The most valuable classical recordings of the year span a vast range, from genre-stretching contemporary music to re-evaluations of standard repertory:. Three years ago, violin virtuoso Benedetti played the U. Flutist Brown conceived this album as a tribute to her grandmothers, who must have been fearless souls, judging by the daring character of the music Brown, pianist Pann and others have recorded here. The music spans youthful optimism to mature insight and attests to what was lost.

Notable recordings of 2019


Beethoven: Sonata No. 7 in D, Presto
Gramophone Wednesday, August 14, A beautifully played, personal selection of piano miniatures from Denis Kozhukhin touchingly captures the poetic nature of the form — that immediate summoning of a single emotion or mood. Read the review Download from Qobuz. Excellent playing throughout from the LPO. Haochen Zhang — a Van Cliburn winner — performs these works with imaginative command of their required virtuosity. A debut disc — the result of success at the York Early Music Competition — from a young Baroque ensemble possessed of all the flair, creative rapport and passion required to make the music of this era such a thrilling listen. A celebration of a fascinating figure for his 80th birthday: composer, conductor and oboist Heinz Holliger.
‘Toscanini conducts Richard Strauss’
I promised myself I would find a track on this solemnly glittering set to highlight other than the obvious: the mighty Chaconne from the Second Partita. But here we are. As throughout the album, his touch is mistily veiled one moment, glinting copper the next.
Gramophone Wednesday, May 22, Read the review Download from Qobuz. These works are rarely recorded — or indeed, performed — which makes this coupling, full of wit, charm and fine playing, all the more valuable. Imaginative and inventive throughout, alive to textural detail, Leonard Elschenbroich and Alexei Grynyuk offer an engaging and beautifully played exploration of these sonatas. Colin Currie is at the summit of percussion performance today, and an interpreter of great instinct of the music of Steve Reich. When we named Lise Davidsen our Young Artist of the Year we praised her already rich soprano voice: this programme feels perfectly chosen for her Decca debut. A fascinating project, which brilliantly showcases the sort of thing the English choral tradition does best: stirring music performed with a great sense of occasion. This film of a Neapolitan reworking is an intriguing and fascinating addition to the opera catalogue. Read the review. Subscribe to the world's greatest classical music magazine today.