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
Shostakovich under Stalin’s Shadow
Dmitri Schostakowitsch: Symphony No. 10. Boston Symphony Orchestra, Andris Nelsons. DG 479 50592 (Universal)
Orchestral Music & Concertos
Witold Lutosławski: Piano Concerto; Symphony No. 2
Krystian Zimerman, Berliner Philharmoniker, Simon Rattle. DG 479 45185 (Universal)
Chamber Music
Grazyna Bacewicz: String Quartets Vol. 1
Nos. 1, 3, 6, 7. Lutosławski Quartet. Naxos 8.572806
Keyboard Music
Claude Debussy / Reynaldo Hahn: 1915
Piano Works for four Hands. Six épigraphes antiques, En blanc et noir; Reynaldo Hahn: Le ruban dénoué, Pour bercer un convalescent. Duo Yaara Tal & Andreas Groethuysen. Sony 88875108322
Keyboard Music
Beethoven: Organ Perspectives
Ludwig van Beethoven: Organ Works. Maria-Magdalena Kaczor. Aeolus AE 11111 (Note 1)
Opera
Jean-Philippe Rameau: Les Indes Galantes
Amel Brahim-Djelloul, Benoît Arnould et al., Les Talens Lyriques, Christophe Rousset. DVD, Alpha ALP 710 (Note 1)
Opera
Félicien David: Herculanum
Véronique Gens, Karine Deshayes, Edgaras Montvidas et al., Flemish Radio Choir, Brussels Philharmonic, Hervé Niquet. 2 CDs incl. book. Ediciones Singulares ES 1020 (Note 1)
Choral Music
Johann Sebastian Bach: Mass in B minor, BWV 232
Carolyn Sampson, Anke Vondung, Daniel Johannsen, Tobias Berndt, Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Freiburger Barockorchester, Hans-Christoph Rademann. 2 CDs, Carus 83.314; 2 CDs & DVD, Carus 83.315 (Note 1)
Lieder and Vocal Recital
Morgen! / Michaela Schuster, Markus Schlemmer
Lieder by Brahms, Schumann, Reger, Strauss. Michaela Schuster, Markus Schlemmer. Oehms Classics OC 1833 (Naxos)
Early Music
Lassus: Missa super Dixit Joseph
Orlando de Lassus: Missa super Dixit Joseph, Motets. Cinquecento. Hyperion CDA 68064 (Note 1)
Contemporary Classical Music
György Kurtág: Kafka Fragments
György Kurtág: Kafka Fragments for Soprano and Violin op. 24 Nos. 1-19. Caroline Melzer, Nurit Stark. Hybrid-SACD, BIS-2175 (Klassik Center)
Historical Recordings
Ferenc Fricsay: Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon, Vol. 2
Operas and Choral Works. Hertha Töpper, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Oralia Dominguez et al. 38 CDs, DG 479 46410 (Universal)
Music Film
Satiesfictions – Promenades with Erik Satie
Film by Anne-Kathrin Peitz and Youlian Tabakov. Steffen Schleiermacher et. al. DVD, Accentus ACC 20312 (harmonia mundi)
Jazz
Oscar Peterson: Exclusively For My Friends
8 CDs, MPS 0210325 MSW (Edel)
Jazz
Irène Schweizer & Han Bennink: Welcome Back
Intakt INT 254 (harmonia mundi)
Traditional Ethnic Music
A Filetta: Castelli
World Village WV 479097 (harmonia mundi)
German language Singer/Songwriters
Konstantin Wecker: Ohne Warum
Sturm & Klang S&K 6415880 (Alive)
Folk and Singer/Songwriters
Jens Kommnick: Redwood
Siúnta Music SM 2207 (www.jenskommnick.de)
Hard and Heavy
Dead Lord: Heads Held High
Century Media 9985852 (Sony)
Alternative
Sleaford Mods: Key Markets
Harbinger Sound 00084942 (Cargo)
Club and Dance
Hunee: Hunch Music
Rush Hour RHM 016 CD (Groove Attack)
Blues and Blues-related
John Mayall: Find A Way To Care
Forty Below Records FBR 011 (H’ART)
R&B, Soul and Hip-Hop
Dr. Dre: Compton
A Soundtrack. Interscope 4753634 (Universal)
Spoken Word
Ilija Trojanow: Macht und Widerstand
Ulrich Pleitgen, Thomas Thieme, Ilija Trojanow. 9 CDs, Argon ISBN 978-3-8398-1431-4
Recordings for Children and Youth
David Solomons: Mein Bruder ist ein Superheld
Martin Baltscheit. Silberfisch ISBN 978-3-86742-277-2 (Hörbuch Hamburg)