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.
Orchestral Music & Concertos
Franz Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 5
Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, Philippe Herreweghe. PHI Records LPH 028 (Outhere Music/Note 1)
Orchestral Music & Concertos
Sergej Prokofjew: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
Sergej Prokofjew: Violinkonzerte Nr. 1 D-Dur op. 18 und Nr. 2, g-moll op. 63. Franziska Pietsch, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Cristian Mācelaru. Audite 97.733 (Naxos)
Chamber Music
»Once upon a time«
Robert Schumann: Märchenerzählungen op.132 for Clarinet, Viola and Piano; Fantasiestücke for Piano and Clarinet op.73; Märchenbilder for Piano and Viola op.133. Jörg Widmann: Es war einmal… Fünf Stücke im Märchenton for Clarinet, Viola and Piano. Tabea Zimmermann, Jörg Widmann, Dénes Várjon. Myrios Classics MYR 020 (harmonia mundi)
Keyboard Music
Dmitry Masleev – Scarlatti
Domenico Scarlatti: Sonaten K 27, K 466, K1, K 141, K 32; Sergej Prokofjew: Sonate Nr. 2 d-moll op.14; Dmitri Schostakowitsch: Klavierkonzert Nr. 2 F-Dur op. 102. Dmitry Masleev, Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Stadkovsky. Melodyia MEL 1002517 (Naxos)
Keyboard Music
Johann Sebastian Bach: Choralpartiten
Johann Sebastian Bach: Choralpartiten BWV 766-770, Präludien & Fugen BWV 531, 533-536, 541, 544, 549-551. Anna Pikulska an der Silbermann-Orgel St.Marien zu Freiberg, Sachsen und an der Trost-Orgel Stadtkirche Waltershausen. Organum 702011 (harmonia mundi)
Opera
Antonio Vivaldi: Dorilla in Tempe
Romina Basso, Marina de Liso, Serena Malfi, Lucia Cirillo, Sonia Prina, Christian Senn, Coro della Radiotelevisione svizzera, I Barocchisti, Diego Fasolis. Naïve OP 30560 (Indigo)
Opera
Hector Berlioz: Les Troyens
Joyce DiDonato, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Marianne Crebassa, Michael Spyres, Stéphane Degout, Cyrille Dubois, Philippe Sly, Richard Rittelmann, Stanislas de Barbeyrac, Bertrand Grunenwald, Agnieszka Slawinska, Jean Teitgen, Hanna Hipp, Nicolas Courjal, Jerôme Varnier, Frédéric Caton, Les Chœurs de l’Opera national du Rhin, Badischer Staatsopernchor, Chœur & Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg, John Nelson. Erato 9029576220 (Warner)
Choral Music
György Ligeti: Requiem
György Ligeti: Requiem, Lux aeterna; Clytus Gottwald: Transcriptions of works by Claude Debussy, Gustav Mahler & Maurice Ravel. Gabriele Hierdeis, Renée Morloc, Kammerchor Stuttgart, Danubia Orchestra Óbuda, Frieder Bernius. Carus 83.283 (Note 1)
Lieder and Vocal Recital
Franz Schubert: Die schöne Müllerin
Christian Gerhaher, Gerold Huber. Sony 88985427402
Early Music
Händel | Bach – Dixit Dominus | Magnificat
Johann Sebastian Bach: Magnificat BWV 243; Georg Friedrich Händel: Dixit Dominus HWV 232. Vox Luminis, Lionel Meunier. Alpha 370 (Note 1).
Contemporary Classical Music
Julius Eastman: The Zürich Concert
New World Music 80797 (Klassik Center Kassel)
Historical Recordings
Alfredo Campoli – Milestones of a Legend
Works by Beethoven, Elgar, Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Paganini, Tschaikowsky etc. Campoli, London Philharmonic Orchestra. Documents 600443 (Intense Media)
Crossover Productions
Jon Balke: Nahnou Houm
Ensemble Siwan, Mona Boutchebak, Derya Turkan, Helge Norbakken, Pedram Khavar, Zamini, Barokksolistene. ECM 2572 (Universal)
Film Music
The Film Scores & Original Orchestral Music of George Martin
The Berlin Music Ensemble, Craig Leon. Atlas Recordings ARCD008 (PIAS/Rough Trade)
Music Film
Midori Plays Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach: Sonaten & Partiten BWV 1001-1006 für Violine Solo. Live auf Schloß Köthen. Ein Film von Andreas Morell. DVD Accentus ACC ID403 (harmonia mundi)
Music Film
You’ll Never Walk Alone
Die Geschichte eines Songs. A film by André Schäfer. Joachim Król, Campino, Thomas Hengelbrock, Jürgen Klopp, Gerry Marsden. DVD mindjazz pictures 6417773 (Alive)
Jazz
New Old Luten Quintet: Letzter Rabatz!
Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky, Elan Pauer, John Edwards, Robert Landfermann, Christian Lillinger. Euphorium Records EUPH 057
World Music
Tania Saleh: Intersection
Kirkelig Kulturverksted FXCD 440 (Indigo)
Traditional Ethnic Music
Maya Youssef: Syrian Dreams
Maya Youssef, Barney Morse-Brwon, Sebastian Flaig, Attab Haddad. harmonia mundi HMM 902 349
German language Singer/Songwriters
Manfred Maurenbrecher: flüchtig
Reptiphon Rep 047 (Broken Silence)
Folk and Singer/Songwriters
Daniel Kahn & The Painted Bird: The Butcher’s Share
Oriente Musik RienCD91 (Fenn)
Pop
Kelela: Take Me Apart
Warp Records WARP 287 (Rough Trade)
This album won in jury Pop as well as in jury R&B, Soul, HipHop.
Rock
JD McPherson: Undivided Heart And Soul
New West Records NW6370 (PIAS)
Alternative
Mount Kimbie: Love What Survives
Warp Records WARP 288 (Rough Trade)
Club and Dance
Four Tet: New Energy
Text Records TEXT 046CD (Indigo)
Electronic and Experimental
Björk: Utopia
One Little Indian/Embassy of Music 5054197926921 (Warner)
Blues and Blues-related
The Sherman Holmes Project: The Richmond Sessions
M.C. Records MC-0082 (in-akustik)
Spoken Word
Daniel Kehlmann: Tyll
Gelesen von Ulrich Noethen. Argon Verlag ISBN 978-3-8398-1604-2
Recordings for Children and Youth
Peter Wohlleben: Hörst du, wie die Bäume sprechen? Eine kleine Entdeckungsreise durch den Wald
Reading by Hanna Khallaf, Leah Knapp, Hans Löw, Frida Löw, Birk von der Lieth, Antonia Weber. Direction: Frank Gustavus. Oetinger Audio ISBN 978-3-8373-1031-3