streaming

Labyrinths online: The Orchestra of the Swan

The individuality of the Orchestra of the Swan is beyond doubt; this strikes me as their finest offering to date

Lise Davidsen & Leif One Andsnes: on tour, and on disc

Soprano Lise Davidsen and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, surely Norway's greatest exports since Kirsten Flagstad and Edvard Grieg himself, performed the final leg of their recent tour to a packed-out Barbican Hall on Wednesday, January 13. The tour celebrated (read promoted) their new release of Grieg songs, taking

Hindemith

Hindemith's opera Mathis der Maler, complete from Vienna

Whether you go for sound-only, or the visual experience, this is simply unmissable

Contemporary

Henze from Vienna

One of Naxos' finest ... a celebration of the lyrical side of Hans Werner Henze

Bach

Gold.Berg.Werk: J. S. Bach & Karlheinz Essl

No matter how many Goldbergs you have inyour collection, this is a must-have supplement.

Mendelssohn Symphonies from Sweden

If you don't know Mendelssohn's early numbered symphonies yet, this is the perfect place to start: I can hardly wait until No. 2 ("Lobgesang") is released!

Baroque Opera

More Baroque Opera: Lully's Atys

An unmissable demonstration of great French opera in a simply beautiful production

Liszt

Death and Transfiguration: Kenneth Hamilton plays Liszt

A magnificent release, its contents perfectly judged and delivered with a balanced mix of virtuosity and intellect

Violin

Sibelius and the Violin

For many, I hope, this disc will be a revelation: a different side of Sibelius from the symphonist and purveyor of tone poems we all know and love

Gipps

Opalescence: The Music of Ruth Gipps

This disc is a real gift to the musical world at large ... superlative performances of beautiful, and often powerful, music

Dvorak

Dvořák String Quartets, Volume 4

The Vogler Quartet is a major ensemble, and utterly dedicated to the music of Dvořák. A wonderful release

Verdi

Verdi Requiem: Muti, Jessye Norman, Carreras ...

This is a moment of history preserved in recording aspic, and it is one absolutely not to be missed

Zemlinsky

More Zemlinsky: Lyric Symphony

Unmissable for all fans of Austro-Germanic late Romanticism

Brahms

Brahms Lieder from Christoph Pregardien

This first volume of Naxos' complete Brahms songs bodes incredibly well ... the beginning of an important cycle

Chamber

Egyptian Nights: an Arensky ballet (plus a PIano Trio!)

The music of Anton Arensky has long been due serious reappraisal. Perhaps these two discs can point us in that direction ...

20th Century

Žal: the music of Milosz Magin

This disc will be revelatory to many people ...

Baroque

Telemann Musikalisches Lob Gottes

A magnificently balanced, enriching disc, performed throughout at the very highest level.

Christmas

Christmas Carols with the King's Singers

Festive cheer and warmth from "the Boys": The King's Singers at their finest!

Myaskovsky Cello Sonatas

I'm not sure why, a year plus in, Classical Explorer has only included one piece by Myaskovsky (his Symphony No. 27, here). So here's a disc that concentrates on his music: his two Cello Sonatas (plus a short "encore" by Rimsky-Korsakov). Composed when Myaskovsky

French

Auber Orchestral Works from opera and ballet

If you haven't encountered any of Auber's music before, this is a great place to start;Dario Salvi conducts

Opera

Es war einmal ... the fairytale magic of Zemlinsky

"Es war einmal" is the perfect place to start one's explorations of Zemlinsky's operas

Bruckner

Bruckner Symphony No. 4 from Thielemann

This is Thielemann's Bruckner at its finest

Piano

Jae-Hyuck Cho plays Rachmaninov Piano Concertos

A refreshing release: Jae-Hyuck Cho has clearly learned these concertos from the ground up, resulting in performances of a lasting freshness

Baroque

Gottlieb Muffat: Harpsichord Suites

This is a major release that could threaten to get lost in the release lists were it not for a little push in the right direction

Baroque

Legrenzi: Harmonia d'affetti devoti, Op. 3

This is a near-faultless release ... a real jewel in Naxos' catalogue