Quarterly Critic’s Choice

The best and most interesting new releases of the previous three months are awarded a place on the Quarterly Critic’s Choice. Evaluation criteria are artistic quality, repertoire value, presentation, and sound quality. From 2014 onward, the Long Lists are stored directly with each Quarterly Critic’s Choice.

NEW: Long List 2/2024, published on 5th April 2024

Quarterly Critic’s Choice

Quarterly Critic’s Choices before 2010

3/2003

3/2003

Published: 20. August 2003

DVD and Video Productions

  • Der Garten des Sergiu Celibidache. Film by Serge Ioan Celibidachi. Absolut Medien Dokumente 702
  • Erich Wolfgang Korngold – The Adventures of a Wunderkind. With Leonidas Kavakos, Anne Sofie von Otter, Bengt Forsberg et al.; Videoregie: Barrie Gavin. Arthaus 100 362 (Quintessenz)
  • BAP: Viel passiert – A film by Wim Wenders. Capitol 7243 4 90435 9 6 (EMI)

Orchestral Music and Concertos

  • Olivier Messiaen: Éclairs sur l’Au-delà. SWR-Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg, Sylvain Cambreling. Hänssler 93.063 (Naxos)
  • Sergej Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos No. 1 f sharp minor op. 1 & No. 3 D minor op. 30. Nikolai Lugansky, (Piano), City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo. Warner 0927 47941 2
  • Anthology of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Vol. 1 (1935-1950). Radio Netherlands Music 97 017 (Musikwelt)

Chamber Music

  • Antonio Casimir Cartellieri: Wind Sextets. Consortium Classicum. MDG 301 1177-2 (Naxos)

Keyboard Music

  • Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonatas F major op. 54, F minor op. 57, Fis-Dur op. 78 & E minor op. 90. Maurizio Pollini. DG 474 451-2 (Universal)
  • The Organs of Gottfried Silbermann Vol. 1: Freiberg/St. Petri, Niederschönau, Tiefenau and Großhartmannsdorf. Ewald Kooiman. Querstand VKJK 0022 (Musikwelt)

Opera

  • Giuseppe Verdi: Attila. Nicolai Ghiaurov, Piero Cappuccilli, Mara Zampieri et al.; Chor und Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper, Giuseppe Sinopoli (live 1980). Orfeo 601 032

Early Music

  • Georg Gebel d.J.: Johannes Passion. Dorothee Mields (Soprano), Henning Voss (Alto), Jan Kobow (Tenor), Klaus Mertens, Sebastian Bluth (Bass), ensemble inCanto weimar, Weimarer Barockensemble, Ludger Rémy. cpo 999 894-2 (jpc)
  • Altbachisches Archiv – The Archive of Johann Sebastian Bach. Works by Johann Bach, Johann Christoph Bach, Georg Christoph Bach, Johann Michael Bach & Johann Sebastian Bach. Cantus Cölln, Concerto Palatino, Konrad Junghänel. Harmonia Mundi France 901 783.84 (Helikon Harmonia Mundi)

Lieder and Vocal Recital

  • Lieder by Claude Debussy and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Juliane Banse (Soprano), András Schiff (Piano). ECM 1772 bzw. 461 899-2 (Universal)
  • Fritz Wunderlich – Der letzte Liederabend. Lieder by Robert Schumann, Ludwig Spohr, Richard Strauss, Franz Schubert & Ludwig van Beethoven. Fritz Wunderlich (Tenor), Hubert Giesen (Piano). DG 980 6790 (Universal)

Contemporary Classical Music

  • György Kurtág: Signs, Games and Messages. Kurt Widmer (Baritone), Hiromi Kikuchi (Violin), Ken Hakii (Viola), Stefan Metz (Cello), Mircea Ardeleanu (Percussion). ECM 1730 bzw. 461 833-2 (Universal)

Film Music

  • Something Wild. Original Sound Track, composed and conducted by Aaron Copland. Varèse Sarabande VSD 6469.2 (Colosseum)

Pop and Rock

  • Daniel Lanois: Shine. Anti 6661-2 (SPV)
  • Carla Bruni: Quelqu’un m’a dit. Naive 63122 (SPV)

Singer/Songwriter and German Songs

  • Scarlett O’ und Jürgen Ehle: Fast With Neid. John Silver Production JSCD 0403 (www.scarlett-o.de)

Traditional Ethnic Music

  • Walzenaufnahmen japanischer Music 1901-1913. Berliner Phonogramm-Archiv BPhA-WA1 (Staatl. Museen zu Berlin PK)

World Music

  • Mariza: Fado Curvo. World Connection WC 43 041 (EMI)

Jazz and Blues

  • Dianne Reeves: A Little Moonlight. Blue Note 7243802522 (EMI)
  • Schlosser, Weber, Böhm, Huber, Binder »L 14,16«. Jazz4Ever J4E 4760 (Jazz-Network)
  • Gianluigi Trovesi Otetto: Fugace. ECM 1827 bzw. 066 583-2 (Universal)
  • Carla Bley: Looking for America. WATT/ECM 31 bzw. 067 791-2 (Universal)
  • Alvin Youngblood Hart: Down In The Alley. Memphis International 0203 (Sony)

Spoken Word

  • Walter Kempowski read »Aus großer Zeit«. cpo 999 911-2 bzw. ISBN 3-935840-01-2 (13 CD)

Recordings for Children and Youth

  • Jürgen Nola: Hamlets Rache. Universal 067 122-2 bzw. ISBN 3-8291-1297-1
  • Edith Schreiber-Wicke: Regenbogenkind. Hörcompany ISBN 3-935036-37-X (Beltz & Gelberg)

(The name of the German distributor appears in brackets if it differs from the label name.)

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