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 4/2024, published on 5th October 2024
Quarterly Critic’s Choices before 2010
4/2005
Published: 15. November 2005
DVD and Video Productions
- Georg Friedrich Händel: Rodelinda. Anna Caterina Antonacci, Kurt Streit, Umberto Chiummo, Andreas Scholl et al.; Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, William Christie; Stage Direction: Jean-Marie Villégier; Image direction: Humphrey Burton. Warner 3984-23024-2
- Yehudi Menuhin in »Concert Magic«. With: The Story behind »Concert Magic«. Euroarts 2054 158 (Naxos)
- Woody Guthrie: This Machine Kills Fascists. Image direction: Stephen Gammond. Snapper SMADVD 040
- »Rhythm is it!« Berliner Philharmoniker, Sir Simon Rattle. Stage Direction: Thomas Grube and Enrique Sánchez Lansch. Collector’s Edition. Boomtownmedia 01399 (3 DVD)
Orchestral Music and Concertos
- Claude Debussy: La mer, La Boîte à joujoux, Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune et al. Berliner Philharmoniker, Simon Rattle. EMI 5 58045 2
- Ferruccio Busoni: Violin Concerto D major op. 35a, Violin Sonata No. 2. Frank Peter Zimmermann (Violin), Enrico Pace (Piano), Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI, John Storgards. Sony 94497
- Darius Milhaud: Violin Concerto No. 1 op. 93 and No. 2 op. 263, Concertino de printemps op. 135, Le Boeuf sur le toit op. 58. Arabella Steinbacher (Violin), Münchner Rundfunkorchester, Pinchas Steinberg. Orfeo C 646 051 A
Chamber Music
- Sergej Tanejew: Piano Quintet G minor op. 30, Piano Trio D major op. 22. Mikhail Pletnev (Piano), Vadim Repin, Ilya Gringolts, Nobuko Imai (Violin), Lynn Harrell (Violoncello). Deutsche Grammophon 00289 477 5419 (Universal)
Keyboard Music
- Ludwig van Beethoven: Diabelli Variations op. 120; Joseph Haydn: Variations F minor Hob. XVII:6. Michael Korstick. Oehms Classics OC 532 (Codaex)
- Isaac Albéniz: Iberia et al. Marc-André Hamelin. Hyperion CDA 67 476/77 (2 CD; Codaex)
- Michel Angelo Rossi: Toccate & Corrente. Jörg-Andreas Bötticher (Harpsichord). Alpha 077 (Note 1)
- »Kein besseres Werkh nirgend… als zu Ochsenhausen…« – Orgelmusik süddeutscher Klosterkomponisten des Barock und Rokoko. Gerhard Weinberger (Organ). Ifo/Organ ORG 7215-2 (Klassik Center Kassel)
Opera
- Richard Wagner: Tristan und Isolde. Plácido Domingo, Nina Stemme et al., Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Antonio Pappano. EMI Classics 5 58006 2 (3 CD + DVD)
Choral Works
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Cantatas Vol. 28: Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland BWV 62, Wohl dem, der sich auf seinen Gott BWV 139, Ach, wie flüchtig, ach wie nichtig BWV 26, Du Friedefürst, Herr Jesu Christ BWV 116. Yukari Nonoshita (Soprano), Robin Blaze (Countertenor), Makoto Sakurada (Tenor), Peter Kooij (Bass), Bach Collegium Japan, Masaaki Suzuki. BIS SACD 1451 (Klassik Center Kassel)
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Oster-Oratorium BWV 249, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Danket dem Herrn; Heilig. Joanne Lunn (Soprano), Elisabeth Jansson (Alto), Jan Kobow (Tenor), Gotthold Schwarz (Bass), Kammerchor Stuttgart, Barockorchester Stuttgart, Frieder Bernius. Carus 83.212 (Note 1)
- Franz Schubert: Mass E flat major D 950. Gundula Janowitz, Grace Hoffman, Albert Gaßner, Waldemar Kmentt, Frans Crass, Chor und Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Rafael Kubelik (Recording 1968). Audite 92.541 (SACD; Naxos)
- Francis Poulenc: Musique pour choeur a cappella (Sept Chansons, Un soir de neige, Figure humaine, Quatre Petites Prières de Saint François d’Assise, Chanson à boire). RIAS-Kammerchor, Daniel Reuss. harmonia mundi France HMC 901 872 (helikon harmonia mundi)
Lieder and Vocal Recital
- Cecilia Bartoli – Opera proibita. Arias by Georg Friedrich Händel, Alessandro Scarlatti and Antonio Caldara. Cecilia Bartoli (Soprano), Les Musiciens du Louvre, Marc Minkowski. Decca 475 6924 (Buchausgabe) bzw. 475 7029 (Jewel Box) (Universal)
- Thomas Hampson – Arias. Arias by Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Schubert. Thomas Hampson (Baritone), Concentus Musicus Wien, Nikolaus Harnoncourt. Warner Classics 2564 62257-2
Film Music
- Ganpurev Dagvan: Die Höhle des gelben Hundes. Original Sound Track. Normal Records N 274 CD (Indigo)
Spoken Word
- Thomas Morus: Utopia. Ulrich Matthes, Reader. Manesse bei Eichborn-Lido ISBN 3-8218-5390-5
Pop and Rock
- Paul McCartney: Chaos and Creation in the Backyard. Capitol 00946 337959 2
- Hard-Fi: Stars Of CCTV. Necessary/Atlantic 5050467 8691 2 7 (Warner)
Singer/Songwriter and German Songs
- Duo Sonnenschirm: Billiges Vergnügen. R.U.M. Records LZ 20 052 (Buschfunk)
- Dziuks Küche: Gebet & Revolver. Buschfunk BF 05 332
Folk and Folklore
- Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté: In the Heart of the Moon. World Circuit WCD072 (Indigo)
Traditional Ethnic Music
- Golden Afrique. Vol. 2. Highlights and Rarities from the Golden Era of African Pop Music (1956–1982): The Great Days of Rumba Congolaise and Early Soukous. Various Artists. Network 29.076 (2 CD)
- Ustad Vilayat Khan: Al wida – Farewell. His last recorded solo concert. Nawras NRCD 0188/9 (2 CD; India Instruments)
Jazz and Blues
- Thelonious Monk Quartet With John Coltrane: At Carnegie Hall. Blue Note 0946 3 36023 2 8V (EMI)
- Hank Jones: For My Father. Justin Time 209-2 (SunnyMoon)
- Manu Katché: Neighbourhood. ECM 1896 bzw. 986 9815 (Universal)
- hr-Jazzensemble: Perpetual Questions. hr-music.de hrmj 027-05
- Richard Bargel: Mojo and The Wolf. Bluesical Records BR 10503 (www.richardbargel.de)
Recordings for Children and Youth
- Paul Maar: Der verborgene Schatz. Friedhelm Ptok, Narrator. Igel-Records CD 999 bzw. ISBN 3-89353-999-9
- Roald Dahl: Sophiechen und der Riese. Peer Augustinski et al. Der Hörverlag 3-89584-997-9
Crossover Productions
- Dakryon. Maya Homburger (Baroque Violin), Barry Guy (Double Bass), Pierre Favre (Percussion). Maya Recordings MCD 0501 (Records)
(The name of the German distributor appears in brackets if it differs from the label name.)