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
Orchestral Music & Concertos
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 3
Anna Larsson (soprano), Arnold Schoenberg Chor, Tölzer Knabenchor, Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Direction: Claudio Abbado. medici arts 2056334 (Naxos)
Orchestral Music & Concertos
Joseph Haydn: The 12 London Symphonies
Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR, Roger Norrington. 4 CD Hänssler Classic 93.252 (Naxos)
Orchestral Music & Concertos
Ludwig van Beethoven, Benjamin Britten: Violin Concertos
Janine Jansen (violin), Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, London Symphony Orchestra, Leitung: Paavo Järvi. CD Decca 478 1530 (Universal)
Orchestral Music & Concertos
Dutilleux, Lutosławski – Christian Poltéra
Henri Dutilleux: Tout un monde lointain, Trois Strophes sur le nom de Sacher; Witold Lutosławski: Sacher Variation for Solo Cello, Cello Concerto. Christian Poltéra (violoncello), ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Direction: Jac van Steen. BIS-SACD-1777 (Klassik Center Kassel)
Chamber Music
Phantasy of Spring
Works by Morton Feldman, Bernd Alois Zimmermann, Arnold Schönberg and Iannis Xenakis. Carolin Widmann (violin), Simon Lepper (piano). ECM New Series 2113 (Universal)
Keyboard Music
Martha Argerich and Nelson Freire live in Salzburg
Works by Johannes Brahms, Sergej Rachmaninov, Franz Schubert, Maurice Ravel. Deutsche Grammophon 477 8570 (Universal)
Keyboard Music
The Organs of Johann Nepomuk Holzhey
Works by Georg Muffat, Bernardo Pasquini, Joseph Haydn, Louis Lefébure-Wely, et al. Diverse Interpreten. 2 CD Organ Promotion OP 8006
Opera
Henry Purcell: King Arthur
Chœur & Orchestre du Concert Spirituel, Musical direction: Hervé Niquet; Stage direction: Corinne & Gilles Benizio, Video direction: Olivier Simmonet. Glossa GVD 921619D. (Note 1)
Opera
Richard Wagner: Die Walküre
Peter Seiffert, Juha Uusitalo, Petra Maria Schnitzer, Jennifer Wilson et al., Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana, Musical direction: Zubin Mehta, Stage direction: La Fura dels Baus. 2 DVD C major 700708 (Naxos)
Choral Music
Salvatore Sciarrino: 12 Madrigali
Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart. col legno WWE 20287 (Harmonia Mundi)
Lieder and Vocal Recital
»Sacrificium« – La scuola dei castrati
Arias by Nicola Porpora, Antonio Caldara, Leonardo Leo et al. Il Giardino Armonico, Direction: Giovanni Antonini, Cecilia Bartoli (mezzo soprano). Decca 478 15221 (Universal)
Lieder and Vocal Recital
Coloraturas
Arias from Operas by Charles Gounod, Giuseppe Verdi, Igor Strawinsky, Gioacchino Rossini et al. Diana Damrau (soprano). Münchner Rundfunkorchester, Direction: Dan Ettinger. Virgin Classics 519313 2 2 (EMI)
Early Music
O gente brunette
Songwriter from the Picardy Renaissance. Odhecaton, Direction: Paolo Da Col. Ramée 0902 (Codaex)
Contemporary Classical Music
Earle Brown: Contemporary Music Series Vol. 2
Works by Luigi Nono, Bruno Maderna, Luciano Berio and Peter Maxwell Davies et al., Various Artists (1960-73). 3 CD, Wergo 6931 2 (Note 1)
Historical Recordings
The Creators
Composers Playing Their Own Works at the Piano. 10 CD, Music Alliance Membran 232598
Historical Recordings
Aida Stucki – Mozart: Violin Concertos
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Violin Concertos Nos. 1-7, Sinfonia Concertante KV 364, Violin Sonatas. Aida Stucki (violin), Ton-Studio Orchester, Christoph Lieske, Hermann Friedrich et al. (1951-77), 6 CD, Doremi 7964-9 (Musikwelt)
Crossover Productions
Sting: If On a Winter’s Night...
Deutsche Grammophon. 06025 271 3940 (Universal)
Film Music
Marcel Barsotti: Pope Joan
Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, Direction: Frank Strobel. Königskinder Music KK 009 (Rough Trade)
Music Film
Chet Baker: Let’s Get Lost
A film by Bruce Weber. Pierrot Le Fou 6407431 (Alive)
Music Film
Sunny’s Time Now
A Portrait of Jazz Drummer Sunny Murray. A Film by Antoine Prum. 2 DVD PTD-135. (FMP Free Music Production, Distribution & Communication)
Music Film
Leonard Bernstein Reflections
A film by Peter Rosen, Including a complete performance of Milhaud: »Le Bœuf sur le toit«. medici arts 3078728 (Naxos)
Jazz
»Money Jungle« – Ellington reorchestrated
hr-Bigband, Arrangements/ Direction: Jörg Achim Keller. hrmj 041-09 (hr-media GmbH)
Jazz
Heinz Sauer: If (Blue) Then (Blue)
Michael Wollny, Joachim Kühn. ACT 9493 (Edel)
Jazz
Ralph Towner & Paolo Fresu
Chiaroscuro. ECM 2085 (Universal)
Traditional Ethnic Music
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba (Mali)
I speak fula. Out here Records. OH 013 (Indigo)
Traditional Ethnic Music
Mercedes Sosa: Cantora
RCA Victor 88697567812 (Sony Music)
German language Singer/Songwriters
Thomas Felder: 40 liederliche Jahre
Musik & Wort TF 1400
German language Singer/Songwriters
Der Odenwälder Shanty Chor
Per B.E.M.B.E.L. durch die Galaxis. WOLKENstein LC 03227
Folk and Singer/Songwriters
Valkyrien All Stars
Heilo HCD7220 (Galileo MC)
Pop
The Hidden Cameras: Origin – Orphan
Arts & Crafts 048 (Alive)
Nu & Extreme (until 2014)
Matias Aguayo: Ay Ay Ay
Kompakt 076 (Rough Trade/ Good To Go)
Blues and Blues-related
Joe Louis Walker
Between a Rock and the Blues. Dixiefrog 8673 (Fenn Music)
R&B, Soul and Hip-Hop
Kim Sanders: A Closer Look
CARE 198879GLA (Edel)
Recordings for Children and Youth
Gebrüder Grimm: Schneeweißchen und Rosenrot
Narrator: Samuel Weiss, Auryn Quartett, double bass: Felix von Tippelskirch. Edition See-Igel SG026
Recordings for Children and Youth
E.T.A. Hoffmann: Nussknacker und Mausekönig
Read by Ulrich Noethen. 2 CD, Kulturkontor / Der Hörverlag, ISBN 978-3-86717-501-2
Spoken Word
Lyrikstimmen – Die Bibliothek der Poeten
100 years of poetry in im original sound, edited by Christiane Collorio, Peter Hamm, Harald Hartung, Michael Krüger. 9 CD, Der Hörverlag ISBN 978-3-86717-338-4
Spoken Word
Wölflisches Gejandl einer bayerischen Schwittersmutter
4 Textkonzerte auf 4 CDs, gewidmet 4 unterschiedlichen und doch verwandten Sprachgalaxenbauern: Ernst Jandl – Konrad Bayer – Kurt Schwitters – Adolf Wölfli. Idea, Conception and Voice: Wolfram Berger. Music: Wolfgang Puschnig, Jon Sass, Uli Scherer. ORF-CD 744