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: Le sacre du printemps (1913 & 1967 versions)
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, David Zinman. 2 CDs, RCA 88843095462 (Sony)
Orchestral Music & Concertos
Karol Szymanowski: Violin Conzertos Nos. 1 & 2, Myths
Baiba Skride, Lauma Skride, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Vasily Petrenko. Orfeo C 873 141 A
Chamber Music
Ludwig van Beethoven: Complete Works for violoncello & piano
Jean-Guihen Queyras, Alexander Melnikov. 2 CDs, harmonia mundi HMC 902183
Keyboard Music
Invocation / Herbert Schuch
Works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Franz Liszt, Olivier Messiaen, Maurice Ravel, Tristan Murail. Herbert Schuch, piano. Naïve 994242 (Indigo)
Keyboard Music
Arranging Bach / Gerhard Gnann
Works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Charles-Marie Widor et al. Gerhard Gnann. Coviello Classics Cov 91416 (Note 1)
Opera
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Cosí fan tutte
Simone Kermes, Anna Kasyan, Malena Ernman et al. MusicAeterna, Teodor Currentzis. 3 CDs, Sony Classical 88765466162
Opera
Jacques Offenbach: Fantasio
Sarah Connolly, Russell Braun, Robert Murray, Victoria Simmonds, Neal Davies et al., Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Mark Elder. Opera Rara 0792938005126 (Note 1)
Choral Music
»Warum ist das Licht gegeben den Mühseligen?«
Choral works by Johannes Brahms opp. 74/1, 119/1, 104, 110, 54, 109. Cappella Amsterdam, Daniel Reuss. harmonia mundi HMC 902160
Lieder and Vocal Recital
Fin de Siècle
Lieder by Alban Berg, Franz Schreker, Gustav Mahler, Alexander von Zemlinsky and Arnold Schönberg. Anke Vondung, Christoph Berner. Cavi 8553313 (harmonia mundi)
Early Music
Polyphonies oubliées
Works by Claudin de Sermisy, Jean de Bournonville et al. La Maîtrise de Toulouse, Ensemble Gilles Binchois, Dominique Vellard. Aparté AP 097 (harmonia mundi)
Contemporary Classical Music
Mark Andre: ... auf ... Triptych for large orchestra
SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg, Sylvain Cambreling. Wergo WER 73222 (NAI)
Historical Recordings
Dimitri Mitropoulos dirigiert
works by Peter Tschaikowsky, Modest Mussorgsky, Alexander Borodin, Dimitri Schostakowitsch. New York Philharmonic Orchestra. 2 CDs, Urania Widescreen 121.207 (Klassik Center)
Crossover Productions
»Stupor Mundi«. Music from the Staufer's period
Vincent Klink, Patrick Bebelaar, Michel Godard, Gavino Murgia, Carlo Rizzo. DML Records 033 (Fenn)
Music Film
Orchester im Exil
A Film by Josh Aronson. Polyband DVD 76298-8 (Edel)
Jazz
Kenny Barron & Dave Holland: The Art Of Conversation
Impulse 602537946594 (Universal)
Jazz
Potsa Lotsa Plus: Plays Love Suite by Eric Dolphy
Silke Eberhard et al. Jazzwerkstatt JW 147
World Music
Amparo Sánchez: Espiritu del Sol
World Village WV 479101 (harmonia mundi)
Traditional Ethnic Music
Ogoya Nengo & The Dodo Women’s Group: Rang’Ala
Honest Jons HJRCD 100162 (Indigo)
German language Singer/Songwriters
Stoppok: Popschutz
Grundsound GS 0033 (Indigo)
Folk and Singer/Songwriters
Gjermund Larsen Trio: Reise
Galileo MC GMC 062
Pop
Dean Blunt: Black Metal
Rough Trade 0883870072526 (Indigo)
Alternative
Einstürzende Neubauten: Lament
BMG Rights Management 538013752 (Rough Trade)
Club and Dance
Caribou: Our Love
City Slang SLANG 50070 (Universal)
Electronic and Experimental
Flying Lotus: You’re Dead
Warp WARPCD 256 (Rough Trade)
Blues and Blues-related
Marcia Ball: The Tattooed Lady And The Alligator Man
Alligator Records ALCD 0854964 (in-akustik)
Spoken Word
Michail Bulgakow: Meister und Margarita
Composition & Direction: Klaus Buhlert. With Michael Rotschopf, Manfred Zapatka, Valery Tscheplanowa, Karl Markovics et al. 12 CDs, der Hörverlag, Bayerischer Rundfunk Hörspiel und Medienkunst 2014 ISBN 978-3-8445-1428-5
Recordings for Children and Youth
Brian Conaghan: Jetzt spricht Dylan Mint
... und Mr. Dog hält die Klappe. Martin Baltscheit. Oetinger audio 978-3-8373-0826-6