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
Schönberg / Kolja Blacher, Markus Stenz
Arnold Schönberg: Pelleas und Melisande op. 5; Violin Concerto op. 36. Kolja Blacher, Gürzenich-Orchester Köln, Markus Stenz. Oehms Classics 4260034864450 (Naxos)
Orchestral Music & Concertos
Schumann: Complete Concertos & Piano Trios Vol.1
Robert Schumann: Violin Concerto D minor, WoO 23; Piano Trio No. 3 op. 110. Isabelle Faust, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Alexander Melnikov, Freiburger Barockorchester, Pablo Heras-Casado. CD and DVD, harmonia mundi HMC 902196
Chamber Music
Dmitri Schostakowitsch: String Quartets
Nos. 1, 8, 14. Borodin Quartet. Decca 4788205 (Universal)
Keyboard Music
Domenico Scarlatti: Piano Sonatas
Claire Huangci. 2 CDs, Berlin Classics 0300603 BC (Edel)
Keyboard Music
William Hamilton Bird: The Oriental Miscellany
Airs Of Hindustan. Jane Chapman. Signum Classics SIGCD 415 (Note 1)
Opera
Giuseppe Verdi: Les Vêpres Siciliennes
Lianna Haroutounian, Bryan Hymel, Michael Volle, Erwin Schrott et al, Orchestra Of The Royal Opera House, Antonio Pappano, Direction: Stefan Herheim. 2 DVDs, 1 Blu-ray, Opus Arte 0825646164349 / 0825646164318 (Warner)
Opera
Antonio Salieri: Les Danaïdes
Judith van Wanroij, Philippe Talbo, Tassis Christoyannis et al., Les Talens Lyriques, Christophe Rousset. 2 CDs, Ediciones ES 1019 (Note 1)
Choral Music
Joby Talbot: Path Of Miracles
Conspirare, Craig Hella Johnson. SACD, harmonia mundi HMU 807603
Lieder and Vocal Recital
Héroïque – French Opera Arias / Bryan Hymel
French Opera Arias by Rossini, Berlioz, Verdi, Gounod et al. Bryan Hymel, Prager Philharmoniker, Emmanuel Villaume. Warner 0825646179503
Early Music
Antonio Caldara: Trio Sonatas
Amandine Beyer, Leila Schayegh, Matthias Spaeter et al. Glossa GCD 922514 (Note 1)
Contemporary Classical Music
Tristan Murail: Le Partage des eaux, Contes cruels, Sillages
Wiek Hijmans, Seth Josel, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Pierre-André Valade. Aeon AECD 1222 (Note 1)
Historical Recordings
Gulda – Bach: Das Wohltemperierte Klavier
Johann Sebastian Bach: Das Wohltemperierte Klavier. Friedrich Gulda. 4 CDs, MPS 0300650 MSW (Edel)
Crossover Productions
Anders Jormin, Lena Willemark, Karin Nakagawa
Trees Of Light. ECM 2406 (Universal)
Music Film
Barbara Hannigan – Concert & Documentary
Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Barbara Hannigan. Direction: Barbara Seiler, Michael Beyer. DVD, Accentus ACC 20327 (harmonia mundi)
Music Film
Brett Morgen: Cobain – Montage Of Heck
DVD / Blu-ray, Panorama Entertainment 5053083041014 / 5053083041038 (Universal)
Jazz
Benjamin Schmid Jazz Quartet: Hot Club Jazz
Gramola 99069 (Naxos)
Jazz
Rolf Kühn Unit: Stereo
MPS 0210290 MS1 (Edel)
World Music
Pygmies women from northern Congo
Various: Femmes Pygmées de la Sangha / Pygmies women from northern Congo. Ocora Radio France OCR 560243 (harmonia mundi)
Traditional Ethnic Music
Marina Lledó: Noche Rara
Youkali 017 (Galileo)
German language Singer/Songwriters
Manfred Maurenbrecher: Rotes Tuch
Reptiphon 06690 (Broken Silence)
Folk and Singer/Songwriters
Harald Haugaard: Lys og Forfald
Westpark Music 993222 (Indigo)
Pop
Jamie xx: In Colour
Young Turks / XL Recordings 889030012227 (Indigo)
Hard and Heavy
Armored Saint: Win Hands Down
Metal Blade 03984153842 (Sony)
Alternative
Tocotronic – Das rote Album
Vertigo 4726055 (Universal)
Club and Dance
Nick Höppner: Folk
Ostgut Ton OSTGUTCD 33 (Rough Trade)
Electronic and Experimental
Holly Herndon: Platform
4AD 111002 (Indigo)
Blues and Blues-related
Dr. Will feat. San2: Cuffs Off
Downhill Records DH 083 (Galileo)
R&B, Soul and Hip-Hop
Kendrick Lamar: To Pimp A Butterfly
Interscope 4730068 (Universal)
Spoken Word
Thomas Kling – Die gebrannte Performance
Ulrike Janssen and Norbert Wehr (editors): Thomas Kling – Die gebrannte Performance. Readings by Thomas Kling, conversations with Gabriele Weingartner and Hans Jürgen Balmes. 4 CDs with backing band, Lilienfeld Verlag ISBN 978-3-940357-49-6
Recordings for Children and Youth
Salah Naoura: Hilfe! Oma kommt zurück!
Mechthild Großmann. 3 CDs, Oetinger audio ISBN 978-3-8373-0854-9