Poèmes de L'amour (chausson, Ravel, Debussy) Susan Graham Yan Pascal Tortelier, Bbc SO

In this Carus release, Frieder Bernius leads soloists from Kammerchor Stuttgart in a selection of transcriptions by Clytus Gottwald and original compositions for chorus subdivided into multiple parts, in this case, up to 16 parts. The arrangements, here of songs originally for solo voice and piano, demonstrate Gottwald's mastery of this niche genre; he has also made remarkably effective choral transcriptions of chamber music and work for full orchestra. The arrangements, of songs by Ravel, Debussy, and Schumann, work beautifully as choral music, even as independent compositions, considered apart from their sources.

This record is dedicated to the frequent association of two French scores, gems from "la Belle Epoque" (more or less the Edwardian Era), played by a string quartet which, following their mentor Sandor Vegh's example, is undertaking a new career : after a first and brilliant appearance (1976-84) under the name of Orlando, the quartet is back as Párkányí Quartet, from the name of the Hungarian born "primarius", István Párkányí. Only one member was changed, the cellist Michael Müller replacing Stefan Metz.

Peter Donohoe is a pianist known for Liszt, Prokofiev, and other virtuoso repertory, but with this 2024 release, he attempts something of a different kind and with considerable success. The program is devoted to the shades the waltz took on in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and none of it is particularly daunting technically. All the music is relatively well known, although Schumann's Abegg Variations, Op. 1, one of his very few encounters with the waltz form, is not played terribly often. Donohoe nicely captures the explosive quality of the young Schumann's talent.

Peter Donohoe is a pianist known for Liszt, Prokofiev, and other virtuoso repertory, but with this 2024 release, he attempts something of a different kind and with considerable success. The program is devoted to the shades the waltz took on in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and none of it is particularly daunting technically. All the music is relatively well known, although Schumann's Abegg Variations, Op. 1, one of his very few encounters with the waltz form, is not played terribly often. Donohoe nicely captures the explosive quality of the young Schumann's talent.

Featuring two of the most prominent European classical musicians of their time, ZINO FRANCESCATTI & ROBERT CASADESUS features both individual performances and duets. Francescatti was perhaps the finest violinist of the mid-20th century; coming from a family of musicians, he was a child prodigy who gave his first concert at the age of five. Casadesus also came from a musical background, and won acclaim throughout his career as a technically perfect pianist and fine classical composer. The pair collaborate here in performances of works by Beethoven, and individually perform work by composers as diverse as Debussy and Bazzini.

Handel's operas–the center of his creative life before oratorios became the focus–have spent far too long in limbo awaiting rediscovery, which slowly started happening in the late '60s with works such as Giulio Cesare. But whether Handelian opera is still a novelty or you're already a rabid convert, this emotionally resonant, crisply played, superbly cast interpretation under William Christie and Les Arts Florissants is likely to shake up some of your ideas about the composer.

Commissioned for the coronation of Leopold II in Prague, Mozart’s last opera is a deep, humane reflection on relationships, power and forgiveness. With the composition of some of the most beautiful passages in his oeuvre, Mozart has succeeded in giving this opera seria both a noble sobriety and transparent instrumentation, to which this commanding production by the Herrmann partnership does full justice on all levels. Susan Graham’s most extraordinary Sesto and Christoph Prégardien’s superb Tito set the standard for this riveting Opéra national de Paris performance, conducted by the outstanding Sylvain Cambreling.

These much-lauded performances deserve the highest possible recommendation. One example suffices to detail the level of Martinon’s interpretive perceptions. Ravel was, of course, a stunning orchestrator, and yet most of the music here was originally conceived for keyboard. The end of the Mother Goose ballet contains one of his rare orchestral miscalculations: the original glissandos for piano are given to the harp, which is almost never audible against the loud final climax–except here. Martinon, with his keen ear and evident knowledge of what Ravel intended, makes sure that the harp comes right through, and the result is magical. His textural awareness is matched by an equally natural sense of pacing, and the orchestra (not one of the world’s great ones) gives him 100 percent in music that it clearly knows and loves.

These much-lauded performances deserve the highest possible recommendation. One example suffices to detail the level of Martinon’s interpretive perceptions. Ravel was, of course, a stunning orchestrator, and yet most of the music here was originally conceived for keyboard. The end of the Mother Goose ballet contains one of his rare orchestral miscalculations: the original glissandos for piano are given to the harp, which is almost never audible against the loud final climax–except here. Martinon, with his keen ear and evident knowledge of what Ravel intended, makes sure that the harp comes right through, and the result is magical. His textural awareness is matched by an equally natural sense of pacing, and the orchestra (not one of the world’s great ones) gives him 100 percent in music that it clearly knows and loves.