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
Igor Strawinsky: L’Oiseau de feu
& Edvard Grieg: Småtrold. Alexander Glasunov: The Seasons (excerpt) et al. Les Siècles, François-Xavier Roth. Actes Sud ASM 06 (harmonia mundi)
Orchestral Music & Concertos
Berg, Beethoven: Violin Concertos
Ludwig van Beethoven: Violin Concerto D major op.61. Alban Berg: Violin Concerto. Isabelle Faust, Orchestra Mozart, Claudio Abbado. Harmonia mundi HMC 902105
Chamber Music
Carolin Widmann, Alexander Lonquich – Schubert
Franz Schubert: Fantasia C major op.post.159 D 934; Rondo H minor op.70 D 895; Sonata A major op.post. 162 D 574. Carolin Widmann, Alexander Lonquich. ECM New Series 2223/4764546 (Universal)
Keyboard Music
The Art-Harmonium. Hommage à Victor Mustel
Works by George Bizet, César Franck, Alexandre Guilmant et al. Jan Hennig (Kunstharmonium). Ambiente ACD-3013 (Medienvertrieb Heinzelmann)
Keyboard Music
Mozart: Keyboard Music Vol. 3
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sonate B-Dur KV 433; Sonate F-Dur KV 332; Variationen F-Dur KV 613 (»Ein Weib ist das herrlichste Ding«); Fantasie c-Moll KV 396. Kristian Bezuidenhout. Harmonia Mundi USA HMU 907499
Opera
Antonio Vivaldi: Orlando Furioso RV 728
With Verónica Cangemi, Philippe Jaroussky, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Jennifer Larmore et al. Choir of Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Ensemble Matheus, Jean-Christophe Spinosi. Direction: Pierre Audi. DVD Naïve DR 2148 (Indigo)
Choral Music
Leoš Janáček: Choral Works
Six Moravian Choruses (after Dvořák); Die Wildente; Die Fährte des Wolfes; Elegie auf den Tod meiner Tochter; Kinderreime; Unsere Abende; Ave Maria; Vaterunser. Thomas Walker, Philip Mayers, Cappella Amsterdam, Radio Blazers Ensemble, Daniel Reuss. harmonia mundi HMC 902097
Lieder and Vocal Recital
Hasse Reloaded
Johann Adolph Hasse: Arias from »Didone abbandonata«, »Artaserse«, »La Gelosia«. Valer Barna-Sabadus, Hofkapelle München, Michael Hofstetter. Oehms OC 830 (Naxos)
Early Music
Music From The Missae Sex
Philippe Rogier: Missa Philippus Secundus Rex Hispaniae; Missa Inclita Stirps Jesse. Magnificat, Philip Cave. Linn Records CDK 387 (Codæx)
Contemporary Classical Music
AsianArt Ensemble
Chung Il-Ryun: Kwang Ya – five Korean dances. Volker Blumenthaler: Approximation. Hosokawa Toshio: Landscapes V; Manfred Stahnke: Changguflage. Lee Myung-Sun: Olleh. Xu Shuya: In Nomine II. Asian Art Ensemble. Celestial Harmonies 13291-2 (Naxos)
Historical Recordings
Mercury Living Presence: The Collector’s Edition
With Gina Bachauer, Yehudi Menuhin, Henryk Szeryng, London Symphony Orchestra, Antal Doráti, Rafael Kubelik, Stanisław Skrowaczewski et al. 51 CD. Decca 478 356 6 (Universal)
Crossover Productions
Luc Ferrari: JETZT
– oder wahrscheinlich ist dies mein Alltag, in der Verwirrung der Orte und der Augenblicke. With Tiziana Bertoncini, David Fenech, Brunhild Ferrari, Luc Ferrari, Neele Hülcker, Frank Niehusmann, Antje Vowinckel. Vivant Quartet de Narbonne. 3 CD Wergo 2066 2 (Note 1)
Film Music
Ludovic Bource: The Artist
The Brussels Philharmonic, Van Tiel. Sony 88697978952 (Sony)
Music Film
Renaud Garcia-Fons – Solo
The Marcevol Concert. Direction: Nicolas Dattilesi. CD & DVD. Enja ENJ-9581 2 (Soulfood)
Music Film
Nach der Musik
With Otmar Suitner, Marita Suitner, Staatskapelle Berlin et al. Direction: Igor Heitzmann. DVD b-there! 6413631 (Alive)
Jazz
When Lights Are Low
Pure Desmond (Sebastian Deufel, Christian Flohr, Lorenz Hargassner, Johann Weiß) minor music MM 801141 (In-Akustik)
Jazz
Lifeline. Rolf & Joachim Kühn Quartet
With Brian Blade, John Patitucci. Impulse 06025 2786480 (Universal)
World Music
Bonga: Hora Kota
Lusafrica 562752 (Sony)
Folk and Singer/Songwriters
The Other Europeans: Splendor
2 CD Kikiyon MDR Kiki CD 001-2 (Eigenverlag)
Pop
Lambchop: Mr. M.
City Slang 50013 (Universal)
Nu & Extreme (until 2014)
Gang Colours: The Keychain Collection
Brownswood BWOOD074LP (Rough Trade)
Blues and Blues-related
Timo Gross: Fallen from Grace
PepperCake PEC 2073-2 (ZYX Music)
R&B, Soul and Hip-Hop
Union: Analogtronics
Vinyl-LP with Download Code/CD. Fat Beats EAN 6 591235144 15/22
Spoken Word
Max Frisch: Montauk
With Monica Gillette, Ueli Jäggi, Thomas Sarbacher. Susanne-Marie Wrage. Direction: Leonhard Koppelmann. 2 CD Osterwold-Audio / HörbucHHamburg ISBN 978-3 -86952-118-3
Recordings for Children and Youth
Hartmut El Kurdi: Wat soll dat denn?!
Fritz Eckenga, Hartmut El Kurdi, Bianka Lammert, Jochen Malmsheimer. Verlag Sauerländer ISBN 978-3-411-81003-1