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

2/2004

2/2004

Published: 20.5.2004

DVD and Video Productions

  • Richard Wagner: Siegfried. Staatsoper Stuttgart, Lothar Zagrosek; Jossi Wieler. TDK DV-OPRDNS (Naxos)
  • Johann Sebastian Bach: Sechs Suites for Violoncello solo BWV 1007–1012. Mstislaw Rostropowitsch. EMI 5 99 159-9
  • Baby Snakes Starring Frank Zappa. Eagle Vision EREDV371 (Edel)

Orchestral Music and Concertos

  • Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 3. Lilli Paasikivi, Tiffin Boys’ Choir, Ladies of the London Philharmonic Choir, Philharmonia Orchestra, Benjamin Zander. Telarc 80599 (in-akustik)
  • Alban Berg: Violin Concerto; Benjamin Britten: Violin Concerto op. 15. Daniel Hope, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Paul Watkins. Warner 2564-60 291-2

Chamber Music

  • Camille Saint-Saëns: Works for Violin and Piano. Ulf Wallin, Roland Pöntinen. cpo 999 946-2 (jpc)

Keyboard Music

  • Max Reger: Piano Pieces for four Hands – Suite op. 16, Six Pieces op. 94. Yaara Tal, Andreas Groethuysen. Sony Classical SK 93 102
  • Johann Sebastian Bach: Das Wohltemperierte Klavier I. Till Fellner. ECM 1853/54 bzw. 476 048-2 (Universal)
  • Masters of the Italian Renaissance – Works by M.A. and G. Cavazzoni, Fogliano, Antico, Veggio, Macque, Valente, A. and G. Gabrieli, Merulo. Andrea Marcon. Divox 70005 (Appassionato)

Opera

  • Benjamin Britten: Billy Budd. Neil Shicoff, Bo Skovhus, Chor und Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper, Donnald Runnicles. Orfeo 602 033

Choral Works

  • Luigi Nono: Io, frammento da Prometeo; Das atmende Klarsein. Katia Plaschka, Petra Hoffmann, Monika Bair-Ivenz, Roberto Fabbriciani, Ciro Scarponi; Solistenchor Freiburg, Experimentalstudio Freiburg, André Richard. col legno 2 SACD 20600 (Helikon Harmonia Mundi)

Early Music

  • Guillaume de Machaut: Motets. The Hilliard Ensemble. ECM 1823 bzw. 472 402-2 (Universal)

Lieder and Vocal Recital

  • Songs by Maurice Ravel, Dmitrij Schostakowitsch, Ottorino Respighi, Erwin Schulhoff and Benjamin Britten. Magdalena Kožená, Malcolm Martineau, Henschel Quartett. Deutsche Grammophon 471 581-2 (Universal)

Historical Recordings

  • Ludwig van Beethoven: Fidelio. Sena Jurinac, Jon Vickers, Gottlob Frick, Hans Hotter, Elsie Morison, John Dobson, The Covent Garden Chorus and Orchestra, Otto Klemperer (Recording 1961). Testament SBT 21328 (Note 1)

Contemporary Classical Music

  • Matthias Pintscher: Figura I-V, Ritratto di Gesualdo, Dernier Espace avec introspecteur. Teodoro Anzellotti, Arditti String Quartet, Rohan de Saram. Winter & Winter 910 097 (Edel)

Film Music

  • Ben Charest: Das große Rennen by Belleville. Delabel/Capitol 5 77 478-2 (EMI)

Pop and Rock

  • Sophie Zelmani: Love Affair. Columbia 514 800 2 (Sony)
  • Ilya: They Died For Beauty. Virgin 5 76 659-2 (EMI)

Singer/Songwriter and German Songs

  • Die Wellküren: Das Mensch. Mood records 6752 (Zweitausendeins)

Traditional Ethnic Music, World Music

  • Ustad Vilayat Khan: Shringar. Navras Records NRCD 0181 (Bellaphon)
  • Lhasa: The Living Road. tôt Ou tard 5050467-0122-5-7 (Warner)

Jazz and Blues

  • Triosphere: Triosphere. Jazz’n’Arts Records 2304 (jazz-network.com)
  • Bennie Wallace: The Nearness of You. Enja 9469-2 (Soulfood)
  • Alan Lomax Blues Songbook. Various Artists. Rounder 1866 (in-akustik)

Recordings for Children and Youth

  • Ute Kleeberg: Wunder With Huhn. Reader: Christian Brückner. Edition See-Igel ISBN 3-935261-03-9
  • Mirjam Pressler: Die Zeit der schlafenden Hunde. Reader: Eva Gosciejewicz. der hörverlag ISBN 3-89940-325-8

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

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