Gramophone January 2021

If ever a performance of Schumann's Piano Concerto stressed the principle of dialogue between soloist and conductor, then this is it. True, the Philharmonia's string ensemble isn't as watertight under Fischer-Dieskau as it might have been under some other conductors; and poetry is invested at the premium of relatively low-level drama. Orchestral textures are absolutely right for Schumann – warm yet transparent, full-bodied yet never stodgy – and poetry is a major priority. Add Barenboim's compatible vision and keyboard finesse, and you indeed have a memorable reading.

Mary Elizabeth Bowden, praised for her “splendid, brilliant” artistry (Gramophone), celebrates the narrative power of the trumpet with Storyteller: Contemporary Concertos for Trumpet. Bowden is joined by the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra and conductor Allen Tinkham in a collection of new concertos that redefine the trumpet’s voice in modern classical music.

In recent years the Storioni Trio has established itself as the leading Dutch piano trio. On this disc they perform two of Beethoven’s major works, the Triple Concerto opus 56, and the “Archduke” Trio opus 97. They are joined in the concerto by the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra and conductor Jan Willem de Vriend.

In recent years the Storioni Trio has established itself as the leading Dutch piano trio. On this disc they perform two of Beethoven’s major works, the Triple Concerto opus 56, and the “Archduke” Trio opus 97. They are joined in the concerto by the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra and conductor Jan Willem de Vriend.