditional Ethnic Music

    Synergia – Music from the Island of Cyprus

    Katerina Papadopoulou, Eda Karaytuğ, Michalis Kouloumis, Yurdal Tokcan, Vagelis Karipis, Dimitri Psonis. Alia Vox Diversa AV9938 (harmonia mundi)

    Mehr
  • Orchestral Music & Concertos
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Orchestral Music & Concertos

    Transitions

    Nikolai Kapustin: Cello Concerto No. 1 op.85; Alfred Schnittke: Cello Concerto No. 1. Eckart Runge, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Frank Strobel. Capriccio C5362 (Naxos)

    Mehr
  • Music Film
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Music Film

    Beethoven’s Ninth – Symphony For The World

    A film by Christian Berger. With Teodor Currentzis, Tan Dun, Gabriel Prokofiev, Yutaka Sado, Armand Diangienda, Paul Whittaker, Isaac Karabtchevsky. DVD, C Major 756408 (Naxos)

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  • Jazz
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Jazz

    Ambrose Akinmusire

    On the Tender Spot of Every Calloused Moment. Blue Note 0892619 (Universal)

    Mehr
  • Keyboard Music
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Keyboard Music

    Mahan Esfahani – Musique?

    Modern and electro-acoustic works for Harpsichord by Tōru Takemitsu, Henry Cowell, Kaija Saariaho, Gavin Bryars, Anahita Abbasi, Luc Ferrari. Mahan Esfahani. Hyperion CDA68287 (Note 1)

    Mehr
  • Historical Recordings
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Historical Recordings

    Sir John Barbirolli – The Complete Warner Recordings

    The Complete Warner Recordings. Jascha Heifetz, Alfred Cortot, Arthur Rubinstein, Janet Baker, Benjamino Gigli et al.; various orchestras, John Barbirolli. 109 CD, Warner Classics 9029538608

    Mehr
  • Orchestral Music & Concertos
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Orchestral Music & Concertos

    Johannes Brahms: Symphonien Nr. 1-4

    Wiener Symphoniker, Philippe Jordan. 4 CD, Wiener Symphoniker WSO21 (Edel)

    Mehr
  • Recordings for Children and Youth
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Recordings for Children and Youth

    Stefanie Höfler: Tanz der Tiefseequalle

    Alexandra Ostapenko, Benedikt Paulun. 4 CD, derDiwan Hörbuchverlag ISBN: 978-3-941009-63-9

    Mehr
  • Contemporary Classical Music
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Contemporary Classical Music

    Clara Iannotta: earthing

    – dead wasps (obituary), a failed entertainment, you crawl over seas of granite, dead wasps in the jam-jar (iii). Jack Quartet. Wergo WER 6433 2 (Naxos)

    Mehr
  • Chamber Music
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Chamber Music

    Paris – Moscou: Trio Goldberg

    Sergej Tanejew: String Trio B minor; Jean Françaix: String Trio; Joseph Haydn: String Trio op.53 Nr.1; Zoltán Kodály: Intermezzo; Franz Schubert: String Trio Movement D 471; Hans Krása: Dance; George Enescu: Aubade. Trio Goldberg. SACD, Ars Produktion ARS 38 309 (Note 1)

    Mehr
  • Opera
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Opera

    Pietro Antonio Cesti: La Dori

    ... overo Lo schiavo reggio. Francesca Ascioti, Emöke Baráth, Francesca Lombardi Mazzulli, Rupert Enticknap, Federico Sacchi, Alberto Allegrezza, Pietro Di Bianco, Rocco Cavalluzzi, Konstantin Derri, Accademia Bizantina, Ottavio Dantone. 2 CD, cpo 555 309-2 (JPC)

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  • R&B, Soul and HipHop
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    R&B, Soul and HipHop

    Joy Denalane: Let Yourself Be Loved

    CD / LP / DL, Motown 0887357 (Universal)

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  • Folk and Singer/Songwriters
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Folk and Singer/Songwriters

    Fiolministeriet: Et Nyt Liv

    GO’ Danish Folk Music GO0520 (Galileo)

    Mehr
  • Crossover Productions
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Crossover Productions

    Blueblut: Andenborstengürteltier

    Chris Janka, Pamela Stickney, Mark Holub. DL / CD / LP, Plagdichnicht PDN 040 (direct sales)

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  • World Music
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    World Music

    Babylon ORCHESTRA

    sungroove SG008 (Broken Silence)

    Mehr
  • Opera
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    Opera

    Hector Berlioz: Benvenuto Cellini

    Michael Spyres, Sophia Burgos, Maurizio Muraro, Lionel Lhote, Tareq Nazmi, Adèle Charvet, Vincent Delhoume, Ashley Riches, Duncan Meadows, Monteverdi Choir, Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, John Eliot Gardiner. DVD, Chateau de Versailles Spectacles CVS020 (Note 1)

    Mehr
  • German language Singer/Songwriters
    Quarterly Critic’s Choice
    04/2020
    German language Singer/Songwriters

    Jens Böttcher & Das Orchester des himmlischen Friedens

    VI: Haben oder Sein. schwarzweissradio 0737669096937 (direct sales)

    Mehr

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

11.03.2021

The Honorary Award 2021

PdSK’s 2021 Honorary Award winners are Kleeberg, Wogram, Cenčić.

Read more All News

22.02.2021

Award ceremony now online

Two short videos featuring PdSK Honorary Award winners Alberto Basso and Francois-Xavier Roth are now available on YouTube.

Read more All News

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