Classical Highlights for April 2025

Solo virtuosity shone within the newest batch of latest releases that we reviewed. Pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet delivers an thrilling set of works by Khachaturian, whereas Jan Lisiecki combines Chopin’s Preludes with these of different composers. Violinist Liza Ferschtman (pictured) shines in Brahms’ concerto and a fantasy by Suk, whereas James Ehnes offers completely satisfying readings of violin plus orchestra warhorses. A few different alternative recordings embody Bach’s B Minor Mass by Pygmalion, led by Raphaël Pichon and the Kronos Quartet in new works by Mary Kouyoumdjian.
April Classical Evaluations
Paul Agnew, Les Arts Florissants, Benjamin Alard – J.S. Bach: A Life in Music, Vol. 2 – The Weimar Years (1708-1717)
Hammaich – Ravel: Loads of piano concerto in G; However mère the ode; The nuit gaspard
Maurizio Baglini – Heroica
Nicolas Baldeyrou – Mozart: Full Works for Clarinet on Interval Devices, Vol. 1
SEMYON BYCKOOVOV, Catriuon, Prinue Phuliceic Debirn Chirlor, somei Gauharmonic – Maturer: Muhler: Mahler: Mahler: 3
Masanas Cecilia – Masanane Cecilia
Bertrand Chamayou – Ravel: Fragments
The Curious Bards, Ilektra Platiopoulou – Sublimation: Songs and dances from 18th-century Scandinavia
Danish Nationwide Vocal Ensemble, Martina Bartic – O Hear! to the Music of Uros Krek & Else Marie Pade
Patrick Demenga, Andres Mustonen, Kamer, Riga Cathedral Boy’s Choir, State Choir Latvija – Alexander Knaifel: Chapter Eight
Sabine Devieilhe, Cyrille Dubois, François -Xavier Roth – Stravinsky: Le Rossignol
James Ehnes, BBC Philharmonic, Juanjo Mena – Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole; Saint-Saëns: Violin live performance No. 3; Sarasate: Live performance Fantasy on Bizet’s Carmen
Mark Elder, Hallé – Verdi: Simon Boccanegra (Authentic 1857 model)
Ensemble Altera, Christopher Lowrey – Dazzling Mild
Laurence Equilbey, acceentus, Insula Orchestra – Betheven: King Stephaan; The ruins of the athans; Leonore Prohaska
Liza Ferschtman, Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra – Brahms: Violin Concerto; Suk: Fantasy
Edward Gardner, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra & Refrain – Brahms: A German Requiem
Edward Gardner, Mary Bevan, Metropolis of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra – Schubert: Symphonies, Vol. 5 – Symphony No. 9, Orchestral Songs
Stewart Goodyear, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Andrew Constantine – Mendelssohn, Goodyear, Schumann
Michael Hofstetter, Vanessa Waldhart, Robert Sellie – Commerce: Brockes Ardour
Paavo Järvi, Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich – Mahler: Symphony No. 5
Jeneba Kanneh-Mason – Fantasy
The King’s Singers – Such Stuff As Goals Are Made On
Felix Koch – Georg Philipp Telemann: Full Cantas, Vol. 4 – French 12 months 1714/1715
Stanislav Kochanovsky, GDR Radiophilharmonie – Tchaikovsky: Orchestral Suite No. 3; Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnol
Kronos Quartet – Mary Kouyoumdjian: Witness
Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Giulio Zappa – Donizetti: Songs, Vol. 4
Christian Li – Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto
Julien Liveer, Pierre Colombet, Matthew Sücs, Eckart Runge – Mozart: 1, 2, 3, 4 – Solo, Duo, Trio, Quartet
Jan Lisiecki – Preludes
London Choral Sinfonia, Jack Liebeck, Michael Waldron – Malcolm Arnold
Charlie Lovell-Jones, Sinfonia of London, John Wilson – Walton: Violin Concerto; Symphonic Suite from ‘Troilus and Cressida’; Portsmouth Level
Cristian Măcelaru, Wdr Sinfonieorchester – Rachmaninov: Orchestral Works
Dmitry Masleev, Svetlanov Symphony Orchestra – Liszt, Rachmaninoff: Dies Irae
Nicholas McGegan, Cantata Collective – Bach: Easter Oratorio; Magnificat
Patrick Messina, liseerertaud, fabrizio Chavettice – Mozart, easter
Peter Moore, Tredegar Band, Ian Porthouse – Shift
Novus Quartet – Brahms: The Full String Quartets
Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra, Ludwig Wicki – Howard Shore: Anthology – The Paris Concert events
Anthony Pappano, Darkness, London Symphony Orchestra – Ravel: Daphnis and Chloé

Adrian Partington, BBC Nationwide Orchestra & Refrain of Wales – Grace Williams: Missa Cambrensis
Julian Perkins, Academy of Historic Music – John Weldon: The Judgment of Paris
Illusion – Johann Sebastian Bach: The Artwork of Fugue
Philharmonic Brass, Riccardo Mutu – Italian!
Pygmalion, Raphaël Pichon – JS Bach: Mass in B minor
Quatuor Bozzini – Jürg Frey: String Quartets
Charles Richard -Hamelin – Echoes
Timothy Ridout-Telemann, Bach, Britten, Shaw
Santtu -Matias Rouvali, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra – Sibelius: Symphonies nos. 6 & 7; The tempest
Vladimir Rumyantsev – Sean Hickey: Sapiens – A Temporary Historical past of Humankind
Schorns of Chicago, Michael Alan Anderson – Noter Balbulus: E book Ymnorum
Silesian Quartet – Górecki: Full Works for String Quartet
Niklas Sivelöv, Bogota Philharmonic Orchestra, Joachim Gustafsson – Beethoven: Piano Concertos, Vol. 1 – Op. 61a & Op. 58
Baiba Skride, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Andris Nelsons – Shostakovich: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
Steven Sloane, Bochum Symphony Orchestra – George Ehrt: Venus in Africa
Takács Quartet, Marc -André Hamelin – DVOřák & Worth: Piano Quintets
Jean -Yves Thibaudet, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Gustavo Dudamel – Khachartian
Trio Gaspard – Haydn: The Full Piano Trios, Vol. 4; Sally Beamish: Trance
Varied Artists – Georges Bizet: Djamileh; Vasco de Gama; Cantates
James Method, Natalie Burch – Benjamin Britten: Canticles
John Wilson, Jonathan Aasgaard, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra – Richard Rodney Bennett, Vol. 5
Simone Younger, Sydney Symphony Orchestra – Mahler: Symphony No. 2 ‘Resurrection’; Barton: Of the Earth
Havent Zhang – Beenhoven: Hammercarian Sonata; Listed: Sonata In b Minor


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