Early and late feature heavily in this year’s selection, but in the middle a pair of individual performances stand out. The white-hot dramatic impetus of John Osborn’s account of the title role in Meyerbeer’s Le prophète in a performance from Mark Elder and the LSO that really capture’s the work’s drama, and a rediscovery of the original orchestral sound of Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius from Gabrieli and Paul McCreesh, with a sensitive account of the title role from Nicky Spence.
Early discoveries include Victoria’s Tenebrae Responsories sung one to a part at the original pitch by I Fagiolini and Robert Hollingworth, and David de Winter and The Brook Street Band putting Schütz’s Venetian career in context. In Copisteria del Conte explores late 18th century chamber music from Genoa, giving us a very particular sense of time and place.
And the Choir of Queen’s College, Oxford and Owen Rees’ disc of Bononcini’s English choral music raises him from simply being an interesting footnote to Handel. Turning to Handel, a fully rounded performance of his late masterpiece, Theodora, from Jonathan Cohen and Arcangelo with Louise Alder in the title role.
In recital, Laurence Kilsby and Ella O’Neill’s Awakenings was an intriguing and eclectic programme full of disturbing elements complemented by performances of remarkable maturity.
Transcription was the order of the day with three striking recordings. Holst’s The Planets was superbly reimagined for the Father Willis organ at Salisbury Cathedral by John Challenger, whilst discs of brass band music by Bliss and Arnold mixed the composers’ works for brass with transcriptions of other pieces to create two brilliant and highly satisfying portraits.
Contemporary music included the mad, magical and mesmerising world of Tom Coult’s Pieces that Disappear, his debut disc from NMC Records, and another remarkable debut, a disc of chamber music by 25-year-old Sam Rudd-Jones
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| John Challenger at the Father Willis organ at Salisbury Cathedral (Photo: Ben Tomlin) |
- Songs from two golden ages: Nicholas Mulroy, Elizabeth Kenny & Toby Carr in a recital of effortless beauty with song from 17th century England & 20th century Latin America
- Combining 17th century European song with that from 20th century Latin America, Nicholas Mulroy and friends create a recital which seduces and engages, by turns lyrical and melancholy, yet always compelling
- A little bit of magic: Victoria’s Tenebrae Responsories sung one to a part at the original pitch by I Fagiolini and Robert Hollingworth
- Just one voice to a part, just intonation and a wonderfully expressive approach to line, all combined with lovely poise
- A German in Venice: Schütz alongside music he could have heard in Venice, a wonderfully life-affirming disc from David de Winter, The Brook Street Band
- A wonderfully engaging and life-affirming disc which mixed Schütz’s music with pieces he might have heard whilst he was in Venice in the 1620s
- Something of a minor revelation: choral music by Giovanni Bononcini who was brought to England as Handel’s operatic rival from Choir of Queen’s College, Oxford & Owen Rees
- Known as a rival to Handel, Bononcini wrote far more than Italian opera as this disc of his choral music written in England shows
- Beauty and meaning: Handel’s Theodora from Jonathan Cohen and Arcangelo with Louise Alder in the title role
- A performance of Handel’s late masterpiece that combines musical beauties with a sense of the inner meaning of the words, with a wonderful central performance from Louise Alder
- Attention to detail & sheer energy: Haydndyah from Lars Ulrik Mortensen & Concerto Copenhagen in Haydn symphonies on Berlin Classics
- Small forces, big effects in these compelling performances of three Haydn symphonies from the early 1770s where the attention to detail and sheer energy really count
- A sense of place, engagement & sheer enjoyment: In Copisteria del Conte exploring late 18th century chamber music from Genoa
- Focusing on a particular time and place, this disc explores music in the Genoese palazzos of the late 18th century through music copied by one firm. The result is not dry at all but has a wonderful sense of place, engagement and sheer enjoyment
- White-hot dramatic impetus: a new recording of Meyerbeer’s Le prophète on LSO Live might use a traditional version but captures the work’s essential drama
- Captures the essence of this remarkable opera, listening to this performance really conveys why the opera captivated so many in the 19th century
- A rich sophistication of thought running through this programme that seems worlds away from the typical debut recital: Awakenings from Laurence Kilsby and Ella O’Neill
- An intriguing & eclectic programme full of disturbing elements complemented by performances of remarkable maturity enlightened with the dark, burnished tones of Kilsby’s voice
- Sensitive solo performances, youth choirs and with a rediscovery of the original orchestral sound: Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius from Gabrieli, Paul McCreesh, Nicky Spence
- A profoundly satisfying and highly intelligent account, combining sensitive solo performances with a rediscovery of the original sound world of Elgar’s orchestra and terrific singing from the youth choirs
- Sight and sound: Holst’s The Planets superbly reimagined for the Father Willis organ at Salisbury Cathedral by John Challenger with a mesmerising film
- Far from special interest: discs of brass band music by Arthur Bliss and Malcolm Arnold, two brilliant and highly satisfying portraits
- Two discs focussing on 20th century composers whose works for brass band are performed alongside arrangements to create two brilliant and highly satisfying portraits
- Mad, magical and mesmerising: Tom Coult’s Pieces that Disappear, his debut disc from NMC Records
- Music that is misremembered or did not exist in the first place, music that layers Lassus with evocative reminiscences merging Britten and Ravel. Throughout, Coult’s command of his orchestral palate is devastating and his writing for soloists Anna Dennis and Daniel Pioro highly seductive
- A bright beginning: Three Sonatas reveals the distinctive voice of young composer Sam Rudd-Jones in a disc of chamber music that intrigues
- A remarkable debut, a disc of chamber music by 25-year-old Sam Rudd-Jones reveals a distinctive voice with a compositional talent that intrigues and makes you look forward to what comes next
