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.

Quarterly Critic’s Choice

Quarterly Critic’s Choices before 2010

4/2007

4/2007

Published: 15. November 2007

DVD and Video Productions

  • Leonard Bernstein – The Gift of Music. An Intimate Portrait. Deutsche Grammophon DVD 00440 073 4336 (Universal)
  • Lila Downs: Loteria Cantada. Peregrina Music PM50505 (In-Akustik)

Opera

  • Paul Hindemith: Cardillac. Alan Held, Angelika Denoke et al., Orchestre et Chœurs de l’Opéra national de Paris, Kent Nagano. André Engel (Stage Direction), Chloé Perlemuter (Image direction). DVD, BelAir Classiques BAC 023 (Helikon Harmonia Mundi)
  • Henry Desmarest: Vénus & Adonis. Soloists, Les Talens Lyriques, Chœur de l’Opéra national de Lorraine, Christophe Rousset. Ambroisie AM 127 (2 CDs; Helikon Harmonia Mundi)
  • Stefano Landi: La morte d’Orfeo. Akadêmia, Françoise Lasserre. ZigZag Territoires ZZT 070 402 (2 CDs; Note 1)

Orchestral Music and Concertos

  • Carl Nielsen: Flute Concerto, Clarinet Concerto, Wind Quintet. Emmanuel Pahud (Flute), Sabine Meyer (Clarinet), Berliner Philharmoniker, Simon Rattle. EMI 3 94421 2

Chamber Music

  • Alfred Schnittke: Works for Cello and Piano. David Geringas (Violoncello), Tatjana Geringas (Piano). Profil Hänssler PH 08 002 (Naxos)

Keyboard Music

  • Johann Sebastian Bach: Chromatische Fantasie and Fuge BWV 903, Partitas No. 2 & 6. Roger Woodward (Piano). Celestial Harmonies 13 280-2 (Naxos)
  • William Byrd: Clarifica me. Organ Works. Léon Berben. Ramée RAM 0704 (Codaex)

Choral Works

  • Arnold Schönberg: Gurrelieder. Soloists, Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, MDR Rundfunkchor Leipzig, SWR Sinfonieorchester, Michael Gielen. Hänssler Classic 93.198 (2 SACDs; Naxos)

Lieder and Vocal Recital

  • Cecilia Bartoli – »Maria«. Arias by Bellini, Halevy, Hummel, Rossini and Mendelssohn Bartholdy. Maxim Vengerov (Violin), International Chamber Soloists, Orchestra La Scintilla, Adam Fischer. Decca 475 9077 (Universal)
  • Juan Diego Flórez – »Arias for Rubini«. Arias by Bellini, Donizetti and Rossini. Orchestra e Coro dell’Accademia nationale di Santa Cecilia, Roberto Abbado. Decca 475 0979 (Universal)
  • Johannes Brahms: Liebeslieder-Walzer op. 52, Neue Liebeslieder op. 65, Drei Lieder op. 64. Marlis Petersen, Stella Doufexis, Werner Güra, Konrad Jarnot; Christoph Berner, Camillo Radicke (Piano). Harmonia Mundi France HMC 901 945 (Helikon Harmonia Mundi)

Contemporary Classical Music

  • Mathias Spahlinger: Farben der Frühe für sieben Klaviere. Ensemble SurPlus, James Avery. NEOS 10 710 (Helikon Harmonia Mundi)

Historical Recordings

  • Evgeny Mravinsky Edition. Works by Bartók, Beethoven, Bruckner, Tschaikowsky, Prokofieff, Wagner et al. Leningrader Philharmoniker, Staatl. Sinfonieorchester der UdSSR. Brilliant Classics 8593 (10 CDs; Joan Records)
  • George Szell – Salzburger Orchesterkonzerte 1958–1968. Concertos and Orchestral Works by Beethoven, Bruckner, Haydn, Mozart, Prokofieff, Strauss et al. Clifford Curzon, Rudolf Firkusny (Piano), Various Orchestras. Orfeo C 704 077 L (7 CDs)

Film Music

  • Erich Wolfgang Korngold: The Sea Hawk, Deception. Moscow Symphony Orchestra and Chor, William Stromberg. Naxos 8.570110-11 (2 CDs)
  • Pan´s Labyrinth. Guillermo Del Toro (Direction), Javier Navarrete (Music). Universum Film EAN 0828767673998 (DVD)

Pop and Rock

  • Suzanne Vega: Beauty & Crime. Blue Note Records 0946 3 68270 2 5 (EMI)

Independent, Nu and Extreme

  • Little Dragon: Little Dragon. Peacefrog PFG110CD (Frauleinwunder)
  • Tocotronic: Kapitulation. Vertigo 1735086 (Universal)

Singer/Songwriter and German Songs

  • Wenzel: Glaubt nie, was ich singe. Conträr 90441-2 (Indigo)

Traditional Ethnic Music

  • Songs of Survival. Traditional Music of Georgia. Recordings by Michael Church. Various Artists. Topic Records TSCD 935 D (2 CDs; Rough Trade)
  • Abdulrahman Surizehi: Love Songs and Trance Music from Balochistan. Etnisk Musikklubb EM17 (MDM) (2 CDs)

World Music, Folk and Folklore

  • Céu: Céu. Exil Music 90403-2 (Indigo)
  • Polkaholix: The Great Polka Swindle. Westpark Music 87146 (Indigo)

Jazz and Blues

  • Roberta Gambarini, Hank Jones: You are there. Emarcy 06025 173 7067 8 (Universal)
  • David Murray Black Saint Quartet feat. Cassandra Wilson: Sacred Ground. Justin Time JUST 204-2 (Sunny Moon)
  • Charly Schreckschuss Band: Ne Menge Leben. Moon Sound Records 1315-1514-14 (New Music)

Spoken Word

  • Karl May: Der Orientzyklus. Radio play editing and Stage Direction: Walter Adler. Der Hörverlag ISBN 978-3-86717-143-4 (12 CDs)

Recordings for Children and Youth

  • Ulrich Hub: An der Arche um Acht. Chris Pichler, Jens Harzer et al. (Reader). Patmos ISBN 978-3-491-24147-3
  • Hartmut El Kurdi: Johnny Hübner greift ein. Jürgen Holtz, Harry Rowohlt (Reader). Patmos ISBN 978-3-491-24148-0

Crossover Productions

  • Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR): etudes4violin&electronix. Thirsty Ear 57179 (Rough Trade)

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

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